I see the new First Minister wasted no time in appointing someone to a newly created Welsh Government post of “Cabinet Secretary for North Wales.”

Well done, North Wales - congratulations on at last being recognised! You now have someone who will champion your issues.

This new voice might help balance the already overwhelmingly urban, South Wales-centric views that dominate discussions around the Cabinet table in Cardiff.

However, this move by the First Minister begs the very obvious question for readers of this newspaper: “Where is the ‘Cabinet Secretary for Mid Wales’, Mr. Gething?”

Cardiff’s blatant indifference and neglect of the needs of Mid Wales is now clear for everyone to see.

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The very lifeblood of Mid Wales, our farmers, are struggling under the weight of burdensome Welsh Government regulations that threaten to destroy their way of life.

Meanwhile, Cardiff Bay openly declares it wants pylons and wind turbines scarring our beautiful countryside.

Our plight in Mid Wales is further compounded by a failing healthcare system, with critically ill residents facing unacceptable wait times for ambulances.

On top of this, a lack of decent public transport leaves our communities feeling trapped, isolated, and lagging even further behind.

With each passing day, Mid Wales is sinking deeper into a mire of neglect and decline.

Instead of helping and standing up for our interests, all the political class in Cardiff Bay seems to want to do is, pile the pressure on us. They don’t care about us. They seem obsessed with keeping South Wales happy, at our expense.

Over time, it has become increasingly clear that devolution is failing Mid Wales.

Devolution is damaging Mid Wales. It is destroying our local economy and our landscape. When it comes to providing decent and safe healthcare, devolution is sadly now putting lives in danger.

My solution is simple. Until the devolution settlement is either radically amended or reversed, to force the Welsh Government and Senedd to represent the interests of the whole of Wales, Mid Wales will continue to be the ‘poor relation’ and we will see nothing but further decline.
Louise Brown