WITH the 2021 Senedd Election just over a week away, here the candidates for Caerphilly explain why they believe you should vote for them.

Steven John Aicheler - Liberal Democrats

South Wales Argus:

As the Liberal Democrat candidate for Caerphilly I’m asking for your vote so I can help Caerphilly to recover from Covid, and ensure that everyone in Caerphilly has an equal opportunity to thrive.

While we’re only a stone’s throw from Cardiff Bay it feels like Caerphilly, like many Valleys communities is forgotten, destined to be just a distant stop on a promised, but not delivered Metro system.

I want Caerphilly to be a thriving community in its own right, with successful business, busy town centres, schools which provide world-class education and access to the countryside and fresh air for everyone.

I’m proud to be standing as a LibDem candidate as I know that if elected my party will fight for; A properly funded world class education system.

A recovery for the high street, funded with a £500 million towns fund.

A commitment to put our environment first, investing £1 billion in a green recovery.

As a local resident and parent I want a brighter future for Caerphilly – we need better than another five years of dither from Labour, wasteful arguments over independence or worse electing people who want to take a paycheque from you without doing anything in return.

Hefin Wyn David - Labour

South Wales Argus:

This is the community where I was born, where I grew up and where I have always lived.

We have achieved so much together in Caerphilly over the past Senedd term.

We’ve secured bus services to the Heath, the Gwent and to the vaccination centre in Newbridge. A flexi service is also currently being considered from Caerphilly, to the new Grange Hospital in Cwmbran.

We have seen a £750 million Welsh Government investment in a newly nationalised rail service. As well as the new Class 769 model and a big uplift in capacity for Caerphilly residents.

I stood with you to stop the plans to build on greenfield sites. If re-elected on May 6, I will work to ensure that green spaces are protected in future planning decisions.

We’ve banned wild animals in circuses and are still fighting the big fight against climate change, to protect wildlife across Wales.

I have kept residents updated through the pandemic, with regular communications and Facebook live Q&As. This will continue following the election.

If you re-elect me on May 6 I will be there for you, every step of the way – making sure our community is everything it can be.

Delyth Non Jewell - Plaid Cymru

South Wales Argus:

It’s been an honour to represent my home region in the Senedd for the past two years.

During that time, I’ve been glad to help constituents with cases from healthcare to housing, and from environmental protection to business support.

Before coming to this role, I spent my career fighting to give a voice to the voiceless in our society, and I’m so proud that in this job, I’m able to help the people who need it most.

I’ve also campaigned successfully to overturn key government decisions, and last summer, I fought with young people to persuade the Welsh Government to change their decision to use an algorithm to determine students’ grades.

This year, I succeeded in persuading the Welsh Government to prioritise care home residents with learning disabilities for the Covid vaccine, and throughout the pandemic, I’ve fought for fairer treatment for care home residents and staff who were too frequently marginalised.

If I am re-elected to the Senedd, I promise to continue fighting injustice, to amplify the voices of people in our community, and to work tirelessly for a better Wales.

Stephen John Jones - Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party

South Wales Argus:

Former banker, house builder, project manager, interests in renewable energy.

Steven Mayfield - Conservative

South Wales Argus:

I’m a small business owner who lives in Caerphilly.

I got involved in politics recently because I was fed up of seeing the people of Caerphilly being taken for granted and their views ignored.

Over 57 per cent in Caerphilly voted to leave the EU, but rather than listen to those voices, local politicians instead tried to slow down and prevent Brexit from happening.

Ask yourself what a Labour-led Welsh Government has delivered for Caerphilly over the last 20 years?

In terms of the economy, the unemployment rate has been higher in Caerphilly than the Welsh average for the last two decades.

In terms of education, there are now over 100 fewer teachers in the county of Caerphilly than there were in 2016.

And when it comes to the NHS, three GP surgeries closed across Caerphilly last year. I want to see more jobs, more teachers, and more doctors in Caerphilly, and the Welsh Conservatives have plans to deliver that across Wales.

I want a Welsh Government that will focus on COVID recovery – building a better Wales for all of us.

Now is not the time for constitutional chaos.

I would never support Welsh Independence. Vote Conservative on May 6.

Tim Price - Reform UK

South Wales Argus:

There should be no more removal of our basic freedoms.

No politician should have the power to stop Covid-safe businesses trading.

Good businesses have had to shut over the past year, putting people out of work and threatening the stability of families.

Money has been thrown at businesses to help them survive, but this will mean higher taxes for all of us in the future.

Now that we have vaccines, new treatments and knowledge of who is at risk from Covid, we must use this information to manage the disease.

A targeted protection strategy is the best way to ensure a workable policy that doesn’t inflict so much damage on our communities by shutting schools and businesses.

Wales has 22 councils delivering similar services at a great cost to taxpayers.

We will reduce the number of councils and chief executives earning up to £180,000 by half and use savings to freeze council tax.

Devolution isn’t working, but we believe this is because of third rate politicians, put in place by Welsh Labour.

We will reform devolution to ensure government is leaner and more decisive.

Cancelling devolution and handing power over Wales to Westminster Tories would be a backwards step.

Find statements from candidates standing for other constituencies here:

​Statements from parties standing in South Wales East region will be published next week.