Plaid Cymru today unveiled their manifesto for the council elections in Cardiff – and is fielding its largest ever number of candidates.
The party, which has been in coalition over the last four years, is contesting 70 of the 75 seats on Wales’ biggest local authority.
The 16-page manifesto was launched by Councillor Neil McEvoy, leader of the six-strong Plaid Cymru group and Deputy Leader of Cardiff council.
Among the key pledges are:
- Internationalise the Capital Cardiff to bring in investment and jobs from overseas.
- Increase spending to push Cardiff to the highest per pupil in Wales. It is second at the present.
- Roll out the Central Business District.
- City wide review to identify more land for allotments.
- Help first time buyers get on the housing ladder by allowing them to access to a 95% loan for a mortgage.
- Set up an arms-length company to be set up to train apprentices.
- Review demand for Welsh medium education in Grangetown and boost investment in English language schools.
- Introduction of “litter police” who would be given powers to fine those leaving their litter on city streets. This would be combined with litter awareness initiatives aimed at school pupils and university students.
- Look at establishing specialist language school.
- Speeding up response to potholes by introducing a hotline
Councillor McEvoy said: “Cardiff is a unique city – a global, international capital city but with a local community at its heart. We must protect the city’s heritage throughout our development and make investments in our people and infrastructure to bring continued economic growth. Building on our record, we can develop the local economy in order to secure social justice.
“There is a clear choice for the people of Cardiff at these elections: progress and vision with Plaid Cymru or austerity and failure with the other parties.
“Plaid Cymru is the New Alternative in Cardiff. For the first time going into a council election, we will have a realistic chance of carrying out our programme for city government. We are the party of and for Cardiff and Wales.”
