Welcome to my August newsletter.

As always, thanks to everyone across Cardiff Central who has been closely following COVID-19 regulations as we continue to play our part in reducing the rate of infection. More aspects of the economy and usual life have continued to reopen – albeit differently.

It’s important to remember, the virus has not gone away though. It’s more important than ever to ensure we are all social distancing, regularly washing our hands, wearing face coverings where they are required and self-isolating if we need to.

If you develop any of the main symptoms of COVID (fever, continuous cough, changes to your sense of smell or taste) please self-isolate and order a free test.
You can order a test for free by clicking here. ([link removed] )


** 2019-20 Annual Report
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Each year I produce an Annual Report to let you know what I’ve been doing on your behalf in both Cardiff Central and in Parliament.

If you live in Cardiff Central, you’ll be getting a copy through your letterbox soon, but you can also read the full report here ([link removed]) .

If you want to read my reports from previous years, they’re available here. ([link removed])


** How to Get in Touch
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I and my staff team are all continuing to work from home and we’ve received twice as many enquiries and requests for help during the pandemic. Each day of the week we are keeping on top of the new announcements from the UK and Welsh Governments and changes to Council services, so we can advise and help individuals, families, businesses and organisations in the constituency across a huge range of questions and issues.

Please don't hesitate to get in touch if there's something I can help with.


** COVID-19 Regulations in Wales
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August has seen restrictions on our economy and daily life continue to ease, with pubs, restaurants and cafes now able to open indoors, along with gyms and leisure centres. Shielding also ended on August 16^th.

From August 22^nd: household bubbles can double from 2, to allow 4 households to meet indoors.
From August 29^th: visits to care homes can resume under strict regulations, and casinos can also reopen.
From September 1^st: schools and colleges are to resume from the summer break.

The Welsh Government have released this helpful infographic with tips for those who have been shielding:

Don’t forget - it is now mandatory to wear a three-layer face covering on all public transport in Wales. More information on this is available here. ([link removed] )
£32m for COVID-19 Testing in Wales

This month it was announced the Welsh Government are providing nearly £32m to make sure coronavirus test results arrive quicker.
This will pay for

👩‍🔬 Extra staff and equipment at 3 regional laboratories
🔬 6 Hot Labs with rapid, under 4 hour, testing

Earlier in the month, it was also announced that the Welsh Government is providing an extra £800m in funding to steel the Welsh NHS ahead of winter, to ensure we can continue to respond to Coronavirus effectively:
* New £800m fund to steel our NHS against winter and coronavirus pressures
* PPE supplies for health and social care workers
* Wales' biggest-ever flu vaccine campaign

Track, Trace and Protect Wales

As of now, if you are visiting any high-risk business, like bars, hairdressers or gyms, it is the law in Wales that these businesses must ask for your name and phone number in case of an outbreak. This is to ensure Wales’s test, track and protect system is working effectively.

As always, I would advise you to keep checking information from the Welsh Government, Public Health Wales and Cardiff Council for the latest news and advice. When major changes are announced, I also post the information on my website and social media channels, which you can access at the bottom of this email.


** Planning: Protecting the Flute and Tankard
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Working with local Cathays Labour ([link removed][0]=AZVy1BP-gLf7dgUgTLrUlOD7JNWjFtCC38OYgJqGXel5WGO6Ky-KBGTayE6TPKRnZe-R-8971tWJ6ah_YWiH2OAuUZ3b-Bm8wz9yBUct7tfkgLGitis3a8WO0Ybw9FAFjGQfGVsUt7viMmslIfALbxr1Taapw9qJsXG68YmWtivRKQ&__tn__=kK-R) Councillors Norma Mackie, Sarah Merry and Chris Weaver I recently submitted an objection to the planning application at 121-123 Queen Street, following concerns from constituents that the plans could lead to trouble for the much loved The Flute and Tankard, which runs a variety of live music and arts events enjoyed by many across the city.

In considering the application, we're urging the Planning Committee to consider whether the application adequately deals with risk of noise from established neighbouring premises - in line with the agent of change principle.
A copy of my objection is above, and you can see the planning application itself on the Council website here: ([link removed])


** Visits
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** Visiting Staff at Ty Enfys and Ty Dinas Care Homes
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I was pleased to call in to see key workers at Ty Enfys Care home in Pentwyn and Ty Dinas Care home in Roath to drop off gift bags to the staff there, filled with donations from Beauty Banks.

Beauty Banks are a not-for-profit organisation collecting essential personal care and beauty items to provide to vulnerable people, foodbanks, NHS and carehome staff. I was glad to be able to organise deliveries as a small token of appreciation.

If you want to learn more about Beauty Banks’ work, or donate items, please click here. ([link removed])
Many care home staff have had to make immense sacrifices over the past months, with many having to isolate from their family and friends in order to keep them and their residents safe – I want to say a big thank you to all of you across Cardiff Central.


** The Gym Group Gym, City Centre
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I was really pleased to be able to visit the Gym Group’s Capitol Centre gym on Queen Street just ahead of its reopening following months of closure during the Coronavirus lockdown.

Over ten million people across the UK use gyms and leisure centres around the country. I know that their closure has been very frustrating for many people and both large chains and small independent gyms have faced financial difficulty resulting from the pandemic.

I was shown around the gym by lead Personal Trainer, Andy to see the extensive adaptations put in place to ensure a safe environment, including limited opening hours (initially), multiple hand sanitiser and cleaning stations and having more cleaning staff on hand to ensure equipment is routinely cleaned. As you can see, equipment has been adequately spaced out so social distancing can be maintained, with guides on the floor too.


