Read below my newsletter covering August 2026, which was sent on 4 September 2026.
You can sign up for future editions by clicking here.
Sgroliwch i lawr am y fersiwn Cymraeg.
Hello and welcome back to my newsletter.
I am writing in the last week before recess, so in that spirit I will focus exclusively on constituency issues for this edition.
I am going to cover two of the most important matters I have dealt with as an MP so far: the potential presence of ‘forever chemicals’ at multiple sites in the north of the constituency, and the ongoing problems caused by Powys Teaching Health Board’s funding issues.
Both have very much defined my time in office, having worked to protect constituents from each since my election well over two years ago now.
S.
Buried
Forever chemicals
Constituents will by now have heard the terrifying findings from the new BBC Two documentary Buried, presented by Michael Sheen, on the suspected presence of toxic, carcinogenic industrial chemicals dumped by Monsanto across Glyndŵr.
The sites investigated in the documentary included the Llwyneinion acid tar lagoon (as bad as it sounds), Rhosymedre Quarry, and the field on Bethania Road by The Delph in Acrefair – as well as mere metres outside of the constituency on Llangollen Road (A539) in Trevor.
It is suspected there are more across the area, and of course across South Wales and Chesire too. The scale of the issue is huge, and because of the near-indestructible nature of these man-made chemicals, it is one that will not go away unless something is done about it.
I appeared in the second episode, speaking with Michael Sheen in Plas Madoc about my work over the past two years demanding (through the scrutiny of the Welsh Affairs Committee and through a barrage of private letters too) that the Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales (who I have met with twice – on 12/6/25 and 7/10/25 – about this issue), and Wrexham County Borough Council investigate these sites so that at the very least, the scale of the contamination is not an unknown quantity.
On a professional level, I feel vindicated in having used my position to try and shed light on this, because the indicative findings are worse than thought. Personally, though, I cannot say I am particularly happy to hear just how truly appalling they are.
I have been a resident of the area for most of my adult life, and I raise my children less than half a mile from one of the dumping sites. I have family members who were directly connected to the factory and personally witnessed the dumping. To say I am outraged would be an understatement.
Monsanto’s betrayal
Betrayal is probably the right word. The multinational corporation’s derelict ‘Ruabon Works’ site of course spanned Trevor, Acrefair, and Cefn Mawr. But they dumped their waste throughout the wider area, and in doing so, left a great stain on our communities and on their reputation as well.
I know that Monsanto supported many families here, and so they are often remembered fondly. However, the documentary questions this very point: why did Monsanto choose here in the first place?
The historic industrialisation of this area brought wealth, yes, but it scarred our landscapes and our bodies too.
The documentary puts it better than I could have done. It alleges that the company chose areas like ours (and sites across the South Wales valleys, Cheshire, and in other countries too) precisely because they could hide the damage they knew their pollution would do behind the preexisting prevalence of occupational poor health – in the belief that we wouldn’t complain.
Well, now we are complaining. Despite the thousands of hours so many individuals have put into uncovering the truth about these sites, we are yet to hear it. This is now the task we must turn to. This injustice can go ignored no longer.
Monsanto Contamination Action Group
The Monsanto Contamination Action Group was recently created to rally our communities around this issue. It held a public meeting on Wednesday the 2nd of September at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre. You can read about it in the Wrexham Leader here.
The resolute work of individuals has been inspirational (and, from personal experience, tiring). But we will get nowhere without the resolute organisation and total mobilisation of our communities towards our shared goal of truth and justice.
This is the task we must now commit to. Wednesday marked only another step of the campaign to get justice for my family, constituents, and community.
I would encourage you to join the group’s Facebook page by clicking here.
No surrender on rural healthcare
Powys hospitals under threat again
Do you ever have recurring nightmares? Every time it feels so real, but so familiar, and then after waking up you realise that’s because you’ve had it many times before.
That is what it feels like in Powys trying to prevent our access to healthcare from being restricted.
