Cyclist Mike pedals to epic Italian job

* Mike Edwards in action on his bike.

A KEEN Llangollen cyclist has powered his way to a riding holiday through the spectacular Italian countryside after winning an online competition.  

Mike Edwards will now be teaming up on the Italian job with his equally bike crazy son to pedal the 450 miles from Milan to Rome this September.

* Christian Edwards on the Prudential Ride
London in 2013 in which his time was 6.47.17)

Mike, 70, a retired chartered surveyor, entered the competition on the Ride25 cycling website and heard recently that he had been chosen as the winner.

 

His prize is an epic ride which takes in rolling hills, sunflowers, hilltop villages and historic delights.
 

The tour, which takes four and a half days, also offers the opportunity to see the historic cities of Piacenza, Bologna, Orvieto and Rome.  

Mike will be setting off on the adventure with his eldest son, Christian, 42, who lives in Wrexham and works as a service engineer. Like his dad, he is also an avid cyclist.

Mike said: “I am absolutely thrilled and excited to have won the competition and my son and I are looking forward to riding in Italy in September.

“I have been on holiday to Tuscany several times and those rolling hills and spectacular scenery will be great to view from my Italian bike, an Bianchi Infinito.”
 

He added: “Christian has been cycling for several years. He has completed Ride London, a 100 cycling sportive, and has also done several triathlons including a Olympic Distance 2k swim, 80k bike and 13.1m run.

“I had a big birthday last September with the numbers zero and seven but not necessarily in that order.
 

“I spent most of my working life with the old Wrexham Maelor Council and used to run with Wrexham AAC. I have completed 11 marathons including four London and two Snowdonia. 

“In recent years Chris and I have mainly concentrated on cycling, both mountain bikes - mainly at One Planet Adventure in Llandegla - and road bikes.
 

“Christian and I are cycling buddies as well as father and son. We are both doing Chirk Sprint Triathlon in April and Ashbourne in May when we will be joined by my eldest daughter Claire who is 29 who is making her triathlon debut.

“After Ashbourne Chris and I will concentrate on building up our mileage to be able to ride 450 miles in four days in Italy.

“This will probably take in the Mark Cavendish Sportive which is being held in August and includes the iconic climb of the Horseshoe Pass.”

Garden waste deadline ends this Saturday

The introductory discount Denbighshire County Council offers to householders opting in to its garden waste collection scheme is due to end on February 14.

So far, residents have taken advantage of the discounted early-bird rates to pay for 9,051 bins.

With the discount available for another ten days, sales are expected to approach 11,000 by the time Valentine’s Day arrives.  Denbighshire waste officer, Alan Roberts, said: “Contrary to some reports, the council is very happy with the take-up from residents at this stage.

"Elsewhere, take-up has ranged between 30% and 40% when charges are introduced, so to be at 25% eight weeks before the service starts is very pleasing.”

Around half of all the requests for bins have come via the council’s website and, with a last-minute rush of orders expected, Alan Roberts advised residents to go online to make their payment for their garden waste service.

He said: “We expect the volume of payments to increase in the days before the discount ends and I would strongly recommend using the online payment system to minimise any waiting time.”

The ending of the early-bird discount means that the cost of having a standard 140 litre bin, or equivalent dumpy sacks, emptied fortnightly for 12 months will increase from £22 to £24. The cost of a two-bin service will increase from £34 to £36.

Alan Roberts added: “Because of the high level of sales, householders that have opted into the scheme will find their collection days will remain exactly the same as they have always been for the first six months.

"The next calendar they receive will reflect changes made to increase efficiency given the reduced number of households needing collections.”

The council’s secure online payment page can be found at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/gardenwaste and payments can also be made over the telephone, on 01824 706101, or in person at any of the council’s One Stop Shops.

Get free help to handle debt, says AM

To mark the recent Debt Awareness Week, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, who chairs the Cross Party Group on Fuel Poverty, called on his constituents to ensure they are taking advantage of free help and support available for anyone struggling with winter energy bills.

 

He said: “Nobody should suffer in silence and there's a range of help and advice for any constituents who are having problems paying their energy or other household bills.”

 

For example, British Gas spent more than £380 million in 2013 helping 1.8m vulnerable households with discounts, free insulation and benefits advice.

 

The company has a successful partnership with StepChange Debt Charity – organisers of Debt Awareness Week - which helps customers by offering manageable payment plans for their energy and other household debts.

 

It also funds The British Gas Energy Trust - an independent charitable trust set up 10 years ago. British Gas has provided the Trust with £75million to help people living in fuel poverty.  The Trust provides grants to help with energy arrears as well as a wide range of advice and is open to everyone, not just British Gas customers.

 

Other support provided by British Gas includes flexible payment plans, referral to the Warm Home Discount scheme which gives eligible customers a £140 discount on their electricity bill, and identifying if customers are eligible for free insulation or boiler replacements.

 

To register for extra help, customers or someone acting on their behalf should call 0800 072 8625 (or 0800 294 8604 if they have a Pay As You Go meter).

