#stephenkinnockmp — Public Fediverse posts
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PORT TALBOT: Children evacuated as fire breaks out at Awel y Môr Primary School
Children at a holiday playgroup were safely evacuated after a fire broke out at Awel y Môr Primary School in Port Talbot on Wednesday morning.
Flames and thick black smoke could be seen pouring from an upper section of the school building, where scaffolding is currently in place, shortly after 10am.
Crews from Port Talbot, Neath, Swansea Central, Morriston and Swansea West fire stations were called to the school at 10.10am, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
The fire took hold within the school’s sandwich panels — the insulated panels used in the building’s walls.
A spokesperson for the fire service said crews used four breathing apparatus sets, two hose reel jets, a turntable ladder and a water bowser to extinguish the fire, and left the scene at 12.43pm.
A spokesperson for Neath Port Talbot Council said: “Following a fire at Awel y Môr Primary School, we can confirm that everyone is safe and unharmed.
“A Flying Start play group was in a different section of the school when the fire started and the building was promptly evacuated.
“Work is now underway to identify the cause of the fire and to repair the damage, with a view to ensuring the building can be brought back into use as soon as possible.”
With schools closed for the summer, no pupils were in lessons — but the Lots of Tots holiday playgroup was running in a separate part of the building, which the group says was left undamaged.
Playgroup staff evacuated the children before crews arrived, with no one hurt.
In a post thanking its team, the group said: “A massive thank you to the staff for their calm and professional evacuation of the children and ensuring everyone’s safety.”
The playgroup will stay closed for the rest of this week, with staff returning on Monday to deep clean its rooms and carry out risk assessments — and the hope of reopening on Tuesday morning.
Sandfields East councillor Sean Pursey said photos circulating showed the fire taking hold near the school’s main hall, adding: “Thankfully all staff and children are safe.”
Aberafan Maesteg MP Stephen Kinnock, the Welsh Secretary, urged people living nearby to keep clear of the area and close their doors and windows while crews worked, thanking the fire service and staff “for keeping everyone safe”.
Benjamin Hodge McKenna, Reform UK MS for Afan Ogwr Rhondda, said he was “deeply concerned” to hear of the fire, noting that all children and staff were safely evacuated with no injuries.
“I will do what I can to ensure support is in place for the school as they assess the damage,” he said.
The cause of the fire has yet to be established.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
TOWNHILL: Man dies in Elphin Gardens flat fire — as police try to trace his next of kin
Fire crews and police were called to the Swansea flat earlier this month.GREEN STEEL: Tata ‘confident’ supply will hold and furnace project unaffected after Port Talbot fire
The aftermath of the blaze at the town’s steelworks earlier this year.Amazon volunteers help give Port Talbot school’s outdoor space new lease of life
#AwelYMorPrimarySchool #CllrSeanPursey #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PortTalbot #StephenKinnockMP
Volunteers transformed Awel y Môr’s outdoor learning space in 2024. -
ABERAVON: Birmingham pensioner arrested on suspicion of carrying blade after beachfront anti-social behaviour report
A 70-year-old man from Birmingham has been arrested at Aberavon beachfront after police responded to a report of anti-social behaviour.
Officers attended the seafront at around 1.40pm on Monday (20 July), South Wales Police said.
On arrival, the man was identified as being subject to police bail conditions — which he was found to be in breach of.
He was also arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article, and the force said he remained in police custody. No charges have been announced.
Stephen Kinnock — the MP for Aberafan Maesteg, who was appointed Secretary of State for Wales on Tuesday — described the incident as “very concerning news”, adding he was “very grateful for the swift response from South Wales Police”.
The arrest is the latest incident at a seafront where police have fought a long-running battle against summer anti-social behaviour.
Operation Adriatic — a joint beachfront taskforce bringing together police, the council and other agencies — has been relaunched each summer in recent years to tackle trouble at the beach during the warmer months.
Over the Easter holidays, a lifebuoy was set on fire on the beach during a spell of disorder — with police and Port Talbot Coastguard warning the vandalism “could have had dire consequences” had anyone needed rescuing from the water.
The pressures aren’t unique to Aberavon: just last month, officers brought in a dispersal order at Langland Bay after anti-social behaviour reports during the hot weather.
