Communities pressure group Cymuned has welcomed the Assembly Government’s decision to apply for powers from the UK government to suspend tenants’ “right to buy” in order to ensure that people on modest incomes can still find houses to rent in the areas where they live.

Cymuned believes that the steps the government is taking is a clear indication of the will to move forward towards effecting a significant change in the present situation, but that there is still a need to create a sustainable local housing market.

‘We support this decision by the government,’ said Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘and we see it as indicative of the Assembly Government’s eagerness to face one of Wales’ biggest problems. But we believe there is a need to look at how to create a secondary sustainable housing market that will have a wider and more positive effect on the market as a whole.’

Cymuned believes there is an urgent need for wide-ranging discussion on the principle of establishing a local and sustainable housing market, instead of over-focusing on affordable housing in a way which shows signs of creating unnecessary complications for both buyers and sellers, and that the establishment of a sustainable local housing market would prevent the current disintegration of communities throughout Wales, as well as providing a solid basis for the vital work of strengthening local economies in order to create a better future for the entire country. The group runs the Homes4Locals.com campaign to encourage people to get involved in their own communities and make a difference at grass-roots level.

Rhostyllen residents will finally get the chance to have their say about controversial plans by the National trust to build 223 houses opposite their village. Residents have consistently been denied a public meeting about the plans, and have accused the community council in Rhostyllen of not representing their community and excluding residents from meetings with the National Trust.

In a dramatic twist, Rhostyllen.com campaigners say they have overcome the obstacles put in place by the National Trust and Esclusham community council to finally ensure that local people have their say about the future of their village.

Campaigners have been fighting for the last year to try and get a public meeting about the development. On 4 separate occasions the community council have refused the requests, blocking any sort of open discussion about the National Trust’s plans. But residents will now have a vote as to whether or not they are in favour of the ‘new village’ development; the vote will also apply to any other development within the community of Esclusham that is not based on local need. Additionally, residents have proposed a vote of no confidence in Esclusham community council.

Tara Green of the Rhostyllen Residents Committee said “It’s time to let the people decide – that is what this whole campaign has been about.”

The law allows local electors to convene their own parish meeting and to propose a referendum on an issue or issues relevant to their area. This is exactly what residents in Rhostyllen have done. They have delivered their official request to the county council, who now have between 14 to 25 days to comply under the local government act 1972, Schedule 12, Part III, Paragraph18(2).

Carrie Harper of the campaign group Cymuned said “We completely support the actions of the residents in Rhostyllen, and will help with this process in any way we can. It is only right that communities themselves decide what is right for their future instead of being dictated to by the council and developers. This will be an official vote, paid for and organised by the county council. Assembly guidelines (Planning Wales 2002) state that the planning committee should take on board the results of this vote when deciding on the application in question. Recently on the Dragon’s Eye programme, Iwan Hughes (Director of the National Trust in Wales) clearly stated that ‘This development will be decided by the democratic process’. We look forward to seeing if the National Trust will be true to their word.”

Campaigners say further details and a date for the referendum are expected soon. Due to the fact that the county council are not obliged to publicise the event, campaigners intend to inform the whole community of Esclusham as soon as a date is confirmed.

The community pressure group Cymuned has thanked the leaders of Plaid Cymru in Gwynedd for the chance to discuss their proposed report on schools rearrangement in a meeting last Monday. Cymuned sympathises very greatly with the different groups who are worried about the future of small schools, but also believes that Plaid Cymru are showing a genuine willingness to listen to the concerns and respond positively to them – something that no other county council in Wales has done.

‘We are very grateful to Dafydd Iwan, Dyfed Edwards and Richard Parry Hughes for the chance to discuss this situation with them and with senior Council officers,’ said Aran Jones, Cymuned’s Chief Executive, ‘and we believe that they have worked hard and sincerely to find the best way forward for Gwynedd in the face of statutory obligations coming from the Assembly. They recognise that there is scope to improve the current report, and we are looking forward to helping with that process.’

Cymuned believes that the Assembly have not done enough to ensure suitable funding for the education sector in Wales, and that this has dangerously limited options available to county councils. Cymuned also believes that there is a need for individual communities to develop new and creative ideas for ways in which they themselves can help keep some schools open.

‘It was possible for the poor communities of rural Wales to build hundreds and hundreds of chapels without any kind of financial support from the Government a hundred years and more ago,’ said Aran Jones. ‘It’s time for us to look at radical new ways of sustaining schools and communities that are not so dependent on public money – providing houses for teachers, for example. The present situation is not sustainable, and finding the right way to a better future is a direct challenge to us all.’

Councillor Dafydd Iwan said: ‘We had a very positive meeting with the representatives of Cymuned, and we are very pleased that they agree with the way Plaid Cymru and Gwynedd Council are leading on this difficult matter. We hope the decision of the full Council next week will be the start of a new period of consultation on the report, and it is important that we are all prepared to listen and to adapt our positions. We cannot remain as we are, but we have to ensure the future of as many schools as possible in our communities, and we look forward to working together with Cymuned and everyone else to achieve the aim of providing a first-class education system for the children of Gwynedd.’