It’s over 18 months since Plaid Cymru entered into a three-year Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government, writes Cefin Campbell MS.

As a Designated Member under the Agreement, I am proud of the role I and my party colleagues have played in delivering against its 46 policy commitments. 

Free school meals, the rollout of universal childcare and radical action to tackle the housing crisis have been notable themes so far.

Since the beginning of the Agreement, over 5 million additional free school meals have been provided to primary school children, and by the end of 2024 we will ensure that all primary school children in Wales have a free, nutritious meal as part of their school day.

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The expansion of free childcare for two-year-olds is creating an additional 9,500 childcare spaces in disadvantaged communities, ensuring that our poorest children can access high-quality early years services.

As well as making differences in everyday lives, the Agreement commits to strengthening our nation’s democracy through Senedd reform: laying the groundwork for an empowered, fairer, and more representative Senedd.

While the Conservatives in London diminish our representation in Westminster, we are strengthening our democracy here in Wales.

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The work of delivering the Agreement’s promises has not always been easy, and we have not shied away from difficult conversations with the Welsh Government.

It is through such conversations that we have been able to secure real wins for rural Wales and Welsh farmers.

This includes delivering a consultation on proposals for a licensing scheme which would allow greater flexibility for farmers in the deployment of the Water Resources Regulations as part of the commitment to taking an approach targeted at those activities known to cause pollution.

It is also through detailed work done by Plaid Cymru representatives that the Agriculture Bill includes explicit measures to support food production, the sustainability of farm businesses and their contribution to Welsh culture and our rural way of life. 

The next phase will bring further announcements and developments in various policy areas, such as work to support the creation of a National Care Service, the expansion of community-owned energy generation, and proposals for establishing the right to adequate housing, fair rents and making homes affordable those on local incomes.

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