Skates lashes "cruel" bedroom tax

CLWYD South Assembly Member Ken Skates has condemned the UK Government after new figures revealed more than 600 households across Denbighshire have been hit by its ‘cruel’ bedroom tax. 

 

Labour AM Mr Skates described the Tory-led Westminster coalition as ‘heartless’ after data from the Department of Work and Pensions showed the number of homes left worse off since the benefit cuts were imposed in April. 

 

He said: “I had grave concerns as soon as these cruel plans to penalise many hard-working families on modest incomes were announced by the Conservatives, and despite numerous warnings from welfare charities about the impact the bedroom tax would have the heartless UK Government has repeatedly refused to listen. 

 

 “The bedroom tax has already hit 651 in Denbighshire according to the most up-to-date DWP figures, among them many of my constituents who were struggling to make ends meet before it was introduced and who are now in dire straits. 

 

“Across Wales almost 34,000 homes are out of pocket thanks to this Tory-led policy. Families are falling behind on rent and are suffering up and down the country – this attack on people’s livings standards is having disastrous consequences.” 

 

* The most up to date figures from the Department of Work and Pensions can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/number-of-housing-benefit-claimants-and-average-weekly-spare-room-subsi

Gracie-Ann cooks up healthy meal win

* Gracie Ann Parker, school cook Helen Fiskin and Caron Jones, Healthy Schools Coordinator at Ysgol Rhewl, with some of the other pupils.

During October 2013, Hamper Llangollen (Llangollen Food Festival) in partnership with the Denbighshire School Meals Service and Denbighshire Healthy Schools ran a competition for primary school pupils to design a healthy and balanced meal using at least two fruit or vegetables and identifying the key food groups.

The winning pupil was Gracie-Ann Parker from Ysgol Rhewl.

Gracie won the pleasure of having school meals for one week.  

Helen Fiskin, the school cook, used Gracie’s recipe to prepare a healthy and nutritionally balanced lunch for Gracie and the pupils at Ysgol Rhewl.

Gracie also had the opportunity to cook on stage with Dai Chef at the Llangollen Food Festival.  

County introduces Christmas free parking

Denbighshire County Council is re-introducing a parking initiative to support town centres and villages in the run up to Christmas.

From November 21 until December 31, all of the Council’s public car parks will be free after 3pm each day.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: “We feel this is a vitally important initiative in the run up to Christmas and we hope that our local economy will benefit from such a scheme.

“Our towns and villages have a wealth of smaller, independent retailers and we are encouraging people to shop locally and support the local traders. By offering free parking after 3pm, we hope that it will encourage residents and visitors to come into our communities and sample the wealth of goods available in the run up to the festive season”.

Woman airlifted to hospital

A woman with leg injuries was airlifted to hospital by helicopter following an incident at Llantysilio earlier today.

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 11.12am (Monday) to an incident in Llantysilio, near Llangollen.

 

“We sent an emergency ambulance, an ambulance officer and the Helimed helicopter to the scene, and a woman with leg injuries was flown to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd.”

More on this story has just been posted on the Daily Post website at http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/woman-hurt-driving-buggy-llangollen-6315746

Alert after spate of thefts in Llan

Neighbourhood Watch has alerted people in the area to a series of thefts in Llangollen over the past few days.

Sometime between 5pm on 17th November to 8am on 18th November 2013, a Red Honda Quadbike was stolen from a farm in the Rhewl area of Llangollen.

The quadbike is approximately eight months old and does not have any distinguishing features.

Offenders used a sledgehammer to break the lock of a farming shed in order to gain access to the quadbike, after which they then 'barrelled' in order to get it moved.

* Sometime between 11pm on 15th November and 7am on 16th November 2013, offenders gained access to a car in the Maes Bache area of Llangollen by smashing the passenger window.

Once entry has been gained a black women's handbag has been stolen. The handbag has yet to be found.

* Sometime between 11pm on 15th November and 7am on 16th November 2013, offenders gained entry into a garage on The Hermitage in Llangollen by breaking a padlock.

Once entry has been gained, unknown branded power tools were stolen from inside.

* Sometime between 1am and 10am on November 16th 2013, offenders gained entry into two garage/sheds in the Lower Dee Mill area of Abbey Road in Llangollen.

Entry was gained by breaking padlocks from the doors, and once within power tools were stolen, these include: 1x blue Makita drill with orange battery, 1x bright yellow 240v electric recuperating saw with 6" blade and 2x Makita drill cases.

* Two males were seen in the Maes Collen area of Llangollen trying garage and car doors at approximately 04.30 in the morning of 16th November 2013.

They ran off when a witness turned on light in his house.

The males were both early twenties in age, one was wearing a dark hooded top and the other a pale coloured hooded top.

AM calls for meeting over Llan bank closure

CLWYD South Assembly Member Ken Skates has called for a meeting with bank bosses after HSBC announced the closure of another branch in his constituency.

Labour AM Mr Skates is trying to arrange talks with the company’s hierarchy to see if anything can be done to stop the Llangollen branch shutting in February.

 

He said: “Since the announcement earlier this month I have been contacted by several constituents who are angry and upset about the proposed closure, which follows the closure of banks in Cefn Mawr, Rhos and Corwen in the past few years.

 

“Since the Corwen branch closed in October last year, my constituents there have had to travel to Llangollen for banking services – now they will be forced to travel more than 20 miles to Wrexham. People in Llangollen also now face a 24-mile round trip.

 

“I understand the Llangollen branch is due to hold an open day on Thursday (November 21) to celebrate 150 years of banking in the town, but if they go ahead with the event I think it shows just how badly they’ll have misjudged the public’s mood.”

 

Mr Skates added: “While HSBC’s decision appears to be final, as an elected representative it is my job to do everything I can to try and convince the company to rethink – and that’s exactly what I intend to do.”

 

Resident jailed for not paying council tax

Failure to pay council tax in Denbighshire will not be tolerated- that’s the message from the county council following the latest prosecution case.

This week a Denbigh resident received a 27-day prison sentence for not paying council tax arrears totalling £1,410.

She had failed to make payment in line with an order given by a magistrate at a previous hearing.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance, said: “Despite warnings and orders from an earlier magistrates court hearing, the defendant continued to avoid paying council tax.

“Taking people to court is very much a last resort for the council. The majority of people pay their council taxes on time, but some individuals continue to avoid paying and this financial pressure is then borne by the law abiding residents.

“We appreciate that a number of people may have difficulty in paying their council tax and we ask they contact the Council at their earliest convenience to discuss a payment plan. 

"The majority of people pay their council tax on time, but a small group of people wilfully do not pay their council taxes on time."
 
* Anyone who has arrears but have not made any arrangements to pay can contact the Council’s Recovery Team, on 01824 706321.