Shape My Llangollen consultation day a great success

* The SML team in the health centre foyer. From left, chair Phil Robinson, member Karen Edwards and supporter Cllr George Hughes.  

The first in a series of public consultation exercises by the team of volunteers putting together Llangollen’s contribution to the county council’s next Local Development Plan was a major success.

Shape My Llangollen (SML) was formed last year at the behest of the Town Council to produce a 'place plan' for Llangollen.

The idea is that this plan, when approved and endorsed by the Town Council, will feed into the new emerging Local Development Plan being produced by Denbighshire County Council.

The plan will cover topics such as the natural environment, built environment, economy, and community and is a genuine opportunity for some grassroots democracy.

SML is therefore engaged upon a far-ranging consultation exercise contacting groups and individuals to seek their views on any issues which affect or concern them so that they can have an input into the plan.

Over the summer the team is hosting a series of consultation events to introduce themselves to the public and to get their views.

Yesterday, team members were on hand in the foyer of the town’s health centre and during busy morning and afternoon sessions spoke to scores of people to gain their feedback.

SML chair Phil Robinson said: “The day was a big success and we spoke to as many people as possible about a wide range of issues which interest them, which was anything from the state of local roads and pavements to the provision of social care and youth facilities.

“Perhaps not unexpectedly there were lots of concerns voiced about traffic congestion and the availability of parking. But lots of other issues were raised such as the spending priorities of the county council and public transport.

“The information we gathered will be invaluable in compiling out final report which we are aiming to publish before the end of this year.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who was able to spare a few minutes to answer our five quick questions.

“Our next two consultation sessions will be next Monday May 13 at the Co-op in Regent Street and then at Home Bargains on Thursday May 23, both from 10am-1pm and from 2-5pm.

“We hope as many people as possible will be able to come along to these and there will be further chances to speak to us as the summer progresses.”

The questions SML is asking are:

1. What makes you happy about Llangollen?

2. What makes you sad about Llangollen?

3. What makes you mad about Llangollen?

4. How would you make Llangollen better?

5. How would you spend £10,000 for Llangollen’s future?

People unable to make it to SML’s meet-the-public sessions can fill in one of the question sheets which are available in the Town Hall office.

They can also jot down the answers in a reply to the posting about the health centre session on the Shape My Llangollen Facebook page.

20mph for all Wales's residential areas planned

The BBC reports that First Minister Mark Drakeford says his government are aiming to create 20mph zones in residential areas throughout Wales.

For the full story see:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-48188233

Inner Wheel entertained by talk on hats

At the May meeting of Llangollen Inner Wheel at the Hand Hotel members were entertained by Wendy Davies with a very amusing talk on the Humorous History of Hats. 

D-Day commemoration planned for Thursday June 6

* British troops storm ashore on Gold Beach on D-Day in 1944.

Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion is to hold a Remembrance ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the the D-Day landings in Centenary Square on Thursday June 6.

The standards of the branch and the RAFA Club will be on parade from 10.45am and the ceremony will include the sounding of Last Post and Reveille, the traditional two minutes' silence and the laying of wreaths on the 1939-45 memorial.

D-Day, on June 6 1944, was when the Allies launched an invasion across the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of Europe from the occupation of Nazi Germany.

Railway offers springtime services for walkers

* Smart Trekkers boarding the 11am from Llangollen to Glyndyfrdwy for a return walk along the Dee Valley Way during the weekend's Llangollen Walking Festival.

Llangollen Railway is offering springtime steam services for walkers in the Dee Valley,

A railway spokesman said: "Our weekday trains allow access to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty for walkers wishing to take a ramble from and to our intermediate stations. 

"Sections of the trail marked Dee Valley Way or North Berwyn Way can be accessed at Carrog, Glyndyfrdwy and Berwyn and then people can rejoin the train for the return.

"The service will help those in active retirement seeking to get out and about during weekdays.

"With three return steam trains between Llangollen and Carrog from Mondays to Fridays, the trains offer an ideal way of accessing the delightful Dee Valley for walks of short or long durations. 

"Some walks are easy, but there are more strenuous routes for those who want a challenge and wish to take to the higher ground. 

"Information about a range of walks in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is available in brochures produced by Denbighshire Country Services available at Tourist Information Offices or online.

"For groups of ten or more party rates are available if booked in advance."

* Weekday trains depart at 1040/1300/1510 from Llangollen station and return from Carrog station at

1150/1410/1620.

Summer fete planned for June 8

Police witness appeal after A5 collision

Police are appealing for witnesses following a road traffic collision on the A5 near Llangollen, which has resulted in a motorcyclist being seriously injured.

The collision, involving a green Kawasaki motorcycle, happened at about 4.15pm, on Thursday 2nd May, near to the junction of the B5103, Chainbridge Hotel

PC Einion Huws of the Roads Policing Unit said: “The collision resulted in the female motorcyclist being taken to hospital in Stoke with injuries which are described as serious.”

