County faces cut in cash settlement

Despite facing a reduction of 1.2%, Denbighshire County Council reckons it has done better than expected in its latest cash settlement from the Welsh Government.

Councils across Wales heard yesterday what they would be receiving to help pay their way in the next financial year.

Denbighshire believes its settlement is better than expected and that a reduction of 1.2% in cash terms is much less than feared.

However, the authority says this still means that its budget is reducing while demand for services and cost pressures increase.  

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: “We have been working on the assumption that we would need to find savings for 2016/17 and this is the case, although the settlement announced by the Welsh Government is better than expected.

“We are on schedule to deliver a budget for 2016/17 and the council will need to consider the final detail in the coming weeks, including the impact on council tax levels.

“The vast majority (82%) of the savings made so far over the last two years have been through efficiency or other measures which have not had a negative impact on services to the public and that has been down to careful planning and making savings through working more efficiently.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said: “The Welsh Labour Government has again done its utmost to protect local authorities, including Denbighshire, from the severity of Tory austerity.

“The reduction of just 1.2% is much lower than what Denbighshire had been anticipating and considerably less than what councils in England have endured.

“In an ideal world, we wouldn’t have to cut council settlements at all, but given that the UK Government has slashed the Welsh budget by £1.3bn since 2010-11 we have no choice. However, this is a considerably better settlement than local authorities were expecting.

“We have protected the funding for local councils over the course of this Assembly term – in stark contrast to the way the Tory Government at Westminster has slashed English council budgets by around 10% in cash terms over the past five years.

“In Wales, they’ve gone up almost 3% over the same period."

* Wrexham Council had been planning for a 4.5% cut in the amount it gets from the Welsh Government, but yesterday learned the reduction would be 2% at most – meaning the authority will have at least £4.3m more than expected.

* North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood challenged the Finance Minister in the Assembly Chamber this week over her Draft Budget.  

 

AM challenges Finance Minister over Draft Budget

 

Mr Isherwood (pictured) questioned the Minister, Jane Hutt AM, on a number of areas of spending, including health and housing, but claims she failed to answer his questions.

 

He said: “How much did you receive in consequence of the UK Government’s increased spending on health in England? How much did you receive in consequence of the UK Government’s announcement of the biggest house building programme by any government since the 1970s, for England? And how much of that additional money will you be allocating to new housing supply in Wales during 2016-17, after the devastating cuts imposed on housing since 1999 in Wales?

 

“Finally, what consideration will you give to rescuing the key services being delivered by third sector bodies across Wales, which have been improving lives and saving millions for statutory services for decades, such as Disability Wales and many others, given that when I wrote to the Communities and Tackling Poverty Minister on behalf of third sector bodies regarding core funding for the Families First programme, the reply I received was that the late timing of the UK Government’s spending review posed challenges for budget planning?”

 

Speaking afterwards, Mr Isherwood added: “It is very revealing that this Finance Minister wouldn’t answer my questions. We have consistently warned Labour about the consequences of their failure to adequately invest in the Welsh NHS – and with 1 in 7 people in Wales on a waiting list, the number waiting over 26 weeks for treatment up by 70% since 2011, and Wales’ critical care bed capacity the lowest in Europe, the consequences of Labour’s savage cuts have been vast. Presently, adjusted for age - and reflected by our increasingly ageing population - health spending per capita in Wales remains £50 lower than in England.

 

“She knows full well that I have been calling for action to tackle the housing supply crisis in Wales created by Labour  Ministers since devolution in 1999, and that Welsh Conservatives recognise the need for a whole market solution that delivers all types of affordable housing,  including social housing.

 

“It is also unforgivable that they are jeopardising key services provided by third sector bodies such as Disability Wales, when Welsh Government needs instead to be asking them how they can help to do things differently, improve lives and deliver better value for the budget available.”

Santa sleighs 'em for Rotary causes

 

* Santa out on his Rotary rounds.

 

Last weekend The Llangollen Dee Valley Rotary Club were out and about helping Santa around Garth, Trevor, Llangollen, Fron, Pentre and Cefn Mawr.

 

They also called in to see the Llangollen Brownie group to deliver some early presents.

 

The club says it would like to thank all the children and adults who braved the weather to say hello to Santa on his sleigh.

