AM Welcomes Announcement

CARL WELCOMES WELSH GOVERNMENT HOUSING TARGET
  Alyn and Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant has welcomed ambitious housing targets announced by the Welsh Government. Carl Sargeant AM has welcomed the announcement from the Labour Welsh Government that it is planning to build 12,500 new homes in Wales during the term of its government. The target is made up of 7,500 affordable homes - 1,000 more than the previous government's target - and 5,000 empty homes brought back into use through the Houses into Homes scheme launched earlier this year. The 7,500 affordable homes will be delivered with a combination of subsidy from the Welsh Government and other housing providers using their own finance. Measures to achieve this target include: o Securing additional social housing grant (SHG) funding of £22M to bring the 2011-12 total to £97M. o Supporting the development of a Welsh Housing Bond. o Accelerating Land Release for housing. o Supporting new models of development e.g. Ely Bridge. o Developing new and innovative ways to access housing e.g. co-operative housing and mutual home ownership. o Securing the best position to exit the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy system. Welcoming the announcement Carl Sargeant AM said: “There is a great shortage of affordable housing in Wales; this ambitious target will come as welcome news to those who are struggling to find new homes.” Announcing the scheme the Minister for housing, Huw Lewis, said: “A decent and safe home is a fundamental human right and increasing housing supply and choice is a key commitment as part of out Programme for Government. This target is a clear signal of our commitment to housing in Wales. “The target will not be easy to achieve. However, it is vital that we provide these much needed homes which will not only satisfy people’s housing requirements but will also create jobs and help stimulate the economy. “There is great pressure to provide affordable housing across Wales and we are aware that there is not enough to meet the need. At the same time as Welsh Government budgets are reducing, the level of housing need is increasing. It is therefore imperative that we make existing budgets stretch further. I want to secure alternative ways of bringing new money into the housing sector and also new approaches to housing, such as co-operative housing and innovations such as the Welsh Housing Partnership. “A total of 12,500 homes is an ambitious goal, but one I believe is deliverable. To do this the Welsh Government, Local Authorities, Housing Associations and the private sector will all have to work together to attract funding from other sources and to achieve the best possible value for money in order to deliver much needed homes for the people of Wales. “It is a tough challenge, but one I look forward to facing with the help of all our partners.” The White Paper, which will set out the Government’s proposals for new legislation and other, non-legislative action to help to meet housing need in Wales will be published next

Surgery Details

ALYN and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant will be available at Shotton Community Centre on Saturday the 19th of May between 9.15 am and 10.15am. He will also be available at Connah’sQuay Labour Club from 10.45am to noon.

CARL WELCOMES PROGRAMME OF ACTION TO RAISE LITERACY STANDARDS Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant has welcomed an announcement from the Labour Welsh Government that they are to launch a new programme to raise literacy standards in Wales. A national programme to drive up literacy standards in our schools has today been published by the Labour Education Minister, Leighton Andrews. The National Literacy Programme (NLP) sets out the actions the Welsh Government and its partners need to take to achieve a step change in literacy standards over the next 5 years. The NLP brings together a number of key initiatives to drive up standards and also outlines the steps needed to support teachers in taking these actions forwards. The actions are focused on the following four themes: • Setting national expectations and standards. 1 Greater support and development. 2 Stronger targeted interventions. 3 Greater accountability and challenge. Amongst the key initiatives in the NLP are targeted support for pupils; support for teachers’ professional development; the sharing and consistent use of best practice; a statutory National Literacy and Numeracy framework; and development of national reading tests. One of the most important objectives of the NLP is to support teachers of every subject across every phase of education to become teachers of literacy. Welcoming the announcement Carl Sargeant AM said: “It is fundamentally important that address literacy standards in Wales and I am pleased to welcome a programme from the Welsh Government which will take real steps to address this. “Literacy, along with numeracy, is a vital skill that we simply must give to Wales’s younger generations to prepare them in life to go to pursue their ambitions. This programme will encourage the sharing of good practice as well as offering much needed support to teachers as well as students.” As part of the programme, teachers will have the opportunity to undertake additional study in the teaching of literacy, including a specific literacy module in the Masters in Educational Practice; learn from outstanding teachers of literacy who will share their expertise; and take part in Professional Learning Communities. The new statutory National Literacy and Numeracy Framework, which will be published for consultation in June, will provide an essential curriculum planning tool for teachers and will also set out clear annual expectations for literacy and numeracy for all learners aged 5 to 14. Primary and secondary schools will use the LNF to make sure that the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is embedded in all subjects across the curriculum. The LNF will also allow all teachers to monitor pupils’ progress against end of year expectations for literacy - helping schools identify how best to challenge and support all of their learners. Another important aspect of the programme will be the introduction of English and Welsh national reading tests for all learners in years two through to nine. The tests will give teachers, parents and carers a more accurate picture of a pupil’s reading ability by helping to identify their individual strengths and weaknesses. Launching the programme Education Minister Leighton Andrews said: “Improving levels of literacy and numeracy is a key commitment in our Programme for Government. Nothing is more important than ensuring all of our young people have the skills they need to read, write and communicate. “What we must do is ensure that all learners benefit from excellent teaching of literacy and develop the skills that are so vital to their future success. “The National Literacy Programme will introduce greater consistency and clarity into the way we track pupils’ progress while also providing the support, challenge and accountability needed in our schools.”