Perhaps then the better metaphor is the hydra. The proposals, the closures, the downgradings, the delays, they just keep on coming.
The latest episode takes the cake: Powys Teaching Health Board (PTHB) is considering the removal of inpatient beds from every single hospital in Montgomeryshire bar Newtown. Machynlleth Bro Dyfi Hospital beds – gone; Llanidloes War Memorial Hospital beds – gone; Welshpool Victoria Memorial Hospital beds – gone.
Rightfully constituents right across the length and breadth of Montgomeryshire are up in arms, as am I. I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the campaign for the fair provision of rural healthcare, I will continue to scrutinise the provision of that healthcare from Parliament through the Welsh Affairs Committee, and I will continue to use my voice to plead that the Welsh Government gives the health board the funding it need to keep us healthy.
Llanfyllin Group Practice
The scale of these proposals is so large and geographically widespread that it is no wonder such rage has been ignited.
Looking from on high, though, you might miss the human cost of all this. The neglect of Llanfyllin Group Practice is a particularly salient example. The practice has been rated ‘exemplary’ by recent inspections and is a vital lifeline for an area that (I’m told) is the size of New York City.
Yet an end to supplementary funding by PTHB has forced them to look at closing Llanrhaeadr Branch Surgery. They are running three medical centres (Llanfyllin, Llanrhaeadr, Four Crosses), with barely enough funding to run one.
Danby’s Pharmacy closed last December too, so they have now been saddled with a fourth operation from becoming the primary prescription dispenser in the area, which is critical and highly technical work.
I had a meeting with them last month to see what more I could do to help, having worked with them on the issue for well over a year now.
I remain totally unconvinced by the PTHB’s strategy of allowing frontline practices like this (one kept going by incredibly talented and passionate local individuals) to wither on the vine.
They deserve the chance to plan for the future, rather than being forced into endless firefighting by cliff edges of reduced funding. They need proper funding in the short term, and long-term stability too.
Every episode in the long PTHB saga is painful, but the one that makes this one exceptionally tragic is just how good of a job the staff are doing. They go above and beyond, and if they had the resources, Llanfyllin GP could be an exemplar for how to deliver rural healthcare.
Footing the bill
Our problems with rural healthcare are so vast, as the wider conversation around restructuring illustrates, but so deeply personal too, as Llanfyllin GP shows.
Ultimately the route cause is the giant £45 million deficit facing the health board. That is something that can only be resolved by more money from the Senedd, should the Welsh Government opt to maintain our current levels of healthcare access at the expense of some of their other priorities.
For my part, I will continue to help lead the fight for the fair provision of rural healthcare through every avenue available to me as a Westminster MP.
August in the constituency
I am terribly aware that this edition has been packed to the rafters with grievances, but they are issues that cannot be ignored, and to that end, cannot be over-discussed.
Here are some cheerier videos of me about the constituency over the last month.
That’s all for this month. See you next time.
With Every Good Wish, Steve
Helo a chroeso yn ôl i fy nghylchlythyr.
Rwy’n ysgrifennu yn yr wythnos olaf cyn y toriad, felly yn yr ysbryd hwnnw byddaf yn canolbwyntio’n llwyr ar faterion yn yr etholaeth yn y rhifyn hwn.
Rwyf am drafod dau o’r materion pwysicaf rwyf wedi delio â nhw fel Aelod Seneddol hyd yn hyn: y posibilrwydd bod ‘cemegau parhaol’ yn bresennol mewn nifer o safleoedd yng ngogledd yr etholaeth, a’r problemau parhaus sy’n deillio o faterion ariannu Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys.
Mae’r ddau fater wedi diffinio fy nghyfnod yn y swydd i raddau helaeth, gan fy mod wedi gweithio i amddiffyn etholwyr rhag y naill a’r llall ers fy ethol ymhell dros ddwy flynedd yn ôl bellach.
S.
