New foodbank "could soon be up and running"

CLWYD South AM Ken Skates is confident he can help get a foodbank up and running to help the most vulnerable people in his constituency.

Mr Skates recently met Andrew Sturgess from the Trussell Trust, the national charity which operates the community projects throughout Britain, and Ruabon businessman David Jones to discuss opening a branch to serve the Dee Valley.

Mr Skates said: “It was a really positive meeting and we are making rapid progress, it’s really encouraging. There is still work to be done, but I am hopeful we can get the Clwyd South Foodbank open for business within the next few months.”

He added: “Sadly, more and more people across Wales are having to rely on foodbanks because of a variety of factors such as rising costs of fuel and energy bills, static income, high unemployment and changes to benefits. Some 13 million people are currently living below the poverty line in the UK and food poverty is rising.

“Trussell Trust foodbanks play a vital role in helping the most vulnerable in our society by providing emergency parcels with enough nutritionally balanced supplies to last three days to those referred by health and social care professionals.”

There are currently has almost 400 Trussell Trust foodbanks in operation nationwide – including in Rhosddu, Mold, Denbigh and Oswestry – and the charity’s goal is for every town to have one.

Mr Skates and Mr Sturgess, a Trussell Trust development officer, identified what they say is ‘an obvious need’ for a presence in Clwyd South, and Mr Jones, a former chairman of Ruabon Community Council, responded to their call for help.

It is hoped the foodbank could be based within Plas Madoc Leisure Centre.

Mr Skates added: “I have long been a supporter of the amazing work the Trussell Trust does and would love to help get a centre up and running in Clwyd South. However, the project will
need at least a dozen volunteers to get it off the ground, so I would urge anyone who is interested in playing a part to email Ken.Skates@Wales.gov.uk or call my office on 01978 869058.”

* It has been pointed out since this story was posted that Matt's Food Bank has already been operating successfully for some time in Llangollen.

Work starts on canal towpath facelift

 

* Work in progress on one section of the towpath between Llangollen

Wharf and the Motor Museum. Picture courtesy of Mike Edwards.

 

A historic canal towpath is undergoing a makeover this month as part of plans to make it easier for walkers, boaters, cyclists and a traditional horse-drawn boat to use.

Glandŵr Cymru, the Canal & River Trust in Wales, is repairing 1,500 metres of towpath along the Llangollen Canal so that the route can continue to be enjoyed by visitors throughout the year.

The £220,000 project has been made possible thanks to funding from the Welsh Government’s sustainable transport programme, TAITH, and support from Denbighshire County Council and Sustrans Cymru.

The works include widening and resurfacing the towpath along the World Heritage Site between Horseshoe Waterfalls and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, adding to the 16km of towpath that have already been improved.

The towpath will be closed throughout the works, which are expected to take approximately six weeks to complete.

Jim Forrester, chair of the Canal & River Trust’s North Wales & Borders Partnership, said: “The Llangollen Canal is one of the most visited canals in Britain and these improvements are vital because of the high number of visitors who use the towpath everyday. We want to ensure our canals in Wales are suitable for everyone to enjoy the beautiful scenery, wildlife and the 200 year-old canal network.”

Councillor Huw Jones, Denbighshire's Cabinet Lead Member for Tourism, said: "The council is delighted to be supporting this work as we see the canal as one of the Dee Valley's most valuable assets from a tourism perspective. It is vital that we work with our partners to make sure the infrastructure is in place to enhance our tourism offer and provide visitors with a pleasurable experience when visiting our waterways."

Glyn Evans, North Wales Area Manager for transport organisation Sustrans, said: “We want to make sure that this popular route is suitable for all, from children on bikes, to mothers pushing prams and those with mobility issues. Resurfacing this path will enable many more local people to walk or cycle for shorter everyday journeys, or for a pleasant day out.”

Linking Memories: Your Bridge – Your Stories

* The world famous Chain Bridge.

Do you have memories about the Chain Bridge? 

The Chain Bridge Project, a new £350,000 Heritage Lottery funded project, along with Menter Iaith Sir Ddynbich, are inviting anyone with memories of the famous bridge to attend the Linking Memories: Your Bridge – Your Stories event, between 10.30am and 4pm on Saturday, March 8 in Llangollen Town Hall.

The event will celebrate the bridge, its fascinating past, and more importantly, its significance to everyone who has used and enjoyed it. Your stories will help the project understand its past. 

Gareth Thomas, Llangollen's Town Clerk, is looking forward to Linking Memories.

He said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for local people to come and share their memories about the Chain Bridge.”

Sandra Baker, the Town Clerk for Llantysilio Community Council, said: "People in Llantysilio have many stories to tell about the Chain Bridge. I even have some of my own to share.”  

Linking Memories is free and open to everyone. Since memories come in any shape or form, feel free to bring photos, posters, and documents. There will be trained volunteers on hand to help to scan your items and take down your stories. 

If you are unable to attend Linking Memories on Saturday but would still like to take part in it, contact Samantha Jones at chainbridgeheritage@gmail.com or call 07936 590867. 

Stay in touch and find the latest updates on the Chain Bridge Project on Facebook, Twitter, and the project’s official website. 

VIPs see railway extension progress

* The AMs and others at Bonwm with the engineers' train alongside.

* Susan Elan Jones MP with the volunteers near bridge 28A.

 

 

* The decorated class 03 locomotive with the ballast train at Carrog.

 

Over the course of the past week a series of VIP guests has visited Llangollen Railway to see progress of the track extension to Corwen.

 

Last Thursday, a group including Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, North Wales AM Mark Isherwood, Plaid Cyrmu candidate Mabon ap Gwynfor and officers from Denbighshire County Council took a tour of inspection from Corwen.

 

In the inclement weather use was made of the Corwen Community bus to take the party along the A5 road where they could see the work completed on the station site with the footings in place, the repaired over bridge 28A by Plas Derwen and the new track laid through to the site of the former Bonwm halt.

 

Here they received a briefing about progress and the future potential for riverside erosion unless some remedial action is taken.

 

After a return to Corwen the site engineer for the contractors McPhilip's reviewed progress with the Corwen Flood Alleviation Scheme which has impacted on the railway embankment at the site where the phase 1 station is to be built.

 

All expressed themselves very satisfied with the progress of the railway to date and the prospects for opening through to Corwen later this summer, on a date still to be advised.

 

On Saturday - St David's Day - the railway played host to Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones who was given escorted access to the track bed and met volunteers at the rail head.

 

She later saw a ballast train operate on the section of new track. For this occasion the diesel shunter locomotive carried appropriate decoration with Welsh flags and the Welsh train headboard "Y Cymro" (The Welshman).

Ms Jones said: "I was delighted to visit the railway extension works and meet some of the volunteers who are tackling this project.

 

"The achievement to date is tremendous and I am sure they will achieve their dream of having a train at the new station in Corwen later this summer."

AM makes council tax comparisons

Figures published today (Tuesday) suggest an average council tax rise in England for 2014-15 of 0.6%, while, under Labour, Welsh councils are facing rises of between 3% and 5%.

 

Just over half of Welsh local authorities have so far confirmed their council tax increases for next year, with the lowest agreed rise of 3%.  Swansea, Conwy and Ceredigion have confirmed rises of 5%.

 

Council tax in Wales has already increased by 148% since 1997.

 

Mark Isherwood AM, Shadow Minister for Local Government, said: “As Welsh councils continue to set inflation-busting council tax hikes, these figures show families in other parts of the UK are seeing very modest increases, a freeze or even cuts in their bills.

 

“Under Labour, council tax has risen by 148% and now hard-pressed households are set to see their bills rise again by double the rate of inflation.

 

“Council tax has been frozen for years in much of England and in Scotland, but Carwyn Jones’ Labour Government has refused to pass on a freeze to Welsh councils, forcing them to choose between cutting services or putting up council tax bills.

 

“Welsh Conservatives are a low tax party.  We want people to be able to spend more of their own money, which is why we support a council tax freeze to put more money in people’s pockets.”

Police seek information on shed break in Abbey Road

North Wales Police are appealing for information following a shed break on Abbey Road, Llangollen.

Sometime overnight between 02/03/2014 and 03/03/2014 unknown persons forced entry to a garden shed and stole an orange Husqvarna chainsaw.

If you noticed anything suspicious, or have any information relating to this incident please contact North Wales Police by dialling 101 quoting reference RC14031855.

Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously by calling Crimestoppers Wales on 0800 555 111.

North Wales Police has urged residents to always report suspicious activity to them at the earliest opportunity.

Public meeting planned over Plas Madoc

The group set up to save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre is said to be making rapid progress, with a variety of experts offering to help the takeover bid.

Spearheaded by Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, the Cross-Community Working Group has called a public meeting at 7pm on Thursday, March 13, at the Air Products Social Club in Acrefair.

The volunteers have held productive and positive talks with community activists fighting for the future of the facility, which Mr Skates believes could be reborn as a vibrant community hub capable of hosting events and encouraging wealth creation in what is considered one of Wales’s most deprived communities.

 “We are approaching the potential of Plas Madoc with broad minds and ambition. Our vision is to secure its future and ensure it rediscovers its rightful place at the heart of the Clwyd South community,” said Mr Skates.

“We have been humbled by the support offered from experts and residents and I would like to thank the working group’s members for stepping up to help without hesitation or fear. We want to succeed in saving Plas Madoc, but we need people to stay loyal and keep using it.”

The public meeting will provide an opportunity for the group to explain to residents how a community-owned leisure facility would work.

Mr Skates added: “We want to see a united campaign to give Plas Madoc a future. The fight for its survival has been divisive and heated, which is not unexpected as people care passionately about the county borough’s second most popular facility.

“Now we must all come together a work for something that unites us – a lasting future for Plas Madoc Leisure Centre.”

The working group’s plans would see the facility transferred to community ownership, with a new governance structure and minimal impact on staffing or services. Similar structures for operating leisure centres operate across the UK, the best known being Greenwich Leisure Limited, established in 1993.

The group says community ownership of leisure services enable savings to be made where councils are unable to find them, as well as opening up capital funding opportunities.