AM's ideas to tackle housing shortage

Shadow Housing Minister Mark Isherwood AM has spoken of the need for the Welsh Government to work with Housing Associations to maximise the supply of housing and help tackle the housing supply crisis in Wales.

 

Mr Isherwood raised the matter when questioning the Housing Minister in the Assembly Chamber this week on the Code of Governance the Minister is developing with Community Housing Cymru (CHC), the representative body for housing associations and community mutuals in Wales.

 

He said: “To what extent will the Code of Governance that you referred to, being developed by you and Community Housing Cymru, impact on the Housing Pact for Supply with Community Housing Cymru, and to what extent, under the Code, is the Welsh Government willing to give Housing Associations in Wales the same freedom as those available to Housing Associations in England and Scotland to manage increased levels of risk?”

 

The Minister replied: “We are in discussion with CHC and interested stakeholders in terms of what that Pact will consist of. I am very flexible on my approach to risk-based assessment. We have changed the way that that is operating, and there is still a little bit of improvement to go. However, it works both ways. There is an expectation that I will release risk in terms of giving autonomy to RSLs in the way that they operate, providing that they can show to me that there is good governance in place. Good governance means equity across board membership, not just male-dominated boards.”

 

Mr Isherwood added: “Where gender imbalance exists in the make up of boards, positive action is required to equip people of both genders and all backgrounds with the skills required. However, my question focused on the need for the Minister to work with Housing Associations to maximise the supply of housing and help tackle the housing supply crisis in Wales created by the Labour Welsh Government.”       

Man airlifted to hospital after Horseshoe Pass accident

Wrexham.com is reporting this evening (Sunday) that an air ambulance was sent to the Horseshoe Pass just above Llangollen late this afternoon to take a man to hospital who had been injured in an accident there.

For more detail see: http://www.wrexham.com/news/air-rescue-incident-closes-horseshoe-pass-42016.html

Llangollen Fire Station tweeted earlier:

Llangollen Fire ‏@Llangollenfire 1h

At 16:06 we were called to a RTC at the horse shoe pass. 1 car involved 1male trapped crews used spreaders and stabfast to extract casualty.

Isherwood becomes "dementia friend"

 

* North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood at the launch of

Dementia Friends with Ruth Jones.

 

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has taken a key step towards helping end the stigma surrounding dementia by pledging to become one of Wales’ first Dementia Friends.

 

Mr Isherwood joined actress Ruth Jones MBE, and AMs from across the country, for the launch of Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends programme at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay.

 

Dementia Friends aims to give people in Wales a better understanding of dementia and the small things that they can do that could make a difference to people living with the condition. From helping someone to find the right bus to spreading the word about dementia on social media, every action counts.

 

Thanks to funding from Welsh Government, Alzheimer's Society is running a year-long pilot of their Dementia Friends programme in Wales. The trailblazing initiative aims to improve people's understanding of dementia and its effects.

 

The charity hopes four thousand people in Wales will become Dementia Friends Wales by 2015. The move comes in a bid to make the country more dementia-friendly and improve the lives of the 45,500 people currently living with the condition.

 

Mr Isherwood was one of twenty-two AMs who took part in the launch event.

 

He said: “I've signed up to show my support for Dementia Friends, and am encouraging people in North Wales  to do the same too. With a growing number of people living with dementia, it's more important than ever we all have a better understanding of the condition.

 

“Dementia Friends is about giving people an understanding of dementia and the small things they can do that can make a difference to people living with dementia. From helping someone find the right bus to spreading the word about dementia, it can help make our local community a better place to live.”

 

Sue Phelps, Director of Alzheimer’s Society in Wales said: “Most people don’t know enough about dementia. Dementia Friends is the perfect opportunity to be able to invite everyone to improve their knowledge. We are pleased to have been able to engage twenty-two AMs in one day. They have a huge influence in their local communities and we hope they will use this opportunity to take action and improve lives.”

 

If you are interested in becoming a Dementia Friend or helping create more communities that are dementia-supportive, go to dementiafriends.org.uk/wales to find your nearest information session or to volunteer as a Dementia Friends Champion.

AM welcomes Chirk health centre progress

The new Chirk health centre will bring ‘huge benefits’ to the area, says Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates.

The Labour AM visited the site of the under-construction surgery on Colliery Road yesterday (Friday) to hear more about its state-of-the-art facilities from the developers.

Mr Skates said: “Building work is progressing well and the centre should be completed in the next few weeks as planned. I have been a keen supporter of the project since the outset, and believe it will bring huge benefits to the area once fully operational.”

The new two-storey eco-friendly centre will replace Chirk Surgery’s current premises in Castle Road and will feature a number of sophisticated ‘green’ features, including solar panels and an advanced drainage system.

Mr Skates added: “The centre will also offer a minor operations facility and a pharmacy. It will be a major boost for Chirk and will offer residents first class medical treatment in a modern, purpose-built and spacious environment fit for the 21st century.”

On Friday Mr Skates also visited Chirk Community Hospital to meet staff and the volunteer-run the League of Friends.

He said: “The staff at the hospital and its minor injuries unit do a fantastic job serving the community, including the employees of major companies like Kronospan and Mondelez/Cadbury’s and the many tourists who visit Chirk every year.

“It was great to see the volunteers from the League of Friends again. They are constantly fundraising to help maintain and improve the facilities and are a credit to the area.”

Archeologists make exciting finds in Clwydian Range

The Clwydian Range Archaeology Group, a group of amateur archaeologists originally formed under the auspices of the Heather and Hillforts Project, have made exciting discoveries on a historic site in the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Through the Heather and Hillforts Project, the group undertook various geophysical surveys on the flanks of Moel Arthur, an Iron Age hillfort in the Moel Famau Country Park.

These surveys took place below the hillfort and several ‘anomalies’ were identified.

Following the culmination of Heather and Hillforts, the group decided to continue its activities as a community voluntary group and to investigate further the ‘anomalies’ identified in the surveys.  I

n the summer of 2013, the group carried out excavations on the north western flanks of Moel Arthur to investigate a particularly strong magnetic response found in one of these surveys.

This excavation revealed a water logged pit filled with burnt stones and a substantial amount of charcoal.  The charcoal was sent for radiocarbon dating and has been dated between 2617 cal BC and 2462 cal BC making its construction early Bronze Age.  

The purpose of these sites remains obscure with opinion ranging from the cooking of food, to Bronze Age saunas possibly with ritualistic functions and more recently with brewing.

They are collectively known as ‘burnt mounds’ and they are usually found lying near to a watercourse.  

This ‘mound’ is one of the first to be discovered in North East Wales though they have been found in other areas of Britain and Ireland.  

The discovery of this mound in its waterlogged position is a significant find and is indicative of occupation and land use in this area during the late Neolithic or early Bronze Age.  

On previous excavations on the hillside the group have found many Neolithic and Early Bronze Age flints including a barbed and tanged arrowhead. In 1962 bronze axes were found which have also been dated to a similar period.

The excavation, undertaken with the support of students from Coleg Cambria and the Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust, was very exciting, conducted in extremes of weather, howling gales, torrential rain and days of bright sunshine when the Clwydian Range was at its most beautiful.  

This project has been supported by Cadwyn Clwyd Rural Development Agency and has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Support has also been received from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Sustainable Development Fund, a fund for innovative, sustainable and environmental projects involving local communities in the AONB.

Nick Critchley, AONB Sustainable Development Officer said: “This is a fantastic discovery made by the Clwydian Range Archaeology Group. We were very pleased to support the excavations and are delighted with the outcome, which adds more detail to the fascinating story of how people lived and worked in the Clwydian Range more than 4000 years ago.”

If you would like to know more about the Moel Arthur excavation, findings or the volunteer group ,contact Membership Secretary Irene Milhench on 01691 690184 or Secretary Pat Daley on 01352 759135.

Rehearsals for Operatic's new show going well

Rehearsals are well underway for Llangollen Operatic Society’s forthcoming production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado.

This popular operetta has been updated and is set in the 1970s – think hot-pants, mini-skirts and dodgy hairstyles.

A talented cast includes newcomer David Bartleet as Nanki Poo and Helen Belton as his beloved Yum Yum.

Yum Yum’s sisters are played by Jo Potts and Karen Davies. This is Karen’s first time with the society having previously sung in operas such as Figaro and the Magic Flute.

Another new member joining the cast of The Mikado, which runs at Llangollen Town Hall from Wednesday to Saturday, May 14-17, is 18-year-old Kieran Davie from Shotton.

Kieran has performed with the Welsh National Opera and is hoping to get a place at a specialist college so that he can pursue his career in music.

The demanding role of Katisha will be taken by Justine Bradey. Although Justine hasn’t appeared on stage with the society for several years, you may have seen her performances in local pantomimes and Return to the Forbidden Planet.

The society is also pleased to welcome back Operatic stalwarts Dave Short and Jim Allen, as The Mikado and Pooh Bah respectively, together with Richard Mascarenhas as Koko, the Lord High Executioner.

Society members are enjoying the rehearsals and aiming to put as much fun as possible into the comedy numbers.

Musical director is Owen Roberts and some of the memorable songs featured in the show include A Wandering Minstrel and Three Little Maids.

Artistic director Chrissie Ashworth and her Co-director/Choreographer Pamela Williams both say they are very pleased with the progress being made in preparations for the show.    

Plas Madoc campaign gathers pace

The BBC news website reports this evening (Thursday) that the campaign to save Plas Madoc leisure centre gathers pace.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-26556831