ASSEMBLY ELECTION: Blaenau Gwent profile and candidates

The constituency stretches north of Newbridge, west of Pontypool and east of New Tredegar, it encompasses the towns of Blaenau, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, Brynmawr, ending just north of the A465.

It counts among its former MPs NHS founder Aneurin Bevan and Labour leader Michael Foot and has changed hands a couple of times over the lifetime of the Assembly.

Labour’s Peter Law won comfortably in 1999 and 2003, but he died of a brain tumour in 2006, triggering a by-election which was won by his wife Trish for the Blaenau Gwent People’s Voice Party.

She retained the seat in the following year’s full Assembly election, but did not run again in 2011, when the seat was taken back for Labour by Alun Davies. Nick Smith, also Labour, represents the area in Parliament.

Blaenau Gwent has the highest proportion of unemployment in Gwent. In February 1,715 – or 5.5 per cent – of 16 to 64-year-olds were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance or another unemployment benefit, compared with a national average of 2.5 per cent.

Workers in the region are also paid on average £130 a week less than the national average at £400 per week. This is £170 less than just over the border in Monmouthshire. Child poverty is also significantly higher than average at 28.4 per cent, in comparison with 18.2 per cent nationally.

The area also has the fewest number of registered businesses in Gwent – just 1,045 when the most recent study was carried out in 2014 – more than 700 fewer than neighbouring Caerphilly and more than 2,500 fewer than in Monmouthshire.

But house prices are among the cheapest in the country at an average of just £75,000 – £117,000 cheaper than the national average and £130,000 less than in Monmouthshire.

As with the majority of the rest of Gwent the number of older people in the area is higher than the national average. People aged 65 and older make up 18.5 per cent of the population in Blaenau Gwent, in comparison with the national average of 17 per cent.

YOUR CANDIDATES

Kevin Boucher (Ukip Wales)

I was born in 1962 in Usk and my family’s roots go back over a 100 years in the Gwent area.

I have lived in Torfaen for most of my life although I did live in Perth Australia for 8 and a half years as a child.

I have been married for 29 years and we have two wonderful children that we are very proud of.

A son now married and living in America and a daughter in university.

I have worked in TRW Pontypool for 18 years.

I feel that the Welsh Assembly is lacking a good opposition and I know that UKIP with its straight talking politics will challenge the cosy Cardiff club that is more interested in party politics than working for the people that pay their wages.

I believe that having worked for 35 years in various industries in Gwent, I have a good grasp of the issues concerning the people of Blaenau Gwent.

I am an honest, hard working individual and I have worked since my 16th birthday.

Being at the ‘coal face’ for 35 years means that I can relate to how Welsh legislation will impact on the man in the street.

Nigel Copner (Plaid Cymru)

As a local man, Professor Nigel Copner cares passionately about Blaenau Gwent.

Having attended Ebbw Vale comprehensive and studied at Reading and Swansea Universities, he worked abroad – in Canada and Silicon Valley – in opto-electronics (lasers).

But he chose to return and has lived in Ebbw Vale for the last ten years.

He is now head and chair of a research centre at the University of South Wales.

Education and the economy matter to him; his experience as a school governor raised concerns about standards which led to his challenging of the local authority.

Subsequently, his concerns extended to other areas of governance.

And, as a local man, witnessing the decline of so much of Blaenau Gwent, with loss of public services and high unemployment, and few prospects, he felt that someone should stand up for the area, restoring faith and confidence, and providing the young people with hope for their futures.

He is focused on the future prosperity of Blaenau Gwent and his message is Let’s make it happen now!

Brendan D’Cruz (Welsh Liberal Democrats)

I was Head of Department for Business & Computing at Newport's University before it became University of South Wales.

Nowadays I help people and organisations deliver change and develop their project management capability.

I am also a director in a childcare social enterprise delivering a range of family and community benefits.

I know I can help the Welsh Assembly to listen to what people really need, working to make our environment and diverse communities better.

The Welsh Lib Dems believe in an Opportunity Economy giving everybody a chance to get on in life.

We want better access to doctors, more nurses, and to ensure that mental health and social care are properly resourced.

We will reduce class sizes and ensure that all levels of education are properly funded and managed to enhance standards, and create employment opportunities.

Other parties might take your vote for granted, or forget about the needs of the disabled and less well off.

They might have narrow nationalistic interests, or want to stir up fears about immigrants and refugees.

I want a Wales that works for you.

That means all of us, right now.

Vote for change.

Please vote for me and the Welsh Liberal Democrats.

Alan Davies (Welsh Labour)

I’m asking for your support on May 5 because I’ve worked hard for Blaenau Gwent and because I’ve keep the promises I made.

I’ve worked to get things done - like dualling the Heads of the Valleys road and the rail link.

I’ve worked to bring jobs to the borough and we have already created over 550 new apprenticeships. TVR creating jobs here is the result of that hard work.

We know that Welsh Labour is our side.

And it is only Welsh Labour that will keep investing in our communities and our futures.

If I am re-elected next week then I will start work on a jobs plan for Blaenau Gwent to bring more jobs and investment.

Working to protect public services - we have protected Blaenau Gwent from the worst of the Tory cuts to our public services.

No privatisation of the NHS and no doctors on strike in Wales but more nurses and more funding for our schools.

Welsh Labour will always support our public services and the people delivering our services.

I also want to restore town centres and clean up the litter to restore pride in our communities.

Please vote for Alun Davies on May 5.

NOTE: Mr Davies will appear on the polling paper under his full name, Thomas Alun Rhys Davies.

Tracey West (Welsh Conservatives)

Having lived in Blaenau Gwent my whole life, I am immensely proud to be standing for election to the National Assembly for Wales.

Born in Nantyglo, I was educated at Nantyglo Comprehensive School before following my dream to become cabin crew, flying from Cardiff Airport.

I now work at a coffee shop in Festival Park.

Community spirit is integral to life in Blaenau Gwent.

Having successfully fought to re-open public facilities in Ebbw Vale town centre, I want to continue championing projects which bring our community closer together.

Blaenau Gwent has been let down by Labour for too long.

They’ve failed to use the tools at their disposal in Wales to help tackle unemployment, support our educational services or deliver a successful NHS.

I am standing in this election because I believe my community deserves better.

My other campaigning priorities include a council tax freeze, ending the scandal which sees Blaenau Gwent pay some of Wales’ highest rates, support for a Cancer Patients Fund for Wales, and more help for small businesses to create more jobs for our local area.