AMs meet HSBC chiefs to discuss bank closures

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, together with Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, has met HSBC Bank’s regional director, Retail Banking, and regional service manager in the Assembly today following HSBC’s recent announcement of bank closures in Llangollen, Conwy and Beaumaris.

 

The AMs highlighted concerns raised with them by constituents about the impact these closures will have on them, but were told that the bank was unable to reverse its decision because customer usage at these three branches was amongst the lowest of its network of 1,100 branches across the UK.

 

The AMs asked the bank to consider the provision of an ATM cashpoint machine and were told that the bank would give this its consideration and let them know what decision it reached.

 

The bank’s representatives stated their records showed that the majority of customers at the three branches already use other branches and are internet registered.

 

However they said they want to talk with all their customers  - and especially those who lack mobility or internet access – about alternative ways they can access services.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “They are using their own database to identify their most vulnerable customers, some information is not held by them and all information is helpful.

 

"The bank emphasised that all personal customers can access HSBC via any post office, that they offer personal internet banking, that mobile phones can now be used to pay bills and transfer cash and that business customers can use the ‘fast bank’ service.

 

"The bank also emphasised that it wants a conversation with its local business customers about the different ways it can help.”

 

Methodist Church hosts Christmas tree festival

 

* Part of the whole display of trees in the church.

 

* Above: The arrangement created by pupils at Ysgol Dinas Bran.

Right: The tree cooked up by the Buttered Crust.
 

Llangollen Methodist Church is currently running its annual Christmas tree festival.

The church features a number of examples of creatively decorated trees, which can be seen by going along there between 10am and 4pm today (Thursday), tomorrow and Saturday.

Red sky at morning ...

* With large areas of the UK, including North Wales, bracing themselves for gale-force winds and flooding, llanblogger captured the stunning sunrise over our part of the world earlier this morning (Thursday).

Community councils may be asked to take on more responsibility

Representatives from Denbighshire County Council are to meet a delegation from some of the main town and community councils and the voluntary sector later this month  to discuss public services.

The council needs to find £8.5 million of savings in 2014/15, with  up to £5.5 million in subsequent years.  

It says this means it cannot continue to deliver all of its current services in the current format and it is looking at potential alternative solutions.

The authority is hoping that the main town and community councils, including Llangollen, along with the voluntary sector will look at whether they could be in a position to deliver some services.

Mohammed Mehmet, Chief Executive of Denbighshire, said: "We are proud of the work that we have done in Denbighshire to date to mitigate the effects of the tremendous financial pressure facing us, in light of our funding allocation.  

"That work has seen us make better use of resources, being more efficient and effective in the way in which we do business.

"That kind of planning has been invaluable in maintaining and protecting frontline services. However, with other major savings to be made over the coming years we need to look at different ways of delivering some services.  That is where our town and community councils come in.

"We have already seen examples of where town councils have taken over responsibility for assets and some community services very effectively in the past few years.  

"There are tough decisions to be made, particularly in 2015/16, and we need hold discussions with town and community councils early, to see whether they are in a position to deliver services instead of the county council or whether an alternative solution can be found.

"The two tiers of local government need to have an honest and open dialogue, to see how we can work together over the coming years, for the benefit of Denbighshire residents."

Warning over strong winds

Denbighshire County Council is advising residents that the Met Office has issued a warning of strong winds to affect the North Wales region tomorrow (Thursday).

Winds are expected to increase in strength in the early hours and by daylight the Met Office is expecting gusts of around 60 or 70 mph. Some minor damage to trees is expected, with difficult driving conditions also anticipated.

A flood alert is also being issued for the whole of the North Wales Coast area, with the potential for large waves to cause overtopping of defences in some places.

The Council is monitoring the situation and is advising people to monitor weather forecasts online, radio and television for the latest information.  

The latest forecasts are available on the Met Office website: www.metoffice.gov.uk  with further advice available on Natural Resources Wales' website:  www.naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

Witness appeal follows petrol theft

Police are appealing for information after petrol was drained from a car parked in a lay-by in Cefn Mawr.

 

The petrol was stolen sometime between 7.30pm on Saturday, November 30 and 10am on Monday, December 2, when the vehicle was parked in the lay-by on the High Street.

 

Unknown offenders are believed to have damaged the petrol tank with a sharp implement and then drained the petrol out.

 

Anyone who may have information relating to the incident is asked to contact the Investigation Support Team on 101. Alternatively call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Star line-up announced for 2014 eisteddfod

* Bryn Terfel.

