Story highlights government backing for new health centre

* An artist's impression of the planned new health centre.

The Daily Post is reporting today that the Welsh Government has approved the sale of the former River Lodge Hotel in Llangollen to the local health board as a site for a proposed health centre.

The story says: "The controversial hotel plot had originally been bought by the Welsh Government for £1.6m – above its market value – as part of a proposal to transform it into a martial arts centre.

But the present building – which is expected to be demolished – has been valued at just £500,000 to £600,000.

Almost a year ago, an inquiry by the Wales Audit Office concluded that the decisions to buy the former 25-bedroom River Lodge Hotel in Llangollen for £1.6m in 2007, and to enter into a lease agreement with an organisation known as Powys Fadog, were “flawed and did not represent good value for money”.

The proposal for a kung fu centre at the site finally collapsed in 2011 but a further £200,000 had to be spent maintaining the building between 2007-12.

Now economy minister Edwina Hart has approved the sale of River Lodge, Llangollen to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which plans to demolish it and build a health centre, after Llangollen Community Hospital was closed last year.

The new centre is expected to open in 2015.

Paul Davies, Conservative shadow finance minister, said: “It’s no surprise that Labour quietly want to get rid of this aborted kung fu centre, which cost taxpayers nearly £2m for absolutely no benefit.

“The Wales Audit Office was scathing in its assessment of the unbelievable incompetence of Labour’s purchase of the hotel, which was beset by a major conflict of interest, a lack of risk assessment and no proper valuation.

“The Welsh Government’s earlier estimates suggested that the taxpayer would only get back between a third and a quarter of what the administration originally paid for the hotel.

“At a time when Labour Ministers are imposing record-breaking cuts on the Welsh NHS, evidenced by the recent closure of Llangollen’s community hospital, patients will be angry to see more evidence of millions of pounds thrown down the drain.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said that it had no comment to make on the River Lodge issue further to the confirmation of the sale decision on its website.

A figure of £5.5m had been touted for the new centre but no official cost was officially confirmed.

A Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board spokesperson said: “We look forward to progressing with the next stages of the new Primary Care Resource Centre project for Llangollen.

“The development is planned to provide a light, modern and spacious building to bring together a wide range of integrated services provided by the GP Practice, the Health Board, Denbighshire County Council Social Services and the voluntary sector, delivering as many services as close to patient’s homes as possible and allowing the ability to expand in the future. We are keen for this development to be completed in mid 2015.”

Seek help with energy bills urges AM

Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Aled Roberts is urging people in North Wales to take advantage of free help and support that could save them £140 on their energy bills.

British Gas has announced that their Warm Home Discount Scheme, which helps those in need with £140 towards their energy bills, opened for registration on 1st May.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a five-year scheme introduced by UK Government and delivered by the larger energy suppliers. It helps those in need with their winter energy costs by paying a credit onto the energy account of the qualifying account holder.

 

  To be eligible customers must:

Be receiving the Savings or Guarantee & Savings element of the State Pension Credit

Be receiving eligible Means Tested Benefits

Have a household income below £16,190 and have a disability or long term illness

  Or have a household income of below £16,190 and be spending more than 10% on fuel for adequate heating (usually 21 degrees for the main living area).

 

Consumers must apply each year to qualify for the payment, so British Gas is urging customers to get in contact to ensure they receive the Discount.

 

Aled Roberts AM said: “I want all my constituents to understand what help is available. There are a wide range of schemes and services to help people heat their homes. Anyone who’s worried about rising costs can – and should – contact their energy provider or a relevant charity to discuss the help available.”

 

Applications can be made by calling the British Gas Home Energy Care team (for credit meter customers) on 0800 072 8625 or our Here to Help team (for Pay as you Go customers) on 0800 294 8604. Alternatively, customers can apply online at www.britishgaswarmhomediscount.com.

 

Consumers who receive Pension Credit Guarantee or Pension Credit Guarantee and Savings, should automatically qualify for this year’s rebate of £140. The Department of Work and Pensions will send a letter to all those who qualify around September time, confirming their supplier will make the payment.                                                                                     

Latest roadworks bulletin

Latest local roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

A5, Regent Street, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights on May 14 to allow water works.

Outside Prince of Wales pub, Regent Street, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights from May 15-19 to allow water works.

Berwyn Road, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights from June 2-6 to allow retaining wall works.

A5, Regent Street, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights from June 9-13 to allow retaining wall works.

Casualty airlifted to hospital after A5 collision this afternoon

* The air ambulance takes off with the casualty aboard.

ONE casualty was flown to hospital by air ambulance following what appeared to be a serious collision on the A5 just outside Llangollen earlier this afternoon.

Emergency services dashed to the scene, close to the White Waters Hotel, just before 2pm.

The road was closed in both directions as firefighters appeared to be freeing the casualty.

A number of police cars and paramedic ambulances were also at the scene.

