Wrexham.com columns

September sees pupils returning to school and MPs back in Westminster having spent the summer in their constituencies. It had been great to be in Wrexham to experience everything from the Eisteddfod and AfroFiesta to meeting constituents from Minera to Worthenbury.  

Our hospitality businesses are an essential part of the high street in the city centre and across the constituency. We are fortunate in Wrexham to have several independents that offer unique offerings to what can sometimes be a crowded and competitive market. There are challenges for hospitality which I understand completely having worked in that sector for many years but also because I have met with those who own businesses locally. I am taking those concerns to Westminster with me in meetings with ministers in the lead up to the budget at the end of November. I will continue to advocate for them to support the continued growth of our high street offering and beyond.

Hospital parking is an issue we all know about in Wrexham, and we are not alone in that. People have contacted my office about it and also raised this with me on the doorstep. I understand that the parking issue is a source of distress and worry.  In addition, pavement parking around the hospital site causes issues for pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities. There are also issues around parking on match days.

 Later in the Autumn I will be holding the first of my Voice for Wrexham events to explore this issue which I accept is complex. The event aims to bring together those who are involved, interested and care about this issue including you the public, the Health Board, Wrexham County Borough Council and Wrexham AFC amongst others.  Look out for details of how you can sign up for it.

Gresford was the location for my recent coffee morning and also an opportunity to see first-hand the issues at Gresford Lake which are threatening this popular local spot. At the coffee morning residents shared local and national issues that they wanted to discuss, and it was a great attendance. Thank you to all those who took time out of their morning to come along. I then met with the Friends of Gresford Lake, dedicated volunteers who are determined to safeguard the Lake from a range of issues including the nearby road run off and the excrement of carp and Canada geese! I have been working with them for a year on this complex issue involving a number of stakeholders. A multi- agency approach is needed, which I will be a part of alongside others to work for a solution.

It was a joy to talk about being an MP and votes at 16 with Year 11 at Darland High School in Rossett this week. Some of them were really set on their future plans with a few perhaps considering a career in politics. We explored routes into politics and opportunities to get involved locally. I’m looking forward to my next visit to Darland in the next few weeks.

August kicked off with a national event making its return to Wrexham for the first time since 2011. The Eisteddfod brought an incredible atmosphere to the city with fringe events and visitors taking advantage of the free shuttle bus to come and visit the city centre. It was great to see businesses doing pop ups and adapting their offering for those who might have been coming to Wrexham for the first time. The Eisteddfod itself in Isycoed was absolutely fantastic with Pentref Wrecsam showcasing what our city has to offer in terms of bold ideas and vision: the 2029 City of Culture bid, The Museum of Two Halves, Stori Brymbo which will be such a unique attraction when it opens, and This Is Wrecsam amongst many others all showing what a destination Wrexham is. I was delighted to see so many local groups and organisations represented as well as ones from across Wales, showing the diversity of Wales and its inclusivity.

August is parliamentary recess and therefore a great opportunity for me to meet with and visit constituents across Wrexham alongside holding surgeries and attending other events.

Eternal Media is a brilliant organisation based at ‘The Bunker’ in Borras. I met its founder Marcus a couple of months ago. Marcus is a National Lottery Game Changer and shared his moving story of overcoming addiction and homelessness to help others through filmmaking. The Lottery had supported this project. Eternal Media’s work is multi-faceted, and they are involved in media production, and they also have a charity Eternal Community Media that works alongside their not-for-profit company. On my visit, it was a privilege to see and hear about their “recovery in focus” project and the power of photography to communicate experiences and supports participants in developing a secure base for their healthy recovery from addiction. The project builds self-esteem, improves confidence, develops a hobby and creates opportunities for sharing experiences.

We Mind the Gap has been working with 2 high schools in Wrexham through their We Inspire programme which aims to address the attendance crisis affecting our schools. Non-attendance is a complex area and that’s why this programme is so important to nurture the participants and support them to find their voice, develop resilience and discover that school is somewhere where they can be. It was great to catch up with the We Inspire team, and I am supporting We Mind the Gap in their aim to develop this programme across more schools in Wrexham.

Huge congratulations to the Rainbow Foundation who have centres in Penley and Marchwiel and have been recently recognised as ‘excellent’ by the Care Inspectorate for Wales. The Rainbow Foundation are at the forefront of community led care in Wrexham. On a recent visit to Penley I was really struck by their Active Futures programme which is having a significant impact in combatting frailty and MSK conditions. Their care is person centred and absolutely focussed on wellbeing and independence for their service users. They are a real asset to our community.

And finally, Wrexham AFC began their EFL campaign with a visit to Southampton. It was a significant away following for the team with fans making an early start to get down for the 12.30pm kick off. The result was a tough loss but it’s a long season and we’re all really looking forward to seeing where it leads!

It’s been a year since I was elected as your MP, which is an incredible privilege. Our constituency is diverse, taking in the city centre as well as villages and rural communities. I represent everybody and advocate for them where I can.

I know there is a lack of trust in politics and that extends to the media, the establishment and institutions. That’s why for example I am advocating for changes to the way we vote. I’ve spoken in Parliament about the need for a National Commission to explore electoral reform and I am part of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Elections which also looks at media misinformation, disinformation and dirty money in politics.

I continue to work for fair funding for Wales and we are already seeing progress on this after years of underfunding. As a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, I can do this on a weekly basis in the committee as well as in parliamentary debates and meetings with ministers and stakeholders. The Barnett formula for example needs to be reviewed as we should not just have a case where funding is ‘Barnettised’. We have seen a record settlement for Wales in the budget and funding for transport infrastructure from the spending review where Wales will get £445 million plus £200 million in Barnett consequential funding along with the Welsh Government budget allocation for transport. Network North Wales is ambitious, with huge potential benefits here in Wrexham and that is already starting in terms of the improvements on the Wrexham-Bidston line.

I really enjoy being in Wrexham meeting constituents, businesses and organisations here. In the last year I’ve held surgeries across the city from Brymbo to Bangor on Dee and Rossett to Gwersyllt as well as in the centre of Wrexham itself. My office handles incredible amounts of case work ranging from issues around potholes and noise pollution to housing and hospital waiting lists.

There is undoubtedly still work to do but the Employment Rights Act will protect workers from day 1, especially from practices like fire and rehire which we know all too well in Wrexham as well as zero-hour contracts. We have seen pay increases for nurses, doctors, our armed forces and teachers as well as increased support for our armed forces’ veterans, particularly in terms of housing and wellbeing. The UK Labour Government has also decriminalised rough sleeping and regulated water companies about bosses’ bonuses and pollution. The Government has published its industrial and trade strategies, but I know from speaking regularly to businesses in Wrexham, that we need more support for small and medium sized businesses. I am working on areas such as the electricity we get from the grid both in terms of the amount and the price, and mobile signal for example which I know will make a difference.  

As a backbench MP we can challenge the Government and that has been seen recently with the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments Bill. Along with colleagues, I made representations, signed letters and attended meetings to represent the views of the constituents who had contacted me along with organisations who were concerned about the impact of these reforms on Wrexham and Wales. The Government listened and made a number of changes to the Bill.

As my second year begins, I am looking forward to developing my ACE (Accessibility, Community, Environment) Wrexham campaign alongside existing projects that will benefit the people of Wrexham. Thank you to all those who have met or contacted me and for the continued support. If you have an issue which you would like help with, please contact my office on 01978 788854 or email [email protected]

Visiting local employers in Wrexham, it is great to see examples of companies investing in the area and expanding whilst it’s important also to acknowledge the challenges that they face. Hydro, JBF, Kelloggs and GLOW Beauty are just 4 examples of employers I have visited recently. They are very different businesses but connected by their imprint and importance to our community. These visits are invaluable to me, and I have taken points from all those meetings to advance in whatever way I can both in Westminster and with the Government, as well as locally.

This also shows why rail infrastructure and services are so important to Wrexham.  In last year’s election campaign, I pledged to improve infrastructure and connectivity for Wrexham if elected. I have been working with colleagues at Westminster and in Cardiff to ensure that the Department for Transport and the Treasury understand the importance of the Wrexham-Liverpool line, along with the North Wales mainline. This is true partnership working, not only between two Labour Governments but also between MPs in North- West England and North- East Wales.

In the Spending Review the Padeswood sidings were singled out for mention by the Chancellor – upgrading of the sidings is essential to unlock greater capacity along the line so that more passenger services can be introduced alongside the freight services that are essential for our local economy.

The Spending Review also provides over £118m this Parliament to support the vital work to keep coal tips safe, something which is particularly relevant in Wrexham. This amounts to everything the Welsh Government requested to fund their safety work for the rest of this Parliament.

A new Brand Wales programme will receive £2.4 million over 2026-27 and 2028-29, promoting Welsh investment opportunities and exports around the world – supporting sectors like aerospace and automotive as well as many others.

Being the 2029 UK City of Culture would bring significant economic and social benefits to Wrexham in terms of inward investment, job creation, increasing access to cultural activity and amplifying Wrexham’s story to the whole of the UK.

Whilst the formal bidding process for is yet to open, last month I asked the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport when the guidance for would be released. The response was that it would be released in “due course”. I will of course continue to press for this.  I would urge local organisations to check out the grants available from the Cultural Commissions programme for test events that could be expanded for the City of Culture. More information and the application form is here https://www.wrecsam2029.wales/opportunities/

Social mobility is an area that I am passionate about and want to advance as much as I can. I have therefore published a report ‘Where We Are, A Report on the Social Mobility Landscape’ which is available to read on my website, giving some recommendations for how this can move forward. In Wrexham we are lucky to have organisations like We Mind the Gap (WMTG) who are leading in this field.  Based in Wrexham they run great programmes in North East Wales and across the border in North West England – working with young people to enhance their skills and enter the world of work.  I joined one of their "We Discover" sessions entitled "Not Up for Debate" looking at the importance of healthy dialogue and skills in debating. It was brilliant to see the “gappies” engaging in the forum and it was so well facilitated by the team. I am working with WMTG and other organisations locally and nationally to further this and improve opportunity for all.

May 8th saw the commemoration of VE in Wrexham and celebrations in other parts of our community.

I was privileged to attend the service at St Giles, the parade through the city centre and then the wreath laying at the war memorial on Bodhyfryd.

These events showed the best of our city and reflected the incredible sacrifice of the wartime generation so that we can enjoy the freedoms we have today.

It has also been fantastic to see new facilities opening in Wrexham. In Gwersyllt, the Parc Community Hub has been officially opened, with the pavilion dedicated to club stalwart Ron Pearson.

I have seen for myself the flexible space for groups and classes that the Hub offers, and it is a real addition to the area. I send my congratulations to all those who were involved in raising the funding and the construction of such a superb facility.

I welcome the news that Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) have been extended to North Wales including Wrexham.

There is no time limit on them, and they cover physical, controlling, or coercive behaviour, economic abuse, and stalking.

DAPOs build on existing police powers, providing stronger protection for victims: perpetrators must adhere to strict exclusion zones, wear GPS tags and attend substance misuse or mental health interventions.

Discussion of DAPOs formed part of my recent visit to DASU a charity who work tirelessly to support anyone who has experienced domestic abuse in our community.

As a White Ribbon ambassador, I know the importance of prevention before harmful attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls can take hold.

But this is an ongoing campaign which is why DASU’s work, which deals with the impact of those attitudes and behaviours, is so vital in our community.

In Parliament, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returned to the House of Commons for the Report Stage which allows MPs to consider the amendments put forward.

These debates will continue on Friday 13th June. Many constituents have contacted my office with their views and experiences.

Thank you very much to those who have, I will continue to engage, listen and consider these as we move forward to the next stage.

Along with other MPs I co-signed a letter from Labour for Palestine and the Middle East urging the UK Government to recognise the State of Palestine; this was a Labour manifesto commitment but now the situation in Gaza and the West Bank means this is necessary in the immediate future.

As I have said previously, there must be an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the allowance of aid into Gaza and the return of the remaining hostages and work towards a two-state solution for lasting peace.

The UK Government has echoed my condemnation of the actions and words of the Israeli government with a commitment to further action if they do not comply.

I am still keen to hear from constituents about their views on the UK Government’s proposed welfare reform, I have extended my survey until the end of the month so that I can capture as many views as possible.

It is available via my website: Welfare Green Paper – your views – Andrew Ranger MP | Wrexham

In March, the Government released its Green Paper entitled “Pathways to Work” which covered welfare reform. Before and since publication, I have had many constituents contact me with their views about the proposed changes. I have also had several representations from charities. I issued a statement explaining my own concerns, specifically around the proposed changes to PIP and the health component of Universal Credit.

The Green Paper does contain some positive changes: the ‘Right to Try’ which will allow people to try work and return to their previous benefits without reassessment should it doesn’t work out and ‘Pathways to Work’ are both to be welcomed. I was also pleased to see the Unemployment Insurance to protect people with a higher rate of benefit if they fall out of work.

We are now in a consultation phase, and I would like to hear from constituents about their views on the proposed reforms. I would like to use these to further discussions with colleagues and Ministers so that I can represent the views of people in Wrexham more effectively. A Green Paper is the first phase and amendments are often made; it is important that our voices are heard.

In the last few weeks, I have met with and am working with local organisations such as Advance Brighter Futures, Wrexham Citizen’s Advice Bureau and others to understand the lived experiences of people in our area and how these changes could affect them.

The feedback form can be accessed here https://tinyurl.com/ARangerwelfare. It is also available on my social media sites: Facebook, Instagram and Blue Sky and on my website www.andrewforlabourwrexham.org.uk and will be open until the start of May. You can also request a link to the form or an accessible version by emailing me. 

I’ve had some wonderful school visits in the constituency during April. I was delighted to be invited to Black Lane School and Coleg Cambria to speak to young people about my role and how our political system works.

 At Black Lane, the pupils were really engaged and interested in their local area and what improvements they wanted to see made. A-Level students at Coleg Cambria who are studying Politics were keen to discuss areas of government policy, devolution, pay, tax and other topics.  It was a pleasure to see the next generation so keenly engaged with the future direction of our country and brimming with ideas about how they want to see that future – their future – develop.

At Ysgol Rhosnesni High School, I saw how financial education is being delivered in schools, which is so important. I am part of a group in Parliament who are exploring what the picture is across the UK and what, if any action needs to be taken to develop this, so students have the necessary skills for life. It's given me plenty to take forward to the next stage of work on this issue.

The month of March always begins with St David’s Day, and I was delighted to attend the St David’s Day service in Westminster and also a reception for Welsh food and drink producers including Magic Dragon Brewery. In my St David’s Day speech in Parliament, I was proud to reference local events and business in Wrexham. The celebrations of course culminated in the wonderful parade through Wrexham joined by many local organisations including many children. It truly demonstrated the best of our city, alongside the thriving street market which saw the city centre buzzing with a fantastic atmosphere.

The UK Government announced its Plan for Neighbourhoods which will see Wrexham receive £20 million and this is guaranteed to be fully funded. The City Board is already bringing together residents, businesses and community campaigners and this refocus will mean that they will decide how to spend the funding, choosing from wider options that include rejuvenating high streets, local parks, youth clubs and cultural venues.

Advance Brighter Futures is an incredible charity working in our community for over 30 years and I was privileged to visit them last week to see first-hand their approaches to helping peoples’ mental health and wellbeing. They are also part of the Baton of Hope tour visiting Wrexham in October (the only stop in Wales), to raise awareness around suicide prevention. You can find further details here https://batonofhopeuk.org/

I also attended a city-wide Financial Justice Event at Wrexham University where I heard the lived experiences of people in Wrexham living in poverty and hear ideas and recommendations of what could be done. This was an invaluable and important event, and I will continue to work with agencies and groups to make the improvements we can for people. The Government published its Green Paper entitled “Pathways to Work” which proposed changes to the welfare system. These included specific changes to Personal Independence Payments or PIP which in their current form, I cannot support. I also have concerns around the stopping of the health top up of Universal Credit for those aged 16-22.  I will be speaking to Ministers and colleagues in the coming weeks. I have had many representations from constituents and charities, and they will be informing those meetings. People are understandably worried about the future as this could affect thousands of people in the Wrexham area. I believe that the welfare system needs reform and there are positives in the Green Paper, but these should not be at the expense of disabled people. I encourage everyone who has a view to engage in the consultation, the ways that you can do this can be found here: Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper – GOV.UK

In contrast to January, February’s shortness feels more of a blessing despite the very changeable weather we’ve been experiencing.

