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Penygraig Park Paddling Pool The Penygraig Park paddling pool committee was set up when the Labour council in Rhondda Cynon Taf locked the gates to the paddling pool in the popular local park. In 2016, the site was visited by the new AM for the Rhondda. She and her team were moved by the large group of children who happened to be in the park that afternoon, giving the clear message that they wanted their pool re-opened. They even agreed to get involved. One year on and a dedicated group of volunteers, including many young people, got all the paperwork and funding needed to open the pool for two weeks during the summer holiday, August 2017. A supervisors’ rota was in operation for the fortnight. The volunteers cleaned up and painted the space, and created a real community event. Certificates were given to the young teenagers who got involved. The committee's youth leader now wants to train as a lifeguard. The committee plans to train up more supervisors from the local comprehensive school in time to open up for longer next year. Older teenagers are involved in maintaining the pool and reducing anti-social behaviour. This demonstrated real community ownership. Building the Foundations for Economic Democracy According to the sociologist Michael Hechter, Wales’ economy has developed as a typical colonial/extractive economy like those in Latin America, built to facilitate the easy export of valuable natural resources. In his argument, Wales exists for the benefit of people who do not live here. Overcoming these structural disadvantages and building an internal infrastructure that works for and benefits Wales will take a generation of investment. The Westminster parties have no intention of helping us break our economic dependence. To rebuild our economy ourselves will require a strong, community-based programme of economic and political regeneration, where we free-up our peoples’ creativity and natural resources, as well as a ‘connecting Wales’ infrastructure plan. We must rebalance and refocus on the real meaning of free enterprise. Free enterprise should not to be used as an excuse to further reduce regulation and taxes for the multinationals. 23