Infrastructure
This constituency has suffered because of a chronic lack in infrastructure spend by the Governments at both ends of the M4 corridor. Gwynedd County Council have done everything possible to attract investment and develop roads, bridges, and public buildings, but this commitment by the Local Authority has not been matched by assistance from the Welsh and Westminster Governments.
Spending on infrastructure has a multiplier effect, and the IPPR estimates that infrastructure spend results in x1.4 benefit to the economy.
We must therefore ensure that the Government’s infrastructure spend is distributed fairly across the countries of the UK and throughout Wales.
This is a coastal constituency, with several small ports. Yet, today these small ports have developed into being seaside towns, instead of gateways to the world. We need an investment programme in our small ports to allow their original roles to be realised once again.
Improving the availability of broad-band and mobile phone reception (3G in many parts, let alone 5G!) would revolutionise our rural economy.
According to the latest statistics 17.1% of the workforce in Dwyfor-Meirionnydd is self-employed, compared to the Welsh average of 5.8% and the UK average of 7.1%.
The Welsh Government’s project in association with BT to ensure that communities across Wales receive Superfast Broadband has left many of our communities down. Consequently, some communities have decided to take their own steps to improve the situation. Guifi, in rural Catalunya, have led the way in developing community owned telecommunications networks.
This Guifi model should be followed here, and the Welsh Government should look to provide capital and expertise to allow communities to develop their own networks here. This would allow people to work from home; and give local entrepreneurs the ability to develop their businesses from home confident in the knowledge that they can communicate and sell to the rest of the world without hiccups.
Mabon ap Gwynfor 