Champions League Final

:00:14. > :00:21.Presiding Officer, in one month, Cardiff and Wales will host the Uefa

:00:22. > :00:25.Champions League final, one of the biggest and most prestigious

:00:26. > :00:31.sporting events in the world and the biggest single sporting event in

:00:32. > :00:37.2017. The men's final on the 3rd of June will attract a global live TV

:00:38. > :00:42.audience of 200 million and an estimated additional 170,000

:00:43. > :00:47.visitors to our capital city. Members will have seen the exciting

:00:48. > :00:50.arrival of the trophies in Wales two weeks ago and they are currently

:00:51. > :00:55.touring the nation, providing a unique opportunity for our

:00:56. > :01:01.communities to engage with the event. Yesterday, the trophies

:01:02. > :01:09.visited football clubs and today they have been at its good festival.

:01:10. > :01:13.I know the excitement that would have generated amongst local

:01:14. > :01:20.football fans and the North Wales public more widely. This is another

:01:21. > :01:23.historic first, kicking off a summer of sporting legends with Champions

:01:24. > :01:29.League final closely followed by the ICC champions Trophy cricket at

:01:30. > :01:36.Glamorgan. Cricket and the return of course of the senior open golf

:01:37. > :01:43.championship. This demonstrates our ambition and commitment to build a

:01:44. > :01:47.major event posting credentials. The benefits from Wales will be

:01:48. > :01:51.significant. The event will generate a significant economic impact as a

:01:52. > :01:58.result of the additional visitors coming to Wales. This will include

:01:59. > :02:02.spend on hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and on travel within the

:02:03. > :02:09.region. The hospitality provision in the city on match day, which

:02:10. > :02:15.includes an estimated 16,000 means, provides a valuable showcase for

:02:16. > :02:19.wells produce. Overall, access to rights and benefits associated with

:02:20. > :02:25.the event provides Wales with an unprecedented incentive with which

:02:26. > :02:32.to engage with key inward investment and business targets. The extensive

:02:33. > :02:36.media coverage in the lead up to and over the event itself will raise our

:02:37. > :02:42.international profile and reputation. The road to Cardiff

:02:43. > :02:45.strapline and branding has been visible around the world for many

:02:46. > :02:53.months now, clearly evident at every Champions League game and front and

:02:54. > :02:58.centre of each match broadcast. In addition to the millions of TV

:02:59. > :03:03.viewers and, of course, the lucky fans able to attend the matches

:03:04. > :03:08.themselves, an estimated 200,000 people will attend the Uefa

:03:09. > :03:15.Champions League festival in Cardiff Bay. A free four-day celebration

:03:16. > :03:18.from Thursday through Sunday. The festival will provide high-quality

:03:19. > :03:24.Uefa experience to non-ticket holders who get a chance to see the

:03:25. > :03:28.trophy, engage with the sponsors, acquired limited edition Uefa

:03:29. > :03:32.merchandise and see some of the former footballing greats play a

:03:33. > :03:37.legends match on a floating pitch in Cardiff Bay on Friday the 2nd of

:03:38. > :03:45.June. As with the trophy tour, we want to spread the positive impact

:03:46. > :03:49.of the event and the event is said to inspire a generation with a set

:03:50. > :03:53.of specially designed cross curricular materials being

:03:54. > :03:58.introduced to around a thousand Welsh schools in the run-up to the

:03:59. > :04:06.event, enhancing the curriculum and engaging with a potential 136,000

:04:07. > :04:11.young people. Adding to Wales's credentials as a nation willing to

:04:12. > :04:15.volunteer, 1500 champions will be part of the volunteer programme that

:04:16. > :04:22.will provide participants with valuable skills they can take into

:04:23. > :04:27.their places of education or work. The event also provides an important

:04:28. > :04:32.platform for encouraging wider participation. The emphasis given to

:04:33. > :04:36.the women's final on the 1st of June at Cardiff city stadium alongside

:04:37. > :04:42.the men and the staging of the final in the same city will raise the

:04:43. > :04:46.profile of women and girls's football encouraging fitness and

:04:47. > :04:51.participation and raising the status of the sport in the ayes of players,

:04:52. > :04:58.educators and potential sponsors. Around two and a half thousand women

:04:59. > :05:01.and girls from across Wales will sit for in a specially organised female

:05:02. > :05:07.football Festival which will take place on the same day as the Uefa

:05:08. > :05:12.women's's Champions League final. The those fans wishing to immerse

:05:13. > :05:15.themselves in the Champions League experience, tickets for the women's

