'I have been more than willing to assist by raising concerns with the health board'

MP for Wrexham

This week, all Wrexham residents will be receiving a copy of my constituency-wide update, my opportunity to tell you about what I have been up to since becoming the Member of Parliament for Wrexham in 2019.

As I have written in the personal message on the flyer, it was a privilege to turn Wrexham blue in 2019 and to now be representing this wonderful town in Parliament. Whilst I know that the past eighteen months have been tough for many – and has certainly not been what any of us expected – I am pleased that this Government and I have already delivered on what we promised in 2019. We have got Brexit done; despite Covid, we have overseen economic growth and development; and we have reasserted ourselves on the world stage as an independent trading nation, to name a few successes.

Here in Wrexham, I am also proud of what I have achieved so far. I have assisted with over 6000 pieces of casework, helping individuals, families and businesses in Wrexham navigate complex issues and concerns. These have ranged from health issues and personal finance concerns, to problems getting housing or social care. In every instance, I have been more than willing to assist by raising concerns with the health board, the local Council, with Welsh Government Ministers or here in Parliament.

Significantly, I have also been campaigning on issues that I know matter to you. I have campaigned to make sure the planned upgrades on the Crown crossroads go ahead, and I am pleased that Wrexham Council have listened to the concerns of residents in Llay and are acting, following my intervention. I have also lobbied the Welsh Government for noise abatement measures along the A483 to protect residents. In this regard, I want to be clear: even when an issue is devolved and the remit of the Assembly Member I will still act. If it is important to you, it is important to me. I have also worked with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), the Council and the Welsh Government to protect and assist those affected by flooding, pressing NRW and the Welsh Government to act quicker and listen to residents.

I am also working in Parliament to make sure Wrexham gets the funding it needs and deserves through the ‘Levelling Up Fund’. Wrexham’s bid is focused on the Gateway area around the Racecourse and includes a regeneration of the Kop Stand. Regenerating this area of town will create a welcoming entrance to Wrexham and will bring much needed investment across the rest of the town too. I look forward to finding out if Wrexham has been successful in due course.

My ground-breaking report into the experiences of women in the Armed Forces and the veteran community is also something I am proud of. The report gave military women a voice in Parliament on a never-before-seen scale and the policy implications of the report are already being seen. Women in the military now have better access to sanitary products whilst on tours, they now have more freedom to wear their hair how they want and kit will be redesigned to cater for women’s needs. For military women in Wrexham and the rest of the UK these are wins that must be recognised.

I look forward to you receiving my flyer in due course and as always if you are resident in Wrexham and need my assistance with any local or national issue, please make contact with me by emailing sarah.atherton.mp@parliament.uk.