Falklands veteran on mission to sell North Wales

 

* Jim Jones, with Llandudno in the background, is now managing director of North Wales Tourism. 

A Falklands veteran with years of experience with local authorities is on a new mission to sell North Wales to the world.

Jim Jones spent eight years with the Welsh Guards and was badly burnt during the Falklands War. 

After leaving the forces he worked in local government - eventually heading up the tourism and communities department at Conwy Council.

Now he has taken the role as managing director of North Wales Tourism, the largest destination management organisation in Wales.

Talking about his career, Jim, 51, originally from Llandudno, said: “From a very young age, when I was a member of the army cadets in Llandudno, I wanted to join the military.

“I was proud to eventually serve for eight years in the Welsh Guards and, amongst other places across the world, I served in the Falklands where I was involved in the war with Argentina in 1982.

“I was one of the Welsh Guardsmen aboard the landing ship Sir Galahad when it was bombed by the Argentines.

“I was quite badly burned.

“After recovering from this injury I continued to serve with the regiment but after being hurt again during a training exercise, I left the army.

“I spent many years working for local authorities.

“I am passionate about caring for the community I live and work in, which led me to working with local authorities.

"I became Head of Strategy, Performance and Projects for the London Borough of Redbridge and after 18 months in that job I came back to North Wales and spent eight years heading up the tourism and communities department at Conwy Council.

“I learned then the tourism adage that ‘if it’s a great place to live then it’s a great place to visit’.”

He said leaving the authority was a tough decision.

“I loved my job with Conwy Council because I love working for the community, so it had to be something pretty special to prise me away from that – and the job I have now,” said Jim.

“As managing director my overall role and aim is to put North Wales firmly on the tourism map, both nationally and internationally.

“North Wales Tourism is a movement of like-minded people in the tourism business who see the benefits of belonging to a regional brand, which is North Wales.

“Ours is an organisation that is not supported by any government money and is run for the benefit of its members.”

He added: “Our membership is currently 1,000-plus, and growing, and members come from all sectors of the tourism trade, including hoteliers, attraction providers and many others.

“Some have been with the organisation for 20-odd years.

“My average day is spent engaging with tourism businesses, putting together marketing packages and generally representing North Wales Tourism to other organisations.

“I like to say that if you give me just five minutes in a room with someone I can sell North Wales to them.

“My mission over the next 12 months is to bring the tourism industry in North Wales together, so we can collectively promote North Wales’s spectacular beauty.

“We have diversity of landscape, heritage, culture and language, quality food and drink, fantastic accommodation, and the huge investment that is being put into our adventure and family attractions.

“These are putting us on the map as one of the best adventure tourism destinations in Europe.

“Another key project is the development of our North Wales Tourism Hospitality Academy.

“This academy will provide solid links between universities and colleges and the industry, to make sure we are equipping employees of the future with the skills they will need to meet the expectations of future visitors.”

The organisation is currently based in the West End of Colwyn Bay but is moving into new offices in the centre of the town to establish a North Wales Tourism HQ.

Jim said: “We have 20 staff but we are looking to increase our membership and expand our presence by opening more drop-in centres across the region.

“That could mean more job opportunities.”

He added: “We are the largest destination management organisation in Wales, we have been going for 25 years and have a membership that is growing. I think that makes us unique.”

Jim also paid tribute to his predecessor at the group.

He said: “Esther Roberts did a tremendous job in the 15 years she was with the organisation.”

Police looking for speed-gun volunteers

The word has gone out to members of the local Neighbourhood Watch that North Wales Police are looking for volunteers to help deter speeding motorists across the region.

Launched in time for National Road Safety Week, Community Speed Watch aims to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding, whilst addressing concerns of local residents about cars speeding through their neighbourhoods.

The initiative is a partnership approach between the community, the police and the local authorities which is already running successfully in other police force areas.

“Community Speed Watch gives local people the ability to actively get involved in road safety. It can be set up in any village, small town, or urban area, governed by either a 20, 30 or 40 miles per hour speed limit,” said Sergeant John Roberts from GoSafe, the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership.

