AM raises government's "failure to respond" over health changes

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is concerned that the Welsh Government has failed to respond to  Betsi Cadwaladr Community Health Council’s urgent concerns regarding proposed changes to health services in North Wales.

Mr Isherwood raised the matter in this week’s Business Statement, emphasising that the health council submitted its response to the proposals in March, but are still awaiting a reply. 

  

Speaking in the Chamber, Mr Isherwood said: “Could we have a response to last week’s statement by the Betsi Cadwaladr Community Health Council that it still awaits a detailed response from the new Minister for Health and Social Services, following its objections to some of the health board’s plans for local services?

 

“Members of the community health council’s executive committee were disappointed to learn that, although they had submitted a formal response to the previous Minister for health—yourself, Minister—at the beginning of March, it had yet to receive a full response addressing some urgent concerns that they had about the effect of changes to services in north Wales.”

 

The Minister for Local Government and Government Business Lesley Griffiths told Mr Isherwood: “You will be aware that all health boards are going through service reconfiguration plans at present. I am sure that the Minister is looking at the plans holistically for all of Wales.” 

First Minister's statement on Woolwich attack

Wales' First Minister Carwyn Jones (pictured left) has made this statement on yesterday's attack in Woolwich in which a young soldier from Greater Manchester was killed:

“The horrific events in Woolwich yesterday will be condemned by communities across Wales. 

"I have today spoken to Brigadier Napier, the Army Commander for Wales, to express solidarity with the Armed Services and to send our deepest condolences to the family of the serviceman killed yesterday.

"As Chair of the Faith Communities Forum, I am proud that Wales is a multi-cultural society that enjoys the experiences and vibrancy that this brings to our country.

“Now is not the time to point fingers and play into the hands of these isolated attackers, but is a time to build on the strong unity of our communities and defy the very nature of these barbaric attacks.” 

June 1 is date for Llangollen Fete at Plas Newydd

* The grounds of Plas Newydd is the venue for Llangollen Fete on Saturday, June 1.

Llangollen  Fete, jointly organised by the Rotary and Inner Wheel Clubs, takes place on Saturday, June 1, opening at 2pm.

Attractions include the beautiful grounds of the venue, Plas Newydd; Punch and Judy and music shows; toy, book, bathroom and bric-a-brac sales stalls; home-made refreshments and a cake and produce stall; Llangollen Town Band; make a scarecrow competition; decorated bikes and fancy dress competition for children; a bottle stall and a grand raffle with quality prizes, sideshows and local organisation stalls plus Chem, Llangollen's own town crier.

New town mayor installed - one councillor stepping down

Llangollen has a new mayor in the shape of Cllr Bob Lube.

The official transfer of the office from Cllr Jon Haddy took place at the annual meeting of the Town Council on Tuesday night.

Cllr Lube (pictured below left) told Cllr Haddy as he stepped down: “Thank you for the sterling work you have done during your term of office and I hope I can continue at the same level.”

Cllr Haddy was then presented with the traditional previous mayor’s medal before taking his place on the benches.

Cllr Mike Adams was unanimously voted in as deputy mayor.

Cllr Phil Thane becomes chair of the planning committee for the municipal year ahead and Cllr Adams will chair the general purposes committee.

Later, during the normal monthly council meeting, Cllr Tim Palmer (pictured below right) who was elected last year, announced that he is standing down from the council and that this meeting would be his last.

He told members that he and his family were moving to the United States where he would be taking up a new job.

Town clerk Gareth Thomas said the vacant position on the council would now be advertised.

Cllr Palmer said: “I would like to thank everyone for their patience, counsel and good humour during my time on the council. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself.”

The mayor told him: “On behalf of the council I would like to thank you for 12 months of service and wish you all the best for the future.”  

More focus needed on supporting older people, says Skates

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates met with the Older People’s Commissioner Sarah Rochira on Wednesday to discuss the future of services for older people living in his constituency.

 

The AM said plans needed to put in place now to support the regions ageing population to avoid putting intolerable strain on council budgets in future years. 

 

He said more focus needed to be put on supporting older people to live independently in their own homes to prevent situations escalating into crisis.

 

He welcomed the proposed Older People’s Commissioning Strategy in Wrexham which outlines plans for older people’s services in Wrexham over the next five years.

 

Mr Skates said: “Our local population is getting older and in future years there is inevitably going to be an even bigger demand for care and support services to help older people live their lives in a dignified and enjoyable way.

