MP praises Eisteddfod organisers

* Simon Baynes MP next to the fabric patchwork on Llangollen Bridge.

As the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod begins this weekend, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes praised the organisers of the festival and thanked them for the effort involved in coordinating a full digital programme of competitions and concerts streamed across the world. 

During a series of visits around Llangollen, Mr Baynes also visited the patchwork fabric artwork currently covering Llangollen bridge. 

He said: “I was pleased to pop along and see for myself the 60m (200ft) patchwork fabric artwork covering Llangollen bridge which was designed by international artist Luke Jerram and comprising 1m x 1m fabric squares made and submitted by local residents, fans of the Eisteddfod and the friends and families of people participating.

“This year, the festival will be held digitally, with competitions and concerts streamed across the world. As a former trustee of the Eisteddfod, I would strongly encourage everyone to look at their exciting and diverse programme of events for this year. 

“Da iawn i bob un o’r trefnwyr a phob lwc i’r cystadleuwyr!"

First train leaves station on re-born Llangollen Railway

UPDATE: With pictures and words by George Jones.

Llangollen Railway is officially back in business.

One of its supporters took this picture as the inaugural service left for Berwyn Station at 11am today.

After overcoming the problems put in its way by the pandemic and the financial crisis which led to its public limited company going into receivership, a massive effort has been put in by the Llangollen Railway Trust to get the heritage attraction back on track.

The first train with the class 108 heritage diesel railcar got away right on time.

* Guard John Doyle was on hand to wave the green flag for the driver Graham Parkin. 

At Berwyn the 15-minute stop-over allowed for passengers to enjoy the view of the gorge or sample the Chain Bridge, while others alighted to take in the walk to the Horseshoe Falls and return on a later train.

On the return trip the newly restored Dee Bridge was seen from the rear of the train.

The first train had 44 passengers on board and many came from the local catchment area - Wrexham, Chirk. Chester, Deeside, Shrewsbury, Wirral and Stafford - to show their support for Llangollen Railway Trust.

Others were holiday-makers from Norwich, Wiltshire, North Yorkshire and Leicester.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes was aboard the train for Berwyn.

He said: "It was a great pleasure to visit Llangollen Railway today on the day that they have re-opened and started running their first trains since October. I went on the train between #Llangollen and #Berwyn and back with Phil Coles, the Vice Chairman of Llangollen Railway, where I also met Ben Jackson - the Station Master at Berwyn who has worked there for 22 years.

"I had the opportunity to meet with many of the volunteers who work so hard and with such commitment to the railway.

"It’s wonderful to see the railway back in operation and it’s a great tribute to the board members and volunteers who have dedicated a huge amount of time to make this happen. And I wish them a very successful summer season."

* Simon Baynes MP, right, welcomes the train back to Llangollen.

Band plays to launch patchwork bridge and 2021 Eisteddfod

* Ifton Colliery Band plays on the patchwork-draped bridge. 

Ifton Colliery Band played a selection of tunes to officially launch the giant patchwork art installation  on the town's ancient bridge on the opening day of the 2021 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Artist Luke Jerram was commissioned to create Bridges Not Walls which has seen over 100 individually handcrafted squares of fabric, from people in the local community and around the world, draped over both sides of the bridge.

The aim is to connecting this year's festival, being held mainly online, with its physical roots by producing an ever-changing artwork depending on the angle, light and weather conditions - all of which will be reflected in the water beneath.

The artwork will remain on the bridge until August 5.

During this year's Eisteddfod, with funding support from the Welsh Government, will see the main programme presented free of charge over this weekend. 

All performances will be streamed live online via the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod website with no need to book tickets or pre-register. 

The festival aims to celebrate a broad range of genres from classical, choral, hip hop, dance and world music, as well as Luke Jerram's Llangollen bridge artwork, to connect with existing and new audiences in preparation for its physical return in 2022.

The programme comprises:

·        Tangnefedd by Paul Mealor and Mererid Hopwood

World-premiere of a new choral piece by Paul Mealor, one of the world's most performed living composers and Mererid Hopwood, renowned Welsh poet and the first woman to win the National Eisteddfod Chair. The performance will feature choirs from around the world that have successfully competed at the Eisteddfod, from the UK, US and Africa. In the Welsh language, Tangnefedd means the result of bringing together two elements in peace and harmony.

