A view from Clwyd South’s Member of Parliament

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd 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:

With the General Election now announced for 4th July, I will no longer be the Member of Parliament for Clwyd South from the 30th May.

It has been a huge privilege to serve as your MP for the past four and a half years and the honour of a lifetime.

My team and I have handled a total of 16,669 cases for constituents since I was elected in December 2019, of which 5,939 were casework and 10,730 were answering policy issues.

It is great to see the hard-work and dedication of volunteers across Clwyd South who help to contribute to their communities and make them better places to live.

It was a pleasure therefore to join Gail McEvoy-Jones and other residents in Llwyneinion Woods near Rhos on 11th April, where
they have recently received Lottery funding to fence the site and plant 1,400 trees.

Gail McEvoy-Jones and her team of residents have worked alongside my office for over four years to secure community-ownership of the Llwyneinion Woods, in order to ensure their environmental and green-space protection.

Simon Baynes MP with residents and pupils from Ysgol Maes-y-Mynydd at Llwyneinion Woods on 11 April

The Woods had have previously suffered from vandalism and poor management.

The residents’ tireless dedication to the cause led to a positive outcome, which they can take great pride in achieving and it was a pleasure to see during my visit the pupils of Ysgol Maes-y-Mynydd enjoying their Forest School in the Woods.

Our childcare providers across Clwyd South work tirelessly to provide the best possible start in life to our children and should be very proud of their work.

It was a pleasure to invite Vicki Mitchell, the Manager of Manford’s Little Lambs nursery, to a Reception on Tuesday 30th April at No 10 Downing Street.

Simon Baynes MP with residents and pupils from Ysgol Maes-y-Mynydd at Llwyneinion Woods on 11 April.

The reception was to celebrate the work of Community Childcare Champions and was hosted by the Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, David Johnston OBE MP. Manford’s Little Lambs is based at Castle Road in Chirk.

Last year, their work was recognised when they received the prestigious Healthy and Sustainable Pre-School Scheme National Award from Welsh Government.

The reward was received for demonstrating that they have implemented actions that have covered a wide range of health issues including, Nutrition and Oral Health, Physical Activity/Active Play, Mental and Emotional Health, Wellbeing and Relationships, Environment, Safety, Hygiene and Workplace Health and Wellbeing.

Simon Baynes with Hayley Garrod from the Chirk Swift and House Martins at St Mary’s Church, Chirk

As the Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Woods and Trees, I take a keen interest in nature and preserving it for future generations to enjoy.

It was therefore a great pleasure to recently meet with Hayley Garrod at St Mary’s Church in Chirk, who set up the community group Chirk Swifts and House Martins to conserve these amazing birds which have been in decline.

The security team in Parliament play an essential role in keeping all parliamentarians, staff and guests who visit the House of Commons safe.

It was a pleasure to meet Bess, the explosives detection dog, on Wednesday 8th May, while she was making sure the House of Commons Chamber was safe ahead of Prime Minister’s Questions.

The explosives detection dogs check the Commons Chamber every day before it sits. I would like to thank Bess and the entire security team for their tireless work to ensure the safety of all those who work in Parliament.

Our canals and rivers are a key part of our heritage and, in my role as an Officer of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Waterways, I am proud to champion them in the House of Commons.

Simon Baynes MP at the Canal & River Trust Parliamentary Reception

It was therefore very good to attend a parliamentary reception recently with the Canal & River Trust in the House of Commons given the very important work they do in Clwyd South with the Llangollen Canal and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site and my £13.3m Clwyd South Levelling Up Fund which is being partly invested in the Trevor Basin.

As the Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport I had the privilege of serving on the Football Governance Bill Committee, which was part of the progress of the Football Governance Bill through the House of Commons. The Bill was designed to protect football clubs via the creation of an independent regulator.

The Alzheimer’s Society do an amazing job in raising awareness of this condition which affects many people in Clwyd South.

Simon Baynes MP with James White from the Alzheimer’s Society during their Parliamentary drop-in on 15 May

It was a pleasure to meet with them in Parliament on Wednesday 15th May during Dementia Action Week and learn more about the vital importance of dementia diagnosis in Clwyd South.

This is a cause particularly close to my heart as my mother-in-law had Alzheimer’s. One in two people with dementia in Wales are living without a diagnosis. It is vital that we drive up diagnosis rates in Clwyd South and across the UK.

Everyone living with dementia deserves an early diagnosis and to know what type they have, to allow them to access the treatment and support they deserve.

During the General Election my office will remain open for emergency casework and enquiries and can be contacted via my email at [email protected].

Finally, a very big thank you for all of your support and engagement during my time as your MP since December 2019. It has been a great honour to serve you.