Meet your candidates: Torfaen

Mike German, Welsh Liberal Democrat

Welsh Liberal Democrats seek to offer opportunity, tackle poverty and develop community. This is our commitment to Wales.

Labour's 18 months of minority control in the Assembly were characterised by a lack of both vision and leadership. Since Welsh Liberal Democrats entered into the Partnership Government, the Assembly has been given the vision and direction to put the people of Wales first. In this time the Assembly has made a difference.

Welsh Liberal Democrats have been the driving force behind this difference. Unlike in England, we have introduced Assembly Learning Grants for Welsh students. We have increased the number of nurses and doctors working in Wales.

Unlike in England, we have introduced free school milk for infants. Unlike in England, junior class sizes are coming down.

We have delivered better health care provision, better education and a fairer deal for the people of Wales.

The bigger our presence in the next Assembly, the more we will be able to drive forward these im-provements.

Towards 2004, Labour has no vision or clear direction. They will not be able to build upon the achievements of the first Assembly if left to govern Wales alone. They have relied heavily upon the driving force and dynamism of the Welsh Liberal Democrats. Iain Duncan Smith's Conservatives have ruled out working with another party for the good of Wales. They will never win a majority in the Assembly and are now more irrelevant than ever.

Welsh Liberal Democrats can be trusted to deliver what we say we will deliver, so the more votes we get, the more likely we are to have a say in the next Government of Wales. Mike German is the deputy First Minister and the minister for rural development and Wales Abroad in the Welsh Assembly Government.

He is also leader of the Welsh Lib Dems in the National Assembly, and the member for South Wales East.

Previously he was director of the European Unit, WJEC, as well as being a Cardiff councillor. For a period he was joint leader of Cardiff City Council. He is the father of two children and his interests include music, reading and travel.

*Also standing in South Wales East

Aneurin Preece, Plaid Cymru

AS someone who grew up in Torfaen I have seen many changes here. As a local householder I share the concerns of many residents who feel there has been a lack of choice in our local politics for too long. The political process has got to be inclusive and opinions of local people positively considered when decisions are made.

My namesake, Aneurin Bevan, has been a great influence on me. In 1948 he launched his vision of a National Health Service, provided free at time of delivery, from the cradle to the grave and paid for through a National Insurance contribution. Now more services face privatisation, and our pensioners are having to pay privately, in order to avoid unacceptable delays. Yet National Insurance continues to increase.

Here in Torfaen health services have suffered and care facilities face closure. There has been a lack of investment in our school buildings, leaving many in a state of disrepair, and school land sold to developers. Now we are told that a new school is needed. Young people are frustrated by a lack of opportunity.

Many people feel excluded by a cabinet system of council. Councillors accept an above-inflation rise in their allowances then impose the highest percentage rise in council tax in the region, apparently due to inadequate funding from the Assembly. I would speak out against inflation-busting rises in allowances and fight for a proper funding settlement from the Assembly.

People in Torfaen have a real chance to change things, by choosing one candidate who will listen to local people, understand local problems and speak out on local issues they can make a difference to local politics in the future.

Some of our communities are allowed to decline while others are choked by development. We need a proper public services infrastructure throughout Torfaen to aid the regeneration of those areas that have suffered the most.

I live here, unlike the current AM, and care about what happens in our community. I will fight for for funding for regeneration in areas of most need but this is not the answer and more should be done to respond to the needs of local people through proper consultation.

We could really wake up some of our politicians and make sure local people are given a voice in local politics and at the Assembly.

*Also standing in South Wales East

Nick Ramsay, Welsh Conservative Party

Nick was born in 1975 and has lived in Cwmbran, in Torfaen, for most of his life. He currently works as a researcher for the Conservatives in the National Assembly.

Prior to working in the Assembly, Nick was self-employed, franchised to a local business in Torfaen. Educated locally at Llanyravon Primary and Croesyceiliog Comprehen-sive School, Nick graduated from Durham University with a Joint Honours Degree in English and Philosophy and gained a post-graduate diploma in Applied Linguistics from Cardiff University.

