MP writes to bank boss over branch closures

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has written to HSBC Regional Director Jonathon Byrne, posing a series of detailed questions on the bank's proposals to close its branches in Ruabon and Chirk.

Ms Jones (pictured) said: "I have been working very closely with community representatives and a large number of constituents to produce this letter. We demand answers.

"We want HSBC to keep both branches open. We are all dismayed by how the UK Government has weakened a previously agreed 'banking protocol' so that there is now no requirement to keep open the last bank in every community.

"However, we are also appalled at HSBC's appalling treatment of loyal customers in our local area. We call on them to re-think their dreadful decision.

"The letter we have produced is the result of many long conversations, emails, letters and points made at local community meetings. We ask detailed questions about a whole range of matters - including business banking; face-to-face service provision; ATM (cashpoint) facilities; customers who do not use the internet; community groups; and the lack of existing Post Office provision. We also call on HSBC to reveal statistical details about the number of transactions carried out locally."   

The letter ...


Dear Mr Byrne,

 

I am appalled that HSBC has stated its wishes to close the long established HSBC branches in Ruabon and Chirk. As you will know, both branches fall within my constituency and I have been contacted by many constituents who are deeply concerned about the closures.

 

Both branches have long been an important part of the community and local residents have relied upon, and continue to rely upon, the services that these branches provide.

 

As the representative Member of Parliament for both Ruabon and Chirk, I know the impact that these closures will have on local businesses and how they will be affected by not having the physical presence of a bank. Though I recognise that there has been an increase in internet banking in recent years, the reality is that branches are still a fundamental part of our communities.

 

Many constituents are concerned about the option of moving to Wrexham and how eas y it will be to access their finances. The Wrexham branch is already heavily mechanised and loyal customers in both Ruabon and Chirk have appreciated and needed the face-to-face service that has been provided. Many customers have been loyal to the branches for many years.

 

Can you provide numbers that show that transactions have fallen? Can you provide information on how many accounts are held at both branches? Following the closures of Cefn Mawr, Llangollen and Rhosllannerchrugog branches, how many accounts were served by these two branches and will those accounts now all be transferred to Wrexham? Please provide figures to show why you consider Ruabon and Chirk branches to be no longer commercially viable.

 

I have liaised with many community representatives and a large number of constituents and I would like to raise the following questions directly on their behalf:

 

1.    What provisions will be made available to business customers? Both branches current ly serve a large number of diverse local businesses. Local business customers will be forced to endure addition costs travelling to Oswestry or Wrexham on a daily basis. What will HSBC do to ensure that business customers in Ruabon, Chirk and the wider area are not directly affected by these closures? This also applies to customers running charitable organisations and local groups in both areas.

 

2.    What is HSBC’s current plans for ATM availability? As you will know, they provide a vital local amenity and the nearest free cash point is not for a number of miles. Will there still be ATMs available for loyal customers who have used the ATMs for a number of years?

3.    With regards to Post Offices, both local Post Offices have an extremely limited service in terms of access to finances. How has this been considered by HSBC?

4.    After closures such as this, customers have been known to be the target of telephone scams (phone calls to local people claiming to be from the bank about the moving of accounts). What is HSBC doing to do to ensure communication with their customers is efficient and clear?

 

5.    Both branches are situated in prominent community buildings. If HSBC goes ahead with this appalling decision, is there a plan for the future of either building?

6.    There is still a large proportion of the community who do not use internet or telephone banking. How will HSBC ensure that these members of the community, many of them long standing, loyal customers, are not cut off completely from these banking services? Some residents, who despair at HSBC’s proposals, have asked that if they do go ahead will mobile banking be provided? They also ask if training will be provided to show customers how to use internet banking if they have not done so before?

 

I would like to ask directly what HSBC’s commitment is to villages and small towns in Wales. With so many closures in my constituency and across North Wales, I am appalled by the lack of commitment that HSBC has shown to local customers who have been loyal for many years. How long have these closures been discussed? Why have these local communities not been approached sooner? HSBC absolutely must consider the implications that any closure would have on our local communities and must rethink these inexcusable proposals immediately.

Eisteddfod singing competition gets prize boost

 

* Dr Rhys Davies, Llangollen International Musical

Eisteddfod chairman (right), with Mario Kreft and Ken Skates AM.

 

AN ICONIC competition to find the world's best young singers has been given a massive boost by a pioneering care organisation.

