It is a pleasure to be writing this column for the first time as your Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.

Prior to taking this role, I was working for Menter Iaith Neath Port Talbot promoting the Welsh language across the county. I was also fortunate to be a county councillor on Neath Port Talbot Council for 14 years as well as being chair of the Education, Skills and Wellbeing Committee.

I currently sit on the Senedd Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee and the Culture, Communications, Cymraeg and Sport Committee. Two committees with rather large remits, and I very much look forward to meeting with stakeholders regarding upcoming issues.

One of my first visits as your elected member was to visit Knighton Church in Wales Primary School as part of a Senedd outreach visit. It was a pleasure to discuss my new role with pupils and be duly questioned by them! Children are the future, and we need to ensure that they are engaged with politics at an early age and that their voices are important and heard.

I am grateful for those who met with me at the Royal Welsh – which is also such a great event – and those who attended my advice surgery in Brecon.

In terms of my work in the chamber, I have been able to question the government on what steps they will be taking to drive cross-border collaboration between local authorities and how they will ensure that economic development supports both urban and rural areas.

It is an exciting time to be an elected member with a new Plaid Cymru government in Wales. My aim is to be a strong voice for the whole of Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd over the next few years, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge.