The Valleys need investment and policy changes WAY beyond the imaginations of most politicians.

Let's be honest, it would mostly still be farmland if it wasn't for coal and geography is against it.

The infrastructure improvements have merely scratched the surface.

No train service to many areas, one that stands out is Rhondda Fach , but there are loads with disused railways which could be reestablished.., and many places accessible only by narrow roads where only 1 car can pass.

These aren't Tony villages, these are really linear towns with thousands of inhabitants.

What about moving a few institutions out of Cardiff ?

Could you imagine the boost to RCT if the BBC instead of moving to Cardiff Bay went there, or some of the Welsh Govt organisations.
Or the tax office, with a high % of staff from the Valleys set to move to the City centre. If this went to say Treforest or Llantrisant ( which would need transport improvements) what a boost that would be.

The good thing about the Valleys is property is affordable, so kids would have an opportunity, although much of it could do with major refurbishment or even knocking down and rebuilding.

Major investment in securing footloose industries/ services would also help. There's a lot of growing sectors which can be situated anywhere.
A gaming academy with heavily subsidised and well laid out offices with top class IT and internet would provide a massive boost and would give local kids opportunities in something which would fire up a lot.

Handing out the odd grant and well meaning scheme is a treatment not a cure.

As it stands many people will either rot away or move away.

And for those who think '**** it, not our problem' then remember Cardiff will get more and more crowded

There was an interesting article on the TV a few years back from an academic who suggested just allowing parts of the Valleys to depopulate and knocking down thousands of houses.

If nothing major is done that's where we will end up in the long term anyway.