Gala dinner supports air ambulance

* The Chain Bridge Hotel, scene of the February 27 gala dinner.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Wales Air Ambulance a gala dinner will be held at the Chain Bridge Hotel in Llangollen on Saturday February 27, starting at 7pm.

The evening, hosted by supporter Ron Hughes, will feature a speaker, musical entertainment and a raffle with all proceeds going to the Air Ambulance.

Tickets, priced at £30, are available by emailing the host at rontacv@gmail.com,or calling 07780 668781.

Big Top thrills come to Corwen

* Circus skills workshops have come to Corwen.

The thrills of the Big Top have come to Corwen with a circus skills workshop.

Running for the next five weeks at Canolfan Ni,  it’s being ring-masterminded by Panic Circus and is aimed at anyone, young or old, interested in learning skills associated with the famous travelling shows.

Eliot Maddocks – aka Elmo Panic – said: “We have equipment to fit everyone , whether they would like to learn to juggle, unicycle or tightrope work, spin diablo or balance on a ball,  hola or stilt walk.

“Come along, all smiles and giggles are completely free of charge but there is a small charge to cover the hire of the room.”

Panic Circus is a new-wave, non-animal circus and clown theatre will plays to audiences around the country. 

* For more details, go to: http://www.paniccircus.co.uk/

Candidate gets update on HSBC branch closures

Simon Baynes, Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South, met with representatives of HSBC last Thursday.

 

And he says they agreed to his suggestion that the bank should attend Chirk Town Council and Ruabon Community Council meetings to discuss the branch closures.

 

The meeting with HSBC was also attended by County Cllr Joan Lowe (Penycae and Ruabon South) and County Cllr Terry Evans (Chirk South) and the depth of concern of the two communities about the branch closures was strongly communicated to the bank, says Mr Baynes 

 

* Simon Baynes.

The meeting also focused on discussing the 30 key questions raised by people who attended the recent public meetings on the closures in Chirk and Ruabon and by over 350 residents who replied to Mr Baynes’ Community Banking Survey.

 

According to Mr Baynes, HSBC said they are going to provide more detailed answers to the 30 questions and agreed that more work needs to be done on ensuring a robust service is offered by the Post Office.

 

He said: “I am pleased that HSBC immediately agreed to attend the Chirk Town Council and Ruabon Community Council meetings, hopefully on Wednesday next week.

 

"In a difficult situation like this, it is extremely important that local residents and businesses have as much opportunity as possible to express their concerns and ask questions.

 

"HSBC now has the 30 key questions about the branch closures which were raised at the two recent public meetings and we look forward to their detailed answers to these questions.

 

"Full, open and transparent communication is vital and I would urge people to contact the bank directly with their concerns.

 

"You can email Martin Lyons, Area Director, Business Banking for North Wales), on martinlyons@hsbc.com or ring Nikki Sears, Wrexham Branch Manager, on 03455 847024.  If you have problems, contact me on baynes@bodfach.com and 07880786573 and I will contact HSBC on your behalf.”

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.