Communities First

On Wednesday I had the chance to praise some of the work being done by Communities First groups in the Rhondda. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to mention all of them, as the occasion was simply a question to the Minister:

Leighton Andrews: I also urge you to withstand any attempts to cut your budget in favour of other places. This is an important budget, that we see working well in communities like Treherbert, which has an excellent food scheme, and Maerdy, where an excellent new health advice scheme has started. We see Communities First groups now running community facilities, as they are doing in Clydach Vale.

There are some areas in the Rhondda that i think should have been classed as Communities First areas when the scheme was drawn up five or so years ago. In some areas of Wales, the local authorities recommended parts of wards, but the then Plaid Cymru Council running Rhondda Cynon Taff didn't do that, so areas like Blaenllechau and Ynyswen missed out, as I said:

However there are issues about some communities that were not included in the scheme. Rhondda Cynon Taf, under the previous administration, failed to include areas like Ynyswen and Blaenllechau in the scheme, even though they might have qualified as part wards had they been properly examined. I urge you, as you look again at the scheme, to think about whether it is possible to make adjustments in those areas.

The Minister understood the point I was making, and I hope she will think about this:

Edwina Hart: I will be looking across the whole scheme, and I will be consulting my partners elsewhere on what I need to look at in terms of communities. You are right that some communities kicked off from day one with hard work. It is amazing what they are now achieving in terms of Communities First projects.