AM Welcomes Framework

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES FRAMEWORK TO IMPROVE SCHOOL PERFORMANCE
A new initiative to boost school performance by putting the needs of children and young people at the heart of the education system today received the backing of local Labour AM Carl Sargeant.
The new School Effectiveness Framework sets out the Labour-led Assembly Government’s vision for improving the learning, achievements and wellbeing of pupils.
The Framework will be piloted in a number of schools from September this year, before it is rolled out to all schools in Wales from mid-2009. £5.1 million of Assembly Government funding is being made available to support the development of the Framework.
Mr Sargeant said: “The new School Effectiveness Framework is an important part of the Labour-led Assembly Government’s drive to raise standards and the achievements of pupils in schools across Alyn and Deeside.
“Measures include allowing specially trained headteachers to spend up to a quarter of their time working with other schools to improve their performance. The Assembly Government has worked closely with local authorities, head teachers and other key partners in putting together these exciting plans.
“Each school will be able to apply the framework in line with its own circumstances, and the aim is to improve the consistency and performance of schools in all parts of Wales.
“This new Framework places the learner firmly at the heart of the education system and I am confident that it will help all our children and young people to realise their potential, ambitions and aspirations.”

AM Welcomes Advice

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES HELP FOR LOAN SHARK VICTIMS

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, today welcomed the launch of a new all-Wales confidential hotline to help victims of illegal loan sharks.
The new hotline - 0300 123 3311 - marks the latest step in the battle against loan sharks operating in Wales. It offers help, advice and support to loan shark victims and their families, and has been backed by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government.
Mr Sargeant said: “This hotline is an important step forward for the victims of loan sharks.
“Loan Sharks prey on some of the most vulnerable people in our communities by ripping them off with extortionate rates of lending, often backed up by intimidation and threats of violence. They are a menace in our communities.
“I would advise anyone who needs help or advice to pick up the phone and make use of this confidential service on 0300 123 3311. The hotline is part of the All-Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit, which is helping to crack down on loan sharks across the country and I am delighted that the Labour-led Assembly Government is backing the scheme.
“Alongside this hotline, the Labour-led Assembly Government is also supporting our credit unions so that more people are given the chance to save and access affordable credit and budgeting advice.
“This combination of measures will help to make sure that the writing is on the wall for the Loan Sharks.”

AM Welcomes Investment

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES BIG LOTTERY FUND INVESTMENT
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming new Big Lottery Fund investment in sixteen community projects across Wales worth a total of £2,971,159. The Clwyd Special Riding Centre in Llanfynydd has been awarded £56,420 to spend on a project to enable young people over the age of sixteen with special needs to improve their life skills through the medium of horse care. Mr Sargeant said: “I am absolutely delighted that the Clwyd Special Riding Centre has been given this funding. Over the years, numerous youngsters with disabilities have greatly benefited by attending the centre, which received the Queen’s Unsung Heroes Golden Jubilee Award in 2003. Through this new project, participants will attend the Centre part time to take part in a programme specifically designed to target life skills such as communication, literacy and teamwork. Horses will be used to provide the framework to the programme and will be the basis for learning activities. I wish the participants and staff well in this new venture.”The charity, run by a group of volunteers, welcomes more than 200 people of all ages every week who benefit from the stimulation of riding, carriage driving and equesterian vaulting. The classes help to improve muscle strength, coordination and concentration of people with disabilities. The £66 million People and Places programme awards grants of between £5,001 and £1 million for a broad range of community projects. For further information about the People and Places programme and how you can apply for funding, please visit http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/ and use the ‘Wales’ specific search facility.

AM Welcomes Higher Standards

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES OFFSETTERS CODE
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming the news that the Government is urging the carbon offsetting industry to aim for higher standards, as it launches the new Code of Best Practice on the subject. The code, which is to be backed by a quality mark, will be initially based on schemes using Kyoto-compliant credits. The aim of the programme is to create a transparency for consumers in order to introduce confidence in the market.
Mr Sargeant said: “Whilst avoiding or reducing our emissions as much as possible has to be the first priority in fighting climate change, we have to be realistic about how much people will do – and that’s where offsetting has an important role to play.
“Offsetting has the potential to become very big business. For example, this summer many people are thinking about offsetting the flights for their holidays for the very first time. For offsetting to work and really take off, people need to have one hundred percent confidence that when they buy an offsetting product the emissions reductions are actually taking place. This is why I am delighted that the Code is being introduced, and that it will be accompanied by a quality mark for accredited products.”

AM Welcomes Funding Increase

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES FUNDING INCREASE FOR BENEFIT
TAKE-UP SCHEMES

Labour efforts to increase family incomes in Alyn and Deeside have taken a step forward with the announcement of £3million of Assembly funding to extend local schemes aimed at improving the take-up of council tax benefit.

Local AM Carl Sargeant has backed the new funding, which the Labour-led Assembly Government will be making available to Welsh councils over the next three years.

The funding - £1 million a year - will help councils like Flintshire widen the Council Tax Benefit campaigns they run so that they encourage families with children, as well as pensioners, to take up the benefits they are entitled to.

Mr Sargeant said: “Figures show that around one in three households in Wales are entitled to this benefit, yet up to £100 million is currently being left unclaimed. This money could be making a real difference to the income of families and pensioners across Alyn and Deeside.

“Increasing the take-up of benefits like Council Tax Benefit has an important role to play in Welsh Labour’s aim of eradicating child poverty by 2020, and in our continuing efforts to increase the income of pensioners.

“The funding announced by the Assembly Government means that, over the next three years, Flintshire local authority will be better able to target the advice and support it offers on benefits.

“I want to see everyone who is eligible receiving these benefits and I am pleased to see that the Assembly Government is again leading the way in encouraging more people to take up their entitlements.”

Welsh BAAC Boost

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES WELSH BACC BOOST

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, today welcomed the news that more young people in Alyn and Deeside will be getting the chance to study Wales’ unique Welsh Baccalaureate from September. Hawarden High School will be one of 27 new centres offering the made-in-Wales qualification at the Advanced and Intermediate level for the first time from September.
The announcement from the Labour-led Welsh Assembly means that a total of 102 centres will be offering the qualification from September, with around 18,000 students taking part.
Mr Sargeant said: “This is great news for local students. The Welsh Baccalaureate will soon be offering more students the chance to develop a wide range of key skills in language, ICT and numeracy alongside work experience and a greater community and global awareness.
“We want to see 40 per-cent of students in Wales taking part in the Welsh Bacc by 2010, so that they can benefit from the host of transferable skills it offers. The Welsh Bacc really sets our young people up for life - in terms of moving onto college, University or the world of work.
“Welsh Labour is serious about helping our young people to gain the skills and opportunities they need to make the most of their lives, and by expanded the Welsh Bacc in areas like Alyn and Deeside we are helping to do just that.”

AM Welcomes Announcement

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES SUICIDE STRATEGY ANNOUNCEMENT

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, has welcomed an announcement from the Minister for Health and Social Services for a nationwide suicide prevention action plan.In a letter to Assembly Members, the Minister said that the recent suicides in Bridgend have highlighted the need to pull together existing policies into a single action plan aimed at tackling the problem of suicide in Wales.Mr Sargeant said: “I wrote to the Minister asking for a national suicide prevention plan earlier this month, so I am very pleased by the Minister’s announcement. “In order to create the plan, we need to pull together several diverse sources of statistical information, Assembly Government policy action plans, educational schemes, and sources of support for people suffering from suicidal thoughts.“We have a duty to ensure that people have access to the best care and support when they are feeling at their lowest.” Pilot projects in suicide prevention work will be held in those areas with the highest suicide rates. Mr Sargeant has also backed MIND Cymru’s call for all schools to ensure that they have a member of teaching staff or a nurse who is trained in suicide awareness.

