That was the overwhelming message both on the streets of Wrexham and from the area's civic and political leaders.

The public and politicians were responding to an idea floated in a letter to the Evening Leader discussing the controversial North-South divide within Wales.

Mr T Roberts of Wrexham wrote: "I think it is time we had a boundary change and we should become part of NW England.

"The Welsh Assembly appear to promote and develop only South Wales both in terms of money and news.

"North Wales hardly has a mention on Welsh television news bulletins.

"How many North Wales AMs have official positions in the Assembly? The proposed rail link from South to North just reiterates that Wrexham is not part of Wales.

"Wrexham with a population of 130,000 should pay our 'taxes and rates' to England and perhaps we would get the recognition we deserve."
The response was swift and unequivocal.

There was no mistaking how Wrexham's Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths felt. She said: "This is quite frankly a preposterous suggestion. By any measure you wish to choose – whether it be social, geographic, administrative, historical or linguistic – Wrexham is Welsh. It has always been in Wales and will always be in Wales.

"Wales is now a country of drive and ambition and Wrexham is playing a crucial part in creating this new found confidence in our country and in our identity. Why on earth would anyone want to sacrifice that?"

North Wales AM Mark Isherwood, was equally outraged at the suggestion: "Wrexham is a proud Welsh town and the third largest conurbation in Wales."

Referring to the rail link mentioned by Mr Roberts, Mr Isherwood continued: "The minister responsible for transport is Ieuan Wyn Jones, a North Wales member. This is an Assembly Government matter not an Assembly matter.

"As a North Wales member I've already written to Arriva and to the minister and requested a government statement in the chamber.

"This issue is not about a North-South divide but about a political divide between a Plaid - Labour Assembly Government dominated by South Wales members which repeatedly illustrates ignorance of the needs of North Wales in its decisions."

Janet Ryder, who lives in Ruthin and represents North Wales as a Plaid Cymru AM, rejected what she termed as, "small-minded" calls for Wrexham to "move" to England.

She said: "Wrexham is as much a part of Wales as anywhere else. Its rich heritage – from Owain Glyndwr to founding the Football Association of Wales – has contributed greatly to our past and I'm sure it will play a vital part in the future.

"The National Assembly has been going for just under a decade and established itself as a democratic voice that's closer to the people of Wales."

Miss Ryder addressed the specific complaints made by Mr Roberts. "The Welsh Government has invested heavily in providing direct train links between Wrexham and Cardiff as well as helping establish the Wrexham- London direct link," she said.

"Wrexham's rail links have suffered decades of neglect and under-investment from London governments and privatised rail firms; that is now changing because there is a Welsh government.

"The problems with getting the express link through Wrexham are to do with the infrastructure, which desperately needs upgrading by Network Rail.

"Mr Roberts wants our taxes paid to England. I've got news for him – they already are! The London government collects all our taxes and hands out a proportion for Wales and Scotland each year.

"It's not a good deal for Wales and that's reflected in the fact that we're falling further and further behind in terms of household incomes, which are just 77 per cent of the UK average.

"Despite our relative poverty, Welsh households have to pay more for our basic utilities.

"Why do we pay more for Welsh water than our neighbours in England? Why do we pay more for our energy, even though we export some of it to England?

"Because we don't have the political powers we need to rein in companies making excessive profits on our backs. I want more powers for Wales so that we can reap the benefits of our abundant energy and water."

Miss Ryder argued that the idea of a North-South divide is by no means a recent one and that measures are being taken to tackle the issue.

"The idea of a North-South divide has been fostered by our history and geography," she continued. "Traditionally links went East-West so that Welsh goods such as sheep, coal and steel could be sold in English markets.

"The Assembly is taking steps to redress that historic divide, which is far less a divide, ironically, than that between London and the North of England.

"Mr Roberts wonders how many North Wales AMs are part of the Assembly Government – since Plaid became part of the coalition government now running Wales, the Deputy First Minister and the Culture Minister are both from the North and well aware of the specific problems and concerns we have up here. If Wrexham was to move to England, how well represented would it be in Government?

"Finally, I wonder what the thousands of parents of pupils in Welsh-medium education would make of a move to England?

"Two-thirds of parents in Wrexham want their children educated bilingually – they're proud and confident of our nation and its unique identity and culture. I share their confidence that Wales – including Wrexham – can move forward by having a greater say in the way we run our lives.

"That's the future for Wrexham, not small-minded calls to re-draw the boundary."

However, the feelings were more varied on the streets of Wrexham.

John Hughes, 44, from Gresford said: "I don't think anybody would say it should be part of England. I was born here in Wrexham but I've spent most of my working life in Cheshire.

"You still carry your Welsh identity wherever you go. As far as the Assembly is concerned I don't know who my AM is. I know who my local councillor is and I think it is a lot more about local government up here."

Arthur Roberts, 82, from Trevor said: "It doesn't matter what happens, it's always South Wales that gets it, never the North. I don't believe in the Assembly anyway. It's just 'money for the boys.'

"What do they do for us? We managed all those years being governed from Westminster. Why can't we manage now? I think the whole of the UK should be one, no Welsh Assembly or Scottish Parliament."

Phil Jones, 23, from Mold, said: "There is a North-South divide, I don't think Wrexham should become part of England though.

"The Welsh Assembly should sort things out properly and the money should be divided equally between the north and the south. There has always been a divide – look at the two different dialects of the language."

Steve Evans, 25, from Wrexham, said: "I've been to South Wales recently and there is definitely a lot more money spent down there. You can see it in the sports facilities, the Millennium Stadium, the architecture.

"I do feel Wrexham misses out on these things and I think we should be part of England. Look at Chester. It's only a few miles away but seems to be doing a lot better."

Rhian Morgan, 16, from Bangor-on-Dee said: "I do think that Cardiff is big and pretty and that all the money is spent down there. Look around at Wrexham. It should be granted city status and become the capital of the North. I don't think it should be in England though, I'm very proud of my Welsh identity."

The whole issue is part of the controversy over the North-South divide which has been building for many years as has the claim that many North East Wales residents associate themselves more with the North West of England than they do with South Wales.

As recently as August, this year the issue cropped up when the Flintshire Evening Leader reported that Welsh Secretary, Paul Murphy claimed the people of the county, many of whom had previously associated themselves more with North West of England, had finally "come around" to the Assembly.

His claims echoed those of Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan who, in an interview with the Leader last year admitted there was an inevitably strong tie between North East Wales and North West England but claimed to have "won Flintshire over."

What do you think? Is there a North-South divide? Should there be a boundary change?

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