Buried
Cemegau ‘tragwyddol’
Bydd etholwyr erbyn hyn wedi clywed am y canfyddiadau brawychus o raglen ddogfen newydd BBC Two, Buried, a gyflwynwyd gan Michael Sheen, ynghylch presenoldeb honedig cemegau diwydiannol gwenwynig sy’n achosi canser, a gafodd eu gwaredu gan Monsanto ar draws ardal Glyndŵr.
Roedd y safleoedd a ymchwiliwyd yn y rhaglen ddogfen yn cynnwys lagŵn tar asid Llwyneinion (sydd mor ddrwg ag y mae’n swnio), Chwarel Rhosymedre, a’r cae ar Ffordd Bethania ger The Delph yn Acrefair – yn ogystal â safle ychydig fetrau y tu allan i’r etholaeth ar Ffordd Llangollen (A539) yn Trevor.
Amheuir bod mwy o safleoedd ar draws yr ardal, ac wrth gwrs ar draws De Cymru a Swydd Gaer hefyd. Mae maint y broblem yn enfawr, ac oherwydd natur y cemegau hyn a wnaed gan ddyn – sydd bron yn amhosibl eu dinistrio – mae’n broblem na fydd yn diflannu oni bai bod rhywbeth yn cael ei wneud yn ei chylch.
Ymddangosais yn yr ail bennod, gan siarad â Michael Sheen ym Mhlas Madoc am fy ngwaith dros y ddwy flynedd ddiwethaf yn mynnu (trwy waith craffu Pwyllgor Materion Cymru a thrwy gyfres o lythyrau preifat hefyd) bod Llywodraeth Cymru, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru (y cyfarfûm â nhw ddwywaith – ar 12/6/25 a 7/10/25 – ynghylch y mater hwn), a Chyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam yn ymchwilio i’r safleoedd hyn fel, o leiaf, na fydd maint y llygredd yn anhysbys.
Ar lefel broffesiynol, rwy’n teimlo fy mod wedi cael fy nghyffiawnhau wrth ddefnyddio fy swydd i geisio taflu goleuni ar hyn, oherwydd bod y canfyddiadau rhagarweiniol yn waeth nag yr oeddwn wedi’i feddwl. Yn bersonol, fodd bynnag, ni allaf ddweud fy mod yn hapus o glywed pa mor ofnadwy ydynt yn wir.
Rwyf wedi byw yn yr ardal am y rhan fwyaf o fy mywyd fel oedolyn, ac rwy’n magu fy mhlant lai na hanner milltir o un o’r safleoedd gwaredu. Mae gennyf aelodau o’r teulu a oedd â chysylltiad uniongyrchol â’r ffatri ac a welodd y broses waredu â’u llygaid eu hunain. Byddai dweud fy mod yn llawn dicter yn rhy wan o ddisgrifiad.
Brad Monsanto
Mae’n debyg i mi mai ‘brad’yw’r gair cywir. Roedd safle’r corfforaeth amlwladol ‘Ruabon Works’, sydd bellach wedi’i adael yn adfeilion, yn ymestyn dros ardaloedd Trevor, Acrefair a Chefn Mawr. Ond gwaredasant eu gwastraff ar draws yr ardal ehangach, ac wrth wneud hynny, gadawsant staen mawr ar ein cymunedau ac ar eu henw da hwythau hefyd.
Gwn fod Monsanto wedi cefnogi llawer o deuluoedd yma, ac felly mae pobl yn aml yn eu cofio’n annwyl. Fodd bynnag, mae’r rhaglen ddogfen yn cwestiynu’r union bwynt hwn: pam y dewisodd Monsanto ddod yma yn y lle cyntaf?
Daeth diwydiannu hanesyddol yr ardal hon â chyfoeth, ie, ond gadawodd greithiau ar ein tirweddau ac ar ein cyrff hefyd.
Mae’r rhaglen ddogfen yn ei egluro’n well nag y gallwn i. Mae’n honni bod y cwmni wedi dewis ardaloedd fel ein hardal ni (a safleoedd ar draws cymoedd De Cymru, Swydd Gaer ac mewn gwledydd eraill hefyd) yn union oherwydd y gallent guddio’r difrod y gwyddent y byddai eu llygredd yn ei achosi y tu ôl i’r broblem bresennol o iechyd gwael yn ymwneud â gwaith – gan gredu na fyddem yn cwyno.