Around 2.15pm the casualty, attended by firefighters and paramedics, was wheeled to a nearby field where the red Wales Air Ambulance was waiting.

Ten minutes later the ambulance took off and headed out over the nearby Dee Valley.

Update from Daily Post just after 5.30pm:

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/a5-crash-man-airlifted-hospital-7103806

 

* Emergency services at the scene.

* Traffic backing up on the A5 after the road was temporarily closed.

Time to focus on food poverty, says Isherwood

NORTH Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has said it is time to focus on those in food poverty and to stop politicising the problem.  

 

Mr Isherwood raised the matter with the Minister for Poverty Communities and Tackling Poverty, Jeff Cuthbert AM, in the Assembly this week following a meeting with Trussell Trust, which works with churches and communities to open new foodbanks nationwide.

 

With over 420 foodbanks currently launched across the UK, including several across Wales their goal is for every town to have one.    

   

He said: “I had the pleasure of meeting the admirable Trussell Trust last week. The Trust told me that food banks are an expression of something that has been going on in the churches for ever, namely feeding the hungry, that food poverty has been with us for ever, and it asked that we all work together, putting aside whatever party political differences we may have, to focus on those in need.

 

“They told me that they will be putting this message to all parties and all agents. I pledged my support, and I urge you to do the same.”

 

In his response the Minister said he hopes to meet with Trussell Trust soon to discuss the extent of the problem in Wales, but insisted benefit reform is to blame for more people seeking help from food banks.   

 

Mr Isherwood added: “Given the Trussell Trust’s desire to engage with all spectrums of the political divide and to ensure that there is truly genuine dialogue in Wales, I’m disappointed by the response I received.

 

“In reality, 200,000 households across Wales are expected to be better off when Universal Credit changes have gone through by 2017. Under the last UK Labour Government, the numbers in poverty across the UK rose by nearly 400,000 and the numbers in severe poverty rose by nearly 800,000 – and more than five million people of working age lived in workless households.

 

“However, I genuinely hope that we can all put party bickering aside and heed Trussell Trust’s call.”

Film shows construction of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct

On Twitter today, Wrexham Council is drawing attention to an amazing animated film by the People’s Collection Wales about the construction of Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. It can be seen at:

http://www.peoplescollectionwales.co.uk/sites/default/files/item_videos/original/2014/May/Pontcysyllte%20-%20trimmed.mp4

Police issue fraud warning to businesses

North Wales Police are warning Local Government, Corporations, Trades, Companies and Businesses to be on their guard following a recent spate of frauds where attempts have been made to change the bank details of legitimate sub-contractors and suppliers.

Detective Chief Inspector Iestyn Davies at Caernarfon Police Station said “Typically a company or business receive a letter or email purporting to be from a well-established sub-contractor indicating they have changed their bank account details and in some case are using another company name. 

 

"Their intention appears to have invoices settled into the new accounts and make off with the cash.   This scam appears to have been attempted all over the UK and in some cases accounts have been settled into the new and bogus accounts and emptied almost immediately with no trace of the offenders.

 

“My advice is simple, if your company or business receive a letter from a sub-contractor indicating change of name or account please make contact with a known individual in the business to confirm.  If this is not the case please ignore the request and inform Action Fraud immediately.

 

“Unfortunately offences of this nature are becoming more common but by asking a few pertinent questions and making a few enquiries you could prevent yourself from becoming a victim of fraud.  Further information about protecting yourself from financial crime is available from the Action Fraud hotline on 0300 123 2040, or visit http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/ . 

 

DCI Davies added: “They can provide up to date advice on current scams and can identify whether a scenario is fraudulent.  And if you have been unfortunate to have lost money, contact the police.”

 

Police tips to protect yourself from fraud:

 

• Do not give personal details including banking details to anyone you do not know following unexpected requests for money made either in the street, on the doorstep, over the telephone or internet or as these details can be used to steal your identity.

 

• Consider registering with the Telephone Preference Service to stop unsolicited telephone calls.  This is a free service.  Further details can be obtained from http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/ or 020 7291 3320.  Registration can be made on line or by phone 0845 070 0707.

 

• Consider registering with the Mailing Preference Service as this supports the right to choose the mail you wish to receive.  Further details can be obtained from http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/ or 020 7291 3310.  Registration can be made on line or by phone 0845 703 4599.  This too is a free service.

 

• If you are suspicious that you’ve been targeted in a fraudulent telephone call this can be reported to Action on Fraud at http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/ or telephone 0300 123 2040.

 

• If you’ve lost money call your local police on 101.

 

• Beware of cold calls even when the caller appears to have personal information such as your address or bank account details.  Legitimate callers will never be offended if you ask to call back in order to confirm their identity.  When doing so always use a phone number that you’ve obtained from previous correspondence or an independent source such as phone book or an official website. 

 

We would encourage the public to use social networking to get this message out to as wide an audience as possible – the more people who know about it the less chance of them becoming a victim.