Column in the Barry & District News by Alun Cairns MP:
On Thursday, 17th October, I am holding a community surgery specifically about the proposed closure of the Sam Davies Ward at Barry Hospital. This is a massive issue for our community and I’m keen to engage with members of the public, to ensure that our voice of opposition locally is heard by the Health Board and Welsh Government.
The meeting will provide residents with the opportunity to establish the facts around the public consultation, which ends on 1st November 2019, to ensure that we can effectively engage with the Health Board.
I stand with our community against the proposed closure. Barry is a growing town and the demand for Barry Hospital will only increase – but it must be supported and continue to offer valued services. Therefore, the Welsh Labour Government must reverse the proposals to close the ward.
My public meeting will be held at Brynhill Golf Club, Port Road, Barry, from 6.30pm. All Vale of Glamorgan constituents are welcome to attend. Please email me on [email protected] or call my office on 01446 748657 to register your place.
It’s important to recognise that at a UK Government level, the Prime Minister has announced a new hospital building program in England - where he is directly responsible for Health. It is sadly at a local level, where the Welsh Government has responsibility over Health, that we are experiencing a reduction in local facilities.
The PM’s increased health spending will result in additional funds for Wales, which I believe must be spent on health services in Wales. Due to the settlement I helped to negotiate as Secretary of State for Wales, the Welsh Government will receive £120 per head for every £100 spent per head in England. With this settlement in place, it’s vital that the Welsh Labour Government matches the PM’s commitments.
Following my Pub of the Year competition, it was fantastic to visit the Master Mariner over the weekend to present them with the award of the Vale of Glamorgan’s Parliamentary Pub of the Year 2019. The competition is run on the basis of public votes and I was overwhelmed by the huge support that the Master Mariner drew from locals. The community has been right behind the pub, fighting passionately to keep it open recently and it’s amazing to see what the Master Mariner means to people. They fully deserve it!
Looking ahead to the end of this week, we’ve got the very first Barry Beer Festival taking place at Barry Island Social Club! The event has been organised by Barry Round Table, a brilliant group of volunteers who raise money for a range of local charities. I have no doubt that this will be a popular event and I look forward to this becoming a permanent fixture in the Barry calendar for years to come.
