Hamper Llangollen hailed at food conference

 

* Pictured at the North East Wales Food Conference at Glyndwr University are, from left, Jonathan Copeland, of Headland Foods, Andrew Martin, Senior Business Development Manager for the Welsh Government, John Les Tomos, Mold Food Festival, Llior Radford, Llaeth y Llan, Donna Hughes, Wrexham Northern Marches; Mark Roberts, Wrexham Lager; and Robert Price, Cadwyn Clwyd.

 

North Wales is driving growth in the booming Welsh food sector, according to a top Welsh Government food adviser.

Andrew Martin, Welsh Government Senior Business Development Manager, told a conference in Wrexham: “Food producers in North Wales are among the most successful and innovative in the country and business growth here is the strongest in Wales.

“One of our biggest selling points is that our food is seen as safe which has helped us take business from countries like Ireland – it’s a trust thing and we are trusted with what we are doing with our environment, our stock and our horticulture.

“The Welsh Government is intent on delivering growth, that is the action plan and the challenge is there and so are the opportunities and the question is how we continue to drive growth forward in this region.”

He was addressing the North East Wales Food Conference, organised by rural regeneration organisations Cadwyn Clwyd and Northern Marches Cymru and held at the Catrin Finch Centre at Glyndwr Univerity.

The conference, staged by the two organisations and paid for for through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) through the Welsh Government’s Rural Development Plan, was addressed by a range of speakers.

These included Mark Roberts, from the Wrexham Lager Company, Llior Radford, of Llaeth y Llan dairy products, Jonathan Copeland, of Bridgehead Food Partners, and John Les Thomas, of Mold Food Festival.

Andrew Martin also pointed to the success of the recent Conference of Welsh Food Festivals held in Llangollen and organised by Hamper Llangollen, the food festival based in the town.

That initiative is leading to the formation of an Association of Welsh Food Festivals and Martin, who has a responsibility for the North Wales area, also had a positive message for them as he promised a change in funding arrangements.

He said: “Food festivals have been slightly misunderstood but thanks to that conference in Llangollen we are moving on and there is an opportunity to develop the business that attend food festivals and get more of their products out into the mainstream markets.

“The Welsh Government is already looking at changing the funding programme from an annual one to a three-yearly system to give more consistency and security of funding.

“We can change almost anything but we need you to tell us to do it and that it’s what you want.”

Colin Loughlin, Chairman of Hamper Llangollen, welcomed the funding news and said: “We were delighted to hear that the Welsh Government is considering moving to a three-year model for funding.

“This would provide more security of funding – at present we don’t know from one year to the next what the level of funding will be or whether we will get any at all and festivals do so much to promote Wales and Welsh food.

“One of the reasons for forming an Association of Welsh Food Festivals is so that we can press for changes like this but also so that we can share best practices and make cost savings on services such as insurance by being able to buy as a group.”

Mark Roberts, Director of Wrexham Lager, spoke about the challenge of marketing a product while Jonathan Copeland, whose company supplies cheese for major supermarket chains, and Llior Radford, of Llaeth y Llan, talked about dealing with the multiples and marketing and John Les Tomos described the challenges of running a food festival.

Robert Price, Cadwyn Clwyd Agri-Food Officer for Denbighshire and Flintshire, said: “The North East Wales Food Conference has become a major date in the food calendar of the region.

“It is important both for the opportunity it gives for networking but also for the chance to hear the latest news both from the Welsh Government and from some of our most interesting and innovative food producers.”

For more information on Cadwyn Clwyd projects ring 01824 705802 or e-mail info@cadwynclwyd.co.uk

Llangollen to get superfast broadband in December says AM

A pioneering Welsh Government scheme aimed at making Wales the best-connected country in the world is paying dividends in Clwyd South, according to Assembly Member Ken Skates.

The Labour AM said the £425m Superfast Cymru programme is on track to meet its target of having 96% of homes and businesses accessing top broadband speeds by summer 2016.

