Get in touch ...

Know of something happening in
Llangollen?
Tweet
us on
@llanblogger

E-mail your contributions to: llanblogger@gmail.com

We are on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/llanbloggercouk/139122552895186



Friday, August 1, 2014

Well-wishers pay off vet's bill for injured cat

The Daily Post in reporting that well-wishers have now paid off a £700 vet's bill for the Llangollen cat badly injured in a dog attack.

For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llangollen-kind-hearted-animal-lovers-pay-7550618

Latest local roadworks

Latest local roadworks notified by the county council are:

Various Roads, Pengwern, Llangollen, road closure, from August 12-16, to allow resurfacing work by Denbighshire County Council.

Wharf Hill, Llangollen, temporary traffic lights, until August 8, to allow gas works by Wales & West.

 

Llan kids urged to enter poster competition

Denbighshire County Council is asking 8-11 year olds to spend some of their summer holidays designing a poster to promote the "Support your local High Street campaign" which will be taking place across Wales at the end of September.

The winner of the Denbighshire round will go forward to the national competition and the national winner will be chosen by the Minister for Housing & Regeneration, Carl Sergeant AM.
Entries should be sent to the county council's Economic & Business Development team at Caledfryn in Smithfield Road, Denbigh LL16 3RJ to arrive by 15th August or can be e-mailed to econ.dev@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Further guidance can be found of the Government's website by clicking on the following link >>>>> http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housing-and-regeneration/regeneration/high-street/poster-competition/?lang=en

More people to get faster broadband

More people across Wales will be able to benefit from faster broadband following changes to the scheme rules, says the Welsh Government.

A new scheme provides grants to premises which are unable to access broadband above a speed of two Megabits per second (Mbps) so that they can access faster broadband.  
 
Before the changes only people in those areas not in the published Superfast Cymru roll-out were eligible.  Now people living in areas which will be covered by the roll-out can apply if they wish to do so.

The new rules will help ensure that customers receive a fast broadband connection as the technology used will need to be capable of providing superfast speeds bringing them into line with Superfast Cymru.

The Welsh Government will provide a maximum of £900 per premises, with customers making a ten per cent financial contribution which is in line with the cost of connection fees across the industry.

Potential recipients will also be given information about the Superfast Cymru roll-out so that can make a decision about whether to apply for a grant or wait for superfast fibre to be deployed in their area.

The changes to the scheme will come into effect on August 4.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Ken Skates, said: “The new scheme rules will mean that it better complements Superfast Cymru and will help those people who are later in the Superfast Cymru roll-out.

"Many more people will be eligible for funding under the scheme.  We are also ensuring that households and businesses can get a superfast broadband connection so that they are on a par with Superfast Cymru.

“We are asking people to contribute towards the cost and to carefully consider whether they should apply for the grant or wait for Superfast Cymru to come to their area.  This will help ensure we provide value for money for the public purse.”

More information about the scheme can be found at www.wales.gov.uk/broadband

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Lib Dems say ambulance service is "in crisis"

Kirsty Williams, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, has described Wales’ ambulance service as being ‘in crisis’ as figures published today showing response times are nearly 10% worse than the same time last year.

But an ambulance boss says the service is working as hard as it can to get people to hospital as soon as possible.
 
Figures released today show that in June 53% of emergency responses to Category A (immediately life-threatening) calls arrived at the scene within 8 minutes, down from 54% in May 2014 and 62.6% in May 2013, and way below the target of 65%. In England and Scotland the target for the same priority calls is 75%.
 
These figures represent nearly a 10% drop compared to June 2013 last year.
 
Kirsty Williams said: “Once again we see ambulance response times getting worse.  The current target is not at all ambitious, yet still it is routinely missed.
 
“These figures remain a national disgrace.  To have only half of immediately life-threatening calls responded to within the 8 minute target time is a huge concern. 
 
“There is no hiding from the fact that our ambulance service is in crisis.  Monthly targets are missed and there is evidence the problem is getting worse, rather than better.  It is shocking that response times are nearly 10% worse now than they were this time last year.  Patients deserve better than this.
 
“Ambulance staff work incredibly hard and do an extremely difficult job.  Sadly, they are being forced to work in what is clearly a failing system provided by the Welsh Labour Government.”

Mike Collins, the Trust’s Director of Service Delivery, said: “The Welsh Ambulance Service took 35,570 calls in June, up by 1,699 calls from the same period last year. Of these calls, 14,167 were of the most serious in nature, up by 839 calls from the same period last year.

“We recognise that on occasion we fall short of the eight-minute target but are working, and will continue to work as hard as we can to get to patients as quickly as possible.


“Earlier this month, Trust Board members pledged their support for our ambitious Performance Improvement Plan and the necessary actions which we anticipate will help us to deliver sustainable improved performance.


“They include the recruitment of more frontline staff, increased contribution by our Community First Responders, a concerted effort to reduce sickness absence and a drive to curtail unnecessary calls.


“We have been working closely with our Local Health Board colleagues to reduce the delays in handing patients over to the care of the hospitals throughout Wales and we have seen real advancement. However, we believe there is still room for significant further improvement.


“Handover delays remain of great concern, not only because we are unable to respond to other 999 calls in the community but because of the experience of patients who wait in an ambulance to be admitted to the Emergency Department whilst these delays occur.


“Our Trust is facing its most serious challenge to date with regard to performance, but it is one we are confident we can overcome if we continue work hard, work in the smartest way possible and ensure that we deliver an effective service.


“Our staff are making every possible effort to deliver safe and high quality healthcare and services to the people of Wales, and for this they must be commended.


“Once again, we remind the public to ‘Choose Well’ and use NHS services appropriately; NHS Direct Wales, out-of-hour GP services and pharmacies are all available for healthcare and advice for minor illnesses and injuries.


“Please remember only to dial 999 if someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.”

 

 

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Llan could be affected by fracking says DFP story

The Denbighshire Free Press is reporting today that Llangollen could be affected by fracking if the UK Government decides to extend licenses to carry out the controversial process.

For the full story, see:
http://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/136196/thousands-of-homes-in-denbighshire-could-be-affected-by-fracking.aspx

Plas Madoc campaign could receive £100,000 cash boost

The Leader is reporting today that the group campaigning to re-open Plas Madoc leisure centre could receive a £100,000 cash boost from Wrexham Council - the same local authority that shut it down a few months ago.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru spokesman for Clwyd South, said: "The news that the Labour group on Wrexham Council has done a u-turn is a welcome step in the right direction.

"Along with all the hard-working campaigners, we called for Plas Madoc to be kept open while the centre was transferred to community ownership and, when the council refused to that, we called for tapered funding assistance over next few years - as happened with Gwynedd Council with the Harlech swimming baths.

"As late as April, the ruling group rejected a budget amendment to keep Plas Madoc open. It's hard to know exactly what has prompted this dramatic u-turn but the pressure from opposition councillors has undoubtedly made a difference. It's a shame that the centre wasn't kept open as we all wanted to take advantage of the summer holiday trade.

"The fundraising efforts of volunteers over the past few months have been huge and, if the £100,000 funding package is approved,  it's only right that Wrexham Council recognises the contribution of the campaigners who wouldn't let Plas Madoc die."


For the full story, see: http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/136199/-100-000-cash-hope-to-save-plas-madoc-leisure-centre.aspx