To think wales is a huge problem that no one ever talks about?

[Cocklodger]

Right now Theresa May is cracking down on no win no fee solicitors
Mainly south Wales, in particular the valleys.
Back years ago when the mines were shut down rightfully there was nothing left to replace it. Nothing at all, it killed thousands of jobs, which was to be expected, but in exchange there was no new businesses, no back ups, nothing. And it's only gotten worse since, poverty is high, benefit claimants are quite common
Public transport is awful to say the least and if you can't commute to Cardiff by some means, you're screwed, most can't afford cars and if you're in a public transport black spot then you're severely limited to warehouse operative positions which have over 100 applicants in one to three days. Meanwhile house prices in Cardiff are rising, I think in 40 years we will have a new London.
In the valleys most looks grey, worn out and pretty dead to be honest. Where I live there are a few car dealerships and a train station, which is more like a bus stop with tracks next to it than an actual station and the nearest station with people actually manning the booths is pontypridd (45mins away by train) I spent years working as a volunteer for an agency that helps people with problems (poverty related) such as MH issues, finding work, food bank referrals and the like. I saw it every single day, people wanting to work but seldom getting anywhere.
There are articles and documentaries about it, but I never see them talked bout on here or elsewhere really, aibu to think that Wales is a big problem that no one really talks about?

I live in a tiny village in the Merthyr borough, transplanted from a far more affluent area of Wales ten years ago.

Merthyr has its issues, I'm not denying that. But I do get a bit tired of hearing people bashing it. In recent years there has been a lot of investment and the town centre, especially Penderyn Sq and the Redhouse, is looking stunning. The sense of community is immense. People are friendly, they care about their neighbours, they are proud of their town and its heritage. Investment is on the up, empty factories are being taken over and rejuvenated by new companies offering the kind of work we need - manufacturing and industry. Retail investment and development has been good in recent years, especially at Cyfarthfa. Transport could be better but it's not that dire. The Gurnos is a bit grim in parts but I'd live there over my fleeting stint in fucking Middlesbrough any day.

Not really so grey and grim....

Blanche DH has used that. The idea of this train was to make it possible for business people to attend meetings or spend the day in Cardiff ie get here before 9am. So the advantages are:

It cuts about half an hour travelling time

It has been refurbished (but it's actually older train stock, for example the doors aren't automatic). I think that means reupholstered.

There is a buffet car where you can order food, pay for it and eat it can you imagine? I wonder if other companies will copy this... Anyway you have to order before Chester. Food stops at Abergavenny as the train is full of standing people

Erm... that's it.

No maidens playing the harp or gold-plated toilets.

It 's just what on the continent would be a bog standard train honestly public transport in Wales is shit.

ohto

Sorry it costs welsh taxpayers 1.7 million pounds or so (given by WG to ATW) to provide this travelling chef service which is disgusting when many local buses across the whole of Wales are being slashed.

If AMs and businessmen want such a facility then they can pay for it without subsidy. Most people if they used the train are not going to pay an extra £50 each way for some sit down food so why should taxpayers money be used for this?

Did the attempt by Neil Hamilton to get an allowance paid for his home in England get much traction in the news? It's payable for homes in Wales but not outside.

Im from north wales and it is beautiful. Especially Angelsey and Holyhead. Wales is a place of two halves. I couldn't imagine living somewhere like Rhyl or the valleys but some parts are incredible. I miss it.

I currently live in Manchester-it's grim here!

Parts of Cornwall qualify as deprived areas. Closing the mines put lots of people out of work and most of the available jobs are minimum wage and/or seasonal. They also have the double wammy of inflated house prices due to londoners buying holiday cottages.

The wealthy have been buying holiday homes in Wales for centuries. ;)

not many in the welsh valleys above cardiff though i bet hecaneserious. At least I've not bumped into many English holiday makers whilst i've been visiting relatives there. And even if they had its not made much difference to house prices - you would get a one car garage here for what a house in the welsh valleys costs

so maybe pay isn't quite so good there as other areas (though i imagine big companies like Boots would pay the same), you would need to borrow an extra 100k to buy a place at least. rents would also be higher

to buy a place here i meant would cost an extra 100k - thats clearly a might higher wage just for the same standard of living

so maybe pay isn't quite so good there as other areas (though i imagine big companies like Boots would pay the same)

Public sectors will have the same pay scales nationally I would have thought, barring London Weighting (or whatever it's now called).

I want to buy this place soooo much but I'm tied to where I live (SE England) at the moment due to family commitments. Needs work but that bedroom is fabulous!

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-54866771.html

One day I will return to the land of my birth

sigh
Yet more comments of ''well this bit isn't grey/grim/doesn't have x issue'' I never said all areas did. In fact, All I've said is entire counties are struggling and need more help.
You might be ok, but others aren't.