 

In spite of the wind, rain and cold over £600 was raised for local charities.

 

 

* ... and checking if he has the correct presents for everyone. 

Vandals make three attacks on railway line

Vandals have made three separate attacks on the railway line between Corwen and Llangollen during the past week.

In a message to its members in the area, the local Neighbourhood Watch team says the first incident happened between last Friday and Saturday when objects were thrown through the windows of a signalbox at the Glyndyfrdwy level crossing.

Then, sometime between Sunday and Monday, the vandals returned to smash another window in the box by throwing an object through it.

Third incident was at the same location when a railway wagon was broken into with windows being smashed and graffiti daubed on to the walls. 

* If you noticed anything suspicious, or have any information relating to this incident please contact North Wales Police by dialling 101.

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.

Operatic gets audience swinging into Christmas

* The Operatic's Christmas show was a feast of festive fun.

Llangollen Operatic Society infused a packed audience with a massive dose of Christmas spirit during their glittering seasonal show at the Town Hall last night.

Swing Along A Christmas was a real cracker of a production featuring a host of songs and sketches from a range of talented performers.  

Perfect choice for host was Louise Cielecki, a graduate of the society’s own Young ‘Uns junior section who is now studying drama.

Her bubbly character got the whole thing off to fizzing start as she split the audience into two halves and encouraged them to compete in roaring out the loudest `merry Christmas’.

A large contingent from the Operatic hit the stage with stylish number from the musical Polar Express before around half a dozen members of the Young ‘Uns appeared to sing snatches from their forthcoming production of Honk! which hits the stage early next year.    

Multi-talented is the right term for Michael Jenkins who was next in the evening’s line-up.

Taking time off from directing the panto Aladdin at the Stiwt in Rhos, he found time to conduct the Operatic’s choral contributions in this show, do a couple of solo numbers himself and also take part in comedy duet.

His solos - including the Bing Crosby evergreen White Christmas set to a swinging rhythm – helped underline the seasonal tone and later he joined Louisa Jones in the old Dean Martin winter warmer, Baby It’s Cold Outside.

Host Louise hung up her mic for a while to join fellow Young ‘Uns alumni Nathan Lloyd in a neat comedy sketch which ended in a song before the Operatic choristers were back to keep up the pace with a number of their own.

Philip Main stepped out from the chorus to give an astonishing countertenor – or perhaps falsetto – rendition of Panis Angelicus.     

Another admirable voice, that of Lizzie Richards, then brought us the stunning Let it Go from the musical Frozen, a real showstopper to end the first half.

Ross Wilson led the charge into the second part of the show with two genuine Rat Pack-style swingers, Dean Martin’s Ain’t That a Kick in the Head and Michael Buble’s Feeling Good.

A neat atmospheric touch came when Ross took his performance out into the heart of the audience.

Louise and Nathan returned for a second two-handed comedy routine and song, followed by the Operatic singers with Winter Wonderland.

A new Operatic star appeared in the east when Dan May strode on stage to present a soulful interpretation of When a Child is Born in his debut performance before an audience.    

Alison Ravenscroft came out next with a cheekily neat Baby It’s Cold Outside – perhaps, as host Louise joked, a little unexpected from a lady who played the Mother Superior in the Operatic’s recent smash-hit production of Sister Act.     

Lizzie Richards and Ross Wilson joined vocal forces for Let it Snow, leaving the entire Operatic team to round off with Jingle Bell Rock.

The audience then got their chance to join in the fun by singing along with Twelve Days of Christmas and We Wish You a Merry Christmas, sending us out into the night with all those fantastic tunes still ringing in our heads.

A pity the Operatic had just one night for their festive entertainment feast as this show could have run and run.  

Man in charge of Llan legion resigns

THE man who had been running Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion (RBL) has marched off in despair at its lack of active members.

John Lawton, who took over as chairman and secretary a couple of years ago because there was nobody available for either role, has now resigned from both positions.

* John Lawton at this year's Service
of Remembrance in Llangollen.

Mr Lawton, who lives in Wrexham, said: “Not one member in addition to the usual seven has bothered to attend any branch meeting for the last four years.

“This was in spite of me changing the time and venue to Llangollen Royal Air Force Association Club to make things easier.