:05:16. > :05:19.final are still available and it would be great to see a packed

:05:20. > :05:27.stadium, giving the players a warm Welsh welcome. But hosting a mega

:05:28. > :05:31.event like the Champions League final presents significant

:05:32. > :05:35.challenges. Cardiff is the smallest city to have hosted the final and

:05:36. > :05:42.extensive planning has been underway for many months in order to ensure a

:05:43. > :05:48.safe, secure and enjoyable event. The football Association of Wales is

:05:49. > :05:53.leading a concerted team Wales effort, marshalling the considerable

:05:54. > :05:57.support of key partners, including South Wales Police, Cardiff Council,

:05:58. > :06:01.the principality stadium which has been renamed the National Stadium of

:06:02. > :06:08.Wales for this event and, of course, the Welsh Government. The event will

:06:09. > :06:12.be staged against a backdrop of an extremely challenging international

:06:13. > :06:17.security landscape which, tragically, has become more acute in

:06:18. > :06:21.recent weeks. Against this background, the safety and security

:06:22. > :06:25.of everyone attending the events is of paramount importance. South Wales

:06:26. > :06:31.Police, with assistance from neighbouring forces in England and

:06:32. > :06:36.Wales, are leading the largest security operation since the Nato

:06:37. > :06:39.summit. This will inevitably impact upon traffic and pedestrian flow

:06:40. > :06:46.around the city, but the priority is of course the safety of residents

:06:47. > :06:52.and visitors alike. Transport and travel to and around the event also

:06:53. > :06:57.presents a logistical challenge. Transport planning has been made

:06:58. > :07:02.more difficult by not knowing who the finalists will be until three

:07:03. > :07:06.weeks before the event, although we have a much clearer idea following

:07:07. > :07:09.the recent semifinal draw. A carefully planned series of measures

:07:10. > :07:13.are being put in place around the city centre road network in the

:07:14. > :07:21.fortnight leading up to the event and this will cause a certain amount

:07:22. > :07:27.of disruption. The message is clear. Cardiff will be busier than it ever

:07:28. > :07:29.has been on Saturday, June the 3rd. Unnecessary travel by those who are

:07:30. > :07:36.not attending the match should be avoided. Especially commissioned

:07:37. > :07:40.public information campaign is being rolled out to advise residents,

:07:41. > :07:47.businesses and visitors of possible travel and transport disruption, to

:07:48. > :07:49.provide advice on minimising inconvenience and this is being

:07:50. > :07:56.supported by face-to-face engagement with key target stakeholders. The

:07:57. > :08:02.smallest city ever to host the way the Champions League final is set to

:08:03. > :08:06.put on the issue of its life during our year of legends. Wales is being

:08:07. > :08:10.profiled worldwide to international audiences who might never have

:08:11. > :08:16.considered as previously as a location to visit or do business. We

:08:17. > :08:21.are set to build on a fantastic performance at last year's European

:08:22. > :08:25.Championships, to become embedded in worldwide footballing culture and to

:08:26. > :08:34.be recognised as a highly attractive destination on the world map. Can

:08:35. > :08:39.the secretary... I thank you for your statement this afternoon. Wales

:08:40. > :08:44.has a proud history of hosting major sporting events that far exceed the

:08:45. > :08:47.norm, that would be expected for a country of our size. I fully agree

:08:48. > :08:53.with the Cabinet Secretary that it is a great honour for Cardiff to be

:08:54. > :08:59.hosting this prestigious global event. It has the potential to

:09:00. > :09:03.showcase the best of Wales to the world and have a significant benefit

:09:04. > :09:10.to the Welsh economy and also provide a boost to the tourism

:09:11. > :09:16.industry. Such major sporting events not only spark our national pride,

:09:17. > :09:22.boost tourism levels but they also raise the issue of supporting the

:09:23. > :09:30.broader public health agenda as well. With that in mind, can you

:09:31. > :09:34.outline what steps the government has taken since the Euro 2016

:09:35. > :09:44.success to boost the virtues of an active lifestyle and other benefits

:09:45. > :09:47.of sporting activity? Doing so, of course, in the face of reduced

:09:48. > :09:55.funding in that area as well. Economic league, the hosting events,

:09:56. > :10:00.such as the Champions League final, also criticised last opportunity to

:10:01. > :10:04.advertise Wales as a tourist destination, not only to other

:10:05. > :10:11.Europeans but also across the world. I was pleased that the Welsh

:10:12. > :10:18.Government has taken steps to showcase our nation at the Uefa

:10:19. > :10:22.champions Festival and has invested in cross curriculum materials for

:10:23. > :10:30.Welsh schools. He also referred to the potential for security threats

:10:31. > :10:39.at the championships. Can I also endorse your advice to spectators to

:10:40. > :10:43.remain vigilant and take note of advice from police and security

:10:44. > :10:49.staff. Finally, I would like to ask what lessons have been learned from

:10:50. > :10:56.posting previous major events, especially from a transport

:10:57. > :11:00.perspective. During the Rugby World Cup the experience of Cardiff was

:11:01. > :11:06.tempered by problems with public transport, with lengthy delays of up

:11:07. > :11:12.to four hours in some cases and incidence of overcrowding which I

:11:13. > :11:18.would expect might well have a knock-on effect of putting people

:11:19. > :11:22.off visiting in the future. Now, given the fact that the foot fault

:11:23. > :11:29.at Cardiff Central Station has increased dramatically in recent

:11:30. > :11:34.years, are you confident that the station is able to cope with the

:11:35. > :11:42.overflow? I am sure you will agree that we must be careful to avoid a

:11:43. > :11:48.repeat of the incidence, so can I ask what steps were taken alongside

:11:49. > :11:52.talking to transport providers, Cardiff City Council and tourism

:11:53. > :11:58.organisers, to minimise the disruption for travellers, residents

:11:59. > :12:04.and fans alike? I think Russell George for his questions, comments

:12:05. > :12:09.and for his enthusiasm for this and other major events we have hosted in

:12:10. > :12:16.recent years. We have a proud record of Fulston quality major events.

:12:17. > :12:19.Events of global significance, including the Ryder Cup which put

:12:20. > :12:24.Wales on the global map in terms of the country as a golf destination as

:12:25. > :12:30.well as a raft of major sporting and cultural events and working to make

:12:31. > :12:33.sure we take a strategic approach to hosting major events, to capture

:12:34. > :12:38.repeat visitors and also to attract new investment for the country and

:12:39. > :12:43.to portray Wales as a place where quality of life is of paramount

:12:44. > :12:47.importance. The benefits of the Champions League final will be

:12:48. > :12:50.considerable, but they will not be confined to just economic benefits,

:12:51. > :12:53.although the economic impact is assessed to be something in the

:12:54. > :12:59.region of ?45 million in the immediate period and in the

:13:00. > :13:05.immediate aftermath of the Champions League final. We expect, as a result

:13:06. > :13:10.of hundreds of thousands of people visiting Cardiff, we expect to see

:13:11. > :13:14.future visitor numbers increase accordingly with more overnight

:13:15. > :13:17.stays as a result of people experiencing the warmest Welsh

:13:18. > :13:22.welcome possible in our capital city. The member raises an important

:13:23. > :13:29.point about the importance of the Champions League final and other

:13:30. > :13:34.major sporting events to the healthy and active agenda that this

:13:35. > :13:37.government has. We think it is essential to use sporting event is

:13:38. > :13:42.not just to attract people to Visit Wales, but also to ensure that

:13:43. > :13:48.people within Wales become more active in their daily lives and

:13:49. > :13:51.inspired not just a future generation, but for generations to

:13:52. > :13:57.be more active and sporting. After the euros last year the Welsh

:13:58. > :14:00.Government, through sport Wales, with the number of national

:14:01. > :14:07.governing bodies, principally the FA W in promoting, especially to

:14:08. > :14:10.underrepresented groups, the essential to get involved in

:14:11. > :14:16.football. As a consequence of continued investment and efforts, we

:14:17. > :14:20.have seen a remarkable increase in the number of girls in particular

:14:21. > :14:24.who have taken up football. We have seen a far greater increase

:14:25. > :14:30.proportionately in the number of girls registering as football

:14:31. > :14:36.players than women and boys. Clearly football is becoming far more

:14:37. > :14:40.attractive as a sport, as a form of physical activity for girls. We wish

:14:41. > :14:45.to maintain the momentum which has been built up before during and

:14:46. > :14:51.after the euros by engaging schools. As a member outlined, through the

:14:52. > :14:55.intervention school curriculum work, to ensure that young people become

:14:56. > :14:56.more enthused and more aware of the opportunities that are on their

:14:57. > :15:04.doorstep. A legacy budget of the Champions

:15:05. > :15:07.League final will be the establishment of the community

:15:08. > :15:12.football facility in Cardiff, in an appropriate area, which we expect

