By Mike Hedges AM

I have spent a lot of time during the Senedd summer recess talking to voters throughout the Swansea East Senedd constituency. I held surgeries and visited council sheltered accommodation, social groups, church groups, council play schemes, groups with health problems, people met in post-election canvassing and sports teams with their supporters. While the people I spoke to were disproportionately over state pension age, their views were consistent.

Most were overwhelmingly pleased that we had a Labour government after the chaos of the last few years of Conservative governments. Many of the others were totally disenchanted with politics and politicians and to show this disenchantment some voted Reform, but most did not vote in the July general election.

Westminster

For many of those not receiving pension credits, their concern regarding the ending of winter fuel payments to all above state pension age approached hostility. For those receiving pension credits and those with substantial private pensions it was not an issue. I was told by one pensioner that they would now have one les winter weekend break because of it.

There was concern over the invasion of Gaza and that was not only from the young and Muslims, but a viewpoint held by people across religions and age groups. I heard criticisms from many young voters and British Muslims but not exclusively on Labour policy on Gaza pre-general election.

Labour in government has dramatically reshaped the UK’s relationship with Israel since taking office. The change in policy since the election has restored funding to the UN agency that supports Palestinian refugees, changed the UK’s stance on arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, and now suspended some arms export licences to Israel.

Senedd

Regarding Senedd issues, health concerns about the Welsh ambulance service continue, with people saying that friends or relatives have had very long waits for an ambulance.

Long waiting times for appointments with consultants, especially in orthopaedics, were also raised. Generally people were  happy with the treatment received but the waiting times were felt to be unacceptable. This is balanced by almost complete agreement that urgent critical care services and end of life services are excellent.

Views on primary care or GP services are mixed and depend upon the surgery people are registered with. The movement to primary care clusters has been welcomed but getting an appointment at some surgeries can be difficult and, to quote a constituent, “It is easier to go to A and E or out of hours GP services.”

Two non-health issues were regularly raised – Senedd reform and 20mph speed limits. On Senedd reform, both the increase in the number of Senedd members and, since the publication of the proposed constituencies, the size of some of them were almost unanimously opposed.

On 20mph, excluding the small number who oppose any speed limits on any roads, most people accept speed limits in built-up urban areas, especially on estates and in older areas with terraced housing. Except on A and B roads, only one person asked for their road to return to 30mph, but when I asked his neighbours if they agreed then two of them canvassed the street and no one agreed with him.

There was on one B road, Llangyfelach Road in Swansea, substantial support for returning the speed limit to 30mph. Many people could not understand why A and B roads could not have their speed limits decided according to the road layout and for it to be decided by the local council.

Government road classifications are:

A road – major roads intended to provide large-scale transport links within or between areas.

B roads – roads intended to connect different areas, and to feed traffic between A roads and smaller roads on the network.

Classified unnumbered – smaller roads intended to connect together unclassified roads with A and B roads, and often linking a housing estate or a village to the rest of the network.

Unclassified – local roads intended for local traffic. Sixty per cent of all roads fall within this category.

Local issues

The lack of available social housing especially for young people was regularly raised. The concern was often for children and grandchildren and the difficulty they have getting social housing compared to the people’s experience in the 1970s and 80s.

When engaging with voters, especially when canvassing concerns about repairs, potholes, fly-tipping, planning, refuse collection and local area needs, which were raised regularly, in most cases, they were quickly resolved.

Mike Hedges is the Senedd Member for Swansea East and a former Leader of Swansea Council.

Image: Mike Hedges. Author: Steve Cushen, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.