April Newsletter

April Newsletter

 

Dear resident,

We are currently in the middle of a General election campaign for the UK parliamentary elections. Elections for the National Assembly for Wales will take place next year. You should have received your polling card over the past few days, if you have not, then there is still time to register.

 

This month, I have included issues which I have been working on over the last month on behalf of the residents of Montgomeryshire and in my role as Shadow Minister for Agriculture & Rural Affairs.

 

General Election 2015

 

The General Election will be on Thursday May 7th and you cannot vote unless your name is on the Register of Electors. The deadline for receiving applications to register to vote is Monday 20th April.

 

Register to vote using the Electoral Commission website or if you prefer to complete a paper application, please contact Electoral Services:-

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Phone: 01597 826717

 

Address:

 

Electoral Services
Powys County Hall
Spa Road East
Llandrindod Wells
Powys
LD1 5LG

 

 

Agriculture

 

Dairy

 

April 1st saw the lifting of EU milk quotas. In recent times, the dairy industry has experienced turbulent times and in the long term, the decision to end milk quotas should provide Welsh dairy farmers with the opportunity to become internationally competitive and access emerging markets in Asia and Africa. This is good news but the challenge will be to ensure that the market isn’t saturated, heaping further price volatility on already hard-pressed dairy farmers.

 

The focus must now be on stabilising the market and ensuring that farmers can negotiate fairly with retailers and processors. The Welsh Government also has a key role to play in supporting the industry to boost marketing, build export links and increase processing capacity.

 

While there will be initial concern in some quarters by the lifting of these quotas, if the industry as a whole acts responsibly and in partnership, it could bring about much-needed job opportunities and growth.

 

 

Bovine TB

 

Last week, Glyn Davies and I were delighted to welcome the UK Government’s Environment Secretary, Liz Truss, to Mid Wales. We visited Court Calmore, a dairy and beef farm near Montgomery, to discuss measures to tackle bovine TB. In my view, bovine TB is one of the greatest threats to our beef and dairy industries, endangering our food security and putting our farmers under extreme pressure.

 

 

Banking

 

Closure of Machynlleth HSBC

 

I was disappointed to hear the announcement that HSBC intends to close its Machynlleth branch. The closure is the latest in a long line of bank branch closures in Montgomeryshire following closures in Llanidloes, Llanfair Caereinion and Montgomery.

 

The combination of these bank closures are a significant blow to  Montgomeryshire’s town centres and have a detrimental effect on residents and businesses who rely on “over the counter” banking services.

 

Small businesses, particularly those engaged in retail activity, third sector organisations and elderly or disabled residents are the most disadvantaged by high street bank branch closures.

 

While there has been an inevitable switch to online banking, for many residents, online or mobile branch banking does not adequately replace permanent “over the counter” facilities.

 

Now is the time for all interested parties to come together to explore a new innovative model of community banking which will see banks share buildings and services to ensure they continue to serve their customers in rural areas of Mid Wales.

 

In forthcoming weeks, I will reiterate previous calls on the Welsh Government, to play a role in facilitating discussions on a community banking model by working with the banks, the Post Office, and regulators to explore ways in which they can make improvements to inter-bank agency agreements and to ensure that “over the counter” services continue to be viable in rural Mid Wales.

 

 

Health

 

Cross Border Health

 

The House of Commons Welsh Affairs Select Committee has recently published a report on how improvements can be made to cross-border health arrangements between England and Wales. The report focussed on key areas, including current cross-border health provision; funding and commissioning; cross-border problems; waiting times, and cross-border engagement and commissioning.

 

The Committee also held two public events in Newtown and Hereford, which allowed patients to air their views and experiences to the inquiry. In Newtown, the main concerns were the distances Montgomeryshire patients have to travel to access treatment, and the longer waiting times in Wales for treatment compared with England.

 

The Committee concluded that healthcare providers within England and Wales, as well as the UK and Welsh Governments, must maintain closer links to ensure that patients receive the treatment they need regardless of their country of residence.

 

The report makes a series of recommendations, which can be found here.

 

I also recently raised cross border healthcare issues with the First Minister in the National Assembly for Wales.

 

Following the Conference to discuss the Mid Wales Healthcare Study which was recently held at Cefn Lea Park near Newtown, there was agreement over the strategic importance of Bronglais but also some concern that there was little reference to cross border healthcare issues.

 

I have asked for assurances from the First Minister that an artificial border between the East and West of Montgomeryshire will not be allowed to develop by stealth and that the provision of healthcare in Mid Wales is treated in the round.

 

I will be keeping a close eye on developments and will be raising the issue during a short debate in the National Assembly later this month.

 

I will update you on all the latest developments in future e-newsletters.

 

 

Education

 

Schools Review

 

I cautiously welcomePowys County Council’s decision to delay a review into Welsh-medium secondary education and high school closures in Montgomeryshire. This will not now be considered until September 2015. 

 

The review will explore the possibility of establishing at least one Welsh-medium secondary school in the area, and will assess the viability of dual-stream provision.

 

This follows a Council commissioned review by Price Waterhouse into the financial and educational sustainability of Powys’ secondary schools.

 

Both Glyn Davies and I think it would have been wrong to have rushed through this decision without a very careful assessment of the implication on the education of children and on the wider community.

 

I still remain totally unconvinced that the closure of any of Montgomeryshire's high schools is the best way forward.

 

 

Transport

 

For a full overview of all transport related issues in Montgomeryshire, including an update on the Newtown Bypass, please click here to read my Transport Update which I sent out a few weeks ago.

 

 

Dyfi Ospreys

 

 

I was saddened and appalled at the news that somebody or a group of people had vandalised areas of the Dyfi Ospreys Project. The criminals smashed windows and equipment relating to the live streaming of the Ospreys. I just cannot believe how someone could cause thousands of pounds worth of damage at a wildlife centre which does such fantastic work.

 

National Eisteddfod

 

Montgomeryshire will be hosting the National Eisteddfod in Meifod from 1st - 8th August and Powys County Council has recently called on interested businesses to get in touch to showcase the best of what Montgomeryshire has to offer.

 

A food produce marquee called Y Pantri is being set up on the Maes and local businesses have been encouraged to promote their locally produced food products.

 

Food businesses will also be able to showcase their skills by running product or cookery demonstrations. 

 

I’m really looking forward to the event in Meifod in August. The event will be hugely beneficial to the Mid Wales economy. Please click here for more information.

 

 

Surgeries

 

I have published a full list of surgeries for the coming year. You can find the complete list on my website. Please find below my upcoming dates for April:

 

• • Saturday 10th April –10am – 1pm – Llanidloes

 

• • Saturday 11th April – 10am – 11am – Llanymynech

 

• • Wednesday 15th April – 10am – 1pm – Llangynog  / Llanfyllin / Welshpool

 

• • Saturday 18th April – 10am – 11am – Kerry

 

• • Monday 20th April – 2pm – 4pm – Newtown

 

 

I will also be holding a “Door Step Surgery” in Newtown on Saturday 18th April, if you would like me to call by your home to discuss an issue, please do contact me.

 

Please contact my constituency office on 01686 610887 to make an appointment or to discuss any issue you want to raise with me.

 

  

Best wishes,

 

Russell George
National Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire