Police boss urges more victims to come forward

* Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick. 

A police boss has urged more victims of domestic abuse to come forward after the introduction of a new law.

According to North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick, the legislation targets domestic abusers who use controlling behaviour on their victims.

The offence introduces a maximum five-year jail term and fine for controlling or coercive behaviour.

It relates to an intimate or family relationship, and could include humiliation or intimidation, regulating behaviour, isolating people and depriving them of the means to escape such as through access to money.

Mr Roddick said “Controlling and coercive behaviour is despicable crime which can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on the lives of victims.

"It is therefore good news that we now have a new weapon to arrest and punish the perpetrators.

"The legislation recognises that the psychological and emotional impacts of abuse can be just as damaging to individuals' and families' lives as physical abuse. We hope that the introduction of this law will give more victims the confidence to come forward

 

"We are sending a clear message that it is wrong to violate the trust of those closest to us and that emotional and controlling abuse will not be tolerated.

 

The types of behaviour associated with coercion and control include monitoring someone’s time, checking their phone or social media accounts, preventing them from seeing people or having a job, controlling their finances, putting them down, threatening them or someone they love, damaging their things and telling them what to wear.

 

Last year Mr Roddick established a new Victim Help Centre and funded Independent Sexual Violence Advisors and Independent Domestic Violence Advisors.

 

The commissioner revealed the success of the new Victim Help Centre has "exceeded all expectations" with thousands getting in touch asking for help.

The one-stop-shop for victims covers the whole of North Wales and is based at divisional police HQ in St Asaph.

Each victim receives a response specifically tailored to their situation.

Mr Roddick added: "Tackling domestic abuse is a key objective in my Crime and Police Plan which sets a framework for the work of North Wales Police.

"Domestic abuse is  a crime which crosses, age, financial and diversity gaps and is an issue which can and does affect not just those who are being directly subjected to abuse, but also those who see and hear is going on.

 

"Domestic abuse is simply not acceptable and I would urge anyone who is experiencing domestic abuse to seek help. Domestic abuse is not a way of life – it is a crime.

 

"I want victims to realise that North Wales Police attaches importance to this crime and we will dedicate resources to it to ensure that the victim's journey from making a complaint to the police, through the court system and thereafter is made as comfortable and safe as is possible because all the public have a real interest in the complaint being made and being dealt with appropriately.

 

"The message is clear. Come forward and you will be taken seriously and treated sensitively."

AM calls for smaller class sizes

Speaking on the first day of a new school term yesterday, Aled Roberts AM (pictured) has said that parents’ wishes for smaller class sizes have been ignored for too long.

 

Over 71,740 infant pupils in Wales are currently taught in classes of 25 or more, with 59% of infant classes having over 25 pupils.

 

Despite the fact that class sizes are growing, in July it was revealed that over 800 teachers and support staff are being made redundant across Wales, which will have a major impact on pupils and their learning. 

 

Going into the Assembly election, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have made clear that they would cap class sizes for infants at 25. 

 

The party says it would ensure that schools have the funding to employ more teachers so that class sizes can be capped at 25, to protect the quality of education for pupils.

 

Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for Education and Assembly Member for North Wales, said: “Many children are going back to school today and will be taught in classes of well over 25 pupils.  That is simply too big for a teacher to have the time to give children the individual attention they need.

 

“Time after time I speak to understandably worried parents whose main priority is for their children to be taught in smaller classes. Parents’ views have been ignored for too long. 

 

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats would work to ensure that infant classes normally contain no more than 25 pupils, prioritising the largest classes first.  We would invest in more teachers, to give them the time to focus on a child’s individual needs which we believe is central to raising standards.

 

“The average class size in Wales is higher than nearly all other developed countries.  That isn’t good enough and our pupils deserve better.

 

“This policy is a key signal that the Welsh Liberal Democrats are on the side of pupils and parents.”

Police pioneer flood evecuation system

A new software solution to help identify occupied or evacuated properties devised by North Wales Police came in to play during last week’s severe weather.

Exodus was readied for use in both St Asaph and the Dee Valley when properties were at risk of flooding. 

Fortunately in these events the water receded before it was actually activated, but the system has previously prompted interest from other multi-agency partners across the UK and as far afield as America.
PC David Abernethy-Clark of North Wales Police (pictured), who devised the system, said: “In an emergency situation every minute counts.

Exodus enables us to coordinate resources much more quickly and efficiently for those areas at risk of flooding so that we can prioritise our evacuation efforts and save lives.

“Once we have the at risk area defined the system calculates how many emergency responders are needed or how long it would take to visit each and every property within it, should the number of emergency responders be fixed.  It means that we can very quickly assess the need to scale up or down the response depending on the amount of time we have before the flood is likely to happen.”

All properties in an affected area are allocated a ‘homeowner pack’ containing posters for displaying externally – one to say that the occupants remain in residence, another to say that they have evacuated, plus an information sheet to be handed to any police officer with information of how they can be contacted.

PC Abernethy-Clark said: “The packs also contain a third poster which indicates that the property needs further investigation, this would be used when we’ve knocked on the door and no one answers.”

This colour coded scheme means that as an area becomes flooded any emergency responders returning by boat, can see at a glance the status of each property.  They will then target those properties that are occupied or in need of further investigation, to make sure that people are safe, offer them the chance to evacuate and if need be to rescue them.

“We have already had interest in the system from other multi-agency partners, UK police forces and from Universities in America and Canada. It’s a system which could be used anywhere and I’m sure that following the events this week in parts of England and Scotland we may get more interest,” said PC Abernethy-Clark.

The system will not just be used during floods, it could be used whenever there is a need to evacuate property.

Latest ambulance figures on target

The standard emergency ambulance response to the most acutely ill patients was five minutes and 30 seconds, latest figures show.

 

Statistics for November, the second month of a year-long pilot to test changes to the way the Welsh Ambulance Service responds to patients, show that 70.8% red calls were responded to within eight minutes.

The expectation is that at least 65% of responses to the most life-threatening emergencies – known as red calls - should arrive within eight minutes.

The new figures for November also show:

• More than a third of ‘red’ patients received a response within just four minutes;
• There were an average of 1,223 emergency calls per day;
• All health board areas, with the exception of Hywel Dda University Health Board area, achieved at least 70% within eight minutes.

Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “I’m pleased to see the Welsh Ambulance is achieving the new response time target and helping to deliver excellent patient outcomes, as the pilot continues.

“These figures reveal the demands placed on the ambulance clinicians, clinical contact centres and hard-working first responder volunteers who work tirelessly to save people in life-threatening situations.

“The new system is helping to ensure people with an immediately life-threatening condition receive a response within eight minutes – this is helping people to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“I recognise that more needs to be done in some areas and I expect the service to build on these early results and continue to improve to ensure people who need the life-saving skills of ambulance clinicians do so in the quickest time possible and get the best possible outcomes.”

Llan mansion to become luxury wedding venue

 
 

The Daily Post has a story about Tyn Dwr Hall in Llangollen being transformed into a luxurious wedding venue.

For the full story see:
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/llangollen-mansion-transformed-luxury-boutique-10663018#ICID=sharebar_twitter

Libraries issue daring reading challenge

 

* Reading whilst sky diving ©Stephen Megison.

 

Why not sign up for a year of Reading Daringly with north Wales’s libraries?

 

Each month two of the 24 specially chosen books, one English language and one Welsh language, will be revealed creating a calendar of captivating reads.

 

Librarians from across North Wales will choose books that challenge you to read something different. 

 

Whatever your reading tastes there is something here to entertain, challenge and enrich your reading experience – a real adventure in your armchair.

 

Readers are also encouraged to share their experiences and opinions of the books online via Facebook and Twitter or via the eye-catching postcards available from libraries.

 

The reading challenge has been devised by Estyn Allan a partnership of libraries in North Wales which aims to offer new opportunities for readers to take an active role in their own development and to share reading experiences with others.

 

The aim is to develop imaginative projects which increase people's enjoyment of reading and take the pleasure of reading to new audiences and to promote contemporary writing in Welsh and English.

 

Bethan Hughes, from the Estyn Allan y Gogledd libraries partnership, said: “The idea is that A Year of Reading Daringly would run almost like a reading group without the need to actually attend.

 

"People often get stuck in a ‘reading rut’ reading the same authors or genres and we are encouraging people to challenge themselves and try something new in 2016.

 

"And as 2016 has been designated as the Year of Adventure in Wales this is a chance for people to sign up for lots of new adventures."

 

* For more information visit the Year of Reading Daringly Facebook and Twitter page or pop in to your local library.

 

https://www.facebook.com/A-Year-of-Reading-Daringly-1506238289671199/?fref=ts

@ReadingDaringly

 

The first books will be announced on 1^st January 2016.

Government consults on blue badge eligibility

The Welsh Government is to consult on extending Blue Badge eligibility for temporary conditions and on streamlining the assessment process.

 

North Wales South East Wales South West WalesTransport Minister, Edwina Hart, has published the responses to the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group, set-up to consider ways to improve the Blue Badge Scheme, which provides free parking to people with disabilities in Wales.

 

 

The Minister agreed some immediate actions, including working with other organisations to improve enforcement and a communication campaign on the importance to badge holders and to deter abuse and misuse of the scheme.

A public consultation will be undertaken early next year on extending the Blue Badge eligibility to people with temporary qualifying conditions that are likely to last at least 12 months.

Changes to the assessment process will also be consulted on, including the need for GP assessments and speeding up the process for those re-applying for a badge.

Mrs Hart said: “The Blue Badge Scheme plays a vital role in improving access to employment and services for people with disabilities.  The Welsh Government has already made some important changes to extend eligibility and ensure consistency and fairness in the way it is delivered.

"However there were some problems with the assessment and delivery process of the current system and I set-up the Task and Finish Group to look at ways to improve the scheme. I am very grateful for the work of the Group and will look to take forward these important improvements as soon as possible.”