“We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or who may have dashcam footage of the motorcyclist travelling in the direction of Llangollen to Corwen to come forward.”

Please contact the Roads Policing Unit in St Asaph on 101 quoting reference X059960. Alternatively use the live webchat https://www.north-wales.police.uk/contact/live-chat-support

Shape My Llangollen wants to hear from you

The group of volunteers putting together Llangollen’s contribution to the county council’s next Local Development Plan is holding three meet-the-public events during May.

Shape My Llangollen (SML) was formed last year at the behest of the Town Council to produce a 'place plan' for Llangollen.

The idea is that this plan, when approved and endorsed by the Town Council, will feed into the new emerging Local Development Plan being produced by Denbighshire County Council.

The plan will cover topics such as the natural environment, built environment, economy, and community and is a genuine opportunity for some grassroots democracy.

SML is therefore engaged upon a far-ranging consultation exercise is contacting as many of our local organisations and individuals as possible to seek their views on any issues which affect or concern them so that they may have an input into the plan.

This could be anything from the state of local roads and pavements to the provision of social care and youth facilities, in fact anything which might have an effect on the local community.

During May SML is hosting a series of three consultation events when they'll be asking members of the public for their views on what’s good and bad about our town and finding out how they think it could be improved.

These special days will be held at:

+ Llangollen Health Centre next Tuesday, May 7, from 10am until 1pm and from 2pm until 5pm.

+ The Co-op store in Regent Street on Monday May 13, from 10am until 1pm and from 2pm until 5pm.

+ The Home Bargains store next to Aldi off Berwyn Street, on Thursday May 23, from 10am until 1pm and from 2pm until 5pm.

So if you have strong opinions about Llangollen and its future shape, we’d love to meet and chat to you at any of these events.

* You can contact Phil Robinson, chair of SML, either by letter to: Shape My Llangollen, c/o Llangollen Town Hall, Parade St, Llangollen LL20 8PW, or by email to: probin.robinson21@gmail.com

Road closed following accident

A section of the A5 and A494 near Druid beyond Corwen has been closed following a collision.

For more details, see:

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/live-section-a494-a5-closed-16224666

Former councillor ejected after heckling Prime Minister

* Sky News shows Stuart Davies heckling the Prime Minister.

Former Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies (pictured) was ejected from the Conservative Party conference at Llangollen Pavilion earlier today for heckling Prime Minister Theresa May.

After booming at Mrs May, “Why don’t you regisn?” he was escorted from the hall by a security man and went outside the building to conduct a series of media interviews which saw the incident featured on national TV news and in local media.

Mr Davies, who held one of the local county council seats until a couple of years ago, has been a Conservative Party member for a number of years and was Boris Johnson’s agent when he unsuccessfully contested the Clwyd South Parliamentary seat.

He said: “As a member I was entitled to attend the conference. I knew Theresa May would come today and reckoned that if she wouldnlt listen to anyone else she would listen to me.

“I think that they knew I was coming and had an idea what I was going to do, so before she came on one of the heavies came to sit next to me and whispered to me, ‘you’re not going to heckle, are you?

“I told him that sounded like a threat so I moved to another seat. My idea was to do my shouting at her and then leave of my own accord.

“I then stood up, cupped my hand to my mouth and shouted at her asking why she didn’t resign.

“I also shouted that Clwyd South Conservative Association didn’t want her after voting against her a few weeks ago, nor did the Confederation of Association chairmen.

“I was then escorted from the hall and went outside to do some media interviews. After that I tried to get back inside but they wouldn’t let me.”

He added: “As I left the hall I said I didn’t want to listen to anymore of her rubbish anyway. Her face was a picture. I sandbagged her good.

“I’m unrepentent about what I did because I’m fed up with the way she’s destroying the party and destroying Brexit. I made her look a fool.”

 

 

VIP arrives for Tory conference

A llanblogger reader took this picture earlier today of what appears to be a VIP bound for the Conservative Party conference taking place at the Pavilion arriving in town over the bridge.

It's not clear whether this was a Cabinet Minister or Prime Minister Theresa May herself.

However, the reader said there was a high level of security as the car, escorted by police, drove into town.

MP urges people to see Polish exhibition

 * Jonathan Gammond, Exhibitions Officer of
Wrexham Museum, and Susan
Elan Jones MP at the exhibition.

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones is urging local residents to visit the Penley Hospital: The Story of a Polish Community in Wales exhibition at Wrexham Museum.

She said: “The exhibition is unmissable, and the artefacts and recordings are superb. Huge tributes should go to Wrexham Museum, Wrexham Council and all the volunteers who made this wonderful exhibition possible. 

“The story begins in World War Two when Polish camps were established in our country by British and American service personnel. 

"Polish medics then ran hospitals that would care for our Polish allies and their families. Subsequent Soviet annexation of Poland meant that few could return home. 

