Caerphilly’s three main candidates in the upcoming Welsh Assembly elections have clashed over the Communities First programme.
Labour’s Jeff Cuthbert has claimed the Tories and Plaid Cymru want to cut the scheme.
He said: “Plaid Cymru and the Tories are planning to cut hundreds of thousands of pounds of regeneration funding for Bargoed and Gilfach. They want to axe the successful Communities First programme, which provides real help for communities like Bargoed and Gilfach every day.
“We’ve already seen Plaid and the Tories openly talk about doing a deal for power after the Assembly elections. On May 5 people have a choice: vote Labour and back our community – or vote Plaid for cuts to local regeneration projects.”
Conservative candidate Owen Meredith hit back and said most the funding for Communities First comes from the Social Justice budget which Labour are cutting by 24% in the Assembly and added the Communities First scheme is planned to end in 2012 anyway.
He said: “Rather than talking about what others would do, Mr Cuthbert should be telling people in Caerphilly what another 5 years of Labour will do to solve our problems. I’m using this campaign to work with the community and show the positive changes we can make for Caerphilly by working together.
“The Communties First programme is planned to end in 2012 under any future Welsh Assemble Government, and Welsh Conservative will ensure a successor scheme is in place that works with the community to deliver real change.
“It will be led by the community not top down control from central Government. Over the last decade, we have failed to tackle the problems of child poverty in Caerphilly and the challenges faced by our most deprived communities. It is time to do things differently.”
Ron Davies, Plaid Cymru’s Assembly candidate for Caerphilly, also hit back at his Labour rival.
He said: “This smacks of desperation. These scare stories are being released because Labour sees the seat slipping away from it. People working in the Communities First scheme will be unnecessarily frightened for their future by this action, which I deplore.
“Much of Communities First funding has gone on unnecessary bureaucracy and Plaid wants to redirect this and release money on areas such as skills development.
“No one has done more than me to further the regeneration of Bargoed and the Communities First programme. Unfortunately, we have had no signals of support for the work from local Labour councillors or the Assembly Member. His only tactic is to score political points rather than supporting the work the council is doing regenerating Bargoed.”
Ron Davies quote is totally delusional – just please note that he does not in any way deny the claims made by Labour.
It's pretty sad when a 20-something year old Tory candidate can come up with a better quote than a 60-odd year old media guru. Is Ron Davies slipping or is he just mired in the personal fight with Cuthbert?
Kat hits the nail on the head. It is really refreshing to hear a new angle on old problems; problems that have lingered on through all the previous years of Labour and/or Labour/Plaid control and domination. Maybe a change is what Caerphilly needs. I wonder if Caerphilly will be brave enough on 5 May to make A Positive Change for Caerphilly and not complain about "what might have been"?
The good people of Caerphilly will elect a Conservative candidate only when the sun melts rock.
They are reminded every day of the week, in decisions made by the Condem Government why they are not prepared to do so, sound bites from a young man who was not much more than a twinkle in his old man`s eye when the last Conservative government made every deliberate attempt to destroy the communities of Wales will not win over those entire families with memories of that time.
Neither will the Tory candidates in the hartlands of Wales win over the wise young people who are now seeing the same Tories taking heating allowances from the elderly, food out of the mouths of babies and children by the removal of child benefits, education allowances from young school and further education students, whilst bolsering the finances of once third world countries now emerging economies in thier own rights, and, finding the money to finance a possible blood bath in Libia, and these are the people who expect the young (18*) and old, the homeless and the infirm the financialy disenfranchised to vote for them in the Caerphilly Constituency, they are having a laugh and so are those who peddle support for these candidates.
Micheal (contributor) speaks of control and domination by Labour and or Plaid,at least one or both will have a mandate to govern in Wales, his Tory party dominates our lives in Britain for the time being, and they have no such mandate. So such remarks are rich coming from a Tory.
“Rather than talking about what others would do, Mr Cuthbert should be telling people in Caerphilly what another 5 years of Labour will do to solve our problems."
Owen Meredith – Man after my own heart.