:15:13. > :15:16.will be utilised by those particularly in disadvantaged areas

:15:17. > :15:19.who may lack free or affordable access to sporting facilities and in

:15:20. > :15:23.the years to come, I would hope that many of those who go on to use this

:15:24. > :15:30.legacy pitch will become registered as footballers themselves. We've

:15:31. > :15:36.also used the Champions League Festival to promote Wales as a

:15:37. > :15:39.holiday destination and also as a destination in which to invest

:15:40. > :15:45.anti-business. We've been using the Champions League final -- in which

:15:46. > :15:54.to invest and do business. We have been using the Champions League

:15:55. > :15:57.final, highlighting our presence at the travel Festival with the

:15:58. > :16:01.Champions League final in Cardiff this June. We will be doing so in

:16:02. > :16:07.the summer months by tweeting, by making available appropriate content

:16:08. > :16:11.for stakeholder websites to showcase the very best of Wales with

:16:12. > :16:17.photographs, with text and with short videos. We have and are

:16:18. > :16:22.learning lessons constantly from major events that we host. I know

:16:23. > :16:28.that one of the concerns that members representing Cardiff

:16:29. > :16:33.constituencies have is the use of the field that was used for

:16:34. > :16:36.Eisteddfod as a Cardiff campsite for the Champions League itself. We've

:16:37. > :16:43.learned a good number of lessons from our experience with the

:16:44. > :16:50.Eisteddfod and we continue to ensure that the park is protected for its

:16:51. > :16:57.users. The campsite is going to be used from Monday, May 22 and will

:16:58. > :17:02.operate from the 31st of May until June the 5th, but I would remind

:17:03. > :17:12.members that activity will be taking place there in preparing the park

:17:13. > :17:15.from maybe 22nd. We've prepared questions and answers sheet which is

:17:16. > :17:21.available on the Bute Park .com website if any residents or Assembly

:17:22. > :17:27.members have any queries. We've also learned a good number of lessons

:17:28. > :17:34.about managing vehicle and train travel. The train operators are

:17:35. > :17:38.working as a joint team for this event, so Network Rail, a Riva

:17:39. > :17:43.trains Wales, great Western Railway and cross-country trains are working

:17:44. > :17:46.collaboratively with event organisers to ensure that the

:17:47. > :17:52.railways are in a position to manage the demand of an event of this

:17:53. > :17:57.scale. This is an enormous event. If I can run through some of the

:17:58. > :17:59.figures relating to rail travel in particular, I think it will

:18:00. > :18:08.highlight how much preparation has gone into this particular event.

:18:09. > :18:13.15,000 more passenger journeys on rail, on the rail network post match

:18:14. > :18:18.will be delivered compared to the Rugby World Cup in 2015. There will

:18:19. > :18:28.be 60,000 post match rail journeys, a total, including 21,000 high-speed

:18:29. > :18:32.train services to London. 25,000 air chartered passengers are set to

:18:33. > :18:38.arrive at the airports in Cardiff, Birmingham and Bristol, supported by

:18:39. > :18:44.over 450 transfer coaches and two large staging facilities in Cardiff.

:18:45. > :18:50.We are also arranging new, bespoke park and ride systems which will

:18:51. > :19:00.cater for 7500 spaces into locations. In addition, there will

:19:01. > :19:03.be 5000 park and walk facilities in the Cardiff Bay area, supporting

:19:04. > :19:11.access directly to the Champions League Festival. In addition, 10% of

:19:12. > :19:15.the UK's available coach market will be utilised for the Champions League

:19:16. > :19:22.final. This is an incredible number of coaches. We estimate that in the

:19:23. > :19:26.region of 1250 and we are working in collaboration with operators such as

:19:27. > :19:31.National Express to ensure that across Wales and across the UK,

:19:32. > :19:37.visitors to Cardiff during the Champions League experience, will

:19:38. > :19:41.have the highest quality experience and they will be able to get in and

:19:42. > :19:48.out of Cardiff as seamlessly as possible and in the shortest time

:19:49. > :19:54.possible. But I would once again urge members to relay to their

:19:55. > :19:57.constituents that this is an unprecedented event. We should be

:19:58. > :20:06.very proud of this event but we should also prepare well for it. I

:20:07. > :20:13.must say I am personally very excited that the Champions League

:20:14. > :20:16.final is coming to Cardiff. I was kicking an official Cardiff 2017

:20:17. > :20:22.replica football around the garden with an excited 13-year-old last

