Families and housing dominate Welsh election trail
Thursday, 26 April 2007 12:00 AM
Welsh Labour today promised to put children and young people at the heart of government if elected for a third term in next week's assembly election.
Leader Rhodri Morgan said the party would focus on broadening educational opportunities and tackling child poverty, working to raise aspirations as well as incomes.
Pledges include free nursery places for all two-year-olds in deprived communities and a £20 million national fund for youth services.
They also want to give children and young people access to local leisure facilities, opening school facilities outside of school hours and allowing young people to access local leisure facilities free of charge.
"Labour understands that children and young people are central to building stronger and safer communities," said Mr Morgan. Children's minister Jane Hutt added Labour are committed to "giving children the best possible start in life."
Their comments follow Plaid Cymru's promise earlier this week to create a "brighter future" for young people in Wales.
The party has unveiled a range of packages designed to improve skills, reduce student debt and help people onto the housing ladder. "We're investing in the future of Wales," explained Plaid's Bethan Jenkins.
If elected the party would oppose top-up fees, repay student loan repayments for five years for Welsh graduates staying in Wales, introduce a first home grant and replace A levels and GCSEs with a Welsh baccalaureate.
Plaid's Nerys Evans said: "In Wales today, young people face an uncertain future. From student debt to the lack of affordable homes, from low wages to expensive and unreliable childcare, we need a new government in Cardiff Bay to start delivering real change.
"This election is a choice between a Labour party that has run out of steam led by a lame duck leader; or a fresh approach by Plaid, that has a vision for the country that includes young people as an essential part of our plans to build a modern and successful nation."
The Liberal Democrats have also been concentrating on access to housing, pledging to invest £500 million in social and affordable housing to create 11,600 affordable homes.
Increased government investment would be matched by less red tape, added assembly leader Mike German, who warned the current lack of affordable housing risks causing community decline.
Mr German continued: "£500m is a massive financial injection, and will enable us to get to grips with the affordable housing crisis. We will also ensure that housing associations have the freedom to make that money stretch further and that land is identified for affordable housing."
Meanwhile, the Conservatives have been drawing attention to council tax, claiming that average bills have increased under the Labour assembly.
Revaluation in 2005 disproportionately affected those living in the cheapest properties, the Conservatives claim. Some 83,829 people living in band A homes moved up a band or more, along with 83,880 in band B and 61,544 in band C.
Despite Labour claiming overall tax revenues would not increase, the Conservatives report £1.012 billion was paid in council tax in 2005-06, up from £924 million the year before. Moreover the average band D bill has doubled since 1997 and is now above £1,000 for the first time.
The Conservatives pledge a £100 rebate for pensioners if elected and say they are open to alternative ways of funding local government.
"Welsh Conservatives are determined to ease the burden of high council tax bills on those who can least afford to pay," said assembly leader Nick Bourne.
"Pensioners and those on fixed incomes have been hit hardest of all by the massive council tax rises we have seen under Labour.
"Council tax revaluation is the cruellest Labour stealth tax of all. It has hit people up and down the country, regardless of their ability to pay."
Newsletter sign up