Aberavon remains one of the area’s biggest summer draws — the only beach in Neath Port Talbot to hold a Seaside Award — with crowds swelling during recent heatwaves.
South Wales Police urged anyone noticing frequent anti-social behaviour in their area to report it through the force’s online reporting channels.
The arrest comes as the beachfront heads into the busiest weeks of the summer season, with schools breaking up this week.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Taskforce aims to clamp down on Aberavon Beach antisocial behaviour
Operation Adriatic, the summer beachfront operation.Lifebuoy set on fire on beach during Easter holiday disorder
Police and coastguard warned of “dire consequences”.Police bring in dispersal order at Langland Bay
#Aberavon #AberavonBeach #antisocialBehaviour #SouthWalesPolice #StephenKinnockMP
Hot-weather anti-social behaviour across the bay. -
KINNOCK: Aberafan Maesteg MP becomes Welsh Secretary in Andy Burnham’s new cabinet
Stephen Kinnock, the MP for Aberafan Maesteg, has been appointed Secretary of State for Wales — the first cabinet post of his career — as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham named his top team.
Mr Kinnock took up the role on Tuesday following his appointment on Monday evening, and the Wales Office says he will now begin a full programme of meetings and visits across Wales.
His promotion puts the MP for the Port Talbot steelworks at the cabinet table at a critical time for the town, with the £1.25bn electric arc furnace project at Tata Steel — and questions over its timetable — now landing squarely on his government’s desk.
Mr Kinnock said: “It is the privilege of my life to be appointed Welsh Secretary, and to serve the people of Wales as part of Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s new Cabinet.”
He pledged to build “a strong Wales within a strong United Kingdom where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential with good growth in every Welsh postcode”.
The MP — son of former Labour leader Neil Kinnock — has represented the Port Talbot area since 2015 and served as a junior health minister under Sir Keir Starmer. He backed Mr Burnham for the leadership last month, telling constituents the new Prime Minister could reconnect Labour with working communities.
He replaces Cardiff East MP Jo Stevens after two years in the role. Ms Stevens said serving as Welsh Secretary had been “a privilege and an honour”, pointing to what she described as the biggest budget settlement for Welsh public services since devolution, support for the steel industry and a £14bn commitment for Welsh railways.
Mr Kinnock is not the only Welsh MP promoted: Rhondda and Ogmore MP Sir Chris Bryant joins the cabinet as Northern Ireland Secretary, while Vale of Glamorgan MP Kanishka Narayan takes the new-look Artificial Intelligence brief.
First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth congratulated Mr Burnham and said the change presented “an opportunity for a reset” between Cardiff and London — saying the new Welsh Secretary must be someone who “respects and wants to see devolution work”.
Not everyone is convinced a new name changes anything. Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson David Chadwick MP said Wales “won’t see any real change unless Welsh Labour politicians finally start fighting Wales’ corner in government”, arguing Welsh Labour MPs under Sir Keir had acted as “representatives of the UK Government in Wales, rather than representatives of Wales in the UK Government”.
Closer to home, the reshuffle leaves questions still hanging over the area’s other Labour MPs — with junior ministerial appointments expected to be confirmed over the coming days.
Chief among them is Swansea West MP Torsten Bell, who has served as Pensions Minister and whose future in the role is yet to be announced. His former boss, Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden, keeps his job in the new cabinet.
There has also been no announcement yet affecting Llanelli MP Dame Nia Griffith, who has served as a Wales Office minister, Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi, Neath and Swansea East MP Carolyn Harris, or Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell.
Mr Burnham became Britain’s seventh Prime Minister in a decade on Monday after Sir Keir’s resignation, promising the biggest shift of power out of London in modern history — and using his first day in office to announce plans to scrap VAT on domestic electricity bills from October.
For Wales, attention now turns to what the Kinnock era means in practice: the steel transition on his own doorstep, rail funding, and the relationship with a Plaid Cymru-led Welsh Government that has already asked for a reset.
We will update this story as appointments affecting local MPs are confirmed.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Kinnock backs Burnham for PM as local Labour MPs react
How the area’s MPs responded to Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.‘No formal change’ to furnace timetable — as row breaks out over who knew what
The electric arc furnace questions now on the new Welsh Secretary’s desk.As Burnham promises to ‘rewire Britain’, could Swansea Bay ever get a powerful regional mayor?