 

Mr Isherwood added: “I want all my constituents to understand what help is available for them. Keeping on top of winter bills and managing debt is so important and I'd urge anyone in North Wales, to get in touch with their energy supplier to find out what support is on offer."

 

Skates seeks measures to cure A483 "pinch point"

Assembly Member Ken Skates is hoping the Welsh Government will examine ways of easing traffic at a known pinch-point on the A483.

Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, has written to Transport Minister Edwina Hart to ask whether there are any plans to alleviate congestion at the McDonald’s roundabout near Chirk.

“There have been problems there for a long time, and I know the traffic can be extremely frustrating for many of my constituents,” said Mr Skates.

“The Chirk McDonald’s is one of the busiest in Britain and the roundabout acts as an entry point to the Dee Valley, as well as one of two access points for Chirk, so congestion at rush hour can be considerable.”

Response ...

Reference the above story, I am sure residents of Llangollen welcome Ken's intervention in this matter because there are several traffic issues of concern at the moment:

1. The main issue with the A483/A5 is the death trap sections of three lane carriageways between Ruabon and recently enlarged roundabout at Oswestry. The bridge over the Chirk Valley has a particularly bad accident record and requires urgent attention such as a speed limit, average speed cameras and a ban on overtaking to prevent further deaths;

2. The A5 out of Llangollen has for some time had a set of temporary lights causing long delays, but there seems no start imminent on rectify this problem;

3. On the other access/egress road into town, on Mill Street there are also temporary lights causing a delay for residents and visitors. These works are part of the scheme recently revealed to endeavour to improve access to the new Medical Centre particularly for pedestrians, wheelchair and pushchair users. However the scheme which is costing the Health Board £70,000 does not address the pinch point on Mill Street where there is no pavement on one side of the highway:

So there are a number of traffic issues causing immense difficulties for Llangollen residents and no information is being provided by Denbighshire CC to the public about what is being done to resolve the problems. 1 and 2 above are directly within the control of the Highways Department who seem to treat the public with total disrespect and fail to consult or provide information as to what is proposed. I had to resort to a Freedom of Information request to obtain details of the Health Board's Scheme and I call upon the Proper Officer at Denbighshire to provide Council Tax Payers with a full explanation of what is being considered and proposed to resolve these issues which adversely affect residents and Llangollen's role as an inland tourist destination?

 

Mike Edwards

Further response ...

In addition to Mike Edwards’ analytical piece, I’d like to remind and let people know there’s a Community Initiative in progress which might rethink the unthinkable and provide a radical solution which could never in all likelihood come from beyond the community itself.

 

It’s a Crowdfunded scheme which means everyone can contribute with a simple donation and everyone will be able to participate – a refreshing change from the usual approach of a study undertaken without public involvement then shown to the public in what’s usually mislabelled a ‘Consultation’. The details are here: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/people-traffic-in-llan

 

The fund is growing steadily. If the required total isn’t achieved, everyone gets their donation refunded. That’s guaranteed.

 

Making our own decisions - what a good idea!

 

Martin Crumpton

 

Chair@KLS

Wildlife expert boosts rural crime fight

 

* Something special: North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner

Winston Roddick with Special Constable Phil Roberts.

 

A wildlife expert has been recruited to boost the police's fight against countryside crime in North Wales.

 

According to Special Constable Phil Roberts, who's based in Wrexham, joining the Rural Crime Team is a "dream come true".

 

As well as having lifelong passion for birdwatching, the volunteer officer has a degree in zoology and a master's in advanced biological sciences.

 

The Rural Crime Team was set up by North Wales Police at the instigation of North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick CB QC.

 

Since it was established two years ago the taskforce has masterminded a dramatic 40 per cent reduction in the number of rural crimes - and an increase in the number of prosecutions.

 

These include such diverse offences as livestock rustling, theft of farm machinery, badger digging and stealing rare birds eggs.

 

Phil, 27, is one of 122 Special Constables in North Wales and the force has launched a recruitment drive to find more like him with relevant, high level academic qualifications, particularly in rural areas and from among the Welsh-speaking community.

 

Specials do everything that regular officers do and have the same powers. They have to commit at least 16 hours a month to their duties, although individuals can tailor hours to meet their needs.

 

Having worked as a supermarket trolley collector to fund his studies, Phil has now secured a job as a laboratory technical officer at Manchester Metropolitan University.

 

But he is determined to carry on is volunteer duties as a Special Constable which he started in September 2013.

 

Phil said: "I do care a great deal about science but I also do care about the work I do as a Special Constable and delivering effective policing. I do make a difference.

 

"There’s a lot of rural policing in North Wales so they do have to take account of the rural crime that goes on so that’s one of the reasons why I joined the Specials and chose North Wales as a force.

 

"My background knowledge will help me as a member of the Rural Crime Team. I’m enjoying it immensely.

 

"There is always a sense of pride when I put my gear in the locker at the end of a shift. There's only a few other jobs in the world where you can get this kind of feeling from it."

 

Mr Roddick is a great believer in the value of Special Constables and is pleased that Phil has joined the Rural Crime Team.

