County agrees tax rise of 2 per cent

Denbighshire County Council says it is protecting frontline services and investing in priorities while keeping council tax increases in the county as low as possible at 2%.

The council has now agreed the budget against a backdrop of what it says are poorer than expected financial settlement.

Capital funding has been cut by 15% to £4.9 million. This is a significant loss on top of the 27% already cut over the past two years.

The council has identified over £3 million in further savings over the next year while investing in education and social services.

The council has also decided to further invest £1m extra funding in its Corporate Plan priorities over the next year - modernising education, highways, the economy, modernising the Council and social care.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: "We have created a budget that protects education and social care and we have increased funding to these areas to the tune of £2.1m.

"We have already cut around £14 million from budgets over the years and we are proud of the fact that we have been able to protect frontline services.

"While the outlook for public finances is poor, it is extremely important that we provide residents with below inflation tax rises in these difficult times."

Mohammed Mehmet, Chief Executive of Denbighshire, said: "As a council we want to protect those services that are important to people and this budget achieves this while keeping the council tax increase as low as possible and making £3m efficiencies.

"The council has a strong track record of delivering savings by finding better ways of doing things. We are reducing the amount of days loss to sickness; we are scrutinising our contracts to ensure better value for money and we are being more competitive in the way in which we buy in services."

Eisteddfod's star line-up announced

 

 * James and Ola Jordan.

 

 

* Noah Stewart.

 

* Evelyn Glennie.

 

*Only Men Aloud.

Strictly Come Dancing couple James and Ola Jordan will add glitz and glamour to the star-studded line-up at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The twinkle toed pair from the popular BBC show will share the stage with the veteran musicians of the highly-acclaimed Buena Vista Social Club to bring a Latin and Cuban flavour to Thursday night at Wales’s biggest music and dance festival.

The 67^th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod takes place this year from Tuesday, July 9, to Sunday, July 14, at the Royal International Pavilion site.

Husband and wife James and Ola have starred in top-rated Saturday night show since 2004 and both are viewers’ favourites.

James went so close in the festive finale to the recent Strictly season as he and celeb partner Denise Van Outen were pipped for the title by Flavia Cacace and Olympic gymnast Louis Smith.

Ola is a former winner of the sparkly dancefest with BBC sports presenter Chris Hollins and has also partnered local boy Robbie Savage while James previously reached the final with Pamela Stephenson and also danced with One Show star Alex Jones.

The couple are part of a week-long line-up of international stars with Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths scouring the world to put together a global team of talent.

Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra will close the festival on Sunday night ahead of a spectacular fireworks extravaganza while other stars will include Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie, English soprano Claire Rutter, and, from Wales, four top male voice choirs, royal harpist Claire Jones, tenor Gwyn Hughes Jones and choir Only Men Aloud.

International stars include top American tenor Noah Stewart, Kiwi bass Jonathan Lemalu, Bulgarian mezzo-soprano Miroslava Jordanova, a top Trinidadian steel band, the two-time Choir of the World winners from the Philippines, as well as the Buena Vista Social Club, the forgotten pre-Castro Cuban musicians and singers rediscovered by American guitar great Ry Cooder.

In addition there is the VERDI 200 on the Friday night of the Eisteddfod, a 200^th anniversary performance of Verdi’s Requiem with Claire Rutter, Mirouslava Yordanova , Gwyn Hughes Jones, Jonathan Lemalu and accompanied by the Eisteddfod Orchestra conducted by Andrew Greenwood.

And the event will open on theTuesday with the colourful procession of the competitors to the Royal International Pavilion, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite, CBE, the former Archbishop’s Special Envoy and a long-time supporter.

Eilir Owen Griffiths said: “I am delighted to have put together such a strong line-up and one that is truly global in its scope and one that shows that Llangollen still attracts the very best to come and perform here.

“It’s a very exciting programme and is very different and we need to show that we can do that and remain true to the spirit of the International Eisteddfod.

“We have a truly worldwide line-up which is a real mixture but I feel it is a good fit.

“We have international class performers from around the world and that combined with the colour and atmosphere generated by our competitors and the welcome they receive makes this a unique event.”

The evening concerts start with Tuesday night’s Carnival of Nations featuring four of Wales’s finest male voice choirs, the Rhos Orpheus, Cor Godre’r Aran, Cor y Brythoniaid and the chart topping Fron Choir, performing on the 60^th anniversary of the historic visit of Germany’s Oberkirchen Choir. They will be joined by the St Melodians Steel Band, from Trinidad and international competitors.

Wednesday night will feature An Evening with Scottish percussionist Evelyn Glennie who will be joined by the rising American tenor Noah Stewart and harpist Claire Jones, (pictured right) former official harpist to HRH the Prince of Wales, along with the Eisteddfod Orchestra and the Santo Tomas Chioir from the Philippines, twice Choir of the World winners.

Thursday will be Strictly Cuban, a celebration of Latin dance rhythms with James and Ola Jordan and the Buena Vista Social Club while Friday will be VERDI 200.

Saturday is Choir of the World which this year will also feature Only Men Aloud, Last Choir Standing TV winners while for the first time dance will be teamed with choral music on Saturday night as the Eisteddfod’s top two dance troupes dance off for the new Dance Champions 2013 Trophy.

On Sunday keyboard king Jools Holland will bring the house and the curtain down with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra and a special guest.

To book tickets and for more details on this year’s event go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.ukand on Facebook at www.facebook.com/llangollen

Pope in shock resignation

The BBC and other media are reporting that Pope Benedict XVI has just make the shock announcement of his resignation at the age of 85.

He is the first pope in 600 years not to continue in office until his death.

The BBC report can be seen at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-21411304

Cruel irony of cruise ship tragedy

llanblogger man Phil Robinson recalls his recent cruise on the same ship involved which was in a tragic accident yesterday afternoon ...

 

 

* The Thomson ship Majesty in port during a Canaries cruise over Christmas.

As on most cruise ships these days, it’s a case of safety first – and second and third – aboard the Thomson Majesty.

I know this is the case because I was a passenger aboard her on a trip around the Canary Islands over Christmas.

Given this huge emphasis on safety, it was quite a shock to hear the tragic news that five crew members had been killed and another three injured during what should have been a routine safety exercise yesterday (Sunday) afternoon.

It is understood that one of the ship’s large motorised lifeboats, which are stored at regular intervals right around one of the upper decks, fell into sea during the drill which was being held while the ship was docked in the port of Santa Cruz de le Palma – a place I visited on a similar cruise aboard the Majesty.

Passengers are said to have looked on in horror as vain attempts were made to rescue the men who died, who included three Indonesians, a Filipino and a Ghanaian.

Apart from the trauma for their family and friends, this tragedy will come as a terrible blow to their fellow crew members who pride themselves on following safety procedures to the letter.

Within minutes of coming aboard passengers must take part in a compulsory lifeboat drill.

And, unlike air travel, that doesn’t mean looking on bored or continuing to read a magazine as a cabin crew member goes through the crash landing procedure.

It means going to the trouble of finding and strapping on a cumbersome life jacket, working out where your allotted lifeboat station is located, trekking up flights of stairs – no lifts allowed – and slogging along endless decks until you meet up with a few score of other bewildered passengers, have your name checked off a list and are finally dismissed.

Sounds like a lot of fuss – and it is. But far better this way than what I might describe as the “Titanic alternative”.

It is cruelly ironic that crew Majesty members, who go out of their way to assist you and ensure your safety during such an exercise, have now been killed and injured taking part in something which sounds very much like the one I took part it just a couple of months ago. 

Llan gets another sprinkling of snow

As predicted, Llangollen awoke to a thin covering of snow this morning (Monday).

As can be seen from our picture below, visibility looking towards the castle was pretty poor well into the morning as light snow continued to fall.

Forecasters say it will remain dull and cold throughout the day.

Fed up with being cold?

Are you struggling to heat your home because of poor housing conditions or low income?

If so, the Denbighshire Advice Network has issued the following contacts for free, friendly and effective advice:

* North Wales Energy Advice Centre - Free Energy Advice Line 0800 954 0658

* DCC Welfare Rights Team - Free phone advice line: 0800 169 6625

* Rhyl Benefits Advice Shop - Free Phone: 0800 0740 333

* Age Concern - Phone: 01745 816 947

* Care and Repair - Phone: 0300 800 4484

* Shelter for Housing Advice - Free phone: 0845 075 5005

* Denbighshire Citizens Advice Bureau - 01745 334 568

* Nest: Welsh Government’s fuel poverty advice - 0808 8082244 (Freephone)

Another great Beauty and the Beast picture

Here's another great cast picture from Beauty and the Beast, performed so brilliantly by Llangollen Operatic Society Young 'Uns.

* Picture courtesy of Barrie Potter.