‘Pledge to put people’s views above my own’

WITH the 2021 Senedd election looming, we take a final look at some of the candidates who hadn’t submiited responses by the time we published their constituency profiles. Here’s Indepdent Neath candidate Stephen Hunt: I’m from the village of Seven Sisters in the Dulais Valley and I am a lifelong Socialist.

I’ve always lived and worked in Seven Sisters, my wife is a local girl and our three children have been brought up here.

I joined Neath Port Talbot as a county borough councillor in 2008, I’d like to think that I’ve worked quite hard for the borough in general but particularly for my electoral ward. What is the most important thing that the Senedd should do in the

next five years?

Health and education should be their highest priorities especially after the pandemic.

All businesses have suffered immensely and if we are going to try and get the economy up and running then they need to be properly financed or supported so that their currently precarious situation doesn’t lead to them going out of business in the first place.

The Senedd needs to give confidence to the people of Wales by leading by example and delivering on promises made. Hopefully they can become more transparent, open and accountable going forward and incorporating the Wellbeing Act fully so that all citizens of Wales have the opportunity to good and decent lives in the future. Finally a key point I would also make and that is they need to listen to people through consultation exercises and not just pretend to do so.

What will you do for your constituency if elected?

My principal pledge is to make politics accessible and to give a voice to everyone I represent. I have my own views on a variety of issues but if I were to gauge that my views were at odds with the majority view of my Constituents, I would prioritise the people’s views over my own.