First for AM as new town centre office is opened
CYNON Valley’s Assembly Member will open a new town centre office next week, becoming the constituency’s first politician to have a high street presence in Aberdare.
Vikki Howells, who was elected to the Assembly in May, will open the office for five days a week at 27 High Street in Aberdare town centre, with a Macmillan coffee morning raising money for the charity’s local branch.
She is currently based in a temporary office at 28 Oxford Street in Mountain Ash town centre, above a local hairdressers.
The AM said: “The drive for the move is to be accessible.
“The temporary office [in Mountain Ash] was not accessible for anyone with walking difficulties.
“I believe politicians need a positive presence on the high street, to really be a part of the community.”
The former teacher, who retained the seat for La- bour following Christine Chapman’s retirement, added that her office’s move from Mountain Ash to Aberdare was down to no other reason than the availability of premises earlier this year.
She added: “We were looking in both towns, during May and June time.
“At that time there was no shop front premises to rent or buy in Mountain Ash. That was the whole reason the office will be in Aberdare.
“But I’d like to empha- sise that I will be holding regular surgeries in the day centre in Mountain Ash, and I’ll also offer home visits.”
And, the AM claims she will become the first politician to open this type of office in the town centre.
“We’ve doublechecked, and no politician has had this ‘shop-front’ presence in Aberdare,” she added.
The coffee morning takes place from 10am to noon on Friday, September 30, and everyone is welcome.