Santa briefs chamber on Christmas Festival

* The opening parade at last year's Christmas Festival.

Santa himself turned up at the monthly meeting of Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism in the Hand Hotel on Monday night to give members details of the town’s Christmas festival this year.

Looking suspiciously like former chamber chairman John Palmer under a big white beard, he said that, as usual, the event was all about bringing together the Llangollen community and supporting local businesses.

The festival, planned for Saturday, November 30, will feature a parade, street stalls, raffles, a grotto, an appearance by Llangollen Silver Band, carol singing and the ceremonial switch-on of the Christmas lights.

Santa said the festival was expected to attract around 2,000 people to the town on what would otherwise be a quiet November Saturday.

He added: “It will help the community but a donation will also be made to Hope House Hospice.”

The big parade starts from Mill Street car park at 1pm and later Santa and his Welsh counterpart Siôn Corn will be on hand to meet young visitors in their grotto inside the Town Hall.

Entertainment will this year be centred on the steps of the library and tourist information centre as well as in the Royal Gardens just across the road.

Santa explained that the Royal Hotel had given special permission for the shop at the corner of its premises to be used for Punch and Judy shows and story-telling sessions for youngsters.

Chamber chairman David Davies said that, up to now, 18 shops and businesses in the town had agreed to join in a search-for-the-sheep competition in which people will be asked to locate the small woollen animals and give each one a name.

The lights will be switched on at 5pm followed by a firework display.  

AM urges men to have prostate cancer check

AN ASSEMBLY Member is urging men to get a potentially life-saving health check during a month-long male cancer awareness campaign. 

 

More than 2,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in Wales, and experts predict it will be the UK’s most common cancer by 2030. 

 

Mr Skates, Labour AM for Clwyd South, is keen for as many men as possible to get themselves checked during Movember, which last year raised £27m in the UK to fund research initiatives to combat prostate and testicular cancer.  

 

He said: “In the UK, one in eight men will get prostate cancer at some point in their lives. It is the most common cancer in men and kills more than 500 in Wales every year. Across the UK more than 100 men are diagnosed with the disease and a man dies from prostate cancer every hour – that's more than 10,000 every year. 

 

“These facts and figures are a stark reminder of how important it is for men – especially those aged over 50 – to make sure they are regularly checked.” 

 

Symptoms of prostate problems can include needing to urinate more often, difficulty starting to urinate,  a weak flow and a feeling that your bladder has not emptied properly. 

 

Mr Skates added: “If you are experiencing problems, or simply to put your mind at rest, contact your GP or call a specialist prostate cancer nurse in confidence on 0800 074 8383. Don’t take any chances – it’s better to be safe than sorry.”   

 

New health chief invited to address county council

Denbighshire County Council is to invite the new chair of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Dr Peter Higson, to address members.

This follows a notice of motion in the name of a group of county councillors which reads:
"In light of the recent critical national coverage of Ysgoly Glan Clwyd and our long-standing concerns about the running of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, we call upon the recently appointed chair of the board to attend the next meeting of full council.  

"We would like him to explain his plans for turning around the reputation of the board and health service in general across North Wales and here in Denbighshire.

"We want him to tell us how he will rebuild the confidence of staff, patients and the general public in our local health services." 

Cash available for crime-busting projects

Do you have a crime reduction project which would benefit from financial support?

 

If the answer is ‘yes’ North Wales Police would like to hear from you.

 

Money seized from local criminals via POCA (Proceeds of Crime) and funds from the Police and Crime Commissioner are being made available for local communities to use on projects which will help cut crime and reduce anti-social behaviour.

 

Bids are now being accepted from groups for a share of £42k across North Wales for the Participatory Budgeting Pilot Scheme.

 

Each local authority area has been allocated £7k and applicants will be invited to present their bids to a local panel who will then decide which project will go forward to a final public vote. Each winning project can receive a maximum of £3.5k.

 

Public voting will take place online and further details regarding how to vote will be publicised in due course.

 

Application form (pdf)
Application pack (word document).

 

Winston Roddick, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, said: “During my first year in office I have built my most effective policies on what you the public have told me. The most obvious examples are the development of the rural crime team and additional police officers.

 

“I want to build on this approach by piloting a participatory budgeting grant scheme. This means that the communities of north Wales will be able to decide which projects are given financial support. I know there are communities and organisations  who have innovative projects that can help make our communities safer. This pilot scheme will put the decision-making power in the hands of our communities by letting them decide which projects to support.

 

“The scheme will be funded partly through monies recovered through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), which is the money accumulated by convicted criminals, being returned for reinvestment in the communities of north Wales. The other part will be provided from the funds which have been allocated to the Commissioner’s Fund."

 

He added: “I look forward to receiving applications for funding from across north Wales and to hear your views on which projects should be supported by this fund.”