The Welsh Government has installed three superfast cabinets in Corwen and another in Rhostyllen since December, and Ruabon, Rhosllanerchrugog and Bangor-on-Dee will join the network next month.

He says Llangollen, where Mr Skates is based, will be linked up in December.

He said: “Superfast Cymru is the biggest partnership of its kind anywhere in the UK and is being led by the Welsh Labour Government and BT, bringing high-speed broadband to almost every property in Wales.

“It is particularly pleasing to see our pioneering project paying dividends in my own constituency and across North Wales, where we are investing record sums, with many areas already connected or due to join the superfast network over the coming months.

“Superfast Cymru is well on target and has so far connected more than 150,000 properties to superfast-enabled cabinets. By the summer of 2016 Wales will be better connected than almost every other country on the planet.”

Mr Skates said the scheme is well ahead of its counterparts elsewhere in Britain.

He added: “Roll-out in England and Scotland has barely begun – and neither will reach anywhere near as high a proportion of properties as Superfast Cymru is delivering in Wales. We also have faster speeds – much, much faster. So far, the average test speed for Superfast Cymru connections is three times higher than the UK average.

“Few other nations have adopted such an ambitious infrastructure plan and we are on target to deliver it with the help of European money.
“This is a massive logistical undertaking, involving 17,500kms of optic fibre being laid. That’s enough to stretch from my constituency office in Llangollen to Sydney, Australia, and still have enough to go from Coedpoeth to Cardiff.

“However, by this time next year we will have trebled the number of premises in North Wales which have access to superfast broadband. Soon Wales will be in the superfast lane, while great swathes of England bumble along far behind.”

Row over hospital's fate rumbles on

A LANGOLLEN campaigner claims a question mark still hangs over the ownership of the town’s former Cottage Hospital despite moves to demolish the building to make way for social housing.

* The shuttered former Cottage Hospital.

 

A planning application is pending for the Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd housing association to build a number of six new homes on the site of the Victorian hospital in Abbey Road plus a further six on the car park opposite.

But Martin Crumpton, who led strong local opposition to the closure of the 137-year-old hospital by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board last year, says he believes behind the scenes discussions are still going over the ownership of the empty building.

And he says these talks hinge on a deed of dedication – originally thought to have been a covenenant - one vital clause of which is said to stipulate that the building must revert to the Vivod Estate, a large landowner in the area, which originally donated the building to the people of Llangollen, if it is no longer being used as a hospital.

Mr Crumpton says he has submitted two Freedom of Information requests to the health board for details of legal arrangement, neither of which have been answered.  

But, after making his own investigation, he claims he now knows why he received no official response from the board.   

He said: “The requests should have been answered in 20 days but two months on and I’m still waiting for a response.

“All I’ve had has been obfuscation, prevarication, nonsense requests for further clarification - anything but an answer.

“In the latest letter from Dr Peter Higson, the chair of Betsi Cadwaladr, they’re still denying any knowledge of a covenant on the Cottage Hospital and the well-known reversion clause that says it must revert to the Vivod Estate in the event it’s no longer used as a hospital.

“But now I know why. Technically, it turns out that it’s not a covenant. It’s a deed of dedication, and it does have the famous reversion clause.

“I believe that Betsi Cadwaladr, who had always assumed they owned the hospital outright, are now negotiating a settlement over the deed of dedication.”

Mr Crumpton added: “We getting sold out on the Cottage Hospital, and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is operating clandestinely when they’ve promised in front of the Public Accounts Committee to be open and transparent.

“How on earth can Denbighshire’s planning committee even consider an application for the hospital site when ownership hasn’t been established?”

Mr Crumpton says this is a question he will put to Graham Boase,  Denbighshire’s head of planning and public protection, when he has a pre-arranged meeting with him on August 13.

 

Plas Madoc lifeline plan rejected

The Leader is reporting today that a £50,000 lifeline to re-open Plas Madoc leisure centre has been voted down by Wrexham councillors.