#AndyBurnham #featured #StephenKinnockMP #TorstenBell #WalesOffice #WelshLabour
What the new Prime Minister’s devolution agenda could mean here. -
STARMER RESIGNATION: Kinnock backs Burnham for PM as local Labour MPs react
Labour MPs across the area have paid tribute to Sir Keir Starmer following his resignation — with one already backing Andy Burnham to replace him.
Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock, a government minister and the son of former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock, was quick to throw his weight behind the frontrunner.
He said Sir Keir had pulled Labour “back from the brink” to win the 2024 landslide, and had been “a committed and dignified Prime Minister, always putting country before party”.
Kinnock said he was proud of what the government had achieved, pointing to progress on GP access, a fall in small boat crossings, and better pay and conditions for workers.
But he said the country now needed “a fresh start with a Prime Minister who can inspire public confidence”.
He added: “I believe Andy Burnham has these qualities — and I am excited by the prospect of the positive change his leadership is set to bring.”
Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchester, confirmed earlier on Monday that he would put himself forward to succeed Sir Keir, and is widely seen as the frontrunner.
Gower MP Tonia Antoniazzi also paid tribute to the outgoing Prime Minister, though she stopped short of naming a preferred successor.
She said Sir Keir had “served our nation with devotion and dignity”, and that she wanted to thank him for his leadership.
“This will not have been an easy decision, but I respect it and support it in the interests of our country,” she said.
Antoniazzi said it was important that the party now came together and continued “to focus on delivering tangible change for the people who we were elected to serve”.
In neighbouring Pembrokeshire, Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell also thanked Sir Keir, saying he had helped to make Britain “fairer, safer, and more prosperous over the past two years”.
Tufnell said his own focus remained on his constituents, with priorities “unchanged” — bringing jobs and growth to Pembrokeshire, improving public services, and tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
Bridgend and Porthcawl MP Chris Elmore, who also served in Sir Keir’s government, said that without his leadership “the Labour Party would not be in Government”. He said Sir Keir had taken the party “from our worst defeat in decades to one of the biggest majorities in our movement’s history” in the space of five years.
Elmore pointed to stronger employment rights, children lifted out of poverty and the railways being brought back under public control, and said that for Sir Keir it had “always been country first, party second”.
Swansea West MP Torsten Bell, also a government minister, said Sir Keir had “turned around our party” and given “huge service to our country”, both as Prime Minister and as a former public prosecutor. He pointed to stronger workers’ rights, rising wages and falling waiting lists, adding that the party now owed the country “a redoubling of our efforts to build a better Britain”.
Several other Labour MPs in the area had not commented publicly by Monday afternoon, among them Llanelli’s Dame Nia Griffith and Swansea East’s Carolyn Harris.
Sir Keir announced on Monday morning that he would step down as Prime Minister and Labour leader, having “heard the answer” of his party on whether he was the right person to lead it into the next election.
He will remain in post until a new leader is chosen, with nominations opening on 9 July and a successor expected before Parliament returns on 1 September.
The resignation follows months of pressure that intensified after Labour’s heavy losses in May’s elections, and after Burnham’s by-election victory in Makerfield last week.
It comes as Wales adjusts to its own changed political landscape, with Labour having lost power in the Senedd in May for the first time since devolution.
For the area’s Labour MPs, the coming weeks will shape not just who leads their party — but the direction of a UK government many of them serve in.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Keir Starmer resigns as Prime Minister
#AndyBurnham #CarolynHarrisMP #ChrisElmoreMP #HenryTufnellMP #KeirStarmer #LabourParty #StephenKinnockMP #ToniaAntoniazziMP #TorstenBell #WelshLabour
The resignation and the wider Welsh reaction. -
GREEN STEEL DELAY: ‘No formal change’ to furnace timetable — as row breaks out over who knew what
A political row has broken out in the Senedd over who knew what — and when — about the delay to Port Talbot‘s £1.25bn electric arc furnace.
News that the furnace could be delayed by up to eight months because of a hold-up to its National Grid power connection emerged on 7 June — days after a major fire at the steelworks’ Cold Mill.
