AM calls for more backing for ex-service personnel

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood (pictured right) has paid tribute to the sacrifice and commitment of those who have served in our Armed Forces and called on the Welsh Government to give consideration to the creation of a residential centre for ex-service personnel.

Leading an Opposition debate in the Assembly, Mr Isherwood, who is Shadow Minister for Communities, called for further support for veterans suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including the potential for a Welsh residential centre.

He said: “A 2012 Healthcare Inspectorate Wales Report Healthcare and the Armed Forces Community in Wales recommends that the Welsh Government should consider the utility of establishing a form of residential facility within Wales.

“The report states that many members of the Armed Forces community commented on the desirability of having a residential centre for veterans in Wales as something you can see, touch and feel and of real psychological benefit.”

Mr Isherwood, who has long been calling for better treatment for those with PTSD, added: “Amongst combat veterans there is a common pattern of Complex PTSD with attempted symptom suppression by alcohol and/or drug abuse, a downward spiral of employment difficulties, relationship problems, confrontation with the law, and even suicide.

“A report from the Howard League for Penal Reform entitled Leave No Veteran Behind asked why so many veterans find themselves caught in the criminal justice system, stating that it is vital that the complex needs of armed forces personnel are adequately addressed and that we do everything that we can to help those who serve their country to adjust to civilian life.

“Welsh Guardsman Lance Sergeant Dan Collins tragically and unnecessarily took his own life on New Year’s Day. He was desperately seeking help for his post traumatic stress, firstly through the MoD's medical assessment programme and afterwards being referred to an NHS mental health ward, where he spent 4 weeks without being treated with anything other than various medication.”

Mr Isherwood also emphasised the role that the third sector can play in the delivery of coordinated services to ex-service personnel - backed by proven results and delivered in partnership with Health Boards - and spoke of the importance of protecting war memorials as an essential part of Welsh heritage and a focal point for remembrance.

Market Street car park to be partially closed from Monday

Llangollen's main car park is to be partially closed for about five days from next Monday.

The Market Street car park is being resurfaced and re-lined, according to Denbighshire County Council.

Cabinet Lead Member for Public Realm, Councillor David Smith, explained that the council has planned for around half the car park to remain open during the works in order to help minimise disruption.

"We expect this will allow for resurfacing and re-lining of the entire car park within the five days and we would like to thank people for their patience in advance," he said.

Lewis and Hunter Contracting Ltd will be undertaking the work on behalf of Denbighshire County Council and there are alternative car parks at:

* East Street
* Hall Street
* Mill Street
* Brook Street
* Llangollen Pavilion

County demands "clarity" over health shake-up

Now updated with campaign group statement ...

 

 

 

* Closure-threatened Llangollen Hospital.

 

Denbighshire has called for clarity in how Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) plans to reorganise healthcare provision across the region.

The controversial plan includes a proposal to close Llangollen Cottage Hospital, which has sparked an angry backlash in the town.

A campaign group formed specifically to oppose the move - Keep Llangollen Health Services (KLHS) - is demanding the hospital is not closed before a range of services currently provided there continue to be available locally until a planned new health is built, possibly on the site of the derelict River Lodge.

Concern has also been voiced that the new facility will not include a minor injuries unit as the hospital now does.

In a lengthy and detailed response to the board, Denbighshire, while supporting the enhanced provision of care closer to home and improved services for people with EMI, has raised concers about a number of proposals..
These include the need for the board to ensure that no services will close until new services are in place and that there must be no "cost-shunting" to adult social care, moving costs currently borne by the health board on to the council.

Also in the response, which has been compiled after in-depth consultation with town, community and county councillors, Denbighshire has expressed a high level of concern about the impact of the proposals on carers and the lack of any funding commitment to additional services to support carers as well as the need for transport services to be costed and provided in the aftermath of the reorganisation.

Cabinet Lead Member for social care and children’s services, Councillor Bobby Feeley, said: “After lengthy and detailed consultation with many stakeholders, it is clear that the devil is in the detail with these proposals and we have made sure we have carefully studied the proposals and then listed our concerns.

“The changes proposed are not fully costed at this stage so the implication on council services is not clear but we are clear that issues such as transport need to be considered fully and there is the risk that, as services are provided more in the community, the additional costs will inevitably fall on the council’s social care teams.

“We would also like to see consideration for a joint hospital hub across Denbigh and Ruthin.”

Denbighshire will now be pressing for a strategic group to be put in place for Denbighshire to enable ongoing discussion about the detailed implementation of the proposals
and will also be looking for specific support for the delivery of a minor injuries service in Llangollen.

