A view from Clwyd South’s Member of the Senedd

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 this month’s column Clwyd South’s MS writes:

I have been contacted by a number of constituents about the proposed Redrow development at Lower Berse Farm.

I have already raised concerns about the development, on behalf of residents, with Wrexham Council as the local planning authority which will decide on the application.

Redrow recently carried out a Pre-Application Consultation Exercise, which is a requirement for proposed schemes categorised as major developments. I am sure many of you will have registered your comments with the company or attended the drop-in event at Tŷ Pawb in Wrexham.

Once Wrexham Council receives a planning application from the company, it will invite local people to make formal comments which it says ‘will be considered before formal determination’.

Further details will be announced by the council in due course, and I would urge as many of you as possible to engage with the public consultation process and make your voices heard.

As a Member of the Senedd, I will not have a vote in the decision-making process. However, I will continue to make representations to Wrexham Council on behalf of local people.

I teamed up with St John Ambulance Cymru to put on a defibrillator awareness event at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre this week.

The feedback was really good after the session, which taught constituents vital skills which could one day help them save a life.

St John Ambulance offers free first aid-related courses to communities, youth groups and schools as part of its goal to put a first aider on every street in Wales.

This was a great opportunity for me to work with them to offer my constituents lifesaving skills.

I’m delighted that Ruabon now has its post office back, as reported by Wrexham.com this week.

Following the announcement that McColl’s would close, Ruabon councillor Dana Davies and I made immediate contact with the Post Office to press for counter services to be retained in the village.

Fortunately, after a review of the area, the company confirmed it was advertising for a new premises.

I’m glad that the Post Office listened and were able to find a suitable new home at Ruabon Discount Store. It’s an ideal location, right in the middle of the village and with parking on the doorstep.

It’s fantastic to have a branch back in Ruabon, and I hope local people will get behind it. I wish store owner Steve Ithell and his team every success.

Congratulations to the sixth form students in Clwyd South and Wrexham who will receive their A-Level results this week. Whatever your grades, there are options and opportunities out there for you.

Careers Wales has lots of information to help you plan your career, prepare to get a job and find and apply for the right apprenticeships, courses and training.

It includes insight into Welsh industries and what jobs you could do now and in the future, regardless of your qualifications Find out more here.

UCAS also has a dedicated space on its website for finding apprenticeships in Wales, including information on what sort of careers might be most suitable afterwards. You can find out more here.

Over the past few weeks I have been out with members of my team and volunteers delivering my summer constituency reports. If you haven’t received one and would like one, please let me know.

In the two-page section ‘Help with the cost-of-living crisis’, I omitted to include contact details for Hafren Dyfrdwy. You can find out how the company can help you pay your water bill here.

My next surgeries will be held at George Edwards Hall in Cefn Mawr on Friday, September 8 (10-11am) and Overton Village Hall on Friday, October 13 (1-2pm).

You don’t need to book an appointment – surgeries are run on a first-come, first-served basis.

Police will also be in attendance to discuss any issues constituents would like to raise with officers.

If you need help or advice in the meantime, you can email [email protected] or call my office on 01978 869058.

You can also follow me on Facebook and subscribe to my regular e-newsletters.