I'll elaborate, if 90 percent of a county is struggling, it doesn't matter if you're part of the 10 percent that isn't, I am too! but there is still a problem with the other 90.
(Stats made up for ease of maths)

Well, that's the thing - if you got a civil service job in Wales, you sat tight because you knew you were onto something good. Or Local Govt might not have been too bad either. But public sector jobs have been cut and cut.

I've been to Cardiff, Pembrokeshire and Brecon, and found them very naice in their different ways. I was struck by how expensive housing is (I like looking in estates agents' Windows!) and I got the impression of plenty of jobs and generally good lifestyles. I've heard about the awful deprivation in some Welsh areas though. Wales seems like a country of two halves.

Public sectors will have the same pay scales nationally I would have thought, barring London Weighting (or whatever it's now called).

Nope. Every organisation sets its own. There isn't even consistency in Whitehall.

Nope. Every organisation sets its own. There isn't even consistency in Whitehall.

That really does surprise me. I work for the NHS and assumed that a Band 5 Nurse (for example) would get the same pay irrespective of what part of the UK they were in.

"Most dont own cars"
Yet i can never park in my street.....🙄

"wouldn't cross their minds to look at jobs 30 mins down the road in Cardiff."

Its most definitely not 30minutes at comuter time. Leaving at 7.15 would just about get me to work for 8.45. And home at 6.30/6.45pm.

Another beautiful Merthyr!

Recently had a friend to stay from Manila, he was absolutely astounded at the scenery and just how wonderful Wales was.
Ok Merthyr town is a bit rough, shops closed and the like, but no worse than many high streets countrywide.

Are short of "industry" but there are plenty of jobs here. Ineay everyone i know works and has a car, we have nice restaurants amd decent shops, its not the arsehole of the earth.

But i revwntly went to Big Pit (with pal from overseas ) and it was like a punch in the gut, to see how people worked in the mines. My god am i grateful for my easy (well paid for around here) shop job.

Of course public sector organisations have the same payscales nationally Teachers use the teachers scale, others are on NJC, etc. A nurse on band 5 gets paid the same all over the country. Organisations have some discretion when banding some jobs... for example when advertising for jobs like project manager... but a teacher doing work of a certain standard would be paid the same everywhere Even for other jobs wih more vague remits (like administrators) there has been a huge drive towards standardisation in some sectors like local government.

Blanche does your source say how much more the bells and whistles train costs, compared to the run of the mill train? I don't think it's disgusting to have a faster train, where a job has been created (the chef, aka the cook), and everyone on board has paid for a ticket. Investment in faster transport links for business and employers has been identified throughout this thread as a possible solution for the problems in places like the Valleys. Arriva in general is a whole other thread though - I'm a frequent user / sufferer.

ohto It would be better for that money to go on local transport in places like the valleys - why should Welsh taxpayers contribute to "welsh black beef with balsamic vegetables" on a service mainly used (for the long distance run) for AMs and businessmen?

I don't see what the problem is. It's just a menu that is available to all train users. I imagine my taxes contribute towards the cost of the food trolley in the other trains . A public sector employee that was travelling with work will get reimbursed for expenses up to a certain, not generous, amount - whether they've eaten wotsits and kitkats or balsamic vinegar lamb's balls. Again what would be interesting to know is whether that service costs more than others.

Many public transport routes are subsidised by the taxpayer - I don't know why that is necessary but it seems unavoidable. I am aware that any investment on public transport is extremely unpopular with the public in the UK.

I'm a valleys girl (the roughest Bridgend one). I left for University over thirty years ago and never lived there again. I go back and visit my family regularly.

My valley is pretty grim to be honest; run down houses and boarded up shops. And yes there's that poverty of aspiration; my young relative with the grades for university has a clerical job on little more than minimum wage and thinks she's earning great money. It drives me mad; she's a bright kid, she should be a bloody lawyer or something.

I do think a lot of people are genuinely scared to move away. Up until a few years ago there'd were very very few incomers into the valleys, everyone actually really did know everyone and had known them all their lives. I suppose there's a sort of security in that, though it felt suffocating to me.

And no one has mentioned the appalling suicide rate. I know of so many people who have taken their own lives, it is a real blight.

Valleys people are lovely though, very warm, very funny and very decent, in the old fashioned sense. It actually breaks my heart to see my valley now. It makes me not want to go home to visit.

Most public sector employees get to travel standard class and therefore the buffet car's delights would be denied them. Not to mention they shouldn't be claiming for a meal before 9am on a day trip.

Tinkly I automatically wonder if it's the same valley my parents are from since it's up from Bridgend.
I agree with everything you say.