Plaid urges changes to school holidays

Plaid Cymru is proposing what it calls "the redistribution of school holidays to benefit students, families and teachers".

As parents begin to think ahead to the summer holiday, the Party of Wales' Shadow Education Minister has said that discussions need to be had to restructure the school year, and distribute holidays more evenly throughout the year.

He said that spreading school holidays over the year rather than having them in one large block over the summer would help to improve attainment levels in schools, and make it easier for working parents to take time off work when their children are on holiday.

Many experts have argued that children, particularly boys from disadvantaged backgrounds, find it difficult to retain information over a long break, and that shorter, more frequent breaks, could benefit them.

Mr Thomas said: “It’s time we look afresh at the school year. The current structure was set up in the Victorian times, and is not the most beneficial structure for children. Spreading school holidays over the year, rather than having them in one large block will help children retain information and help them in their studies. This is Plaid Cymru’s priority.

“Redistributing school holidays will also benefit working families by making it easier for working parents to arrange their holidays and childcare, which is particularly important in this economic climate. It will also help families who want to go abroad or go away chose more affordable times to do so.”

Mr Thomas argues that the changes could also enable families to holiday at more affordable times. He referenced a typical summer holiday for two adults and two children aged 8 and 10 Tenerife for one week, and explained that the same holiday was 41% more expensive during the school summer holidays than at other dates in the summer.

He added: “The school holidays are about giving families time together. By redistributing holidays throughout the year we are also helping to tackle the high cost of childcare, the excess cost of holidays, and are helping to raise standards across education.

“For that reason, the Education Minister should be holding talks with the education sector to discuss this matter.

“Plaid Cymru is committed to supporting working families, teachers, and pupils, and that’s why we will push for an overhaul of this archaic system to raise education standards.”

Nearly £10M for new Welsh ambulances

Health Minister Mark Drakeford has announced funding of £9.484m a major upgrade of the Welsh Ambulance Services fleet of vehicles.

 

The money will allow the replacement of 110 vehicles, including emergency ambulances and rapid response vehicles.

 

The Minister made the announcement ahead of a debate in the National Assembly for Wales on the Ministerial Review of the Welsh Ambulance Review, which was published on 29 April.

Mark Drakeford said: “The volume of calls to the Ambulance Service in Wales has risen by 68% over the last decade. It relies on its vehicles being ready to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Ambulances in Wales are exposed to harsh conditions and high mileages in many cases. We must, therefore, keep investing in new vehicles so they are on the road and able to provide high quality clinical services."

Investment will allow the purchase of:

• 49 Emergency Ambulances and High Dependency Services;
• 46 Rapid Response Vehicles and Emergency Practitioner Vehicles
• 3 Patient Care Services
• 5 Health Courier Services
• 7 Specialist Vehicles (used for command and control; fleet care/workshop; driver training and major incident support).

County elects new chair for the year

Councillors today (Tuesday) voted unanimously for Councillor Raymond Bartley (Denbigh Lower) to be the new chair of Denbighshire County Council for the year ahead.

Councillor Brian Blakeley is vice chair, again, following a unanimous vote.

Both thanked the outgoing chair, Councillor Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones, for all her hard work throughout the past year. Cllr  Chamberlain-Jones handed over three cheques to her chosen charities, St Kentigern's Hospice, £2,000, Rhyl Lifeboat, £2,000 and £1,000 for Vision Support, from money raised during her time as chair.  CllrBartley has named the Rev Wayne Roberts as chaplain for the year ahead and his chosen charities are St Kentigern's and Ty Gobaith/Hope House Hospice.

* Cllr Raymond Bartley, right, is the new county council chair.

Pam seeks posthumous pardon for hanged man

* Pam Williams-Hughes is seeking a posthumous pardon for a man she believes was wrongly hanged in 1883.

A LLANGOLLEN woman is trying to clear the name of a young Welshman hanged for  murder more than a century ago.

Pam Williams-Hughes was featured in the Leader last summer when at the age of 69 she gained a 2:1 BA Honours in History at Glyndwr University after battling against a brain tumour and lifelong dyslexia.   

It was during her history studies that she came across the fascinating case of 24-year-old Abraham Thomas who was executed at Manchester’s Strangeways Prison in 1883 after being found guilty of murdering a fellow staff member in the house where he worked as a butler.

After a long study of the case Pam, whose speciality subject is Victorian crime, is convinced of his innocence and that he should be granted a posthumous pardon.

Abraham was born in Henllan, near Denbigh, in 1859 and, as a well-educated youngster, was apprenticed to a shoe shop in Denbigh before moving with his twin sister Martha to the Manchester area sometime between 1876 and 1880.

After working as a hotel waiter he secured the position of butler in a well-to-do household at Kearsley, near Bolton, in 1882.

There was disagreement amongst staff members which came to a tragic head between Christmas and New Year 1882/83 when housekeeper Christina Leigh died in the house as the result of being shot by 26 pellets from a rifle known as fowling piece on January 4, 1883.

Abraham was immediately alleged to have killed her despite there being no witnesses to the shooting and no-one heard the shot.

In just over a month the young man had been tried and found guilty of the murder and faced the hangman at Strangeways.

