Gwersyllt West Election Candidates Question and Answer

We here at Wrexham.com sent written letters to all 130 odd candidates in the local Wrexham Council elections this year, and here are the replies! Where there is no reply below from a candidate, we did not receive one before the week of the 23rd April. If you are a candidate or voter reading this join in the debate or let us know what you think in our Wrexham Forums!

Gwersyllt West (1 seat)
Jones – Plaid Cymru
Jones – Welsh Labour

Jones – Plaid Cymru

1 – Which party do you align yourself with, and why? (Or if non aligned, why not?)

Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales, because it is the only party that puts Wales AND the people who live in Wales first. Its priorities are to meet the needs of the people of Wales in a fair and impartial manner and to protect and support the poor and vulnerable. We seek to improve the lives of the people of Wales by creating jobs and wealth and to move away from a culture of dependency. It is because of the failure of London based parties to improve the lives of our communities that I stand for Plaid Cymru.

2 – What will be your first personal priority or aim if you were elected?

Two priorities one local and one County Borough – The local one is to build a safe pedestrian route from Pendine Nursing Home to the existing footpath network. The County Borough one which is obviously linked is to campaign for the council to retain the £11.2 million of council house rents that it is forced to pay the Treasury every year and to spend it on improving homes locally.

3 – Why do you personally want to be a councillor when so often you just get blamed for problems beyond your control?

The reason why I became a Councillor was to improve things in the community, I didn’t think that the ward got its fair share of money. Getting blamed for things that you have no control over is par for the course, you just try to explain to people and it helps to have a thick skin.

4 – Many politicians and local councillors are accused of bring out of touch with voters. What will you do to ensure you stay ‘in touch’?

Issue regular newsletters, hold surgeries, be seen at local resource centre, advertise and extensive use of social networking; I am on Facebook, Twitter and have a blog.

5 – How do you plan to tackle or prevent anti-social behaviour in your local area?

Three ways to tackle anti social behaviour, put services like detached Youth Workers to engage with disaffected youngsters and secondly enforcement of licensing legislation using test purchasers in pubs and off licences and as a last resort arrest culprits for public order.

6 – Do you think any local authority has the means to improve economic and job opportunities? And if you do, what do you think the priority actions should be?

There are several ways LA’s can improve job opportunities, employ more 16 – 18 year olds on traineeships, reduce rents on council property, improve environment to make County attractive to businesses, improvement of road networks, providing training to potential entrepreneurs to create new businesses, better local procurement (Solar PV on 3000 houses). Priority is local procurement.

7 – What do you think has been the best decision taken by the council in the last four years?

To fit 3000 council houses with Solar PV, provides council with £1million extra spending on houses every year for 25 years, cheaper energy costs to tenants and reduces our carbon footprint.

8 – What do you think has been the worst decision taken by the council in the last four years?

Award of contract to fit Solar PV, failing to listen to citizens i.e. City Status.

9 – What is your favourite place to visit or favourite thing to do in the local area?

Favourite place has to be the Saith Seren watching Wales win the Grand Slam.

10 – If you had to pick your best memory connected to Wrexham, what would it be?

Two things, the Eisteddfod in 2011 and Wrecsam beating Rotherham 7 – 1 to win the Third Division Championship in front of a 17,000 crowd in 1978.