Cautious welcome for road casualty figures

Clwyd South Assembly member Ken Skates has given a cautious welcome to new statistics which show that the number of casualties on North Wales roads has fallen over the last year.

Data released by the Welsh Government shows that casualties resulting from personal injury road accidents in North Wales has fallen 8% over the last year and by 47% since the mid 1990s.

However, the AM said the figures needed to be treated carefully as the number of casualties has risen in the third quarter of 2012.

He called for a renewed focus on road safety and said important blackspots still needed to be tackled in North Wales.

Mr Skates said: “The figures show a reduction in the numbers of casualties on North Wales roads over the last year and a substantial reduction since the 1990s. This is welcome and shows the messages about road safety are starting to get through.

“However, we do need to keep a strong focus on road safety and bring down the numbers of people who are still being injured and killed each year on roads in this part of the country.

“Unfortunately in North Wales we still have some major problem areas. For example we have seen too many tragic deaths in the last decade on ‘B’ roads which attract a high number of bikers, and we continue to see fatalities along the A55.

“We also need to do more work to tackle particular accident blackspots, such as along sections of the A483. These will require further investment and infrastructure changes over the next few years.

“The Transport Minister Carl Sargeant has proposed ambitious targets for casualty reduction as part of a new approach to road safety until 2020, such as a 65% reduction in the number of children killed or seriously injured on our roads.

“Having made progress we must continue to work towards reducing the numbers of casualties on our roads. Local Government road safety budgets must be given better protection in these times of austerity if we are to continue to cut the numbers of people injured and killed on North Wales roads.”

Council seeks summit over health shake-up

A top level meeting between councillors and the chief executive of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB)  Mary Burrows, Denbighshire's chief executive Mohammed Mehmet and social services director Sally Ellis is to be convened to go through a number of concerns raised in light of the board's proposed service changes across the region.

The concerns among county council members centre on transition arrangements as the board prepares to close some services and facilities before any guarantee of funding for new capital investment is in place or temporary services established.

They are also concerned about the level of support for carers, transport and travel arrangements, the potential cost to the council as more services are moved out of the hospital setting and into people's homes and the future of Ysbyty Glan Clwyd as a District General Hospital.

After a three hour debate earlier today (Tuesday) councillors agreed that after the meeting with
Mary Burrows they will report back to members at the next full council on February 26 and will look again at taking a vote of no confidence if they are not satisfied with the responses they receive.

Cabinet Lead Member Bobby Feeley said: "We have agreed to a last ditch effort to have a high level meeting with CEO Mary Burrows to bring forward our concerns.

"On balance, we think it's preferable to keep the dialogue going until absolutely every avenue has been explored and we will report back to the next full council with the results."

* Commenting on Betsi Cadwaladr's confirmation of minor injury unit closures in Llangollen, Chirk, Flint, Ruthin, Colwyn Bay and Blaenau Ffestiniog within two weeks, Shadow Minister for Health Darren Millar AM said: “Today’s announcement is premature.

"The Community Health Council has until March the first to object to the board’s reforms and refer them to the Minister.

“Railroading closures through at this stage sends out a message of arrogance and indifference.

“Public views have already been discarded by health bosses in the region and today’s decisions require urgent examination.”

Services start to be withdrawn from Llan Hospital

llanblogger exclusive

Minor injuries services are to be withdrawn from Llangollen Cottage Hospital over the next two weeks, according to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board  (BCUHB).

The board has also revealed to llanblogger today (Monday) that since yesterday the hospital has been accepting no new admissions and that its staff are being re-deployed to other units.  

The Abbey Road hospital (pictured right) is earmarked for closure as part of a major shake-up of health services approved by the board last month. 

But the two moves have come as a surprise blow to campaigners fighting to retain health services in Llangollen who thought they would have longer before the changes went into effect – at least until they had been fully considered by patients’ watchdog body, the Community Health Council (CHC), which has until March 1 to decide on whether to formally object to the change proposals. 

