A view from Clwyd South’s Member of Parliament

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home – you can find them all here. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In his monthly column for Wrexham.com, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes writes:

As Parliament returns from summer recess I wish to share some of the work I have been doing during this time throughout Clwyd South.

The Nightingale House Hospice does tremendous work, and I am proud to support fundraising efforts to enable their invaluable service to the community.

The Sun Trevor pub outside Llangollen have been fundraising for the Hospice through their weekly pub quiz and have raised over £24,500 to date.

I joined the owners of The Sun Trevor, Paul and Katy Jones, along with their Quizmaster, Maggie Smith, on Friday 21st July for the unveiling of a cheque worth £1,500 to Nightingale House Hospice following the culmination of fundraising efforts over the last seven months via their pub quiz.

Alana Williams, Joel Whitaker, Maggie Smith, Simon Baynes MP, Katy Jones, Paul Jones and Jess Coaley-Postle outside of The Sun Trevor near Llangollen.

Community gardens provide volunteers and residents alike with a space to enjoy wildlife and to learn about nature in a social setting. As a gardener myself I also recognise the value in spending time outdoors and the positive impact that this can have.

I recently had the pleasure of presenting the Plas Pentwyn Gardening Group in Coedpoeth with their well-deserved 2023/24 Green Flag and certificate.

It is the 8th consecutive year that the Group, which runs the Plas Pentwyn Community Garden in Coedpoeth, has been awarded Green Flag status.

The community garden and orchard at the site are maintained through the voluntary efforts of the group, who use sustainable and eco-friendly methods that allow it to serve as a haven for wildlife as well as a space for the wider community.

The group is open to all ages and abilities and is free of charge.

Anne Davies, Mike Taylor, Moira Taylor, Moira Matthias, Simon Baynes MP, Jane Robertson, Matthew Hughes, Ian Williams and Jac Kearsley at Plas Pentwyn Community Garden.

I was elected on a manifesto that pledged to Level Up the UK and I am proud of the work that has been undertaken in Clwyd South to date to facilitate this.

I was delighted to learn that Denbighshire County Council has now launched the tendering process to find a contractor to undertake works for Llangollen’s 4 Great Highways as part of Clwyd South’s £13.3 million UK Government Levelling Up Fund programme.

The project aims to enhance the landscape and improve accessibility, interpretation and signage at the Llangollen Canal, the old Ruabon to Barmouth Railway, the River Dee and A5 Holyhead Road.

The UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund is having a real, tangible benefit for the people of Clwyd South. I look forward to seeing the project being brought to completion next year.

David Metcalfe, Ryan Saunders, Chloe Goodwin, Debbie Hughes, Simon Baynes MP, Marcus Ansloos, Jonathan Holland, Jess Pemberton and Carl Holland.

It is important that communities in Clwyd South receive opportunities for growth and development and, since being elected, I have worked to ensure that their voices are heard when funding decisions are made at both the local and national level.

At an event organised by David Metcalfe, I recently met with local businesses at the Ebenezer Chapel in Cefn Mawr to discuss ways to increase economic and other activity within the community with a focus on the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, the sale of retail premises for renovation into houses and increasing tourist footfall in the village.

Residents can always be trusted to know what is best for the future of their own communities and I am always keen to support these causes at a national level in the House of Commons. I

met with the Esclusham Community Group to discuss their concerns over proposals to construct the world’s largest battery container storage park over 37 acres of land near Bersham.

During the meeting Cllr Mark Pritchard and I heard numerous concerns about the proposals, including the threat to the safety of residents in the event of an explosion, the environmental impact of the proposal and the threat posed to ancient monuments at the site.

Kevin Jones, Yvonne Jones, Allan Jones, Rachel Stockton, Alan Hughes, Maria Morris, Trudy Ellcock-Brown, Simon Baynes MP, Shirley Alebon, Martin Alebon, Janice Hughes, Ian Lloyd and Cllr Mark Pritchard.

Getting involved in politics at the local level is a fantastic way to serve your community, especially so when you are a young person with fresh ideas and a unique perspective. It was a pleasure to meet with two of our youngest new Councillors in Clwyd South in July and to discuss their plans.

Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam was co-opted onto Llangollen Town Council in June, making him one of the youngest Councillors in Denbighshire County Council. Cllr Will Martin was co-opted onto Brymbo Community Council in July, making him one of the youngest elected officials within Wrexham County Borough Council.

Cllr Damon Richards-Gwilliam, Simon Baynes MP and Cllr Will Martin in Llangollen.

A-Level and GCSE results are the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to studying. They are also an important avenue to future success. I congratulate all students in Clwyd South on their hard-earned exam results and wish you all the best for your next steps whether they be in continued education or entering the world of employment.

As your Member of Parliament, my team and I are always here to provide advice and support. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​For updates on my work in Clwyd South and Westminster, please visit my website www.simonbaynes.co.uk  ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​ ​

If you’re a constituent and you wish to contact me with an issue of concern, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on [email protected]