I was pleased last week to see our town centres across the constituency benefit from the Welsh Government’s Pride in Place funding, which will support improvements that will help our high streets. I’ve long been a champion of our town centres because they’re more than just places to shop, they’re at the heart of our communities – investment like this helps to create welcoming spaces, supports local businesses and brings people together. A key part of the investment will see approximately £460,000 allocated towards the Shopfront Grant Scheme across Flintshire, as well as refurbishment works to public toilet facilities valued at approximately £70,000 in Holywell and £30,000 in Mold.

I’m proud to work closely with local traders and I recently brought businesses together again in Holywell alongside the police and PCSOs, Business Wales, We Mind the Gap, the Development Bank of Wales and Flintshire County Council at Holywell Town FC to discuss challenges facing businesses and identify opportunities for collaboration and provide advice. You can read more about which areas the Pride in Place funding is being used across our community and how to apply for the Shopfront Grant Scheme on my website at www.hannahblythyn.cymru/updates/hannah-blythyn-ms-welcomes-pride-place-investment-flintshire-town-centres.

The weekend saw St David’s Day – Dydd Gwyl Dewi – across our nation. It’s our national day and a chance to celebrate everything that’s great about being Welsh as well as our unique culture and language. The Welsh Government awards funding to community groups across North East Wales as part of a £1m St David’s Day Fund supporting celebrations of Welsh culture and heritage – you can read more about the events in our area that were boosted by this funding on my website at www.hannahblythyn.cymru/updates/local-welsh-labour-ms-welcomes-st-davids-day-funding-boost-community-celebrations-across-delyn.

Rail fares on Transport for Wales services are being frozen for the next year, helping keep travel affordable at a time when many families are still feeling cost-of-living pressures. Reliable and affordable transport opens up opportunities whether that’s getting to work, education or supporting our local economy. Alongside new trains already in service and improved stations, the rollout of tap-in, tap-out pay as you go ticketing to North Wales later this spring will make travelling simpler and ensure passengers always get the best value fare. These changes from the Welsh Labour Government mean simpler journeys and the reassurance you’re always getting the best value fare and the investment in better transport connections is an investment in our communities.

Fly-tipping has no place in our communities. I was pleased to recently see our Welsh Labour Government taking action to crack down on illegal fly-tipping, with extra cameras to target hotspots and tougher penalties for offenders. Cleaner streets and protected countryside matter to us all and I’ve been working closely with local councils and residents across the constituency to make sure concerns about fly-tipping are heard loud and clear – if you’re paying someone to remove waste, always check they’re licensed. You can read more about what actions the Welsh Government and our council are doing to tackle fly-tipping here – www.hannahblythyn.cymru/updates/hannah-blythyn-ms-welcomes-new-crackdown-fly-tipping.

Finally, this week is Colleges Week, which recognises the vital contribution colleges make to learners, communities and the prosperity of Wales through this year’s Skills for All theme. I recently had the opportunity to visit Grŵp Llandrillo Menai in Rhyl, which supports around 21,000 learners of all ages across its six North Wales sites – including the new wind turbine technician apprenticeship, designed to provide students with the skills needed to support the new Awel y Môr project announced recently, as well as supporting the new North Wales AI Growth Zone. Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and North East Wales’ Coleg Cambria are vital institutions in our area and provide our workers with the tools needed for the secure jobs of the future.

As always, if you would like advice and/or support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on any of the following contact details – 52 High Street, Mold, Flintshire, on 01352 753464 or by email hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales. You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn. Constituents are, of course, welcome to contact my office to arrange an appointment to see me, you don’t need to wait for an advice surgery.