:20:23. > :20:26.night and as happy as I was to contribute ?14 99 to the

:20:27. > :20:31.merchandising companies for that particular football, we want to make

:20:32. > :20:34.sure that Wales is the real beneficiary here. We are talking

:20:35. > :20:40.about one of the biggest sporting events in the world and I'll never

:20:41. > :20:46.forget watching the last minute Man United win over Bayern Munich in

:20:47. > :20:55.1999 or Liverpool's numerical in 2005 in beating a C Milan. But it's

:20:56. > :21:01.not just those stories that could be repeated here in Wales in a few

:21:02. > :21:06.weeks' time, those footballing stories. I remember where those

:21:07. > :21:12.games were, Man United winning in Barcelona, Liverpool winning in

:21:13. > :21:15.Istanbul, so Cardiff could become part of international sporting

:21:16. > :21:22.folklore. I was talking to some is children in Italy a few weeks ago,

:21:23. > :21:24.asking where I was from, from Wales, where is that? That's where the

:21:25. > :21:31.Champions League final is being held in a few weeks' time, showing the

:21:32. > :21:35.power of the language of football globally. They were also very aware

:21:36. > :21:41.of Wales as the home of Gareth Bale, of course, and may I say how

:21:42. > :21:48.wonderful it would be to see a fit Gareth Bale playing at the Champions

:21:49. > :21:52.League final in his home city, but in the interests of keeping balance,

:21:53. > :21:58.I'd like to say that of course fans from whichever side of Madrid would

:21:59. > :22:04.be more than welcome in Cardiff here for the final. I believe the first

:22:05. > :22:10.leg is being played tonight of that semifinal, with the decider known to

:22:11. > :22:16.us by a week Wednesday. Now, I would like to wish all those involved in

:22:17. > :22:21.putting on this Champions League final all the very best in the final

:22:22. > :22:27.few weeks. In particular, I'd like to mention the football Association

:22:28. > :22:33.of Wales running the show. This is a football Association that has proved

:22:34. > :22:38.during the year raise and in the run-up to the year raise last year

:22:39. > :22:44.how very able they are to capitalise an international sporting exposure.

:22:45. > :22:51.Just three questions. You mentioned the facility, the community facility

:22:52. > :22:55.that will be left as a legacy in Cardiff, the 3G pitch there. The

:22:56. > :23:00.local council has guaranteed the pitch will be free to use for two

:23:01. > :23:04.years. Beyond that, charges haven't been ruled out, but frankly, of

:23:05. > :23:10.course, if we are going to see a real legacy promise, we need free to

:23:11. > :23:13.use sports facilities for a lot longer than two years, so what will

:23:14. > :23:20.you be doing to ensure there is a longer legacy than just the two

:23:21. > :23:23.years use of a modest but very important facility to that

:23:24. > :23:28.community, particularly in light of the recently increased charges that

:23:29. > :23:32.we have seen for sports facilities right across Wales? Secondly, first

:23:33. > :23:37.impressions will be very, very important. We will see a lot of

:23:38. > :23:41.visitors to Cardiff. What extra support has been offered to Cardiff

:23:42. > :23:49.Council to ensure litter is picked and we have a clean, modern city to

:23:50. > :23:54.await all those football fans? Finally, the statement notes that

:23:55. > :23:58.Cardiff is the smallest city to have hosted this event. In reality

:23:59. > :24:03.though, if we take in the wider hinterland and the south Wales

:24:04. > :24:06.valleys and the major population there, it probably isn't the

:24:07. > :24:12.smallest area, but clearly to hold events such as this in Cardiff

:24:13. > :24:17.requires infrastructure to be wider than just the city itself. It needs

:24:18. > :24:20.to include the valleys, strengthening infrastructure across

:24:21. > :24:27.a wider area. What consideration have you given to making this event

:24:28. > :24:30.benefit the wider surrounding areas and with that boost to

:24:31. > :24:35.infrastructure required, not just for this Champions League, limited

:24:36. > :24:39.things that we can do in the next few weeks, but for the longer term

:24:40. > :24:46.to support Wales being able to be a player on the global stage for such

:24:47. > :24:52.events in future? Can I thank the Member for his enthusiasm as well. I

:24:53. > :24:57.share his excitement. I was in Portmeirion on Sunday and saw the

:24:58. > :25:02.Champions League wager attracting a huge number of young people to the

:25:03. > :25:08.mobile unit that they had, again promoting Cardiff and ensuring that

:25:09. > :25:14.the event is relevant to all parts of Wales. In terms of previous

:25:15. > :25:19.Champions League finals, I would agree, that the places they are