 

Pendine Park has agreed to more than triple the prize money up for grabs in the prestigious Voice of the Future competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

 

According to the festival's Musical Director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, increasing the annual prize to £5,000 from 2017 onwards will "catapult the competition into a whole new league".

 

He said: "This is a truly remarkable gesture which will lead to a big surge in interest for new vocal talent.

 

"The timing is especially appropriate as we will be celebrating our 70th anniversary in 2017 and looking forward to an even brighter future.

 

The announcement about Pendine Park's sizeable financial contribution was made by Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

 

Mr Skates, the Clwyd South AM, said: “It’s a fantastic, incredibly generous investment by a very well-respected and responsible employer.

 

“I believe that in Wales we need to have what I call the 'Martini arts' because they are available any time, any place and anywhere.

 

“Pendine is helping to deliver this in a social care setting, and I toast their success.”

 

Voice of the Future is one of the main highlights of the International Eisteddfod, which each year attracts competitors and visitors from across the globe.

 

The competition is open to young soloists under the age of 28 and the prize money – now up from £1,500 to £5,000 thanks to Pendine Park– is intended to help them advance their professional career.

 

The prize also includes the chance to perform at future festival concerts.

 

During the two-day competition, singers are required to deliver a contrasting programme of up to eight minutes of music, including oratorio, opera, lieder and song, performed in its original language.

 

In the final competitors must present a programme of music lasting up to 10 minutes.

 

Eirlys Myfanwy Davies, winner of the Voice of the Future title in 2014, will share the stage with opera legend Bryn Terfel when he stars at a glittering evening concert on July 7.

 

The concert marking the Eisteddfod’s 70^th is also being sponsored by Pendine Park and will also star the supremely talented Maltese opera colleague Joseph Calleja whose voice has been compared to the legendary Caruso.

 

Pendine proprietor Mario Kreft said after the announcement of the £5,000 prize: "The ethos of the Eisteddfod chimes perfectly with what my wife, Gill, and I are doing at Pendine Park.

 

“I firmly believe in the vital role played by music and arts in social care and as part of our enrichment programme for people with dementia we regularly have world-class musicians from the Hallé orchestra and Welsh National Opera as part of our enrichment workshops and staff training and development programme.

 

“For some years now we have supported evening concerts at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and we want to provide further impetus to this unique festival and the Voice of the Future Competition in particular by increasing the prize money available to the winner."

 

He added: “The message of the Eisteddfod about the importance of peace and harmony is as relevant today as it's ever been.

 

"We're absolutely delighted to be giving this extra support to the Eisteddfod as  on Children’s Day at last year’s festival we will never forget seeing over 800 young people from local schools taking part in music workshops we hosted with members of the Welsh National Opera.

 

“As Terry Waite, who is President of the Eisteddfod, has often said, there is nothing more important than giving good memories to young people."

 

Eisteddfod Musical Director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: “It’s fantastic that Pendine Park is continuing its support for the festival by offering this £5,000 prize money for Voice of the Future after previously sponsoring our evening concerts.

 

“I know the difference this money will make in drawing in a much larger number of applications for this competition.

 

“I previously ran a similar competition in another part of Wales and when the prize money was increased the number of applications actually tripled."

 

Festival chairman Dr Rhys Davies added: “This is an extraordinarily generous contribution from Pendine Park and the prize money on offer will help to support the training of the young singer who is chosen as the winner.

 

“The competition is equally important is providing a stage for the singing stars of tomorrow and that is why it was created.” 

County claims £800k in office savings

Denbighshire County Council says it has saved over £800,000 of public funds over the past five years by rationalising its office space and encouraging staff to work more flexibly.

In 2010, council staff worked from 10 main buildings located across the county.

However, the council has implemented a programme to modernise the way it works that has involved relocating staff, desk sharing and encouraging home working.

As a direct result, the council has reduced its main buildings down to four – making a recurring saving of £273,000 a year from its budget.

In the last five years the Middle Lane site and industrial units in Denbigh, Fronfraith in Rhyl, Ty-Nant offices in Prestatyn as well as Clwyd Street and Trem Clwyd in Ruthin have been removed from the corporate office accommodation portfolio. 

All staff who previously worked from the now closed offices have been relocated to existing council buildings.

In addition to the annual savings local taxpayers have also benefitted from the £875,000 sale of two of the empty buildings, says the authority.

Councillor Barbara Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Modernisation and Housing, said: “The Council has made a commitment in its corporate plan to modernise the way it works.