·        Home/Adref with Horizons (BBC/ACW), Rachel K Collier, Magugu and Lily Beau

A new dance track, Home/Adref, commissioned for Llangollen Eisteddfod by up-and-coming electronic producer and performer Rachel K Collier, Nigerian-born, avant-garde rapper Magugu and talented young Welsh singer-songwriter and actress Lily Beau. The track is designed to inspire the Eisteddfod international music and dance community and wider public to respond with their own moves on social media. It's also a world first of combining the English, Welsh and Nigerian Pidgin Rap languages!

·      Catrin Finch and Guests

A new musical composition exploring the peace message with internationally renowned harpist and composer Catrin Finch, pioneering beatboxer and rapper Mr Phormula (Ed Holden), British Asian musician and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra, Eliza Marshall and Nick Ellis on Bansuri, Lee House, electronics and RAV drum and the refugee and asylum seeker Oasis One World Choir, from Cardiff.

·       Beth Yw Heddwch?/What is Peace? schools project

Project exploring children's thoughts about peace through the written word, dance, movement and drama sessions involving 1,000 pupils from three schools from Rhyl, Llanberis and Llangollen. A creative video will be produced and an exhibition of postcards expressing children's views about peace will be displayed throughout the town.

·       Peace Pavilion Programme

A thought-provoking programme of talks and activities with Academi Heddwch Cymru exploring peace and peacebuilding. The programme includes ‘The Peace Lecture' given by Begoña Lasagabaster, UN Women Chief of Leadership and Governance Section; ‘The Art of Peacebuilding'; ‘Peace Poems' and much more. For young people, this series includes virtual cultural exchange and the Young Peacemakers Awards ceremony. [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/academi-heddwch-cymru-33667861775]

This year's digital Llangollen Eisteddfod will feature videos of the world premiere performances, many filmed in the town itself. 

Betsan Moses, interim chief executive of the Llangollen Eisteddfod for 2021 said: "Llangollen Eisteddfod was founded on the idea of bringing peace and this year's cultural programme expresses what it stands for; peace, creativity and togetherness. 

"We're looking forward to sharing a varied and inspiring programme of events online this weekend, with an array of world-class performers across musical and artistic genres and exciting new commissions to delight both existing and new audiences across the globe.

"And we're hugely excited about Bridges, Not Walls which celebrates everything Llangollen's much-loved Eisteddfod stands for, as well as offering us a physical connection with this beautiful town for this year's online event and attracting visitors over the summer."

Artist Luke Jerram said: "From the moment I saw it, Llangollen Bridge struck me as incredibly powerful, both physically and symbolically. 

"The message and celebration of peace is at the heart of the Llangollen Eisteddfod and so this historic bridge, one of the seven wonders of Wales, makes the perfect canvas. As Sir Isaac Newton once said, 'We build too many walls and not enough bridges.'

"From Israel to the USA, we are at last exploring the possibility of building bridges rather than walls."

Former Dinas Bran teaching assistant helps recruit for ambulance service

* Helen Pritchard.

A mechanic who switched gears on her career to join the Welsh Ambulance Service is encouraging others to apply for a role.

Helen Pritchard, 42, of Bala, was a mechanic and later a teaching assistant at Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen before joining the ambulance service as an urgent care assistant.

The mum-of-three is now training to become an emergency medical technician and has ambitions to qualify as a paramedic.

She is encouraging others to apply for a role with the service.

Helen said: “I’d always wanted a job in the ambulance service but I thought there’d be no point in applying because I hadn’t done well at school – I didn’t have a single GCSE.

“I was a mechanic for several years before I pursued a Level 3 Diploma in Child Development, and I actually sat my GCSEs in the school where I worked as a teaching assistant.

“As soon as I had those under my belt, I was in a position to apply to the ambulance service – and here I am.”

Helen joined the service in 2020 as an urgent care assistant in Bala, and is now training to become an emergency medical technician so that she can work alongside paramedics to deliver life-saving care in the community.

She said: “It was the fast-paced nature of the role which attracted me.

“I was also a first aider at the school, and felt proud to have the skills to be able to care for the children who were ill or injured – and sometimes the adults too.

