County's Advice Network wins praise from Welsh Government

The success of the Denbighshire Advice Network in securing over £100 million in extra social security benefits and tax credits during its lifetime has been praised as an example of best practice in a report issued by the Welsh Government.

The Denbighshire Advice Network was set up following local government reorganisation in 1996 and network members work together to ensure that both specialist and generalist advice is available throughout the county meeting the needs of a diverse range of clients.

Members meet on a quarterly basis to discuss new legislation and polity, to discuss good practice, access free training, undertake joint campaigns and share information about new projects.

Now it has been cited as example of best practice in the Welsh Government document, ‘Advice Services Review: Final Research Report’.

Membership of the Network ranges from Age Concern to Youth Inclusion Programme, Shelter Cymru to Denbighshire’s Family Information Service, Mental Health Advocacy Service to the Voluntary Services Council, working to ensure that all advice providers across the age and specialism spectrum are engaged and as many local people as possible have access to effective information and advice services.

In 2012 Network members lead a successful project bid to the Welsh Government’s European Social Fund, supported by the joint Conwy and Denbighshire Local Service Board, to deliver a financial inclusion and anti-poverty project across Conwy and Denbighshire.

Some of the successes from last year include:

• £10.8m in confirmed State Benefit and Tax Credit gains, a 31% increase on last year and a record high since Denbighshire County Council started in 1996.

• 246 people have been represented at appeal tribunals with a 66% success rate, mainly overturning decisions to disentitled people from Employment and Support Allowance.

• Lifting 567  children  and  997 adults above the UK and Welsh Government's 60% median income poverty lines, in total this is a 52% increase on last year and a record high.

• Raising 419 households out of fuel poverty, a 68% increase on last year and a record high.

• CAB resolved £18m of personal debt for 1761 people,  a 5% increase on last year.

Richard Jones Abbas, Denbighshire’s Welfare Rights Manager, said: “We are delighted that the Welsh Government has recognised the tremendous amount of good work going on in Denbighshire to reduce poverty and to make sure people know what they are entitled to claim.

“In this current economic climate, it is vital that people have access to lots of advice and information of where there are funds available and how to access them in times of need".

People wanting welfare rights advice can contact a number of organisations for information and support.

■ Denbighshire’s Welfare Rights team
Freephone 0800 169 6625
(Weekdays 10am -4pm)
■ Denbighshire CAB
01745 334568 or 814336.

AM calls for caravan park legislation

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is calling for  proposed new holiday caravan park legislation to address concerns raised by the industry in North Wales.

 

Speaking in the Assembly Debate ‘Seeking the Assembly’s Agreement to Introduce a Member Proposed Bill on Holiday Caravan Park (Wales)’, Mr Isherwood called for the Bill to address the concerns of holiday park representatives in North Wales, deal with the problem of people living on holiday caravan parks all year around and protect caravan owners who are threatened with unfair eviction.

 

He said: “The industry states that, if inappropriately drafted, legislation would give rise to the increased cost and red-tape burden on an industry that is a mainstay of Welsh tourism, at a time of an extremely hard market. The industry wants to see abuses in holiday parks eradicated. However, it says that local authorities already have the powers to enforce.

 

"The industry says that the history of poor enforcement could be best addressed through giving local authorities a duty to enforce. However, the issues that are highlighted by the Bill’s proposal address the planning and site licensing of a park business, and, since the position for each park will be different in both these respects, they say that it is essential that enforcement is addressed on a case-by-case basis.”

 

Mr Isherwood asked for the Bill to tackle the problem of caravan owners living on sites all year around by calling on local authorities to make checks to ascertain that a site licence applicant is not seeking to circumvent the home park legislation by applying to license a home park site as a holiday site.

 

“The terms of Tree Tops caravan park state that the park is not a residential caravan park, and that neither Flintshire County Council, nor the park directors will allow customers to make their mobile holiday home their permanent home. This means that you will need to be able to prove that you are using your caravan holiday home within the terms of the park licence."

 

He also called for the new legislation to be designed to help caravan owners who are unfairly evicted, stating that caravan owners had complained that park owners used terms and conditions that allowed park owners to treat them arbitrarily. The Assembly agreed that the Bill's proposer, Welsh Conservative AM for Clwyd West, Darren Millar, could introduce a Bill on Holiday Caravan Parks in Wales.