Opera superstar Bryn Terfel and jazz sensation Caro Emerald have been unveiled as the headline acts at next year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The acclaimed bass baritone will be playing the lead in a special production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street featuring an all-Welsh cast.



Organisers also revealed there will be a world premiere of a new work by top composer Karl Jenkins and an appearance by the chart-topping singing brothers, Richard and Adam Johnson (pictured above) from Holywell, in Flintshire.

* Karl Jenkins.

The lavish production of Sweeney Todd on Monday, July 7, will be a curtain raiser for the 2014 festival which gets underway the following day.

The evening is being sponsored by the Wrexham-based care organisation, Pendine Park, that’s won a raft of awards for the way in which they use the arts to enrich the lives of residents.

Tickets will go on sale to season ticket holders immediately and will go on sale online only on December 20 when another big announcement is expected.

Next March Bryn will be starring in another version of the show with the New York Philharmonic orchestra at the Big Apple’s iconic Lincoln Center where he will be sharing the bill with Oscar winning actress Emma Thompson.

Before then the bass baritone from Pant Glas, in Gwynedd, will be seen performing at the Royal Variety Performance from London’s Palladium which is being shown on ITV on December 9 which, coincidentally, also stars Caro Emerald.

* Caro Emerald.

On the Tuesday night at the Eisteddfod there will be a galaxy of international talent at the Carnival of Nations concert.

It will showcase spectacular circus acts from across the globe including Cirque du Soleil’s Bruce Bilodeau, acrobats from the Chinese State Circus Acrobats and Spelbound, winners of Britain’s Got Talent. The concert will include the official opening ceremony of the festival and the Procession of Nations into the Pavilion.

The following night will see the return of Karl Jenkins, the highest selling classical composer alive today, with the world premiere of his latest masterpiece, Adiemus Colores.

He will conduct his Latin American themed work with American tenor Noah Stewart making a welcome return, Venezuelan trumpeter Pacho Flores and Latvian accordion player Ksenija Sidorova to the accompaniment of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod Orchestra.

* Noah Stewart.

The multi-award winning Dutch jazz singer Caro Emerald will be making her Llangollen debut on the Thursday evening.  Earlier this year her second studio album, The Shocking Miss Emerald, went to No 1 in the UK album chart.

The Friday night concert, Spirit of Unity, will feature the Cape Town Opera, Africa’s premier opera company, famed for their “vibrant vocalism and high-octane stage performances”.

Appearing with them will be Wales’ representative in Cardiff Singer of the World, Gary Griffiths, the Wales Millennium Centre Only Kidz Aloud Chorus under the baton of celebrity conductor Tim Rhys Evans and British Sinfonietta, one of the UK’s leading independent professional orchestras.

The Choir of the World competition on the Saturday night is the blue riband event of the week-long festival and remains one of the foremost choral competitions in the international choral calendar, according to Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths.

The Pavarotti Trophy and a cash prize of £3,500 are awarded to the overall winner from the Mixed, Female, Male, Youth choir and new Open Category competitions.

There will also be a competition to find the dance champions of 2014 and to top the evening off Richard and Adam, who shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, will appear as special guests.

It will be the first time Bryn Terfel has performed on the International Eisteddfod stage since he opened the 2006 festival and that was his first appearance at Llangollen in a decade.

He said: “I’m absolutely thrilled I’m able to appear at the 2014 International Eisteddfod. I’m a proud Welshman and the International Eisteddfod is unique, the atmosphere, the colour, the audience, even the flowers, it really is a very, very special event.”

The lead role as the mean, brooding, murderous barber particularly excites Bryn who added: “I’m really looking forward to returning to sing the role of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

“I had the honour of meeting Sondheim when I sang Sweeney for the first time for a production at the Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2002 and was privileged to be a soloist for the BBC Proms Concert honouring Sondheim’s 80th Birthday in 2010.

“I haven’t sung the role since 2007 so I’m grateful to have the opportunity to reprise the role at the Lincoln Center in New York, along with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, in March.

“This will hold me in good stead for when I return to Llangollen. And to be part of an all Welsh cast what a coup! What other nation would be able to do this!”

Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: “I am really excited about the line-up for next year which I am sure will prove a big hit with our audiences.

“We are currently finalising the arrangements for our final Sunday night concert and we will be in a position to reveal our smash hit headline act very soon. Watch this space!”

To book tickets and for more details on the 2014 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk