Praise For Welsh Communities

CARL SARGEANT AM CELEBRATES TIDY TOWNS SCHEME
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is celebrating the news that the Welsh Assembly Government’s £12 million drive to get people to clean up and improve their local environment has attracted close to 20,000 volunteers from across Wales in its first year. The Tidy Towns scheme - which was a key Welsh Labour pledge at the 2007 Assembly election - provides funding to Keep Wales Tidy and all 22 Welsh local authorities to work in partnership for three years to tackle local environmental issues.In the past year, volunteers have worked with 579 community groups on more than 4,500 improvement projects across the country. These vary from litter picking, graffiti and fly tipping removal to creating new wildlife habitat areas, community gardens or arts projects to bring back areas of neglect into community use.Mr Sargeant said: “I am delighted that many local groups including Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association and Connah’s Quay High School Voluntary Development Group have already taken the initiative and are making the most of this funding opportunity. I commend their positive actions to improve the community, and I am confident that the projects will be both enjoyable and rewarding.“The intention was always that the Tidy Towns project would be community-led. In addition to regular clean ups, communities could also undertake creative projects such as developing community gardens, improving disabled access or promoting waste amnesties. “We all have a duty to help contribute towards the creation of a cleaner, safer and tidier Wales. I hope that this investment will continue to be a catalyst for change, and that more and more communities and groups in Alyn and Deeside will seize this new opportunity.”

AM Welcomes Centre

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES NEW FLOOD FORECASTING CENTRE
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming the opening of a new joint Environment Agency and Met Office Flood Forecasting Centre for England and Wales. The Centre has been set up with the support of the Welsh Assembly Government.The Flood Forecasting Centre has been created to provide an improved river and coastal flooding forecast service as well as advising when extreme rainfall may result in flooding from surface water. It will help provide earlier warnings of floods to local authorities and the emergency services, to give them more time to prepare for floods and reduce the risk of loss of life and damage to property. The new service will complement existing public flood warning arrangements from the Environment Agency and public weather warnings from the Met Office.Mr Sargeant, who recently hosted an event on flooding at the Assembly by Wales’ three Fire and Rescue Services, said: “The effects of climate change mean that we must adapt to the fact that we are going to face an increased risk of flooding. The new Centre will offer the latest technology and expertise in flood forecasting, which will play a key role in helping authorities and the public prepare by improving our ability to forecast when and where flooding will occur.”

AM HIGHLIGHTS UNESCO WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

May 3rd is UNESCO World Press Freedom Day. The Day exists to recognise the sacrifices made in the struggle for freedom of the press and to put pressure on the numerous countries that continue to deny their citizens this basic human right.As the intergovernmental organisation with a constitutional mandate to "promote the free flow of ideas by word and image", UNESCO observes World Press Freedom Day to highlight the importance of press freedom and the fundamental human right of freedom of expression.Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, said: “World Press Freedom Day serves as an occasion to inform people of violations of press freedom - a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered as they try to bring people news.“Press freedom is considered to be a cornerstone of human rights and a guarantee of other freedoms. It encourages transparency and good governance. Freedom of the press is also a bridge of understanding and knowledge between nations and cultures.”

Surgery Dates

Surgery Dates
Alyn and Deeside AM Carl Sargeant will be available at Shotton Community Centre on Saturday the 18th of April between 9.15 am and 10.15am. He will also be available at Connah’sQuay Labour Club from 10.45am to noon.

£1,065,974 Extra Funding

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES FE FUNDING BOOST
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, has today welcomed an extra £1,065,974 for Further Education Institutions (FEIs) and sixth forms in north Wales.
The investment will increase the number of spaces available for students at a time when more youngsters and adults are looking for training places.
This is another example of the Welsh Assembly Government leading Wales out of the current economic recession.
All relevant institutions will be funded at above or the same as the previous financial year – despite a difficult financial budget settlement.
Mr Sargeant said: “This investment once again shows that we are delivering results for those eager to learn or re-train. Investing in learning for young people and adults is a top priority for the Assembly Government.
“There is no doubt that FE institutions across Wales are developing a highly-skilled workforce and this funding will ensure it will continue to grow.
"I am pleased to see that the Welsh Assembly Government has been listening to the sector.
“Investing in learning for young people and adults is a top priority for Welsh Labour. When there is an economic upturn, those who have participated in the post-16 sector will be ready to deliver and meet the fresh demands of the Welsh economy.”

Keep Wales Tidy

CARL SARGEANT AM PRESENTS TIDY TOWNS CHEQUE
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, has made the official presentation of a £580 cheque to Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association under the Assembly Government’s Tidy Towns Scheme.Faced with the prospect that Wales’ litter and waste clean up bill could soon top £50 million, the Welsh Assembly Government has funded an initiative designed to tackle problem hot spots and to encourage local groups to get involved. The £3 million ‘Tidy Towns’ programme aims to strategically empower the people of Wales to take responsibility for the quality of their local environment. It is being delivered by encouraging community groups to adopt known black-spots and, with professional support from Keep Wales Tidy project officers, help to restore them to their former glory.Mr Sargeant is celebrating the news that Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association has been successful in its bid for funding and has been awarded £580 under the scheme. The funding will go towards ‘litter pick kits’ for adults and children which include high visibility vests and gloves to be used in regular clean ups. Tools and plants will also be bought with the money to help get children involved in the maintenance of the community garden. Mr Sargeant said: “I am delighted that Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association have taken the initiative and have made the most of this funding opportunity. I commend their positive actions to improve the community, and I am confident that the project will continue to be both enjoyable and rewarding.“The intention was always that the Tidy Towns project would be community-led. In addition to regular clean ups, communities could also undertake creative projects such as developing community gardens, improving disabled access or promoting waste amnesties. “We all have a duty to help contribute towards the creation of a cleaner, safer and tidier Wales. I hope that this new investment will continue to be a catalyst for change, and that more and more communities and groups in Alyn and Deeside will follow Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association’s lead in seizing this new opportunity.”Judith Wright, Project Officer for Keep Wales Tidy said: “I am thrilled that Saltney Ferry Residents’ Association have been successful in receiving this funding, and I am very impressed by the hard work and the dedication that the children have already shown in transforming and maintaining the area.“The children are looking forward to using their new litter pickers, and are looking forward to working on the community garden, which has also received funding from Action Earth.”Extra Keep Wales Tidy staff are being put in place right across Wales so that communities in every local authority can have access to expert advice and support. The team will also be charged with raising awareness of the short and long term effects that litter, waste and anti social behaviour has on the wellbeing of communities.

Help With Welsh Business Rates

CARL SARGEANT AM HIGHLIGHTS HELP WITH BUSINESS RATES
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is welcoming an Assembly Government announcement of new measures to help Welsh businesses with their business rates. The new measures will allow businesses across Wales to opt to limit business rate increases to only two per cent this year as opposed to the five per cent increase originally planned. The remaining three per cent will be payable over the next two years.The changes will mean that up to around 100,000 businesses in Wales could benefit from an overall saving in the region of £24million this year.Mr Sargeant said: “These proposals are in addition to the £20m in rate relief for small businesses in Wales and the temporary increases in rates relief on empty properties in 2009-10 that came into effect yesterday. “The Assembly Government is committed to helping business through the economic downturn. Allowing businesses to defer payment of part of their business rates will give businesses some breathing space during this particularly difficult economic period.”The decision will not affect the overall amount of support being made available to local authorities this year. The proposals will also not require local authorities to re-bill businesses in their area as a result of these changes.

AM Supports Campaign

AM HIGHLIGHTS BOWEL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
April is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
This national campaign, led by Bowel Cancer UK, aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of bowel cancer, and highlight ways in which people can reduce their risk of developing the condition.
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside is supporting the awareness campaign.
Mr Sargeant said: “If asked, most people would not know what the second most common cause of cancer death is bowel cancer - a disease that in the UK affects some 36,500 and kills around 16,000 people every year.
“However, research shows that most people would rather ignore their bowel cancer symptoms than seek medical help. Perhaps that is because of embarrassment, or fear of diagnostic tests. The tragedy is that the number of deaths from bowel cancer could easily be reduced - if caught in its early stages it is highly treatable, with survival rates of up to 90%.
“Still, every half an hour, someone in the UK will die from bowel cancer, and that figure could so easily be reduced if people acted on their symptoms earlier and were better informed about prevention and familial risk.
”This is why the awareness campaign is so important and why the campaign is encouraging everyone to break the silence about bowel cancer.”

AM Celebrates Success

CARL SARGEANT AM HAILS SUCCESS OF 5x60 SCHEME
Carl Sargeant, AM for Alyn and Deeside, is celebrating the announcement that 98% of state schools have now signed up to the Assembly Government’s 5x60 physical activity scheme.Launched in October 2006 and supported by a £7.6million investment by the Welsh Assembly Government, the programme – managed by Sports Council for Wales - aims to help ensure that secondary school pupils are undertaking 60 minutes of sport and physical activity five times a week.Research has demonstrated that 5 x60 is:• Increasing participation in sport, particularly among those who would normally prefer to stay on the sidelines • Increasing children’s self-esteem • Improving behaviour in classes and the schoolyard • Raising awareness of the importance of exerciseMr Sargeant said: “With 218 mainstream secondary schools on board and a 5x60 officer employed in every school to provide extra-curricular opportunities to get fit, the scheme is proving to be popular and successful among pupils. “I recently congratulated Hawarden High School on being awarded the prestigious title ‘School of the Month’ for its efforts to get young people fit and active.“The Assembly’s 5x60 scheme recognises that children are more likely to stick to an exercise that they really enjoy. That’s why schools across Wales are introducing less traditional exercise such as cheerleading lessons, dodgeball, and street dance alongside the more traditional sports of football and badminton. The scheme is all about getting fit and having fun at the same time.“Schools are being highly imaginative and innovative in the ways in which they are encouraging the pupils to engage with sport and fitness. I am confident that the 5x60 scheme will go from strength to strength.”To find out more about the Welsh Assembly Government’s 5x60 programme, visit www.5x60.org.uk.