Local Surveys
I am always interested to hear your views regarding issues affecting you or our community. So I have set-up a number of ‘60 Second Surveys’ to be completed by businesses and residents in Montgomeryshire. They cover the issues of economic development, wind energy and transport. The online surveys can be accessed through my website www.russellgeorge.com
Single Farm Payments
I am continuing to get to the bottom of why some of our farmers who were affected by the April snow haven’t received their advanced Single Farm Payment, as the Welsh Government promised.
Broadband
There has been further progress in relation to the Welsh Government’s Superfast Cymru project. BT has recently announced the projected roll-out schedule of the majority of the communities in Montgomeryshire and that will start next March and will go through to March 2015. The details can be found on my website.
Reorganisation of Shropshire hospital services
Glyn Davies and I continue to meet regularly with senior health service managers and clinicians on both sides of the border to understand what the potential impact would be of certain changes, as well as gauging a range of opinions. I can again reconfirm that we have been assured that A&E services at Shrewsbury are unaffected. Last week Glyn and I met with officials & the Chief Executive officer of Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt hospital (Gobowen) to discuss concerns around waiting times. We have both been actively pressing for a reduction in waiting times and I am pleased to confirm that many patients in Mid Wales will see waiting times for treatment at the hospital cut from 36 to 26 weeks after successful negotiations.
Cancellation of operations at Bronglais
Hywel Dda Health Board has set-out proposals on how it will deal with the expected increased activity over the winter season, which includes the planned delay of some elective orthopaedic operations across its hospitals in Mid and West Wales, including Bronglais. This will be an issue of considerable concern to patients in Montgomeryshire. Having initially asked for an urgent statement from the Health Minister, he eventually did come forward to answer urgent questions on this and I have posted my questions, along with others, with the responses from Welsh Minister’s on my website. I am conscious of the additional pressures that this may cause other health boards and have discussed this with the Chief Executive of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital Trust.
Local Government funding
Powys has again received a rough deal from the Welsh Government. This is the seventh year in a row that it has received the largest budget cut of Welsh local authorities and with a proposed reduction of 4.6% (£8.7m), many local services are going to be under severe threat. I have challenged the Welsh Government again to change the funding formula so that it better reflects the challenges of delivering public services in rural areas.
Newtown traffic issues
After years of campaigning, I am pleased that preparatory survey work has begun, leading the way to the construction of the Newtown Bypass. I recently met with Edwina Hart, Minister for Economy, Science and Transport, to discuss both the bypass, as well as the short-term solutions required to ease the current congestion. The Minister has re-confirmed her commitment to the bypass. In relation to short-term plans, a significant alteration that is being taken forward is to carry out works for a slip road at Cambrian Way. The Welsh Government is also in discussion with the Preem Indian Restaurant including neighbouring properties to demolish the building in order to provide a further slip road at this location.
Llanymynech to Pant bypass
One of the Assembly Committees I sit on, continues to examine a petition calling for the bypass to return to the political agenda for further debate. I am doing everything possible to ensure the Welsh and UK Governments actively engage in dialogue on this issue.