"By 1956, the three North East Wales Polish hospitals combined in Penley and over the next half a century, more than 25,000 people were cared for at this excellent community hospital. 

“Today, this amazing legacy lives on in work of the Penley Rainbow Centre and the lives of many local residents. The links between our area and Poland are really deep.”

* The exhibition runs at Wrexham Museum until June 22nd 2019. Admission is free. Wrexham Museum is open Monday – Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m to 4 p.m. Courtyard Café is open 10 a.m. to 4 .30 p.m.

Incidents on both roads into Llan

Update from the Daily Post ...

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/biker-flown-hospital-two-crashes-16217987


Llanblogger has just received the following message from a reader...


***URGENT***Anyone coming from Wrexham/Ruabon to Llangollen - the road is currently blocked around the bronze sculpture and towards the Health Centre. There was a cyclist and a car, there’s now an ambulance. Traffic backed up and I had to turn around and come back home again from my errand. Barrie Roberts has also been stuck. I’d use the A5 but could people keep us informed please?

FYI: A5 closed 10 mins ago heading towards llangollen from Corwen just before Berwyn station. Looks like motorcyclist down and air ambulance in attendance. Police asking motorists to turn around so not sure how long it will be closed for.

Tweets from North Wales Police ...

North Wales Police

@NWPolice

·

21m

The A5 Berwyn Road in #Llangollen will be closed in both directions as we deal with a collision. Motorists please avoid the area. Thank you for your cooperation.

2

North Wales Police

@NWPolice

·

23m

The A539 Llangollen Road in #Llangollen will be closed in both directions as we deal with a collision. Motorists please avoid the area. Thank you for your cooperation.

County to switch to green energy sources

Denbighshire County Council will switch to obtaining all of its electricity from renewable sources.

As part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions under its Corporate Plan, the council will be using only certified renewable electricity from October.

All schools, leisure centres, libraries, council offices and depots will have their electricity provided by wind, solar, hydro or biomass renewable energy sources.

Electricity consumption across the local authority is 8.54GWh – about the same amount of energy as produced by a large off-shore wind turbine during the course of a year - and once the switch occurs the Council’s carbon footprint from electricity consumption will be zero.

Tony Ward, the council’s Head of Highways and Environment, said: “Climate change is an important issue facing not just local authorities but society as a whole.

“The council takes this issue very seriously and the switch to using only renewable electricity is just one of a number of things the council is doing.

“As part of our commitment to the environment, the council will reduce carbon emissions from council vehicles as well as improving the energy performance of our buildings.

“We will also be doubling our renewable energy generation, building all new council houses to an ‘excellent’ energy efficiency standard and are in the process of planting 18,000 additional trees in the county.”

Llan bikers take part in marathon charity ride

* A previous Ride Cymru which saw bikers dressed at Evel Knievel. 

Two intrepid bikers from Llangollen are taking part in the eighth annual Ride Cymru which will see a fleet of like-minded riders dressed as 1970s motorbike stuntman Evel Knievel blast around the edge of Wales in aid of charity.

Malcolm Preston and Mark Realey are joining scores of others bike fans from the region in the event which starts off in Wrexham today.

The 1,070-mile route of the big ride clings to the Welsh side of its border with England as tightly as public highways allow.

It goes through back lanes, the odd navigable track and stretch of A road and also stops off at some of the premier motor racing circuits of Wales.

Riders, who have each had to raise over £100 in sponsorship, can opt to join for as many of the five day sections as they wish, or complete the full trip, which eventually ends up back in Wrexham on Bank Holiday Monday at 4.30pm.

Stereophonics star Richard Jones is planning to join Ride Cymru which also aims to set a new official record for the largest numbers of riders kitted out as Evel Knievel.

They will be flagged off from Wrexham High Street today by Len Lewis, an 89-year-old ex TT rider, and Wrexham Mayor, Cllr Mayor Andy Williams.

In Cardiff the riders will get to meet ITV weather presenter Ruth Wignall and their progress will be followed by Evel Knievel’s children.

Since the first Ride Cymru in 2012, the event has raised more than £80,000 for charity, with about £20,000 going to the Macmillan Cancer Support and about £3,000 to PAPYRUS prevention of young suicide charity, from this year's event.

Malcolm Preston from Pengwern in Llangollen said: “Myself and Mark Realey are both taking in the ride.

“There are 50 of us all riding the perimeter of Wales with lots of celebs meeting up with us along the way.

“So far this year as a group we have raised approximately £25,000 in sponsorship.

“The event is organised by Jas Lewis from Coedpoeth who has run several events of this nature raising in the region of £80,000 over the past seven years.

“We have a Facebook page which is Ride Cymru and a Just Giving page aswell.

“We are all dressed as Evel Knievel and we hope to break the world record for the largest gathering of Evil Knievels.”