Skates pledges to keep up the HSBC fight

 

* The HSBC Bank in Bridge Street which is earmarked for closure.

 

CLWYD South Assembly Member Ken Skates has vowed to continue fighting for ‘the best deal possible’ for bank users in Llangollen after HSBC announced it will close the town’s branch in February. 

 

Labour AM Mr Skates and North Wales AM Mark Isherwood met the company’s regional director in Cardiff on Thursday (December 5) to highlight constituents’ concerns over the axing of the branch, which HSBC says has one of the lowest usage rates of its 1,100 in the UK. 

 

Mr Skates, who is based in Llangollen, said: “It was a useful meeting and I was glad to have the opportunity to stress to the bank just how many people will be affected by its decision. HSBC is refusing to budge on its plans to close the branch, but I will continue to fight for the best deal possible for my constituents. 

 

“I have asked the company to consider keeping a cashpoint for its loyal customers here, and they have said they will provide me with contact details for the owner of the building so we can look at whether it could be retained for community use.” 

 

The bank says its records show that the majority of customers in Llangollen use other branches and are internet registered, and the company also stressed that personal banking customers can access HSBC services via any post office. 

 

Mr Skates added: “For many customers, especially some older ones, the loss of the branch is difficult to bear and they will not easily switch to internet banking. 

 

“HSBC has promised to offer full support to customers and has asked me to urge people to contact them to ask about alternative ways to access banking services. The company has also promised to provide a range of collection and drop-off services for business customers."

Support Buy Local Day this Saturday

 

This Saturday, Keep Llangollen Special is combining its latest Buy Local Day, when people are encouraged to support local shops rather than going outside the town to spend their money, with Small Business Saturday, a similar event which has proved very successful in the United States and is being promoted locally by Clwyd South MP, Susan Elan Jones.

 

NI axe will aid local jobs quest, says Aled Roberts

The drive to help young people get jobs in Denbighshire will be boosted by plans to abolish employers’ National Insurance Contributions (NICs) for under 21-years-olds, North Wales Assembly Member Aled Roberts has said.

 

The news means businesses will no longer have to pay tax on employees aged under 21 years old, he believes, and companies will save £1,000 each year for every young employee earning £16,000.

 

In Denbighshire the plan to abolish NICs for young people from April 2015 means companies will not have to pay the contributions for 3,760 young people.

 

 Mr Roberts welcomed the decision, which was as part of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement, and said:  “The Liberal Democrats are focused on getting young people into work and this is exactly the kind of initiative needed to give businesses a break and encourage them to start recruiting.

 

“Since 2010 we have already helped create more than 1.5m new apprenticeships. Meanwhile, Nick Clegg’s £1bn Youth Contract is supporting work experience, wage incentives and apprenticeships.

 

"Our economy is growing because of the hard work of people and businesses, they deserve this help. The coalition's economic plan is the rock on which our recovery is being built – and it is happening because of the Liberal Democrats.”

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."