 

He said: "A number of the Rural Crime Team are from rural backgrounds and they move with ease and facility in the rural and agricultural community - they feel they are part of it.

 

"They have had a measurable impact. You need only ask the agricultural unions and the farmers.

 

"Special Constables make an invaluable contribution to the quality of policing, whether it's in the countryside or in our towns.

 

"The Special Constabulary underlines that fundamental principle that the police are the community and the community are the police.

 

"Special Constables are volunteers from the community who do it out of sense of duty and they don't get paid.

 

"Very often they have relevant skills that they bring to the job - like Phil who is a trained scientist and something of expert in wildlife matters.

 

"Specials come from every walk of life and that is a particularly attractive feature about them - they do bring something different to the mix, the mix that makes policing what it is in this country.

 

“We now have officers attached to CID, Roads Policing, Community Safety and the Arson Reduction Team, which was previously unheard of. We're also looking for officers with qualifications in a range of areas including finance and IT.

 

"Phil is an example of somebody who brings in that something special and is highly qualified in his specialist area.

 

"In my Police and Crime Plan for the next 12 months, I have made special mention of Special Constables and volunteers more generally.

 

"We're recruiting more Special Constables and other volunteers because our experience has told us that having Specials adds value to the quality of policing."

 

* Anybody interested in finding out more about how to become a Special Constable should email SSFSpecialsRecruitment@nthwales.pnn.police.uk or ring 01492 804224 or  use the  #BeSpecial hash tag on Twitter.

Half a Sixpence gives audience full value

* The full cast of Half a Sixpence. Picture by Barrie Potter.

Flash, bang, wallop what a performance!

A large and talented cast from Llangollen Operatic Society’s Young ‘Uns began their run of the ,lively musical Half a Sixpence at the Town Hall last night and gave the audience full value for money.

Based on the novel Kipps by H G Wells, the show, with words and music by David Heneker, tells the tale of young Arthur Kipps who undergoes a rapid transformation from humble Folkestone drapers apprentice to toff when he comes into a fortune providing him with £1,200 a year – a tidy sum for the time the piece is set in the early years of the 20^th century.

But the windfall does him no good at all when he falls in with a snooty local family, the shifty scion of which, a so-called financial advisor, relieves him of all his cash.

Arthur’s rags to riches ascent also robs him of his true love, Ann, with whom he grew up in an orphanage and split a sixpence in half to demonstrate that they would one day meet up again and match the two halves together.

In the best plotting traditions the course of their love doesn’t run too smoothly but, of course, there’s a happy ending for them in sight.

Taking the part of Kipps is the highly talented Charlie Hackforth, who has successfully trodden the boards with the Young ‘Uns on previous occasions, and his childhood sweetheart is played by the accomplished Joanna Sully Stallard – making her last appearance with the company before heading off to university this autumn.

Outstanding in the supporting role of Chitterlow, the eccentric “actore laddy” who befriends Kipps, is Cassius Hackforth. He has a dramatic presence way beyond his tender years and lights up the stage whenever he steps onto it.

Strong performances also come from Elliot Priestley, Shea Ferron and Aled Jones as Arthur’s old colleagues from the drapers shop owned by the awful Mr Shalford, who is thoughtfully portrayed by Wil Edwards.

Musical numbers, including the title piece of Half a Sixpence and the rousing Flash, Bang Wallop from Arthur and Ann’s wedding scene, are delivered with suitable gusto, the acting is seamless and the dancing is well choreographed and executed.

The chorus of scores of tots is as colourful and appealing as ever.

The whole production is a credit to artistic director Chrissie Ashworth, musical director Julian Cattley and producer Pamela Williams who are ably supported by a small backstage army.

It’s well worth investing a few quid in Half a Sixpence, performances of which you can still catch tonight (Friday) and tomorrow evenings as well as a matinee on Saturday afternoon.    

Health centre traffic measures revealed

* A plan of the proposed traffic measures at the new health centre.

THE local health board is to pay out almost £70,000 for measures to make it safer for pedestrians to use Llangollen’s new health centre.

There has been some concern in the town that accessing the new facility, currently being built on the old River site at Mill Lane (A539), will be dangerous for those on foot, given heavy traffic and narrow pavements.

With this in mind, town resident Mike Edwards put in a Freedom of Information request to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), which is building the new centre, back in April last year asking what traffic measures were planned and the estimated cost.

In its reply, the health board says measures include:

• Enhanced bus stop positions will be provided.
• Improvements to the pedestrian route adjacent to the new Health Centre.
• Inclusion of dropped kerbs and tactile paving to improve accessibility.
• Provision of dedicated disabled parking at the Health Centre.

 

The board’s response adds: “The final costs have yet to be determined but a budget of £69,000 has been established as follows:

 

"Footpath and associated works £35,000, street lighting £8,500, other highway works – two bust stops, 30mph zone gateway relocation, tactile paving, signage £25,000.

“These costs are being met by the Health Board, with funding supplied by Welsh Government following the approval of the capital business case.”

Mr Edwards said: “When I made the original enquiry last year, I was advised by BCUHB that the public would be consulted about these highway proposals.

 

“However, it would seem that they have finalised the scheme without public consultation.”

Councillor hits back over reform plans

Update ... see two responses at the foot of this story ...

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has hit back over proposals for the future shape of local government.

The plans were revealed by Local Government Minister Leighton Andrews in a white paper published earlier this week.

Among the changes suggested are:

* Council elections every five years, not four as at present

* Maximum five terms - 25 years - for councillors

* Maximum two terms - 10 years - for council leaders and cabinet members

* Pay councillors in line with those on similar sized councils elsewhere in the UK

* Public sector employers to give staff unpaid leave to carry out duties as councillors, and other employers encouraged to do the same

* Council leaders and chief executives given a duty to promote and respect diversity

* Youth councils to be set up by each authority

Mr Andrews told BBC Wales: "It's seen as a bit of an old boys club and we want to cut out the cosy cabals."

Cllr Davies responded: “I see the Minister Leighton Andrews is doing it again. Fired for going against his own government policy, brought back in and again and going against his own government findings.

“They commissioned the Williams report which came out with quite strong recommendations, which he has turned down! This has cost the Welsh Government and local councils thousands. Now he is trying to upset the local government applecart again with ill thought-out ideas of local government reform.

“His thinking is rooted in the dinosaur age of big government diktat, where the WG tries to micro manage. He thinks that bigger councils with less councillors, with limited time in office is better and cheaper.

“The system as it is works. Interference from on high puts the dead hand of the state on the tiller. Local councillors like me have our ear to the ground, we know what is happening, what the people want. We involve ourselves at a local level with the public on a day to day level that AMs and MPs along with their Cardiff-centric officers could not hope to achieve.

“His government is calling for more AMs. Hah! Along with their PAs, Cardiff accommodations and expenses how could they possibly be cheaper?

“He talks about grey haired councillors being too long in the job. The public are the ones who do and should decide who represents them, not some dinosaur from a centrist micro-managing Welsh Government.

“I see the white paper says we have 15 directors in Denbighshire County Council. We don’t, we only have three and have only had three for the last five years. If his white paper gets the most basic facts wrong how can we take it seriously?

“The First Minister needs to get a grip and send this failed Minister back to where he belongs, the back benches.”

Response from Keep Llangollen Special ...

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that Leighton Andrews MP’s statement is ill-thought-out, in fact ill-judged and flawed in the extreme and belies an ignorance of how local government works, I fundamentally and profoundly disagree with this quote:

 

“The system as it is works. Interference from on high puts the dead hand of the state on the tiller. Local councillors like me have our ear to the ground, we know what is happening, what the people want. We involve ourselves at a local level with the public on a day to day level that AMs and MPs along with their Cardiff-centric officers could not hope to achieve”

Whilst I wholeheartedly agree that Leighton Andrews MP’s statement is ill-thought-out, in fact ill-judged and flawed in the extreme and belies an ignorance of how local government works, I fundamentally and profoundly disagree with this quote:

 

“The system as it is works. Interference from on high puts the dead hand of the state on the tiller. Local councillors like me have our ear to the ground, we know what is happening, what the people want. We involve ourselves at a local level with the public on a day to day level that AMs and MPs along with their Cardiff-centric officers could not hope to achieve”

 

Keep Llangollen Special has contact on an almost a daily basis, seven days a week, and outstanding support from Aled Roberts, Llyr Huws Gruffydd, Antoinette Sandbach, Mark Isherwood and even Darren Millar, though the latter isn’t even one of our AMs. Belittling their support staff is particularly offensive as they have always provided unstinting support to Llangollen, and who champions Health issues here more than Mabon ap Gwynfor or pre-natal and neo-natal care more than Antoinette Sandbach? It doesn’t get more involved than Aled Roberts’ invitation for me to accompany him on a midnight snap inspection of the Maelor Hospital.

 

The Councillor’s claim of contact with his constituents has been questioned on many previous occasions, but I can absolutely vouch for continuous and on-going involvement by those listed above. It is a matter of documented record that the Councillor refuses any contact with Llangollen’s Community Group, KLS, and is openly hostile to us.

 

We can at least agree with him that Llangollen would be better off in Wrexham and that he publicly agreed the closure of our Cottage Hospital contributed to the damage to our Health Service.

 

Martin Crumpton

Chair, Keep Llangollen Special

Another response ...

I think a point is being missed here, this is a White Paper out for consultation so we all have views on how Local Government performs so this is the opportunity to make those views known to the Minister.

 

Several other people have gone off half-cocked notably the Leader of Conwy Borough Council, so I would urge everyone to reply to the White Paper. One thing I notice is that the White Paper flags up that plans are often developed to an advanced stage before the Community are consulted and in my view electors' views are then not given serious consideration in the process.

 

People who express their opinion are then written off as a "protest lobby" so the Elected Member concerned can justify ignoring the views of those who stick their heads above the parapet.

