It is a great privilege to have been re-elected as the Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire. Naturally, I’m grateful to those who voted for me and invested their trust in me to stand up for the best interests of Montgomeryshire in Cardiff Bay. And for those who didn’t vote for me, please be assured that I will do my best to represent all the people of Montgomeryshire to the best of my ability. My Party were bitterly disappointed to lose Christopher Salmon as our Police & Crime Commissioner. He has served Dyfed Powys with distinction and pride, and has earned much-deserved praise for the way in which he has established the role of Police and Crime Commissioner and for his notable achievements. We now have more police officers on our rural beats for more time and crime has fallen further and faster than anywhere else in Wales. This should be celebrated and I hope that the next Commissioner, Dafydd Llewelyn, will build on this legacy. I look forward to working with him. And while I was saddened to lose three of my Assembly colleagues, we have consolidated our position in many areas and can build on these results in important local government elections which take place next year. The most significant change from these elections is the election of seven UKIP members, with Neil Hamilton representing Mid & West Wales. I very much hope that UKIP members play a constructive role of scrutiny in the Assembly and graduate from what has been a party of protest into a mature political party, which articulates what it is for rather than solely what it is against. There’s an important job of work to be done in Cardiff Bay and I hope that all Assembly Members who represent our area will be as committed as I am to working hard for the people of Montgomeryshire and in holding the Welsh Government to account. For me, I will be looking to make progress on the priorities which I set out during the election campaign - delivering the best possible outcome for local health care, jointly fighting for this vitally important service with our MP Glyn Davies; supporting and empowering our schools; backing Montgomeryshire’s businesses; supporting our farming industry; fighting for more investment and fair funding for our county; campaigning for further transport improvements to keep Mid Wales moving; and pushing for universal access to good broadband and mobile coverage. I look forward to supporting all of my constituents over the next five years and please do not hesitate to contact my office if you feel that I can be of any help. My offices are located at 13 Parkers Lane, Newtown and 20 High Street, Welshpool. My telephone number is 01686 610887 and you can contact me by email at [email protected]
