‘Waiting game begins’ after Air Ambulance debate ends

It’s been a long, and often complicated, public consultation period but the talking is finally over and we can only keep our fingers crossed now that common sense prevails and the Wales Air Ambulance base remains in Welshpool.

A brilliant community campaign has galvanised the area to oppose the bizarre plans from the charity to close Welshpool and Caernarfon bases in favour of one new base in North East Wales.

The charity says it will give them the chance to save more lives, but every piece of data produced has been scrutinised with campaigners claiming it is flawed and will only cause more deaths in rural Mid Wales due to longer arrival times.

A decision is expected in the coming weeks, but one Welshpool County Councillor has praised the campaign that has fought hard to keep it here.

“Now we play the waiting game,” said Cllr Graham Breeze.

“The campaign group, led by Cynthia and Clive Duce, with support from Craig Williams MP, Russ George MS, Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, Cllr Joy Jones, Bob Benyon, myself, and others along the way, has done everything possible to secure the base for Welshpool.

“We are certain the new data that we have presented to Stephen Harrhy (leading the consultation) and his team proves beyond doubt that the closure proposals are deeply flawed and will lead to an increase in missed responses, particularly in Mid Wales.”