Here's the latest Argus column by Monmouth AM Nick Ramsay:

THE beautiful bells of Abergavenny’s St Mary’s Priory Church rang out loud and clear on the Tuesday morning following the Notre Dame fire as Canon Mark Soady answered a call from the Rector of the cathedral, Patrick Jacquin, for places of worship to ring their bells in support of the stricken building.

Earlier that week the world had looked on in shock and disbelief as one of the most famous features of the Paris skyline and centre of religious worship for so many was ravaged by fire.

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The damage to Notre Dame may be extensive but this is just the latest twist in the turbulent and dramatic 800 year history of a cathedral that successfully weathered the French Revolution and was brought back from near ruin in the 19th century.

As thoughts turn to reconstruction, now is an ideal time to be mindful of the Easter message – where death and despair are transformed into an opportunity for rebirth and renewal.

With the events in Paris still fresh in our minds, it was perhaps fitting that more than 220 French visitors from Beaupreau were hosted by residents of Abergavenny over the Bank Holiday weekend to mark the 30th anniversary of the signing of the official twinning charter between the two towns.

A busy weekend of events, which included the unveiling of a memorial to the 30th anniversary, culminated in the Easter service at St Mary’s Priory Church with a performance from the Beaupreau Choir and prayers for those involved with tackling the Notre Dame fire.

In these uncertain times when our relationship with Europe seems increasingly strained, it’s particularly important we continue to deepen our enduring friendships and links with European twin towns.

It’s also important we are mindful of changes closer to home at this time with April bringing the long anticipated partial devolution of income tax to Wales.

What does this mean in practice? Well, Welsh taxpayers should see little difference initially with revenues still being collected by HMRC but bypassing the UK Treasury and coming straight to Wales.

In the future there is a very real risk the Welsh Government will seek to raise taxes above UK levels to fund increases in spending. Whilst additional taxes such as a social care levy to cover the costs of an ageing population may be worth exploring, it’s essential that Welsh tax rates remain competitive.

Wales simply cannot afford the alternative.