Kirsty Williams AM

Kirsty Williams AM and Roger Williams MP are urging local people to vote for a local park to become one of the new 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Parks. The event is organised through Fields in Trust, and the 2012 most popular sites will be included in the Queen Elizabeth Fields Challenge.

Three of Powys' parks have been put forward by Outdoor Recreation at Powys County Council to be included for the honour, to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee next year. They are Oakfield Drive in Crickhowell, Bryn-y-Castell in Knighton and Dolerw Park, Newtown.

Kirsty Williams AM for Brecon and Radnorshire has today called on the Labour-run Welsh Government to make a decision as quickly as possible on when it will be possible for concessionary pass holders to use their passes on the Heart of Wales line.

Kirsty Williams said: "Every year concessionary pass holders have to play a waiting game with the government as to when, and if they will be able to use their passes on the Heart of Wales line. In rural Powys with an underdeveloped public transport network, it is more important than ever that concessionary fares are available again on the Heart of Wales line."

Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams is encouraging people in Brecon and Radnorshire to join her in signing an online petition calling for reform of Europe's fishing policy, under which fishermen are currently throwing dead fish back into the sea.

Kirsty has signed the WWF 'More Fish' petition, urging the EU to end overfishing, stop wasteful practices and protect marine wildlife.

Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams attended another highly successful Water Sports Fun Day hosted by Llangorse Sailing Club on Saturday 25th June. The event, held with the help of the Disability Sport Development Officer of Powys County Council, gave people with a range of disabilities the chance to take part in sailing activities on the lake.

The Oxfam shop on Bethel Square in Brecon had a welcome donation this week when Kirsty Williams AM popped to the shop with a load of books to support Oxfam's Bookfest in July.

Bookfest is Oxfam's annual two week long celebration for the love of books that we all share. Running from the 2^nd-17^th July, the shop will be celebrating Bookfest for the third time this year and the shop needs plenty more donations which helps it raise money for Oxfam's life-changing work across the world.

Brecon and Radnor AM, Kirsty Williams and local MP, Roger Williams visited the 10th anniversary market of the Brecknock farmers' market in Brecon (11.06.11) where they pledged their support to buying local and direct. Ms Williams and Mr Williams became the latest signatories to sign up for the Fork2Fork pledge - calling on individuals to pledge their support to local producers by buying direct.

The long fought for Renal Dialysis Unit in Llandrindod Wells should be up and running by the end of the summer, according to the answer to a question posed to the new health Minister by local AM Kirsty Williams.

Kirsty wrote to the new Minister as soon as she was appointed in May, and the written answer response was received on June 2^nd 2011. In answer to Kirsty's question "Will the Minister make statement on the progress of a Dialysis Unit in Llandrindod Wells. " the Minister responded by saying that the Welsh Renal Clinical Network, who are coordinating the delivery of the unit, expected the unit to be up and running later this Summer.

Brecon & Radnorshire's Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Candidate Kirsty Williams and MP Roger Williams have expressed their firm opposition to changes to councillors' allowances at Powys County Council, which are being proposed as a result of the change from a 15-member all-party Board to a 10-member Cabinet system. The change may see Cabinet members' allowances rise by nearly £4000 each. The full Council will vote on the issue at the end of April.

Commenting on the matter, Kirsty Williams said:

" While I fully acknowledge that the change to a Cabinet system at the Council, which I fully support, will result in an increased workload for Cabinet members, at a time when the Council's staff and all public sector workers are facing a pay freeze at best, increasing any members' allowances at this time is inappropriate. It would be much better if any change is deferred until the start of a new County Council after the local government elections in May 2012."

Supporting Ms. Williams's position, Roger Williams said:

" I very much hope that the Council will amend this proposal at its meeting at the end of April. There will be a new Council after May 2012 and until that time members' allowances should in my view remain as they are now."

Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams has piled pressure on the Welsh Assembly Government to make sure that the turntable fire unit currently based in Llandrindod Wells is not removed as currently planned.

Kirsty raised the issue in the Assembly to the Business Minister asking that the Minister for Local Government and Social Justice looks into the issue as a matter of urgency.

Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams has expressed her concern about inaccuracies in business rates demands.

Kirsty Williams said: 'At present, most business premises in Wales with a rateable value of up to £6,000 receive 100% relief until 30 September 2012. It has come to my attention however that a number of incorrect business rate demands have been sent out to small businesses in Brecon and Radnorshire. These demands have shown only a small proportion of rate relief, not the 100% that should be available for businesses with a rateable value of less than £6,000.'