“This approach to rationalising the number of office buildings is great news for local residents, as it means that we have been able to make substantial savings that have been used to protect valuable front line services to the public.

“We have encouraged staff to use less space, developed open plan office environments and introduced work practices that allow staff to work from a variety of locations, rather than being fixed to their desks.

“The environment has also benefitted with CO2 omissions reducing by almost 400 tonnes per year."

The council claims further plans in the pipeline to rationalise the space it uses for the purposes of office accommodation will save a further £250,000 a year.

Networking event planned for Pavilion

A networking event called a Taste for Local will be held at Llangollen Pavilion on March 9.

Taking place from mid-morning to early afternoon, it is an opportunity to promote and highlight the wide range of Denbighshire producers to each other and potential buyers such as hoteliers, B&Bs, Retailers, restaurants & Cafes. With key guest speakers.

Powerful panto turns Pavilion into wonderland

* The cast of Alice in Wonderland lines up.

THE Pavilion stage has been transformed into an all-singing, all-dancing wonderland for Llangollen Pantomime Group’s latest production.

It might have been cold outside, but last night’s crowd were thoroughly warmed by the antics of a large and talented cast ranging from dancing tiny tots to wise-cracking and singing grown-ups.

Alice in Wonderland, of course, follows a dreamy girl of that name through an action-packed odyssey in which she encounters the likes of a time-conscious White Rabbit and the deliciously barmy Mad Hatter and March Hare.

The larger version of Alice is played neatly by Serena Young, who is quite an accomplished singer and actor, and the smaller version (for fitting through small doors etc) by a handy Celyn-Orton Jones.

There’s a nice cameo from Seren Decourt as the eternally late bunny and, in terms of vocal power and sheer zest, Llan panto veteran Jo Potts is outstanding as the Mad Hatter complete with oversized headgear. Tessa Orton-Jones makes a superb March Hare with those big floppy ears and pronounced Welsh accent.

Another real star of the show is Noel the Cat, Alice’s feline guide, gloriously portrayed by Neil Barrett in the style of Manc Oasis star Noel Gallagher and who is constantly “up fer it!”

Every panto needs a villain but in this one there’s two – the Queen of Hearts, a hissingly good and big-voiced Justine Bradey, and the Ace of Spades, a bitingly beastly Nico Decourt.

There ain’t nothing like a dame when it comes to pantos and ours was fortunate to have Simon Orton-Jones filling – and I do mean filling – that role with aplomb.

There are further nice turns from young Eve Barrett and Millie Orton-Jones as, respectively, the comedy double act Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee. And Harvey Barrett, who is a handy Dormouse, proves he’s a Llan panto star in the making.

Another audience favourite is Jo Pearson doing a bit of gender bending to play the King of Hearts.

Sets, with their large moving picture backdrop, are brilliant as are the costumes.

Helping to make this production a hit are the well-chosen – and thankfully up-to-date - pop songs and funky dance routines that lavishly intersperse it, all marvellously backed by a great five-piece band.

The whole feel-good experience is a credit to co-directors Justine Bradey and Nico Decourt and producer Simon Orton-Jones.

Alice in Wonderland still has a couple of shows left, so catch it if you can today or tomorrow.

Tickets: Thursday, £6 and £4, other times, £8 and £6.

Tickets are available from Jades Beauty, Llangollen or Gwyn Davies (Butchers), Llangollen. You can also reserve tickets by calling 01978 860297.

Work goes ahead on canal leak

The Canal & River Trust is currently carrying out working repair work on a stretch of the canal near Llangollen Wharf.

A spokesperson said: "We’re carrying out repairs to a heritage stone wall that is in a poor condition and has been leaking onto the embankment. 

"We are taking the wall down and re-building it using heritage techniques working with CADW. 

"The work will be on-going till the end of January."

* Men at work on the canal near the Wharf. Picture by Mike Edwards.

Corwen residents to get feedback from questionnaire

Residents in Corwen have had their say on community life through completing a questionnaire – now the results will be fed back through an event for the local community.

 

The ‘Caru Corwen’  event will feed back to the community what has been learnt about Corwen and its residents through the pilot People to People project, an initiative by the Denbighshire Strategic Partnership Board.

 

Questionnaires were distributed in hard copies and promoted on social media, asking residents what they value about their community and what they may need to improve their community.  This offered the chance to share ideas on how the community can face challenges together and thrive.

 

Feedback was received on a wide range of issues, including facilities, activities, transport, education, local amenities.

 

The drop -in feedback event will take place at Canolfan Ni, Corwen on Monday, 25 January between 11am and 7pm.

