Today’s budget will bring ‘significant benefits’ to north Wales say Plaid Cymru after striking deal with Labour

Today’s budget deal will bring significant benefits to north Wales Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Gruffydd has said after a deal was struck with Labour.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford is set to reveal the £15bn spending plans today which has gained backing from Plaid Cymru.

Llyr Gruffydd said that the budget deal secured by his party is the biggest one-year budget deal in the history of the National Assembly, and will deliver significant benefits for north Wales.

Amongst the gains secured by Plaid Cymru, there will be

· Investment in medical training to get more doctors working in the NHS including medical schools

· Creation of a ports infrastructure fund which could mean significant investment in Holyhead and Mostyn

· More funding for Local Authorities, which will mean councils will no longer face nominal cuts to their budgets next year

· A massive £30 million investment in universities and Further Education campuses which will benefit establishments such as Bangor Universities, Glyndwr University and Coleg Menai Dwyfor

· The creation of thousands of good quality apprenticeships all across Wales

· Helping to regenerate town centres by promoting pilot schemes for free town-centre parking

· More funding for the arts and heritage, including a feasibility study to create a national football museum in the North

· A doubling of the Visit Wales budget to boost tourism.

Plaid Cymru North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd said:

“Not only is this the biggest budget deal in the history of the National Assembly for Wales, but it is the best ever deal for north Wales – thanks to Plaid Cymru. From the beginning of this Assembly term, Plaid Cymru made it clear that we will use our role as the Official Opposition to deliver real gains for the people of Wales, and that is what we have achieved today.

“Our deal will see greater investment in education, through our universities and Further Education colleges, and by creating thousands of new apprenticeships. Plaid Cymru has also secured investment in the health service, which will mean more diagnostic equipment to bring down waiting times, and that we can train more doctors to work in the NHS at new locations such as a medical school in Bangor.

“Plaid Cymru has secured a feasibility study into creating a national football museum in Wrexham, and the extra funding that we have secured will mean that bodies such as the National Museum for Wales will see an increase in their budgets. And by doubling the budget for Visit Wales we can make Wales a world-renowned travel destination and help the businesses that depend on tourist trade.

“Plaid Cymru’s goal has always been to deliver the best deal possible for the people of Wales and our budget deal represents a massive £119 million investment package that will strengthen the NHS, boost the economy, improve educational standards and deliver better public services. We have delivered more in less than six months as an opposition party than any other party in the history of the National Assembly, and we will continue to fight for the best interests of people all across Wales.”

Responding of the Plaid Cymru and Labour budget deal, a spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said:

“There’s little reason to believe that this budget will be any different from those that preceded it – all of which have categorically failed to deliver the necessary levels of education, prosperity and health for communities across Wales.

“It is no surprise that Plaid Cymru have once again chosen to flout their responsibilities as a party in opposition by seeking the solace of their Labour comfort blanket just days after the resignation of one of their longest-serving members.

“Welsh Conservatives will continue to be the real opposition to the Labour-led Welsh Government where others will not.”