Frustrated people I speak to in the street frequently shrug their shoulders when discussing a proposal by Government, National or Local and say something to the effect "they're going to go ahead with this proposal eg an Out of Town Supermarket or Medical Centre and nothing I say will change that! 

Voters are disenfranchised from those a minority elect and proposing that everyone is forced to vote will not change that.

Michael Edwards

First Minister grilled over River Lodge case

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has this week challenged First Minister Carwyn Jones over the conduct of the Welsh Government in relation to the Llangollen River Lodge case.

  

Mr Isherwood has previously accused the Welsh Government of “hiding” the truth about the case and this week he raised new developments in the Assembly Chamber.

 

He said: “For the second time, the Welsh Government has been taken to the Information Rights Tribunal in the Llangollen River Lodge case, and for the second time, the Welsh Government has lost.

 

"Your Welsh Government classed the request for information to or from you, to or from Edwina Hart, and to or from Jane Hutt as vexatious, but despite appointing top London barristers at huge public cost, the Tribunal found that, in all the circumstances, the request was not vexatious.

 

“We already know from previous documentation obtained, that the Welsh Government did apply inappropriate political pressure on the health board to locate a health centre in a completely inappropriate place. What else are you trying to cover up?”

 

The First Minister replied: “So, we know the Conservatives are against the health centre in Llangollen. That’s what he’s just said. So, we’ll note that one.

 

“The allegations he made are nonsense, of course. Can I remind him of this? Of the requests that we receive, only 0.2% end up with information being released, despite our original position—0.29%, actually. I have to say that, in terms of compliance, our rate is better than the UK Government, far better than Northern Ireland, and streets better than Scotland.

 

"So, when it comes to compliance and considering Freedom of Information Act requests, we are in a very good place. There will be occasions such as this, of course, where, despite the Information Commissioner agreeing with us, the tribunal does not agree. That is something, of course, that happens from time to time, in Government.”

 

Mr Isherwood added: “This Tribunal judgement raises very serious questions about the conduct and motives of this Welsh Government. Residents have expressed to me their concerns that  Llangollen’s new health centre on this site will lack beds and minor injuries provision, whilst creating a pinch point on the road which will affect traffic and needing a costly bridge over the Dee.” 

MP wins award from road safety charity

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has received the award of Parliamentarian of the Year from national road safety charity Brake.
 Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive of Brake, said: “In the past 20 years, Brake has grown and developed a great deal, but we remain as dedicated as ever to our fundamental mission: to help create a world free from the senseless and preventable pain and trauma caused by road death and injury. We are very pleased to recognise the efforts that Susan has made in this area."
 Following the tragic death of a child, Robert James Gaunt in Overton in 2009, Ms Jones has been campaigning for tougher jail terms for drivers who kill and injure.

Brake commended her for being "at the forefront of parliamentary debates on the subject throughout the year, setting the tone by bringing forward her own Driving Offences (Review of Sentencing Guidelines) Bill, with cross party support, in January."
 Ms Jones said: "I wanted to take this campaign forward in tribute to the excellent work undertaken by Robert's family, Overton Community Council and the wider local community.

"Together we have been part of a campaign that has already changed some aspects of sentencing and now we have a full scale Government review taking place. 

"Brake has made this award to me as the local MP, but I very much see it as belonging to all our local campaigners - and we must never cease in our campaigning until there is justice in sentencing and also greater safety on our roads."    

Bid to alleviate Castle Street's traffic problems

Town councillor Phil Thane outlines a bid to counter traffic problems in Castle Street …

 

* Traffic conditions in Castle Street are chaotic, according to Cllr Phil Thane.

“Everyone grumbles about Castle Street.

Drivers in a hurry to get through would like all parking banned, pedestrians would like safe crossings, shopkeepers need to load and unload and want more parking for their customers, tourists want a pleasant place to stroll.

At the moment we have the worst of all possible solutions, some legal parking, some illegal parking, double yellows down one side giving motorists the illusion of a clear road - until they meet a large vehicle coming the other way, and pedestrians running the gauntlet.

The only good thing is that it's so chaotic the traffic is usually slow and there haven't been any serious accidents.

We, Llangollen Town Council and Cittaslow Llangollen, think it could be better, but it needs a new vision not just the county council putting down some more paint and harrassing shopkeepers.

We are not experts though, so we'd like to call in someone who is. Hamilton Baillie Associates are the traffic management specialists who designed the ground-breaking scheme in Poynton, Cheshire. Poynton's problems were much worse than ours in Llangollen, and they've been fixed. There's a great video here that shows what can be achieved.

A full feasibility study will cost more than £10,000, but Ben Hamilton Baillie has offered to do a brief one day survey followed by a public meeting to explain the latest thinking about how to handle traffic in towns. To pay Ben, and set up a meeting in the Town Hall we need a nice round £1,000.

The town council budget is tiny, and tight, so we're asking the community to get behind this. Instead of grumbling about Castle Street this is your chance to do something about it.