However, this morning, unofficial word came from the CHC that the run-down of services at the hospital had already begun. 

llanblogger therefore asked BCUHB to confirm if this was the case. 

In a statement the board said: “At the meeting of the Health Board on 18th January it was decided to move forward with changes to the way some health services are delivered in North Wales. Planning is now underway to enable these changes to take place. 

“Understandably, the prospect of change creates uncertainty for staff and service users. Some services, such as minor injuries, already suffer periodic disruption due to staffing difficulties.  

“There is a risk that other services could become more difficult to operate safely as staff start to look at alternative roles and opportunities within the Health Board. 

“It has therefore been agreed that: 

“ • Minor Injuries Services will be consolidated in the hospital hubs over the next two weeks. This will ensure we can offer a dependable, 7 day per week service at the hospital hubs, further supported by the services at Bryn Beryl and Tywyn Hospitals.  

“Minor Injuries services will therefore no longer be available at Llangollen, Chirk, Flint, Ruthin, Colwyn Bay and Blaenau Ffestiniog Hospitals.

“ • Changes to X-ray services will go ahead as soon as possible, subject to the need to tie in with outpatient clinics that have already been booked. 

“ • Detailed planning to set up Enhanced Care at Home services across North Wales will start immediately. 

“ • From Monday 4th February staff at Flint, Llangollen and Prestatyn Hospitals will start their process of redeployment to strengthen other community and hospital services. This means new admissions to these hospitals will cease. Admissions to Blaenau Ffestiniog Hospital will continue at present.

 

“At the moment the Community Health Council is considering its response to our planned changes and we fully respect their position.

“However, we have to balance this with safety of services, our use of resources and our desire to implement the planned service improvements.

“The Board will continue to work with the Community Health Council over the next few weeks to address any outstanding concerns but it is right that, where appropriate, we move forward without undue delay.”

Llyr Gruffydd, North Wales Plaid Cymru Assembly Member, who has been prominent in the campaign to safeguard health services locally in Llangollen, said:  “It’s astounding that the health board has decided to close community health facilities including X-ray services, in-patient beds and minor injury provision without waiting for the Community Health Council’s final response.  

“The CHC, which is a statutory watchdog, has expressed grave concerns over a number of changes being proposed by Betsi Cadwaladr and this rush to closure seems to be ignoring those concerns completely.

“It’s also a snub to health minister Lesley Griffiths, who only this week announced that the buck stopped with her regarding any NHS changes.

“Will she now intervene to prevent community hospitals such as Llangollen and Flint from closing?”

A spokesperson for campaign group Keep Llangollen Health Services (KLHS) said: "The Health Board is closing hospitals despite the Community Health Council still pondering its final decision. This makes a mockery of the whole consultation process. We’ve got evidence that the health board planned for Llangollen to lose its rehabilitation unit back in October,while the public meetings for the consultation was still taking place!

"Patients have told us that they were denied blood tests in November because the hospital was closing and now we have this, further evidence that the consultation process was part of a stage-managed smoke and mirrors act.

"The Health Board has lost all credibility. Our health services are neither safe nor sustainable in their hands and the Health Minister must intervene as a matter of urgency."

Police warn over petrol cash scam

Police are warning motorists on the A483 and A55 to be on their guard against a scam which involves a motorist claiming to have run out of petrol.

There have been a number of incidents on the A483 near Ruabon and Wrexham in recent weeks where a car is parked towards the top of A483 off slips, usually with the bonnet propped open.

The male motorist flags down cars claiming to be out of fuel and without access to cash.

He will offer to sell jewellery in return for cash or just ask for £10 or £20 and will then offer to give the motorist a ring, which looks silver or gold, as a token of appreciation.

A similar scam has been reported in other parts of the country including Shropshire.

Suspected fraud can be reported on the Action Fraud website http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/roadside-jewellery-scam-oct10

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Chamber backs judicial review of Sainsbury's plan

Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism has given its backing to a bid for a judicial review of how Denbighshire County Council handled planning applications for a Sainsbury’s supermarket in the town.

