Conservatives select Clwyd South candidate

Clwyd South Conservative Association has announced the selection of Simon Baynes as the Welsh Conservative Prospective Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South.

Association Chairman, Tony Partridge, said: “We are delighted that Simon Baynes has been selected as our candidate for next year’s Assembly elections here in Clwyd South.

* Simon Baynes with the Prime Minister.

"He lives in the area and has been active in politics for over 10 years as a parliamentary and assembly candidate and as a councillor.

"We will be fighting a vigorous and positive campaign on local issues and our national policies for increased health spending, better education and a freeze in Council Tax for the people of Wales.”

 

Simon Baynes lives in the area and works as a writer, local councillor and administrator of the charity that he founded called Concertina – Music for the Elderly which makes grants to charities that provide musical entertainment for the elderly community in need - www.concertinamusic.ork.uk

 

He grew up at Lake Vyrnwy, where his father ran the hotel.

 

At the last Assembly elections he achieved a swing of 7% to the Welsh Conservatives in Dwyfor Meirionnydd and he has been an active, campaigning county councillor and town councillor for many years.

 

Cllr Paul Rogers, former candidate for Clwyd South and deputy chairman of the Clwyd South Conservative Association, said: “I have known Simon for many years – he really cares about the local community and will campaign on local issues such as the threat to maternity services at Wrexham Maelor, working with Andrew Atkinson in Wrexham.

 

"We are all looking forward to working with Simon and winning the Clwyd South Assembly seat for the Welsh Conservatives so we get a better deal for the people of Clwyd South.”

Skates backs Corbyn over "missing" voters

A Labour Assembly Member has echoed new leader Jeremy Corbyn’s call to ‘stop Tory gerrymandering’ – and wants missing voters to make sure their voices are heard.

Earlier this year Clwyd South AM Ken Skates backed a campaign led by Ed Miliband to ensure a million extra people were able to be part of the democratic process.

He said: “Every voter counts, so it’s crucial that as many people as possible who are eligible to vote are on the electoral register.”

Labour’s pre-General Election drive highlighted that around a million members of the public, many of them young people, were in danger of being denied a vote after disappearing from the register following changes made by Westminster.

This week, at the Labour Party conference in Brighton, Mr Corbyn said he would launch a new bid to give the missing voters their voice back.

He accused the Conservative Government of ‘gerrymandering’ by changing the registration rules and proposing boundary moves which would make it easier for David Cameron’s party to retain seats in the House of Commons.

Mr Skates said: “The tactical introduction of a new system – where people must register individually rather than one member of a household filling in a form – is the cause of this. The Tories don’t want to hear what these people have to say.

“The Labour Party has worked hard to ensure that as many of these voiceless voters are given back their democratic right, and we won’t give up.”

Earlier this year, Wrexham County Borough Council revealed that its number of registered voters had fallen by 2,769 in 12 months, from 104,532 to 101,763.

Mr Skates added: “There has been a huge emphasis on ensuring non-voters get engaged with politics, yet the fact that so many people – especially students – are unable to vote is completely undemocratic. Young people deserve to have their voices heard.

“We are seeing attitudes to politics change, and – while there will always be a degree of disillusionment and disinterest – huge swathes of the UK are now actively engaging like never before. Labour alone has seen an incredible 166,000 new members join since the General Election, and that number continues to grow, but there’s still work to be done.”

Mr Skates added that being on the voter register can also help people boost their credit rating and therefore help with loan, credit card or mortgage applications.

Visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote for more information.

Traveller helps tackle hate crime

 * Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Julian Sandham
with Martin Gallagher, Hate Crime Caseworker at the
Victim Care Centre.

A member of the Irish travelling community who's suffered years of often vicious abuse has taken on a new job helping victims of hate crime.

 

Martin Gallagher believes his own experiences will give him a unique insight when he's helping other people who have been on the receiving end of cruel jibes and discrimination.

 

The 29-year-old has been appointed as the North Wales hate crime case worker and is based at the newly-opened Victim Help Centre in St Asaph.

 

The centre was established by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick CB QC and provides an outreach service across North Wales. It is a one stop shop for victims, that has brought together the support services of North Wales Police, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the former Victim Support organisation.

 

Martin will be providing support and guidance for people who are singled out for abuse because of their sexual orientation, race, disability, age or a host of other personal characteristics.

 

While the number of hate crimes in North Wales is relatively low with less than 400 being reported in a year, the impact on victims is often huge and can destroy their quality of life.

 

Martin, who is studying a Glyndwr University for a degree in youth community work, said: “I may have chosen to live in a house but I remain part of the Irish traveller community. It’s my heritage and it’s where I’m from.

 

“I don’t have an Irish accent, although most of my family do, but I still suffer from cruel and unfair discrimination and know the impact it can have.

 

“In the past I have been powerless to act and didn’t know how to challenge and effectively report discrimination when it occurred.

 

“I was born an Irish Traveller, that’s my ethnicity. I was actually born in London but lived for a few years on Paddy Doherty’s Travellers site at Queensferry, Flintshire.

 

“I started out studying engineering at college and image how I felt when the lecturer said one day we shouldn’t leave copper lying about as the ‘Pikeys’ from Queensferry would pinch it.

 

“The term Pikey is a derogatory term short for turnpike men from years gone by who became a nuisance and became known as Pikeys.  To me hearing someone referred to as a Pikey is deeply, deeply offensive.

 

“I have myself been refused access to a public house as I was with a group of Irish travellers and we were celebrating the Christening of a little girl."

 

Martin, who is married to Chloe and has a young son, Noah, who was born in August, wants to be available for anyone who suffers hate crime or discrimination in North Wales.

 

He said: “It doesn’t matter to what group you belong. People could be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, of different race, religion, age or disability it doesn’t matter - hate crime is wrong and we need to do something about it.

 

“I believe education is the answer and I intend to get out and visit schools, colleges, businesses and anywhere else I can get my message across. I will be here to help anyone who suffers from hate crime in North Wales."

 

North Wales Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Julian Sandham welcomed Martin into his new post and said: “We care about victims of crime in North Wales and we want to support victims of all crime.

 

“There are many different levels of crime but it’s important we look after and treat all victims with dignity and respect. Hate crime may not always seem horrible if it doesn’t directly affect us but we need to think of the devastating effect it can have on individuals and even whole communities.

 

“Just because someone has a particular characteristic that can be associated or attached to a particular group of people doesn’t mean it’s something that should be highlighted or ridiculed.

 

“Hate crime and discrimination has a devastating effect on people and we have to show, that, here in North Wales, we will not stand by and ignore it.”       

 

Mr Sandham added: “Having established the Victim Help Centre at St Asaph, we included in the design a hate crime caseworker. This role has been funded by the Welsh Government in a grant to Victim Support."

 

Gareth Cuerden, the Victim Support All Wales Hate Crime Manager, said: “Martin has worked a great deal with children and young people in the past and his insight into youth work will certainly help. I’m sure Martin will be a huge success.

 

“I would actively encourage victims to report hate crime, in all its insidious forms, to the police in the knowledge that they will be supported.”

 

* To find out more about the North Wales Victim Help Centre visit http://www.victimhelpcentrenorthwales.org.uk/  or call 0300 303 0159.

BBC reports child's river death

The BBC is reporting this evening that a child has died in the river near Pontcysyllte.

For the full story, see:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-34407778

A statement on the North Wales Police website says:

"North Wales Police, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service and the Air Ambulance were called to an incident in a river in  Pontcysyllte near Llangollen around 5.00pm this evening (Wednesday 30^th September).

"Sadly a child was pronounced dead at the scene and the next of kin have been informed.

"There are no more details available at present."

MP supports charities in conference speech

The right of charities to campaign and to provide services for people in need has been at the heart of what it's meant to be a charity in Britain for over 100 years.

That was the message from Susan Elan Jones MP (pictured) to a capacity meeting of charities at this week's Labour Party Conference.

The Clwyd South MP is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and a Shadow Wales Office Minister.

She said: "I was delighted to speak at such a well-attended meeting of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (ACEVO) and also join in a discussion with audience members and other speakers.

 

"Charities make our local area, our country and our world a better place, and it was great to be able to discuss the future of charities at this important event." 

Community hub idea for old health centre

* The former health centre in Regent Street is empty since the opening of the new facility in Mill Street.

LLANGOLLEN’S former health centre should be turned into a business and community hub.

That’s the suggestion by a member of the town’s Cittaslow group, which fosters economic, social and environmental sustainability.

Following the recent move by the local GP practice to a new health centre in Mill Street, questions have been raised about the future of the old building, the former National School in Regent Street.

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), which owns the building adjacent to St Collen’s church hall, says it is now looking at selling or finding an alternative use for it.   

Mike Edwards, a board member of Llangollen Cittaslow and also a member of the Keep Llangollen Special (KLS) community group, said: “I feel this is the health board's opportunity to help the people of Llangollen by making the property available as a business and community hub (BACH) which the chair of the Keep Llangollen Special group has already constructively discussed with Simon Dean, the acting chief executive of BCUHB.

“The idea would be to provide facilities for Llangollen's multiple small independent business and residents to offer them meeting space, ITC infrastructure for co-ordinated web and social media marketing, business start-up support, training and development to help them compete in the current volatile economy.

“It could have back-office provision such as secretarial, administration, printing and photocopying. The facility could also offer help and support for vulnerable people in our community.”

He added: “KLS would like to work with all other interested community based organisations and groups, including Cittaslow and Llangollen Food Assembly, to progress this scheme and develop a business case and plan to secure suitable grant aid and financial support.

“It should be remembered that an open market sale of the property by the health board would be complicated and difficult due to existence of the church hall co-joining the former GP surgery and the car park which is understood to be owned by the Church in Wales with rights of way and useage granted and enjoyed by the church body.

“It is also understood the local social housing providers have already turned down an offer to acquire the property.

“Another relevant factor is that the building was originally provided by voluntary public subscriptions so is and always has been an asset of community significance.”

A spokesperson for BCUHB said: “The property is owned by the health board and, following completion of the new primary care resource centre, has been identified as surplus to the health board’s requirements.

“As such we will now follow the Welsh Government guidance for the disposal assets. This may include sale or alternative use subject to the appropriate approvals.”

Silver Band's fashion fundraiser

Llangollen Silver Band will be holding a fundraising and social evening at the Band Room in Parade Street on Saturday November 14 at 7.30 pm.

The event includes a sale of nearly new ladies clothes, bags and jewellery.

There will also be a buffet, raffle and drinks for sale.

Tickets are £3 and are available to purchase from the Honey Pots shop in Llangollen and from the band room on Monday evenings (7-9pm) and Friday evenings (6-8:30pm).

Tickets include entry with buffet and one drink (there will be more drinks for sale).

A band spokesman said: "We ask that those coming bring one or two items of good quality unwanted clothing, bags or jewellery to add to the sale if they can."