Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood has launched a consultation document aimed at regenerating the former coalfield communities of South Wales.
‘Greenprint for the Valleys’ contains a range of policies that aim to create green jobs and a more sustainable and self-sufficient future for the towns and villages that sprung up around the expansion of the coal industry.
Some of the proposals include the establishment of a green construction skills college, the implementation of an integrated transport plan for the valleys, providing financial support for home energy efficiency measures, the setting up of co-operatives and the creation of a land bank for renewable energy and food production.
Public meetings will be held in the Cynon and Rhondda valleys over the coming week in the hope of starting a debate about the future of the valleys.
If the ‘Greenprint for the Valleys’ is eventually adopted, it is envisaged that successful aspects of the plan could be rolled out across the whole of Wales.
Ms Wood, who represents the South Wales Central region which encompasses Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: “The Greenprint is an attempt to provide solutions to the varied problems we face in the valleys from public sector cuts, high levels of unemployment, especially among young people, low skills levels as well as potential future problems like fuel and food price rises, benefit cuts and the weather-related effects of climate change.”
Ms Wood added: “Can we wake up the community spirit in the valleys? Can we recreate the ethos of our forefathers who built the miners’ welfare halls, the libraries, the hospitals and the workingmen’s clubs in the days before the welfare state existed?
“With the ConDem government in London intent upon breaking down that very welfare state, can we use our own skills and resources to build our own safety net?
“I want people to become involved in the consultation process. If people are unable to come along to the public meetings they can write to me with their comments about what measures we can take to improve the future of our valleys.”
