Alyn and Deeside has “a great opportunity” to be a hub that opens up Wales “to the world.”

A month on from succeeding his late father as Assembly Member for Alyn and Deeside, Jack Sargeant told the Leader his constituency is the “gateway to Wales” and had “important links” across the UK.

Mr Sargeant, 23, who held on to the seat held by his late father Carl in a February by-election, said he hopes people would still think of him as “from the Quay and would rather be called Jack than addressed as the Assembly Member.”

The new AM received a standing ovation when he made his maiden speech in the Senedd last month.

He told the Leader about how he’s found life as an elected member, just four months on from his father’s death.

“It’s been good, any new job comes with nerves but we’re settling in,” he said.

“The constituency office is nearly fully operational and we’re enjoying it.

“I had experiences of Cardiff with my dad so it’s not too dissimilar but it takes some getting used to.

“We’re right in at the deep end and I’ve been too busy really to stop and take it all in.

“I’ll do the work as the AM but I’m still from the Quay and would rather be called Jack than addressed as the Assembly Member.”

Since taking up his role in Cardiff Bay, Mr Sargeant has been appointed to three committees, including the External Affairs and Additional Legislation Committee – which will deal with the Welsh Government’s role in Brexit.

It’s been a busy few weeks as the AM immediately sought assurances from wing-making giant Airbus that their European-wide restricting wouldn’t result in job losses in Broughton.

He said: “I was conscious to get into Airbus and Tata Steel to discuss matter and it’s good to have a strong voice from the North on what is the Brexit committee.

“As was in the campaign, Brexit is the key issue and I’ve written to Greg Clark (Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy) for clarity over the customs union.”

Local government funding has been a thorny issue for many constituents in Alyn and Deeside and Mr Sargeant said he hoped his role on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee in Cardiff Bay could help Flintshire Council’s lobbying case.

He said: “There’s no lie about funding and we’re all in difficult times but Flintshire is in dire lack of funding because of the austerity imposed by the Tory UK Government.

“The majority of my case work so far has been around education funding and it seems there’s been a resolution to that but there’s still more we can do.

“Austerity has to end and that’s something I’ll be campaigning hard on.”

Mr Sargeant said being in Cardiff Bay presented an “exciting time” for his constituency and believed his introduction as a younger member was “good to have a different view” for the Assembly.

He said: “We are the Gateway to Wales and have important links to make.

“There’s a really great opportunity to branch out as the hub for Wales that opens us up to the rest of the UK and the world.”

Outside of committee, the AM said he hoped to encourage all emergency service vehicles to carry the White Ribbon campaign logo – a programme his late father Carl had championed – and would push for more work to be done on the “really important campaign” against domestic violence.