Skates hits out at planned Legal Aid cuts

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates says proposed cuts to Legal Aid by the UK Government will ‘erode the fair access to justice’ for lower income groups in North Wales.

 

The UK Government recently closed a consultation on reforming Legal Aid with plans to cut criminal legal fees by nearly 20 per cent.  Around 400 legal aid contracts will be split up around England and Wales – replacing the 1,600 firms currently accredited at present.

 

Currently 29 firms serve North Wales with Legal Aid work, with seven firms serving the Wrexham area.  This will be cut to four for the whole of North Wales under the UK Government’s plans.

 

Mr Skates said: “Unfortunately these devastating proposals will only serve to restrict access to justice for vulnerable and low-income groups in North Wales.

 

“The number of firms doing Legal Aid work will be cut to just four in North Wales, leaving many of the most vulnerable of my constituents without the specialist legal advice and representation they desperately need.

 

“By removing crucial services such as legal aid for family law and social welfare law services, it will only increase the pressure and demand being placed on other areas, such as local social services. This will mean that these plan will end up costing more money, not saving it as the Justice Minister says it will.

“Perhaps what I worry about most is that these changes could result in dangerous miscarriages of justice not to mention lead to significant job losses in the legal profession here in North Wales.”

 

The UK Government plans to award 21 contracts to provide legal aid in criminal cases in Wales – nine in South Wales and four each in Dyfed-Powys, Gwent and North Wales.  This compares to 37 being planned in the Greater Manchester area alone.

 

The AM added: “There has always been a problem in access to legal aid in some parts of Wales, with significant gaps in areas outside the major urban centres of Cardiff and Swansea.  The planned cuts will only make the situation even worse in rural areas of North Wales in particular.

 

“All that will be achieved with these cuts is to erode the fair access to justice for lower income groups and vulnerable people in North Wales.  This is completely unacceptable and the UK Government needs to think again.”

Council goes ahead with filling vacancy

Llangollen Town Council is going ahead with the process of filling a vacancy in its ranks left by the recent resignation of Tim Palmer.

Mr Palmer announced at the May meeting he and his family were leaving the UK to begin a new life abroad.

At the latest council meeting on Tuesday night, Town Clerk Gareth Thomas told members the first part of the legal process of finding a replacement was to sound out the desire for a bye-election.

This requires ten electors to sign a petition calling for a ballot but Mr Thomas said that as no such petition had been submitted by the deadline of the previous day, the second part of the process had begun.

This means co-opting a new councillor without the need for a bye-election.

Candidates for co-option need to submit a formal application by a certain date and members agreed with Mr Thomas’s suggestion this should be set at Friday, July 12.

Once all applications have been received, said Mr Thomas, it will then be up to councillors to elect their chosen candidate.

Members agreed that if more than two people put their names forward for the vacancy a special meeting council meeting will be called when the decision will be made.

If two of fewer people apply the decision will be taken during a regular council meeting. 

Bubble Car to run at Llangollen Railway this weekend

* Evan Green-Hughes in the driver’s cab

of the Bubble Car after it was delivered

to Llangollen Railway on Monday, June 17.

A single unit diesel railcar has been delivered to the Llangollen Railway for a final public appearance at its Railcar Gala weekend due to be held on June 22-23 June.

The visitor is a class 121 railcar, popularly known as a ‘Bubble Car’, which was built in 1961 by the Pressed Steel Company for use on suburban lines.

 

It has a driving position at each end of the coach and seats 65 passengers.

 

Until recently it was used by Arriva Trains Wales on the short shuttle service run between Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay.

For this final appearance in service at the Llangollen gala event the railcar has been loaned by Chiltern Railways after it was withdrawn from service and delivered to the depot at Tyseley, Birmingham.

It will be joined at the gala by a similar single car unit, the class 122, as built by the Gloucester Carriage & Wagon Works in 1958, and now preserved on the Battlefield line in Leicestershire.

Evan Green-Hughes, chairman of Llangollen Railcars Group, said: “Having two Bubble Cars together on the Llangollen line will be a unique occasion and they will make an interesting contrast alongside our home based fleet of two car units.

 

"We are very grateful to Chiltern Railways for releasing the class 121 unit to us for this final appearance.

 

"The opportunity to be able to operate two of the type at our gala event has attracted a lot of interest from rail fans and we expect a big attendance from those wishing the sample the 121 for a final time.”

