Plan to move Post Office to Stan's



* The Post Office in Castle Street.



* The Post Office could move to nearby Stan's store. 

The Post Office is inviting customers and interested parties to give their comments on its proposal to move Llangollen Post Office from its current location at 41 Castle Street to the nearby Stan's store in Berwyn Road.

The service, subject to a successful public consultation, will open as a new-style main Post Office branch.

The move is part of major three-year modernisation programme across the Post Office network designed to make it easier for customers to do business, through longer opening hours and modern open plan environments.

The investment programme, the largest in the history of Post Office Ltd, will see around 6,000 branches (about half the Post Office network) converting to new-style branches.

The Post Office, now independent of Royal Mail, is the largest retail network in the UK, with over 11,500 branches. It is also one of the fastest growing financial services companies and is developing its online and telephony services.

Post Office Regional Network Manager for Wales, Tony Jones said: “I am delighted to announce news of an important investment in our service in Llangollen.

"We know how important the Post Office service is to the community and we feel sure that our customers old and new will welcome the longer opening hours and modern open plan format. This move will help secure Post Office services in the town for the future.”

Mr Jones added: “Post Office Main is a new concept for delivering Post Office services, operated from a combination of screened and open plan counters in an established shop, with key Post Office products and services available alongside retail transactions during extended opening hours.”

Post Office customers will benefit from extended opening hours provided by the new retailer with the introduction of late night and all-day Saturday and Sunday opening.

The opening hours will be 8am-9pm, Monday to Sunday, offering customers an extra 45 hours a week in which to access Post Office products and services.

During the public consultation Post Office Ltd says it welcomes feedback on any issues customers would like considered before a final decision is taken on this proposal. The consultation will close on January 18, 2013.

Submissions can be made during the consultation by post at Freepost YOUR COMMENTS to Post Office Ltd, National Consultation Team, Wealdstone Post Office, 1st Floor, Admin, 2 Headstone Drive, Harrow, HA3 5QL, via email to comments@postoffice.co.uk, via the Customer Helpline: 08457 22 33 44 or Textphone 08457 22 33 55.

If the public consultation is successful the move is proposed to take place in January 2013 and for the following 12 months Post Office and its agent will monitor the new service to ensure it meets the needs of customers.

Houses should not be built on flood plains says AM

John Griffiths, Wales' Environment Minister, is visiting flood-affected Ruthin today (Thursday).

Llyr Gruffydd, North Wales Assembly Member for the Party of Wales, said: “The priority at the moment is the safety and wellbeing of everybody affected by the flooding, which has had a devastating effect across the region.

 

"We must also ensure that those areas affected are not subject to some kind of insurance blight due to the flooding. It’s vital that a safety net is maintained by the government and that we see proper and ongoing investment in flood defence schemes..”
 

Mr Gruffydd , who is also Plaid Cymru’s shadow minister for the environmental, added: “There is a also wider issue here that must be addressed by the planning authorities and the Welsh Government. We cannot continue to build houses on flood plains and expect to get away with it. Councils must address this matter in making their future Local Development Plans (LDP) fit for purpose.
 

“Some of the houses that were flooded were built very recently and all kinds of assurances were made. Those householders have clearly been let down and we cannot have more of this kind of development, which will end up with even greater disasters if we’re not careful.
 

“With that in mind, I want to see every council in Wales re-assess their housing allocations in light of these latest floods so that future LDPs do not repeat the mistakes made by planners in the past. Denbighshire Council, the worst affected area, is meeting next Tuesday to discuss allocating land for a further 1,000 homes. Can they give an assurance that these sites are safe from flooding?
 

“John Griffiths and his government also have to do more than offer words of sympathy for those whose homes have been flooded. He must act decisively and ensure that he does all in his powers to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.”

County steps up dog fouling action plan

Denbighshire’s Cabinet members have approved an action plan and a raft of measures to stamp out dog fouling in the county.

At the Cabinet meeting, members gave their support for an anti fouling strategy which will involve three work strands - communication and marketing, suitable collection arrangements and enforcement, and will look to engage and educate residents in the first instance as well as ensuring there are adequate litter bins in public realm and robust enforcement.

In presenting the report to members, Cabinet Lead Member for Public Realm, Councillor David Smith, said: “Time and time again, residents have raised the issue of dog fouling. It is one of the issues they would most like to see tackled.

"We appreciate that there are many responsible dog owners who do pick up after their pets but there is still a significant minority that do not.

"In taking this strategy forward, we will be contributing to our Corporate Priority for ensuring ‘clean and tidy streets.

"We will be improving the environment, improving the quality of life for residents and our visitors as well as reducing the threat to health, particularly for our children.”

Cabinet members voted unanimously in favour of the strategy and added a recommendation that further studies will be carried out into the benefits, or otherwise, of dog control orders.

Cittaslow group meets at Town Hall

About a dozen members of Llangollen’s new Cittaslow group had their second monthly meeting at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening.

Cittaslow grew out of the ‘Slow Food’ movement in Italy to encourage people to use local businesses and delight in local produce.

Now it is a worldwide organisation and is a demonstration that a community is serious about sustainability – economic, social and environmental.

In some respects Cittaslow is rather like business certification schemes such as ISO 9000 and ‘Investors in People’ which reassure potential investors and customers that a business is well run and progressive.

