AN ANGLESEY councillor paid a moving tribute to the Welsh politician who founded the National Health Service to mark its 75th anniversary.
Councillor Robert Llewelyn Jones gave a two minute address in appreciation of Aneurin Bevan at the start of an Anglesey County Council meeting in Llangefni.
Aneurin or “Nye” Bevan, as he was known, was a Welsh politician and minister of health during Clement Attlee’s Labour government of 1945.
The former coal miner, social reformer and committed socialist famously established the National Health Service free for everyone, as well as developing housing programmes.
Speaking at the start of the island’s Planning and Orders Committee meeting on Wednesday, June 5, Cllr Llewelyn Jones stood up to say, as the “father of the council ” he felt it was “only right to pay tribute to Nye,” who he described as “a tower of a man.”
“Nye was a county council like you and me.” He told his fellow councillors.
“He later became the MP for Ebbw Vale.” He added.
“He was one of the greatest planners that this country has ever seen, in his vision of providing free health cover to everyone.
“A man who l left school at 14 to work in the coal mines at Tredegar and would turn the UK into the first country in the world to have a health service that was available to all, regardless of what your bank balance was.
“He saw what was happening to his fellow miners, and the lack of medical service for them and managed with the help of others to introduce our National Health Service, now the envy of the world.
“We must continue to honour his vision, and to continue to ensure that the least well off residents of our country can still depend on receiving first class service from our national health service for our citizens now and in the future.
The Parc a’r Mynydd Councillor for the Anglesey Independents concluded by saying:
“Thank you to Nye, and all the people who have worked and are working in the National Health Service for carrying out and delivering the services that Nye Bevan, a fellow Welsh man, introduced to our United Kingdom, 75 years ago. Diolch yn fawr.”
The chairman of the committee Councillor Ken Taylor, Bro’r Llynnoedd Councillor for Plaid Cymru, gave his appreciation.
“Thank you very much Councillor Jones, very appropriate words, and I am sure we all agree, and where would all be today without the NHS.”
He also congratulated Councillor Dafydd Roberts, who represents the electoral division for Bodowyr for the Independent Group after recently being made a member of the council’s executive.
