Ambulance response times come under fire

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, has criticised the Welsh Labour government’s handling of the ambulance service, after figures show that the 8 minute emergency target was significantly missed.

 

Only 57.6% of emergency responses to Category A ‘immediately life-threatening calls’ arrived within 8 minutes.  This is despite the Welsh Government’s target for 65% of these calls to be responded to within this time.  It is also a decrease in performance compared to the previous month when 63.2% of calls were responded to within 8 minutes.

 

Kirsty Williams AM said: “These shocking figures seriously undermine the Labour Health Minister’s assurances that response times are improving.

 

“The Minister may blame winter pressures, and it is true that there were a high number of emergency calls, but the fact remains that poor ambulance response times take place all year.

 

“Having 65% of life-threatening calls responded to within 8 minutes is not an ambitious target, yet the Welsh Labour government consistently fails to meet it.  The Minister needs to be looking at why, after one month of achievement in October, response times are once again on a downward spiral.

 

“It’s a sad fact that the Welsh Labour government is failing patients across Wales.  Whether it is inadequate cancer care, poor ambulance response times or dire A&E waiting times, the Welsh Labour government is not offering a health service that patients in Wales deserve.”

Live comedy comes to Pavilion tomorrow

Live stand up comedy makes a welcome return to the Llangollen Pavilion this Friday evening.

Throughout 2014, Llangollen Comedy Club promises to bring some of the best talent from across the comedy circuit to the town's Pavilion.

The first show takes place this Friday, January 31.

Headlining the first show is Keith Carter in the guise of loveable Liverpool 'scally' Nige.

A previous winner of Comedian of the Year at the Liverpool Echo Arts Awards, Keith has also been a runner up in the BBC’s New Comedy Awards and Channel 4′s “So You Think You’re Funny”.

Apart from being a gifted character comedian, Keith is also a talented comic actor and writer. His credits include work for BBC Radio 2 and 4 as well as a play for Liverpool's Unity Theatre.

Compere on the night is Ray Peacock (pictured right). A prolific writer and performer, Ray is one of the most popular comperes and headline performers on the circuit.

Since 2009 he has co-hosted the award winning Peacock and Gamble Podcast. The Guardian listed the show as one of the top 10 comedy podcasts, describing it as "35 minutes of pure gold".

His TV credits include acting roles in Doctor Who, Skins and Harry Hill’s TV Burp and stand up on Russell Howard's Good News.

Completing the line-up is Welsh comic Kiri Pritchard-McLean. Named Breakout Act of the Year by Nottingham Comedy Festival, she combines a charming stage manager with a quick, deft wit.

The shows are a joint venture between Llangollen based Radiant Events and Kill For A Seat, who also run comedy shows at Mold's Theatr Clwyd.

Tickets for this Friday's show, priced at £8.50, are available to buy online at www.llancomedy.co.uk or in person from the Llangollen Pavilion or Gales of Llangollen. Doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8pm.

Body discovered in local garden

The Daily Post website is reporting this afternoon that the body of an elderly woman has been found in a Llangollen garden following an overnight search involving the police helicopter.

See the full story at:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwyneth-morris-elderly-womans-body-6639537

County council approves £8.5 million cuts

Denbighshire County Council has now approved cuts of £8.5 million to its budget for the next financial year.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-25904612

Railway plans trek to view new track

* A view from the site of the buffer stop looking east towards Carrog.

Llangollen Railway is inviting people to join a walk to view the extension of its track to Corwen on Saturday, February 1.  

 

Railway spokesman George Jones said: “Although the weather forecast for next weekend seems rather undecided, in the expectation there is no snow in the offering, an escorted walk is being arranged for a party to view progress on the track extension project as it nears the last half mile into what will be Dwyrain Corwen East.

 

“The party will get away from Carrog station at 11.45am, following the arrival of the first train of the season - a DMU service from Llangollen.

 

“The route will be via the riverside path, crossing the railway and going up on to the main A5 road then along the pavement to Bonwm where the new track comes into view.

 

“Continuing along t he A5, the track extension is visible as far as Over Bridge 28A, hence the trackbed clearance activity through to the outskirts of Corwen.

 

“From here the site of the platform is now evident with the footings in place and the progress with the flood relief scheme works.

 

“The walk will end at the car park from where a Route 5 bus ride back to Carrog is available at eight minutes past the hour, allowing perhaps for refreshment in the town. This is the option to see where the trains will run and terminate later in 2014.

 

“The distance of the walk is about 2.5 miles, duration with stops for viewing/information of perhaps 100 minutes.

 

“Stout footwear and weatherproof outdoor clothing essential, and yellow hi viz vests may be appropriate for some of the party to wear on the main road stretch where the pavement is narrow and requires single file progress. The footpath conditions may be boggy in parts.”

 

Those interested in joining the party are asked to advise their attendance by email to: llangollen.railway@btinternet.com for a final confirmation to be sent.

 

Work on the footings for the site of the phase 1 station at Corwen was completed on scheduled by the contractor last week.

 

Sixty-six concrete footings are now in place on the embankment.

 

The work now awaits the laying of base ballast and the track panels, after which it is expected that platform sections will be delivered by rail for erection on site.

Routine surgery to resume at North Wales hospitals

Routine surgery is being resumed at hospitals in North Wales after being postponed last week due to "increased pressure".

See the full story on the BBC website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25916942

County set to approve cuts of £8.5 million

According to the BBC today (Monday), Denbighshire County Council is set to approve budget cuts of £8.5 million.

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-25904612