AM praises Ysgol Bryn Collen's positive report

A primary school has been praised by its local Assembly Member after Estyn inspectors highlighted ‘a series of huge positives’.

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said the report on Ysgol Bryn Collen in Llangollen was ‘one that everyone connected with the school and the wider community can be proud of'.

Inspectors noted that the majority of pupils make good progress and are well-behaved.

They rated both the school’s performance and its prospects for improvement as ‘good’.

Mr Skates (pictured) said: “The report highlights a series of huge positives for the school, and great credit must go to the leadership of headteacher David Coffey over the past decade, as well as his dedicated team.

“The inspectors saw that the children enjoy imaginative learning experiences that provide challenging opportunities for them to develop their skills, and it’s also extremely encouraging that they note that pupils with individual needs receive effective support in an inclusive and welcoming community.”

The report is also positive about the school’s future, stating that the headteacher and senior leaders have an ongoing commitment to raising standards and work closely and effectively with staff, with a shared understanding of the priorities for improvement.

Mr Skates said: “The staff have the support of a knowledgeable governing body, who play a strong role in school life, and the Estyn team also highlights a rigorous process of self-evaluation which underpins the school’s plans for improvement.

“Another aspect which is very pleasing is that in these times of huge UK Government cuts to public funding and to Wales, Mr Coffey and the governing body monitor the school’s finances efficiently and make good use of all available funding.”

Mr Skates added: “This is a great report and a wonderful way for Ysgol Bryn Collen to start 2016. It’s one that everyone teachers, pupils, parents and everyone connected with the school and the wider community can be proud of.”

Ysgol Bryn Collen has 170 pupils and Mr Coffey has been headteacher since 2005.

Major A5 roadworks due to start on Tuesday

* The A5 through Llangollen will be resurfaced during major roadworks. 

Major roadworks to resurface the of main A5 road through Llangollen are due to begin next Tuesday.

County Cllr Stuart Davies has been given details of the scheme, being promoted by the Welsh Government and the North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agency, by the works department at Denbighshire County Council.

He has been told that the aim of the works is to replace the worn-out upper carriageway surface throughout the length of the A5 in the town, from the western 30mph limit to the eastern 30mph limit.

The work is expected to last for six weeks and, in order to minimise disruption, will start at around 7.30am and continue well into the evening, perhaps up until midnight, Cllr Davies has been informed.

The existing carriageway will be removed during the daytime, to around 4pm, with the new pavement being laid from 4pm.

Cllr Davies has been warned there will be “unavoidable noise” from heavy plant moving around and reversing between these times.

He has also been informed that the Welsh Government has released further funds, so the contractor will be employed to renew the carriageway surface to the west for 650m beyond the 30mph limit towards Berwyn.

This will be completed following the works within the town, but within the overall six-week period stated previously.

County explains landfill spending position

The amount spent by Welsh councils on landfill has fallen by more than 23% in the last four years, according to figures obtained by BBC Wales this week.

The total weight of landfill has dropped from 641,000 tonnes in 2012/13 to 450,000 tonnes in 2014/15 - a 30% fall in three years.

But while most councils’ spending on landfill went down, Denbighshire’s rose by seven per cent, from £1,324,000 in 2011-12 to £1,424,000 in 2014-15.

Alan L Roberts, the county council’s senior technical officer (waste), said: “The bottom line is that it isn’t a very good measure statistically and it is quite a complex issue. The main thing though is that the 22 Welsh local authorities were starting from different positions.

“ In 2011 Denbighshire recorded a recycling rate of 57%. This was the highest in Wales and so Denbighshire was already landfilling relatively little of its waste, so the county reduced its landfill costs by recycling at high levels before the BBC survey period commenced.

“ By April 2011, Denbighshire had procured some of the lowest landfill disposal costs of all the 22 Welsh local authorities which again means these cost reductions are not included within the BBC survey period.

“In April 2011, the standard rate of Landfill Tax increased to £56 per tonne, the rate currently stands at £82.60 per tonne showing how the unit costs of landfill have increased substantially during the survey period, i.e. there was a very significant upward pressure on landfill costs over the period.

