Video: First Minister Mark Drakeford takes questions during visit to Wrexham

The new First Minister of Wales visited Wrexham on Friday and made time to answer some questions posed by regional and local media.

Below has the video from the relatively brief Q&A session, and we have split out two other short clips from the press call; one featuring an answer over homelessness and the other on a new position of Minister for North Wales.

The First Minister, Mark Drakeford AM, was sat alongside Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, the new Minister for North Wales, to take questions.

Topics covered in the Q&A included parking at hospitals, Brexit, infrastructure improvements on the A483 / A55 and A494. Another ‘regular congestion point’ at the A483 / A55 Posthouse junction was also mentioned, with cross border work with Chester and Cheshire West councils noted alongside the bill being given to the UK Government.

Health is always a major topic, so comment was given over the performance of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, with the First Minister looking to see how it ‘moves on from being in special measures to a position where it’s able to take full control over its own circumstances’.

Locally a waste PFI deal is often mentioned with Wrexham Council paying huge sums on a contract that is not due to end until 2038. The First Minister had a line in his manifesto pledging an annual review of such contracts and explained progress two weeks into the job.

Wrexham.com readers wont have failed to see the ongoing documentation of the council’s budget, and recent council tax rise. Often in meetings we hear councillors and even the chief executive mention an ‘unfair’ settlement from Welsh Government is the cause, and the First Minister speaks on the topic in the below video. The First Minister does note how he could ‘go to 22 local authorities, each will explain to me why the formula is uniquely unfair to them’.

The First Minister indicated that there will be similar regular visits to Wrexham and North Wales, and the new Minister for North Wales explains how he will be aiming to spend an extra day a week up here and what that entails.

You can view more of the above in this video: