Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Llanelli Nia Griffith led speeches at a rally against the closure of care homes in Carmarthenshire on Saturday (24th April). The campaigners want to save six residential homes across the county, including St Paul’s and Caemaen in Llanelli from closure which would lead to the loss of 175 residential care beds and around 150 jobs.
To rapturous applause Nia Griffith said “We must work together to convince every councillor on Carmarthenshire Council to back our demands to keep the care homes open. We need the option of full time residential care run by the local authority, in the heart of our community here in Llanelli. We say NO to privatisation because it leads to doing things on the cheap which means either less care or worse pay and conditions for staff. We want the very best for our elderly citizens, and nothing less.”
For further information about the campaign visit www.rachc.co.uk.
Welsh Labour’s Environment Minister Jane Davidson today announced that vouchers worth £500 will be available from April 6 under the boiler scrappage scheme in Wales.
The scrappage scheme – which the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government announced in February – will specifically target people in fuel poverty, and from next month the scheme will be open to applications from homeowners over the age of 60 who will be able to apply for a £500 voucher towards the cost of replacing a G-rated boiler with an A-rated boiler.
Announcing the details of the scheme, Ms Davidson outlined how the £2.5million Welsh Assembly Government funding is expected to help up to 5,000 households:
- After its launch on 6th April the boiler scrappage scheme will be managed, alongside the Welsh Assembly Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, by Eaga Cymru.
- From 6th April applicants will be able to apply by telephone on 0800 316 2816 or online at www.heeswales.co.uk. Successful applicants will then be sent a voucher worth £500, which can be presented to an installer registered with the scheme who would install the replecement boiler.
- From 1st April installers will be able to register with the scheme via boilerscrappagewales@eaga.com
- Applicants to the Welsh boiler scrappage scheme may also be able to benefit from additional discounts offered by British Gas, Eaga Heat, npower hometeam and Swalec.
Replacing a G-rated boiler with an A-rated boiler could save households up to £235 per year in energy costs, as well as significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Assembly Government will also be investing an additional £1.4 million to tackle fuel poverty through its Home Energy Efficiency Scheme during the next financial year.
Those who may not be sure if their boiler is G-rated can check by making a note of the boiler number and contact the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012 who will advise you on this issue.
“I am committed to protecting the legacy of Jim Griffiths MP for Llanelli who set up the National Insurance scheme and Aneurin Bevan who started the NHS. We need the same sort of bold thinking to create a National Care Service.
“That’s why, last year, I organised consultation meetings, in anticipation of the government Green Paper, to start local debate on how to create a high-quality, affordable care and support system for our rapidly ageing population because we need a responsible and adult debate on the way forward.
“It is therefore sickening to see opposition parties scare-mongering and worrying the most vulnerable in our society with scurrilous misinformation about scrapping Disability Living Allowance (DLA). To be clear, the government will not scrap DLA to fund adult social care.