“I love it at the Welsh Ambulance Service, and everyone has been so helpful and welcoming.

“My advice to anyone thinking about applying for a role is that it’s never too late in your career.

“Whatever your background and whatever you’ve done previously, it really doesn’t matter – I’m proof of that.”

Visit the NHS Jobs website to search for jobs at the Welsh Ambulance Service.

To train as an Emergency Medical Technician like Helen, follow the link to apply for vacancies in North Wales: https://bit.ly/3qW92Ao

* The closing date is this Sunday July 11.

Paper features story on rogue speed camera near Llan

The Daily Post has featured a story on a traffic speed camera near Llangollen which went rogue and began snapping motorists at speeds as low as 9mph.

It says that scores of drivers passing the fixed camera, on the A539, complained their vehicles were being flashed despite travelling well below the 50mph speed limit. 

* For the full story, see: The 'rogue' North Wales speed camera that's flashing motorists - even ones travelling at 9mph - North Wales Live (dailypost.co.uk)

Foodshare now reaches out to even more people

* Llangollen Foodservice team at their new premises on the Market Street car park. From left, Stephanie Mitchell, Kirsty Wild, Lesley Greasley and Jess Horner, South Denbighshire Community Partnership Co-Ordinator. Picture by Mandy Jones Photography.

A Llangollen community group has graduated from holding coffee mornings to playing a vital role in the fight against pandemic hardship by feeding up to 40 households a week.

Llangollen Foodshare, which began 18 months ago in the Pengwern Community Centre as a project to prevent food waste going into landfill, has moved into new premises in the heart of the town and is reaching out to even more people.

Supported by South Denbighshire Community Partnership (SDCP), an additional £20,000 in funding has been secured from Community Foundation Wales and the National Lottery Community Fund.

This has allowed the fitting out of new kitchen and storage rooms at the venue on Castle Street.  

It has also enabled the appointment of a part-time project officer to support the operational needs of the project.

The volunteer team behind the project are members of the community who started holding coffee mornings with the Friends of Pengwern and passed on food donated by local food suppliers to families facing challenging circumstances.

Project volunteer and committee member Kirsty Wild said: “It began when Emma Davies, former Chair of Friends of Pengwern Residents’ Association, started collecting surpluses which enabled the coffee morning to run.

“It started with surplus food from the Co-op and Aldi which we shared, but then with Covid it became clear that more and more people were struggling for food.

“Emma, myself and another former colleague Jane Townend developed the project by collecting more surplus food and sharing it more widely, following further voluntary involvement from Steph Mitchell, Lesley Greasley, Heulwen Wright and Jen Davis.”

The pandemic saw the demand for the service increase significantly and they have regularly been providing food parcels for over 130 people.

Kirsty added: “People’s situations were changing very quickly as many families were having to come to terms with self-isolation, unemployment, furlough and increased demand placed on family units from home schooling etc

“There is a perception of Llangollen as a well-to-do little town but you only have to look at the number of children on free school meals and the self-employed people whose work has dried up in the pandemic.

“This said, Llangollen is such a fantastic community with many generous people, groups and retailers who donated many food items and money contributions.”

Llangollen Foodshare has benefited from support from SDCP, which has recently captured further funding from the Big Lottery Fund to expand their community activities and services into the Llangollen area, as part of their Your Place or Ours Project.

Kirsty said: “SDCP have made a huge difference to us. It was crucial for us to find other more suitable premises than those at the Friends of Pengwern.

“It meant we could be supported to rent and fit out the premises and importantly appoint a paid member of staff, who can help the group develop a sustainable future in our own right. Without SDCP we wouldn’t have been able to get us to this point.”

Jess Horner, the recently appointed Llangollen Food Share Coordinator for SDCP, said: “The site is in a prime position backing onto the main car park in the town and is in walking distance for most of our clients.

“It’s perfect for us and we are just looking to get more volunteers with a variety of skills so that we can deliver even more services such as cooking hot meals here on the premises.

“It has been very positive, the way the local community has backed us and we are so grateful for all the donations.

“One of our aims is to reduce food waste so we are happy to receive anything that is within its sell-by and use by date, is non-perishable and un-opened, so that we can distribute to those in real need.  Unfortunately, we are unable to accept home cooked meals.”

In the last three years SDCP have built up a wide portfolio of services for the Edeyrnion area around Corwen including meals-on-wheels, a lunch club, community transport including electric vehicles, green energy generation and grocery and prescription delivery services.

It is hoped that the new premises in Castle Street, accessed via the Market Street Car Park, will also provide a home for Citizens Advice Denbighshire and for SDCP to support other local groups.

SDCP’s Strategic Implementation Officer, Tom Taylor said: “Llangollen already had a number of fantastic groups like Food Share and we are now aiming to work alongside many of them.

“The Food Share Project volunteers are a very committed and enthusiastic group who have worked tirelessly to ensure families facing difficulties receive a worthwhile service.

“Throughout the pandemic they have remained determined to respond to increased demands and coordinated much-needed resources. It’s a commendable project with genuinely lovely people.

“We will now continue to work closely with the Food Share Committee so they can ensure a sustainable future for project, so as to meet the needs of Llangollen residents and the surrounding area.”

* For more information on Llangollen Food Share or you wish to get more involved as a project or Committee volunteer please go to https://www.neighbourly.com/project/5e1dc2f0c7ac8e29d4d3c69b https://www.facebook.com/llangollenfoodshare

* For more information about SDCP visit https://www.facebook.com/sdcpartnership or contact SDCP on 01490 266004.

Police launch probe after protected bird is poisoned

The North Wales Police Rural Crime Team has launched an investigation into the poisoning of a red kite, found dead in the Ceiriog Valley.

The bird of prey, protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, was found on February 27 this year and attended to by RSPB Investigations Team.

Toxicology tests carried out by the Welsh Government have now revealed the bird tested positive for Bendiocarb – a highly toxic insecticide.

Officers believe the incident was potentially a deliberate act and are asking anyone with information to get in touch.

It comes following several similar incidents reported in the area over the past three years, with a number of ravens and crows also found to have been poisoned using another substance.

PC Dewi Evans, North Wales Police Rural Crime Team manager, said: “We suspect the red kite died as a result of the unlawful use of poison and as a result, we have launched an investigation into the incident.

“The deliberate poisoning of a bird brings a serious risk to humans and other animals and is hugely irresponsible.

“We are currently looking into a potential motive for this incident and ask members of the public who have information to get in touch.”

Anybody with information is asked to contact officers at the North Wales Police Rural Crime Team via the website or by calling 101, quoting reference number 21000458355. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Inner Wheel enjoys first live meeting in over a year

Llangollen Inner Wheel met in the garden of one of its members for afternoon tea. 

This was the first live meeting they had been able to have since March last year. 

Members took the opportunity to present a certificate of congratulations to Cat Meade in recognition of the outstanding service she has given to the people of Llangollen during the pandemic.

Several members have been with the club for more than 30 years and they were presented with certificates by Eulanwy Davies, past District 18 Chairman.

Enid Law, President of Inner Wheel Great Britain and Ireland, and a member of the Llangollen club, was presented with a bowl to commemorate her time in office.

Eileen Dart, the club's outgoing President, welcomed Val Cartwright as President for 2021-22.

MP slams Welsh Government's tourism tax plan

* Simon Baynes MP in the Chamber of the House of Commons. 

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes criticised the Welsh Labour Government’s proposed tourism tax during Questions to the Wales Office in the Chamber of the House of Commons.

Mr Baynes highlighted the Pontcysyllte World Heritage Site, Llangollen Canal and Steam Railway as examples of vital tourist destinations and said that the tourism and hospitality businesses in his constituency would be hard-hit by Welsh Labour’s proposal. 

He asked whether the Minister responding would agree with him that the Welsh Labour Government’s plans would be disastrous for the hospitality industry in Wales, particularly as it just comes out of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

In response, Wales Office Minister, David TC Davies MP said: “I absolutely agree with my Hon. Friend and I look forward – I hope – to an invitation to visit his constituency at some point in the future to see some of these superb tourist attractions that are there. 

"And I do agree with him. The UK Government has shown its commitment to the tourism industry by cutting VAT down to 5%. 

"The Welsh Labour Government want to implement a tax on the tourism industry at a time when it is at its most fragile. The UK Government will always want to level-up the economy. Welsh Labour will always want to levy taxes. 

