LEANNE Wood, The Leader of Plaid Cymru, outlined her vision for a better kind of optimistic politics in the "darkest blue purple" part of Wales at a meeting in Welshpool.

She is the second leader of a major political party to hold a public meeting in the town in less than a week, following hot on the heels of Liberal Democrat Leader, Sir Vince Cable.

Leanne Wood, has just produced a booklet, called "The change we need" - which could form the basis for the party's manifesto going forward to the 2021 Welsh Assembly elections.

She spoke to highlight the contents of the booklet saying that she approaches politics from a place of "hope and optimism" while feeling that the last couple of years have been a time of despair for progressive politicians.

At a packed meeting held at the Royal Oak Hotel, she then took questions from the audience which included people from all across the political spectrum.

Brexit - proved to be high on the agenda, as well as the Welsh Government's funding formula and the need to show the people of Powys the worth of devolving power to Wales by having a government body locating their headquarters within the county to bring high quality jobs to Mid-Wales.

Leanne Wood said: "I just produced a publication which is outlining the next stage for Plaid Cymru and I'm basically advocating policies which enable us to improve democracy and solve the problems that we face.

"I mean empowering our National Assembly to have the tools to do the job of turning around the economy in Wales and as individuals in communities to try and make sure that we have a basic public service infrastructure following on from many years of austerity

"I'm not going to pretend that we can overturn millions of pounds worth of cuts that have been imposed for many years.

"But if people can come together and identify one particular service or asset that's important and has been lost, can they work together to bring that back?

Leanne Wood explained: "I have examples in the publication, one in my own village of Penygraig in the Rhondda where the council closed down a paddling pool in the park four years ago.

"The children said they wanted that re-opened and lobbied the adults.

"A committee was formed and for two weeks last summer it was re-opened and staffed by volunteers, it's a small example,but if lots of people get involved in different projects and doing something concrete to help than feeling despair."

"It's trying to find a place of hope.

"We in Wales can do something different, we can create something based on our long standing tradition strong community spirit and identities.

"We can create an alternative kind of politics."

"Brexit is the only thing that has been spoken about in politics for such a long time.

"All the while the NHS is creaking and our attention is not on the problems.

"There is plenty of other things to be worried about."