Valleys tourism boost

Today's Western Mail highlights that 22 million pounds is to be spent on the south Wales valleys. This - particularly the investment in cycling and walking - is good news and confirms the inadequacy of the original 15 million a year allocated to the Heads of the Valleys Programme.

The quality of the valleys' environment is one of the highlights identified in the work we are doing on the Heads of the Valleys, with better air quality, water quality, footpaths and biodiversity than many other urban areas. However, it doesn't sit comfortably with image of the valleys that pervades the media and most of Cardiff's population. Labelling somewhere else as being poor, disadvantaged and shoddy means that you don't have to take a critical look at your own patch. The problems are 20 miles up the road, and not right on the doorstep.

Valuable though this investment is, it must only be the start. The next step must be investment in education, so people have the skills and qualifications they need to take advantage of the opportunities opened up.