Commenting later, Mr Baynes said: “This tourism tax could devastate hospitality businesses in Clwyd South and the rest of North Wales, which relies heavily on the tourism industry. 

"It will discouraging people from visiting Wales and making the average family holiday much more expensive – at a time when we should be encouraging visitors to come and spend money in our local economies. 

“It’s the job of Welsh Government to want to attract people to come and spend money in Wales – not try and discourage them. I was very happy with the Minister’s response, which highlights the contrast between the UK Conservative Government’s support for Wales and Labour’s ill-conceived policies.”

Comedy series starring Llan actor is up for honours

* Llangollen-based actor Dyfed Thomas plays Eurwyn in Rybish.

* The cast of Rybish, from left Mair Tomos Ifans (Val), Betsan Ceiriog (Bobbi), Dyfed Thomas (Eurwyn), Rhodri Trefor (Nigel), and Sion Pritchard (Clive).

A comedy series starring an actor from Llangollen has helped put a TV company taken over by the staff in the running for a record haul of prestigious awards.

Cwmni Da has been shortlisted for an “incredible” total of seven awards at the Celtic Film and Television Festival – more than any other television company in the history of the event founded more than 40 years ago.

It’s also half the number of nominations for all the other television production companies who make programmes for S4C.

The winners will be announced in September.

Dyfed Thomas, a native of Rhos who now lives just outside Llangollen, and the rest of the cast of Rybish (Rubbish) completed filming the  comedy drama series during the Covid-19 lockdown – by creating a bubble for the cast and crew.

Production of the sitcom,  set in a recycling centre, was brought to a halt in March last year by the coronavirus crisis but undeterred Cwmni Da came up with a plan to carrying on filming.

Members of the crew self-isolated for a fortnight before resuming and they were tested regularly throughout the shoot.

When they were not working, the team were holed up in an empty pub, The Beuno, in Clynnog Fawr on the north coast of the Llŷn Peninsula.

The company built their own recycling centre on an old landfill site at Carmel, near Caernarfon.

They used fixed cameras which were remotely controlled to film the remaining episodes in the six-part series.

A delighted Dyfed said: “Being on set by day and living in the Beuno at night was certainly a very exciting, constructive and creative experience.

“There were six to eight of us together all the time. Instead of going home, we would carry on discussing and pay attention to the job full time.

"That just doesn't happen usually, and there certainly isn’t an opportunity to get so close to the author and producers.”

It’s believed Cwmni Da was the first broadcast company in the UK to become an Employee-Owned Trust just over two years ago.

The move saw former managing director Dylan Huws, who remains on the board, sell his shares to the trust.

The company employs 53 staff and a host of freelancers and is based at a state-of-the-art production centre in the Goleuad building on Victoria Dock.

Their output includes some of S4C’s biggest hits like Fferm Ffactor, Noson Lawen, Deian a Loli, and Ffit Cymru, as well as award-winning international co-productions like Llanw (Tide).

But the news about being shortlisted for seven awards heralds a new high water mark for the respected company that turns over around £5 million a year, making a significant contribution to the local economy.

Among the programmes in line to be honoured is a touching documentary, Eirlys, Dementia a Tim (Eirlys, Dementia and Tim), that’s been shortlisted in two categories – for a single documentary and the blue riband Spirit of the Festival Award.

The programme tells the story of former care worker Eirlys Smith, 61, from Menai Bridge, Anglesey, who tracks down an old school friend, Tim Lyn, who’s now a famous TV director.

A documentary series, 47 Copa (47 Summits), that’s been selected in the sports category, features the successful attempt by endurance athlete Huw Jack Brassington, who hails from Caernarfon and now lives in Cockermouth, Cumbria, to conquer one of the world’s toughest mountain challenges.

Camera crews followed the former GB triathlete in treacherous conditions as he completed the gruelling Paddy Buckley Round, which sees runners covering a distance of some 100km and climbing 8,000 metres which it the equivalent of scaling Everest, taking in no fewer than 47 summits – all in 24 hours.

At the other end of the spectrum is the hit comedy series, Rybish (Rubbish), which was shot during the Covid-19 lockdown last year and set in a recycling centre.