Nick is from a local sporting family. His grandfather played for Pontypool Rugby Club, and he is a keen follower.

He is a member of Cwmbran Tennis Club and enjoys pub quizzes.

Political biography: Nick is chairman of Monmouth Conservative Future Branch and works as a research assistant to David Davies AM.

He is eager to see more young people getting involved in politics. He has canvassed extensively for the party at general and council elections. Campaign information:

Nick and the Torfaen Conservatives have highlighted environment, education and council tax as their three main campaigning areas for the 2003 Assembly Election. They are opposing the South Sebastopol Development, a proposal to build 1,200 houses on open space between Cwmbran and Pontypool.

They are sceptical about plans to replace local comprehensives with a 'superschool' and are opposed to the 14 per cent increase in council taxes for the area. For more information contact the Welsh Conservative Party, 4 Penlline Rd, Whitchurch, Cardiff, CF14 2XS, tel 02920 616031, fax 02920 610544 or e-mail www.welshconservatives.co

*Also standing in South Wales East

David Rowlands, UK Independence Party

I am a married man living in Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, where I have run several businesses for more than 20 years.

The National Assembly is another tier of Government which we could all do without. Not only is it a vastly expensive institution (annual running costs rising in four years from £17m to £80m) but also it amounts to nothing more than a talking shop.

The projected cost of the new Assembly building is £47m, up from £17m. This, at a time when an Englishman, (Ian Botham) is forced to walk the country with a begging bowl in order to fund a Welsh Children's Hospital.

It seems AMs are more interested in their own creature comforts than in the suffering of our children.

Should I, and the other UKIP candidates be elected to the Assembly, we would use our voting power to block these wasteful and self- indulgent enterprises.

Assembly Members have given themselves three hefty wage rises in four years, while in some areas of Gwent rates have almost doubled in the same period.

Even if we fail to have the Assembly abolished at the first attempt, a vote for the UK Independence party will, at the very least, be a warning to those at the Assembly that the people of Wales will not tolerate these excesses.

The UK Independence party represents the only 'No to the Assembly' vote available to the people of Wales. Use your protest vote. Vote UKIP on May 1st.

*Also standing in South Wales East

Lynne Neagle, Labour

I HAVE represented Torfaen in the National Assembly for the last four years. It has been an amazing privilege. I am asking for your support once again.

Much has been done to rebuild our communities, and I am proud to have been part of that, but Torfaen has some deep-seated problems and there is much left to do.

Only Labour can and will deliver the investment that our schools and hospitals need. Our communities deserve a future built on fairness and prosperity.

The Assembly spends £12 billion of your money every year. This election is about how that money is spent. It's your choice. If you share my values of social justice and fairness then you should cast your vote for Labour. If you share our priorities of schools, hospitals, transport and jobs, then your choice should be Labour on May 1.

A vote for Labour means: Free prescriptions for all; A £100 million crime fighting fund to tackle anti-social behaviour; Free school breakfasts for all primary school children; Scrapping home care charges for the disabled and; Massive investment in hospital wards, GP surgeries and classrooms.

The NHS will remain one of my top priorities. The NHS in Gwent still faces enormous challenges and people are still waiting too long for orthopaedic treatment in particular. Over the past four years I have consistently and successfully argued the case for extra resources for our local health services.

I have won extra resources for the NHS in Torfaen and in Gwent. More resources are now coming but more still will be needed - I will continue that fight.

I have fought for an extra investment needed to regenerate our towns and villages. I will continue that fight.

Cwmbran, Pontypool and Blaenavon, together with our village communities, all face their own challenges but all deserve a future.

May 1 is polling day. On that day you decide who runs Wales. If you share my commitment to social justice and a fair deal for our Valleys don't let those with different values shape our future - vote Labour on May 1.

*Also standing for South Wales East