AM welcomes Investment

CARL SARGEANT AM TO ATTEND CASTELL ALUN 5 x 60 LAUNCH

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, will attend the latest 5x60 programme launch at Castell Alun High School on Friday, February 22nd.
5x60 is part of a Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to a £7.6m investment to provide extra curricular sports for secondary school children in Wales. 5x60 aims to get children and young people exercising for at least 60 minutes at least five days a week.
Since the initial launch of 5x60, the programme has enjoyed tremendous success. During year one, thirty-nine schools were involved in the programme. And as the bell tolled on the start of the new 2007/2008 term, a further 86 schools hopped on board. Over half of the schools in Wales now feature a 5x60 programme and by 2009 it is expected that fully trained 5X60 officers will be deployed into every secondary school in Wales.
Mr Sargeant said: “I am delighted to attend the launch of this latest 5x60 programme at Castell Alun High School. “Currently only 24% of secondary school age children do 5x60 minutes of physical activity a week. By 2025 we want almost every young person in Wales doing 5 x 60 weekly. The introduction of 5 x 60 for young people in secondary schools is a big step along this path.
“I welcome this launch and encourage youngsters not just at Castell Alun High School but all over Wales to become involved in this fantastic program to stay fit and well.”

AM Congratulates Local School

CARL SARGEANT AM CONGRATULATES SCHOOL ON PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is congratulating Rector Drew Voluntary Aided Junior School in Hawarden on achieving the Basic Skills Agency’s prestigious Quality Mark.
To be awarded the Quality Mark, a school has to meet minimum standards in the teaching of literacy and numeracy. A school must demonstrate that it meets 10 elements, including having a whole school strategy, assessing and reviewing pupil performance, having a target for improvement of the school’s performance and involving parents in developing their children’s basic skills.
The Quality Mark is based on a partnership with Local Authorities and is awarded to a school for three years. [A school can apply to renew it after the three years]. Local Authorities assess schools for the award and monitor the school once it has received the Quality Mark.
Mr Sargeant said: “In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government, as part of its National Strategy for Basic Skills, has set a target that all schools and post 16 organisations with basic skills programmes will gain the Quality Mark this year. We are well on the way to achieving this.
“I am delighted that Rector Drew Voluntary Aided Junior School in Hawarden is the latest school to join other places of learning in Alyn and Deeside in achieving the Quality Mark. This is a real testimony to the work of teachers, parents, governors, and, of course, pupils. They deserve our wholehearted congratulations. Keep up the good work!”
For further information about the Quality Mark, visit http://www.basic-skills-wales.org/ .

AM Hosts Meeting

AM HOSTS MEETING FOR A LIVING WAGE
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is hosting a meeting with TCC (Together Creating Communities) at the National Assembly for Wales to discuss calls for “A Living Wage.”The Wrexham-based TCC is a broad-based coalition of diverse faith and community groups working together to improve the quality of life for people in North East Wales.Mr Sargeant said: “I have already met with the Chief Executive and Clerk to the National Assembly for Wales to discuss the issue of a “living wage” for staff at the Assembly – particularly for staff whose services are bought in via contract, such as the cleaning staff and security. It is important that wages are fair and reflect the value that we put on the work that is carried out. “I look forward to taking this issue forward in the meeting this week, where we will discuss the issue more widely with a focus on the complex issue of a living wage for the whole of Wales.”

Welcome News

AM WELCOMES ANOTHER FALL IN UNEMPLOYMENT IN WALES

Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming the news that the number of people claiming unemployment benefit in Wales has fallen to its lowest level for 33 years. Labour Market Statistics released by the ONS (Office of National Statistics) today show that the number of people on unemployment benefit is down by 3,700 since January 2007 to 38,500 – a fall of 8.8%. This is the lowest level since February 1975. Mr Sargeant said: “These figures speak volumes about the robustness of the Welsh economy – especially when you consider that the number of people on unemployment benefit in Wales now stands at 38,500 as compared to 170,000 in the mid-eighties and an average of 122,000 during the 1979 to 1997 period.“The Assembly Government’s economic policies are bearing fruit, and across the UK we are making progress toward achieving full employment.”v

Local School Visits Assembly

BRYN DEVA PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS VISIT ASSEMBLY

The Welsh Assembly has welcomed more than 60 very special guests today - all pupils and staff from Bryn Deva Primary School in Alyn and Deeside.The pupils were treated to a full and interactive guided tour of the Assembly building and the Pierhead building which houses a museum about the Assembly. The children, all members of the school choir, then went on to attend a workshop with the Welsh National Opera at the Millennium Centre.Mr Sargeant said: “I am always delighted when Alyn and Deeside school groups make the trip down to Cardiff to learn more about what Assembly Members do and about how our democracy in Wales works. I hope the pupils had a thoroughly rewarding, interesting, and enjoyable time.”