In Westminster, we’ve seen the vitally important Employment Rights Bill continue its passage through Parliament. It will ensure that workers are protected from being sacked from day 1 of employment and strengthen entitlement to sick pay, bereavement and parental leave. It will also ban zero hours contracts and ensure workers have a contract that reflects their normal hours of work and compensation for cancelled shifts as well as protecting flexibility in work patterns and hours. As a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, we were joined by First Minister Eluned Morgan where I raised with her the historic underfunding of Wales and the impact that has had on our infrastructure. This has been acknowledged by the Treasury and Wales Office and the spring budget statement should bring clarity about what that now means for Wales’ going forward.

Here in Wrexham, I’ve been delighted to visit two local firms who are championing sustainability: Green Rock Manufacturing Group on Wrexham Industrial Estate and EcoVyn on Llay Industrial Estate. Green Rock manufacture paper cups that do not have any plastic coating and therefore are fully recyclable. The cups also do not require any specialised sorting or industrial facilities. At EcoVyn they process plastic and reuse PVC for a range of different products. Both companies have really demonstrated their commitment to Wrexham and have exciting plans for the future.

Wrexham University is entering a fascinating new phase in its journey. I was keen to hear about the plans from the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joe Yates and then attend the launch introducing the new vision and strategy. Professor Yates explained how Wrexham University is developing and linking with the public sector, business and the third sector. The University is central to the future of Wrexham and the vision and values of excellence, inclusion, collaboration, transformation and sustainability are ones that I share. They have my support, and I look forward to working with them and their partners to help deliver this.

I met constituents in Asda for my first supermarket surgery. It’s also important for me to hold constituency surgeries around the area such as in Rossett, Bangor on Dee and in March, Brymbo. Our constituency in Wrexham is so geographically diverse from the city centre to the mining villages like Llay and the rural areas like Overton. After the boundary changes which came into force for the 2024 election, and the fact that the council and Senedd boundaries are different, people sometimes don’t realise when they are in the Wrexham constituency and when they are not!

January often seems like the longest month of the year, the weather turns wintery, the evenings are still dark early, and people try to keep to their resolutions. However, the work as your MP and my office continues. In January my team have dealt with 229 cases so far but that figure changes daily.

In Westminster, I was privileged to speak in the debate for my Private Member’s Bill on Licensing Hours Extensions which has now proceeded to Committee Stage. This is a rare opportunity for a back bench MP and the chance to bring about a small change in legislation that can have a big effect on our hospitality industry and was something that I couldn’t miss. It was also able to use my speech to highlight some of the fantastic pubs we have across the constituency of Wrexham.

I have also been part of the Bill Committee for the Armed Forces Commissioner. In Wrexham we have a proud connection with our armed services and this new post will enable serving personnel and their families to have the support they deserve. This Bill has now moved on to the House of Lords.

It was great to meet residents in Llay whilst knocking doors and the issues raised which ranged from adult education to housing will now be actioned as case work by my office team.

Staff and volunteers at the Wallich do such fantastic work with some of the vulnerable in our community. On my recent visit it was moving to hear about the situations they deal with and the support they provide. I will continue to champion their cause.

I was delighted to meet Mel Morris from Coleg Cambria who has gained a place on the prestigious UK Parliament Teacher Ambassador programme. Mel will now be using what she has learned from the course to support her students’ understanding of the UK Parliament and democracy.

Local author Samantha Maxwell visited Parliament for a tour and to promote her two fantastic books “Disabling Ableism” and “CP isn’t me”. Sam is an absolute inspiration and doing incredible work to break the stigma around disability. Look out for her next book which is out later this year.

Developing my Welsh language speaking skills is really important to me. I am getting my DuoLingo practice in and even met Duo in Parliament. With the 6 Nations around the corner, dewch ymlaen Cymru!