Council backs ambulance campaign

Support has been given to a campaign to save and improve ambulance services in Powys, by a councillor who has first-hand experience of the need for fast responses to emergency calls.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, councillors discussed a motion put forward by Plaid Cymru Councillors Elwyn Vaughan and Bryn Davies.

They wanted the council to back a call for all ambulance stations in Powys to be manned 24 hours. This would mean extending the ambulance station hours at Llanidloes and Llanfyllin to be 24 hours, improving coverage for the Welshpool area.

A call to safeguard Machynlleth Ambulance Station and provide extra ambulances for Newtown and Welshpool.

As they unveiled their campaign at the start of the month, the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust confirmed that they were reviewing their resources in Powys.

Conservative Cllr Diane Jones-Poston, who represents Llanbrynmair, said: “I recognise that councillors and councils don’t have direct control, or responsibilities for the management or running of the ambulance service. I support the motion and the concerns.

“Not only for the residents of the Dyfi Valley but for the whole of Powys and also from a personal position as well.

“Some members would be aware that my father sadly died last year from a sudden and unexpected heart attack. It took the ambulance over and hour to get to the scene.

“We will not know if the outcome could have been different, but it may have been if another ambulance had been in the vicinity at the time or even at one of the stations, of Machynlleth, Newtown or Llanidloes.

“In any emergency, speed of response is absolutely critical, often referred to as the golden hour.

“Any cut to the service will have dire and tragic consequences to response times and to saving lives.”

She believed that any influence of support the council could give added weight to other voices looking to discuss properly resourcing and funding the ambulance service with the Welsh Government.

“So that no other family has to go through this experience,” said Cllr Jones-Poston.

Cllr Bryn Davies, who seconded the proposal, said that in recent weeks it had taken ambulances four hours to arrive on scene to treat two of his elderly neighbours who had been injured in falls.

Cllr Peter Roberts said that the Liberal Democrat and Green group backed the proposal.

But he wondered if they could consider withdrawing the motion to work with councillors from Brecon and Radnorshire and come back with a Powys wide one?

Conservative portfolio holder Housing, Planning & Economic Regeneration, Cllr Iain McIntosh said that the pair should take the issue up with Eluned Morgan the Welsh Government’s Health Minister.

Conservative group leader, Cllr Aled Davies said: “It is not for us to decide how resources are spent by the ambulance service, that is a matter for them to decide with the Welsh Government.

“We’d all like excellent services in our own back yard 24/7, but I will not be voting for it, it’s not our responsibility.”

by Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter