In the run up to this year's local government elections, we spoke to Plaid Cymru's group leader at Neath Port Talbot Council Alun Llewelyn about some of the county borough's most pressing issues. Here's what he had to say.
Just as Ystalyfera's iron and tinplate industry helped turn it into the village that it is today, Ystalyfera - in turn - has helped shape the lives of those who have called it home. That is the case for the Plaid Cymru group leader at Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (NPTCBC) before the 2022 election period, Alun Llewelyn, who said the village where he grew up and raised his own family has been one of the biggest influences in him turning to politics.
"What we have seen over the years is the decline of the traditional industries and where that leaves us in terms of employment, economy and social structure," said Mr Llewelyn. "When I returned to live in the area I took a direct interest into how we could influence change for the better [and] still it has been a real struggle in the south Wales valleys and it still is.