“ The way councils disposed of non-recyclable rubbish during the survey period changed substantially. In 2011, Denbighshire sent 100% of its non-recyclable rubbish to landfill but by 2015 this had changed and only around 50% was sent to landfill; the other 50% was incinerated. Other councils, with suitable facilities available locally, are able to send 100% of their non-recyclable rubbish for disposal by alternative means.”

He added: “Whether it is landfilled or incinerated, there is still a significant cost of disposing of non-recyclable rubbish but the BBC survey centred solely on landfill.

“Councils that the BBC found have reduced their landfill bill between 2011 and 2015 will still be paying to have waste incinerated or treated by other means.

“The BBC survey shows that the Landfill Tax, which will soon become one of the taxes for which the Welsh Government will assume control, is still a massive financial burden on councils despite greatly reduced quantities of waste being sent to landfill.”

Ross is bloomin’ thrilled with his lead role

Rehearsals for Llangollen Operatic Society’s forthcoming production of Mel Brooks’ smash hit musical The Producers are now well underway.

With just weeks to go until opening night, the cast and crew are getting excited and no-one more than society stalwart Ross Wilson, who will take the lead role of nervous accounts clerk turned producer, Leo Bloom. 

Ross’ passion for the stage started at a very young age when he joined the society’s junior section as a five year old.

* Ross Wilson as Sweaty Eddie in Sister Act. 

He remained a member of the Young Uns’ right up to age of 17 and during that time undertook a variety of roles, culminating with the lead role in the group’s 2005 Production of Bugsy Malone. 

However, Ross’ interest in acting extended beyond amateur theatre.

After completing his GCSEs at Ysgol Dinas Bran, he went on to take a three-year course in Performing Arts at Yale College in Wrexham before continuing his studies to degree level at the International Film School of Wales at Newport University, where his hard work earned him a 2:1. 

After a few years spent travelling and working in the USA and France, Ross finally returned to his home town and re-joined the Operatic Society again last year for whom he played the role of police officer Sweaty Eddie in their production of Sister Act, which won much local acclaim and was a sell-out almost every performance. 

Ross said: “I am thrilled to be playing the role of Leo Bloom and The Producers is a show I have always wanted to be in. I think it’s the high energy comedy that hooks me in and with the character of Leo, this energy and comedy really comes out."
 
The Producers will be staged at Llangollen Town Hall from April 12-16, starting at 7.30pm and with a matinee performance starting at 2.30pm on Saturday April 16.

* Tickets are now available online at:  www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety. Booking early is recommended.

Renew garden waste sub now, says council

Denbighshire Council is reminding residents to renew their annual subscription to the garden waste collection service.

Households sign up and pay an annual subscription to have their garden waste collected and subscriptions can be renewed up to 12 weeks before they come to an end.

Over 16,500 households are currently signed up to the scheme, which is over 50% of eligible households in Denbighshire.

Residents can find out when their subscription is up for renewal by typing their postcode at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling

Householders that have opted in to the service receive a collection calendar for the fortnightly service and a bar-code sticker for their green bin, or bar-coded tags where garden waste is collected in bags.

The following garden waste goes in your green wheelie bin or green dumpy sack: grass cuttings, garden prunings, branches and twigs, leaves, bark, flowers and plants.

The council will not empty green dumpy bags or green bins which contain; soil, general household rubbish or food products.

Garden waste can also be disposed of through recycling parks, free of charge. Some garden wastes can be shredded and returned to the soil as a mulch or composted at home either on a traditional compost heap or a home composter.

Denbighshire's introduction of charges for garden waste collection followed a significant reduction in its grant from the Welsh Government.

The council set an annual charge of £24 to empty its standard 140 litre green garden waste bin every two weeks with an option to have a second bin for an extra £12. There is a £2 discount if you renew online. There is an equivalent service in place for residents who use the Council's green dumpy sacks for garden waste.

