A view from Clwyd South’s Member of Parliament

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 MP Simon Baynes writes…

I warmly welcome the news that now over 30 million people across the UK have received their first Covid-19 vaccine dose. And have nothing but praise for the NHS staff, Armed Forces personnel and volunteers who are giving such a fantastic service. They deserve an enormous amount of thanks from us all.

For that reason too, I warmly welcome the news that the UK Government will be providing an extra £400 million in funding for the NHS in Wales – as a result of the announcement by the Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, of a further £7 billion for NHS and social care services across the UK. As this funding will come through the Barnett Formula, it will be up to the Welsh Government to decide how to spend it. So, I truly hope the funding is used to benefit Welsh NHS services which need it most, including here in North Wales.

I was pleased to recently highlight in Parliament the potential benefits of the levelling-up fund for projects in Clwyd South, particularly Wrexham County Borough Council’s bold regeneration plans and the reopening of Corwen station in Denbighshire on the Llangollen Railway. These projects have real potential to bring funding and investment to Clwyd South which our communities vitally need following the Covid-19 pandemic. So, I’m keen, whenever possible, to bang the drum and support these projects and I’m eager to work with the UK Government to boost our North Wales economy and encourage growth and the creation of new, well-paying jobs locally.

I’m also delighted that the UK Government have said that Ruabon Railway Station will be progressing to the next stage of the Access for All programme with a feasibility study for step-free access – something I’ve been campaigning for both locally in Clwyd South and in Parliament since becoming the local MP and which shows the commitment of the UK Government to Clwyd South and North Wales. This would not have been possible without the help and support of County Cllr David A Bithell (Environment and Transport Lead at Wrexham Council), Darren Williams (Chief Environment and Technical Officer at Wrexham Council), County Cllr Joan Lowe (the local County Councillor for Penycae and Ruabon South), Sheila Dee (Community Rail Officer of the Chester Shrewsbury Rail Partnership), the team at Network Rail, the Welsh Government, Ruabon Community Council and the Friends of Ruabon who have all worked so hard to get to this crucial stage. This project is very much needed to make sure all passengers can access the jobs and leisure opportunities that will make our community an even greater place to live and work!
I am delighted that our Animal Welfare Bill has passed in the House of Commons. It will now go to the House of Lords and then back to the House of Commons for its third and final reading. This is a great step in ensuring we tackle animal cruelty as this is an extremely important issue for both me and my constituents.

As the MP representing Llangollen, its famous canal and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, I was also very glad to be elected a Vice-Chair of the APPG for the Waterways so that I can make the positive case for tourism and enjoyment as well as the regeneration of our magnificent canals and waterways. We have a chance post-Covid to promote our historic canals and their social, economic and cultural value to a new generation, and so I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues on the APPG.

I continue to send out a monthly e-newsletter so constituents can read more about my activities in Clwyd South and Westminster. If you’d like to start receiving this monthly MP’s e-newsletter, you can sign up using the following link: www.simonbaynes.co.uk/sign-simons-e-newsletter.

As Clwyd South’s MP, I am always here to provide advice and support. If you’re a Clwyd South constituent, you can contact me and my team at any time by email on [email protected]. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if there’s anything I can do to help you.

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).