New speed watch team spots first motorists

LLANGOLLEN’S new community speed watch team has had its first outing and reported a number of motorists for exceeding the limit.

The group of volunteer residents was formed earlier this year to monitor speeding hotspots in the town.

* Volunteers monitored speed near this spot on the A539.

After receiving statutory training in police hand-held radar guns, they had their first monitoring session earlier this week.

Local county councillor Stuart Davies, who is one of the group, said: “Myself and another volunteer were positioned on the A539 on the Wrexham side of the bus stop.

"We were there for half an hour and monitored a number of motorists – I’m not allowed to say exactly how many - exceeding the 30mph limit as they headed along the road in the direction of Wrexham.

“Their details have been given to the police and they will now receive warning letters.

"Persistent offenders will receive up to two warning letters, and on a third occasion, they can expect further action by police."

He added: “It was a very worthwhile exercise as we get a lot of complaints about speeding in the Llangollen area and this scheme helps us to react positively without being too draconian.

“All the points where our monitoring takes place are first risk-assessed by the police.

“Within the next few weeks we will be looking at the 20mph zones in Brook Street and Pengwern, near Pentrefelin and on the A5 close to the fire station.

“We currently have four members in the group with a fifth who has just applied to join.”      

History group's talk on fascinating subject

Llangollen Museum is hosting a talk by Ruth Tams on the history of toilets, entitled Flushed with Pride, on Wednesday April 27, starting at 7.30pm.

Entry fee is £3 which includes tea or coffee.

Police investigate damage to former GPs' surgery

Police officers were this afternoon (Saturday) investigating the breaking of glass in the front door of the former GPs' surgery in Regent Street, Llangollen.

The building has been empty since the practice moved to the town's new £5 million health centre in Mill Street last summer.

A number of residents have expressed concerns about its future use.

Llan voters put Labour leader on the spot

llanblogger joins Pavilion audience for live

TV Q&A session with Carwyn Jones 

* Carwyn Jones chats to audience members after the programme.

Labour’s leader in Wales faced a barrage of questions from a lively Llangollen audience at the Pavilion last night (Friday).

Carwyn Jones, the country’s First Minister until the May 5 Assembly Election began, was the latest party boss put on the spot by voters as part of BBC Wales’s Ask the Leader series.

First pre-arranged question of the live half-hour programme came from Laura Davies who asked why Labour had “screwed up” the NHS in Wales.

Mr Jones replied that despite the budget of the devolved Welsh service being cut by 10% by the Westminster Conservative government, Wales was spending “more than ever before” on its NHS.

He added: “Most people get a good service for most of the time. But when we see there's a problem we take action."

Mr Jones cited the case of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, covering North Wales, which had been placed in special measures by the Welsh Government because people had lost confidence in it.

But he said: “We are making sure that it regains the confidence of the people of North Wales and it is beginning to regain that confidence.”

He also claimed that Wales was spending more on the NHS than England.

Asked by Dr Rhys Davies about the GP recruitment crisis currently affecting the health service, Mr Jones said that to take the pressure of family doctors it was essential that patients didn’t “default” to visiting their GP before trying other avenues for health advice, such as pharmacists and GP nurses.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies claimed that the local health situation had not been helped by the closure of the town’s cottage hospital.  

Second question came from Mike Evans who referred to the “disconnect” between the Welsh Government and voters in the north of Wales, and challenged Mr Jones to explain why Cardiff felt “more remote” to people in this region than Westminster.

The Labour chief replied that there were more Assembly Members representing North Wales than there were MP’s for the region.

He went on to detail some of the money recently spent in the north, such as on new schools and hospitals and the face-lifting of the A55 trunk route.

Mr Jones was asked by an audience member what benefits the Northern Powerhouse, being promoted for the north of England by Chancellor George Osborn, would bring to North Wales.

“I don’t see it as competition,” he answered.  

Explaining that the suggested powerhouse would mean better transport links within its area, Mr Jones said that Welsh Labour had just announced plans for a North Wales metro link, adding there would be a metro summit called by Labour within 100 days if the party won the assembly election.

He also told the audience that Labour had already improved the country’s road and rail links, including the rail line from Holyhead to Cardiff, and was now improving broadband links in North Wales.

Third questioner Michael Stokes asked Mr Jones if he planned to work closer with UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn if his party won the election.

Mr Jones replied: “I welcome support from all colleagues elsewhere in the UK.”

There was no answer from him when asked by programme presenter Bethan Rhys Roberts if he thought that Mr Corby didn’t look like a Prime Minister.