If you aren't already signed up for this service and wish to do so, you can sign up on www.denbighshire.gov.uk<http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk>  or, alternatively householders can make payment by telephone on 01824 706101 (or 01824 706100 for Welsh speakers) or by calling in at any of the Council's One Stop Shops.

MP writes to bank boss over branch closures

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has written to HSBC Regional Director Jonathon Byrne, posing a series of detailed questions on the bank's proposals to close its branches in Ruabon and Chirk.

Ms Jones (pictured) said: "I have been working very closely with community representatives and a large number of constituents to produce this letter. We demand answers.

"We want HSBC to keep both branches open. We are all dismayed by how the UK Government has weakened a previously agreed 'banking protocol' so that there is now no requirement to keep open the last bank in every community.

"However, we are also appalled at HSBC's appalling treatment of loyal customers in our local area. We call on them to re-think their dreadful decision.

"The letter we have produced is the result of many long conversations, emails, letters and points made at local community meetings. We ask detailed questions about a whole range of matters - including business banking; face-to-face service provision; ATM (cashpoint) facilities; customers who do not use the internet; community groups; and the lack of existing Post Office provision. We also call on HSBC to reveal statistical details about the number of transactions carried out locally."   

The letter ...


Dear Mr Byrne,

 

I am appalled that HSBC has stated its wishes to close the long established HSBC branches in Ruabon and Chirk. As you will know, both branches fall within my constituency and I have been contacted by many constituents who are deeply concerned about the closures.

 

Both branches have long been an important part of the community and local residents have relied upon, and continue to rely upon, the services that these branches provide.

 

As the representative Member of Parliament for both Ruabon and Chirk, I know the impact that these closures will have on local businesses and how they will be affected by not having the physical presence of a bank. Though I recognise that there has been an increase in internet banking in recent years, the reality is that branches are still a fundamental part of our communities.

 

Many constituents are concerned about the option of moving to Wrexham and how eas y it will be to access their finances. The Wrexham branch is already heavily mechanised and loyal customers in both Ruabon and Chirk have appreciated and needed the face-to-face service that has been provided. Many customers have been loyal to the branches for many years.

 

Can you provide numbers that show that transactions have fallen? Can you provide information on how many accounts are held at both branches? Following the closures of Cefn Mawr, Llangollen and Rhosllannerchrugog branches, how many accounts were served by these two branches and will those accounts now all be transferred to Wrexham? Please provide figures to show why you consider Ruabon and Chirk branches to be no longer commercially viable.

 

I have liaised with many community representatives and a large number of constituents and I would like to raise the following questions directly on their behalf:

 

1.    What provisions will be made available to business customers? Both branches current ly serve a large number of diverse local businesses. Local business customers will be forced to endure addition costs travelling to Oswestry or Wrexham on a daily basis. What will HSBC do to ensure that business customers in Ruabon, Chirk and the wider area are not directly affected by these closures? This also applies to customers running charitable organisations and local groups in both areas.

 

2.    What is HSBC’s current plans for ATM availability? As you will know, they provide a vital local amenity and the nearest free cash point is not for a number of miles. Will there still be ATMs available for loyal customers who have used the ATMs for a number of years?

3.    With regards to Post Offices, both local Post Offices have an extremely limited service in terms of access to finances. How has this been considered by HSBC?

4.    After closures such as this, customers have been known to be the target of telephone scams (phone calls to local people claiming to be from the bank about the moving of accounts). What is HSBC doing to do to ensure communication with their customers is efficient and clear?

 

5.    Both branches are situated in prominent community buildings. If HSBC goes ahead with this appalling decision, is there a plan for the future of either building?

6.    There is still a large proportion of the community who do not use internet or telephone banking. How will HSBC ensure that these members of the community, many of them long standing, loyal customers, are not cut off completely from these banking services? Some residents, who despair at HSBC’s proposals, have asked that if they do go ahead will mobile banking be provided? They also ask if training will be provided to show customers how to use internet banking if they have not done so before?