Similarly Cittaslow membership says a lot about a town and can be the key to unlocking funds from central government and the EU in support of local initiatives.

Mold, the first Cittaslow town in Wales has benefited enormously from it.

One of Keep Llangollen Special’s members, Phil Thane, suggested to the town council back in 2011 that Cittaslow embodied many of the things that the council was trying to achieve with its Town Plan - and which KLS are also trying to achieve with things like its Buy Local days.

The council took up the idea and following Phil’s election to the council in May 2012 asked him to lead the group which is aiming to get Cittaslow status for the town.

The working group consists of three councillors and representatives from a wide range of community associations, including Philk Robinson, editor of llanblogger.

At this week’s meeting, members discussed various measures and initiatives which could help quality Llangollen for Cittaslow membership.

There’s a lot of work to be done though, so each group member will be calling on their friends and associates for help.

If someone approaches you, please get involved, we need everyone’s help and enthusiasm.

If you want to get involved, but are not a member of any of the community groups contact Phil Thane by e-mail at phil@pthane.co.uk

AMs speak out about mental health issues

Two Assembly Members who represent Llangollen have shared their experiences of mental health issues ahead of a debate about stigma and discrimination.

* Llyr Huws Gruffydd AM.

Labour’s Ken Skates, who represents Clwyd South, and North Wales Plaid Cyrmu member Llyr Huws Gruffydd are among four AMs who have revealed facing problems with anxiety and depression and have written about them on the Time to Change Wales website which aims to alter attitudes.

One in four people think those with mental health issues should not hold office, research by the site found.

* Ken Skates AM.

The Time for Change Wales campaign was set up to try to end negative associations with mental health as well as discrimination faced by those who experience it.

The assembly debate was prompted by the group's research, which reported one in ten people saying they did not think those with mental health problems should have children.

For some of the AMs, it is the first time they have disclosed their illnesses to family or friends.

It was through writing his blog that North Wales Plaid Cymru AM Llyr Huws Gruffydd found the courage to tell his parents he had    suffered from depression nearly 10 years previously, which he had come through with support from his community mental health team.

His full account can be seen at http://www.timetochangewales.org.uk/blog/just-one-one-four-llyr-huws-gruffydd-am

Clwyd South Labour AM Ken Skates' says his first encounter with generalised anxiety disorder came during his first week at Cambridge University, although he was not diagnosed with the condition for several years.

Mr Skates' account can be seen at:
http://www.timetochangewales.org.uk/blog/putting-those-pieces-back-together-again-ken-skates-am

 

Some county roads now open after flooding

* Wales First Minister Carwyn Jones has been in St Asaph today speaking to flooding victims. 

Just after 2pm today (Wednesday) Denbighshire County Council announced the following road are now open following the flooding:

* A525 RUTHIN LINK ROAD - BOTH DIRECTIONS

* B5381 LOWER DENBIGH ROAD - ST ASAPH

* LLANNERCH ROAD BRIDGE - LLANNERCH HALL

* PONT-Y-CAMBWLL (CAMBWLL BRIDGE)- TREFNANT/GRAIG

* Y LON LAS (GREEN LANE) - CORWEN

Welsh Government unveils its budget

 

 

 

 

The Welsh Government is delivering growth and jobs at the toughest of times, Finance Minister Jane Hutt said yesterday as she announced almost £47m of extra capital funding to meet economic and infrastructure needs.

 

The Final Budget for 2013-14 includes an additional £30m for a second phase of the Economic Growth Fund and £16.7m for the use of public sector land for housing.

 

This brings the total additional capital investment in the Final Budget to £220m.

 

The Minister said: "When I published the Draft Budget I announced £175m of capital funding. Today we are building on this with a further £47m investment in Welsh businesses and housing.

"In our Budget we are delivering growth and jobs at the toughest of times and we are determined to maximise this support for the Welsh economy. We have demonstrated this commitment with additional capital investment totalling over £220m in this Budget for Growth and Jobs."

Business Minister Edwina Hart said: "The first phase of the Wales Economic Growth Fund was a great success in creating and safeguarding jobs across Wales. This year we allocated more than £30million to around 120 business projects across Wales, with the potential to create around 1800 new jobs and safeguard some 1600 others.

"The additional funding announced today will now allow us to relaunch the Fund to provide much-needed financial support to even more businesses around Wales to allow them to grow and expand at a time when traditional avenues of finance are not readily available."

Housing Minister Huw Lewis added: "Thanks to this extra funding around 1,800 new homes will be built across Wales. During construction of the houses a potential 300 jobs will be created, so this funding will not only result in new homes for individuals, couples and families but will also give the construction industry a much needed boost."

Jane Hutt has also written to UK Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander urging the UK Government to consider further action in the Autumn Statement to increase capital investment in 2013-14 and beyond.

The Finance Minister has pointed to the Welsh Government’s top ‘shovel-ready’ projects in line with Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan priorities, including:

• A465 Heads of the Valleys Dualling;
• A55 Conwy Tunnel improvements;
• Next Generation Broadband for Wales programme;
• Acceleration of the 21st Century schools programme; Acceleration of new social housing projects; and,
• An enhanced flood defence programme.

Jane Hutt added: "I believe it is our duty and responsibility to provide an economic stimulus in our Budget for Growth and Jobs. I am therefore calling on the UK Government to take swift and decisive action to increase capital investment in projects that will create jobs quickly and make a lasting difference to our economy."