Karen for Clydach
Karen Roberts will be the Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for the Cwmclydach ward at the forthcoming Council elections in May.
Born and bred in Park Street, Karen is a familiar name in the area and has a long history of community involvement in the ward. She chaired the Communities First partnership for ten years, helping make it one of the most successful in Wales, and from was one of the founders of the Cwmclydach Development Trust.
The Development Trust, under her chairmanship, took over the community centre and Sunshine Corner Day nursery when they were threatened with closure, saving jobs and keeping much valued facilities in the village. They also run the micro hydro scheme which brings in money to keep the community projects going.
Karen was also a founder member of the Cambrian Village Trust, which provides soccer coaching to young people in the area, brought the all-weather sports facility and the 3G pitch to Clydach and runs the Lakeside café bar.
Education is one of her major passions and she has been a governor at Tonypandy Community College for almost twenty years and Vice Chair for much of that time. She led the campaign against the removal of the sixth form and putting primary children on the same site and was very much involved in fighting the Labour Council plans to cut nursery education – although of course in the end they ignore public opinion and do as they like.
Along with her Welsh Lib Dem colleagues and members of staff she took the fight to save services at the Royal Glamorgan hospital to court. She says
"The people of Clydach, and indeed of RCT, deserve so much better than they are getting from the Labour run Council. Someone needs to stick up for what is right and fair and I don't give up easily.
"The current Labour Councillor has been all but invisible in the community – I believe in actually getting involved and doing things as my record shows.
"I had the honour of representing Cwmclydach as their Councillor previously and unlike many did not simply disappear into the woodwork and do nothing after I lost my seat. This community is too important for that. I hope people will judge me on my record and lend me their votes again in May."
