As I write this column, the hills and fields surrounding most of us will be dusted with snow. Many schools have closed because of the adverse weather, and there have been reports of some accidents on the roads.

When many of us were growing up, the idea of having a "snow day" was something imbued with excitement - but as we get older, we realise just how dangerous these snowy days can be. For older people, unable to leave their homes, it becomes more important than ever that heating bills are affordable so that everyone can stay safe and warm. For those people who have to travel to get to work, it's of utmost importance that local authorities have enough funding to be able to grit the roads and make their journeys as safe as possible. Everything in our society, we come to realise, is political. The ways in which decisions are made that affect how we can live our lives - each of those decisions are affected by politics.

Over the coming months, there will be much debate about upcoming changes to how our political system in Wales works. Improvements to how our Senedd is run, from the new (admittedly imperfect) voting system to the new numbers of (vitally needed) Senedd Members. Many people who have their own divisive agenda will try to persuade people that reforming the Senedd has little to do with bread-and-butter issues (like the state of our roads, our heating bills, our school budgets), when in fact, these changes are aimed at strengthening the very foundations of our politics: that is, the basis underpinning all of those decisions that affect every aspect of our lives.

At present, the Senedd has fewer Members than some of Wales' local councils, and far fewer per head than the legislatures of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. That often means that the decisions that get made aren't being scrutinised properly, and the laws that get passed aren't being tested robustly enough. It means money can sometimes be spent inefficiently, and opportunities for change can be missed. The changes being brought into effect this May aren't just meant to bolster the number of politicians, but rather, to improve the effectiveness of our democracy: those daily decisions that affect our lives. Having a properly functioning democracy is important for everyone, no matter their own political views. It's one of the reasons I find it difficult when I hear people sometimes say that they don't care about politics: politics isn't something that happens in remote rooms or dusty corridors, it's the decision on whether to fund road gritters properly, to invest adequately in our education and health budgets, on whether to ensure there's enough support for older people in their homes. Those decisions being made matter - politics should matter to everyone.

So at the start of this year that's sure to be of crucial important to Wales' future, I'd urge you to take a stake in those decisions that'll matter to us all. It’s time to start caring a lot more about politics.