Alun Cairns’ Vale Advice Surgeries  

Contact: www.aluncairns.co.uk

Alun Cairns’ Column 3/4/12 Call to Market Wales’ Award-winning Beaches

Alun Cairns MP has welcomed the news that two beaches in the Vale and Ogmore have been recognised with awards for cleanliness from Keep Wales Tidy.

Keep Wales Tidy announced a record number of award-winning coastal resorts. A number of beaches across Wales have been recognised by the environmental charity for their cleanliness, high standard of water quality, environmental management and community involvement.

The Vale MP was delighted to hear that Southerndown andJackson Bay achieved the Seaside Award for attaining the European Union standard of bathing water quality and satisfied the judges that the standard of the built infrastructure, the applicants’ environmental aspirations and overall beach management meets the high standard expected by the discerning visitor

Ogmore achieved the Green Coast Award which gives recognition to beaches that have demonstrated the highest environmental standards, have top quality bathing water but do not have the built infrastructure necessary to meet land based criteria set for other national and international beach awards.

Mr Cairns said:

“This is welcome news for coastal resorts and seaside venues inWales.

“Such a high yield of awards for Welsh beaches should be a great boost to the tourist appeal for us here in the Vale and of course across Wales as a whole.

“To make the most of the beautiful natural environment of our beaches and coastline, the Welsh Labour Government needs a clearer marketing strategy to showcase what Wales has to offer to the world.  This is especially important in 2012, when attempts to draw Olympics visitors across toWaleshave been embarrassingly unambitious.

“7% of Welsh workers are employed in the tourism industry, which makes recent figures showing a decline in the number of overseas tourists visitingWales, all the more worrying.

“I’d like to see the Welsh Government come up with a more robust tourism strategy to support small tourism operators. This then would help market Wales to the world and as part of that would help us maximise the potential of the Vale’s beautiful and unique coastline.”

Lesley Jones, Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy comments:

“I am delighted thatWales’s beaches are yet again being celebrated. With so many beautiful venues on our very doorstep, and the opening of the Wales Coast Path later this year, this is the perfect opportunity for Welsh holidaymakers to stay at home, boosting the local economy and tourism industry. We can all play a part in maintaining our beaches and in improving our local environment.”

Alun Cairns’ Column – 04-03-12

As many readers will be aware, there has been much discussion in the media surrounding the work experience scheme introduced by this Government. Work Experience is just one part of the strategy to help more people, including young people find work. Over 34,200 people have taken part in a work experience scheme, with 31,540 of these placements going to people aged 18-24.

According to DWP statistics, 50% of all participants on the work experience scheme moves off benefits within three months which I think is a great result for many young people, and it operates at approximately 1/20^th of the cost of previous schemes. Work experience schemes have of course been used in the past.  The last government’s New Deal scheme meant that people often had to wait on benefits for 12 months before being able to access intensive support. Everyone knows that the longer someone is unemployed, the harder it is for them to get back into work. Enabling people to access placements earlier on is absolutely vital to helping people get back into the workplace.

There are over 50,000 young people claiming Jobseekers Allowance who have never held a formal job before. If we can get people into the work environment, even if it is for a relatively short period, their attractiveness to an employer is increased immeasurably.

I think it’s also important to point out that people aren’t automatically placed on the scheme, but it’s one that young people ask to go on.  However, once they agree to take part in the scheme and give a commitment, they may lose their benefit if they refuse to show up after the first week.  From over 34,000 people who took part from January to November in 2011, only 220 cases were sanctioned, and that was mostly for misconduct and not for dropping out of the work experience.

It should be noted that this is not a cost-free exercise for businesses to participate in. There is a significant cost to businesses to arrange these places including the cost of training people, mentoring them, providing equipment and uniforms etc.

I think we should encourage companies and young people to expand work experience because it gives people the chance to see work and all it involves, and gives them a better chance to get a job.

Work experience is a vital lifeline for some of the most disadvantaged young people. Often they’ve been failed by the education system, they’ve been failed by the care system and they cannot easily find employment in this tough climate.

The Government has announced a package of measures to tackle youth unemployment which includes tailored support, apprenticeships, sector-based work academies, better Jobcentre help and work experience opportunities.

I hope that the Welsh Government will quickly progress their discussions with the UKgovernment to introduce similar work academies and apprenticeship schemes in Wales.