:25:20. > :25:24.hosted at the come recognised worldwide, not just in Europe, but

:25:25. > :25:28.worldwide and remembered very fondly for the legendary matches that take

:25:29. > :25:31.place. Istanbul stands out for me personally. I have two brothers who

:25:32. > :25:37.travelled by various means to Istanbul. They will remember it

:25:38. > :25:41.fondly for the rest of their lives and so will I, even though I am not

:25:42. > :25:45.a Liverpool fan. They are but I'm not. My team is yet to Beecher

:25:46. > :25:50.Champions League final and sadly went to be at this year 's one

:25:51. > :25:53.either. But it is something that captures the imagination and

:25:54. > :25:58.enthusiasm of people young and old and it's something we can be very

:25:59. > :26:01.proud of right across Wales. I also hope Gareth Bale will be fit enough

:26:02. > :26:04.and part of a team who make it through the semi-finals and into the

:26:05. > :26:10.final and that we will be able to welcome him to his home city. In

:26:11. > :26:13.terms of the promotion of this event, this is something which

:26:14. > :26:19.rational George picked up on, but I would like to pick up on that in

:26:20. > :26:25.terms of social media activity, this will offer an unparalleled event

:26:26. > :26:29.opportunity to promote Wales as an attractive place to visit and to

:26:30. > :26:35.live and invest in. We have already seen in terms of the visit Wales

:26:36. > :26:39.website a considerable increase in the number of unique users from 2

:26:40. > :26:45.million five years ago to 5 million. We have set ambitious targets to

:26:46. > :26:50.drive up that figure further and its events such as the Champions League

:26:51. > :26:53.final which are able to attract more people to our websites, generate

:26:54. > :26:58.more interest in our Twitter feed and Facebook pages and I expect as a

:26:59. > :27:02.result of that, with the high-quality content which we are

:27:03. > :27:07.making available to stakeholders, I expect a greater degree of interest

:27:08. > :27:13.in Wales as a holiday destination and an investment location. We will

:27:14. > :27:18.continue to host familiarity trips for key influencers within the media

:27:19. > :27:25.and I would agree with the member that the football Association of

:27:26. > :27:29.Wales has done outstanding work in leading a team Wales effort this

:27:30. > :27:39.year and in recent years, indeed in the lead up to the Euros. The legacy

:27:40. > :27:44.pitch, I think, is something that Cardiff should be very excited by

:27:45. > :27:50.and proud of. It's a decision for the local councils as to how they

:27:51. > :27:52.maintain and pay for the costs of maintenance of key community

:27:53. > :28:00.facilities, but the worst Government is insisting with this regard by

:28:01. > :28:04.helping to establish a fund specifically for those community

:28:05. > :28:09.groups and organisations that could benefit from community sport and

:28:10. > :28:12.arts activities. I think this particular facility could be a prime

:28:13. > :28:18.recipient of the Challenge Fund investment. I would agree also that

:28:19. > :28:23.first impressions count and Cardiff Council are on the steering group.

:28:24. > :28:28.It is recognised that the city must not just look clean and tidy but

:28:29. > :28:32.vibrant as well with plenty of banners, bright colours, tasteful

:28:33. > :28:36.colours as well. Something to convey Cardiff in the way it wants to be

:28:37. > :28:40.seen around the world, as a place rich in culture that is welcoming of

:28:41. > :28:47.all people. But it is not just Cardiff Council responsible for

:28:48. > :28:50.ensuring that Cardiff and the region around it are clean and tidy. We

:28:51. > :28:54.take responsibility for the trunk roads, so we are ensuring that the

:28:55. > :29:00.trunk road network is kept clean and tidy but also I know that Network

:29:01. > :29:03.Rail have additional teams of their orange army is available to make

:29:04. > :29:08.sure that litter is picked up from track sides, from here through to

:29:09. > :29:10.Bristol, Birmingham and London, ensuring that those first

:29:11. > :29:16.impressions really are the best that we could hope for. In terms of

:29:17. > :29:23.benefiting the wider community, in particular the valleys communities,

:29:24. > :29:27.I think platform eight at Cardiff Central is crucially important are

:29:28. > :29:30.ensuring we can get people into the capital more quickly and on services

:29:31. > :29:36.which are more reliable. The ?300 million Cardiff area signalling

:29:37. > :29:40.project I think is also improving resilience and ensuring people can

:29:41. > :29:44.travel to the Champions League final with a greater degree of confidence

:29:45. > :29:49.than they have potentially had in previous years. I do think we need

