County agrees £134M spending package

* County Hall where the spending package was approved.

Councillors have given their backing to a programme of investment that could see £134 million ploughed into delivering Denbighshire’s corporate priorities over the next five years, including a major investment of £97 million in education.

Members voted in favour of the raft of proposals at the meeting of the full council on Tuesday.

The Corporate Plan looks at:
· Improving performance in education and the quality of school buildings
· Developing the local economy
· Improving roads
· Vulnerable people are protected and are able to live as independently as possible
· Clean and tidy streets
· Ensuring access to good quality housing
· Modernising the council to deliver efficiencies and improve services for customers.

Key proposals for investment for the five year period include:
· £97 million in improving school buildings, implementing area reviews, refurbishment and other improvements to schools.
· £10.4 million investment in roads
· £21 million in three extra care facilities across the county
· £2 million investment in the economy.
· £4 million in information communication technology (ICT) and office building assets.

The council would not need to provide all of this funding. It expects grants from the Welsh Government that will be available to help fund the planned work to improve schools and roads and that other partners would be likely to contribute to planned extra care housing projects.

From the total, £78 million would be found from the council's reserves, balances and by selling some of its assets, the rest would be generated through prudential borrowing.

Councillor Hugh Evans, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, (pictured right) said: "The priorities we have set are very ambitious and will move Denbighshire, and the council, forward.

"We believe that, by delivering this Corporate Plan, we can transform the lives of many people in Denbighshire, and that we can create a legacy for the future.


"It is well known that local authorities are facing difficult times. We have got less money to invest in council services, and we must also manage issues that are outside of our control, such as the global economy, welfare rights reform and the restructure of the health service.

"During these difficult times, it is important that we play our part by providing the best services possible for residents, and by focussing on priorities that will make a difference to people’s lives.

"Our Corporate Plan has a clear focus on improving services for our customers. We are also committed to becoming more responsive to the needs of customers, and to being clearer about what standards of service our customers should expect from the council."

Denbighshire's Chief Executive, Dr Mohammed Mehmet, said: "This is, without question, the most ambitious Corporate Plan the council has ever had, but it is also achievable.

"Each of our priorities will have to be approached in a different way. Some are about changing the way the whole council works, whilst others will be delivered by a small number of council services working together. Some will take several years to deliver and will require a significant amount of financial investment, whilst others may be achievable relatively quickly and may require additional effort and human resources, rather than substantial amounts of new money.

"The priorities focussing on the economy and education, in particular, have a timescale beyond the five years of this plan. Although we expect to see real progress in these priority areas, we believe that the full benefits will be realised beyond 2017.

"In order to continue to provide high quality services to our residents, it is essential that we modernise the council and exploit technology to become more efficient and cost-effective. Changing the way we work will enable us to divert valuable resources to support services to the public.

"Delivering our modernisation agenda will be the key to protecting frontline services and protecting jobs during the next five years, which is why this is one of the priorities within our Corporate Plan. It is not only important in its own right, but it also underpins our other priorities."

"Don't leave town this Friday" local shoppers told

* Buy local! That's the message to shoppers from KLS this Friday.

Keep Llangollen Special (KLS) has organised another Buy Local day for this Friday (October 12).
 
A range of businesses are being encouraged to take part, including pubs.

Participating businesses will have a poster in their window advertising their discounts or special offers for the day.

A KLS spokesman said: “The aim is for people to enjoy shopping in Llangollen while having a relaxing, well-deserved break.

“The benefits are personal service from knowledgeable staff, top quality goods and good value for money.

“Why go to an impersonal supermarket when you can stroll round town, do your shopping and meet friends for a drink?”

Time running out to save hospital, say campaigners

* There's now less than three weeks left to save Llan Hospital, say campaigners, 

A group of local campaigners fighting to save Llangollen Hospital from closure  claim there is now less than three weeks left to save it.

They are inviting people to attend a public meeting, at 7pm in the Hand Hotel in Llangollen on Monday, October 15, to join in the campaign and write letters opposing the plans to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Llangollen resident Maria Haines, who will chair the public meeting on behalf of newly-formed campaign group Keep Llangollen Health Services, said: “People still don’t realise that if these proposals were acted upon Llangollen will not have a hospital nor the proposed health centre for many years.

“We will not have a nurse-led minor injury unit and will not have any hospital beds in Llangollen. We are not precious about our buildings but we are precious about our health services.

“The consultation closes on October 28 so we need to ensure that as many people voice their opposition to these plans now, otherwise it will be too late.

“That’s why we’ve organised a public meeting for people to be able to listen to the arguments against getting rid of these vital services in Llangollen and to write their letters to the health board.”

Local County Councillor Rhys Hughes (pictured right) said: “The proposal to close Llangollen Hospital and downgrade health services in the town and the area will not save the health board any money.

“On the contrary, I’m concerned that it will cost the taxpayer more money as the burden of care will fall on the local authority putting a strain on our social services.

“It also refers to using more care homes, which will inevitably mean more costs either on the patients or on the local authority – either way it seems to be creeping privatisation.

“I would much rather see an investment in Llangollen. By all means build a new health centre, but it should also include a nurse-led minor injuries unit and some beds to care for patients discharged from Wrexham Maelor on their road to recovery.”

