PLAID Cymru have announced that we’ve come to an agreement with the Welsh Labour Government on their budget. This is the best one year budget deal struck by any official opposition party in the National Assembly for Wales’ history. We have succeeded in securing a £119 million commitment from the Welsh Government to deliver policies we promised in our manifesto before the election. This is in addition to the £160 million for policies that are common ground between us and Labour.

This is what effective political opposition looks like, not winging from the side-lines, but rather using the influence we do have to get a better deal for Welsh communities.

Plaid Cymru secured an extra £25 million to mitigate cuts to local services, a welcome reprieve after several years of slashed local authority budgets. This should help to ease the pressure for some of our most stretched public services.

The budget deal establishes a new Treatment Fund to ensure that those with life threatening illnesses, like cancer, have better access to new, innovative drugs and treatments, ending the postcode lottery that had stopped some people receiving essential care.

We got an extra £15 million to be invested in diagnostic equipment to improve the facilities in Welsh diagnostic centres. We know that earlier diagnosis improves chances of survival and Plaid Cymru promised in our manifesto to improve diagnosis times in Wales. This extra money should help to achieve progress.

Plaid Cymru have also secured additional funding for higher and further education. We want our universities to be able to compete globally and we want to address the Labour Government’s years of underfunding of vocational education in Wales.

We have also guaranteed an increase in spending on mental health care. Mental health services have been underfunded for too long. Too many people are unable to get the care and treatment they need and have been faced with huge waiting lists. The increased funding increase in funding can be used to improve access to trained counsellors and therapists. With 1 in 4 people experiencing mental illness every year, we need health care services that can cope with the demand.

It remains Labour’s budget, and I don’t agree with every priority and decision it includes. But by holding the Welsh Labour Government to account, we have made real improvements to their budget and delivered extra funding that will improve the lives of people in Wales. Plaid Cymru are successfully delivering opposition with a purpose.