The Party of Wales Arfon Standing up for the people of Arfon

A Plaid Cymru-led debate on Child Povery will be taking place in the Senedd today with Sian Gwenllian AM for Arfon taking part. The Labour Welsh Government has already come under fire from Ms Gwenllian as it has announced that all uniform grants will stop next year, despite families facing worsening financial challenges according to the Arfon AM.

In Gwynedd however – thanks to Plaid Cymru policy – families will continue to receive the grants from the council despite them being cut by the Welsh Labour Government, something very much welcomed by Sian Gwenllian.

Over 800 children will continue to receive support from Gwynedd’s Plaid Cymru- led authority to assist parents struggling to meet the financial demands of kitting children in school uniforms. £105 school uniform grant per child was allocated to families struggling to make ends meet in recent years and these families will continue to receive support once the Welsh Government Grant comes to an end next year.

Said Sian Gwenllian, AM for Arfon and Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Sectretary for Equality,

“I am so pleased that Gwynedd Council are able to carry on offering this grant that so many families depend on. Some local families are already struggling, food bank distributions are rising, Universal Credits will soon be causing financial strain on families, general living costs are rising and delays in benefits mean that some families struggle to afford food let alone new school uniforms. This type of targetted support for families has been welcomed.”

In total 842 youngsters received support from Gwynedd and the Welsh Government in 2016 to 2017. With over ten weeks still to go in this current school year, 810 pupils have already been awarded this fundamental support.

Hywel Williams MP said,

“One of Plaid Cymru Gwynedd’s principles is to support children, young people and their families. Some are struggling to make small amounts of money go a long way due to the relentless austerity programme of the Conservatives in Westminster and the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff. It is a fundamental flaw to publicly penalise disadvantaged members of our society and Plaid Cymru will stand firm here in Gwynedd in order to support our young people in education and then in their pathways to work.”