Wel, nawr rydym yn cwyno. Er gwaethaf y miloedd o oriau y mae cymaint o unigolion wedi’u rhoi i ddatgelu’r gwirionedd am y safleoedd hyn, nid ydym wedi’i glywed eto. Dyma’r dasg y mae’n rhaid i ni ganolbwyntio arni nawr. Ni ellir anwybyddu’r anghyfiawnder hwn mwyach.
Grŵp Gweithredu ar Lygredd Monsanto
Sefydlwyd Grŵp Gweithredu ar Lygredd Monsanto yn ddiweddar i ysgogi ein cymunedau ynghylch y mater hwn. Cynhaliodd y grŵp gyfarfod cyhoeddus ddydd Mercher, 2 Medi, yng Nghanolfan Hamdden Plas Madoc. Gallwch ddarllen amdano yn y Wrexham Leader yma.
Mae gwaith cadarn unigolion wedi bod yn ysbrydoledig (ac, o brofiad personol, yn flinedig). Ond ni fyddwn yn cyrraedd unman heb drefnu cadarn a chynnull llawn ein cymunedau tuag at ein nod cyffredin o wirionedd a chyfiawnder.
Dyma’r dasg y mae’n rhaid i ni ymrwymo iddi nawr. Dim ond cam arall yn yr ymgyrch i sicrhau cyfiawnder i fy nheulu, fy etholwyr a’m cymuned oedd dydd Mercher. Hoffwn eich annog i ymuno â thudalen Facebook y grŵp drwy glicio yma.
Dim ildio o ran gofal iechyd gwledig
Ysbytai Powys dan fygythiad unwaith eto
Ydych chi’n cael hunllefau sy’n dychwelyd dro ar ôl tro? Mae’n teimlo mor real bob tro, ac eto mor gyfarwydd, ac yna ar ôl deffro, rydych chi’n sylweddoli mai’r rheswm am hynny yw eich bod wedi’i chael hi lawer gwaith o’r blaen. Dyna sut mae hi ym Mhowys wrth geisio atal cyfyngu ar ein mynediad at ofal iechyd.
Efallai mai’r hydra yw’r trosiad gwell, felly. Mae’r cynigion, y cau, yr israddio a’r oedi yn parhau i ddod.
Yr achos diweddaraf yw’r gwaethaf oll: mae Bwrdd Iechyd Addysgu Powys (PTHB) yn ystyried cael gwared ar welyau cleifion mewnol o bob un ysbyty yn Sir Drefaldwyn ac eithrio’r un yn y Drenewydd.
Gwelyau Ysbyty Bro Dyfi, Machynlleth – wedi mynd; gwelyau Ysbyty Coffa Rhyfel Llanidloes – wedi mynd; gwelyau Ysbyty Coffa Victoria, Y Trallwng – wedi mynd.
Mae etholwyr ar hyd a lled Maldwyn yn gwbl gyfiawn yn mynegi eu dicter a’u gwrthwynebiad cryf, ac rwyf finnau’n gwneud yr un peth. Byddaf yn parhau i sefyll ysgwydd wrth ysgwydd â’r ymgyrch dros ddarpariaeth deg o ofal iechyd gwledig; byddaf yn parhau i graffu ar ddarpariaeth y gofal hwnnw o’r Senedd, drwy’r Pwyllgor Materion Cymreig; a byddaf yn parhau i ddefnyddio fy llais i annog Llywodraeth Cymru i roi’r cyllid sydd ei angen ar y bwrdd iechyd i’n cadw’n iach.
Practis Grŵp Llanfyllin
Mae graddfa’r cynigion hyn mor fawr ac yn ymestyn dros ardal mor eang, fel nad yw’n syndod bod cymaint o ddicter wedi’i danio.