George Jones for Llangollen Railway added: “The visit of the single unit railcar is of interest in the 50^th anniversary of the infamous Beeching Report which led to the closure of the line from Ruabon to Barmouth.

 

"When objections were made to the closure plan in 1964, one idea promoted was the use of the railcar to maintain the service at reduced cost.

 

"However, British Rail management at the time declared that the revenue earning potential of a single unit railcar would be insufficient to cover the maintenance costs of the 52 mile line and the idea was not adopted.

 

"Ruabon to Barmouth remained a steam train operation to the end in January 1965 and no attempt was made to rationalise the railway or to introduce diesel trains.

“This weekend visitors will have the opportunity to see how the line might have operated post Dr Beeching if it has been reprieved from closure.

 

"With a near half hourly service on the 7.5 mile route between Llangollen and Carrog, the railcars will provide the opportunity to sit behind the driver and see the way ahead, something travellers can not do on the national network."

"Certain trains during the gala event will run on to the Railway’s line extension towards Corwen, which means visitors can see what has been achieved so far at the railhead at Bonwm and learn about the plan to reach Corwen East in 2013."

 

He added: “Sadly, the gala will also see the last working of the popular Great Western Auto train as the steam locomotive, Pannier Tank No.6430, is due to be withdrawn from service for its ten year overhaul.

 

"Since it was rebuilt from a kit of parts at Llangollen and returned to service in 2003, the engine has operated with two restored Great Western auto-coaches and provided an opportunity to sample a real branch line train of the 1940s.

 

"No.6430 has been much travelled during its ten year career visiting many other heritage lines in Britain and becoming a splendid representative for the Llangollen Railway. It is hoped the overhaul can be fast tracked to ensure an early return of this popular engine.”

Details of the special timetable for the weekend can be viewed on the Llangollen Railway’s website at: Llangollen-Railway.co.uk

Operatic stars honoured at annual meeting

On Tuesday 4^th June, Llangollen Operatic Society held its Annual General Meeting in the studio.

During the course of the meeting the new Committee was elected and two awards were presented: the John Evans Memorial Trophy, awarded to the member judged to have given the best performance in the recent production of Anything Goes, and the Diana Gay Rose Bowl, presented to the member who has made an outstanding contribution to the Society over the year.

President, Phyllis Reeves, had a difficult task in choosing the winner of the John Evans Trophy this year as there was a real abundance of talent.

However, she made a great decision in selecting Louisa Jones, who played Reno Sweeney and newcomer Paul Bailey, who played Billy Crocker, as the joint recipients.

The winners were announced by Ann Evans, widow of John and mother of longstanding member, Nia.

Unfortunately, neither Louisa nor Paul could be present at the meeting to receive the award in person but both said they were delighted and honoured to have been chosen.

The winner of the Diana Gay Bowl was Pamela Williams. This award was voted for by the membership and was presented by Paul Gay in memory of his late wife who was a talented wardrobe mistress and treasured member and friend for many years.

Members nominated Pamela for her creativity, skills and enormous patience in choreographing the main dance numbers in the annual production and for the Troupe, both this year and in previous years.

Another highlight of the meeting was unanimous decision to confer life membership on Jean Evans. Jean has been a member of the operatic for many years and during that time has made an enormous contribution both on stage and off.

Most recently, Jean has been responsible for the wonderful hairstyles, wigs and fascinators that are always completely appropriate to the period of the show and never fail to add a touch of glamour!

Thanks to all who attended the meeting, to Ann Evans and Paul Gay for presenting the awards and best wishes to the new Committee for the coming year!

Helen Belton and We believe this is a very good deal and in addition to getting an evening of great entertainment you will be making a valued contribution towards the cost of putting on what is guaranteed to be a fantastic show. If you or your company would be interested or you know of someone who would be, please inbox me or call me on 07989 985644. eople, a drink each from the bar, programmes, prominent display of your/ your company's name and the chance to display and distribute your marketing material during the evening.Louisa Jones

Publicity@llangollen-operatic.co.uk

Chain Bridge gets £50,000 facelift boost

 

* The Chain Bridge has been awarded £50,000 towards its facelift.

 

The world-famous Chain Bridge has been awarded £50,000 for restoration  and refurbishment.

 

The project will see the bridge re-opened to pedestrians using chains from the original bridge.

 

This will open up the access route between the Llangollen Canal and Berwyn Halt railway station for the first time in 30 years.