“Surely if I can drive 34 miles to a meeting, then they can drive to the club from town.

“I feel that the lack of support made my job untenable so I saw no alternative but to resign.”

He added: “Myself and the member now standing in as chairman and secretary are due to meet the legion’s area chairman later this week to finalise things.

“I think the branch will remain open and I pray it does.”   

Llangollen RBL was formed 91 years ago in time to consecrate the town’s cenotaph in November, 1923.

Mr Lawton has previously been secretary of the Historic Warships in Birkenhead, a Petty Officer in the Sea Cadet Corps and treasurer of Llangollen Royal Naval Association.

Businesses warned over mailshot

Denbighshire Council's Trading Standards team is warning local businesses not to respond to a mailshot that could result in a bill of £790 per annum.

Businesses are being advised to ignore a letter from a firm with an address in Hamburg, Germany which is headed 'UK Data Control Scotland Business'.

The letter is designed to look like an official Government document, and requires the recipient to provide their VAT Registration Number to update the 'UK-DATA CONTROL portal'.
The letter also includes a form for businesses to check and sign to say their details are correct.

The small print indicates that a cost of £790 a year will be incurred by the business for a minimum of three years.

Emlyn Jones, Public Protection Manager for Denbighshire Council said: "We are concerned that local businesses may believe the letter to be from an official government source, which is not the case.

"If businesses sign and return the form to confirm their details are correct they could end up being tied into a contract and liable for the high costs of an entry in this portal.

"We have had several enquiries from businesses regarding this and we have advised them that they are not obliged to provide the information to this company."

* Any business concerned about a letter, email or phone call they have received can report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

 

Any consumer who wants to report a scam should Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06, for the Welsh language service call 03454 04 05 05, or alternatively report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, to help stop it happening to others.

AM pops into postal delivery office

* Ken Skates with (from left) Daniel Davies and Tom Price.

Labour AM Ken Skates visited his local delivery office to meet postal staff preparing for their busiest time of the year.

Mr Skates, Assembly Member for Clwyd South, chatted with workers in Llangollen early on Friday morning.

He said: “I really enjoyed meeting the staff and I’d like to thank everyone for their warm welcome. It was a great visit.

“The hectic Christmas period is a great time to remind people just how hard their local postal staff work, not just now but all year round. I hope they’re able to put their feet up at some point and enjoy a well-deserved break.”

Lee Fennel, delivery office manager at Llangollen, said: “Our postmen and women are working extremely hard to deliver Christmas cards, letters and parcels to people across the area. We are grateful to Ken for visiting the office to see our operation and to support the team.

Lee added: “We’d like to remind our customers to post early, and please always use the postcode as this helps us greatly at this busy time.”

Prospective candidate visits Castle Street businesses

* Simon Baynes, left, outside the Cottage Tea Rooms with

Mehmet Cakiroglu who works there.

On Small Business Saturday, Simon Baynes, the Prospective Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Clwyd South, visited three businesses which adjoin each other on Castle Street in Llangollen - Candy Cottage, Cottage Tea Rooms and Cottage Cards & Crafts.

He said: “These three businesses cater for local residents and visitors alike. They are welcoming places to visit which showcase what is best about Llangollen.

"Candy Cottage sells homemade fudge and locally made ice cream. The Cottage Tea Rooms are busy all year round, open seven days a week and operate as a bistro as well.

"Cottage Cards & Crafts makes a perfect place to shop local and stock up on Christmas presents as well as being vital to the tourist trade."

He added: "We need to make sure that small businesses like these have the best conditions in which to operate.

"This is why the Welsh Conservatives are campaigning for a better support package for small businesses – cutting business rates, improving access to finance for small firms and incentivising small businesses to take on additional staff.

"If every small business was able to take on a single additional employee, unemployment in
Wales could be wiped out overnight."

Tattoo parlour's hygiene standards recognised

A tattoo parlour in Llangollen is one of four across Denbighshire which have been officially recognised for achieving stringent health and safety standards.

 

As part of an awards scheme introduced in the county – the first authority area in North Wales and only the second in Wales to do so - the parlours made the grade in the Tattoo Hygiene Rating Scheme after being assessed by staff from Denbighshire’s Public Protection department. 

