大象传媒 News - People's Assembly

3 February 2011 Last updated at 04:09

People's Assembly 2011

As Wales prepares for the referendum on more powers for the assembly on 3 March, the 大象传媒 has put together the People's Assembly.

It is a group of 60 voters who will help us show how the campaign is playing out in their communities.

Many of them will be giving their views on the 大象传媒 Wales news website, TV and radio ahead of the referendum in a few weeks time.

The 60 people from up and down Wales responded to an appeal asking people to make their opinions heard ahead of polling day.

Here, you can meet members of the group from the Mid and West Wales electoral region.

	Age	Home	Job	Issues
Philip Warlow	57	Llanelli	Support worker for people with learning difficulties	Philip is a support worker for people with learning difficulties and is keen to help out in his local community. He is a member of the local neighbourhood watch and thinks people should also volunteer, if they can. Philip has worked away from Wales in the past - he was a former oil rig worker and ship-builder.
Peter Huge	47	New Quay	Office manager at building firm	A former electrician who worked underground during the miners' strike, Peter also saw life from the other side of the fence when he became a police officer. His big issues are construction, fishing and farming and believes investment is needed. He now has a small-holding.
Eluned Evans	61	Cwmystwyth, Aberystwyth	Retired but active in local groups	Eluned is concerned with the future of rural communities - especially the Welsh language, housing, employment, access to care services and access to digital services such as broadband and mobile reception. Eluned lives in a remote village with no school, shop or public transport. She is retired and lives next door to her elderly parents so is available to give help when needed.
Helen Davies	61	Hay-on-Wye	Retired head teacher	Education is a key issue for Helen, a retired head teacher, who has three adult children - as well as a grandchild of 18 months. Helen says she is also interested in health and law.
Gwyn Wigley Evans	59	Llanrhystud	Textile agent, farm owner	Gwyn is interested in farming and more powers for Wales and he doesn't think the current system goes far enough. He says his dilemma is to support the little that is offered - he says it is "inexplicable" that Wales does not have the same law-making powers as Scotland. He worries about the standard of government coming out of the assembly.
Patricia Bates	73	Aberystwyth	Retired	Patricia fears more powers for Wales could lead to complete independence which, she worries, might lead to more taxes. She is also concerned about shops closing in the area where she lives as well as lack of affordable housing and unemployment of youngsters. She is also worried that the people who are against more powers won't come out to vote.
Andrew Morel Du Boil	18	Talybont	Student	A first-time voter, 18-yr-old Andrew is keen to see what the politicians offer in terms of education. He has concerns over exam results in Wales, compared with the rest of the UK. He also has seen schools tighten their budgets where he lives in Ceredigion.
Rhys Rosser	18	Llanfyllin	Student	Rhys, another first-time voter, is against more law-making powers for Wales in devolved areas. He thinks there are too many levels of government already and worries that money isn't spent effectively. Other key issues for Rhys are the environment and defence.
Linda Bennett	58	Newtown	Employed in local construction company	Linda's big issues reflect where she lives in Newtown - a lack of jobs, expensive housing, transport in rural areas and education. She worries that parts of mid Wales are "forgotten" when it comes to health.
Caryl-Mai Evans	18	Carmarthen	Student and part-time worker	Farming and the wrangling over milk prices with supermarkets are concerns for Caryl-Mai who comes from a cattle-farming background. She is interested in the future of the Welsh language and possibly wishes to teach maths in Patagonia.
Alice James	36	Crymych	Teacher	A secondary school teacher, Alice is in two minds about more powers for Wales. She questions whether laws coming from Cardiff, without scrutiny from Westminster, is a good thing. Big issues for her are also primary health care and, of course, education.
Trudy Baynes-Hill	49	Newtown	Works part-time for her sister who runs a nightclub, pub and cinema	Trudy has cystic fibrosis and has had a heart and lungs transplant. She says her concerns are about health and local provision. She travels to Shrewsbury hospital three times a week for dialysis and thinks that all Welsh people should visit Welsh hospitals where possible.