 

“One only need look at Wrexham Council’s own figures to see the growing requests for care services.  Of the 475 care packages currently being delivered for a period of 12 months or more by the Council, 54% have seen an increase in the number of hours delivered.

 

“At the same time we are moving into a period of much tighter financial resources and even tighter council budgets.  If we are to avoid our care system collapsing in future years it is vital we use the funding we do have set aside for older peoples services to care for our older people in a much more efficient and streamlined way.

 

“I met with the Older People’s Commissioner to discuss some of the issues facing older people in areas like Wrexham so we can ensure the structure of services works for the big challenges ahead.

 

“I welcome Wrexham Council’s proposed new Older People’s Commissioning Strategy which will shape care for older people over the next five years.  It recognises we need to support more of our older people in their own homes rather than letting them get into a crisis situation where they need more expensive and more traumatic interventions, such as a move into a care home or local hospital, at a later stage.

 

“Wrexham currently enables 81% of the older people it supports to continue living independently within their own homes, so this is a good basis from which to start from.

 

“We need to see services such as domiciliary care delivered in a more personal way as well as an even greater focus on reablement to enable people who use care services to remain independent within their own homes for as long as possible.

 

“There are big challenges ahead for our ageing population, but ones we can address if we plan effectively.”

 

Ken Skates is part of the National Assembly’s Health and Social Care Committee scrutinising the Social Services and Wellbeing Bill currently making its way through the Assemb

Town council briefed on county issues affecting Llangollen

Councillor Stuart Davies, one of Llangollen’s representatives on Denbighshire County Council, gave a run-down on recent matters affecting the local area last night’s Town Council meeting.

Invited to speak by the new Mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, he began with an update on the plan to create a day nursery for local youngsters in a new building at Ysgol Bryn Collen.

This, he said, would be somewhere safe where mums could drop off their children in a morning and pick them up in the afternoon.

Cllr Davies explained that, with his support, a community interest company had been formed to run the new facility whose members were now working on the details of funding for it.

He said that Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates had also been asked for his support.

On the issue of the future use of the former county council refuse tip on the A539, Cllr Davies said a study was being made of this and a number of possible uses had already been suggested.

These included one proposal by Friends of the Earth to turn it into some form of tourist attraction using the nearby railway and others to use it for football or rugby pitches.

Cllr Davies was questioned by Cllr Mike Pugh on what the county was doing about the “dangerous” state of the old brewery opposite Dobson & Crowther on the A5.

Cllr Pugh said that in March a large quantity of snow had fallen from the roof of the building badly damaging a vehicle being driven along the A5.

He asked Cllr Davies if he could pursue the issue with the county council.

Cllr Davies agreed to do this and explained that about six months ago the county had held a meeting about the number of derelict buildings in the town, including the old brewery.

At that meeting, he said, it had been suggested that the owners of these buildings should be ordered to do something about the properties.

Cllr Lube said another building that was giving cause for concern was the former Jobcentre in Castle Street.

Cllr Davies said this had been another of the buildings discussed at the meeting and added: “The owner won’t engage with us but  is on our radar, it is on our system.”

Questioned by Cllr Jane Palombella about the addition to the county’s Local Development Plan as a possible site for housing of an area in front of Fron Bache in Llangollen, Cllr Davies said he was opposed to this and that he would try to get it turned down and referred to the appropriate Welsh Government Minister.

AM hits out over new truancy penalties

North Wales Assembly Member Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Education, has described yesterday's announcement that fixed penalty notices will be issued to parents whose children are regularly absent from school, as counter-productive.

The Minister's decision has been based on the results of a consultation carried out between November 2012 and February 2013.

Mr Roberts said: "I believe this is a disproportionate response to a problem which requires a far more creative response than a fining system.

"Evidence shows that children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to play truant and achieve poorer educational outcomes. I am concerned that fining parents of truant pupils will cause them even more economic hardship and will do nothing to address the problems of their child missing vital school hours.

"It is also crucial that we consider the reasons why children are often absent from school.

"There were just 53 responses to this consultation, including only 12 of the 22 Welsh local authorities, along with 16 schools/headteachers and 12 parents/carers. Of those 53, only just over half - 55% - agreed with the penalty notice option.

"Fixed penalty fines can never replace targeted intervention and effective engagement with pupils and parents.

"Whilst parents must take responsibility for their children's behaviour and fulfil their obligation to ensure they attend school, a community-wide approach involving parents, police and local welfare officers would be much more effective than theses punitive measures being implemented by the Education Minister.

"This is yet another attempt at a quick fix by the Minister which is unlikely to be of any benefit to the families concerned."