“Motorists who speed through residential neighbourhoods are very often unaware of the impact their actions have on local residents, or the danger they pose to other road users and pedestrians and this is something we are working with communities to address.”

Full training will be given and volunteers on the scheme will visit known speeding hotspots within their own communities and will use hand-held speed guns to capture the speeds of oncoming vehicles.

Details of those vehicles will be collated and relayed back to North Wales Police, who then issue a letter to the owners warning them that they have been spotted.

Persistent offenders will receive up to two warning letters, and on a third occasion, offenders can expect further action by police.

Sgt Roberts added: “We are looking for local residents, who are willing to volunteer a small amount of time each week to monitor speeds with speed detection equipment.

“If you have good communication and interpersonal skills then we’d love to hear from you. Equally you will also benefit by gaining experience of liaising with a variety of individuals and you’ll have a raised awareness and insight into the work of the police.

“Our aim is to spread the message that our community simply won’t stand for speeding motorists and hopefully, together, we can bring down the average speed of cars on our roads.”

* For more details,  contact the North Wales Police Recruitment Department via 01492 804699, or e-mail CSW@nthwales.pnn.police.uk.

Further information including the application form and post profile is available via the North Wales Police website www.north-wales.police.uk

Gala dinner supports air ambulance

* The Chain Bridge Hotel, scene of the February 27 gala dinner.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Wales Air Ambulance a gala dinner will be held at the Chain Bridge Hotel in Llangollen on Saturday February 27, starting at 7pm.

The evening, hosted by supporter Ron Hughes, will feature a speaker, musical entertainment and a raffle with all proceeds going to the Air Ambulance.

Tickets, priced at £30, are available by emailing the host at rontacv@gmail.com,or calling 07780 668781.

Big Top thrills come to Corwen

* Circus skills workshops have come to Corwen.

The thrills of the Big Top have come to Corwen with a circus skills workshop.

Running for the next five weeks at Canolfan Ni,  it’s being ring-masterminded by Panic Circus and is aimed at anyone, young or old, interested in learning skills associated with the famous travelling shows.

Eliot Maddocks – aka Elmo Panic – said: “We have equipment to fit everyone , whether they would like to learn to juggle, unicycle or tightrope work, spin diablo or balance on a ball,  hola or stilt walk.

“Come along, all smiles and giggles are completely free of charge but there is a small charge to cover the hire of the room.”

Panic Circus is a new-wave, non-animal circus and clown theatre will plays to audiences around the country. 

* For more details, go to: http://www.paniccircus.co.uk/

Candidate gets update on HSBC branch closures

Simon Baynes, Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South, met with representatives of HSBC last Thursday.

 

And he says they agreed to his suggestion that the bank should attend Chirk Town Council and Ruabon Community Council meetings to discuss the branch closures.

 

The meeting with HSBC was also attended by County Cllr Joan Lowe (Penycae and Ruabon South) and County Cllr Terry Evans (Chirk South) and the depth of concern of the two communities about the branch closures was strongly communicated to the bank, says Mr Baynes 

 

* Simon Baynes.

The meeting also focused on discussing the 30 key questions raised by people who attended the recent public meetings on the closures in Chirk and Ruabon and by over 350 residents who replied to Mr Baynes’ Community Banking Survey.

 

According to Mr Baynes, HSBC said they are going to provide more detailed answers to the 30 questions and agreed that more work needs to be done on ensuring a robust service is offered by the Post Office.

 

He said: “I am pleased that HSBC immediately agreed to attend the Chirk Town Council and Ruabon Community Council meetings, hopefully on Wednesday next week.

 

"In a difficult situation like this, it is extremely important that local residents and businesses have as much opportunity as possible to express their concerns and ask questions.

 

"HSBC now has the 30 key questions about the branch closures which were raised at the two recent public meetings and we look forward to their detailed answers to these questions.

 

"Full, open and transparent communication is vital and I would urge people to contact the bank directly with their concerns.

 

"You can email Martin Lyons, Area Director, Business Banking for North Wales), on martinlyons@hsbc.com or ring Nikki Sears, Wrexham Branch Manager, on 03455 847024.  If you have problems, contact me on baynes@bodfach.com and 07880786573 and I will contact HSBC on your behalf.”

AM praises Ysgol Bryn Collen's positive report

A primary school has been praised by its local Assembly Member after Estyn inspectors highlighted ‘a series of huge positives’.

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said the report on Ysgol Bryn Collen in Llangollen was ‘one that everyone connected with the school and the wider community can be proud of'.

Inspectors noted that the majority of pupils make good progress and are well-behaved.

They rated both the school’s performance and its prospects for improvement as ‘good’.

Mr Skates (pictured) said: “The report highlights a series of huge positives for the school, and great credit must go to the leadership of headteacher David Coffey over the past decade, as well as his dedicated team.

“The inspectors saw that the children enjoy imaginative learning experiences that provide challenging opportunities for them to develop their skills, and it’s also extremely encouraging that they note that pupils with individual needs receive effective support in an inclusive and welcoming community.”

The report is also positive about the school’s future, stating that the headteacher and senior leaders have an ongoing commitment to raising standards and work closely and effectively with staff, with a shared understanding of the priorities for improvement.

Mr Skates said: “The staff have the support of a knowledgeable governing body, who play a strong role in school life, and the Estyn team also highlights a rigorous process of self-evaluation which underpins the school’s plans for improvement.

“Another aspect which is very pleasing is that in these times of huge UK Government cuts to public funding and to Wales, Mr Coffey and the governing body monitor the school’s finances efficiently and make good use of all available funding.”

Mr Skates added: “This is a great report and a wonderful way for Ysgol Bryn Collen to start 2016. It’s one that everyone teachers, pupils, parents and everyone connected with the school and the wider community can be proud of.”

Ysgol Bryn Collen has 170 pupils and Mr Coffey has been headteacher since 2005.

Major A5 roadworks due to start on Tuesday

* The A5 through Llangollen will be resurfaced during major roadworks. 

Major roadworks to resurface the of main A5 road through Llangollen are due to begin next Tuesday.

County Cllr Stuart Davies has been given details of the scheme, being promoted by the Welsh Government and the North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency, by the works department at Denbighshire County Council.

He has been told that the aim of the works is to replace the worn-out upper carriageway surface throughout the length of the A5 in the town, from the western 30mph limit to the eastern 30mph limit.

The work is expected to last for six weeks and, in order to minimise disruption, will start at around 7.30am and continue well into the evening, perhaps up until midnight, Cllr Davies has been informed.

The existing carriageway will be removed during the daytime, to around 4pm, with the new pavement being laid from 4pm.

Cllr Davies has been warned there will be “unavoidable noise” from heavy plant moving around and reversing between these times.

He has also been informed that the Welsh Government has released further funds, so the contractor will be employed to renew the carriageway surface to the west for 650m beyond the 30mph limit towards Berwyn.

This will be completed following the works within the town, but within the overall six-week period stated previously.

County explains landfill spending position

The amount spent by Welsh councils on landfill has fallen by more than 23% in the last four years, according to figures obtained by BBC Wales this week.

The total weight of landfill has dropped from 641,000 tonnes in 2012/13 to 450,000 tonnes in 2014/15 - a 30% fall in three years.

But while most councils’ spending on landfill went down, Denbighshire’s rose by seven per cent, from £1,324,000 in 2011-12 to £1,424,000 in 2014-15.

Alan L Roberts, the county council’s senior technical officer (waste), said: “The bottom line is that it isn’t a very good measure statistically and it is quite a complex issue. The main thing though is that the 22 Welsh local authorities were starting from different positions.

“ In 2011 Denbighshire recorded a recycling rate of 57%. This was the highest in Wales and so Denbighshire was already landfilling relatively little of its waste, so the county reduced its landfill costs by recycling at high levels before the BBC survey period commenced.

“ By April 2011, Denbighshire had procured some of the lowest landfill disposal costs of all the 22 Welsh local authorities which again means these cost reductions are not included within the BBC survey period.

“In April 2011, the standard rate of Landfill Tax increased to £56 per tonne, the rate currently stands at £82.60 per tonne showing how the unit costs of landfill have increased substantially during the survey period, i.e. there was a very significant upward pressure on landfill costs over the period.