Welsh Conservative shadow minister for economy, energy and planning Janet Finch-Saunders MS raised the issue during an emergency statement in the Senedd on Wednesday following the fire — saying that while attention had focused on the blaze, concerns about delays to the furnace may have been known for weeks.
It was reported on 7 June that Tata Steel had discussed potential delays linked to National Grid connectivity issues with “investors” during a conference call around a month earlier.
Ms Finch-Saunders is seeking clarity on whether those “investors” included the UK Government — which is putting £500m towards the £1.25bn project.
“If UK Government Ministers were aware of the issue a month ago, were Welsh Government Ministers informed? If Welsh Government were not informed, why not? If Welsh Government were informed, why did the Economy Minister tell the Senedd today that he only became aware of the delay on Monday?” she said.
“We now need a clear timeline setting out exactly when concerns first emerged and who was told. Port Talbot workers and their families deserve answers.”
The Welsh Conservatives are also seeking clarification on whether any of the £80m transition fund established by the previous UK Conservative government — to support workers at risk of losing their jobs — remains available if the delays create further financial problems for affected workers.
But First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth defended his government’s handling of the situation — telling the Senedd that Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price had spoken directly with Tata Steel UK’s chief executive the previous day.
“My government is determined to do all that we can to support investment at TATA,” he said. “My minister for enterprise, connectivity and energy did speak yesterday with Tata Steel UK’s Chief Executive Officer in order to discuss the way ahead in terms of the electricity connection.
“Many of the powers of course are in the hands of the UK Government, but we will do everything in our powers as a Welsh Government to facilitate progress towards the delivery of that investment. That is why my minister acted so quickly.”
The First Minister also took aim at opposition parties’ records on steel: “The contribution made last year by Reform was to say that they wanted to bring back a defunct blast furnace to secure the future of Port Talbot, while my party put plans on the table that could have retained, we believe, virgin steel making in Port Talbot.”
Meanwhile, Aberafan Maesteg MP Stephen Kinnock — whose constituency includes the steelworks — said he had met Tata for a briefing on the implications of the fire, and revealed the company is looking at reviving its mothballed cold mill at Llanwern to maintain supply to customers.
“They have acted at speed to limit disruption and are looking at options to maintain supply to their customers, including by reviving the previously mothballed cold mill in Llanwern,” he said in a statement issued on 10 June. “Tata are working with the unions to look at the deployment / re-deployment of personnel working across both the Pickle Line and Cold Mill at Port Talbot.”
On the furnace delay, Mr Kinnock said: “I also received an update on reports of potential delays to the EAF project. There is no formal change in the timetable at this stage and National Grid, UK Government and Tata Steel are continuing to work together to deliver the project in a timely fashion.”
He also thanked firefighters “for their efforts in bringing the blaze under control and the professionalism of Tata’s workforce”, saying the response meant there were “thankfully no injuries”.
The electric arc furnace is the centrepiece of Tata’s transition at Port Talbot following the closure of the works’ blast furnaces, and the connection delay has already prompted cross-party calls for answers from Tata and National Grid — with former Aberavon MS David Rees among those calling for National Grid to face penalties over the hold-up.
The Welsh Government’s response to the delay — and the Conservatives’ demand for a timeline — comes with the steelworks still recovering from the Cold Mill fire, which burned for two days earlier this month and caused part of the building to collapse.
Answers to the questions of who knew about the delay, and when, are now awaited from both governments.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
GREEN STEEL: Port Talbot’s £1.25bn furnace could be delayed by up to eight months over power hold-up
How the delay first emerged.GREEN STEEL DELAY: Cross-party calls for answers over Port Talbot furnace setback as politicians press Tata and National Grid
The political reaction to the setback.PORT TALBOT: Steelworks fire burns into a second day as part of the building collapses — with union warning over jobs
#AdamPriceMS #JanetFinchSaundersMS #NationalGrid #PortTalbot #PortTalbotSteelworks #StephenKinnockMP #TataSteel
The fire at the works earlier this month. -
BAGLAN: Stephen Kinnock MP writes to Whitbread CEO to demand a rethink on Bagle Brook closure
Stephen Kinnock MP has written to Whitbread CEO Dominic Paul calling on the company to think again before closing the Bagle Brook Beefeater in Baglan — adding his voice to a campaign that has been building since the closure was announced.