If you've ever struggled to cross with kids, if you're a bit slow yourself these days, if you've incurred parking fines or been stuck in traffic, pledge a fiver (or more) and together we'll do something about it.”

* To support the plan go to: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/people-traffic-in-llan

Minister unveils proposals for future of local government

Proposals for the possible future shape of local government in Wales have been unveiled today (Tuesday).

Among the changes suggested in a white paper put forward by Local Government Minister Leighton Andrews are:

* Council elections every five years, not four as at present

* Maximum five terms - 25 years - for councillors

* Maximum two terms - 10 years - for council leaders and cabinet members

* Pay councillors in line with those on similar sized councils elsewhere in the UK

* Public sector employers to give staff unpaid leave to carry out duties as councillors, and other employers encouraged to do the same

* Council leaders and chief executives given a duty to promote and respect diversity

* Youth councils to be set up by each authority

Mr Andrews told BBC Wales: "It's seen as a bit of an old boys club and we want to cut out the cosy cabals."

Welsh Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson Peter Black said: “Limiting the terms of councillors would result in some popular councillors being forced to step down against the wishes of the people they represent. We are a democracy, it should be up to the electorate to decide whether their councillor continues to represent them.” 

* For a detailed summary of the white paper, see: http://wales.gov.uk/docs/dsjlg/consultation/150203-power-to-local-people-summary-en.pdf

Police complaints simplified by commissioner

A crime tsar has revealed he's simplifying the way members of the public can make a complaint against the police.

 

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick was speaking following the publication of a report by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

 

The report showed the total number of complaints against North Wales Police rose by eight per cent  to 330 in 2013/14, compared to an increase of 15 per cent for England and Wales.

 

 

The rise follows an increase of three per cent in the force’s recorded complaints in 2012/13.

Some of the increase in 2013/14 is down to the definition of a complaint being broadened beyond an officer’s conduct to include ‘direction and control’ matters to do with operational policing.

Mr Roddick (pictured left) said: "I accept that all complaints must be treated seriously as it is very important that the officers and staff of North Wales Police uphold the highest possible standards at all times.

 

"The increase in the number of complaints lodged against North Wales Police was due, at least in part, to a change in the definition of a complaint and that the increase here was considerably lower than the average for England and Wales.

 

"One factor in the rise in complaints is that there is now greater awareness of Police and Crime Commissioners than there was of the old police authorities. This has led to an increase in the public’s confidence to make complaints and given them the reassurance that the PCCs will oversee the process effectively. 

“I must say that based on my experience of working closely with North Wales Police for the last two years I believe that the great majority of police officers and police staff carry out their duties with great integrity and to the highest of standards. 

 

"Where the actions and behaviour of officers and staff fall below those standards, I am satisfied that the checks and measures in place in North Wales Police ensure that those issues are dealt with effectively.

 

“I am in the course of reconsidering the complaints procedures and will be sending my suggestions to the Home Office next week.

 

"My aim is to simplifying the process for members of the public and to introduce an independent element into the handling of them. I do not want people to feel the process is too cumbersome.

 

"If people have a complaint we would much rather that they let us know. How else can we improve the service?"

 

A483/A55 traffic warning

Drivers from this area heading towards Chester along the A483 may be interested in the following tweet from Wrexham Council this afternoon ...

Wrexham County Borough Council

35 mins ·

A483 Latest
Drivers living around the A483 near Chester and Wrexham are being advised that emergency utility work is taking place tomorrow (Tuesday 3 February).

The Highways Agency has been advised that one lane of the northbound - I.e. Chester-bound - A483 on its approach to the roundabout with the A55 will close from 8.30am until 4.30pm for Scottish Power to carry out works.

County to change pest control service

Denbighshire County Council is informing residents of changes to its Pest Control service as of 1^st April 2015.

The Council has been looking at ways of finding £17 million in cuts from services across the board and  introducing a different way of delivering the Pest Control service has been agreed.

Currently, the Council manages pest control through carrying out inspections and visits to treat properties (private and commercial) that have pest problems such as rats, mice, seagulls as requested. Some of the pest control service is chargeable. 

From April 1^st onwards, the Council will be acting as an advice and signposting service for consumers with calls by the public being dealt with directly by the Council’s Customer Service Centre.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Public Protection, said: “Pest Contol  is a non-statutory function that sits within the Council’s Public Protection service and every single service has been asked to consider all of its functions, and look at ways of delivering things differently.

“We have a statutory duty and responsibility to maintain public health for residents and that is why we are not phasing out the service entirely.

“We will be regularly reviewing any developing trends and will respond appropriately if there’s a risk to public health.”  Although the service officially changes as of 1^st April 2015, the Council will not be dealing with any new cases as of 1^st March, to ensure that all those remaining are dealt with."

Campaigner replies to two recent stories

Local campaigner Martin Crumpton replies to two recent stories on llanblogger:

 

Two new llanblogger articles deserve a considered and supportive response, being AM presses for action over A5 "danger" spot and Cottage Hospital closure raised on national TV, both welcome indeed.

 

It’s certainly overdue for the unsafe crossing to Stans to be addressed, but this is a classic example of treating the symptoms without addressing the disease.