Wrth edrych ar y sefyllfa o bell, fodd bynnag, gallech fethu â gweld yr effaith ddynol o hyn oll. Mae esgeuluso Practis Grŵp Llanfyllin yn enghraifft arbennig o amlwg. Mae’r practis wedi cael ei raddio’n ‘rhagorol’ mewn arolygiadau diweddar ac mae’n llinell achub hanfodol ar gyfer ardal sydd (yn ôl yr hyn a ddywedwyd wrthyf) yr un maint â Dinas Efrog Newydd.
Ond eto, mae’r penderfyniad gan PTHB i roi’r gorau i ddarparu cyllid ychwanegol wedi gorfodi’r practis i ystyried cau Meddygfa Gangen Llanrhaeadr. Maent yn rhedeg tri chanolfan feddygol (Llanfyllin, Llanrhaeadr, Four Crosses), gyda digon o gyllid i redeg un yn unig, bron.
Caewyd Fferyllfa Danby fis Rhagfyr diwethaf hefyd, felly bellach maent wedi ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb am bedwerydd tasg – sef gweithredu fel y prif ddarparwr presgripsiynau yn yr ardal; gwaith hanfodol a thechnegol iawn yw hwn.
Cefais gyfarfod â nhw fis diwethaf i weld beth arall y gallwn ei wneud i helpu, ar ôl gweithio gyda nhw ar y mater ers cryn dipyn dros flwyddyn bellach.
Dydw i ddim o gwbl wedi fy argyhoeddi gan strategaeth y PTHB o adael i bractisau rheng flaen fel hwn (un sy’n parhau i weithredu diolch i unigolion lleol hynod dalentog ac angerddol) wywo a marw.
Maen nhw’n haeddu cyfle i gynllunio ar gyfer y dyfodol, yn hytrach na chael eu gorfodi i ymateb i argyfyngau yn ddi-baid oherwydd y bygythiad o doriadau ariannol sydyn. Mae angen cyllid priodol arnynt yn y tymor byr, yn ogystal â sefydlogrwydd hirdymor.
Mae pob pennod yn hanes hir y PTHB yn boenus, ond yr hyn sy’n gwneud yr achos hwn yn arbennig o drasig yw pa mor dda yw gwaith y staff. Maen nhw’n gwneud mwy na’r disgwyl, a gyda’r adnoddau angenrheidiol, gallai practis meddyg teulu Llanfyllin fod yn enghraifft wych o sut i ddarparu gofal iechyd gwledig.
Y gost a’r cyfrifoldeb
Mae’r problemau sy’n wynebu gofal iechyd gwledig yn enfawr – fel y dengys y drafodaeth ehangach ynghylch ailstrwythuro – ond maent hefyd yn bersonol iawn, fel y dengys meddyg teulu o Llanfyllin.
Yn y pen draw, y gwreiddyn i’r broblem yw’r diffyg enfawr o £45 miliwn sy’n wynebu’r bwrdd iechyd. Dim ond trwy ddarparu mwy o arian gan y Senedd y gellir datrys hynny, pe bai Llywodraeth Cymru yn dewis cynnal y lefelau presennol o fynediad at ofal iechyd, hyd yn oed os byddai hynny’n golygu aberthu rhai o’u blaenoriaethau eraill.
O’m rhan i, byddaf yn parhau i helpu i arwain yr ymgyrch dros ddarpariaeth deg o ofal iechyd gwledig, gan ddefnyddio pob llwybr sydd ar gael i mi fel Aelod Seneddol yn San Steffan.
Awst yn yr etholaeth
Rwy’n ymwybodol iawn bod y rhifyn hwn yn llawn dop o gwynion, ond materion ydyn nhw na ellir eu hanwybyddu, ac felly, ni ellir or-drafod.
Dyma rai fideos mwy llawen ohonof yn yr etholaeth dros y mis diwethaf.
Dyna’r cyfan am y mis hwn. Welaf i chi y tro nesaf.
Gyda phob dymuniad da, Steve