See the full story at: http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/136506/wrexham-council-vote-pulls-plug-on-leisure-centre-cash-lifeline.aspx

Police clamp down on illegal drivers

North Wales Police will be putting the brakes on illegal motorists during a two-week campaign which started this week.

 

As part of the crackdown against those who drive whilst disqualified, drive with no insurance or drive without a valid driving licence, officers will be out and about targeting those who flout the law.

 

Members of the public are being encouraged to report a criminal if they suspect them to be breaking the law.

 

“We strive to improve road safety for all and send a clear message that committing these type of offences whilst driving will not be tolerated on the roads of North Wales,” said PC Vincent Jones who is leading on the campaign on behalf of North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit.

 

“We will be targeting the minority of individuals who choose to break the law, saving the ordinary driver from higher insurance premiums and reducing road casualties.

 

“We stop and seize vehicles that are found to be on the road illegally throughout the year however this two-week campaign specifically focuses on those individuals in a bid to help make the roads a safer place across the region.

 

“Anybody found to be driving illegally can face being arrested. We will use all available powers to seize illegal vehicles and remove them from the roads. The consequences for them can be anything from a fine, to points on their licence to having their car scrapped."

 

“Many uninsured drivers use their vehicles to facilitate their illegal activities and denying them the use of the roads makes it harder for them to commit crime. We will work with people in our communities to help rid the roads of illegal drivers.

 

During the campaign officers will be utilising ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) technology and they will also be in contact with their colleagues at the DVLA and Motor Insurance Bureau. Coordinated operations including road-side checks will be carried out across North Wales.

 

So far in 2014 North Wales Police 92 arrests have been made with regards to illegal driving and during the same period 592 vehicles have been seized under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act.

 

PC Jones added: “It frightening to think that so many people are behind the wheel when they shouldn’t be. Vehicles in the wrong hands are effectively killing machines. The public can be reassured that we will not tolerate crime on our roads therefore if you suspect an illegal driver please contact us.”

 

North Wales Police has a robust strategy around enforcing the ‘Fatal 5’ offences which are drink and drug driving, dangerous driving including unnecessary risk taking, speeding, failing to wear a seatbelt and using a mobile phone whilst driving. These offences will also be looked at during the two-week campaign.

 

·         In 2013 North Wales Police seized a total of 1,135 vehicles under Section 165 of the Road Traffic Act. During the same period 145 arrests were made with regards to illegal driving.

 

Penalties for illegal drivers can include:

 

• Driving without insurance: 6-8 points and up to £5,000 fine (£300 for fixed penalty ticket)
• Driving whilst disqualified: 6 points, up to £5,000 fine and you could face a minimum 6 month prison sentence
• Driving other than in accordance with your driving licence: 3-6 points and £1,000 fine
• Failing to identify the driver of the vehicle: 3 points

 

Uninsured drivers are:

 

• Three times more likely to have been convicted of driving without due care and attention
• Six times more likely to drive an unsafe vehicle
• Nine time more likely to be involved in a road traffic collision
• 10 times more likely to have a drink drive conviction

 

Key Facts: from Motor Insurance Bureau:

 

• Drivers without valid insurance have no right to be on the road. It is illegal.
• Uninsured and untraced drivers kill 130 people and injure 26,500 every year.
• The annual cost of uninsured driving is estimated to be £400 million.
• The MIB manages the Motor Insurance Database which has been used by the Police since 2005 when they took on new powers.  Since then over 1 million vehicles have been seized.
• Nearly 2,500 uninsured vehicles are seized by police across the country each week.
• Drivers without insurance face the inconvenience of no vehicle as well as a £300 fixed penalty, £150 collection charge, £20 per day storage, 6 points on the license.  No vehicle is released until proof of insurance is produced

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AM calls for road and rail links priority

North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts is calling on the Welsh Government to give more priority to improving rail and road links with Manchester and Liverpool.