 

The grant award has been given by WREN, a not for profit business which awards grants to community, environmental and heritage projects across the UK from funds donated by FCC Environment to the Landfill Communities Fund.

 

In addition to the physical restoration works an interpretive and education plan will be prepared to ensure that the history of the bridge is well-documented and interpreted to a wide audience which will raise awareness about the bridge and its importance.

 

Meleri Jones, Grant Manager for WREN, said: “We are pleased to support the restoration of the Chain Bridge which is of historical importance for the area. We look forward to it being restored and for local residents and tourists alike to be able to cross the bridge once again."

 

The project will positively enhance the visual appearance of a structure that is currently dilapidated and unsightly and be more in keeping with the World Heritage site and other proposed improvements in the area.

 

Gareth Thomas, Clerk to Llangollen Town Council, said: "We are delighted with the grant award and this takes us a step closer to being able to re-open the bridge.

 

"We are now crossing our fingers for a positive response to an application made to the Heritage Lottery for a further £300,000 grant.”

 

Ambulances take twice target time to arrive, say reports

The BBC and other media are reporting today that ambulances took over twice the target time of eight minutes to respond to 11,000 emergency calls in Wales last year, according to latest figures.

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22922211

Town's food festival makes national top 10

 

* Rob Price from Cadwyn Clwyd with food festival chair Colin Loughlin and Llangollen butcher Gwyn Davies.

 

Hamper Llangollen was named in the Top 10 food festivals in Britain by a national newspaper.

 

The accolade has delighted the organisers of the popular event that will be celebrating its 16th anniversary when it's held on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

 

More good news came when it was revealed the festival won a special award from Llangollen Town Council for its contribution to the commercial life of the town.

 

It's estimated the event pumps nearly £400,000 into the local economy every year with £156,000 being spent at the event and a further £234,000 being spent in the town and the surrounding area.

 

Among the first to applaud the festival was Alun Davies, Minister for Natural Resources and Food.

 

He said: “I would like to congratulate Llangollen Food Festival in their excellent achievement in The Independent's Top 10 Food Festivals in Britain, as well as gaining a special award from Llangollen Town Council for its contribution to the commercial life of the town. 

 

"Food festivals are an excellent way of showcasing the very best of Welsh produce and, I know from my visit to the Llangollen Food Festival last year, that it is a great example of this."

 

Colin Loughlin, chair of the local committee that runs the festival was also delighted.

He HehEhsaid: "I am extremely proud that Hamper Llangollen has received this fantastic recognition of being acknowledged as a top 10 food festival in the whole of the UK.

 

"We are the only North Wales festival to be honoured by the Independent.

 

"The  festival has gone from strength to strength since it was taken over by a local committee in 2011.

 

"The success of Hamper Llangollen is a mark of the quality of the people we have on the committee. Everybody is pulling their weight and the way it has come together is very rewarding.

 

"I think the magic ingredient in the success of the festival is the location, the town of Llangollen and the people who live here.

 

"One of our priorities has been to integrate better with the town by involving the school, the Llangollen Silver Band and local choirs.

 

"We're making a positive contribution the local economy. After last year's event, local traders told us they were delighted with the amount of business we brought to the town. They had a very, very business weekend.

 

"This year Graham Tinsley, the star of ITV's Taste the Nation and a former captain of the Welsh Culinary Team, will be joined in the show kitchen at the festival by the ever popular Dai Chef.

 

"They have done a great deal to raise the profile of real, honest to goodness food and their crusade chimes perfectly with our mission to promote the value of our indigenous producers who bring great taste and traceability to the table.

 

"We have a wonderful array of fantastic food producers clustered in the area and the festival is the perfect shop window for them.

 

"A food festival is so much better and more interesting than going to the supermarket because here you can sample the food and talk to the producers.

 

"Hamper Llangollen is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year and is firmly and rightly established as a major highlight in the UK's culinary calendar."

 

Robert Price, Cadwyn Clwyd's agri-food project officer, said: "In addition to many favourites, we have lots of new food producers wanting to come this year.

 

"The location of the Pavilion is absolutely  spectacular - I can't imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting.

 

"It's also brilliant news for the local economy. If you buy from a local producer, all that money is recycled through the local economy and that sustains employment in our rural areas."

 

For more information about Hamper Llangollen 2013 go to: www.llangollenfoodfestival.com