Please watch my speech at conference

Speech at conference in Caernarfon. Saturday 7th of March, 2015.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M7nV7IYgSY

St.David’s Day, rugby the Gwendraeth and Y Lle.

What a weekend! What a couple of weeks! Amazing! 

Thanks once again to the voters of Llanelli for such a warm welcome. On Friday night we had our St. David’s Day celebration evening at EJ’s in Llanelli. The food was amazing and the staff were so warm and welcoming – once again thanks to you all. Thanks also to our guest speaker Elfyn Llwyd MP who will be retiring soon after 23 years of service. Thanks also to Helen Mary Jones and the Plaid Llanelli team for arranging the evening. Thanks also to Carwyn for his wonderful playing of the harp - diolch i ti Carwyn!

Saturday was action packed! At 0930 we had a ceremony with Llanelli Community Heritage for the Beasley’s plaque outside the office. Thanks to all involved in marking the event possible – without a history we have no future.

In the  morning we had the youngsters (yet ANOTHER new member) manning the stall in the town centre. Our petition to preserve the police helicopter locally was a great success. I’m angered when I think of the money wasted on Police and Crime Commissioners – more money spent on men in suits rather than on essential front line services. From there it was off to the Gwendraeth. Concern was expressed at Labour-led Carmarthenshire Council’s plan to incrase Council tax by a staggering 4.85% - way above inflation! This at a time when the chief executive earns £180,000! Talk about WRONG PRIORITIES!

We watched the Wales 6 Nations match at Pontyberem rugby club – thanks for the warm welcome, and what a great win from Wales – not a polished performance but good enough. Some true Welsh grit to see the game out.

Finally, Sunday – St. David’s Day! What a great day. We went to an event at Y Lle in the town. What a great atmosphere and welcome from the staff – if you haven’t been it well worth a visit. Was great to meet Neil Maliphant who’ll be competing in Cân i Gymru at the weekend.

Thanks so much to everyone, what a great weekend. Things are a-changing that's for sure. There is an awakening - it's time!

Car parking charges!

PRESS RELEASE. SCRAP CAR PARKING CHARGES! #LLANELLI

Plaid Cymru Llanelli Westminster candidate Vaughan Williams has launched a petition to scrap the car parking charges for Llanelli Town Centre.

The response so far has been overwhelming with over 200 people signing the petition in just 2 hours at the party’s information stall in the Town Centre on Saturday.

Vaughan Williams said: “I believe that we must do all we can to support the Town Centre. After meeting with business representatives and visiting local traders in Llanelli Market to listen to their concerns, it was noted how the vast majority were concerned at how these parking charges are affecting their everyday trade and business.”

“It seems that Labour-led Carmarthenshire County Council is obsessed with penalising people who want to support the Town Centre, I urge the Council to scrap the charges now.”

“Therefore, I would like to encourage people to sign our petition and send a clear message to the Council to think again. Let’s all get behind the Town and move Llanelli forward together.”

“I am also very keen to hear further from local traders and business owners about their concerns and ideas for the future of our Town Centre, please contact our office on 01554 770345.”

The petition is available to sign at the Llanelli Star office, Jollies @ The Exchange, BJ’s cafe, Oyster Bar and the Plaid Llanelli office.

Wording of the petition:

Currently, the local multi-storey car park requires a fee. We believe if this charge was removed, it would lead to more people coming to Llanelli Town Centre to spend money in our local shops which will help boost the local economy. Therefore, we urge Carmarthenshire County Council to scrap the car parking charges for Llanelli Town Centre

Hengoed by-election result, austerity and much more!

Hengoed by-election: http://youtu.be/HB6odrpzR90

Car parking charges – MADNESS!

UPDATE. Over 200 people signed our petition opposing car parking charges in the town centre. Thanks to you. Will Labour-led Carmarthenshire Council take any notice? I wouldn't hold your breath!

We must do all we can to have a town centre we can all be proud of in Llanelli. We’ve lost so much – and the signs aren't good for the future.

While I accept that there's no silver bullet - a few things could be done NOW!

A key issue is definitely the car parking charges that the Labour-led Carmarthenshire Council have imposed on the town centre – even those working/running shops and stalls have to pay.