Keep Llangollen Special has tried several times over the last few years to push Denbighshire to upgrade the inefficient, barely more than clockwork traffic lights, which are no more sophisticated than a central heating timer, but to no avail.

 

They come on at set times, they go off after a fixed period, regardless of whether there are no cars waiting or if the queue is backed up to Glyndyfrdwy.

 

Currently the safest way to get to Stans is to wait until the A5 is being dug up and temporary lights are in force, a near semi-permanent feature of the A5 it seems.

 

When Stans was welcomed to town, we pushed again to have the lights upgraded especially with load-sensing features to combat the annual summer gridlock, but for the first time to also include consideration for pedestrians crossing the A5 to do their shopping, safe crossing along the top of Castle Street and also across from the Old Armoury to Watkin & Williams.

 

For decades, both motorists and pedestrians have had to play the dangerous game of chicken with each other, especially in Llangollen with its confluence of three streams of traffic where at least one is always obscured from view.

 

In further support for this welcome initiative, KLS will write to Graham Boase, head of Denbighshire Planning and Public Protection, urging his department to update the 20th Century (literally) out-of-date Defined Town Centre Boundary, the one which made both Stans and the Co-op invisible during the controversial planning application by J Ross for Sainsbury’s, which basically concluded that the town had no more than a few tiny shops selling food therefore we needed something which would satisfy a small city, let alone a small town, to rescue us from starvation.

 

Moving on, we were delighted by Cllr Davies’s O-turn on BBC Question Time (an O-turn is two U-turns back-to-back).

From a starting point of opposing the closure of the Cottage Hospital to promoting the new, unreachable Health Centre and even being the architect of a multi-million pound bridge across the Dee, a tacit acknowledgement in itself by both himself and Mr Skates that the River Lodge site is inaccessible to almost all pedestrians.

 

Given that the councillor is a member of the Planning Committee, I will attend and watch avidly as the application to have the hospital demolished and redeveloped is considered – my seat was booked over six months ago and I’ve applied to speak in opposition to it.

 

We rise to cheer the doughty councillor because the fact is the bed shortage was created by the infamous Mary Burrows regime at Betsi Cadwaladr and her ‘Health In North Wales Is Mutating’ credo that began an unending bed crisis since the beginning of November 2013.

 

Even today, during a routine call from the cardio team to check on me,, the lady voluntarily stated that the A&E woes were a direct result of local hospital closures.

As a very frequent flyer to the Maelor, everybody from port to consultant endorses this conclusion. It’s only at Board level where Cardiff’s control-freakery keeps them silent (and the Board isn’t quite as unanimously-obedient as the Health Minister might like to think...).

 

So top marks to both for highlighting these well-known issues – credit where it’s due - and perhaps together we can translate their words into actions.

Perhaps councillor would kindly express a view on the town’s doctors moving to the new Health Centre, an entirely politically-motivated attempt to just the existence of the new Health Centre but which will also sign the death warrant for the Cottage Hospital and ensure Llangollen remains without desperately-needed beds for generations to come.

 

It is such a strange dichotomy that truth is only valid when spoken by an elected representative and that when an elected representative speaks it, it must be the truth.

The rest of us are relegated to being disenfranchised soothsayers. If democracy could be said to have a shape then it would most closely resemble a pear.

Twenty Club's latest production

The Twenty Club is presenting Patrick Hamilton’s thriller Gaslight at Llangollen Town Hall on  the 5th., 6th. and 7th. March. 

This is a popular stage play, very melodramatic and with a sense of suspense maintained all the way through. 

It tells the story of a Victorian husband who, for his own reasons, wishes his wife to think that she is mad.  He almost succeeds but his plans are disrupted by s former detective, Rough, who appears as from nowhere to act as the lady’s saviour.

The action is set in the room of a four-storey house in London during the passing of one evening.

The dark gloomy setting is made even more frightening by the constant raising and lowering of the gaslights in the room, indicating that there is someone else in the house, roaming the locked apartments upstairs on the top floor.

The Twenty Club is delighted to welcome David Edgar as director for the production, his first in Llangollen;  David is assisted by Mike Law. 

The main roles are taken by Paula Sutton as the wife, Arwel Jarvis as the plotting, devious husband and Mat Oswald-Haggett as the mysterious but sympathetic Rough.

The various support teams are beginning their preparations, Bob Attenburrow has designed the set and rehearsals are well under way. 

This should prove to be an exciting and absorbing evening, with a number of plot twists and revelations, including a very dramatic final scene, so be sure to make a note in your diaries and let all your friends know.

Tickets will be on sale shortly from the usual outlets, with Mair Bowen in charge of the organisation of sales.

Two questions that you might like to consider before you come to see the play -  who was ‘The Cabman’s Friend’ and, `What happened to the Barlow Rubies – all twelve thousand pounds worth of them?’

You’ll find the answers revealed in the flickering glow of Gaslight.

Isherwood hits out at Health Minister over NHS

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has hit out at the Health Minister for failing to address the array of problems currently facing NHS Wales services in North Wales communities.