A spokesperson for KLHS said: "Denbighshire County Council’s statement completes the unanimity of bodies ranging from AMs, councillors, organisations such as the Royal College of Nurses, the British Medical Association, town councils everywhere, and most importantly the public, in condemning Betsi Cadwaladr’s vision of Change as deeply flawed and unrealistic, especially in delivering quality patient care.

"The Keep Llangollen Special Community Group now calls for all stakeholders to speak with one voice to be champions of local care, which is universally recognised as the highest quality available, and press both health board chairman Mary Burrows and the Health Minister Lesley Griffiths to cease these disastrous cuts, to reverse the planned closure of our cottage hospitals, and invest in our most precious commodity – our nation’s health.

"Balancing columns on a spreadsheet is not leadership. It is a false economy. Only investment can lead to higher quality healthcare with efficiency savings, and reverse the neglect of years of failures to invest."

Call for Cadbury's to clarify Chirk plant's future

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates as called on the new owners of the Cadbury factory in Chirk to outline its plans for the plant.

Following the recent de-merger of Kraft foods, the Cadbury trademark and products have now become part of a new company - Mondelez International.

This includes the Chirk factory which currently produces cocoa and hot chocolate products for the company and which employs around 150 people, quite a number of whom are from Llangollen.

The AM called on the company to make a ‘long-term commitment’ to the plant.

He said: “The Cadbury factory in Chirk is a vital source of skilled employment for people in the town and must be protected. The original takeover by Kraft in 2010 was the source of inevitable anxiety for everyone who worked at Cadbury and together with even more structural change now, there is again uncertainty about what this might mean for plants such as the one in Chirk.

“Two hundred positions have been cut at Cadbury across the UK in the last year and factory workers are no longer protected by a pledge of no compulsory redundancies which expired in March.

“In addition to this Kraft went back on a pledge not to close the Cadbury plant at Somerdale near Bristol. Therefore I think it is only fair that the new company set out its long-term plans for the brand, including the future of the Chirk factory.

“I want to see the Welsh Government work with Cadbury so that the plant in Chirk is seen as an attractive place to invest. In return I’d like to see a major, long-term commitment by the company to protect and invest further in the site.

“Food manufacturing is a growing industry and the UK market share for Cadbury is also growing. Add in the fact that the European market is a big one for the new Mondelez company, accounting for nearly 40% of sales, and you quickly come to see that there is no reason why the factory in Chirk cannot have a bright and exciting future.”

Kraft went ahead with a surprise demerger in October which saw more than 100 of its snack brands, including Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone and Oreo, put under the new company Mondelez International.

Latest roadworks in the area

Denbighshire County Council has given details of the following roadworks in the area: 

Pendre Road, Berwyn, road closure from until December 6 for bridge works by the county council. 

Berwyn Road, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights from November 15-17 for water works by Dee Valley Water. 

Hatchery Lane, Trevor, from A539 to junction opposite Trevor Mill, road closure for drainage works by Dee Valley Water.

 

County's free Christmas parking present

Denbighshire County Council is getting into the festive spirit by offering free parking after 3 p.m. in all of its car parks from November 21 until December 31, to encourage people to shop in the county’s town centres. This compliments a number of reduced charging schemes implemented in several Denbighshire car parks during recent months and supports the five free parking days allocated for use at the discretion of town councils. Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: “The council feels it is vitally important to show support to our town centres and encourage people to find what local businesses have to offer. “We are hoping that people will take advantage of the parking offer in the run up to Christmas and the New Year celebrations. Regenerating communities is one of the council’s key priorities and we feel that offering this arrangement over Christmas will encourage residents to think local as an alternative and see what they have to offer.”

Residents warned over doorstep cookware con

Denbighshire residents are being warned to be on their guard against doorstep callers offering to sell cookware and cutlery.

Residents of Corwen who have been subject to the cold calling by the trader were told that they had been to a trade fair and wanted to sell the rest of their goods before returning home in the south of the country. 

The goods which appear well presented and packaged are labelled ‘St Moritz’ and are belived to be counterfeit copies.

Residents have also been told they are Swiss made when, in fact, they are made in China.

Ian Millington, of Denbighshire Trading Standards, said: "It appears this is an ongoing issue across the country and we understand that the callers will even allow people to pay by credit card with a card reader and asks for the amount to be paid in euros.

"We understand that there are cases where consumers have paid as much as £1,500 for goods when the true value will be considerably less. 

"Reputable traders do not trade in this way and if you are offered such goods, please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 08454 04 05 06 or if the trader is still in your area phone North Wales Police on 101.”