Having met shop owners and market stall holders over several months it’s clear to me that the car parking charges have been and continue to be severely detrimental to the town centre itself.

Of greater concern has been the attitude of the Labour Party locally regarding this issue. With an elected Labour official tweeting constantly “£1.20, 1.20” clearly not understanding the concept of the charges at all. For example £1.20 + £1.00 for your paper is £2.20 etc. 

In fact an official member of Nia Griffith’s campaign team went as far as to suggest that car parking charges have HELPED town centres (yes you read that right!) – this is a real worry. Perhaps this is Labour’s view? 

Is there any wonder we’re in such a mess if that’s Labour’s answer? 93 years and counting. SCRAP THE CHARGES!

We must reduce business rates, scrap the car parking charges and do all we can to promote the town – Labour are wrong the penalise people for wanting to support the town. I fully support, and would welcome working closely with those opposed to these damaging, narrow-minded charges.

The key is the local economy, let's get people into the town - spending money locally - LET'S HAVE SOME AMBITION!

Plaid Cymru have pledged to lift thousands of small firms in Wales struggling to pay business rates out of paying the tax altogether.

More than 3,000 small businesses in Wales that fell into debt over their business rates would be taken out of paying non-domestic rates altogether under plans.

We’ve also pledged to scrap business rates for all enterprises with a rateable value of under £10,000 relief with those between £10,000 and £15,000 also seeing their bills reduced.

A Freedom of Information request by the party reveals that more than 3,000 businesses with a rateable value of under £10,000 had liability orders issued against them for non-payment over the past three years.

They are among 70,000 businesses that would be taken out of the rates system.

Business rates in Wales are being devolved to the Welsh Government next year.

Now is the time to lobby! The fight goes on!

TWITTER @Vaughan_Wms

A busy Saturday, a sad Friday and a day of rest! (a normal weekend?)

Well, lets get it out of the way... Wales lost.

It was great to watch the game at Tumble RFC - thanks so much for the warm welcome. The atmosphere was great and everyone was so kind. Diolch o galon i bawb!

Braf oedd clywed y Gymraeg yn fyw ac yn iach!


Saturday... 7am start! A busy, busy day. We had numerous teams out in Felinfoel, Bynea, Hengoed and in the town centre itself. It was great to welcome Dafydd Wigley to Llanelli. Dafydd was a great inspiration to the whole team and the canvassing sessions proved a huge, huge success. Thanks also to the every brilliant Helen Mary Jones.

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped today. Our message of wanting Wales to be treated fairly by Westminster and our ambition for the town centre proved very popular.

Concern again was raised at the LABOUR-led CARMARTHENSHIRE County COUNCIL parking charges in Llanelli town centre. It seems rediculous to penalise people for wanting to support the town centre!

AGAIN, I URGE THE LABOUR-LED COUNCIL TO SCRAP THE CHARGES!

I'd also like to thanks the staff at Jollies @ The Exchange for such a warm welcome. Best wishes to you all and thanks for the great welcome and brilliant food - always a pleasure.

Report into the Iraq War must be published NOW!

Why after all these years are we stil waiting for the Chilcot Report into the Iraq War to be published?

We the public and most importantly the families have a right to know the truth! The truth will out. Whether you supported the war like Labour and their Conservative friends (rushing to America's side) or opposed it like I did and Plaid Cymru – families have the RIGHT to know, the RIGHT!

Ed Miliband and Labour voted time and again AGAINST establishing the inquiry itself. As did Llanelli MP Nia Griffith (despite an apparent change of heart! – I will discuss this later). Miliband’s stance, like Labour’s in completely shameful and opportunistic – we’re not stupid!

According to Labour activist and supporter Rosemary Emery, Nia and Ed "would like it (the report) published as soon as possible too."

Labour are shamelessly playing politics of the worst kind, with peoples lives. I have a vested interest, I lost a very good school friend due to the actions of the Labour government - his family have an empty seat every Christmas, his son STILL asks when is "daddy coming home?" These people have a right to know. Labour has only found its 'voice' on this issue. Why now I wonder? Wasn't the truth important before?

In Plaid Cymru we've been campaigning for the truth, and we will continue to do so! I will say it again - CHILCOT REPORT MUST BE PUBLISHED NOW!