Partnership message to ring out across the Royal Welsh showground
21 July 2010
Partnership with the National Assembly for Wales is the key to making devolution work for you.
That’ll be the key message from the Assembly’s Presiding Officer Lord Dafydd-Elis Thomas at the Royal Welsh Show on 21 July.
He’ll meet with young farmers and other partner organisations at the National Assembly pavilion to identify barriers to voting for young people and how best to encourage first-time voters.
“I want to take this opportunity to urge all partners to continue working with us to ensure that the Assembly reflects the concerns and desires of all people in Wales,” said Presiding Officer, Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas AM.
“One of our key strategic aims is to increase participation in the political process here in Wales.
“That can only be achieved if everyone pulls together to work with the National Assembly to make best new laws to suit the needs of Wales.
“That’s also the reason why we’re currently holding a review of our Standing Orders to see if we can make the system easier for people to access.”
Partner organisations such as Shelter Cymru have given a thumbs up to the Presiding Officer’s message saying goals can be achieved in partnership.
“As an organisation we have benefited massively from our partnership with the National Assembly,” said Shelter’s Education Co-ordinator Rhian Jones.
“We have benefited in terms of support with our young volunteers' petition, awareness training for our young researchers and staff briefings on the role and impact of the National Assembly's work as well as the importance of voting.
“It has opened a number of doors for us and we are encouraging other 3rd sector organisations to take up similar opportunities"
Next year voters will go to the polls to decide via referendum on whether the Assembly should have further powers; they will elect who they would like to represent their interests as Assembly Member’s in the Fourth National Assembly; and finally, there will be an opportunity to vote in the UK Government’s referendum on whether a proportional voting system should be used to elect Westminster MPs.
The Royal Welsh Show will also see the launch of new Assembly leaflets that provides impartial information about all three polls.(see attached).
“Next year is going to be one of the most important years for Wales in a generation,” added Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas.
“The people of Wales will get to make choices that will decide how they are governed for generations to come.
“They will not only decide who will sit in the next Assembly but also how those Assembly Members are able to make laws that affect Wales.
“Under the Government of Wales Act, the National Assembly has an important role to play in providing impartial and authoritative advice on two of these three votes and this is why I’m meeting with Young Farmers today to encourage them, many of whom will be first-time voters, to get out and vote.
“I also want to take the opportunity to urge all partners to continue working with us to ensure that the Assembly reflects the concerns and desires of all people in Wales.”
In conjunction with the new information leaflet, the National Assembly will publish an impartial guide to all three votes on our website at www.assemblywales.org/vote2011.