:29:50. > :29:53.to use this event as we have used other major events. There are huge

:29:54. > :29:54.opportunities to excite and inspire people to become more physically

:29:55. > :30:09.active. We hope we will seek more people

:30:10. > :30:22.become more physically active more of the time. Can I say, as a huge

:30:23. > :30:26.football fan, I am hugely excited at the prospect of the Champions League

:30:27. > :30:30.coming to Cardiff and I applaud the work of the Welsh Government in

:30:31. > :30:38.helping to secure this. On Saturday I will be going back to my

:30:39. > :30:41.constituency where the Champions League cup will be on display. I

:30:42. > :30:47.think that a secret initiative, that it is going to small clubs and fans

:30:48. > :30:52.will have the opportunity to get there and have their photograph

:30:53. > :31:00.taken. I am hoping I will because it is the closest a Bristol city fans

:31:01. > :31:06.will get to the European cup. The European cup is coming on the 30th

:31:07. > :31:14.anniversary of the year in which they beat the mighty Atlanta in the

:31:15. > :31:19.European Cup Winners' Cup in 19 87. I think it is very fitting that we

:31:20. > :31:23.have an european trophy coming here this year. Along with everything

:31:24. > :31:26.else you have said about the financial benefits of the final

:31:27. > :31:32.coming to Cardiff, I am sure you will applaud the initiatives that we

:31:33. > :31:38.see clubs like Merthyr engaging in community activities and community

:31:39. > :31:43.based football. This provides a greater opportunity for the

:31:44. > :31:48.development of that kind of community football. I wanted to

:31:49. > :31:53.follow on from the question earlier and something you have touched on,

:31:54. > :31:59.but whether you could expand more on how the Welsh Government can assist

:32:00. > :32:04.clubs to develop their community activities, especially for girls,

:32:05. > :32:12.which at the club has struggled to engage in any great extent. I thank

:32:13. > :32:18.The Member For her contribution and I am mightily impressed by the way

:32:19. > :32:22.her local team have rooted themselves so deeply in the

:32:23. > :32:25.community. It's a place which unites people, gives people a sense of

:32:26. > :32:31.belonging and it is always a pleasure to visit that particular

:32:32. > :32:39.club. I know they are also very innovative and host walking football

:32:40. > :32:43.for senior citizens and I think this is a great example of how football

:32:44. > :32:47.can be relevant to all people of all physical abilities. I also think

:32:48. > :32:54.that football clubs have a crucial role in terms of being able to give

:32:55. > :32:57.people a sense of competence and confidence through the establishment

:32:58. > :33:01.of volunteering programmes, US Ambassador programmes and

:33:02. > :33:05.employability programmes. I know there are good examples of this is

:33:06. > :33:14.not just across Wales, but also further afield. In Scotland are

:33:15. > :33:16.visited a number of clubs in Glasgow which have become hubs for community

:33:17. > :33:23.physical activity and employability programmes. Often community sport

:33:24. > :33:28.organisations can Act as a magnet for those who are at risk of

:33:29. > :33:34.disengaging from formal education or training and ensure that they are

:33:35. > :33:38.provided with opportunities to acquire skills and experience that

:33:39. > :33:43.then sets them up properly and fully for the world of work. I am in no

:33:44. > :33:49.doubt of the great value of football clubs across the length and breadth

:33:50. > :33:53.of Wales in improving the lives and well-being and employment prospects

:33:54. > :33:59.of people and their levels of physical activity. I also think the

:34:00. > :34:05.member outlined a very relevant to relating to the 30th anniversary and

:34:06. > :34:09.that would be perhaps something that should be relayed during this year

:34:10. > :34:13.of legends because it is particularly important that the

:34:14. > :34:21.story is told about the member goes on retelling it in other venues. In

:34:22. > :34:24.terms of engagement, I know the Minister for social services and

:34:25. > :34:31.sport is very keen in ensuring that more young women and girls

:34:32. > :34:36.participate in physical activity and sport. We have seen an increase in

:34:37. > :34:38.the number of people who participate in sport across Wales, but there is

:34:39. > :34:46.still a challenge with maintaining activity levels once a girl reaches

:34:47. > :34:50.about the age of 13 or 14. We see a sudden drop off then. What sport

:34:51. > :34:55.Wales has developed is a series of programmes aimed at ensuring that

:34:56. > :35:02.girls find forms of physical activity more appealing and that

:35:03. > :35:06.they are able to access different forms of sport and physical activity