 

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Musical theatre workshops to be staged in Llan

Professional dance tutor Julie Thomas is staging a two-day musical theatre workshop for children at Llangollen Town Hall during the school summer holidays on July 23 and 24.

Entitled Matilda, the workshops, which run from 10am-4pm each day, take as their theme the popular Roald Dahl book of that name. Cost is £38.

For more details, ring 07944 402474, or 07814 661165.

Shuttle bus idea aired at council meeting

A call for a shuttle bus to serve various parts of the town was made at Llangollen Town Council meeting on Tuesday night.

Town Clerk Gareth Thomas had told members he had received a number of requests from members of the public for the number 64 bus to be re-routed to take in the Maesmawr area.

Cllr Sheena Burrell said: “I think that’s a good idea because we have a bus which already takes in Pengwern, so why not other areas?

“I think it would be wonderful if we could have a shuttle bus service going round all parts of Llangollen, perhaps running once an hour.”

Cllr Phil Thane said it would be a good idea to contact the bus company to ask if they could station a small bus locally to run a service from the town centre to various estates.

Members agreed with a suggestion from the Town Clerk that a representative from the bus company be invited to attend a future council meeting to discuss various aspects of the local service.

Praises of Llan Eisteddfod sung in the Commons

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was yesterday (Thursday) praised in the House of Commons Chamber during a parliamentary debate on the arts and creative industries.

Local MP Susan Elan Jones spoke of the importance of the arts for international and community cohesion.

"The Llangollen international musical eisteddfod in my constituency was set up at the end of the second world war, to bring nations and cultures together," said Ms Jones.

The Eisteddfod was also praised by Labour Deputy Leader Harriet Harman MP who commented in the same debate: "One of the things that is so distinctive and admirable about Wales is its people’s love of culture and the eisteddfod tradition. I pay tribute to that."

Speaking after the debate, Susan Elan Jones MP said: "The vision and the dream that led to the creation of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was an extraordinary one.

"And what is even more amazing is how the Eisteddfod continues and thrives today.

"As a former steward at the Eisteddfod, I am very honoured to have been invited to be a Day President on the Friday of this year's International Eisteddfod.
 
FOR HANSARD LINK, SEE:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130619/debtext/130619-0002.htm#130619-0002.htm_spnew111

"Worrying" rise in Welsh bus fares highlighted

According to a story on the BBC Wales news site this morning, bus fares have risen more sharply in Wales than other parts of the UK, amid warnings it could lead to people unable to pay to travel.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22999531

Town council agrees on CCTV upgrade

Llangollen Town Council has agreed to spend around £5,000 on upgrading its inefficient CCTV system.

The network of cameras helps keep a watchful eye on the streets around the town centre.

But the ageing system has become increasingly unreliable and is said to be badly in need of an upgrade.

At Tuesday night’s council meeting, Town Clerk Gareth Thomas told members two of the cameras had completely broken down while others were faulty – one due to interference from a third party wi-fi system – and another was “on the cusp” of  a breakdown.

Mr Thomas revealed that the entire system had failed completely the previous Friday due to a software problem, leaving the town temporarily without its eye-in-the-sky protection until an emergency repair was made.

He said the system’s existing provider had quoted a figure of £8,000 to get the system up and running with an additional figure to upgrade it to a more modern standard. Quotations from other companies had been higher.

He told members: “I suggest we move forward with the current provider to upgrade the system. I am confident that if we go down that road we will have a system that will monitor the town.”

Mr Thomas pointed out that the total cost of an upgrade would be £500 to £600 more than had originally been budgeted for and suggested this amount should be taken from reserves.

He also suggested next year’s budget should make provision for adding “a couple more cameras” to the system.

Cllr Phil Thane asked about the initial cost of installing the cameras some years ago and what benefits the system had brought.

Mr Thomas said he believed it had originally cost around £56,000 but that only the police could say exactly how effective it had been.

However, he added: “The police say it has been a very good deterrent.”

Last year’s mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, said the cameras had initially helped cut down on an anti-social behaviour problem and that the council was still committed to the original expenditure it had made on the system.

Members agreed to take a small amount of cash from reserves to help pay for the repair and upgrade of the system.