FREE SCHOOL MEALS FOR ALL AND TACKLING WALES’ HOUSING CRISIS: PLAID CYMRU LAUNCH LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTION CAMPAIGN

“This is Plaid Cymru at its best: taking action and making a difference to people’s lives” – Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price

Delivering free school meals for all pupils, safeguarding jobs and incomes, and tackling the housing crisis will be Plaid Cymru’s top priorities for the upcoming local elections, Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price has said.

Plaid Cymru will be launching their local government election campaign and manifesto today (Friday 8th April 2022) at the Quay Hotel in Deganwy, Conwy.

Praising the track record of Plaid Cymru led-councils and councillors, Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price is expected to outline his party’s “ambitious” policy platform which “identifies problems, offers solutions, and most importantly, proves how having Plaid Cymru councillors are making a difference in communities all throughout Wales”.

Mr Price is expected to reiterate his headline offer that all Plaid Cymru led councils will commit to the aim of extending universal Free School Meals to secondary pupils within the next council term – with a focus on locally-sourced, nutritious meals. The party has already secured free school meals for all primary school children as part of the Co-Operation Agreement with the Welsh Government.

Mr Price is also expected to outline the following flagship policies:

·        Tackling Wales’s housing crisis by building more energy-efficient and carbon-positive social housing, more genuinely affordable homes, take radical action on second homes and end homelessness

·        Free Childcare for all two-year-olds

·        Harness Wales’s potential for renewable, community-owned energy schemes, as part of a target to reach Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2030

·        Strengthening local supply chains and support local businesses, to safeguard local jobs and incomes.

The election comes at a “challenging” time for communities across Wales as the cost-of-living crisis is expected to leave the average Welsh household at least £600 worse off this year – with rising prices for everyday essentials and energy bills putting even more pressure on incomes. However, Mr Price pledged that Plaid Cymru councils and councillors would continue to “take action” and “make a real difference to people’s everyday lives” in the face of these challenges.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price will be joined at the launch by a host of the party’s local government candidates including Sue Lloyd-Williams, candidate for Llansannan Ward and Aaron Wynne, candidate for Llanrwst, Llanddoged & Maenan Ward, in Conwy County Borough.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS said,

“Wales faces many challenges as we head into this election. Challenges that require strong local voices who refuse to accept this is as good as it gets for our communities.

“Plaid Cymru councillors have a strong track record of standing side by side with people they represent – from running food banks to leading on the clean up after floods. And over the past two years, Plaid Cymru’s four Council Leaders and their teams have gone above and beyond to protect public health in their communities by ensuring children could continue to learn, businesses could continue to trade, and key services such as rubbish collections could continue to function.

“That spirit is encapsulated in the manifesto we are launching today ahead of the Local Elections. It is a programme of policies which identifies problems, offers solutions, and most importantly, proves how having Plaid Cymru councillors are making a difference in communities all throughout Wales.

Plaid Cymru Leader Adam Price MS is also expected to say,

“Plaid Cymru has already secured free school meals to all primary school children by the end of this Senedd term. Now, we want to go further.  That’s why, our headline offer in this campaign is that Plaid Cymru led councils will aim to extend universal Free School Meals to secondary pupils within the next council term.

“And we won’t stop there. We’ll tackle Wales’s housing crisis by building more energy-efficient, genuinely affordable housing, and take radical action on second homes and ending homelessness. And we’ll strengthen local supply chains and support local businesses – safeguarding local jobs and incomes in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis that many simply can’t absorb.

“This is Plaid Cymru at its best – taking action to make a real difference to people’s everyday lives.