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Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells has said that the new student support plans unveiled by the Welsh Government will provide fair and sustainable funding for Welsh university students, and will mean every Welsh higher education student gets the equivalent of the National Living Wage while they study during term time. Under the radical plans, unveiled

Following Lloyds Bank’s damaging decision to close their Mountain Ash branch in March 2017 I challenged senior Lloyds executives to meet with me to discuss the impact of this closure upon the community. During the course of the conversation I challenged some of the data which Lloyds used to justify their decision. For example, they

Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells has endorsed the Welsh Government’s revised Cancer Delivery Plan, saying it will help Wales deliver cancer care that is amongst the best in Europe. The revised plan, published by Welsh Health Secretary Vaughan Gething AM after consultation with experts and key groups, focuses on improving survival rates for cancer and

Vikki Howells AM has asked the Welsh Government how it is improving access to vital rehabilitation services for the 2000 people in Cynon Valley affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 16 November marks World COPD Day, which raises awareness of issues faced by people suffering from this group of lung conditions that cause breathing

I am delighted that RCT Council will be piloting the Welsh Government’s flagship free childcare policy. The pledge from our manifesto, giving 3-4 year olds 48 weeks of free childcare a year if a parent works over 16 hours a week, will be the most generous package of childcare support available anywhere in the UK.

Vikki Howells AM has been elected as the Chair of a new Assembly Cross-Party Group set up to focus on the challenges and opportunities facing communities in industrial Wales. The Cross-Party Group on Industrial Communities will consider solutions that improve economic and social well-being in industrial and former industrial parts of Wales, by influencing the

Brogan Rogers is a Year 13 student in Mountain Ash Comprehensive School. Brogan, who is from Abercynon, has been on a work experience placement in my office. Here, Brogan writes for me on why Wales needs a Youth Parliament. I was thrilled to see the proposal to establish a Youth Parliament in Wales was raised

Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells welcomed Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer MP to Aberdare to show the Labour Shadow Cabinet Member how Cynon Valley people have benefitted from employment, education and training programmes supported by European Union funding. The visit, hosted by Aberdare Careers Wales, was also joined by Shadow Secretary of State for Wales

Cynon Valley AM Vikki Howells has welcomed the announcement by Welsh Government Children’s Minister Carl Sargeant AM that Rhondda Cynon Taf will be one of the six local authorities chosen to pilot the Welsh Government’s new childcare offer. The offer is the most generous childcare policy for working parents in the UK and will provide

In March 2015, Lloyds announced reduced opening hours for its Mountain Ash branch saying ‘these changes have been made to more closely reflect the usage of the branch and the needs of our customers in the area’ and would categorically not lead to closure. Just 20 months later Lloyds have decided that the branch has