Dear resident,
Happy New Year.
Please find below my latest monthly newsletter. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you feel that I can help in any way or if you have any feedback.
Kind regards
Russell
National Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire
Health
I have recently produced an update on health matters following my recent health survey which received an overwhelming response with over 2500 residents making their views heard. Please click here for the full update on issues ranging from waiting times, cancer treatment, local access to services and GP appointments.
Education
School Term time absences
Last month, I asked Powys County Council to review its approach to term time absences after I discovered that the local authority may not be acting in the spirit of the law.
There appears to be a great deal of confusion within different local authorities across Wales as to what the legal position is, with many authorities including Powys advising schools and parents that “exceptional” or “special” circumstances must apply before a request for absence during term time can be considered.
The Welsh Government has published guidance for local authorities on absence during term time, but I believe this is not being followed by Powys County Council. The relevant legislation gives head teachers the discretion to grant up to 10 days leave per school year for the purposes of a family holiday during term time. Any leave over 10 days can only be authorised in exceptional circumstances.
I have been made aware of local schools in Powys who are sending letters to parents threatening them with fines for taking time off for a family holiday and are incorrectly citing guidance that any time off at all can only be allowed in exceptional circumstances.
After raising this matter with the Minister for Education, Huw Lewis, I am pleased that the Welsh Government has written to Powys County Council’s Education Welfare Service to clearly confirm that “exceptional circumstances” are reserved for requests beyond ten days.
I believe that individual head teachers should be allowed to use their discretion in authorising family holidays during term time.
Dedicated family time can be just as important to a young person’s growing up as their formal education and family breaks should not be automatically written off as a lack of learning time.
Mid Wales Connection and Wind Energy
Following receipt of claims by RWE and RES challenging the Secretary of State’s decisions on the Carnedd Wen and Llanbrynmair wind farm applications, the Secretary of State has decided that the two planning decisions should be revoked. The Secretary of State will now be taking steps to put in place a process for the redetermination of the two wind farm applications. Although there is no statutory timescale for redetermination of applications, the Secretary of State aims to do this in a timely manner.
Our MP, Glyn Davies, has recently clarified the current position and I thought it would be useful to replicate what Glyn has said here which I fully endorse:-
“These two developments were part of the conjoined public inquiry into five wind farms (plus a 132kv power line) which took place over 9 months from 2013-14, and were refused by the Secretary of State on September 7th 2015. The Carnedd Wen and Llanbrynmair proposals (and others) were refused.
The developers decided to seek a Judicial Review into the process by which these decisions were reached. The Secretary of State considered the position and judged that the best way forward was to 'quash' the decisions and reconsider them. She agreed with the High Court that this take place on December 16th.
Such controversial decisions must be dealt with scrupulously and as transparently as possible.
I accept that the Secretary of State must give full consideration to these two applications. I also hope that after due consideration she will come to the same decision as she did on September 7th.”
Community Banking
Just before Christmas, I attended a meeting along with Glyn Davies MP, the County Councillor for Llanfyllin, Cllr. Peter Lewis, and the Mayor of Llanfyllin, Cllr. Ann Williams, at a meeting with HSBC management in an effort to persuade them to reconsider their decision to close its branches in Llanfyllin and Llanfair Caereinion from Friday 12th February.
During the meeting with HSBC’s senior management, I presented results from my recent residents’ survey which showed overwhelming support for the retention of both branches.
However, in spite of our calls for them to reconsider, they were not willing to reverse their decision and keep these branches open.
Instead, they informed us that customers will be able to access their accounts at the local Post Office in both Llanfyllin and Llanfair Caereinion and I am pleased that the Post Office have confirmed that, in addition to individual customers, HSBC business customers will also be able to undertake banking transactions at the Post Office. This will provide a lifeline to small rural businesses who would otherwise have to travel to larger towns such as Welshpool to make banking transactions.
I hope that this announcement from the Post Office will result in progress on a new model of ‘community banking’ to safeguard rural communities from further bank closures. However, all said, the closure of both banks is a huge loss to both communities.
The HSBC Branch manager in Welshpool, Sandy George, has said she would be happy for any customer who has questions to call her directly. She can be contacted on 03455 846 022.
Transport – Rail
Carno Station
Earlier this month, I was pleased to receive a letter from the Minister for Transport, Edwina Hart, to confirm that she has asked her officials, Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail to undertake further analysis on the feasibility of re-opening Carno railway station, 53 years after it was closed. This is a positive step forward and I would like to pay tribute to the Carno Station Action Group for the way in which they have campaigned over many years to reach this point. Mrs Hart has asked for the review to be completed by February and I hope to be able to report further positive news in the near future.
Rail Safety
I have also recently met with Network Rail to discuss a range of issues regarding rail safety on the Cambrian railway line following on-going safety concerns from farmers and landowners who move their livestock across the railway.
While I clearly welcome the fact that hourly rail services between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury have begun, the additional services have posed a safety issue for farmers needing to move their livestock safely across the track within a restricted time slot.
This is an issue which I have raised with Network Rail several times over recent years and they have now agreed to review the national standards of fence wiring, ensuring that fences are well maintained. They have also agreed to look at the issue of livestock safety and will look at each crossing on its merits to see whether stock holding pens would be a viable option, in association with landowners.
Network Rail were also keen to close as many unused level crossings as possible to improve safety and the punctuality of trains. I would be happy for any farmer or landowner, who would like to meet with Network Rail to discuss specific concerns, to contact me directly.
Agriculture
Randall Parker Foods
In December, I was joined by the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew R.T. Davies AM, on a visit to Randall Parker Foods near Llanidloes. We also met with Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales, the body responsible for the development, promotion and marketing of Welsh red meat to learn about the strong partnership the company has forged with HCC to promote and market its produce.
Randall Parker Foods is a great example of a substantial business based in mid Wales which has invested a significant amount of money in their company to enable them to expand and deliver even more value back to prime Welsh livestock farmers.
International sales of Welsh lamb and beef are worth more than £200 million to the economy of Wales and it is vital that we protect this crucial industry for the prosperity of the whole of Wales.
Advice Surgeries
I hold regular surgeries at my Newtown office and I will also be in the following areas in the near future. For more information or to book an appointment to see me to discuss any issue or concern, please call my office on 01686 610887.
· Saturday 23rd January – Montgomery & Kerry
· Friday 29th January - Llanidloes
· Saturday 30th January – Machynlleth, Cemmaes & Commins Coch
· Friday 5th February – Llangadfan, Llanerfyl & Llanfair Caereinion
· Saturday 13th February – Welshpool
· Saturday 12th February – Meifod, Pontrobert & Bwlch y Cibau
· Saturday 13th February – Castle Caereinion
Useful Links
For the up to date information on flooding, winter gritting, traffic delays and school closures, I thought it would be useful to include the following links:
Winter gritting
Flooding alerts & advice
Traffic delays & planned roadworks
School Closures