Monthly Report It’s that time of year again. Children returning to ships or training courses, or seeking employ- school, the obligatory first day photos and the ment. With the continued level of effort and increase in traffic in the mornings. The start of a determination I am sure of a successful fu- new school year is the perfect time to reflect on ture. Once again, congratulations to all those education. It's also a big time in our family as involved in achieving these fantastic results. our son started Nursery School this week. He is Food and Fun fine and we are very proud parents so you may I was delighted to hear that ’s School see me smiling more than usual. Holiday Enrichment programme, Food and Over the past couple of weeks young people Fun, has picked up its seventh award at the across my constituency have been receiving renowned 2017 Catey Awards. Co-ordinated exam results. I want to offer my warmest con- by Food Cardiff, in partnership with Cardiff gratulations to students, staff and par- and Vale UHB, and Public ents whose hard work and support has pro- Health Wales, the project was developed to duced another strong set of ‘A’ level, AS level, address growing concerns that many families GCSE and Welsh Baccalaureate results across struggle throughout the school summer holi- Cardiff South and . days. The programme provides pupils with These truly are results which should be cele- free meals and access to sporting activities brated by everyone. The main credit lies with with classmates to try to help reduce the isola- the effort of the pupils, as well as their dedica- tion experienced by some families throughout tion and determination to achieve. But we can- the holidays. not forget the importance of the support which they have received from family and staff. Or the I had the high standard of teaching and learning that is pleasure of delivered at schools across the constituency to visiting open up the many pathways to success for Meadowlane them. Primary over I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the holidays the young people that have collected GCSE to see the and ‘A’ Level results the very best in their next fantastic work and impact that the programme steps. Whether that is continuing studies at fur- is having on families in my constituency. Dur- ther or higher education, taking up apprentice- ing the holidays the programme

was active in 11 schools across the constituen- ing fees. The consultation closes on 27th Sep- cy. tember 2017. More information can be found Dementia Friends at www.consultations.gov.wales.

Myself and my team have signed up to become New Constituency Office Dementia Friends. The Alzheimer’s Society’s Opening Dementia Friend’s programme is the biggest Next month my new constituency office will be ever initiative to change people’s perceptions open. The office is situated at 112 Clare of dementia. It aims to transform the way the Road, Grangetown. It will be open to constitu- nation thinks, talks and acts about the condi- ents on an appointment basis. The office is tion. With a growing number of people living easily accessible by public transport, with 2 with dementia, it is more important than ever bus stops on Clare Road. There are also di- that we all have a better understanding of the rect bus services from across the constituen- condition and the challenges that people living cy. with dementia face. While we have come a Visitors to the Assembly long way in realizing our commitment to create a ‘dementia Over the Summer I have had the pleasure of friendly na- welcoming many constituents to the . tion’, we rec- At the ognize there begin- is still more to ning of do and this the sum- campaign mer re- can help us cess the achieve this. Llanrum- More information can be found at ney www.dementiafriends.org.uk. speakers Club came to visit and have a tour of the Senedd. They asked lots of questions Leasehold Consultation– Have your Say and joined me for a cup of tea. The is currently consulting It was a pleasure to welcome Butetown resi- on proposals to change the way fees are dents, Letitia and her grandmother, Jacky to charged by letting agents, landlords and third the Senedd. parties to tenants in the private rented sector. Letitia, who is The consultation is focusing on the nature and 10 years old level of fees being charged to determine started  Which, if any, are justifiably being Taekwondu charged to tenants. last Novem-  Fees paid by landlords to letting agents. ber and now