A very different  lockdown show, Côr Digidol (Digital Choir) presented by talented tenor, Rhys Meirion, who hails from Porthmadog and now living in Pwllglas near Ruthin, is among the top tips in the entertainment category and showcases a rousing online performance of the famous Welsh hymn Calon Lȃn which went viral on social media with more than 190,000 views.

The uncertain future of a more traditional choir, Côr Meibion Trelawnyd, one of North Wales’s largest male voice choirs which has an average age of 74, provided the poignant backdrop for Y Côr (The Choir), that’s been shortlisted in the arts category.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the age range the 2020 Christmas special of the hugely popular kids’ series, Deian a Loli (Deian and Loli), is also up for a gong in the children’s category.

Having so many of the company’s programmes shortlisted for awards at the Celtic Film and Television Festival was the source of “quiet” pride for Llion Iwan, who has taken over from Dylan Huws as managing director after originally joining Cwmni Da as director of content in 2019.

Llion said: “What stands out for me is that our programmes have been shortlisted in so many diverse categories which shows how multi-talented our team is.

“As a company, Cwmni Da has always punched well above its weight and this has gone to a whole new level after the company became an Employee-Owned Trust. Everybody is even more committed than before.

“We’re very lucky in that we have a core of highly creative and experienced directors and producers as well as younger people who are being mentored.

“By re-organising our schedules and changing how we work, we have been able to continue producing programmes through the pandemic and we’ve done as much as we can to support experienced freelancers in our area who have been faithful to the company. 

“We’ve also continued to contribute to the local economy and our turnover last year remained stable at around £5 million.

“I’ve been going to film festivals and similar competitions such as this one for many years and I know that they are worthwhile especially if you gain recognition in several categories.

“It’s an excellent shop window for us and it’s going to be good for business because it showcases what we can do.”

Peace is theme of Oak Street Gallery's new exhibition

* A poster for the Oak Street Gallery exhibition.

* John Evans's picture of Terry Waite in a previous Eisteddfod parade.

Llangollen's Oak Street Gallery has announced its latest exhibition entitled ‘Making Peace’ which runs from today (Wednesday) until July 18, 10am-4pm Friday to Sunday. 

The exhibition is about the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

And the gallery's Karl Young said: "It is to remind us of what we do, as an organisation and as a town, to keep our spirit alive while we are limited by Covid restrictions.

"Peace can be defined in many ways, but the one thing it is always is temporary. Peace demands a constant engagement, it is never won, and can only be experienced by doing. 

"Here in Llangollen once a year we gather to engage in peace-making. 

"It is not about treaties and handshakes. Peacemaking for us is dancing and singing together with a joy that comes from acceptance. 

"With a joy that comes from having the old lie of divisions between us broken. In Llangollen when we lift up our voices to Dinas Bran we are saying, ‘what is human in me is human in us’. And on that basis do we foster hope and peace."

He added: "This exhibition is made possible by the help and contribution of a number of people. I would like to thank Terry Waite for allowing me to use his poem ‘Peace’ and for his writing an article of prose on what the Eisteddfod means to him and the world.

"I am also grateful to the poet Aled Lewis Evans for allowing me to exhibit his poems. This exhibition is primary a photographic exhibition with artistic and lively photographs that capture the events energy and spirit. 

"I am very grateful to the photographers Kim Price Evans, Allan Potts, John Evans and Lowri Page for allowing me to show their beautiful photographs. 

"The exhibition has many wonderful Eisteddfod memorabilia. I am also grateful to the Archives Committee for allowing me to use their collection, and to the Chairman of the Eisteddfod Rhys Davies for all his help. 

"Finally, I would like to thank Ann Ankers of the Eisteddfod’s Competitors Club for lending me their Visitors Book. The book will be on display, but its real pleasure comes from reading the hundreds of enthusiastic comments like the two I have copied below.

“'If the whole world could become harmonious and peace-loving like the Eisteddfod.' – Professor Rajpal Singh, Secretary General, Punjab Arts Council, India, Leader of the Heritage Folk Group.

“'Your Welsh welcome is more than we ever imagine. We want to thank everybody for their sportsmanship and their smile. The city Llangollen is wonderful, the festival has such an atmosphere that isn’t really competitive, that makes us even happier. The weather is pretty weird but the Welsh welcome arranges everything! Thank you for a wonderful time!! we hope to come back in the years to come. Merci énormément' - Ariane Charlebois, Montreal, Canada."