 

A number of factors were considered as part of the assessments, including cleanliness, health and safety, after care advice, staff training, personal cleanliness of operators and record keeping.

 

The successful tattoo businesses included the one run by Liz Fletcher, called InK and Essence, in Llangollen, which was awarded a three-star rating.

 

The other parlours were in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Clawddnewydd , which all achieved four-star ratings.

 

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member with responsibility for Public Protection, said: “I would like to congratulate the tattoo parlours named for reaching some of the highest levels of cleanliness and health and safety, as recognised in the ratings scheme.

 

“We are delighted to be the first authority in North Wales to adopt the ratings scheme, as we feel it is vitally important that the public have confidence that these establishments follow stringent guidelines to protect the well-being of individuals."

Llan panto group presents Alice in Wonderland

 

* Justine Bradey as the Queen of Hearts. 

 

LLANGOLLEN Pantomime Group is marking the 150^th anniversary of the publication of the story Alice in Wonderland with a spectacular local production.

 

Rehearsals are well underway for the annual pantomime which will take place at Llangollen Pavilion from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17.

 

Billed as the traditional story with a modern twist, the show will include bush-tucker trials and will be accompanied by a live band.

 

The script has been written by the pantomime’s director, Nico Decourt from Abbey Road, Llangollen.

 

He said: “We’re delighted to be performing Alice in Wonderland as it marks its 150^th anniversary. It’s a story which stands the test of time and brings plenty of opportunities for fun and mischief in the modern pantomime setting.

 

“The cast and crew are working really hard to ensure the audience enjoys a fabulously entertaining show once again.”

 

This is the 31^st production by the Llangollen Pantomime Group. Whole families regularly participate in the production with parents and grandparents performing alongside their children and grandchildren.

 

This year’s lead, Alice, is performed by Serena Young who is making her debut in the Llangollen Pantomime. 

 

The show runs from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17 at Llangollen Pavilion.

 

Doors 7pm, show 7.30pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee (doors open 2pm, show 2.30pm). For the first time, tickets are available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenpanto and from Jades Hair & Beauty, Llangollen or Gwyn Davies (Butchers), Llangollen. You can also reserve tickets by calling 01978 860297.

Pedestrian dies in A5 collision

The Daily Post is reporting online this morning (Saturday) that a pedestrian died following a road collision on the A5 between Llangollen and Chirk last night.

For more details, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pedestrian-killed-in-a5-crash-10553054

Silver honour for Llan care home manager

 

* Bronwen Morris has won a silver accolade.

 

A silver accolade has gone to the oldest care home manager in Wales.

 

The prestigious honour was presented to Bronwen Morris, of Llangollen at the annual Wales Care Awards, at a glittering dinner and ceremony in City Hall, Cardiff.

 

Bronwen, 77, runs The Old Vicarage care home in Llangollen and was nominated by its deputy manager, her son, David Morris.

 

She was thrilled to receive a silver, though she said she had ‘butterflies in my stomach’ all the while the awards were being announced by BBC Wales TV news presenter Lucy Owen.

 

Bronwen said: “I was very nervous, and really thought I might not get anything as there were so many other deserving people all around me. Some of them have done such good work, I was sure I wouldn’t get anything like a silver.”

 

But the judges thought different, having been impressed by Bronwen quarter of a century’s unstinting service to her local community.

 

She took over The Old Vicarage 25 years ago with her husband of 54 years, retired accountant Brian, and they were determined to ensure their residents felt as much at home as possible.

 

Having had no formal experience in the care sector, they trained for 18 months before opening The Old Vicarage and continue to keep themselves updated with training and care home procedures.

 

Just six years ago Bronwen studied for two years for a new management qualification when she was aged 71.

 

She remains the registered care provider and proprietor of The Old Vicarage, though her son now shares the day to day workload.

 

He said: “Mum is still a very hard worker and as determined as ever to make sure all our residents’ needs are met and that they are happy, even though she is nearly as old as some of them herself now.” 

 

Bronwen believes her age is an advantage as it gives her more understanding of residents’ needs. She plays a key role in organising social activities for them and taking those who are able out to local events including Llangollen WI and the Wednesday Club. She is also a volunteer with the Parkinson’s Society and the Alzheimers Society.

