Plaid Cymru Ceredigion Your representatives in Ceredigion

Ben Lake MP has met with representatives from the charity Guide Dogs to lend his support to their campaign pressing the UK Government to introduce new laws to tackle inconsiderate pavement parking on high streets.

Recent statistics from the charity show that 97% of blind and partially sighted people experience problems with street clutter, including wheelie bins, advertising boards, and especially cars parked on pavements. Such obstacles can cause particular danger to blind, and partially sighted individuals, who are often forced to risk their lives by walking onto the road just to get by.

Ben Lake MP has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) at Westminster to congratulate Aberystwyth University on their recent achievement of a Gold Award in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF).

The University achieved the TEF’s top rating for delivering consistently outstanding teaching, learning and outcomes for students, of the highest quality found in the UK.

The TEF was set up by the Westminster Government to recognise excellent teaching in UK higher education providers by rating them as Gold, Silver or Bronze, with ratings judged by an independent panel of students, academics and other experts.

Today marks a year since Ben Lake was elected as MP for Ceredigion - and what a year it's been!

Ben Lake MP has joined forces with consumer champion, Which?, and over 80 fellow parliamentarians in signing a letter asking for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to bring an end to rip-off overdraft fees.

The Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament is concerned that residents in Ceredigion might still be paying excessive fees on unarranged overdrafts, some of which may still cost over seven times more than a payday loan according to new research from Which?

Despite scrutiny from the regulator, Ben Lake MP feels not enough has been done to protect consumers from these sky-high fees.

Ben Lake MP has tabled an Early Day Motion at Westminster to congratulate Cwmni Cletwr on its fifth anniversary.

Cwmni Cymunedol Cletwr is a community-owned business which opened its doors in 2013, a couple of years after the original family-owned garage and village shop closed. The business has since grown from strength to strength; in 2017 the shop and cafe moved to a new purpose-built premises, and has developed into a vital community hub providing a varied programme of events, talks, and classes all-year round.

The business is run by a combination of paid staff and a large pool of volunteers, and the project is constantly responding to new opportunities and listening to the needs of the local community. The business plays a vital role in tackling the growing problem of rural poverty and social isolation, whilst also providing local employment and volunteering opportunities for young people.

Welsh Government confirm the extra funding to in order to fill historical underpayment

Elin Jones, Assembly Member for Ceredigion, has welcomed the decision to award £27 million of extra funding to Hywel Dda Health Board, following a review into the excess costs put on the health board due to the unique circumstances of the region that it covers.

Elin Jones AM & Ben Lake MP hold public meeting at Tregaron to discuss challenges and opportunities facing town

A public meeting organised by Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP identified the need for jobs and economic development as top priorities for the future of Tregaron.

The meeting was held on Thursday 24^th of May 2018 at the Memorial Hall in Tregaron, and gave residents and businesses the opportunity to voice their views and concerns on both the challenges facing the town, and the opportunities for development over the coming years.

Tregaron, like many other towns across Ceredigion and west Wales has faced increased challenges over the recent years, and the public meeting followed on from a similar event organised by the AM and MP in Llandysul in late 2017.

Proposed work on Dorglwyd Junction set to be delayed

Elin Jones AM and Ben Lake MP have expressed their frustration following a recent statement from the Welsh Government noting that work on the A487 Dorglwyd junction from Comins Coch, would be delayed.

The junction has witnessed several crashes and close-calls over recent years, with local residents calling for the development of a roundabout or similar traffic-calming measures.

The Welsh Government announced in September 2016 that a feasibility study would be undertaken by the following Summer as to consider potential options to improve the junction.

Ben Lake MP voices concerns that UK Department for Transport proposals could hinder the sustainability of the community transport sector in rural Wales.

Following a the UK Department for Transport’s consultation on community transport permits (Section 19 & 22), MPs debated the impact of the proposals during a debate at Westminster.

Currently, an organisation operating in the UK that accepts any sort of payment for providing transport to passengers must hold either a public service vehicle (PSV) operator’s licence or a private hire vehicle licence. However, organisations that provide transport on a ‘not-for-profit’ basis can apply for permits under Section 19 or Section 22 of the Transport Act 1985. As holders of the section 19 and 22 permits don’t need a PSV operator’s licence or the costly regulations including DVSA maintenance and standards, their low operating costs enable them to be more competitively priced when bidding for publicly funded contracts.

Ben Lake MP for Ceredigion supported Bowel Cancer UK and Beating Bowel Cancer to hand in a petition started by Lauren Backler, calling for the bowel cancer screening age to be lowered from 60 to 50, in line with Scotland and international best practice. The petition has been signed by more than 445,000 people.

Lauren, 27 from Eastbourne, started the petition in honour of her mum who sadly died from the disease at 56 years old. Ben Lake MP joined Lauren along with MPs from across the political divide. They were also accompanied by supporters of the charity that were diagnosed with bowel cancer in their 50s or those that have lost loved ones from the disease after being diagnosed in their 50s.