Government moves to tackle second homes problem

In the Senedd later today, Minister for Climate Change Julie James will set out a three-pronged approach to address the impact of second homes ownership on Wales' communities.

The new plan aims to ensure that everyone in Wales can have access to good quality, affordable housing.

The three-pronged approach will focus on:

• Support - addressing affordability and availability of housing,
• Regulatory framework and system - covering planning law and the introduction of a statutory registration scheme for holiday accommodation; and
• A fairer contribution - using national and local taxation systems to ensure second home owners make a fair and effective contribution to the communities in which they buy.

There will also be a pilot area in Wales, to be decided over the summer, where these new measures will be trialled and evaluated before being considered for wider rollout.

Other supporting actions, including the work on a registration scheme for all holiday accommodation and a consultation on changes to local taxes to manage the impact of second homes and self-catered accommodation, will also begin over the summer.

A Welsh Language Community Housing Plan, to protect the particular interests of Welsh language communities, will be published for consultation in the autumn.

Last year, Wales became the only country in the UK to give local authorities the power to charge 100% council tax increase on second homes.

Visiting a housing development in picture-postcard St Davids, West Wales, the Minister met with members of the local community, Pembrokeshire Council and the Community Land Trust to hear how they have been working together to use money raised from the council tax levy to build 18 new affordable homes for local people. 

Speaking from St David’s, Minister for Climate Change, who is responsible for housing, Julie James said: "Meeting with Rachel, Josh from the Community Land Trust, Pembrokeshire Council, and the developers ateb today, has demonstrated how community action and good government policy can work together to bring fairness back into our housing market.

"The continuing rise of house prices mean people, especially younger generations, can no longer afford to live in the communities they have grown up in. A high concentration of second homes or holiday lets can have a very detrimental impact on small communities, and in some areas could compromise the Welsh language being spoken at a community level.

"We have already taken strides on some of these issues - last year we became the only nation in the UK to give local authorities the power to introduce a 100% council tax levy on second homes. But the urgency and gravity of this situation calls for further intervention, which means real and ambitious actions are delivered at pace, to inject fairness back into the housing system.

"Taking recommendations from Dr Brooks’ report, our new three-pronged approach will kick-start a summer of action which will determine how we tackle this issue now and into the future. I am calling on all political parties across the Senedd to get involved in this, as we look to empower our communities to exercise their right to live in good quality homes, wherever they are in Wales."

Over the summer the Welsh Government says it will:

• Work with stakeholders to agree the basis and location or locations for an evaluated pilot;
• Develop a coherent and effective support package to trial within the pilot;
• Frame a statutory registration scheme for all tourist accommodation and continue to engage with stakeholders on the shape of the model we will implement, including both the registration and inspection arrangements;
• Consult on possible changes to local taxes to support local authorities manage the impact of second homes and self-catered accommodation; and
• Establish a draft Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan for consultation in the autumn.

Woman injured in Saturday night crash has died

North Wales Police Wrexham Rural has just issued an update on its Facebook page which says: "The woman who was injured following a road traffic collision in Berwyn, Llangollen on Saturday night has sadly died.

The 19-year-old, who was a passenger in a black coloured Renault Clio, was taken to hospital in Stoke, however sadly, she died of her injuries last night (Monday, July 5th).

"Officers are continuing to appeal for witnesses to the one vehicle collision and are keen on speaking to anybody who may have been travelling in or around the Llangollen area shortly before midnight on Saturday, July 3rd and who may have dash cam footage to get in touch."

Sergeant Meurig Jones said: “Our heartfelt sympathies remain with the woman’s family at this incredibly difficult time.

“The investigation is well underway and I continue to urge anybody who may have information that could help us piece together what happened, to contact us immediately.

“I’m also continuing to appeal to anybody who may have been at the Bridge Inn in Llangollen late evening on Saturday, July 3rd, and who may be able to provide information in relation to the investigation, to come forward.”

The statement adds: "The 27-year-old driver of the Renault Clio, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving shortly after the incident, and was later released under investigation.

"Anybody with information is asked to contact officers at the North Wales Police Roads Policing Unit via the website or by calling 101, quoting reference number 21000465060."