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 Member of the Senedd, Ken Skates writes: ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​ ‌

I’m delighted that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has confirmed Welsh Government funding is in place to keep a metastatic cancer nurse at Wrexham Maelor.

I made urgent representations to the health board on this issue after being contacted by constituents who were concerned that the future of such a key role might be in doubt.

On Friday I received the following update from BCUHB: “Following your recent correspondence about the future of the Metastatic Cancer Nurse Specialist position in Wrexham, I’m pleased to confirm that funding for this post has now been extended up to the end of the current financial year.

“I appreciate that this news will come as a relief to the constituents who have contacted you to express concern about this issue.

“As you will recall from previous correspondence, the Metastatic Cancer Nurse Specialist based at Wrexham Maelor Hospital left her post in the summer of 2023 and a decision was taken to second an experienced nurse from the hospital’s Shooting Star Unit to this position on a temporary basis. Following a formal evaluation of the service, a decision has been taken today to extend funding for this post up to 31st March 2025.

“This is one of a number of posts that are being funded on a non-recurrent basis, using temporary funding provided by Welsh Government to support enhanced performance and transformation. Work is ongoing with Welsh Government to articulate the impact these funds have had over recent years in order to secure this funding on an ongoing basis beyond 31st March 2025.

“We recognise the impact this role has had in supporting patients across the Wrexham area and I am sorry for any concern this issue has caused in recent months. I can assure you that we remain fully committed to providing standards of cancer care in line with national guidance and best practice.”

I hope this news will provide comfort and reassurance to patients, and I’m grateful to the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Eluned Morgan, for delivering this crucial funding. I will also raise the issue of future funding personally with the Cabinet Secretary.

On Friday I visited a pioneering business in Clwyd South which has helped more than 15,000 pets and is the only organisation of its kind in Europe.

The Veterinary Tissue Bank (VTB) in Chirk was established in 2009 and is dedicated to helping animals in need of life changing surgeries.

It was a fascinating visit and it was a pleasure to meet VTB founders Dr Peter Myint and Prof John Innes and tissue bank coordinator Giuliana Dotolo.

The tissue bank is always looking for donations, and each donation can help more than 60 other pets in need. VTB is able to offer owners of suitable donors cremations free of charge and will arrange for your pets ashes to be returned to you. For more information visit https://www.vtbank.org/.

Along with Johnstown councillor David Bithell, I recently met with bosses from waste management company Enovert to discuss residents’ ongoing concerns over foul smells from Hafod Quarry.

An enforcement notice was issued to the company in December over breaches of its environmental permit. Enovert has since been working with Natural Resources Wales on an agreed action plan.

We were grateful for the chief executive and regional manager’s time and to be given the opportunity to speak honestly with them face-to-face.

Enovert told us they are committed to working with NRW to improve things. This will be closely monitored and the company is acutely aware that further action could be taken.

In turn, we were clear that we will support further sanctions if improvements are not made and that we will continue to raise residents’ concerns.

Residents are being encouraged to contact their local council to let them know which local roads should stay at 20mph and which should revert to 30mph.

The Welsh Government has launched a major public consultation exercise to deliver targeted change to the implementation of the policy, and will work with councils to revise the guidance on which local roads can be exempted.

New guidance will be published in July and councils will be able to begin adjusting speed limits on relevant roads from September.

When the 20mph policy was first announced, my main concern was that local people were not consulted. Ultimately, now, the degree of change will not be determined by MSs or the Welsh Government, but by the public and by local councils.

If you need help or advice, email [email protected] or call my office on 01978 869058. You can also follow me on Facebook and subscribe to my e-newsletters by contacting my office.