Plenty has happened since I last wrote for the Gossip. One of the best things is definitely the announcement that Wales Air Ambulance will be retaining their Mid Wales base until at least 2026. This is brilliant news for our area, and it’s a relief that we can rely on the Air Ambulance for the next few years. The Save Wales Air Ambulance team have worked incredibly hard to secure this outcome, and I was proud to stand with them alongside my Welsh Conservative colleagues. However, it’s important that we continue working on keeping the base in Welshpool after 2026, and I encourage everyone to take part in the upcoming consultation.
On the other hand, there has been disappointing news. It was announced by the Labour-run Welsh Government that all major road building projects have been halted as part of the Welsh Government’s National Transport Plan. Halted projects include the Pontybat safety scheme.
To be frank, we desperately need new roads to be built, especially when the state of public transport is so bad. This roadbuilding freeze will only restrict the Welsh economy and leave us trailing further behind the rest of the UK. I am disappointed that Labour, supported by the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru, are taking this stance which will damage prosperity and growth in Mid Wales, not to mention being a huge safety risk.
I’ve also been a little bemused by Powys County Council’s suggestion that schools can ‘cease photocopying’ in order to save money. I'm not exactly sure how much of £1.7 million will be saved from stopping photocopying in schools, but this seems an inadequate way of treating our teachers and our children.
If we’re being honest, stopping photocopying is just a ridiculous suggestion from Powys Council. We need a long-term plan for cost-efficiency, without reducing the quality of education. That’s why I want to see energy efficiency in schools, which has the potential to bring meaningful savings – not just throwing around pie in the sky ideas from the Council!
