Warning over recreational drugs

North Wales Police and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board are warning people not to take recreational drugs known as Pink Love Tablets. 

 

The safety alert comes after two young people from the Anglesey area became ill and required hospital treatement after taking the heart-shaped pink pills.

A similar warning was given last week about the dangers of taking tablets known as “Green Apples” following the death of a local young man.

Dr Linda Dykes FCEM, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Ysbyty Gwynedd said: "Over recent weeks we have seen a number of people brought into hospital as emergency cases after taking recreational drugs, some of whom have suffered very severe reactions requiring admission to intensive care and one patient has sadly died.

 

"There are significant risks with any drug misuse, especially when it involves drugs bought off the streets or from unregulated sources. Users will never actually know what they are taking, its strength or whether or not it is contaminated: every time you take a street drug, you are trusting your health, or indeed your life, to chance."

Acting Chief Inspector Simon Barrasford said: "We continue to work with our partners to highlight the dangers of drug abuse and a pro-active team actively targets people involved in the illegal supply of drugs. Both the pink heart shaped Pink Love and Green Apple tablets are being used by party goers and I want to make it very clear that the consequences of taking these tablets can be fatal”

“If you have been given or have bought these drugs please do not take them, I ask that you hand them into the Police so that they can be destroyed properly and safely. I am also asking parents with teenage children to be extra vigilant and to sit down with their sons and daughters and talk through the dangers of taking these drugs You can also call in confidence with any information regarding drug dealing and I assure you this information provided will be dealt with confidentially.”

If you have any information about those who use or supply Pink Love or Green Apple tablets or any other controlled drug contact North Wales Police.

River Lodge's future questioned by llanblogger

* The fate of the former River Lodge has been questioned by llanblogger.

Llangollen’s derelict River Lodge is not for sale on the open market, with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB)  having an option to buy the property from the Welsh Government. 

These two facts are confirmed in the response to a Freedom of Information request submitted last month by llanblogger.  

The lodge – also known as the former Woodlands Hotel – on the A539, has been at the centre of a long-running row over its future. 

And it has most recently been mentioned as the possible site for a new health centre where some of the services lost by the imminent closure of the town’s Cottage Hospital could be relocated. 

Through the now defunct Welsh Development Agency, the Welsh Government bought the building on the banks of the River Dee at the gateway to the town in 2007.  

Sole purpose of the deal was to facilitate a community project by Powys Fadog.  

But the development never went ahead and following a series of vandal attacks the property now lies empty and derelict after costing the taxpayer a considerable amount of money.  

The saga has sparked major criticisms of the part played by the government and led last year to the publication of a critical report by the independent Welsh Audit Office.  

That report described the government’s decision to purchase River Lodge as“flawed” and said it had “represented poor value for money”.  

Two sessions of the Welsh Assembly’s powerful public accounts committee – one held in Llangollen Pavilion last October – have since taken evidence on the circumstances of the acquisition and attempts to dispose of the property. 

In our FoI request, llanblogger asked the following questions: 

1.      Is the property still in the ownership of the Welsh Government?

2.      Is the property currently up for sale or disposal by any other means?

3.      Is the Welsh Government currently in negotiation with any party, private or

corporate, regarding the acquisition of the property?

4.      If up for sale, what is its current asking price for the property and how does this compare to the sum originally paid for it by the former Welsh Development Agency?

5.      Is the Welsh Government currently in negotiations with the Betsi Cadwaladr

University Health Board about the property's potential sale to the board?

6.      If negotiations are taking place between the Welsh Government and the Betsi

Cadwaladr University Health Board, at what stage are these negotiations? 

In the reply, received today (Monday), a Welsh Government official says: “For

question 1, I can confirm that the property is still in the ownership of the Welsh

Government.

 

“For your remaining questions, I can advise that the property is not up for

sale on the open market and as such there is no open market asking price. 

“The Welsh Government has recently entered into an option agreement with Betsi

Cadwaladr University Health Board for them to purchase the site.”

This is confirmed by a notice on the Welsh Government website from August 2012, whixch says: “The Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science has been asked to approve the granting of an Option for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to purchase River Lodge, Llangollen, the property having been offered to the public sector in accordance with the National Asset Transfer Protocol.”

Llanblogger is currently awaiting a response to a seperate FoI request submitted to the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board last month about its intentions for River Lodge.

'Alarming' fall in high street shoppers

A story of particular interest to those concerned about the impact on the new Sainsbury's supermarket on Llangollen will be the one today (Monday) on the Wales Online website which deals with an 'alarming' fall in number of shoppers using Welsh high streets.

Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2013/02/18/alarming-fall-in-number-of-shoppers-using-welsh-high-streets-91466-32826220/#.USHLl_Rye1I.twitter#ixzz2LEszo1uS

Have archives changed your life?

Have you discovered that your house was once the village shop?

Or recently found a great aunt with an interesting life-story?

Maybe you have donated some old photographs of local importance that you happened to come across whilst decluttering your attic?

Or perhaps the research and guidance you received from staff has helped with your studies?

Whatever your story might be Denbighshire Archive Service want to hear from you!

If you have used Denbighshire Archive Service and discovered something that changed your life or have been inspired to find out more about your family or local history then this is your chance to win £100 simply by telling us your story.

Huw Lewis, Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage said: “Archive services play a vital role within the communities they serve and are a treasured resource for cultural and educational purposes. By collecting your stories this campaign will recognise the essential value that archives can add to the national life of Wales ensuring the past is available for the future.”

Sarah Winning, archivist, said: "It is wonderful seeing people using archives everyday to discover something new and we hear fascinating stories all the time. This competition will give people a chance to share their discoveries and inspire others to use archives in the future.”

Some of the winning stories from across Wales will be brought to life in short films showcasing the variety of records, photographs and documents that can be accessed free of charge by your local archive service.

For your chance to win £100, contact Denbighshire Archive Service to enter via e-mail@ archives@denbighshire.gov.uk or phone:01824 708250 . Alternatively, visit archiveswales.org or find Archives Wales on Facebook and Twitter.

Latest roadworks update

Latest roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council include: 

Regent Street, Llangollen, today, February 17, water works by Daniel contractors, temporary traffic lights. 

Hatchery Lane, Trevor, from A539 to junction opposite Trevor Mill House, until March 5, drainage works by Dee Valley Water, road closure.

A5, from Glyndyfrdwy to the telephone exchange, from February 20-March 19, resurfacing, temporary traffic lights.  

A5, Glyndyfrdwy, from the Berwyn Arms to the telephone exchange, until March 8, resurfacing works, 10mph convoy. 

Green Lane, Corwen, until February 24, gas works by Wales and West Utilities, road closure.

Council checking gas appliance safety

Staff from Denbighshire's Environmental Health Team are visiting catering premises across the county to assess whether business owners are maintaining their gas appliances and having them checked by competent gas engineers.

They are also providing a supportive and advisory role for businesses.

During inspections, Environmental Health Officers ask for evidence of how appliances being maintained. If there are any safety concerns, the officers may serve a formal notice stating what actions must be taken to comply with the law.

So far, In this latest round of safety checks:

• Three prohibition notice have been issued to three separate businesses, due to them having a gas cooking range in a dangerous condition.
• An improvement notice has been served on a cafe owner in Rhyl where the Council found the gas cooking range had not been maintained in a safe condition

Effective maintenance means any servicing or repairs are carried out by a suitably registered and qualified engineer.

Servicing should be carried out in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Generally the maximum period between services specified by equipment manufacturers is 12 months.

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire's Public Protection Manager, said: "We are focusing on commercial catering gas safety, as it can be very serious if something goes wrong. A gas explosion or carbon monoxide from a faulty appliance may affect the public, not just employees. 

"That is why it is vitally important that businesses comply with the law and these latest checks are a good way of raising the profile of this issue and making sure people in Denbighshire remain safe."

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: "There is a legal duty on business owners to maintain gas appliances, for their own safety and that of people who use their premises. 

"We work closely with businesses to educate and advise them about issues of this nature, but the Council will not hesitate in taking enforcement action if business owners willingly ignore advice or if appliances pose a health and safety danger to the public. We would far rather see everyone complying with the law than having to take action against business owners".

All businesses are asked to find a registered engineer to carry out safety checks. People can call Gas Safe register on 0800 408 5500 or check the www.GasSafeRegister.co.ukwebsite for details of registered engineers.

Minister tweets big no to shake-up intervention

Wales’ Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has categorically ruled out intervening in controversial plans for a major shake-up of services in the region, which include the axing of Llangollen Cottage Hospital.

Watchdog body the Community Health Council is currently considering whether to lodge a formal objection to the proposals by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

But a number of groups and individuals have urged Ms Griffiths (pictured below) to intervene now and halt some parts of the package which they oppose.

However, on Twitter earlier today (Friday) the Minister posted three consecutive messages in which she stresses that this will not happen.

The tweets say:

SERVICE CHANGE PLANS: It’s vital people understand the current process to determine what changes take place in the NHS in the future 1/3

SERVICE CHANGE PLANS: After local health boards share their service change plans, CHCs have 6 weeks to review those proposals 2/3

SERVICE CHANGE PLANS: As Health Minister, I cannot and will not intervene during this time 3/3

Her stark refusal to make an early intervention follows news reported on llanblogger this morning that the minor injuries unit at Llangollen Hospital is to close and be transferred to the town’s health centre in the week commencing March 3.

It is believed there has been no formal announcement of the move other than as a footnote to a press release posted on the board’s website earlier this week.

This has brought strong criticism from the campaign group Keep Llangollen Health Services, whose spokesman said the board was treating local service users with “complete contempt.”

Mike Edwards, chair of Keep Llangollen Special, who earlier this week wrote to Lesley Griffiths asking her to call in the change proposals, said the situation had now reached the stage where it would be impossible for the change proposals to be undone.