Response From Cllr Hugh Jones To Ian Lucas MP

Statement from Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities and Partnerships at Wrexham County Borough Council, responding to comments from Ian Lucas, MP for Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As Lead Member for Communities and Partnership, I am asking Mr Lucas and other national politicians to stop attacking Wrexham Council and work with us to solve what is a national problem. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The constant attacks are demoralising to Council and partner agencies, who are working exceptionally hard to tackle a raft of difficult situations that arise from policies not initiated by Wrexham Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The needle distribution policy is determined by the Welsh Government and the decriminalisation of so called ‘Legal Highs’ comes from Westminster. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The funding for these programmes comes from the Welsh Government, and Wrexham CBC and other Councils are left with the consequences. The Welsh Government’s own Health and Social Care Committee’s report clearly evidences that current policies are not working and need changing. Meanwhile, we are dealing with the outcomes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wrexham has a unique partnership programme to tackle not only the manifest problems but also the underlying issues, and this is making progress and needs to be supported – not attacked for short-term political gain. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is not about blame, as it would be very easy for me to go back to which party was responsible for many of the past decisions. I am not prepared to go there as this does not serve the interests of the people of Wrexham. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is much work still to be done and we need to do it in partnership for the benefit of the people of our town.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​