 

The Wales Care Awards are run in association with Care Forum Wales, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1993 to give independent care providers a single professional voice with which to speak on one of the most important issues of our time – how to provide better quality care for those who need it most.

 

Bronwen was presented with her silver in the Outstanding Service Award category, sponsored by Hallmark.

 

She modestly said she felt honoured to have been nominated and was delighted to receive a silver, but didn’t feel she had done anything extraordinary, except care for people in the best way that she could. Her priorities for all her residents, she said, were to ensure they are well, feel at home, comfortable, and among good friends.

 

Mario Kreft, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights in the months and years to come.

“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.

“We take our hats off to them.”

As well as David, Bronwen and her husband have another son Richard, who lives in Carlisle and daughter Liz, of Ruabon, plus eight grandchildren aged from 13 to 30.

 

Warning: Storm Desmond to hit region

The BBC news website is reporting a warning from forecasters that gales of more than 70mph could bring disruption across north and mid Wales.

For details, see:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-34997842

Rotary stages grand Christmas raffle

The Rotary Club of Llangollen is spending today and tomorrow (Saturday) in the entrance of the Co-op store in Regent Street selling tickets for its grand Christmas raffle, proceeds from which will go to various local charities.

Members will be there from 10am-6pm on Saturday.

Prizes include grocery vouchers for £100, £50 and £25 and ticket prices are £1 each.

The raffle will be drawn on Monday December 14.

Special loco heading for Llan Railway

* The Small Prairie loco No. 4566 on the Severn Valley Railway this summer.

LLANGOLLEN Railway is expecting a special visitor next spring.

Arrangements have been made for GWR Small Prairie No.4566 to attend the Spring Steam Gala which will take place over three days from Friday - Sunday April 8-10.

Featuring an intensive timetable of both passenger and freight trains, a great collection of historic steam locomotives and special attractions along the line, the event aims to offer something for railway enthusiasts and families.

Normally resident at the Severn Valley Railway, No.4566 will be travelling by road to visit the line and will be in operation alongside the railway's own home fleet.

For more details, visit the website: www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

MP explains her position on Syria bombing vote

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has issued the following statement explaining her position on last night's vote to allow the RAF to bomb in Syria:


I would like to thank all my constituents who have contacted me since the atrocities in Paris, Beirut, Sinai, Tunisia and Ankara with their views on how best we should deal with the global threat that our country and the rest of the free world faces from ISIL/Daesh.

With our security services having foiled at least seven serious terror plots in the past year and our country's threat of attack at 'severe' level, I am not surprised that most people in our area paid little regard to the argument peddled by some that we as a country are to blame for standing up for the security and defence of our nation.

I received a very wide range of opinions from hundreds of constituents regarding whether the United Kingdom be authorised to extend targeted air-strikes from Northern Iraq across the border into Syria. Some constituents felt we needed to go further than Government proposals and that the UK should send ground troops. Others expressed a purely pacifist position - against any form of military action in Syria or anywhere else in the world at any point.

But most views I received stood between these positions. Some felt we should 'stay away' yet others spoke of the need to support the UN resolution by joining France, Germany, Russia and the US in targeted air-strikes, as one constituent put it: "Labour is an internationalist party; it is right that we show solidarity with President Hollande and the people of France".  Others pointed to the logical inconsistency (a view I have long held) of supporting air-strikes against ISIL/Daesh in Northern Iraq but not across the Syrian border in Raqqa where ISIL/Daesh have their headquarters.

Both among constituents who favoured air-strikes and those who did not, there was strong support for the Vienna talks held by the international Syria Support Group and the way in which that group had brought together a wide coalition of nations. The UK is indeed now part of a coalition of over 60 nations, and it is incumbent on us to work with other countries to cut off the flow of finance, fighters, and weapons to Daesh/ISIL in Syria and Iraq.

What struck me most from communications from constituents was the very thoughtful nature of most of the emails and letters, with one constituent, who was personally against air-strikes, expressing the views of many by describing the decision as "finely balanced". Another constituent described how air-strikes had enabled the Kurds to stand up to ISIL/Daesh. Others feared that there would be inadequate ground-troops in Syria and feared that Britain might have to send ground troops (something I do not feel that we should support).