 

A number of organisations will be on hand throughout the day to discuss projects and activities they have going on in Corwen that residents may be interested in taking part in or volunteering for.

 

A minibus service will be available from Clawdd Poncen, Llygadog and Maesafallen, with collection times starting from Clawdd Poncen at 11am, 1.30pm, 4pm and 5.30pm. 

 

Another busy year for Tidy Town Team

Co-ordinator David Davies has sent in the annual report for Llangollen Tidy Town Team, which saw the organisation complete its tenth year of operation in 2015. We bring you this below ...

                
"Who back in 2006 would have envisaged the team still with a full programme of work ten years later?

With over 700 hours of volunteer effort in 2015 it brings our total worked since formation to  6,600  hours.

This year we have added two new ventures to our regular litter picking,  grass cutting, vegetation pruning, seat/bench renovating and assisting at the Town Christmas Festival.   

*Team members at work on a recent project. 

Firstly, we were the "keep the site tidy team” at the Food Festival weekend at the Pavilion and  secondly we accepted a challenge from the church to undertake a long term project to rejuvenate the much overgrown and neglected woodland adjacent to the cemetery between the river and the railway station.   

To facilitate this project a member of our team has been on a chain saw operation course and he is now fully certified. A number of trees have been felled, timber distributed and bonfires held. We have yet to perfect the art of achieving unburnt sausages.

We assisted at the official opening of the renovated Chain Bridge and a dedicated few of the team continue to earn much-needed funds for the group with their horse manure patrols along the canal towpath.  

We are also very grateful for support during the year received from Llangollen Town Council, DCC, Keep Wales Tidy, Horse Drawn Boats, Spar, Kenrick Motors and Courtyard Gifts.

Our year, however, ended on a sad note with sudden death of Tom Edwards, who had worked on the team tirelessly since the start in 2006.

To all the Team for their efforts and our supporters, thank you."

Two AMs in HSBC branch closure talks

Two Assembly Members will team up in a bid to get ‘the best deal possible’ for furious bank customers after HSBC announced plans to close its last two branches in the area.

Aled Roberts (pictured left) and Ken Skates will meet company representatives tomorrow (Friday) to put forward the case for keeping Chirk and Ruabon open.

Mr Roberts, Lib Dem AM for North Wales, thanked HSBC senior management for agreeing to attend the meeting, but added: “We are faced with there being only one bank left in Clwyd South if these closures go ahead. I have been an HSBC customer since I was 16 and only a few years ago they transferred my account to Ruabon when they closed their Rhos branch.

“People quite rightly question the social responsibility of those banks making large profits whose decisions mean their local customers will have to travel to the Wrexham branch, which is already extremely busy.”

Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, (pictured right) said: “HSBC has once again treated their customers and my constituents with complete contempt.

“This is another huge slap in the face for people in Clwyd South. Within the last few years, HSBC has closed branches in Cefn Mawr, Corwen, Rhos and Llangollen, and now it wants to close the last two we have. Ruabon is my local branch, so I completely understand how angry people are.”

Mr Skates added: “I’d like to thank Aled for inviting me to the meeting, and I hope that by working together we can put forward an even stronger case. We know from bitter experience that it’s almost impossible to get banks to change their minds, but we will be pushing to get the best deal possible for our communities.”

Kronospan power station plan gets go-ahead

PLANS to establish an on-site gas power station at the Kronospan complex in Chirk have been approved, according to a report in the Oswestry Advertizer.

For the full story see: http://m.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/mobile/mnews/157156/chirk-power-station-gets-the-all-clear.aspx

Renewed calls for double yellow lines on A5

 

* Cllr Stuart Davies and Simon Baynes on the main

road opposite Stans in Llangollen, pointing to where

 they want to see the double yellow lines put down.

 

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies and Simon Baynes, Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South, are demanding that the Welsh Government fulfils its promise to implement double yellow lines on the A5 outside Stans in the town.

 

They say that parked cars are causing traffic hold-ups which make it difficult for customers, particularly the elderly, to cross the road to the supermarket.

 

They claim the government promised to implement double yellow lines over two years ago but have failed to deliver.

 

Cllr Davies said: “The failure by the Welsh Labour government to implement double yellow lines is inexcusable.

 

"There is virtually no cost involved and the benefits would be huge for this part of Llangollen.

 

"People find it difficult to cross the street to Stans and the traffic congestion caused by parked cars there is really bad."

 

Simon Baynes said: “There is no justification whatever for the Welsh Labour government’s failure to implement double yellow lines.

 

"I am really surprised that local Labour politicians have not chased their ministerial colleagues more effectively on this.

 

"If I am elected as the new Assembly Member for Clwyd South in May I will make this a top priority so that people in Llangollen can cross the A5 more easily and see much less traffic congestion in this part of the town.”

Roberts calls for road drainage improvements

Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly for North Wales says drainage problems on the A55, the A5 and A483 are creating hazards which threaten the safety of road users.

 

He is calling on the Welsh Government to ensure that the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency reviews drainage facilities.

 

Speaking following First Minister’s Questions, Aled Roberts (pictured) said: “The potential dangers to road users cannot be underestimated.

 

"The Trunk Road Agency should carry out significant works to assess the condition of the drainage systems and their capacity to deal with significant rainfall. The safety of road users must be paramount.

 

“The recent heavy rain and subsequent flooding have made it clear that the drainage systems on the A55, the A5 and the A483 need to be reviewed as a matter of urgency.

 

“Surface water and flooding on these busy roads have led to road closures and temporary speed restrictions as conditions deteriorated.”

 

Hopes for more Wrexham-London rail services

FURTHER rail services between Wrexham and London have moved a step closer after a cross-party group of MPs met with train companies and Network Rail to discuss the issue.

Wrexham MP Ian Lucas was among the MPs who met with Network Rail, Virgin Trains and Arriva Trains at Oswestry Town Hall recently to begin detailed work on a proposal to extend the current Shrewsbury to London service onwards to Wrexham later this year.

The meeting established a working group including the two train operating companies and Network Rail.

The group, which will meet regularly, will examine the feasibility of the proposals and the best way to implement them.

Mr Lucas said: “This was a very positive meeting and there was a feeling that extending these services is a worthwhile goal.

“If the proposals are feasible, we could see two more services a day linking the Shrewsbury to London service on to Wrexham, or possibly Chester. These would obviously mean more services for the people of Wrexham and I’ll be working alongside Network Rail, the train operating companies and other MPs to do what I can to secure these changes.

“After the meeting, I also discussed the work being done on the Wrexham to Chester line with Network rail and heard more about the latest position with the work being carried out to improve that line. That work, too, will be important in helping to bring more and better services to my constituents in Wrexham.”

MP sponsors tougher criminal driving law

* Susan Elan Jones MP. 

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones and Wrexham MP Ian Lucas are two of the sponsors of a bill that was presented today in the House of Commons to tighten the law on how the justice system deals with cases of criminal driving. 
The Criminal Driving (Justice for Victims) Bill was proposed by Leeds MP Greg Mullholland.

It follows the launch of a manifesto 'Better Justice for Victims of Criminal Justice and Their Families' (attached) last year by road safety charity Brake, bereaved families and a cross-party group of MPs.


The Bill will seek to increase sentences for those convicted of criminal driving offences that lead to serious injury or death and also get rid of the charge of careless driving. It will also demand improvements to the treatment of the victims of criminal driving offences and their families within the justice system.

Alice Bailey, campaigns and communications officer for national road safety charity, Brake, said: “Too many victims of crashes caused by dangerous drivers are simply not getting justice at the moment. They and their families are often left feeling let down and insulted by the use of inappropriately-termed charges and overly lenient sentences.

"Drivers who have killed while taking illegal risks have too often been labelled ‘careless’ in the eyes of the law, and given insultingly low sentences, when their actions can only be described as dangerous and destructive."

Susan Elan Jones MP, who proposed her own bill in Parliament on sentences for driving offences and campaigns for fairer sentences, said: "As we know from dreadful incidents that have happened on roads in our area and across the country, the law doesn't reflect the seriousness of the crimes committed.

"That's why a growing group of MPs from different political parties are working to put pressure on the Government. We have already seen some improvements in the law, but much more needs to be done. Today's Bill is another important landmark in our campaign."

 

Council tax rise of 1.5% recommended

Members of Denbighshire County Council’s Cabinet are to recommend to Full Council that the council tax increase in the county should be kept to 1.5%, one of the lowest increases in the whole of Wales.

 

The Cabinet, meeting at County Hall today (Tuesday) were updated on the latest budget position.

 

The Council has already identified £5. 2 million savings for the 2016/17 financial year and no further cuts are required at this stage.