Kinnock, who represents Aberafan Maesteg, says he is joining the campaign to save the pub — following local councillors Josh Tuck, Carol Clement-Williams and Susanne Renkes, who have already written to Whitbread’s CEO demanding answers over the decision.
In his letter, Kinnock describes the Bagle Brook as “a well-established and much-valued part of the local community” that is “frequented by large swathes of residents on a regular basis.”
He says for many people it is far more than simply a place to eat or drink — it is a social hub and a focal point of community life, with generations of local families having enjoyed it as a welcoming, family-friendly environment.
The MP also highlights the economic contribution the pub makes, describing it as an important source of employment for local people whose livelihoods depend on it.
He warns that losing such a long-standing establishment would be “a serious blow — not only to those directly employed, but to the wider local economy and supply chain.”
Kinnock argues that pubs and restaurants like the Bagle Brook are essential to community cohesion — offering spaces for social interaction, celebrations and support networks, and helping to combat isolation and strengthen local identity.
“Removing such an asset risks leaving a significant gap that is unlikely to be easily replaced,” the letter warns.
He urges Whitbread to carefully reflect on the wider impact of the decision and to explore all possible alternatives to closure — and says he would welcome the opportunity to work constructively with the company “to find a way forward that safeguards this important community facility.”
Stephen Kinnock MP’s letter to Whitbread Chairman
(Image: Stephen Kinnock MP)Whitbread has responded to the local political pressure. In a letter to the councillors, the company said it was unable to address specific questions while the consultation was ongoing, but confirmed it expected the process to close in summer.
The company said the closures were part of a plan to become “a pure-play hotel business focused on Premier Inn”, adding that a number of restaurant sites would be converted into approximately 600 additional hotel rooms, with the remainder expected to be sold as going concerns. It said it expected to retain “a significant proportion” of affected staff through redeployment, though it acknowledged the proposals would result in around 3,800 job losses from a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000.
The Bagle Brook is one of four local restaurants facing closure as part of Whitbread’s decision to axe up to 3,800 jobs across its UK estate — a move that sent shockwaves across south Wales when it was announced.
In Llanelli, a parallel campaign is under way to save the Sandpiper — another Whitbread venue facing the axe, with the community describing the news as “a bombshell for all concerned”.
With an MP now formally in the correspondence, the pressure on Whitbread to respond publicly is increasing. Whether it will be enough to change the company’s mind remains to be seen.
More on the Whitbread closures
Four local restaurants face closure as Whitbread axes up to 3,800 jobs
How the announcement broke — and which local venues are affected.Councillors demand answers from Whitbread CEO over Bagle Brook closure
The local political pressure that preceded Kinnock’s intervention.‘A bombshell for all concerned’ — community rallies to save the Sandpiper
#Baglan #BagleBrook #restaurantClosure #StephenKinnockMP #Whitbread
The parallel campaign in Llanelli to save another threatened Whitbread venue. -
Labour accused of dirty tricks as row over future of Maesteg Hospital intensifies
Concerns about the hospital have been building for months as Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board develops plans for a new Health and Wellbeing Centre for the Llynfi Valley. The board says it has access to around £30 million of Welsh Government funding to expand local services, but that the existing hospital site cannot be redeveloped within that budget. That position has fuelled fears about the loss of beds, the future of the building and whether the community is being properly consulted.
The latest flashpoint came after Labour representatives claimed that protest organisers, including Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate Dean Ronan, had “declined to engage” with the health board. The allegation appeared in a series of letters signed by Huw Irranca‑Davies MS, David Rees MS, Stephen Kinnock MP and local councillors, who accused some campaigners of “politicising” the issue.
Huw Irranca Davies MS outside Maesteg Community Hospital, alongside protestors calling for transparency and opposing the potential closure or sale of the site.Labour representatives wrote:
We now understand that you have indeed reached out to the main organisers – including a candidate for the Liberal Democrats – and they have declined to engage with you.
They also warned that the £30 million investment must not be put at risk.
Labour representatives wrote:
We certainly do not want to lose the £30m which Welsh Government have already put forward… this matter is of such huge importance it should be well beyond party politics.