“ The way councils disposed of non-recyclable rubbish during the survey period changed substantially. In 2011, Denbighshire sent 100% of its non-recyclable rubbish to landfill but by 2015 this had changed and only around 50% was sent to landfill; the other 50% was incinerated. Other councils, with suitable facilities available locally, are able to send 100% of their non-recyclable rubbish for disposal by alternative means.”

He added: “Whether it is landfilled or incinerated, there is still a significant cost of disposing of non-recyclable rubbish but the BBC survey centred solely on landfill.

“Councils that the BBC found have reduced their landfill bill between 2011 and 2015 will still be paying to have waste incinerated or treated by other means.

“The BBC survey shows that the Landfill Tax, which will soon become one of the taxes for which the Welsh Government will assume control, is still a massive financial burden on councils despite greatly reduced quantities of waste being sent to landfill.”

Ross is bloomin’ thrilled with his lead role

Rehearsals for Llangollen Operatic Society’s forthcoming production of Mel Brooks’ smash hit musical The Producers are now well underway.

With just weeks to go until opening night, the cast and crew are getting excited and no-one more than society stalwart Ross Wilson, who will take the lead role of nervous accounts clerk turned producer, Leo Bloom. 

Ross’ passion for the stage started at a very young age when he joined the society’s junior section as a five year old.

* Ross Wilson as Sweaty Eddie in Sister Act. 

He remained a member of the Young Uns’ right up to age of 17 and during that time undertook a variety of roles, culminating with the lead role in the group’s 2005 Production of Bugsy Malone. 

However, Ross’ interest in acting extended beyond amateur theatre.

After completing his GCSEs at Ysgol Dinas Bran, he went on to take a three-year course in Performing Arts at Yale College in Wrexham before continuing his studies to degree level at the International Film School of Wales at Newport University, where his hard work earned him a 2:1. 

After a few years spent travelling and working in the USA and France, Ross finally returned to his home town and re-joined the Operatic Society again last year for whom he played the role of police officer Sweaty Eddie in their production of Sister Act, which won much local acclaim and was a sell-out almost every performance. 

Ross said: “I am thrilled to be playing the role of Leo Bloom and The Producers is a show I have always wanted to be in. I think it’s the high energy comedy that hooks me in and with the character of Leo, this energy and comedy really comes out."
 
The Producers will be staged at Llangollen Town Hall from April 12-16, starting at 7.30pm and with a matinee performance starting at 2.30pm on Saturday April 16.

* Tickets are now available online at:  www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety. Booking early is recommended.

Renew garden waste sub now, says council

Denbighshire Council is reminding residents to renew their annual subscription to the garden waste collection service.

Households sign up and pay an annual subscription to have their garden waste collected and subscriptions can be renewed up to 12 weeks before they come to an end.

Over 16,500 households are currently signed up to the scheme, which is over 50% of eligible households in Denbighshire.

Residents can find out when their subscription is up for renewal by typing their postcode at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling

Householders that have opted in to the service receive a collection calendar for the fortnightly service and a bar-code sticker for their green bin, or bar-coded tags where garden waste is collected in bags.

The following garden waste goes in your green wheelie bin or green dumpy sack: grass cuttings, garden prunings, branches and twigs, leaves, bark, flowers and plants.

The council will not empty green dumpy bags or green bins which contain; soil, general household rubbish or food products.

Garden waste can also be disposed of through recycling parks, free of charge. Some garden wastes can be shredded and returned to the soil as a mulch or composted at home either on a traditional compost heap or a home composter.

Denbighshire's introduction of charges for garden waste collection followed a significant reduction in its grant from the Welsh Government.

The council set an annual charge of £24 to empty its standard 140 litre green garden waste bin every two weeks with an option to have a second bin for an extra £12. There is a £2 discount if you renew online. There is an equivalent service in place for residents who use the Council's green dumpy sacks for garden waste.

If you aren't already signed up for this service and wish to do so, you can sign up on www.denbighshire.gov.uk<http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk>  or, alternatively householders can make payment by telephone on 01824 706101 (or 01824 706100 for Welsh speakers) or by calling in at any of the Council's One Stop Shops.

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.