 

Speaking in the Assembly Chamber this week, Mr Isherwood asked the Minister, Mark Drakeford AM, what the Welsh Government is doing to improve  primary care provision in North Wales and to respond to concerns raised by constituents.

However, Mr Isherwood claims the Minister failed to answer his questions and instead laid the blame for the problems on the Health Board.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “The North Wales Community Health Council has made it clear that you’re responsible for setting the policy and financial frameworks within which the Health Board and they have to operate.

 

“Last week, I told the Deputy Minister that Holywell Community Hospital staff had told me that they w an ted to take pressure off Glan Clwyd but were not being given the staff to do it, and that extra investment in community hospitals like Mold and Holywell and NHS community beds in Flint would take pressure off the general hospitals and enable the health board to use its resources more efficiently.

 

“How, therefore, do you respond to the replies I've received from constituents in Flint to your reply, and the Health Board reply, with evidence supporting their 99.3% referendum in favour of a return of NHS community beds to Flint, that, since the hospital closed, step-down care from Glan Clwyd to Holywell for Flint patients has not worked, waiting times in excess of three months have been experienced by many, there are simply not sufficient beds in the system and, currently, waiting times for a GP visit are three to four weeks?”

 

The Minister replied: “The Member was right when he started by saying that the responsibilities of Ministers are to set policies and provide finance. He might have gone on to note that we are not responsible for operational matters, and his questions would be better directed to those who are responsible—that is to say, the chief executive of the local health board.”

  

Mr Isherwood added: “What is the purpose of having a Health Minister if he refuses to address problems in our health service?

 

“Never was there a clearer case of a Minister and a Government washing their hands of responsibility, locking our health boards in handcuffs and leaving them to take the hit for the consequences of Welsh Government policy.”

AM presses for action over A5 "danger" spot

Assembly Member Ken Skates has vowed to continue to push for parking restrictions at a "troublesome" spot on the A5 in Llangollen.

Clwyd South AM Mr Skates has been working with councillor Stuart Davies to get the Welsh Government to introduce double yellow lines to stop what he says is dangerous parking opposite Stans of Llangollen on Berwyn Street.

Mr Skates, who is based in Llangollen, said parked cars were causing a major obstruction for pedestrians – particularly elderly residents – trying to cross the road safely to access the shop and post office inside.

He added: “The Welsh Labour Government’s Transport Minister Edwina Hart appreciates our concerns over this issue, and has instructed officials to ensure funding is considered for the necessary work in the next financial year.

“I’m hopeful it will be signed off and carried out as soon as possible, and will continue to press for a speedy resolution to what is becoming an increasing problem for many of my constituents.”

Cllr Davies said he was "pleased to see the traffic scheme promised by the Trunk Highways Authority finally coming to fruition".

Canal & River Trust recruiting

The Canal & River Trust in Wales is looking for a temporary part-time staff member for the Trevor Basin Visitor Centre.

The job on offer is seven hours a day, three days a week on a rota to include weekends and carries a pro rata salary of £12,470.

According to the job advert, the requirement is to deliver customer driven service and product improvements within a safe environment, supporting the Canal & River Trust’s aims to improve safety whilst protecting the heritage and integrity of the inland waterway network.

* For more details, go to: https://careers-canalrivertrust.icims.com/jobs/1633/destination-assistant/job

Cottage Hospital closure raised on national TV

The closure of Llangollen Cottage Hospital was raised on national television last night (Thursday).

An edition of the BB1 current affairs panel show Question Time from Wrexham began with the issue of the performance of the NHS in Wales compared to its counterpart in England.

* Question Time chairman David Dimbleby.

First questioner from the floor selected by chairman David Dimbleby came from Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies.

He said: "The Betsi Cadwaladr health board has been closing cottage hospitals, one in Llangollen with about 15 beds.

"We've seen on national news - not Welsh news - national news queues of ambulances outside the Maelor hospital here.

"And why are they there? Because of bed blocking, and if the people in those beds could have gone to the cottage hospitals we wouldn't see the queues."

David Dimbleby responded: "Are you saying the Prime Minister is right to say to Wales, you cannot run a health service?"

Cllr Davies replied: "He's correct."

Appeal follows Llantysilio burglary

Neighbourhood Watch has put out a message to its members in the area appealing for information following a burglary in the Llantysilio area of Llangollen.

Sometime between 09.30am and 12.30pm on Tuesday, January 27 unknown offenders forced entry to the property and stole several items from inside.

Neighbourhood watch says: "If you noticed anything suspicious, or have any information relating to this incident please contact North Wales Police by dialling 101 quoting reference RC15012591.

"Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers Wales on 0800 555 111.

"North Wales Police would like to urge residents to always report suspicious activity to them at the earliest opportunity."

The add: "Please consider registering your valuable items on Immobilise.  This is a free service and helps keep a record of all important details including serial numbers, model numbers etc. 

"It helps to identify owners when lost or stolen property is found."

* To register go to: http://www.immobilise.com/