Pam said: “I was researching another matter when I came across details of this case and have been fascinated by it ever since.

“It was the subject of the dissertation I did for my history degree.

“There were grave doubts whether Abraham actually did pull the trigger so I firmly believe there was a miscarriage of justice.

“The evidence and his trial at Manchester Assizes appeared to be loaded against him and the more you unravel things the more questions you are left with.

“That is why I am now trying to get Abraham a posthumous pardon.”

She added: “In the next few weeks I will be contacting the Home Office to enquire about the process.

“I shall also be trying to organise a petition to support the call for a pardon.

“Some of Abraham’s supporters, including the vicar of Henllan at the time, called for him to be allowed an appeal before he was hanged but nothing came of it.

“I am also writing a book on the subject in which I am reconstructing the lives of the people involved together with the crime and its outcome.

“I would like to hear from anyone who knows anything about Abraham or has a picture of him.”    

Pam, who is originally from Birmingham, moved to Llangollen about two years ago after spending her working life first in the Royal Air Force and then with local authorities.

She was diagnosed with a brain tumour before she started as a mature student on a fine art degree course at Glyndwr in 2007.

But a brain scan in September 2008 revealed the devastating news that the tumour on her pituitary gland had tripled in size in just three months.

Pam had to undergo a life-saving operation at a neurological hospital in Liverpool, which saw the tumour successfully removed.

Despite being given the welcome news the growth had not been malignant, her sight was affected.

This meant she was not able to continue with her fine art studies but she was to transfer to a history degree.

At her graduation ceremony last Pam was also presented with an award for being an outstanding student in humanities.

She will be giving a talk on the case at the Memorial Hall in Llangollen in September on a date yet to be arranged which will be open to interested members of the public at a small fee.

* Anyone with information about Abraham Thomas can email Pam at mailto:chimrea@yahoo.co.uk

New crime commissioner seeks deputy

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick has launched a search for a Deputy to support his role.
           
The Deputy Commissioner will work alongside Mr Roddick to deliver the vision set out in the Police and Crime Plan.

They will also share some of the Commissioner’s core functions, including scrutinising the performance of the police force, seeking the views of the public on police and crime issues, and engaging with partners and stakeholders.
           
Mr Roddick said: “Over the past six months I have come to fully understand the scope of the functions that I, as Commissioner, must carry out. I have come to the conclusion that the role of the Deputy is essential in assisting me to undertake what is a massive workload.
            
“I am confident that a Deputy Commissioner will add value by increasing engagement with the communities I serve, supporting my work in holding the Police to account, and ultimately assisting in tackling crime and making North Wales a safer place.
            
“I am looking for an individual who has experience of strategic planning who can also assist to oversee a multi-million pound budget, but who is also a good listener and communicator. Most importantly, I am looking to appoint someone in whose reliability, integrity and good judgement I can have the utmost confidence, and who shares my vision for the policing and criminal justice of the area. Given the prominence of the Welsh language in many parts of North Wales, the Deputy must also be bilingual."
            
Mr Roddick added: “Police and Crime Commissioners are not legally required to follow a formal recruitment process when appointing a Deputy. I believe, however, that it is of utmost importance that every appointment made by me, is made based on an open, transparent and inclusive decision-making process.
           
“That is why I am inviting applications from all suitable candidates from across North Wales. These applications will be assessed upon merit, and not upon any political or personal affiliations.” 
           
Applications are requested by email to OPCC@nthwales.pnn.police.uk by 12.00noon on 30 May 2013 or posted to OPCC, Glan y Don, Colwyn Bay LL29 8AW. The application process is by CV and covering letter. Full details can be found below.
Advert Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner
Application-Pack-Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner

More traveller sites needed in North Wales, says council chief

The BBC North East Wales news website is reporting today (Sunday) that a leading councillor has said more official sites for Gypsies and travellers are needed in North Wales.

Bernie Attridge, deputy leader of Flintshire council, said 95% of legal sites are in his county and Wrexham.

And he claimed a lack of facilities elsewhere was leading to problems with illegal settlements and accused the local authorities of "burying their heads".

Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd and Anglesey are said to be looking into the issue.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22397277

AM raises questions on A55/A483 junction improvements

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has questioned the Economy Minister over improvement works to the A55/A483  junction serving Wrexham.

 

The plans involve reducing congestion and journey times by widening the A55 eastbound exit slip road and parts of the circulatory carriageway as well as installing traffic signals to the A483 southbound approach.

 

The programme of works is set to cost £8,000,000 and is due to start – and finish – in 2014.

 

Mr Isherwood welcomes the works, but is concerned the 2006 evaluation report that recommended the improvements made no reference to floods or flooding within it.

 

Questioning the Economy Minister on the matter in the Assembly this week he said:  “Last October, the UK Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin, announced the plans for the scheme focused on the junction with the A483.

 

"That junction serves Wrexham, therefore, clearly, you as Minister are very entitled to have a view on this.

 

"However, the 2006 evaluation report that recommended those improvements to reduce congestion and journey times has no reference to floods or flooding within it.

 

"Therefore, I would be grateful if you could ensure that the UK Minister is made aware of that and perhaps give advice on what further information on flooding, if any, they might have received.”

The Minister agreed to take up the matter “via my officials.”