Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:38 pm on 16 October 2018.
Yes, absolutely, it will be, and the litmus test will be Rhymney—I have no doubt about that. If we are to look at the development of the regional park as a concept, as a framework for other developments taking place within it, then if we succeed then we will succeed in Rhymney. You look at those sorts of communities where you've had major towns close by—we've seen some significant investment and development, and smaller towns have not seen that same level of investment, and we both saw the impact of that on the town centre there at that time. We need to be able to ensure that people, whether it be in Rhymney or elsewhere, are able to see the benefit of that and that it isn't just a speech made in Cardiff Bay, but a reality on people's doorsteps and in people's lives.
I was inspired when I went through and spoke to people about the Crucible project in Merthyr, for the reason that you give: that it isn't simply about the built environment—of course it is, but it isn't simply about that—it's about the people who live there as well and the people who live in our communities, and it's about our stories, our history, our futures. And our ability to do that, I think, is absolutely key and fundamental to the success of this project. The Minister for culture and tourism and heritage is in his place this afternoon and will be listening to these exchanges, and the conversations that we've had about how our heritage is a part of our future are absolutely central to what we want to be able to achieve. He was kind enough to visit my constituency to discuss the legacy of Aneurin Bevan in the spring, and it is bringing together those different threads that we want to be able to do and to ensure that we are able to reinvent these communities. The Member for Merthyr—. The Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney is right to—I nearly made a mistake, a terrible mistake, there—is right to identify the derelict land we see around the town and the top end of the Rhymney valley. I'm familiar with that. We need to look at how we recreate these communities. It's not only in Rhymney, but it's elsewhere, where we see that land that has been previously used for heavy industry is no longer required in that same way.
One of the issues that we're addressing as part of the wider work of the Valleys taskforce, which we'll debate on other occasions this afternoon, is the issue of the upper Valleys. I think there are specific issues in the Heads of the Valleys that are more difficult, if you like, than in other parts of the Valleys. So, we will be looking at that, specifically. But certainly, I hope that we'll be able, in the coming years, to demonstrate that the work we're putting in place today will be seen in the future as a turning point for the Valleys and will be seen as something that didn't just lead to economic growth, but led to social change as well, and a change to our futures. I hope that we can achieve that.