Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd, and I appreciate it's been a long day, but I think it's an important area to discuss and I welcome the opportunity to deliver the short debate on the social fabric and future well-being of our Valleys communities. I'd like to inform the Senedd that I've given time to Dawn Bowden to contribute to this debate.

In this short debate, I want to address the aspects of our Valleys communities that influence the social well-being and cohesion of those who live there and how these factors have changed the economic and political landscape of the Valleys. I will also consider the influence that Welsh Government policy has had, and could have, on those communities as well as address the impact of the UK Government's unnecessary austerity agenda.

To understand what is meant by 'social fabric', it's useful perhaps to reflect upon the unique history of the Valleys and compare that to where we are today. Wales has a proud heritage of industrial past, which has shaped our history and defined our landscape. At the heart of our industrial heritage are the Valleys communities, which, as we know, were highly influenced by the coal and metals industries. These were deeply integrated communities, which relied heavily on one another for support and in which many social and public activities occurred. And, as a result, the strength of respect and spirit that was evident in these communities could not be ignored. The social interactions and understandings between those who lived in the Valleys formed a strong social fabric, which bound those communities together.

Since the de-industrialisation of these communities in the latter half of the twentieth century, many well-documented challenges have arisen around employment opportunities, transport and infrastructure as well as inequalities across health, well-being and education. Whilst these challenges exist and must not be ignored, they do not define the Valleys. The strong sense of culture and community endures. However, that is now at risk. The challenge for the Welsh Government is not only to invest further in the Valleys, but also to work closely with those communities to ensure that voices are heard and that people are empowered to take a lead on key Government policy decisions that relate to and will influence social interaction and the living community in the Valleys.

Whereas collective employment in mining communities once bound the Valleys together, we are now facing a new economic landscape. As a result, a number of challenges have arisen. In the past, thriving, industrial and tight-knit Valleys maintained a dynamic, cultural identity as community participation around shared employment influenced the social cohesion of the area. These communities were not responsible for their own economic decline, and the response must be to reinforce this sense of community identity and culture. The history and heritage of the Valleys, along with the culture and arts, are all key components of mining communities, and it is these things that increase enthusiasm and support for change, whilst maintaining the invaluable social cohesion.

Day in, day out, I see the potential for greater success and prosperity in my own constituency. However, I have to raise this important point, as despite the vision and investment being put into the Valleys by the Welsh Government, all of which I welcome, Cabinet Secretary—so, you can say that on the record now—we cannot get away from the fact that this positive work is being undertaken against the backdrop of the UK Tory Government's austerity agenda. The past eight years of austerity have inevitably had an impact on public service budgets in Wales, and every year that has gone by, there is less money available to invest in vital non-statutory local services. Our councils are facing greater financial constraints than ever because of Westminster austerity cuts being passed down to them, which now threaten the delivery of statutory services. As Westminster spending cuts to welfare and public services are inflicting damage on our public services, it is imperative that we continue to find solutions to support our young people into work, help the vulnerable in our communities and better connect our Valleys with the towns and cities across Wales.

Since the Assembly was established, there has been significant amount of support for the Welsh Valleys provided by the Welsh Government. It is essential to look at the effectiveness of these programmes as we look forward to what lies ahead for these areas.