RDC(3) P&D4
Rural Development Sub-Committee
Inquiry into Poverty and Deprivation in Rural Wales
Response from the Anti Poverty Network Cymru
Flat 2,
Winchfawr House,
Lansbury Rd,
Merthyr Tydfil,
CF48 1HA
5TH March 2008
Dear Mr Davies,
Re - Response to the Assembly’s Rural Development Sub CommitteeScrutiny Inquiry into Poverty and Deprivation in Rural areas.
The Anti Poverty Network Cymru (APNC) is an active network of individuals, groups and organizations from across Wales. The network provides an opportunity to build links and relationships with other people and communities that have similar problems, it is an informal support network.
We provide a means for people who are all experiencing the same sorts of issues to put their views to those with power, anonymously if necessary. We work to provide an opportunity to influence the policies that keep people in poverty - at a local (local authority), regional (Wales), national (UK), and European level.
The APNC is a member of the UK Coalition Against Poverty (UKCAP), bringing together representatives from national networks in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, the Social Policy Task Force (SPTF) which meets regularly with the Department of Work and Pensions, and the European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) to try and ensure the Welsh perspective is represented at UK wide and European levels.
The APNC has been supported in its development, and continues to work closely with, Oxfam.
We are pleased to have been able to work closely with colleagues from the Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) on a focus group exercise to bring together a range of voluntary sector groups to consider the questions posed in your open letter dated 22nd January 2008. The results of that exercise are being forwarded by the DVSC directly to yourselves. We hope that work provides some useful information that can help inform your process of information gathering.
That exercise was designed to explore and elicit the views of the group representatives present at the event, and produce a report reflecting a range of organizational perspectives for your inquiry. Please note we are very willing to work together on organizing similar events in other areas of Wales if, or when, the need arises within this current inquiry or for future consultation exercises needing local input. With greater time allowed on this occasion we would have been able to organise similar events through our members in Conwy and Gwynedd.
The APNC additionally wish to make some points from our own point of view, not necessarily about specific issues related to poverty and deprivation in rural areas alone, but on general points concerning principles and processes in addressing poverty and deprivation. Please see our enclosed report.
We look forward positively to the development of a process designed to alleviate the effects of rural poverty and deprivation in Wales, and offer our support to the development of this in any shape or form you may find appropriate.
Yours sincerely,
Rob Walsh
Development Worker, Anti Poverty Network Cymru
