On the 5th of December, Splott residents will vote to elect a third ward councillor to join Labour councillors Ed Stubbs and Huw Thomas in representing Splott, Tremorfa and Pengam Green.
To read more about why a bi-election is being held in Splott, and who is standing, click here.
Inksplott has invited all of the candidates to share their reasons for standing and a little bit more about themselves in an interview.
Continuing the series of interviews, I’m pleased to introduce the Plaid Cymru candidate, Leticia Gonzalez.
Inksplott: Hello! Thank you for being interviewed for Inksplott. Please tell us who you are and which party you represent.
Leticia: Hello and thank you for giving me this space. My name is Leticia Gonzalez, I am the candidate for Plaid Cymru.
Inksplott: Why did you become a member of that party and for how long have you been a member?
Leticia: I was born in Argentina and moved to Cardiff in 2018. Moving to a new city let alone a new country was challenging, but it would have been impossible without the warmth and support of the Welsh people. After I settled in, I decided I wanted to give back to the community that helped me set up my life in Cardiff and become who I am today. After researching the various political parties in Wales, I found that Plaid Cymru aligned most closely with my beliefs. I strongly feel that Wales is overlooked by Westminster, and I want the people governing our country to genuinely care about its people, resources, and culture. I have been a member of Plaid Cymru for just under a year.
Inksplott: Can you tell us a bit about you and Splott? Do you live here? How long have you lived here? Why did you move here?
Leticia: After moving to Cardiff, a lot of the friends I made were based in Splott. I began to spend an increasing amount of time in the area and grew fond of it. While I currently live in Riverside, I am regularly in Splott and part of the community here. This is partly why I am so passionate about improving public transport connections for Splott, to better connect the area with other communities in Cardiff!
Inksplott: Please list your top three ‘successes in Splott’.
Leticia:
1 Community Spirit
One of the things I admire most about Splott is its strong sense of community. People know their neighbours and are always willing to lend a hand.
2 Local Businesses
Splott has an incredible variety of local businesses and the people who run them are align with the spirit of Splott! I am very food motivated so I take any chance I can to have a tea and a bite. Seal and Bear café at the railway gardens and the Imperial Café are among my favourites, but I am on a mission to try them all!
3 Green Spaces
No matter where you live, you are not more than 5 minutes away from a park – I am keen to see if we can do more to value and improve our local parks.
Inksplott: Please list the three things that you wish you could have done but they didn’t quite happen and why.
Leticia:
- I wish I could have knocked every door in Splott by now. That’s my goal and I’ve already knocked hundreds of doors but I’m not there yet! But I’ve still got time before polling day.
- I wish we’d have had success in our campaign to ensure that Labour were true to their word with HS2 funding for Wales. We desperately need funding for better buses (and new train stations) but Labour are happy to defend spending all that money in the South East of England. I’m sure the campaign will succeed in time – because there’s no justification for Wales and Splott – not getting its fair share.
- One thing I’ve always wanted to do is dedicate more time to volunteering with local groups in Splott, like those involved in community gardens or youth activities. I love working with my hands—whether it’s painting, decorating, or carpentry—and I’ve always thought it would be a great way to contribute something tangible to the community while meeting more people. I’ve been volunteering at the Old Start Centre on Tuesday’s music session for adults with learning disabilities, and it’s one of the highlights of my week. I have so much fun doing it and look forward to it every time.
Inksplott: Please list your top five commitments to Splott if you are to be elected. What are you going to do for us?
Leticia:
- I want to improve the facilities available for children and young people, adding playgrounds in parks and green areas, and boost funding for youth groups.
- Following on from this I want to try and improve community spaces, securing funding and promotion for the community centre and various activities throughout Splott.
- We have seen too many of our services and facilities cut over the last few years, I believe providing these will also help Splott feel safer and increase that feeling of community spirit. Other things I’d like to do to help Splott feel safer includes better street lighting and lighting in parks.
- I knew that flytipping, littering, and rubbish collection was already an issue in Splott but since canvassing in the area its become clear how much of a problem this is for residents. I want to secure more street cleaners, weeders, and an improved bin system for residents.
- Finally, I want to hold the council to account for not doing their job properly. People in Splott are being let down – and I won’t stand for it.
Inksplott: Please tell us why people should vote for you.
Leticia: I am deeply committed to the community and its well-being. While I don’t believe in stereotypes, I proudly embrace the passion and perseverance often associated with my Argentinian heritage. These qualities drive me to work tirelessly to ensure the voices and needs of the Splott community are heard and acted upon in the council.
Inksplott: How can the people of Splott get in touch with you and tell you what they would like?
Leticia:
My email address is letigonzalez.pc@gmail.com
My Instagram is @letiage and my Twitter is @letiage89
Inksplott: Please tell us a funny story about Splott.
Leticia: This story starts as a sad one but has a happy ending, so bear with me! Last July, we were having breakfast at my friend’s house, who lives next to Adamsdown Gardens. In a series of unfortunate events, her pet bird flew away. It was heartbreaking as we could see the bird flying off, being chased by seagulls. Her bird is very friendly, so we assumed she would fly to someone for help.
We managed to follow the bird as far as Railway Street and assumed she would be somewhere in the area. We asked some of the neighbours if they minded us looking in their gardens, as there are a lot of trees in that area. It was close to midday at this point, so not many people answered their doors, but those who did kindly allowed us to check their gardens (a huge thank you to those people). Unfortunately, there was no sign of the bird.
We posted about it everywhere—in different Facebook groups—and put up signs around Splott. We checked Maltings Park, Moorland Park, Splott Park, Tremorfa Park, and every green space available, but still no sign of the bird. The next day, we returned to the parks and spoke to people (who were so helpful and supportive), but the bird was nowhere to be found.
Later that night, my friend received a message from a pub in St. Mellons. She didn’t take it seriously at first—it was a small bird, surely it couldn’t have flown that far, right? Wrong! The pub sent a video, and it was indeed my friend’s bird! A huge thank you to the Melrose Inn. The bird had flown 8 miles in just 32 hours, but she was back safe and sound.
I love this story because it shows how the help and kindness of residents in Splott symbolise the community spirit and care that exists here.
Inksplott: This is your free space to tell us anything you like. Off you go!
Leticia: I wanted to say massive thanks to everyone who dedicated their time to speak to me at their doorstep. I really appreciate the opportunity to listen to what needs improving as much as what people appreciate about Splott.
Thank you Leticia. Good luck in the election.