 Possible consequences of banning exist- takes up to 6 classes a week in St Mellons

and Grangetown. Since then Letitia has won a engage our young people in the decisions that total of 10 medals from 7 competitions and will affect their lives. At 16 people are old to leave compete in international competitions later this school, pay taxes, get married and join the year. I wish her the very best for the future. armed forces. It should also help set a pattern for greater participation in elections later in life. I had the privilege of meeting an inspirational If enacted, this would amount to the biggest young man from Grangetown, Shafiq. Shafiq change to the Welsh electoral system since has been awarded the Inspire! Award for his 1970. The consultation is open until October determination to improve his future prospects. 10th. Whatever your view please do get in- Shafiq studied through the Open University in volved. More information can be found order to improve life for his family. It hasn't at https://consultations.gov.wales. been an easy path for Shafiq. He often studied by the light of his mobile phone, to save on New Adult Gender Identity Service electricity costs to- gether with hours of A new adult gender identity service is to be es- typing up written es- tablished in Wales to enable transgender peo- says at the local li- ple to access the care they need closer to brary. Shafiq is now home. Improvements to community-based care working as a teach- will also be made, with a network of General ing assistant at Practitioners across Wales with a specialist in- Fitzalan and has terest in gender identity healthcare able to pro- ambitions of becom- vide more care closer to people’s home, which ing a qualified will improve access and experience for people teacher in the future. needing care. As part of the new arrange- ments, the foundations of a new interim care Votes for 16 and 17 year olds pathway will be put in place by the autumn. The Welsh Government is currently consulting The interim pathway has been endorsed by the on plans that could see the voting age lowered All Wales Gender Identity Partnership Group, to 16 and 17 year olds in Wales and major which includes representatives from the changes to how we vote. A new law could in- transgender community and service users. troduce electronic voting at polling stations, The new arrangements will result in shorter voting from your smartphone or computer, mo- distances to travel, with all but the most spe- bile polling stations and voting in places other cialist services being delivered in Wales, im- than polling stations like supermarkets and lo- proved waiting times and a better user experi- cal libraries. The proposals are designed to ence. It will also ensure current clinic capacity make it easier to vote and easier to be entitled is freed up for those requiring more specialised to vote. I support plans to lower the voting age services, as well as shortening the steps be- to allow 16 and 17 year olds to vote. I strongly tween initial referral and beginning treatment. believe that lowering the voting age would help

Dolffin Quay Development importance of talking to family and friends about organ donation in an effort to increase I have written to formally object to the proposed the number of people who register their deci- development at Dolffin Quay. I have a range of sion either on the organ donor register or just concerns regarding this proposal. by making sure family are aware of their wish-  The proposed development would, in my es. In 2016–17 data published by NHS Blood view have a detrimental impact on the sur- and Transplant showed there were 21 cases rounding area, including Britannia Park, where families either overrode their relatives’ Locky’s Cottage and the Norwegian decisions to donate organs, or didn't support Church and would cause a significant the deemed consent. With an average of 3.3 shadow of tourist destinations. organs retrieved per donor in the UK in 2016-  The possible scale, height, massing and 17, this could have resulted in as many as 69 finish would be out of character with the additional transplants. area. Whilst there are other large buildings On 1 December 2015, Wales was the first in the vicinity, there is nothing to this ex- country in the UK to move to a soft opt-out, tent, which could overshadow current his- system of consent to organ donation. This toric premises and impact on the view from means that unless a person has not regis- the National Assembly for Wales, Norwe- tered a decision to become an organ donor gian Church and the Pierhead Building. (opted in) or a decision not to become an or- gan donor (opted out), they will be considered  The proposed design, siting and its finish as having no objection to being an organ do- would not enhance the surrounding area. It nor – this is known as deemed consent. As a would result in a severe loss of public open result of the change an increase in donations space and community park land, including is expected over a period of time. Over the the loss of suitable green space in the ar- last year, there has been a decrease of ea. I am especially concerned at state- 18.5% in patients who died whilst on the wait- ments made by the developer suggesting ing list for their transplant. green space would be improved or in- creased. That simply is not true. ——————————————————  I have concerns about the proposed size of Contact Me the development, which could be overbear- Write: National Assembly for Wales, Car- ing for this area of Cardiff Bay and the im- diff Bay, CF99 1NA pact this will have on local residents, espe- Tel: 0300 200 7150 cially residents living in Adventurers Quay apartments, who currently enjoy the bene- Email: [email protected] fits of their current views of the Penarth Website: www.vaughangething.wales Headland and beyond. Facebook: Vaughan Gething -Assembly

Organ Donation – Have the Chat Twitter: @vaughangething

The Welsh Government is emphasizing the