Senedd Plaid Cymru undermining their own council on strategic planning, says Joyce

Joyce Watson MS has accused Plaid Cymru of undermining the Party’s own local leadership in Ceredigion after they attempted to amend a Senedd committee report on the draft National Development Framework.
In the Senedd chamber on Wednesday, Plaid MS Llyr Gruffydd MS outlined Plaid Cymru’s opposition to the draft National Development Framework during the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee Debate on the framework.
The Plaid Cymru amendments to the debate flatly contradicted the position taken by Plaid-led Ceredigion Council, as highlighted in the response of Welsh Labour’s Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James MS.
It is highly unusual for a cross-party Senedd Committee report to be amended in this way.
Committee member Joyce Watson MS, Mid and West Wales, spoke in support of Powys and Ceredigion joining together in an economic development area, as proposed.
Commenting on Plaid Cymru’s position, Joyce Watson MS said:
“In opposing the Welsh Government’s draft National Development Framework in this way, Plaid Cymru are undermining their own local leaders in Ceredigion on critical matters of local strategic planning.
“Welsh Labour values the on-the-ground expertise and constructive input of our local authorities, whichever party leads them.
“That is why we opposed Plaid Cymru’s attempts to undermine this important work to deliver a planning system which is focused on the big issues we face as a nation.”