Dean Ronan has rejected the claim outright, saying he has never been contacted by the health board and could not have refused a meeting that was never offered.
Dean Ronan, Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate, said:
Not once have I been contacted about the future of Maesteg Hospital. I could not have declined a meeting that was never offered. If Labour or the health board have evidence to the contrary, they should publish it immediately.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats say the campaign to protect the hospital has always been community‑led and cross‑party, involving the League of Friends, independent councillors and Plaid Cymru candidates. They argue that the focus should be on the future of services, not political point‑scoring.
Dean Ronan, Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate, pictured at a Maesteg Hospital protest calling for transparency and community-led decision-making over the future of local healthcare services.David Chadwick MP, Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson, said:
This looks like a classic dirty tricks operation — brief against local campaigners, make untrue claims, and hope nobody challenges them.
On Sunday, Dean Ronan issued a new public statement confirming that he had been invited to meet Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies to discuss the future of healthcare in Maesteg. He said he was open to meeting, but only if a public apology was issued for what he described as “false statements” made about him earlier in the week.
Dean Ronan, Liberal Democrat Senedd candidate, said:
I informed Huw that I would be open to meeting with him and sharing my views, on the condition that a public apology was issued by himself and the local councillors who attached their names to false statements made about me earlier this week. I was told that Huw would not issue a public apology, as he did not wish to focus on ‘politics or personalities’. As a result, I have declined the meeting.”
He said the issue was not political, but personal.
Mr Ronan added:
Morally, it does not sit right with me to allow lies to be told or left unchallenged. These are my values as a person, not a political position. The people of Maesteg deserve representatives who are honest and transparent at all times. Integrity and honesty matter more to me than any party policy.”
He added that he remained open to dialogue if a public apology was issued.
The full stone frontage of Maesteg Community Hospital, a landmark building at the centre of the debate over future health services in the Llynfi Valley.
(Image: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board)What the health board says it is planning
Behind the political row sits a much larger debate about what the health board is proposing for the Llynfi Valley.
The board says it wants to deliver a wider range of services locally, including urgent care, expanded outpatient clinics, mental health support, integrated community teams and space for third‑sector wellbeing organisations. It argues that these improvements cannot be delivered within the existing hospital buildings, which would cost at least £42 million to redevelop and potentially up to £48 million if further structural issues are uncovered.
A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said:
We have not taken any decisions to close Maesteg Hospital or sell the site. Whatever the future holds for this important, much‑loved building will take into account the views of local people and the heritage of the site.
The board says it is exploring a potential new site near Ewenny Road, close to Maesteg town centre and the railway station, because it offers better access and can accommodate the size of building required for modern services. It also says it is considering alternatives to hospital‑based community beds, including block‑booking beds in local nursing homes for rehabilitation, reablement and palliative care.
The health board said in its latest update:
Maesteg nestled in the Llynfi Valley, where plans for a new health and wellbeing centre have sparked debate over access, investment and the future of local services.Local people who are anxious about the future deserve the facts. We will continue to meet with representatives and provide information through other means.
(Image: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board)Calls for transparency and engagement
Labour representatives say they share concerns about the future of the hospital building and have urged the board to protect the site’s heritage. They argue that the building is iconic and must not be left “empty or unloved”.
Labour representatives wrote:
There is no‑one in these communities who would allow this iconic building to lie empty or unloved or unused.
They also said they have pressed the health board to meet urgently with the League of Friends and all elected representatives, and that the board has now agreed to do so.
The health board says it has already held engagement events and will carry out further public consultation once more detailed work on both the existing site and the potential new site is complete. A decision on the preferred location is expected in early 2026.
For now, the political row continues to overshadow the process, with both sides accusing the other of misrepresenting the facts. What remains clear is that the future of Maesteg Hospital — its services, its beds and its building — has become one of the most contentious local issues in years, and the community is demanding answers.
#CwmTafMorgannwgNHS #DavidChadwickMP #DavidReesMS #DeanRonan #HealthAndWellbeingCentre #HuwIrrancaDaviesMS #LlynfiValley #Maesteg #MaestegCommunityHospital #MaestegHospitalClosure #StephenKinnockMP #WelshLabour #WelshLiberalDemocrats