A view from Clwyd South’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).

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates writes…

As readers will know, Wales has the best rate in the world for first doses of Covid-19 vaccinations, and has also fully vaccinated a higher percentage of people than any other UK nation. Our teams up and down the country continue to do an amazing job and are playing a huge role in getting us closer and closer each day to where we all want to be.

This week in the Senedd I will be asking the First Minister for an update about the Delta variant in North Wales and how the Welsh Government is accelerating the roll-out of second doses.

Since my last column, my local engagements have included visits to businesses including Iscoyd Park and Eco-Readymix in Ruabon, and I have also met with resident Kirsty Williams from the Ceiriog Valley about the future use of the Ysgol Pontfadog site.

I also met with Cllr David Bithell to discuss the damage caused in Newbridge by extreme weather.

Wrexham Council has been awarded £285,000 by the Welsh Government to undertake major flood repairs, and I have raised the issue of further funding with the Minister for Climate Change. The Welsh Government has been in discussions with the council about other funding opportunities which might be available, so I look forward to receiving the Minister’s response outlining how both parties can work together to remedy the situation.

In the Senedd last week, I asked Education Minister Jeremy Miles about further funding for local schools as part of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools programme.

Schools including Ysgol Penycae and Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy in Cynwyd have already benefited from the first phase of the 21st Century Schools programme, and there is more to come for Clwyd South – including plans for a brand new primary school in Brymbo.

The Minister said Clwyd South benefited from over £20m of funding during the first wave, and promised there would be “significant further investment” locally, highlighting proposed projects such as those at Ysgol yr Hafod in Johnstown, Ysgol ID Hooson in Rhos and Brymbo. You can read the Minister’s comments in full here.

I look forward to further updates on the plans and to hearing more about how this additional Welsh Government funding in our schools will benefit local pupils.

This week in the chamber, I will also be raising the issue of bank closures and asking the Minister for Social Justice for an update on the Welsh Government’s plans to create a Community Bank of Wales.

Clwyd South has lost 80% of its banks since 2015 – we’re the worst-hit part of North Wales and Barclays in Llangollen is now the sole survivor.

People in Clwyd South have long since known that banks’ claims they prioritise the interests and needs of their customers is just an empty soundbite. Over the past few years we’ve seen the big banks abandon loyal customers all over our area

These closures stem from the UK Government several years ago abandoning its agreement with the banking sector that the last branch in every community should be kept open, which our former MP Susan Elan Jones raised in the House of Commons.

When HSBC announced it was closing its Chirk and Ruabon branches in 2016, we warned that if the UK Government didn’t act urgently more and more North Wales high streets will suffer – and that’s exactly what’s happened.

The work to develop and launch a new Community Bank of Wales had begun long before coronavirus struck, but the pandemic has increased the need for it and highlighted the serious concerns many had over whether the UK’s retail banking sector is fit for social purpose.

Finally, while Wales’ Euros campaign came to an end on Saturday, they have once again made us proud. It has also been fantastic to see local players such as Neco Williams, Harry Wilson and Danny Ward representing our country on the international stage. Like everyone else, I hope to see them doing so again at next year’s World Cup.

Although I am unable to hold public surgeries at present, my team and I are still here to help. If you need advice or support, please email [email protected] and include your home address and a contact number. You can also find regular coronavirus updates on my Facebook page and sign up to my weekly newsletters here.

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).