AM Welcomes Launch of the Wales Costal Path

CARL WELCOMES THE LAUNCH OF THE WALES COASTAL PATH
 Alyn &; Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant is looking forward to the launch of the Wales coastal path this week, bringing something truly unique to Wales. The Wales Coastal Path which is being officially launched this weekend will see the completion of the World’s only truly coastal pathway. The pathway which has taken many years of hard work to develop will stretch around the 870 miles of Welsh coast, including the isle of Anglesey. Beginning (or ending) in Flintshire on the border with Chester, along the Dee estuary, the pathway will follow some of the most spectacular coastline in Europe around to Chepstow. The pathway is such a unique and momentous attraction for Wales it has led several leading tourism organisations, such as ‘Lonely Planet’ to name it as the number one tourism attraction in the World for 2012. Looking forward to the launch, Alyn and Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant said: “The Wales Coastal Path is more than a tourist attraction; it is a feature that truly puts Wales on the global map. People from Wales will join others from around the UK and the rest of the World in exploring the spectacular coastline that Wales has to offer. “A huge amount of work has been put into developing the coastal path and I believe a fair level of praise is deserved to Jayne Davidson, the former Labour AM and Minister for the Environment, under who the development of the coastal path was first initialised

AM Supports Health and Safety in the Woprkplace

Today, Alyn and Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant joined fellow AMs in the Senedd to mark International Workers Memorial Day. The event is the first of its kind to be held in the Senedd and is being held in partnership with the TUC and Unite the Union. The event is a response to the Westminster Government’s recent attacks on Health and Safety Legislation, and has highlighted the clear divide between the two different administrations’ outlooks on workers’ rights. In a joint statement with the local MP Mark Tami, Carl Sargeant AM said: “Using Government and HSE figures, approximately 20,000 people die every year in the UK as a result of injury in the workplace. Adequate Health and Safety legislation is no barrier to economic growth, the reason it exists is to prevent death, injury or illness at work, protecting livelihoods in the process.” Mark Tami MP added: “I welcome this event which is a positive development and highlights the importance of health and safety in the workplace.”

AM Welcomes Fund

CARL WELCOMES NEW £6M FUND FOR MICRO-BUSINESSES
Assembly member for Alyn & Deeside Carl Sargeant welcomes a new £6million loan fund to support the growth of micro-businesses in Wales announced today by the Labour Business Minister Edwina Hart.
The new Fund is to be created as a direct response to the report of the Micro-Business Task and Finish Group which emphasised that access to finance is a key barrier to growth.
Announcing the fund Labour Minister for Business said: “I am listening to business and welcomed the report from the Micro Business Group. It highlighted the significant contribution these enterprises make to the Welsh economy and the real difficulty they have in accessing the levels of finance needed to grow and invest and create jobs.
“I have therefore decided to set up a £6million Micro-Business Loan which will provide scope to support at least 300 businesses and anticipate it will become operational very early in the 2012/13 financial year.”
Welcoming the news, Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member said: “This new fund should give micro businesses access to vital funds which is crucial in the current climate of global economic downturn.
“Micro-businesses are the sparks that breathe life into local economies and help employ local people developing vital skills.”
The report published in January this year recommended the Welsh Government facilitate accessible finance of between £1,000 and £20,000 for micro-businesses that are simple and reflect the level of investment required.
The £6m capital investment is specifically to support micro-businesses and the Welsh Government is in advanced discussions with Finance Wales regarding management of the fund.

AM Supports Fair Trade

CARL TAKES STEPS TO SUPPORT FAIR TRADE

Its Fair trade Fortnight and as part of the celebrations Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member, Carl Sargeant has joined Fair trade Wales to announce the launch of the 'Year of Fair trade'. Throughout 2012 supporters across the country are being invited to 'Take a Step' for Fair trade.
It can be a simple step, like swapping your tea to Fair trade, or a bigger step, like asking everyone in your office to do it too. You’ll be joining thousands of others all over the UK. Make it as inventive, daring, funny or messy as you like.
Every step counts for millions of farmers, workers and their communities in developing countries who urgently need a better deal from trade.
Supporting Fair Trade Carl Sargeant AM said: “Wales is a World leader in Fair trade, being the only Fair Trade Country in the World. Through just small steps we can all help to support Fair Trade and help some of the poorest communities in the World.
“There are a multitude of Fair Trade events taking place all across Wales this Fortnight and I encourage all that are able to visit one and find out more.”
- Take a step in 2012 begins in Fair trade Fortnight from 27 February – 11 March 2012.