** The Al-Ikhlas Centre, Adamsdown
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At the start of August, I visited the Al-Ikhlas Centre in Adamsdown to thank the Committee and volunteers there for their incredible work running Foodbanks throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Committee began their foodbank collections in October of last year, but found demand skyrocketed during the Coronavirus pandemic.

As a result of their efforts, they’ve been feeding families across Cardiff since the start of the pandemic, with big donations welcomed from Tesco and Cardiff Saracens Rugby club, and you can see a list of items they need on this blog post here. ([link removed])

It was also great to see how the Centre is coping with reopening after lockdown – they had very strict hygiene procedures in place including temperature checks on the door for all, PPE for those who require it and hand sanitiser stations.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Qamar, the Committee and all of the team at Al-Ikhlas for all their hard work in recent months, it’s community work like this through the darkest times that really has shown the best in Cardiff Central.


** Luna's Vegan Corner
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I visited Nicoleta and Laura at Luna’s Vegan Corner on Wellfield Road - to see how they’ve been coping as Coronavirus restrictions are easing on hospitality businesses

They’ve benefited from the extra outdoor space on Wellfield Road and are now open indoors with social distancing and enhanced hygiene measures.

The team at Luna’s have also been working with Open Kitchens and Fair Share Cymru to help provide meals for NHS staff and vulnerable people in the local area in these tough times - raising over £1500 so far.

Thanks to Laura and Nicoleta for everything you’ve done.


** The Four Elms
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It was great to catch up with Jon, Gareth and the team at a Cardiff Central favourite and (still) reigning UK Parliamentary Pub of the Year, the Four Elms, to see how they’ve adapted to open safely under new Coronavirus guidelines and discuss Welsh and UK Government financial support available to local businesses during the pandemic.

They’ve done a great job to ensure all customers are safe and socially distanced, with all orders through an app and good hygiene measures throughout. I was delighted they have reopened and all the team are back welcoming customers.


** Cathays Community Champion 2020 🌈
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Can you think of someone you want to nominate as a Cathays community champion, or have a favourite front garden in Cathays? 🌈

Recent months have been very tough, but one of the uplifting things has been seeing the amazing way communities have been pulling together to help each other.

These awards are all in memory of Mr Bert Wall, a well known Cathays resident, who despite being in his 90s regularly swept and cleaned his street and features on the mural on Cranbrook Street. Bert passed away last year and we thought, together with his family, that these awards would be a fitting way to remember Bert’s community spirit.

If you would like to make a nomination, just email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) or write to 78 Comeston Street, Cathays, Cardiff.


** British Gas Staff Contract Changes
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I’ve written to Centrica, the owners of British Gas, on behalf of constituents who have been served notice along with thousands of others, in an attempt to force them to accept significantly reduced terms and conditions of employment with no consultation with staff or trade unions, despite 70% of the staff being members of a recognised trade union.

I am urging Centrica to retract the notice and give an opportunity for trade unions to negotiate, in good faith, without the inflammatory threat of both instant dismissal of staff and revocation of existing agreements.

Many of those who have been affected, have been loyal employees to British Gas throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. They were essential workers who continued to support customers to ensure their energy supplies were unaffected.


** Labour's Digital Future Consultation
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This month I launched Labour’s public consultation on “Our Digital Future.” I believe that technology can change lives for the better - and it already has. From video calls to family on the other side of the world, to personal protective equipment 3D printed at home, the benefits of digital are than just economic

The events of the last few months have moved technology even closer to the heart of our working and domestic lives. During lockdown, we spent on average a quarter of every day online. But too often, the digital divide means that many people have been excluded from the benefits of technological progress that we take for granted.
And there are growing signs that digital technology may be concentrating too much power in the hands of unaccountable bodies – not just government agencies, but large global corporations whose decisions increasingly affect our rights, freedoms, and the political system itself.

Over the next few weeks, Labour are consulting on the principles that should govern our approach to digital technologies – not just for the next election cycle but for the long-term.

I’d really welcome your views on any or all of Labour’s consultation. It’s open to the public, you don’t have to be a Labour voter or member to contribute

You can respond to our Digital Consultation here ([link removed] ) .


** Supertrawlers: Greenpeace Campaign
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Thank you to the many constituents who have contacted me recently about supertrawlers - vast industrial fishing vessels that hoover up hundreds of tonnes of fish a day with nets a mile long – who last year spent nearly 3000 hours fishing in parts of UK waters that are supposed to be protected.

Our seas provide half of our oxygen, food for a billion people, and a home for some of the most spectacular wildlife on Earth. But the impacts of climate change, pollution and destructive industries mean they’re in more danger than ever. 

As your MP, I have worked closely with Greenpeace over the last five years and will continue to do so. Earlier this year I tabled a Parliamentary Motion in the House of Commons to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our oceans that attracted the support of 36 other MPs, which you can see here. ([link removed] )

My Labour Shadow Cabinet colleague Luke Pollard, who is our spokesperson for the environment has reiterated that we need to extend protection of our most fragile waters with the greatest diversity of species. When the Government published their review into Highly Protected Marine Areas in June, it failed to offer a shortlist of sites to be considered and Ministers have not set out a process to get there.

Stephanie Peacock, Labour’s Shadow Environment Minister, has met this month with Greenpeace to discuss this campaign and will be calling for sustainable fisheries management to protect the future of our UK fishing industry and fleet.

I can assure you that I will continue to do everything I can to ensure that the protection of our oceans is central to any future fishery reforms as the UK leaves the European Union.
* Find out what to do if someone in your household has symptoms of coronavirus ([link removed]) .
* If you are concerned about your symptoms, check if you need medical help ([link removed]) .
* Find out how you can reduce the risk of catching or spreading coronavirus ([link removed]) .

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