 

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: “The settlement announced by the Welsh Government on 9th of December 2015 was much better than expected with an overall cash reduction of 1.2% to Denbighshire.  The Council had previously been working towards an assumed reduction of 4% in funding (which equates to around £5.6 million).

 

“This now means that the Council is in a position to propose a lower increase in council tax, with some of the benefits of the settlement passed on to the taxpayer.

 

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, said: “Residents have told us that they would like to keep increases as low as possible and we are pleased to be in a position to respond positively to this.

 

“The proposed budget also takes into account an increase in funding to schools to meet the national level of protection and to set aside £480,000 to mitigate the risks to the delivery of this budget.

 

“The Council has worked hard over recent years to be more efficient and effective in the way that it works, whilst identifying cuts that have the lowest possible effect on frontline services provided to the public."

 

The final budget for 2016/17 will be discussed at the Full Council meeting being held at County Hall on Tuesday, January 26 at 10am. 

Warning from police over car key thefts

Police are urging vehicle owners to think about where they keep their car keys following recent ‘car key’ burglaries in Denbighshire and Conwy.

Officers have seen a recent increase of incidents whereby vehicles have been stolen.

While developments in car technology improve, locking devices and sophisticated alarm systems have made it increasingly difficult for offenders to steal vehicles.

These improvements in technology have led to the national emergence of a general trend known as ‘car key crime’ where thieves specifically target car keys to steal vehicles.

PC Stuart Goldsack from the Burglary Team based at St Asaph: “Vehicle owners just need to exercise some caution and think about where they leave their keys.

“The majority of burglaries are opportunistic, with offenders managing to get into homes through insecure doors or windows. These are preventable and I would like to take this opportunity to remind residents to make sure their properties are secure even when they are at home.

“Don’t leave keys by windows or doors where they can easily be reached and always ensure your doors are locked.”

Although the number of offences committed in North Wales is low, North Wales Police are keen to work with car owners to reduce the chance of them becoming a victim. Being aware of how thieves operate, what they are looking for and some basic crime prevention measures can reduce the risk to you.

To minimise the risk of car key burglary:

• Park your vehicle in a secure garage overnight
• On entering the house lock the front door behind you.
• Never leave your car keys near a door or window. Criminals can hook keys through open windows and letterboxes.
• Keep them in a safe place away from doors and windows here they can be seen. People have stolen keys without even entering the premises
• Invest in a good quality home security system.
• Be vigilant & if you see anyone acting suspiciously, walking up driveways and looking through doors and windows, report it to the police.

PC Goldsack added: “If you see anyone acting suspiciously you are advised to call North Wales Police on 101 or in an emergency 999.  If you have any information around Car Key Burglaries you can report anonymously to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111.”

Police urge caution after 69 smashes in a day

Police are urging motorists to drive carefully as a huge demand was placed on officers following a series of road traffic collisions today (Monday).

Between 7am and 1pm the North Wales force dealt with 69 reports of collisions across the region and officers are asking the public to be mindful of the weather and road conditions as the cold weather is set to continue.

Superintendent Alex Goss from North Wales Police’s Joint Communications Centre said: “Firstly, I’d like to thank the public for their patience this morning. We experienced a surge in demand into our control room reporting collisions across all six counties.

“As a result of two separate collisions two people have been taken to hospital in Stoke with serious injuries and we wish them a full recovery. Investigations are now ongoing to establish the cause of those separate collisions.

“The cold weather is set to continue so I am urging all motorists to take care on the roads and drive according to the conditions. Please allow extra time for your journeys and keep a check on weather reports for your area.”

Aled Roberts leads Lib Dem election list

Welsh Liberal Democrats have chosen their lead candidates for the North Wales assembly regional list.

It is led by Aled Roberts, current Assembly Member for North Wales and also includes, Victor Babu, Sarah Lesiter-Burgess and Rob Walsh.

Aled Roberts (pictured), who was first elected in 2011, says he believes that North Wales is often neglected by politicians based in Cardiff.

He has campaigned against a 10% increase in Assembly Members’ pay and against fracking.

He has also championed a better-run health service and more investment in North Wales roads and rail, private and public transport.

Before becoming an AM he was Leader of Wrexham Council for six years and a Ponciau councillor for 20 years.

Born and brought up in Rhosllannerchrugog and educated in Wrexham, Mr Roberts gained a law degree from Aberystwyth and initially worked as a solicitor.

In the Assembly he is Shadow Education Minister for the Lib Dems and also speaks on Welsh Language and Older People’s issues for the Party.