I appreciate the very considered feed-back from my  constituents. I read every single piece of correspondence from my constituents on this issue. While I was not immune to receiving some limited and unacceptable abuse, this was happily rare, compared with that received by some MPs in other parts of the country. I know most of my constituents will be aware that I do not get intimidated by any attempts of bullying, whether on social media or any other way! Any attempts to intimidate me in the exercise of my representative duty will not succeed.

One issue that concerns me immensely is that we must always challenge the casual racism that insinuates ISIL/Daesh is anything to do with ordinary Muslims, as it is Muslim people who have been on the receiving end of more ISIL/Daesh brutality than that of any other faith group. Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are always wrong. In an area like ours which is home to only a very small number of Muslims and Jews, I think it is particularly important that we all challenge abusive comments against people of these faiths.

Finally, I realise that Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Shadow Cabinet have been viciously criticised by groups like the 'Stop the War Coalition' and by individuals like George Galloway for allowing Labour MPs a free vote on the decision that came before Parliament. Although I have always been open about the fact that I did not vote for Jeremy Corbyn in September's Labour Leadership election, I believe that he and the Labour Shadow Cabinet deserve heartfelt praise for that courageous decision. They acted in the spirit of the democratic socialist party that Labour is; not the narrow sect that some people would like to turn the Labour Party into.

It was that openness to allow Labour MPs to choose in line with conscience, careful consideration and constituent opinion, that led me to go into the same division lobby as Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson, Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn and many other MPs. The key factors for me were: it made no sense to allow our RAF to undertake targeted air-strikes in Iraq but not across the border in Syria, the location of ISIL/Daesh's headquarters; and that I could not reconcile the unanimous resolution of the UN that we should take all necessary measures to counter ISIL/Daesh into a false choice between military and non-military action. The motion that MPs supported makes a clear commitment to seek to cut off ISIL/Daesh's sources of finance, fighters and weapons: it is right that it does so.

When tomorrow's Hansard is published, I would urge everyone to read the outstanding speech made by Shadow Foreign Secretary, Hilary Benn, towards the end of the Parliamentary debate. The speech well illustrates how our commitment to pluralism, freedom and the security of our nation and all those who face suffering matters in a dangerous world. 

Twenty Club auditions for gritty Lancashire classic

* Grim up north: Twenty Club is to stage Love on the Dole next spring.

FOLLOWING their second sell-out production of Fawlty Towers, Llangollen Twenty Club are heading north to 1930s Lancashire for their next production.

Love on the Dole, by Walter Greenwood and adapted for the stage by Ronald Gow, will be directed for the club by Christine Dukes and will presented next March.
The Great Depression has gripped everyone in Hanky Park, Lancashire.

Despite the joy of her recent engagement, Sally Hardcastle and her family are struggling to make ends meet.

Her brother, Harry, faces an uncertain future - out of work, a baby on the way and facing the dreaded Means Test.

When a powerful rival for Sally's affection makes his feelings known, she's offered the chance to save her family from being torn apart. But can Sally sacrifice her integrity to secure the happiness of the people she loves?

The club is looking for actors to take on a range of parts covering all ages.

Full character profiles can be found on the event page here. 

Auditions will be at on Wednesday December 9 at 7pm at The Hand Hotel in Llangollen (ask for the Denbigh Room).

To register your interest to receive more information about the audition, go to:  facebook.com/twentyclub or email contact@twentyclub.co.uk

Festive celebration at the Abbey

Free after three parking for Christmas

Denbighshire County Council has announced that the "Free After 3" parking scheme will again operate in Llangollen this year to help support the town centre in the run-up to Christmas. 

The scheme provides free parking in all council operated pay & display car parks in town centres after 3pm on a daily basis.

Llangollen car parks are also free all day this Saturday.

The scheme operates until the 31st December 2015.

Llangollen car parks involved are:

* East Street
* Hall Street
* Market Street
* Mill Street

Support urged for Small Business Saturday

 

Denbighshire County Council is urging residents to support their local businesses on Saturday.

 

The day has been designated Small Business Saturday and a national campaign has been launched to encourage people to consider shopping locally.

 

The county council is supporting the initiative and has launched its own publicity and marketing campaign.

 

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, who is also the Lead Member for the Economy, said: “Our teams of staff have already been out and about talking to businesses and encouraging them to display posters and we have been delighted with the response.

