A view from Wrexham’s Member of the Senedd

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South constituency Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in Parliament and the Senedd, and closer to home. (You can view an archive here).

Wrexham MS Lesley Griffiths writes…

Since the turn of the year, the Covid-19 vaccine rollout has been the key issue for people in Wrexham. This week marks a significant moment as Wales has become the first UK nation to reach its target of offering the vaccination to the first four priority groups by mid-February. This is an outstanding achievement and is testimony to the hard work of the local health services staff, primary care colleagues and volunteers.

Throughout the rollout, I have been in regular contact with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) and have kept constituents up-to-date with the latest developments. I visited Wrexham’s excellent Local Vaccination Centre at the beginning of the month and I met with Health Board officials this morning for the latest update (15 February).

The North Wales Health Board has fulfilled its target of offering the vaccine to everyone in priority groups 1 – 4. While take-up is extremely high with over 90% of all eligible people receiving their first dose, there is a small number of people in the top 4 priority groups that have yet to be vaccinated. This could be for a variety of reasons. Some people may have missed their appointment due to illness or they may have been unsure about having the vaccine. Whatever the reason, it’s important no one is left behind.

BCUHB is working hard checking its records and is re-inviting people for vaccination. Anyone in the top 4 priority groups who hasn’t received their first dose, or does not currently have an appointment for it, should call the vaccination helpline on 03000 840004. The lines will be busy so if any constituent is having difficulties, please contact me.

‼️ Important update from @BetsiCadwaladr ‼️

Anyone in #Wrexham aged 70 or over who hasn’t had their first Covid-19 vaccination, or an appointment to have it, should call the vaccinations booking centre to arrange an appointment.

📞 03000 840004https://t.co/fhFO4Flzqm

— Lesley Griffiths (@lesley4wrexham) February 9, 2021

Attention inevitably turns to the second key milestone which is to offer the vaccine to everyone in priority groups 5 to 9 by the spring – that’s everyone aged 50 and over, plus everyone who is at-risk because they have an underlying health condition. Subject to supply, the Welsh Government believes it is on track to reach this target by the end of April. This week, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will also start administering the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine.

Clearly, there is still a great deal of work to be done but everyone in Wales can be proud of the progress to date. Wales is currently vaccinating more people per population than any other UK nation and it was the first to vaccinate more than a quarter of its adult population.

Our vaccination teams have done an incredible job and I pay tribute to each and every person involved in the rollout.

Over three-quarter of a million of our most vulnerable people in Wales have now received their first life-saving dose of the coronavirus vaccine 🙌

This has been a massive effort involving so many people across the country.

By working together, we can ensure a brighter future. pic.twitter.com/tW2NrBXIkT

— Welsh Government (@WelshGovernment) February 14, 2021

During the first week of February, the Welsh Government announced children aged 3 – 7 could start to return to school after half term. However, Wrexham Council confirmed last week that schools will not reopen here until 26 February at the very earliest.

Although Covid rates are lowering, the number of cases is currently still higher in Wrexham than in the rest of Wales. On 12 February, the seven-day rolling figure for Wrexham stood at 199 cases per 100,000 of the population, almost double the national average.

The Welsh Government indicated its preference was to see Foundation Phase learners return to the classrooms from 22 February but was clear that schools and local authorities would have flexibility. Local education partners had the authority to organise their timetables slightly differently, in a way that best suited local needs.

Throughout this pandemic, the Welsh Government has implemented a cautious approach when relaxing restrictions. With current rates the highest in Wales, Wrexham Council has adopted a similar stance in this instance, which has to be respected.

The situation will be monitored closely in the days ahead. When schools do reopen, Welsh Government is funding a number of additional measures that are being introduced to provide staff with an added level of assurance for their safe return to face-to-face teaching.

SUNDAY NIGHT REMINDER FOR PARENTS:

You are not teachers!
You are not superhuman!

You are simply loving parents doing your very best in a very challenging time.

Whatever your best looks like with remote is good enough and appreciated. Enjoy half term.#KeepWalesLearning pic.twitter.com/Gga9swjEgn

— WG Education (@WG_Education) February 14, 2021

An additional £200m has been announced by Welsh Government to help businesses deal with the current lockdown, taking the overall support package from December to March to £650m. This funding is passed on to Councils so it can be automatically administered to local firms as quickly as possible. If you own a hairdressers, a florists, a restaurant or a gym, you could be eligible for this funding – all you need is to be registered with Wrexham Council.

The Welsh Government estimates there are thousands of eligible businesses missing out simply because they are not registered with their Local Authority, and I know this has unfortunately been the case in Wrexham. If you pay non-domestic rates but have not registered with Wrexham Council since before the firebreak in October, please do so now.

Do you pay non-domestic rates for your hospitality, leisure, tourism or non-essential retail business?

If so you are likely to be entitled to between £6k and £10k for December to March.

Find out more here 👇https://t.co/IYl9gbU2vN pic.twitter.com/6f5mxsxgg9

— Welsh Government Economy (@WGEconomy) February 2, 2021

Finally, it still doesn’t seem real but last week Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney became the new owners of Wrexham AFC. I am very grateful to have met virtually with the new owners. It was clear during our discussion they have done their research, they are very serious about this project and they recognise the club’s importance to the local community. They will do everything they can to be successful.

Pob lwc @VancityReynolds @RMcElhenney @Wrexham_AFC

— Lesley Griffiths (@lesley4wrexham) February 9, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic continues to affect all our lives. If you are a constituent and there is something I could help you with, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South constituency Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in Parliament and the Senedd, and closer to home. (You can view an archive here).