 

I would like to ask directly what HSBC’s commitment is to villages and small towns in Wales. With so many closures in my constituency and across North Wales, I am appalled by the lack of commitment that HSBC has shown to local customers who have been loyal for many years. How long have these closures been discussed? Why have these local communities not been approached sooner? HSBC absolutely must consider the implications that any closure would have on our local communities and must rethink these inexcusable proposals immediately.

Eisteddfod singing competition gets prize boost

 

* Dr Rhys Davies, Llangollen International Musical

Eisteddfod chairman (right), with Mario Kreft and Ken Skates AM.

 

AN ICONIC competition to find the world's best young singers has been given a massive boost by a pioneering care organisation.

 

Pendine Park has agreed to more than triple the prize money up for grabs in the prestigious Voice of the Future competition at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

 

According to the festival's Musical Director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, increasing the annual prize to £5,000 from 2017 onwards will "catapult the competition into a whole new league".

 

He said: "This is a truly remarkable gesture which will lead to a big surge in interest for new vocal talent.

 

"The timing is especially appropriate as we will be celebrating our 70th anniversary in 2017 and looking forward to an even brighter future.

 

The announcement about Pendine Park's sizeable financial contribution was made by Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism.

 

Mr Skates, the Clwyd South AM, said: “It’s a fantastic, incredibly generous investment by a very well-respected and responsible employer.

 

“I believe that in Wales we need to have what I call the 'Martini arts' because they are available any time, any place and anywhere.

 

“Pendine is helping to deliver this in a social care setting, and I toast their success.”

 

Voice of the Future is one of the main highlights of the International Eisteddfod, which each year attracts competitors and visitors from across the globe.

 

The competition is open to young soloists under the age of 28 and the prize money – now up from £1,500 to £5,000 thanks to Pendine Park– is intended to help them advance their professional career.

 

The prize also includes the chance to perform at future festival concerts.

 

During the two-day competition, singers are required to deliver a contrasting programme of up to eight minutes of music, including oratorio, opera, lieder and song, performed in its original language.

 

In the final competitors must present a programme of music lasting up to 10 minutes.

 

Eirlys Myfanwy Davies, winner of the Voice of the Future title in 2014, will share the stage with opera legend Bryn Terfel when he stars at a glittering evening concert on July 7.

 

The concert marking the Eisteddfod’s 70^th is also being sponsored by Pendine Park and will also star the supremely talented Maltese opera colleague Joseph Calleja whose voice has been compared to the legendary Caruso.

 

Pendine proprietor Mario Kreft said after the announcement of the £5,000 prize: "The ethos of the Eisteddfod chimes perfectly with what my wife, Gill, and I are doing at Pendine Park.

 

“I firmly believe in the vital role played by music and arts in social care and as part of our enrichment programme for people with dementia we regularly have world-class musicians from the Hallé orchestra and Welsh National Opera as part of our enrichment workshops and staff training and development programme.

 

“For some years now we have supported evening concerts at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and we want to provide further impetus to this unique festival and the Voice of the Future Competition in particular by increasing the prize money available to the winner."

 

He added: “The message of the Eisteddfod about the importance of peace and harmony is as relevant today as it's ever been.

 

"We're absolutely delighted to be giving this extra support to the Eisteddfod as  on Children’s Day at last year’s festival we will never forget seeing over 800 young people from local schools taking part in music workshops we hosted with members of the Welsh National Opera.

 

“As Terry Waite, who is President of the Eisteddfod, has often said, there is nothing more important than giving good memories to young people."

 

Eisteddfod Musical Director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: “It’s fantastic that Pendine Park is continuing its support for the festival by offering this £5,000 prize money for Voice of the Future after previously sponsoring our evening concerts.

 

“I know the difference this money will make in drawing in a much larger number of applications for this competition.

 

“I previously ran a similar competition in another part of Wales and when the prize money was increased the number of applications actually tripled."

 

Festival chairman Dr Rhys Davies added: “This is an extraordinarily generous contribution from Pendine Park and the prize money on offer will help to support the training of the young singer who is chosen as the winner.

 

“The competition is equally important is providing a stage for the singing stars of tomorrow and that is why it was created.”