Councillors have unanimously supported moves to ensure that Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) to deal with medical emergencies will be based in Powys.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, December 4, councillors received a motion asking for support to be given to implement “recommendation four” put forward to NHS Wales’ Joint Commissioning Committee (JCC).

At their meeting in November, the JCC, which is made up of all of the Welsh health boards, discussed the aftermath of removing the Welsh Air Ambulance Service helicopters from Caernarfon and Welshpool airports.

All legal avenues against the closure of the bases have now been exhausted, and the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service Review (EMRTS) had come up with six recommendations for the JCC to note.

Recommendation four is around the need to commission proposals for a: “bespoke road-based enhanced and/or critical care services in rural and remote areas to enhance the core service model.” Details of this provision need to be fleshed out so that this is in place before the helicopters leave.

Plaid Cymru group leader Cllr Elwyn Vaughan (Glantwymyn) said: “Unfortunately the legal challenge was not successful. What is important now is that before changes take place the RRVs are in place to reflect the concerns in our communities for losing the Air Ambulance.”

He added that the questions of who is responsible for the RRV provision and who pays for it need to be worked out.

The motion was seconded by Cllr Graham Breeze (Powys Independents – Welshpool Llanerchydol), who was one of the prominent campaigners against the Air Ambulance’s removal from Welshpool.

Cllr Breeze said: “This is to ensure that promises made to mitigate the decision are delivered.

“At the JCC meeting, health board leaders reaffirmed their commitment to recommendation four, which was the pledge to provide additional RRVs to Mid and North Wales.

“It was not an option but a condition integral to the Judicial Review that allowed the closures to proceed.”

He stressed that this is needed as when an emergency occurs “minutes matter” and can be the difference between life and death.

He added that councillors in the south of Powys need to realise that this matter also affects them and their loved ones, and not just those living in Montgomeryshire or Gwynedd.

Cllr Breeze said: “This is your fight too.

“If the South Wales Air Ambulance is out on a call, your nearest help will be on the North Wales coast.

“The JCC have promised a detailed timeline for proposals in January, and our motion today must send a clear message that pledge must be honoured in full and without delay.

“No RRVs – no safety net. Stand with us to hold decision makers accountable.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Aled Davies (Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant & Llansilin) asked that the council invite health representatives to appear before councillors once their proposals are clear.

“So they can present their plans and we can challenge them,” said Cllr Davies.

Councillors agreed to this and unanimously backed the motion.