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:

Wrexham.com readers will be aware that Lesley Griffiths and I have been involved in a long-running dispute with Euro Car Parks, the company which operates the car park at Island Green.

Sadly, it has proved extremely difficult to make significant progress. That’s partly down to Euro Car Parks’ arrogance and unwillingness to take part in sensible discussion, as well as their refusal to show any empathy or utilise any shred of commonsense in regard to the numerous appeals Lesley and I have made on behalf of local people.

But it’s also because private car park operators are allowed to ride roughshod over customers, because what they do is within UK law.

However, Lesley and I are hopeful that an ongoing consultation run by the UK Government, which has recently been extended until October 8, will lead to new legislation to clamp down on these sharks.

If enough people respond, UK Ministers will have no choice but to significantly tighten up the rules which allow these firms to operate with impunity and issue unfair fines.

The full report can be read on the UK Government website here, and the email address to respond to is [email protected]

Last week I was interviewed by ITV Wales about the future of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, which I’m a proud supporter and vice president of.

The Eisteddfod generates huge investment in the local economy, and like everyone else I want to see it flourish.

The Welsh Government has supported this flagship event with hundreds of thousands of pounds in recent years, and I will do everything I can to help secure further funding. I will also continue to offer my full support and help the board and trustees however I can.

As in many, many previous months, I have received numerous emails and calls from constituents since my last column asking what is happening with the closed B5605 at Newbridge.

As a result, I once again contacted Wrexham Council to ask for an update to share with residents.

As those who have followed the saga will know, the matter has been entirely in the council’s hands since April 2022, when the Welsh Government awarded it funding of £2.8m for the entirety of the work after a campaign I was involved with alongside local councillors Frank Hemmings and Derek Wright.

I share residents’ frustrations over the lack of progress so far. In May, the council told me it aimed to have the road reopened by the end of 2023. However, that appears to no longer be the case.

To keep local people informed of the latest developments, I am sharing below the council’s word-for-word response to my most recent representations:

“A Design and Build Contract was awarded to the preferred contractor, Jones Bros Ltd, in July following a tender process via the North and Mid Wales Trunk Roads framework. Consulting Engineers Atkins Ltd have been leading on behalf of WCBC, ensuring procurement and contractual compliance is maintained, including best value for WCBC.

“The landslip repair is complex in terms of the challenging ground conditions, and identifying the most effective and cost efficient repair approach has resulted in this Design and Build Contract being divided into two stages. The first stage involves Jones Bros undertaking further and more detailed ground investigation works that will be utilised to allow a design that is fully costed, so allowing construction in the second stage to be implemented smoothly.

“This work is ongoing with Ground Investigation specialists having been recently appointed by Jones Bros. The ground investigation works will be taking place on site early in September. Atkins have also been progressing with various studies including ecology and environmental impact surveys, the findings of these surveys will influence the Design and Build Contractors second stage planning and methods of working.

“Whilst we are keen to see the Design and Build Contract progress to stage two, we also understand that seeing no physical activity is understandably causing frustration, but we are confident that we have the benefit of the best team involved in the form of this Design and Build Contractor. As with any project of this scale, the design and planning stages commonly take longer than the construction stage.

“Jones Bros Ltd are also in the process of setting up a publicly accessible social media account dedicated to Newbridge, so that the latest news can be accessed for those who prefer to use this medium.”

As always, I will continue to press the council to reinstate this key route as soon as possible and to provide proactive and regular public updates to keep people informed.

I will be holding advice surgeries in the coming weeks in Overton, Rhos and Brymbo. North Wales Police have also been invited to help constituents who want to discuss any matters with them.

Appointments are not needed as surgeries operate on a first-come, first-served basis, but please note they are only for those who live in Clwyd South.

If you need help 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 by emailing my office.