 

“We want to emphasise the importance of shopping locally and accessing the wide variety of goods and services that can be accessed in our own communities.  We would ask residents to help us spread the word about the campaign and lets see our town centres thriving on December 5.

 

“We hope that the council’s free after three parking initiative where people can park for free in our pay and display car parks in the town centres will also encourage more people to visit town, rather than visit out of county locations."

 

* To find out more information about Small Business Saturday, please visit: www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com

County gives details of its financial position

Denbighshire County Council says it continues to invest in major projects, with over £200 million either spent or planned for projects county-wide.

 

The authority says it is also protecting key services during difficult financial times.

 

Councillors meeting in County Hall, Ruthin yesterday were updated on the current budget position.

 

The council needs to save £15.7 million over two years. 

 

£7.8 million has been identified for 2015/16, with a further £5.2 million in 2016/17.  Further work is going on to identify how the council can bridge the gap.

 

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: “The vast majority (82%) of the savings made so far have been efficiency or other measures which have not negatively had an impact on services to the public and that has been down to careful planning and making savings through working more efficiently.

 

“We also kept our Council Tax increase low, with the increase of 2.75% being one of the lowest in Wales and this level of increase is the working assumption for 2016/17. Residents have asked us to keep any increases to a minimum and councillors agreed this was the right thing to do."

 

At the same time as dealing with a funding cut, the council set priorities to

protect and invest in important service areas such as schools, social care and the roads and has continued to achieve this throughout the budget process.

 

Some of the headline investments:

·         £96.8 m for schools

·         £18.4 m for roads

·         £21.5 m for social care

·         £16.1 m for floods and coastal defence

·         £26.8 for  economic development and regeneration

·         £6.7 m for leisure and libraries

·         £9.3 m on other key projects.

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, said: “We are on schedule to deliver all of the savings identified for this financial year and are proposing a further set of cuts for the following 12 months.

 

“However, our approach is to trim down on services through being more efficient, identifying budgets that are historically underspent and cutting our cloth accordingly. 

 

“We are committed to protecting key services as much as possibly can and identifying savings through looking at all aspects of our services. This way of working provides confidence that the Council is working to protect public money through investing in those areas needed and saving costs through careful planning and monitoring.”

Llan councillor hits out over government funding

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has voiced his “irritation” at the relationship between the Welsh Government and local authorities like Denbighshire.

Cllr Davies (pictured) said: “The results of the UK Government Spending Review have confirmed that the funding coming to Wales is going to increase in cash terms over the next four years.

“The revenue position will increase from £12.9bn this year to £13.3bn in 2019/20 and capital from £1.5bn to £1.6bn. The capital allocation is to increase further by 2020 to £1.7bn.

"As a local councillor I am being forced by the Labour-led Welsh Government to take part in cuts across the board in our services because they have cut our funding year on year.

"We had to find cuts of £8million last year and this year with more again next year.”

He added: “The Welsh Government continually says that its central funding has been cut, but in fact, as can be seen in the document below *, the cash funding has been increased!"

"It irritates me immensely when simple things that are the responsibility of the Welsh Government, like the yellow lines on the A5 opposite Stan’s supermarket and the extending of the speed limit on the A5 past the new print works, are promised but haven’t taken place due to so-called funding constraints.

"They seem to be able to spend money on failing airports down south, to spend millions in Cardiff and yet can’t find a few thousands to do the simple things here in Llangollen and Clwyd South.

“I would remind the local Assembly Members that it is election time next year and the public are taking note of their actions or lack of.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said: “After a period of unprecedented cuts to the Welsh budget and our public services, this continues to be the slowest economic recovery in living memory. Sadly, Wales is still suffering from the UK Government’s ongoing failure to meet its own targets.

 

“Tory policies mean our spending power can’t even keep track with inflation. Overall, between now and 2019-20, there will be a real terms reduction of 3.6% on a Welsh budget which has already been cut by £1.3bn since the Tories came to power in 2010-2011.

 

"While some have clearly been misled by the smoke and mirrors offered by Chancellor George Osborne, the vast majority of Welsh people won’t be.