Final question came from James Wallace who asked the leader whether he apologised for “taking his eye off the ball” when it came to education in Wales.

“I don’t think we have,” responded Mr Jones.

He said that schools were being built or rebuilt right across Wales while “nothing like that” was happening in England.

“We now have more young people sitting in facilities that are appropriate for the 21^st century,” he pointed out, adding that Wales now had better GCSE results than ever before and A Level results that were also improving.

Asked by an audience member about what cash support Labour was planning to provide for university students in Wales, Mr Jones answered: “We will maintain our support for students at a higher level than in England.”   

Friends of Earth put candidates in the frame

Llangollen Friends of the Earth has put candidates contesting Clwyd South in the May 5 Welsh Assembly election in the frame.

Spokesman for the group (pictured below) Warren Davies said: “We invited all of the candidates to take part in a 60 second video interview.

“We asked them to tell us about themselves, why they are standing, their priorities and what they are going to do about climate change.

“The candidates we invited to be filmed were Simon Baynes (Welsh Conservatives), Mabon
Ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru), Mandy Jones (UKIP), Duncan Rees (Wales Green Party), Aled Roberts (Welsh Liberal Democrats) and Ken Skates (Welsh Labour). Mandy Jones (UKIP) did not respond.”

* All of the videos are now available on the YouTube channel at:
(https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgYOeqWUDfr8Etl-Rcv6yLQ).

Triathlon is a family affair for Mike

* Mike Edwards outside Chirk Leisure Centre with one of the Wales Air Ambulance mascots, Huw HEMS.

Fundraising for a good cause has become a family affair for Llangollen’s Edwards clan.



For when dad Mike tackles the Chirk Triathlon this Sunday he’ll be doing it alongside his eldest son, Christian, 43, and his 30-year-old eldest daughter, Claire.



Mike is raising money for the Wales Air Ambulance, which is a cause close to his heart.



Following a heart attack five years ago he regained his fitness and took up the triathlon event. 



“I am a keen supporter of  the air ambulance, being well aware of the value of a speedy response in my sport,” he said.



Mike is also a long-term cyclist, regularly hitting the mountain bike trails at Coed Llandegla  and pounding the roads in the Wrexham and Llangollen areas. 



Sunday’s Chirk Triathlon starts and finishes at Chirk Leisure Centre where Mike has been  training for the big event. To sponsor him, go to his Virgin Money Just Giving page at:

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=MichaelEdwards262

Welsh Conservatives unveil tourism strategy

Welsh Conservatives have unveiled a policy which they say promises to deliver a tourism "boom” for Wales.

The Party is pledging to promote Wales to the rest of the UK and the world and put industry expertise in the driving seat.

The announcement follows statistics which Conservatives claim shows that under Labour day visits to Wales by British residents have fallen by one fifth.

They have announced a five-point plan for the tourism industry and outlined a commitment to introduce a Tourism Bill as a core tenet of their legislative programme should they win the May 5 Welsh Assembly election.

Visit Wales would be removed from government control and operate at arm’s-length.

A new fund would also be established, offering grants to small and medium-sized operators, helping them expand and grow.

Firms would be able to bid for the grants in exchange for up-skilling, or taking on new staff. 

Mark Isherwood, candidate in North Wales, (pictured) said: “A decline in visits to Wales by British residents highlights the need of a change of emphasis.

“Tourism contributes massively to t he North Wales economy.  The people who know best in attracting tourists to Wales are those in the industry itself - and it is time to put the experts in the driving seat.

“We’d remove Visit Wales from government control, freeing it both from the shackles of bureaucracy and Labour’s ‘safety first’ approach."

Welsh Conservatives Leader, Andrew RT Davies, said: "We know many tourist operators struggle with costs such as VAT bills, and a Welsh Conservative Government would provide a dedicated fund, helping small and medium-sized operators grow, expand, and meet costs.

“Meanwhile, our dedicated Tourism Bill will enshrine, in law, an independent, expert-led approach to boosting tourism into Wales, and deliver a mechanism that ensures local communities are involved in promoting visitor experiences. 

“We have so much to be proud of, and with a renewed emphasis on attracting visitors to Wales, we can see our seas swell, beaches throng and mountains move.

“Whilst the sector faces challenges, in Wales, we have tremendous potential to ensure Wales is a world-leader, promoting our castles, seaside towns, growing cities, stunning landscapes and industrial heritage. Under a Welsh Conservative Government, the industry would be freed from government interference, unleashing Wales’ potential as a world-leader in tourism, securing real change and delivering a boom for the sector." 

Welsh Conservatives say they will also safeguard Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.