However, at their meeting on Monday evening, chamber members expressed their reservations about how much the legal process might cost.

They also discussed the possibility of taking their own “straw poll” of local traders to see how they feel about developers having “gone back on their word” about now incorporating a café in the new supermarket.

And they are considering inviting a senior manager from Sainsbury’s to a future chamber meeting to outline the company’s position.

Seeking a judicial review of the planning process used to determine the store application is the idea of community group Keep Llangollen Special (KLS).

KLS says it hopes to ask a judge to look at whether there is a case to put before the High Court examining the way permission was granted last year for the 20,000 square foot store on land off the A5 currently occupied by the Dobson & Crowther printworks.

The chamber originally supported the store scheme on the basis it would not include a café, delicatessen or butchers to protect local businesses offering the same services.

Then, after the original permission was granted last October, the condition banning a café was removed.

This prompted the chamber to claim in a statement issued a few weeks ago that this move had left its members feeling “cheated” by the process.

KLS has now sent out a formal invitation for the chamber to support the judicial review and this was considered by chamber members at their Hand Hotel meeting on Monday.

Chamber chair John Palmer claimed the café would be a threat to those in Llangollen town centre.

He said: “It will be about two-thirds of the size of the one at Sainsbury’s in Wrexham, so it’s going to be quite big. It’s also going to be providing food.

“We are very disappointed about Sainsbury’s going back on their word that no café would be included.”  

A suggestion that a top Sainsbury’s official be invited along to a chamber meeting to explain his company’s position was believed to be worthy of consideration.

While some members expressed their support for a judicial review, a number queried the cost of mounting such a legal challenge.

Phil Thane, a town councillor and KLS member who sits in on chamber meetings as an observer, agreed it could be costly, adding: “If KLS don’t get support from traders in the town and they don’t put their money where their mouth is, we’ll have to give up the idea.”

The chamber voted the support the judicial review in principle but with reservations about its cost.

Also supported was a suggestion from a member that the chamber carries out a straw poll of town traders to see how they now feel about the whole supermarket question.    

Meanwhile, KLS is also seeking support for its judicial review call from Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates.

Group chair Mike Edwards said:  “We have investigated and taken legal advice from Planning Aid Wales.

“Step one can be taken at nominal cost, but we do have support from a significant retailer in town together with the backing of various affected independent traders in Llangollen.”

Denbighshire County Council said in a recent statement on the issue: “All of the planning applications relating to the food store development in Llangollen have followed a due process of consultation, assessment and determination by the elected members of the planning committee.”

Llan wakes up to covering of snow

* This morning's snow settles on the hill leading up to Castell Dinas Bran.

Llangollen woke up to a thin covering of snow this morning (Tuesday) as predicted in the weather forecast.

More of the white stuff could be heading our way later, according to the forecasters.

Arriva axes X94 evening bus services

Arriva Cymru is making changes to the X94 Barmouth-Dolgellau-Bala-Corwen-Llangollen-Wrexham bus service after last operation on Saturday, March 9.

From March 11, Arriva has said that it can no longer operate evening services.

Arriva currently runs these commercially (without the benefit of a public tender) and revenue is no longer covering the costs of these journeys.

The Welsh Government and Denbighshire and Gwynedd Councils have sought expressions of interest for a replacement evening service.

Tenders have now closed but the responses are still subject to evaluation.

This process will include the likely cost per passenger given usage in the evenings. Passenger transport budgets are already under pressure at both authorities.

Once evaluated, members of both Councils will need to consider whether the deficit after any Welsh Government funding represents value for money.

There are no substantial changes to daytime services from 11 March, although some journeys are retimed and the earliest departure at 0458 from Dolgellau to Wrexham, very recently introduced, will be withdrawn.

Services will continue to operate via the villages of Cynwyd, Llandrillo and Llandderfel. This includes any evening service replacements.

The Sunday service, operated by GHA Coaches, is unaffected.