A view from Clwyd South’s Member of Parliament

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).

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes writes…

This month has been a very positive one for the Covid-19 vaccination programme. 77% of adults across the UK have now received their first vaccine. And 53.6% of adults have had both doses. This is excellent news, not just for individual immunity, but also for our route out of the pandemic and the restrictions that come with it. The light at the end of the tunnel has never looked brighter. So, I want to take the opportunity to emphasise my respect and praise for the NHS staff, Armed Forces personnel and volunteers who are rolling out this lifesaving service. They deserve an enormous amount of thanks from us all.

I was very pleased to thank all the staff in person as part of my visit to see the teams at Ruabon Medical Centre and the Crane Medical Centre in Cefn Mawr on Friday 7th May, and to hear all about their work looking after the community, and in particular, their success in delivering the vaccination programme. During both visits, I thanked staff for their tireless work on behalf of residents and the local community, particularly getting in touch with all their patients directly about their vaccinations.

Paul Evans (Manager of Plas Newydd), Simon Baynes MP and Howard Sutcliffe (AONB Officer, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley) with one of the elm seats

I also visited some new projects at Plas Newydd, Llangollen, on Friday 21st June, where we toured the grounds to view some engraved seating made from 200-year-old Elm trees that had to be felled. The commitment of the Heritage Lottery Fund, the AONB and the team at Plas Newydd is very impressive. It is a much-loved place with an amazing history which plays an important part in the community of Llangollen. Long may it flourish!

Richard Lever (Founder), Liz Lever (Office Manager), Nick Bradshaw (Brewery Assistant) with Simon Baynes MP inside the Magic Dragon Brewery

On Friday 14th May, I was very pleased to visit Magic Dragon Brewing at The Plassey near Eyton to meet the brewery team and praise them for their hard work and continuing production throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

It was a similar pleasure to visit Craig Roberts Traditional Butchers in Cefn Mawr on Friday 30th April. They source most of their meat locally and help the community by donating meat for Ceiriog Valley Lockdown Lunches for the vulnerable.

Simon Baynes MP, Barbara Hughes and Grant Shapps MP at Ruabon Railway Station

On Tuesday 27th April, I was very pleased to welcome the Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, on a visit to Ruabon Station where we discussed the ongoing campaign to secure funding for step-free access at the station. The visit follows Mr Shapps’ recent announcement that Ruabon Station has progressed on to the next stage of the Access for All programme which will allow the Department for Transport to establish any risks and the anticipated final costs associated with delivering the project.

At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday 26th May, I highlighted the ambitious projects being proposed by Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council in their joint bid for the Levelling Up Fund in Clwyd South, including regeneration of the Trevor Basin, improvements for Chirk and Llangollen, and investment in Corwen Station and the surrounding area. I will do everything I can to bang the drum for Clwyd South to secure this funding and I’m very excited about the potential for these projects to re-spark our local economy following the Covid-19 pandemic. I was delighted to receive such a positive response from the Prime Minister and I’m very pleased that he shares my love and deep admiration for the Clwyd South constituency.

I continue to send out a monthly e-newsletter so constituents can read more about my activities in Clwyd South and Westminster. If you’d like to start receiving this monthly MP’s e-newsletter, you can sign up using the following link: www.simonbaynes.co.uk/sign-simons-e-newsletter.
As Clwyd South’s MP, I am always here to provide advice and support. If you’re a Clwyd South constituent, you can contact me and my team at any time by email on [email protected]. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if there’s anything I can do to help you.

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).