Crime tsar examines helicopter base decision

A crime tsar is investigating whether he can challenge the decision to axe a police helicopter base in North Wales.

 

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick CB QC (pictured below) is unhappy about the lack of proper consultation over the planned closure of the base at Rhuddlan in Denbighshire on September 15.

 

The police helicopter base at Hawarden in Flintshire will remain open.

 

The announcement was made last month by National Police Air Service (NPAS), which runs the UK’s police helicopter services.

 

It was part of a package of cuts which will see eight of the service’s 23 bases closing.

According to NPAS, it was facing budget cuts of 14 per cent in the next three years on top of the 23 per cent savings they had already made.

 

Mr Roddick said: “I am concerned that the decision by NPAS to shut the base in Rhuddlan does not concentrate enough on north Wales’s needs. 

 

"Likewise, I am concerned that consultation prior to the decision being made was clearly lacking. 

 

"NPAS has not taken the time to properly explain the rationale of the new operating model to us and I am therefore exploring whether there is an option to appeal the decision.

 

"The closures were presented as a fait accompli.  A series of working group meetings is being planned by NPAS to consider the reorganisation but this is too little, too late.

 

"In the meantime, I am in discussions with the Chief Constable to fully assess the implications of what is being proposed.

 

"The airbase in Rhuddlan represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work on the part of officers from this force and the location is central to north Wales.

 

"It is vital that the integrity of the air cover for North Wales is maintained and that the region continues to benefit from a first class service."

 

Do the write thing and join the group, says Rachel

 

In January this year Rachel Morris started a monthly writing group called Write Now Lllangollen.

 

Although Rachel moved from Llan to Saudi Arabia last autumn to teach at the world's largest women-only university, she still runs and attends the group thanks to e-mail, Facebook, and Skype/Facetime.

Write Now meets in the first floor 'conference room' at Gales on Bridge Street  - above the shop via the side door - on the third Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm, the next being March 18.

 

Rachel says she wishes to thank Pip Gale and Gales for their generosity.

 

She added: "All genres and levels of experience are welcome. They read their work aloud to each other, in a very informal and supportive atmosphere.

 

"So grab your wine and food and head on up to share your words, or just listen if you wish."

* For further information, contact Rachel at dr.rc.morris@gmail.com

Twenty Club's Gaslight lit up the stage

A talented cast from the Twenty Club lit up the stage with their atmospheric production of the Victorian melodrama Gaslight at Llangollen Town Hall last night (Saturday).

The story revolves around Jack Manningham, who is slowly and deliberately driving his wife, Bella, insane in an attempt to have her committed and therefore prevent her from discovering too much about his extremely murky past.

He has almost succeeded in his evil plan when help arrives in the shape of former detective,  Rough, who has strong reason to believe that Manningham is the thief and murderer he first encountered as a young bobby 20 years previously in exactly the same house.

All the action of the play, by Patrick Hamilton, takes place in just one place – the typically overstuffed living room of a mid-Victorian upper-class household,

And it had been created with such care by the club’s backstage team that it provided the perfect claustrophobic setting for this taut psychological thriller.

The acting from a relatively small cast was flawless.

Twenty Club stalwart Arwel Jarvis was the embodiment of a haughty Victorian gentleman with a dark secret to hide. So accomplished was he that, at times, he frightened the audience as well as his poor wife.

Reacting with just the right amount of pathos to this dastardly villain was Paula Sutton as Bella Manningham. As she descended into her husband-induced madness she took us all with her into the pit of despair.

The man who finally solves this deeply disturbing whodunnit is Mathew Oswald-Haggett as the ex-police detective. His character’s name may have been Rough but Mathew’s performance was marvellously smooth.

Another neat performance came from one of the younger members of the club’s on-stage team, Amy Tennant, who fitted her part of the Manningham’s flighty maid Nancy like a velvet glove.

And no production by the club would be complete without an appearance by Noreen Turner, who this time was totally believable as the family cook and housekeeper, Elizabeth.

While the producer for Gaslight was the highly experienced Mike Law, the piece had at its helm David Edgar, a first-time director for the club. And the end result was a real credit to his abilities. 

Traffic calming measures approved for Abbey Road

* A county council plan of the new measures.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies says he is pleased to announce he has been successful in getting traffic calming measures put in place in Abbey Road and Pentrefelin after representations were made by concerned residents.

 It is hoped that the scheme will be implemented in April this year, he said.

This follows on from the 20mph scheme put in place in Pengwern.

Cllr Davies added: "I'm grateful for the officers' response to help safeguard our residents."

The scheme involves the placing of rumble strips in the road near the entrance to Abbey Dingle, Textureflex coloured surfacing on the carriageway and new road signs.

World Heritage site looking for volunteers

The Canal & River Trust says it needs to recruit people with a range of skills to help out along the 11-mile World Heritage Site of the Llangollen Canal for the 2015 tourist season.

With the busy holiday period due to start at Easter, only a month away, a special volunteer recruitment day is being held at Trevor Basin Visitor Centre, next to the aqueduct, on Friday 6 March, 10am-4pm.

The trust is inviting you to visit the impressive structure, chat to staff and existing volunteers about the work, and discover more about the range of tasks available.

Wide variety of roles

Lynda Slater, Visitor Centre manager for the Canal & River Trust, explained: “ We want to recruit volunteers for a wide variety of roles, from helping in  the Trevor Basin Visitor Centre to being part of our ranger team looking after the waterway and engaging with boaters.

“We are looking for people who can commit a number of hours hours a week and in return we promise them a rewarding time helping people experience the beautiful Llagollen Canal and this amazing, elegant aqueduct.”

Constructed by famous canal engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop between 1796 and 1805, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a grade one listed scheduled ancient monument and forms the centrepiece of the World Heritage Site. Every year it attracts thousands of visitors from all corners of the globe.

Anyone who would like to volunteer with the Canal & River Trust but cannot attend the open day, please call Lynda Slater on 01978 822912 or email Lynda.slater@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Councillor calls for update on A5 roadworks

* The roadworks on the A5 about which Cllr Davies has called for an update. 

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has called on the Welsh Government for an update on long-running roadworks on the A5 approach to the town.

A lengthy stretch down one side of the carriageway, between the bottom of Birch Hill and the Tyn Y Wern, has been completely closed and controlled by traffic lights since just before Christmas.

It is believed the closure is in connection with structural problems with the retaining wall to the riverbank which runs alongside the road at that point.  

Cllr Davies said: “I am concerned that these works have been going on now for months, with the lights being in place without anything being seen to be done until recently.

“I am also concerned that the Trunk Roads Agency is doing the mushroom thing, keeping us in the dark etc!”

He added: “I am calling upon the Welsh Government to let us know what is happening and give us a timeline as to when works will be completed.

“Easter is nearly here and these works will impinge on the start of the tourist season and deter visitors from coming this way.”

Llan outdoor instructor once trained special agent

The Daily Post has a story today (Thursday) about a Llangollen outdoor instructor who once trained a special agent named Storm.

For the story see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llangollen-outdoors-instructor-no-idea-8772604