 

“I share the anger of our communities at the UK Government’s approach to public finance and its relentless austerity campaign, but the Welsh Labour Government continues to spend more per head in key areas such as health and education. Cuts this side of the border are forced, not a choice.

 

“It is also worth pointing out – again – that more money is spent per head in areas on things like health, roads and tourism in North Wales than Cardiff and the South East. Locally, the Welsh Government has just spent more than £4.5m on brand new state-of-the-art health centres in Llangollen and Chirk.

 

“With regard to the double yellow lines opposite Stan’s, I am continuing to push for them and the Welsh Government’s Transport Minister Edwina Hart has said several times that the work will be put forward for funding consideration in the next financial year. As always, I will pass on any news to Cllr Davies and Llanblogger.”

 

* The document Cllr Davies refers to is a letter sent by the leader of Denbighshire County Council to Welsh Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews earlier this week, a copy of which he has supplied to llanblogger. It reads:

 
Dear Minister,
 
Local Government Settlement 2016/17

The results of the UK Government Spending Review have confirmed that the funding coming to Wales is going to increase in cash terms over the next four years. 

The revenue position will increase from £12.9bn this year to £13.3bn in 2019/20 and capital from £1.5bn to £1.6bn.  

The capital allocation is to increase further by 2020 to £1.7bn.

These cash increases do not allow for inflation of course and assumptions about the 'real terms' impact are suggesting a reduction in the revenue position of 4.5% but importantly, this is over the next four years.

Given the relatively flat cash settlement from Westminster, I would urge you to support a fair settlement to local government in Wales.

Applying the same principles to the local government settlement as have been provided to Wales as a whole would seem fair. 

The justification for such a settlement would be clearly understood and important services would have time to adjust in a well organised way over the period to meet the challenge.

I would appreciate your support on this very important issue.

Yours sincerely,
Cllr Hugh H Evans OBE
Leader of Denbighshire County Council

Traffic halted to allow wide load to pass through town

Traffic along Regent Street was halted briefly by police earlier this afternoon to allow the passage of a wide load on its way towards Corwen.

 

* The escorted load makes its way through the centre of Llangollen.

* A police motorcyclist controls traffic at the lights.

Plaid candidate speaks out over Syria bombing vote

In advance of tomorrow's vote on whether or not the UK should bomb Syria, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Clwyd South (pictured), said: “The Government are itching for a war, and David Cameron wants to be seen as a war leader.

 

"I sincerely hope that our local MPs won’t fall into the trap of massaging his ego at the expense of the lives of children, mothers and fathers.

 

"Two years ago this Government wanted to bomb Syrian leader Bashar al Assad and in the process help his enemies, including Daesh (ISIS/ISIL/IS).

 

"Since then the Coalition Forces have supplied weapons to Daesh and allowed arms to be sold to other despotic regimes which in turn sell them onto Daesh. Now they want to deal with Daesh and support the despotic Al Assad.

 

“Whatever the bombast, the sad truth is that airstrikes have dire consequences. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian Network for Human Rights calculate that Coalition bombing has killed over 500 civilians, at least 97 of them children, in the last two months. Bombing kills, and kills innocent civilians far more than military targets.

 

“Daesh have an extreme and evil ideology. As evil as it is, you can’t bomb an ideology. Any military actions will have inevitable consequences, and bombing will only create fertile ground for that ideology to flourish. I urge our elected representatives to think logically about these proposals; to vote against escalating this conflict further; and do everything they can to secure peace in the Middle East and stop this ideology from spreading further.”

Bus passengers invited to have their say

Llangollen bus passengers are invited to two drop-in sessions at Llangollen on Tuesday December 8 to meet managers and discuss any concerns they have with the current service or proposals for the future.

 

The sessions are between 7am and 9am on a bus at Parade Street and between 11am and 1pm at Llangollen Tourist Information Centre.

A representative from GHA Coaches and a representative of Bus Users Cymru will be present to hear passengers’ views and comments.

 

Passengers can also speak to County Council officers about proposed changes to contracted bus services. Further details about the contract changes are at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/travel.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies said: "I am pleased to see that local concerns about the problems with the bus services in Llangollen are being addressed.

"I forwarded on these concerns to the relevant authorities when they were pointed out to me and I urge people who wish to make their voices heard to take this opportunity to do so."