I just received this email from the Snowdonia Society:
Election to the National Assembly for Wales 2011 - Responses from Candidates
In April the Society wrote to all the candidates in the election to the National Assembly for Wales 2011
whose prospective constituencies would cover part of Snowdonia National Park. We asked the
candidates for their opinion on our policy suggestions for the next Welsh government (based on our
joint manifesto document) and for further information on their parties' manifesto commitments,
including how they would affect the National Park. We received five responses.
(Only the ones relevant to Aberconwy/Clwyd West have been reproduced - DaveR)
Dyfed Edwards (Plaid Cymru, North Wales Regional List) noted that this issue will be discussed in
more detail after the election.
Iwan Huws (Plaid Cymru, Aberconwy) is former Chief Executive of Snowdonia National Park
Authority and is passionate about Snowdonia – its people, communities, culture, landscape and
wildlife. He knows the area well, having been involved with Snowdonia all his working life. He was
very friendly with Esmé and Peter Kirby and was heavily involved when Dyffryn Mymbyr was gifted to
the National Trust. He is a previous member of CNP's Wales Advisory Council and was a co-opted
member of CNP's full Council. The interests of Snowdonia and National Parks in general will be very
important to him if he is elected and he would always put the interests of Snowdonia first. He believes
that the planning system needs reform, but that Park Authorities need to be part of that system. The
idea of a US style National Parks and Wildlife Service interests him together with an integrated
warden service for Wales with a Welsh idendity rather than separate institution identities. His priority
with any changes will be to protect places like Snowdonia and safeguard their future for quiet
enjoyment for generations to come.
Llyr Huws Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru, North Wales Regional List) believes passionately in protecting
and improving natural beauty, wildlife and the heritage of areas such as Snowdonia. He believes
much more should be done on a holistic basis to promote the value and potential of Snowdonia in
policy areas including education, economic development and health in addition to planning,
environment and rural affairs. He is strongly in favour of encouraging more people to enjoy our
National Parks for the health benefits (including mental health) as well as to help people value
Snowdonia's natural beauty and rich wildlife. He believes we need to reach out to under-represented
groups and is especially interested in developing stronger links with local communities in the Park. In
relation to the proposed Commission, he would want to ensure that any changes occur on the basis of
defending genuine values and not for political or financial reasons alone. His fundamental position on
Snowdonia is that our generation has inherited the responsibility for ensuring that the rich endowment
of natural beauty, wildlife and heritage is protected.
Mark Isherwood (Welsh Conservatives, North Wales Regional List) believes that Snowdonia is a
national treasure. The Welsh Conservatives consider that introducing direct elections to the National
Park Authorities will promote greater interest from the public in their national parks, increase local
influence and help to ensure that local interests are fully reflected in decisions that affect the way that
they are run. He thinks that this policy will also widen the pool of advice and local knowledge upon
which National Park Authorities will be able to draw, and will enable National Park Authorities to
locate expert and specialist advice from other sources, including representatives of volunteer or
nongovernmental organisations. His party would seek to introduce a more enterprise-focused
planningpolicy which allows for greater community participation and reward, both economic and
social, and to alter planning guidelines to ease restrictions for affordable housing and businesses,
particularly thoseinvolved in tourism, where they have the support of the local community.
As of this morning (3 May) no other candidates had responded to our request for information.
Interesting to see no response from Mike Priestley, Janet Finch-Saunders or Eifion Wyn Williams?