  Mr Roberts’ call came after the England’s Northern Cities announcement that they are bidding for a £15 billion plan to improve transport links was backed by the Chancellor, George Osborne.

  “In June the Chancellor called for the creation of a ‘northern global powerhouse,’” commented Aled Roberts. “And now the northern cities are making a similar call it seems likely that the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement will contain some major financial commitments to improve transport.

  “If the Welsh Government continues their policy of concentrating only on improving transport links between north and south Wales, then we in North Wales could lose out on a golden opportunity to benefit from major investment in England’s North West.

  “Already large numbers of people commute from North Wales to the Liverpool and Manchester conurbations but commuting is a nightmare as a result of road congestion and the lack of direct commuting trains. 

  “Indeed from December, if current plans are maintained, we are likely to lose a key commuting service from Llandudno to Manchester and I have written to both the Welsh Government’s transport minister and Arriva Trains Wales to try and save it.

  “Just one per cent of the £1,000,000m that is being spent on improving the M4 around Newport could give Wrexham direct train services to Manchester and Liverpool. Only £10m is required to dual most of the line between Wrexham and Chester so that more trains can run.

  “Are Labour’s Welsh Government in contact with Labour’s city leaders in the North of England? Judging by recent publicity it seems that a Conservative Chancellor has more contact those Labour leaders than a Labour one in Cardiff.

  “The problem is that Welsh Labour think Cardiff and South Wales and our Labour leaders in the North are too weak to challenge that bias. A billion is being spent on the M4 to give South Wales better access to
England’ booming South East but they will not consider investing in better connectivity between North Wales and England’s Northern cities as they plan economic growth. 

  “I hope that Labour’s Welsh Leadership change their mind because if they do not, then in fifteen years’ time we in North Wales will be watching economic development in England’s Northern Cities unable to take part or reap any benefit.”

AM meets Jobs Growth Wales graduates

* Ken Skates AM, third from right, with the Jobs Growth Wales graduates at Plas Newydd.

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates spent an afternoon with previously unemployed young people who found work through a flagship Welsh Government scheme.

Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, met Yendl Barwise, Alex Falkingham, Sian Medi Davies, Sam Massey and David Thompson at Plas Newydd, Llangollen on Thursday (July 31).

The five graduates all found placements with Denbighshire County Council’s countryside services team through Jobs Growth Wales (JGW), which has now helped more than 11,300 people aged 16 to 24-year-olds into work across the country – including at least 418 in Denbighshire and 408 more in Wrexham.

The Welsh Labour scheme reimburses the cost of employing 16- to 24-year-olds for the first six months, and has won the praise of employers throughout Wales.

David Shiel, Senior Countryside Officer with Denbighshire County Council, said: “Jobs Growth Wales is fantastic for us because we get a good range of talent coming in, and we try to give them as broad an array of experience as possible to help them find work in the future.

“This is the second intake of Jobs Growth Wales employees we’ve had, and we’ve been able to help all the previous ones find work within the environmental sector after they left us. The problem a lot of young people have is finding work without any experience, so Jobs Growth Wales helps them as well as us. It’s win-win.”

Mr Skates, who is also the Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, said: “Jobs Growth Wales has filled 735 job opportunities in the last month alone. The latest figures show success rates for the programme continuing strongly, with 82% of young people working
in the private sector progressing into employment or further learning after completing their six-month Jobs Growth Wales opportunities.”

“It is fantastic news for the area that so many young people are seeing the benefit of Jobs Growth Wales. The scheme, which is fast becoming the envy of Europe, not only provides career opportunities, it also enables young people to gain good quality work experience and the essential skills employers look for, supporting their progression into sustained employment and their long-term prospects.

“Our absolute priority in these tough times is to stand up for the people of Wales, creating jobs and enabling growth.  The success of this programme so far proves we’re doing just that.  I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved and I am proud that the Welsh Labour Government is determined to leave nobody behind.”