A view from Wrexham’s Member of Parliament

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd 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 her first column of 2023, Sarah Atherton MP writes:

First of all, I hope everybody had a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year! Whilst last year was challenging on many fronts, we have entered this new year on a path of stability and delivery.

In fact, December 12th marked 3 years that I have been delivering as the Member of Parliament for Wrexham and I am honoured to have been re-adopted as Wrexham’s Conservative candidate for the next General Election.

Even faced with some unique circumstances, Wrexham is now firmly on the map and as such, has many successes we can celebrate and be proud of. From welcoming numerous Ministers to Wrexham, a world-famous football club, receiving £22m from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, to making it to the final of the City of Culture 2025 and gaining City status with a very special royal visit to seal the year.

Having dealt with 4,000 cases in last year from constituents with my brilliant casework team, I will continue to voice your concerns and hit the ground running this year by lobbying the Welsh Government and UK Government to prioritise issues that matter most to my constituents, such as healthcare, housing and transport.

Following my letter to the Chief Executive of Wrexham Council seeking clarification of the next steps for spending the £22.4 million from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Wrexham Council has confirmed that the application process for round one should open this month. This means that individuals, businesses, and charities can now apply for a £250,000 grant.

The draft application and guidance and more information can be found via this link.  The UKSPF replaces funding from the EU, and thanks to Brexit, this money now goes straight to local councils to decide how it is spent, rather than to Cardiff to distribute.

This level of UK Government commitment to enhancing and growing Wrexham, and the Union, is unmatched. I look forward to working closely with Wrexham Council to see how this money is spent to benefit Wrexham.

Earlier last month, I wrote to the Welsh Government about their Road Review and Phosphates policy which are both impacting planning developments in Wrexham.

The key worry here is that time and time again the Welsh Government fails to prioritise spending money where it really matters. This is crucial for ensuring transport connectivity and growth for our new city.

Following my transport survey back in July, Wrexham residents have made their views clear that they disagree with the Welsh Government 20mph blanket policy: in fact, 94% of survey respondents disagreed. On top of this, they consistently face congestion on the A483 and the Welsh Government are yet to decide on the plans for the much-needed bypass on the A482 under the Welsh Roads Review.

This bypass would resolve many of my constituents’ concerns by improving journey times, providing better connectivity for local residents, workers, and tourists. Whilst the Welsh Government think that using £32million worth of taxpayer’s money for an unwanted 20mph policy and £3m of taxpayers on a wasted speed camera programme is ‘logical’, refusing to invest in making infrastructure and road improvements is illogical and will certainly hinder Wrexham.

The Welsh Labour Government needs to get Wales moving again by investing into road improvements with a transport agenda that encourages growth rather than freezing it.

Lastly, the 2022 Everyone Deserves a Christmas appeal was bigger and better than in previous years! Wrexham businesses along with residents have shown their true sense of community spirit by helping those less fortunate during a time which is particularly hard for many people.

Back in December, I was so pleased to join the team at Mecca Bingo to get our Santa hats on and deliver the hampers throughout Wrexham. Special thanks to Tracy Leigh, Jane Wedley and Kath Williams for organising another successful year of Everyone Deserves a Christmas.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated, these Christmas hampers and gift bags truly brighten many families’ festive celebrations. If you missed the chance to donate this time round, then make sure to keep an eye out for next year’s appeal!

As always, if you are a resident in Wrexham and need my assistance with any local or national issues, please contact me by emailing [email protected].