 

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Simon Shaw said: “North Wales Police are pleased to support this Participatory Budget Pilot in partnership with the Police and Crime Commissioner. Feedback from our communities, partners and staff show that the reduction of crime and anti-social behaviour is a key priority.

 

“This pilot fund aims to give local communities and organisations the opportunity to develop innovative projects that will help address these issues. Applicants might find it useful to speak to neighbourhood policing teams about their proposals."

 

He added: “I would like to wish applicants the best of luck and we very much look forward to receiving the proposals.”

Applicants must be a properly constituted voluntary organisation, community group or charity working  in North Wales.

Completed applications must be returned via email to participatorybudgetfund@nthwales.pnn.police.uk

The closing date for applications is 12:00 noon on Saturday 30^th November 2013.

Projects must be completed and grant monies spent by 31^st March 2014.

If you would like to speak to a member of your local policing team to discuss your proposal please visit the Neighbourhood Policing section

.

New law makes for easier walking and cycling in Wales

A landmark Welsh law to make it easier for people to walk and cycle in Wales has been granted Royal Assent by Her Majesty the Queen.

The Letters Patent for the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013, signed by Her Majesty the Queen and Sealed with the Welsh Seal.

 

The Act - which is considered to be a world first - makes it a legal requirement for local authorities in Wales to map and create fully integrated transport networks that consider the needs of walkers and cyclists.

By connecting key sites such as workplaces, hospitals, schools and shopping areas with traffic free routes and cycle lanes, the Act will encourage people to rely less on their cars when making short journeys.

The Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 completed its passage through the National Assembly for Wales October 1st 2013.

A Bill receives Royal Assent when Letters Patent under the Welsh Seal signed with Her Majesty’s own hand signifying Her Assent are notified to the Clerk of the National Assembly.

The Bill then becomes an Act of the Assembly.
The Welsh Seal was applied to the Letters Patent in a ceremony in Cardiff earlier today (Monday November 4th).

The First Minister of Wales, Carwyn Jones said: "This act is a landmark piece of legislation. As a government, we have a proud track record of developing and delivering pioneering policies that make a real difference to people’s lives.

“I’m especially proud we are using our legislative powers to make Wales a true global leader in promoting cycling and walking as a realistic alternative to the car.”

Minister for Culture & Sport, John Griffiths said:“This act will help to begin integrating exercise into everyday life. By making it easier to walk and cycle, it will help make it easier for people all over Wales to be physical active. That should have a beneficial impact on  the health and well-being of people in Wales.”

Suspected human skull found

West Mercia Police sais this morning (Monday) that carbon dating will be carried out on what is believed to be part of a human skull found in woodland at SweeneyMountain, near Oswestry.

Police are continuing to search the location although no other bones have been discovered to date.
The remains were found on Saturday by an organised shooting party.

Detective Inspector Mark Bellamy said today it is likely to be several weeks before the results of carbon dating are known.

He said: “It appears to be part of a human skull, believed to be that of an adult male.  It’s possibly many years old but until tests have been carried out we cannot be sure.

“A pathologist will also examine the remains and an anthropologist is also assisting.  We will be carrying out further searches of the area to establish if there are any other skeletal remains.”

The Shropshire coroner, Mr John Ellery has been informed.

Councillor reveals his "big vision" for Llan parking

THE old municipal tip and the new health centre both figure in a councillor’s “big vision” for the future of parking provision in Llangollen.

Stuart Davis, who represents the town on Denbighshire County Council, says that in a bid to address complaints about a shortage of parking facilities he would like to see the number of spaces doubled in the next two years.

* Cllr Stuart Davies. 

He now plans to ask council officers to come up with an in-depth study on how this can be achieved.

Cllr Davies revealed that one of the possible solutions he has in mind is creating a large number of spaces on the former council refuse tip on the A539 just outside the town, which was closed some years due to access problem from the busy main road.

Another of his ideas is for the council to reach an agreement with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to share use of parking spaces which will be created to serve the planned new health centre on the site of the River Lodge.

Cllr Davies said: “I have had representations from businesses in the town as parking has become a real issue.

“I have therefore called a meeting across a number of county departments, including planning, traffic and highways, to see what can be done.

“My big vision for the next two years is to double the 400-odd spaces we currently have over the next two years, but we’ve got to be inventive about it.

“I am looking at a traffic management study to get the number of spaces we need and then for it to be made a priority in the Town Plan.”

He added: “We’re going to have 75 parking spaces with the new health centre. I am suggesting we talk to the health board about putting a meter in there and using these for the public at the weekend when the centre doesn’t need them.

“I  also think we could use the old refuse tip at Wenffryd for out of town parking, where we might get at least 100 spaces.

“It’s never been properly developed because of access problems from the main road but the money raised from parking there could pay for a safe right turn to be made into it.

“It’s also possible that we could use some of the money to build some football pitches there for community use.

“This is very much a work in progress but with the tight financial situation we should be looking at ways of increasing parking provision without having to rely on ratepayers to foot the bill.”