Plaid’s first budget is a whopping £27.5 billion. Where will this money go?

With an additional £1.2 billion more than last year, Plaid must show development to prove they can govern competently. Following months of struggle to pass a budget after a defeat at the Senedd this summer, Plaid had to negotiate with Labour on how the party would support people with additional learning needs before they could see it finally pass.

The budget promises to be strategic with how it is distributed. Plaid has assessed the most impacted issues for Wales and will initially invest into these. Areas such as, climate change, Welsh language, and unemployment are amongst those that will take the most advantage of the budget.

In addition, £150 million of the budget is being invested to support the NHS along with £50 million for childcare. Investments into housing and transport will also be beneficial to the people of Wales by developing more affordable homes and wider connectivity for more rural areas.

Education is a fundamental sector of interest for Plaid, so as Cardiff University students we may be able to expect investment from the budget. Whilst a focus on primary and secondary education is clear, with a new curriculum being developed and free school meals becoming available for all Primary school children, a lack of investment for tertiary education institutions is apparent. Despite this, the party has outlined a short number of investments that will hopefully benefit university students.

For starters, additional learning needs will be supported by an additional £2.5 million in further education institutions, meaning people with additional needs can be provided with the support they need and deserve. Importantly, the budget aims to enable the higher education sector to become sustainable and resilient. However, there are no clear plans as to how Plaid will do this.

In addition, transport investments such as completing the Core Valley Lines upgrade will benefit student connectivity to the rest of South Wales. Connectivity will also be improved by the proposal of Trams in Cardiff. Students will benefit from this as travel in the city will be quicker and easier. Another improvement is the extension of the £1 bus fare scheme for 5-21 year olds which already benefits countless university students.

But how is Plaid’s budget going to benefit university students? Whilst there are mentions of how Plaid is using the budget to support us, there is no clear objective.

At a time of crisis for Welsh Universities, as they struggle with financial and enrolment issues, you would think that there would be more mention of how students will be supported. It is clear Plaid is sweeping it under the carpet. An action that would be convenient following the controversy that followed past comments by the party about reducing Welsh natives’ grants when they go to university in England.

While Plaid have since backtracked this statement, it is convenient that they have mostly ignored University investment despite an insistence that ‘there’s a £100m black hole facing our universities’. Plaid would prefer Welsh people to study in local universities and provide for the Welsh economy once they graduate. However, it is unjustly harsh to penalise Welsh people who want to study away from their home.

This controversy has led to Plaid being accused of ‘removing the freedom of choice’ and having a ‘divisive national ideology’ by the Welsh Conservative Party. It also reflects that the budget does not have students at the forefront of its mind.

Despite the Plaid budget providing for some of the most financially deprived areas, such as the NHS and childcare, tertiary education feels mostly forgotten, especially at a difficult time for many universities in Wales. One would think Plaid would have a higher focus on investment into Welsh universities.

Plaid needs to do more to support University students. With the difficulties higher education institutions in Wales are facing, a clearer plan from the party to help support universities is required.

How do you think we should be supported? Whether you’re a student, lecturer, or any other member of the university; we deserve more investment.