He is a leading member of the Assembly’s Public Accounts and Children and Young People Committees.         

Victor Babu is a surgeon working in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and lives with his family in Colwyn Bay.

Sarah Lesiter-Burgess is a mother of three children and a community councillor in Glan Conwy where she lives with her family.

Rob Walsh is a county councillor in Wrexham who last year he won a spectacular victory for the Liberal Democrats in a by-election to become member for the ward of Llay.

Aled Roberts said: “The Welsh Liberal Democrats have a strong record of delivery for the people of North Wales.

“The choice for the fourth seat in North Wales is clear: do you want a hard-working Welsh Lib Dem AM fighting for North Wales with a proven track record, or UKIP who have no record for campaigning in North Wales outside election times. You may have forgotten that they have one Member of the European Parliament who is supposed to represent Wales, but we rarely hear from him.

“I’ve spoken to traditional Plaid, Labour and Conservative voters on the doorsteps over the past few months who are lending their second regional list votes to the Welsh Lib Dems to stop UKIP. I’d urge anyone who utterly opposes their views to do the same.”

Methodists enjoy lunch at the White Waters

* Methodist Church members concentrate on naming the flags at their New Year lunch at the White Waters Hotel.

More than 50 members of Llangollen Methodist Church gathered at the White Waters Hotel yesterday (Sunday) for their annual New Year lunch.

After enjoying a buffet meal, they took part in a general knowledge quiz organised by Gill Newbrook and then tackled the poser of putting names to a series of national flags from around Europe.

Public meetings will discuss HSBC branch closures

 

* Simon Baynes, left, with Shaun Roberts at the HSBC branch in Ruabon.  

 

Two public meetings are planned for later this week to discuss the closure of HSBC bank branches in in Chirk and Ruabon - both of which will affect people in Llangollen.  

 

The meetings have been organised by Simon Baynes, the Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South.

 

Last week, following the closure announcement, Mr Baynes and a team of local helpers distributed 1,500 copies of a residents’ survey on community banking in Chirk and Ruabon.

 

He says demand for the survey from shops, local businesses and residents was very strong and shows the depth of concern in the communities about the closures.

 

Helped by residents such as Lynne Hughes in Chirk, who has the shop M.G.Hughes Fruit & Veg on Church Street, Mr Baynes has arranged the public meetings, at the Parish Hall, Chirk on Thursday January 14 at 7pm, and at St Mary’s Church and Community Hall in Ruabon on Friday January 15 at 7pm. 

 

Mr Baynes said: "Our residents' survey in Chirk and Ruabon provides an opportunity for the com munity to show how important the banks are to their daily lives.

 

"There was huge demand for the surveys today and local residents, shops and businesses in both communities are very concerned about the banks’ closures.

 

"The surveys come with a Freepost envelope for their return to us and we will communicate the results to HSBC. The survey can also be filled in on my website - http://www.simonbaynes.co.uk/campaigns/hsbc-bank-closures

 

"We are pleased to be working with people locally in both communities in organising these public meetings which will give an opportunity to local residents and businesses to express their worries.

 

"We are inviting HSBC to both meetings and hope that representatives can be present next week or on a future occasion to hear their customers’ concerns, many of whom have been loyal and longstanding clients of the bank."

 

Museum stages art competition

Scrapyard survivor stars at Llan steam gala

* Loco No. 7820 Dinmore Manor will appear at

Llangollen Railway's Spring Steam Gala. 

A LOCO which powered its way back from the scrapyard will star in the Spring Steam gala at Llangollen Railway.

Manor class No. 7820 Dinmore Manor will be the second visiting engine at the event which runs from Friday-Sunday, April 8-10.

Built at Swindon in 1950, it was the first of 10 of these 4-6-0s built by British Railways following the original batch of 20 (numbered 7800 to 7819) for the GWR in 1938.

After being withdrawn from service in 1965, it languished in a South Wales scrapyard until being purchased for preservation in 1979.

The loco is currently based on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway and is visiting courtesy of Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd.

Subject to completion of its major overhaul, it is hoped that the heritage railway’s resident Manor class loco No. 7822 Foxcote Manor will also be in operation during the gala.

As well as the two black-liveried Manors, there will also be two ex-GWR Prairie class locomotives in operation.

Small Prairie loco No. 4566 will be visiting from the Severn Valley Railway, courtesy of the 4566 Fund, and will make an interesting comparison with Llangollen’s resident Large Prairie loco No. 5199.

