Welsh Assembly accused of failing border communities

Montgomeryshire AM Russell George said the Welsh government is failing to provide support to areas such as Montgomeryshire, which are crying out for better health, education and housing.

He also said that a lack of mobile signal and slow internet speeds are making it difficult for new businesses to get off the ground.

He raised the issue in a Welsh Assembly debate, where he called on the Welsh government to tackle the issues facing rural areas once and for all.

"There has been a failure by the Welsh Government to provide support to Wales' rural communities and set out innovative proposals to provide tailor-made support to reflect the distinct needs of Mid Wales," he said.

"Living and working in rural Mid Wales is both a great privilege and a great challenge. Rural areas account for a third of the Welsh population and they're at the beating heart of our country.

"It is therefore regrettable that the Welsh Government's policies consistently fail to reflect the distinct needs of Wales' rural communities and rural areas are often seen as an afterthought.

"Within a Welsh Conservative government, we would appoint a minister for Mid and West Wales to ensure that the specific concerns facing the region receive attention and we would implement an independent system of rural proofing at arms-length from Welsh government."

Mr George housing is one of the biggest challenges facing the area, with youngsters moving away once they have left school.

" The lack of housing is a national challenge but in rural areas it is a particular constraint to labour and entrepreneurial mobility.

"The stock of housing is limited in rural areas relative to demand and we would like to see the amendment of planning rules to allow starter homes to be built on rural exception sites for the first time, subject to local agreement.

"This is part of a range of measures which will increase the availability of housing in rural areas, allowing our rural towns and villages to thrive, whilst protecting the countryside."

Mr George also had words of support for farmers, saying they need support from the government.

"Farmers who rely on the basic payments scheme require urgent clarity on the latest situation following reports that a second legal challenge could delay payments to all farmers.

"I also believe that agricultural support in Wales from European programmes must be more effectively administered and directed. The RDP can play a vital pump-priming role and a lifeline for those farmers who stand to lose out from the new Basic Payments Scheme.

"Sometimes it's difficult to overestimate just how important farmers and our rural communities are to almost every aspect of our lives.

"We would stand up for rural Wales and this debate called on the Welsh Government to do the same. The Welsh Government has ignored rural Wales for too long. It's time to put the farming industry at the top of the agenda, along with the rural communities around it."