NEWPORT BASED AM JOINS CONSERVATIVES

In a bizarre political twist Newport based AM Mohammed Ashgar has left Plaid Cymru and joined the Conservatives.

Mr Asghar, the assembly's only ethnic minority AM, said he felt "out of tune" with Plaid policies, in particular its desire for an independent Wales.

"I very much look forward to playing an important role in the shadow team in the national assembly and to helping to shape the policies for the Assembly elections in 2011,"

Asked why he had stood for Plaid Cymru when he was opposed to independence for Wales, he said his voice had been that of "a little parrot in a jungle", with little chance of changing Plaid's stance on the issue.

In January 2008 in an interview with Socialist Unity Ashgar stated "Central to our vision is the creation of a proper Parliament with the ability to pass its own laws and with the power to achieve the aspirations of the people of Wales. More powers would mean that we could follow a distinct path with the best policies for Wales, decided in Wales and unhindered by any interference from the UK Government ."

Ashgar was a Newport City Councillor for Plaid in the traditional Labour Victoria Ward between 2004 and 2008. He was elected via the South Wales East party list to the Welsh Assembly in 2009. Standing in the constituency of Newport East in the 2003 Assembly elections he polled 9.1 per cent of the vote. In the 2005 General Election he polled just 3.8 per cent.

STUDENTS WARNED OF DANGERS OF TEXTING WHILST DRIVING

A graphic film highlighting the dangers of texting whilst driving has been shown to students at Coleg Gwent's City of Newport Campus.

PCSO Deke Williams of Newport East Neighbourhood Policing Team, who is based at the campus in Nash, decided to screen the Cow film to the students during their Road Safety Week.

Hundreds of students aged between 15 and 60 turned up to watch the widely acclaimed film, which has received millions of viewers on YouTube and was shown on BBC Two Wales last month.

Cow, which stars young actors from south Wales, shows a teenager killing four people in a collision when she uses her mobile phone to send a text.

WARNING - CLIP SHOWS SCENES OF A VERY GRAPHIC NATURE

GOOD INSPECTIONS FOR CITY SCHOOLS

Two Newport schools received impressive reports following recent inspections by Welsh Education Inspectorate, Estyn.

In the inspection summary, the inspectors described St David’s RC Primary School as, “A good school where standards are generally good with some outstanding features.”

Teaching was described as “Highly effective” and the curriculum as having “Significant and innovative aspects.”

The inspection team considered that Rockfield (Glan Usk) Nursery‘is a good school with many outstanding features. It is a happy, stimulating and well managed learning environment for all its children.

NEWPORT CHURCH OPEN FOR HOMELESS

Churches in Newport are opening their doors to homeless people during the winter to provide them with food and a warm bed.

The Newport Night Shelter, which launches on Monday, will help between 10-15 people during December and January.

Seven Newport Churches will take them in for one night every week.

Around 20 volunteers were sleeping rough in the city over the weekend to raise money for the scheme.

Project coordinator, Jade Holtham, of Newport Teen Challenge, which is helping with the project, said she came up with the idea after seeing a similar scheme in London.

NEW WELSH LABOUR LEADER PLOTS ELECTION PLAN

New Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones was in Newport today to plot the party's plan for next year's general election campaign.Welsh Secretary Peter Hain and First Minister Rhodri Morgan also took part in the Welsh Labour election planning event in Newport.

It aimed to help Labour activists from across Wales prepare for an expected general election in spring next year. The theme of the day was what Wales would be like under the Conservatives.

Carwyn Jones AM was announced as the winner of the election for the new Leader of Welsh Labour earlier this week. The Bridgend AM polled 51.9751% of the votes in the first round of counting in Welsh Labour's electoral college.

SUPPORT FOR CITY CREDIT UNION

Newport Credit Union has been given £36,000 by the Welsh Assembly to help with internal renovations and the purchase of IT and office equipment as part of a £40,000 refurbishment project.

The new funding has been welcomed by Newport West AM Rosemary Butler.

She said: "Many people are still finding it difficult to borrow money from High Street banks, and anything which the Welsh Assembly can do to ease the situation is very welcome. I'm urging residents of Newport West to join their local credit union and take advantage of the facilities which are on offer."

RAIL SIGNALMEN VOTE TO STRIKE

Hundreds of railway signalling workers are to take six days of strike action in a row over rosters, threatening "massive disruption" to services, it has been announced.

Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union based in South Wales and the Marches will walk out from Monday December 14 until December 19 in protest at the "imposition" of rosters at a new control centre.

The workers, who voted 2-1 in favour of strikes in a ballot, are based in areas including Cardiff, Newport, Port Talbot, Vale of Glamorgan and the Rhymney Valley.