It was good to speak to Citizens Advice Bureaux from across North Wales about my role as an Assembly Member, and to answer their questions, at an event organised with the Assembly Outreach team.
I also enjoyed talking to a Cartrefi Conwy Tenant's Group about ‘What an AM does’. Cartrefi Conwy was formed when tenants voted to transfer their council housing stock to a non-profit Registered Social Landlord. Unlike Flintshire and Wrexham, where tenants voted to keep housing under Council control, and where the council housing stock has still not been brought up to the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, Cartrefi Conwy met the original December 2012 deadline to meet this standard. Cartrefi Conwy involves tenants in decision making and supports tenant groups to find local solutions to local problems.
My discussions with members of the autism community across our region reinforced the poor understanding of Autism amongst key people at local authority and health board level, and the pain being caused by the Welsh Government's refusal to give Autism a statutory identity in Wales and to impose duties on local authorities and health boards.
As the Dad of a young boy denied diagnosis told me, “early diagnosis opens the door to getting things done”. As the parents of a young woman told me, “they are just downloading definitions from the website”. As the parents of several misdiagnosed daughters told me, “they don’t understand that thinking has changed, that autism presents differently in girls, and that many females are unable to access a diagnosis due to stereotypical views, leaving autistic girls and women vulnerable to low self-worth, anxiety and depression”.
I met the Local Solutions Charity to discuss their support for 16-21 year-olds at imminent risk of homelessness, and Mold’s Town Manager to discuss Mold as a Destination Hub, the Mayor's 'Save a Life' charity appeal and Mold's exciting 2017 events programme.
It was a pleasure to attend both Corwen Museum's Open Day and Denbighshire Chairman’s Charity Concert.
As a former Member and Chairman of Mold Round Table, it was great to attend Deeside Round Table's Chairman and President's Dinner. Thanks to Chairman Richie Minshull and to Flint Male Voice Choir for an excellent performance. Roundtable is about having fun and giving back to the local community.
If you need my help, please email [email protected] or ring 0300 200 7217.