Welsh councils fear having to pick up tab for health shake-up

The BBC news website has a story today (Sunday) which says Welsh councils are concerned they may be forced to pick up the bill in the wake of the latest NHS shake-up if proposals are not properly costed.

See the story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21113298

Peter Pan flies to a Pavilion hit

* Just some of the cast members of Peter Pan.

Where else, apart from panto, could you see a band of “Welsh” Red Indians dancing around their campfire swigging from cans of Wrexham Lager?

That was one of the more memorable scenes in Llangollen Pantomime Group’s latest production, Peter Pan, which was staged successfully at the town’s Pavilion from last Wednesday until Saturday.

Despite the snow which turned up on Friday, audiences flocked to see the spectacular show which pierced the winter gloom with a bolt of colour, music and sheer fun.

The Pavilion has an enormous stage yet at times it was filled to bursting point by the huge cast which appeared to comprise most of the under-18s population of the town.

Whether they were playing Indians, Lost Boys or Pirates, the legion of kids – all attired in the most colourful of costumes – sang and danced their way through the action to perfectly augment the efforts of the principals in this tale based (loosely) on the famous J M Barrie novel about the little boy who never grew up.

Shining brightly in the role of Peter was the powerfully-voiced Aaron Davies, while an equally admirable vocal performance came from Dani Chamberlain as Wendy, one of the Darling children who wing away with him to Never Never Land.

Jo Potts made an impish Tinkerbell, the chief fairy who guides the group of young travellers through their fantastic odyssey.

Peter’s adversary is the fearsome Captain Hook, who was portrayed by Tracey Rawlinson with the perfect amount of villainous intent and plenty of snarls at the audience.

Another star performance came from Justine Bradley as Chief Jones, the leader of those very Welsh Red Indians who knock back Wrexham Lager, wear red dragon-adorned headgear and have a talent for singing Tom Jones songs.

Comedy knock-about and banter was supplied by Jo Pearson and Ali Burke as a right couple of idiots, Me and You.

Other audience favourites were Mr and Mrs Darling played by Dean Richards and Tessa Orton-Jones.

In what was definitely a family affair, the role of the Dame – Nanna – was taken by Simon Orton-Jones who also directed the show and penned the script with Nico Decourt.

Peter Pan was a credit to everyone who appeared on stage and the equally talented band working behind the scenes led by producers Sharon Jones, Jo Potts and Elaine Morris.  

Horseshoe Pass still closed due to snow

The BBC live traffic website, last updated at 8.30am this morning (Sunday) shows that the A542 Horseshoe Pass remains closed in both directions, between Llangollen and Llandegla, because of snow.

County council speaks out over health changes

Denbighshire County Council has issued a response to major changes in healthcare in the region, announced by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board last Friday.

These include the closure of Llangollen Cottage Hospital.

Councillor Bobby Feeley, Cabinet Lead Member for Social Care and Well-being said: "We are disappointed that the Health Board has decided against a joint hub for Ruthin/Denbigh and there is further disappointment at the closure of the Minor  Injuries Unit  and X-ray facility  in Ruthin, despite strong local opposition.

"Another key concern for us is the risk posed by plans to close in-patient care beds at Prestatyn and Llangollen Hospitals before new services are in place.

"We believe there is a lack of clearly costed undertakings to improve transport to underpin the changes and to provide services to support carers.  Although the transport issues were 'noted' by the Board, they did not seem to have come up with any solution, this is particularly important for rural areas.

"The fact there would be no neo-natal intensive care in North Wales is another issue of concern.

"However, we are pleased that minor injuries unit services will be commissioned from GP's in Corwen and Llangollen and that the Health Board is committed to plan implementation jointly. They need to commit to this fully or the changes announced will not work."

Denbighshire County Council says it remains committed to working closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board on ensuring that the residents of Denbighshire receive the best possible health care available.

llanblogger achieves page view record

Yesterday (Friday) llanblogger attracted a record number of page views - over 500!

That's a fantastic milestone we have passed.

The high degree of interest in our site might have had something to do with our live coverage of problems caused by the snow and the simultaneous updates we brought you on the decision to axe Llan Cottage Hospital.

Thanks to everyone who checked out our news coverage ... and keep logging on as we've got lots more good stuff to come.

Phil Robinson

Editor

Health decision sparks angry letter from KLS chair

* Angry letter ... KLS chair Mike Edwards. 

In the wake of yesterday (Friday's) decision by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), Mike Edwards, chair of Keep Llangollen Special, has penned an angry letter to Wales's Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar, which says:

"Having seen Denbighshire CC as LPA blatantly ignore public opinion and Planning Policy Wales and now BCUHB ignore public consultation responses it occurs to me what an utter sham public consultation exercises are!

 

"Why does government national or local and other public bodies have the honesty to say 'we've decided to do the following......' and not go through these expensive exercises which are not going to alter anything?

 

"I'm afraid to say if your party were in power in the Senedd you would probably go through the same insulting processes of appearing to take people's views into consideration.

 

"Recent decisions by the local panning authority will ruin Llangollen's vibrant town centre and now the Health Board are closing our Community Hospital forcing patients and their family support networks to travel to Chirk or Wrexham!

 

"You can surely appreciate the despair the people of Llangollen feel."  

Cheers to Llan's sober motorists!

Llangollen motorists were praised for their abstemiousness at this week's Town Council meeting.

 

Across the country more than 500 drivers were caught over the drink drive limit during the All Wales Christmas Anti Drink and Drug Driving Campaign.

Throughout the campaign 35,493 drivers were breath tested between December 1 and January 1.

 

North Wales Police carried out 18,780 breath tests - double the amount carried out during the 2011 Christmas campaign with 107 being positive.

 

However, none of over-the-limit drivers were from Llangollen, town clerk Gareth Thomas told members of the Town Council at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, adding: "Obviously, the police campaign worked."

Cllr Bob Lube, (pictured right) who was chairing the meeting in the absence of the mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, said: "The people of Llangollen have to be commended for their abstemiousness."     

The two highest readings recorded by North Wales Police were 147 and 142, where two individuals were over four times the legal drink drive limit. The legal limit is 35. Both people were subsequently charged and placed before the courts.

Chief Inspector Darren Wareing, who is in charge of the North Wales Police Roads Policing Unit said: “Although warnings were given throughout the campaign that we would be out and about, 107 drivers chose to ignore our warnings and risked their own lives and the lives of others by breaking the law. This is very disappointing.

“However the good news is that nobody was killed or seriously injured on the roads of North Wales by a drink driver throughout the campaign.
 

“The feedback we have received from members of the public via email and via our social networking sites has been extremely positive. We have had many people commenting on the fact that they really did think about getting behind the wheel the morning after drinking alcohol and this is very encouraging."

* If you have information relating to someone you think is driving whilst under the influence of alcohol or drugs, please contact North Wales Police on 101 or via Crimestoppers Wales anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency always dial 999.