People opposing the proposed closure are also invited to sign the petition which has amassed nearly a thousand signatures so far after being placed in shops around Llangollen: bit.ly/UysoJx

The campaign group have set up a website www.llangollenhospitalcampaign.wordpress.com and an e-mail address keepllanhealthservices@gmail.com

Walk arranged to view railway extension work

There is another opportunity for those interested in the progress being made on Llangollen Railway's extension project to take part in a walk from Carrog to Corwen on Saturday (October 13).

 

Departing Carrog station at noon, on Saturday, the walk will proceed via the riverside footpath to the foot crossing over the railway and up on to the A5 road.

 

From the A5, several opportunities are available to view the new line and the work being undertaken through to Plas Bonwm.

 

Access to the new rail head at Bonwm will then allow for walking on the next trackbed section, which is being prepared for track laying after the Over-bridge 28 repairs are completed.

 

The proposed site for a loop line to permit engines to run round the train outside of Corwen will be inspected and onwards to the site of the Phase 1 Corwen East platform.

 

The walk then heads through the site of the proposed Phase 2 terminal station, along the embankment to Green Lane and ends in Corwen.

The walking distance is approximately 2.5 miles and duration is two hours allowing for information and discussion en route.

Outdoor clothing and strong footware are recommended for all those taking part.

Trading standards alert over e-mail con

Denbighshire’s Trading Standards are urging consumers to be on their guard against e-mails received in response to small ads placed when selling motorbikes.

The warning follows a case where a local resident was contacted by e-mail asking for the "best price" for the motorbike for sale and that it was being bought for a present.

The sender appears to offer an amount over the asking price and then requests personal details and asks for funds by transfer.

It is likely that although the addresses and contact details appear legitimate the user is not always based in the UK and can be untraceable.

Ian Millington, of Denbighshire Trading Standards, said: “Although this is the first complaint we have had it seems this type of scam has been around for some time.

“We advise that you should never give personal information or banking details to anyone you don't know.

“If you receive an unexpected call or e-mail, always be cautious and never make an advance payment by any method unless you have taken steps to make sure the person is genuine and the payment is necessary.

"Any offer that seems too good to be true often is. Consumers should steer clear of these scams and should not respond to any spam e-mails as they can find themselves bombarded with other spam mail.

“If you suspect something, report it to the authorities via Action Fraud or Citizens Advice consumer service."

If you have received any such calls then report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or report it on-line at www.actionfraud.org.uk.

For free, confidential and impartial advice on consumer issues visit www.adviceguide.org.uk or call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 08454 04 05 06.

Llan will soon be food capital of the UK

Llangollen will soon be the culinary capital of the UK for a whole weekend.

There to greet visitors to  Hamper Llangollen 2012 on Saturday and Sunday, October 20 and 21, will be a trio of top chefs who have signed up as the stars of the popular food festival.

Organisers are confident the event at the home of the International Musical Eisteddfod is on course to be bigger and better this year.

Graham Tinsley, the star of ITV’s Taste the Nation and a former captain of the Welsh Culinary Team, will be joined in the show kitchen by S4C favourite Dudley Newberry.

Completing the hat-trick will be the ever popular Dai Chef, who is returning to the event after an absence of several years.

One of the main driving forces behind the reborn festival is businessman Colin Loughlin.

Chair of the local committee that runs the event, supported by the rural development agency, Cadwyn Clwyd, Mr Loughlin said: “We have a wonderful array of fantastic food producers clustered in the area and the festival is the perfect shop window for them. A food festival is so much better and more interesting than going to the supermarket because here you can sample the food and talk to the producers.”

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution came via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

Robert Price, Cadwyn Clwyd’s agri-food project officer, said:  “The location of the Pavilion is absolutely spectacular – I can’t imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting.”

Hamper Llangollen 2012

• Venue: The Royal International Pavilion, Llangollen
• Dates: Saturday October 20, Sunday October 21
• Times: 10am to 5pm both days
• Entry fee: £5, under 16s free
• Parking: On-site and nearby car parks
• Tickets available on the door

Why not try Dangerpoint at half term?

Thinking of something different to do with the kids over half term?

Why not visit 'Dangerpoint' - a centre which provides hands-on safety education for children and young people.

Based in Talacre, Flintshire, 'Dangerpoint' is an independent charity that was established in 2005 via a unique partnership of public, private and voluntary sector stakeholders - including North Wales Police, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, BHP Billiton and many others.

Dangerpoint is a purpose-built education visitor centre with an interactive and realistic set of safety scenarios, each focusing on a critical environment where safety matters. Safety on the roads, the home, railway carriage, beach and virtual world are all covered, as are many more, by rangers who are specially trained to take the children around the centre and educate them in all aspects of personal and social safety.

Dangerpoint exists with the clear objective of equipping children, young people and other vulnerable people with the life skills, behaviours and knowledge to stay safe, avoid un-necessary risks and enjoy healthy lives.

The centre usually accommodates school visits; however, between Monday 29th October and Friday 2nd November the centre will open its doors to the public from 11am until 4pm.

Entrance fee is £4 per person (booking is essential) and there will be an opportunity to take part in a Danger Detective Quest which will have a spooky theme to coincide with Halloween.

To arrange a visit call the centre on 01745 850414 or log onto their website