* Full gala details will be announced in due course at: http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/event/spring-steam-gala-8th-april/

Town scenes feature in Llan panto

* Tessa Orton Jones, left, as the Ace of Spades and Jo Potts as the Mad Hatter.

SCENES from around Llangollen will feature in this year's town pantomime, as the local group stages Alice in Wonderland.

Final rehearsals are underway for the show which opens at Llangollen Pavilion on Thursday, January 14 for five performances.

It's the first time Llangollen Pantomime Group has performed Alice in Wonderland, which last year celebrated 150 years since the book was first published in 1865.

 

* The Mac Cat played by
Neil Barrett. 

This production is billed as the traditional story with a modern twist, featuring well-known buildings, locations and references from around Llangollen as well as bush-tucker trials.

Hits from across the decades will provide the sound-track, opening with Do You Love Me from the 1960s, and will be accompanied by a live band.

Alice in Wonderland's co-director, Nico Decourt from Abbey Road, Llangollen, said: “The show features well-known songs and music from every decade since the 1960s including last year's hit Uptown Funk.

“For a 90s theme we're looking to the Manchester band Oasis for inspiration and have renamed the Cheshire Cat in the story of Alice in Wonderland, the Manc cat, as a tribute to the band. The cast and crew are rehearsing very hard to ensure this pantomime is the best ever.”

Alice in Wonderland is the 33rd production by the Llangollen Pantomime Group, which was started by St Collen's Church in 1983.

Entire families regularly participate in the production with parents and grandparents performing or working backstage alongside their children and grandchildren.

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).

Tickets: Thursday, £6 and £4, other times, £8 and £6.

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.

Plaid candidate raises bank closure concerns

The failure of HSBC’s online banking system has raised fresh concerns about the bank’s decision to close local branches at Ruabon and Chirk.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru, the Party Of Wales' candidate for Clwyd South, (pictured) said the bank’s on-going programme of local branch closures had been justified by executives on the grounds that online banking was available.

 

He said: “The communities served by both Chirk and Ruabon banks will be reeling from the news that HSBC are planning to close their branches there.

 

"This decision will undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on those communities, especially local businesses, the elderly and those on low income.

 

"What's worse is that the bank cites increased online banking as one of their reasons for closing. However, only this week John Hackett, Chief Operating Officer of HSBC in the UK, had to issue an apology because of internet failures in their banking system."

Last year research carried put by Mabon ap Gwynfor revealed that one in six people in Wrexham area had never been online.

 

According to the ONS report, Internet Users 2015, age is a factor as to whether an adult has used the internet.

 

Mabon added: “There is a clear digital divide in our society, with the elderly and disabled most likely to be excluded from the digital revolution and consequently losing out on basic information and eventually key services.

 

"We have seen many banks close in our communities over the last few years, and in each case we are told that it is because more and more people go online.

 

“The fact however is that many of those that rely on local bank branches are elderly and vulnerable people, and they are the least likely to be online."

Mabon ap Gwynfor has set up a petition to keep the last two HSBC banks in the whole of the constituency, http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/keep-ruabon-hsbc-bank/signatures.html

Market Street to get 15 extra parking spaces

* Market Street car park is to get 15 extra spaces.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has welcomed news that 15 extra spaces are to be created at the town’s Market Street car park.

He has been told to by county officers that nine will be added by marking out in the area where the recycling bins were previously stored, on the easterly end of the longest double bank of spaces and the removal of the redundant kerbed island near the back or southerly end of the car park.

Another six spaces will be created in the area occupied by the garages which have now been demolished.

The officers said that the council is awaiting an exact date from the contractor but was hopeful the work should take place within the next few weeks.

Cllr Davies said: ““I have been pushing for these car park spaces for the last three years and am pleased to see that the works at Market St car park are finally coming to a satisfactory conclusion.

“This will give, in total, an extra 15 much needed spaces in the middle of town.”

County investigates bridge road surface

* Llangollen's historic bridge.

The area’s county councillor says officers have told him that cracks noticed in the roadway on Llangollen’s historic bridge do not appear to be serious.

A llanblogger reader sent in pictures of the cracks in the top surface over the weekend, expressing concern that they might be an early sign that the road was sinking.

We passed on the details to Cllr Stuart Davies who said yesterday: “I asked experts from the county council to take a look at the cracks.

“After a preliminary inspection they tell me that they don’t think there’s an issue with the road but further checks are being made and they have assured me they will keep an eye on things there.”

 

* Cracks in the road surface highlighted by a llanblogger reader.