ONE of the issues I’m often contacted about as an Assembly Member is housing. There is a long-standing challenge to build enough homes, and homes that are affordable.

The First Minister has recently been setting out the Welsh Governments priorities over the next five years and I am pleased he has set out the Governments ambition to build 20,000 extra affordable homes, which is double the number built under the last Assembly.

We have waiting lists of people needing good quality places to live, and this is welcome news.

As well as the commitment to deliver an extra 20,000 affordable homes, the Welsh Labour Government will introduce a new ‘rent to own’ scheme, and work with house builders to deliver accelerated rates of house building. This is building on the record of the last Assembly, where 10,000 affordable homes were built, and 7,560 empty homes were brought back into use.

Housing is such an important part of our lives, and it’s good to see the ambition to go further even than the achievements of the last Assembly.

Last weekend was Newport Food Festival, and once again it was a great success. With over 14,000 people estimated to have attended despite the rain, it was another impressive year.

There was fantastic food, free events, music, traders, and superb demonstrations from chefs. I’m very proud that Newport hosts this and hope it continues from strength to strength.

It’s important people get behind events such as this, and build on the momentum of the redevelopment and regeneration of the city centre in recent years.

Finally, I mentioned in my last column about Newport Parkrun, the free running event in Tredegar Park. I was lucky enough to be there for a run last weekend when they celebrated the 12th anniversary of the first ever Parkrun, which took place in London in 2004.

Since then, hundreds have started up in towns and cities across Britain. Newport was the first place in Gwent to have one, starting in 2011.

I was pleased to learn that due to the success, they are looking to start a city centre parkrun soon.

The parkruns would be good training for anyone doing the St Davids/Admiral City of Newport half marathon in March. I plan to run it again next year – registration is open now, just go to http://cityofnewporthalfmarathon.com/ for more information.