:35:07. > :35:11.at that crucial agency they don't slip off the physical activity

:35:12. > :35:19.escalator. I know with the review taking place currently, this is a

:35:20. > :35:22.key question being asked. What form of sport and physical activity is

:35:23. > :35:28.most attractive to those groups within our population who currently

:35:29. > :35:32.are not participating in physical activity enough and I think this

:35:33. > :35:36.will be an incredibly important policy are for the Welsh Government

:35:37. > :35:40.and all stakeholders in the months and years to come. We of the

:35:41. > :35:47.initiatives such as the Wales well-being bond, an extension of

:35:48. > :35:52.social prescribing, has great potential to improve the levels of

:35:53. > :35:56.fitness in our population. To maximise the potential we have by

:35:57. > :36:05.and from community sports organisations so they can Act as our

:36:06. > :36:10.primary partners. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement

:36:11. > :36:15.and we in Ukip would like to congratulate all those involved in

:36:16. > :36:19.bringing this hugely prestigious event to Wales. The bridge to the

:36:20. > :36:23.economy from the hundreds of thousands set to visit Cardiff will

:36:24. > :36:26.be substantial and would like to echo the Cabinet Secretary's

:36:27. > :36:31.statement regarding the staging of one of the biggest events in the

:36:32. > :36:36.sporting calendar and is for rich and effect in projecting the image

:36:37. > :36:41.of Wales as a distinct national identity worldwide. The effect of

:36:42. > :36:47.which cannot be overestimated. We can be sure that it will enhance

:36:48. > :36:50.Wales's profile in a truly global context with the possible dramatic

:36:51. > :36:58.effect on our tourist industry over the ensuing years. It will also help

:36:59. > :37:02.facilitate Welsh governance and the whole Assembly's ambitions to sell

:37:03. > :37:08.the Wales brand across the globe and economic opportunities it will

:37:09. > :37:12.produce. Can I take this opportunity to commend the Welsh Government on

:37:13. > :37:19.its extensive preparation for this huge event and we hope the

:37:20. > :37:27.contingencies you have put in place will ensure that it will go off in

:37:28. > :37:33.the best possible way? Thank you. Can I thank The Member For his

:37:34. > :37:37.contribution and welcome his support for the Champions League final. It

:37:38. > :37:42.is an event that I believe has support right across this chamber

:37:43. > :37:46.and one enemy members are keen to watch and might even participate in

:37:47. > :37:49.because they will be thousands of opportunities to volunteer and if

:37:50. > :37:52.you are not volunteering, just being in the city, if you represent a

:37:53. > :37:57.Cardiff constituency, to welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors

:37:58. > :38:01.would be something I know the Welsh Government and our partners would

:38:02. > :38:05.very much appreciate. The economic benefits of this event are enormous.

:38:06. > :38:10.I have already outlined the immediate economic impact of ?45

:38:11. > :38:16.million for the local economy, but we also estimate that as of the

:38:17. > :38:23.middle of March, the advertising equivalent value of the event, in

:38:24. > :38:28.the Cardiff amounts to something in the region of ?15 million just

:38:29. > :38:35.within Europe. On a global scale, I cannot imagine how much this event

:38:36. > :38:40.is generated in terms of advertising equivalent exposure. Let's say it is

:38:41. > :38:45.far beyond any other single event which could hope to host in Wales

:38:46. > :38:49.and I am confident that by the time the Champions League final arrives,

:38:50. > :38:57.the advertising equivalent benefit of this event will amount to weigh

:38:58. > :39:02.in excess of ?20 million within Europe. We have also had a huge

:39:03. > :39:07.reach in terms of the road to Cardiff hashtag. We believe that as

:39:08. > :39:12.of the start of March, that hashtag had reached more than 25 million

:39:13. > :39:16.users worldwide and this is something that money alone cannot

:39:17. > :39:21.buy. This can only take place, this can only be appreciated and realised

:39:22. > :39:25.in a positive sense through the hosting of major events. The first

:39:26. > :39:33.time I ever visited Cardiff was to see the Pope in 19841981. Even the

:39:34. > :39:37.event, whilst not as big as what this event will be for Cardiff, this

:39:38. > :39:41.is monumentally big and we look forward to hosting those two final

:39:42. > :39:42.teams, but we also look forward to hosting hundreds of thousands of

:39:43. > :40:43.visitors to Cardiff. TRANSLATION: I call

:40:44. > :40:45.the National Assembly, the first item on the agenda,

:40:46. > :40:48.questions to the First Minister, and