New police boss pledges to serve all the people

* New North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones.

A new police boss has pledged to serve all the people of North Wales without fear or favour - and to make tackling domestic violence a top priority.

Former police inspector Arfon Jones, the second ever North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, was speaking on his first official day in office (Thursday, May 12) after succeeding Winston Roddick in the job.

Standing as a Plaid Cymru candidate, he swept to victory with a massive majority of 25,364 votes.

According to Mr Jones, a member of Wrexham County Borough Council, it was one of the proudest days of his life to lead the force he served for 30 years, both in uniform and as a detective.

A native of Harlech in Gwynedd, he is married with two daughters and four grandchildren and lives in Gwersyllt, near Wrexham.

Mr Jones is now in charge of a budget of £147 million and is responsible for making sure the money is spent effectively to keep the people of North Wales safe and secure.

In doing so, he vowed to represent everybody in North Wales, regardless of their political affiliations.

He said: "It's very important.  I agreed 100 per cent with what Sadiq Khan said when he became Mayor of London, that he represented all the people of London.  I think that is perfectly correct.

"I think all politicians should do that, no matter who has voted for you, you represent all your electorate without fear or favour. It’s part of being sworn in.  I have promised to do this and I take my responsibilities seriously.

"I plan to consult widely about the policing priorities for North Wales to make sure we have a good idea of what it is that the people of North Wales want us to deliver over the next 12 months.

"Once I publish the plan I will then scrutinise the force and hold the chief officers to account to make sure that the plan is realised."

One of the commissioner's first priorities will be tackling the issue of domestic violence.

Mr Jones wants to extend the use of body-worn video to all front line police officers in North Wales so that evidence of crimes can be captured as they happen.

A total of 128 video camera kits have already been deployed across North Wales and have proved a big success, particularly in relation to domestic violence.

Mr Jones said:  "Domestic violence is a hideous crime and one I feel passionately about.

"The fact that seven victims of domestic violence are killed every month in England and Wales makes it an obvious priority. 

"There’s an emotional cost, there’s a cost to society and there’s a financial cost and I think it’s a responsibility to us all to prioritise things of this nature.

"I would very much like to provide every front line officer in North Wales with a body-worn video. 

"I think that the evidence that is coming out from the use of body worn video is that the number of offenders who are arrested and charged and brought before the courts has increased.

"I would certainly encourage victims to come forward, either by reporting the matter directly to the police or by getting in touch with a partner agency.

"When people come forward to report such an offence, it's often the case that it will have happened dozens of times previously.

"To be fair to my predecessor, Winston Roddick, he did a lot of work on this issue and I’m looking forward to carrying on this work and developing it further."

Another priority for Mr Jones keeping children out of the criminal justice system to ensure they are not criminalised at a young age, blighting their future prospects.

One of the problems, he said, was the absence of a consistent approach in the way young justice services were delivered in different parts of North Wales.

I’ve been leading Children’s Services for Wrexham County Council with responsibility for Youth Justice which comes under the Ministry of Justice at Westminster.

"It is financed by the Welsh Government, the office of the Commissioner, North Wales Police, the probation service and the health board and it is all dealt with differently across the whole of North Wales.

"Responsibility for youth justice should be devolved to Wales because at the moment the way it works is that it’s like a postcode lottery and I think that children and young people deserve a better service.

"We should intervene earlier when the children are younger and break the cycle of crime before it happens."

Chief Constable Mark Polin wished Mr Jones well in his new role. He said “I would like to congratulate Mr Arfon Jones and welcome him as the new Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales. 

"I look forward to working closely with him to deliver the Police and Crime Plan and ensuring North Wales remains a safe place to live, work and visit where vulnerable members of society are protected from harm.”

New Dot Cinema has an horrific offering

Tonight's screening at Llangollen's New Dot Cinema in the Town Hall council chamber is one of two films specially chosen to appeal to a young adult audience.

Critically acclaimed Swedish horror Let The Right One In (pictured below) is a vampire movie unlike any other.

Less trashiness, more intelligent suspense.

Doors open tonight (Friday May 13) at 7.30pm.

Be warned: this film contains sex and nudity, violence and gore - not for the faint-hearted!

Then next month's film is Dear White People showing on Friday June 10.

A low budget, independent recent release from the US, this stylish, sharp talking and beautifully shot movie tells a story about being a black face in a white place.

New Dot organiser Keiron Preston has encouraged several new volunteers from the 18-25 age group to assist at this special screening.

Together they've tweaked the refreshments for a new market and will be present on the night to run the proceedings.

This initiative is part of an on-going strategy to reach out to different sectors of the community in the Dee Valley.

New Dot Cinema is a not-for-profit organisation, run by volunteers. Watch this space for news of a spectacular summer screening in conjunction with The Fringe Festival!

More information: http://www.facebook.com/NewDotCinema/

Tickets, priced at £5 each, are available online or from Baileys Deli of Llangollen. Also available on the door, unless sold out.

MP calls for women's pension re-think

* Susan Elan Jones with other MPs in Parliament calling

on the government to re-think its pension plans for women born in the 1950s.

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones joined WASPI Westminster, a cross-party group of MPs that is calling on the Government to look again at pension provision for women born during the 1950s.

The Labour MP said: "The Government urgently needs to make fair transitional arrangements for all women born on or after April 6 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase to the State Pension Age (SPA).

"Hundreds of thousands of women have had significant changes imposed on them with a lack of appropriate notification. This isn't fair or right.

"It is a big issue for many women in our area and indeed across the UK. Planning means everything when it comes to pensions."

She added: "At the heart of the campaign is the 1995 Conservative Government’s Pension Act included plans to increase women’s SPA to 65, the same as men’s.

"Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), agree with equalisation, but don’t agree with the unfair way the changes were implemented – with little/no personal notice (1995/2011 Pension Acts), faster than promised (2011 Pension Act), and no time to make alternative plans."

RAFA Club to host charity concert

A charity concert will be staged at Llangollen RAFA Club at 8pm on Saturday May 28.

Featuring Alan B, who has toured with singing greats including Rob Orbison, all proceeds from the event will go to the Wrexham Maelor Hospital stoke unit. There will also be a raffle.

Tickets, at £5, are available from Gwyn the Butchers, the RAFA Club or on the door on he night.

No confirmation over supermarket tenants

* Neither Aldi nor Home Bargains will confirm an interest in the new supermarket.

Neither of the two retail giants suggested as potential occupiers of Llangollen’s “ghost” supermarket will say for sure whether they have an interest in taking it over.

Sainsburys, who built the 34,000 square foot store off the A5, announced a year ago that they wouldn’t be running it directly due to adverse economic conditions and revealed they were looking for potential tenants.

The pull-out also dashed hopes for 130 promised jobs.

There has since been speculation that supermarket chain Aldi and discount group Home Bargains were ready to sign a deal to jointly occupy the building.

But this week both companies remained non-committal.

A spokesman for Aldi told llanblogger yesterday (Tuesday):  “Aldi, the award-winning discount food retailer, is keen to develop a new food store in Llangollen.

“There is a clear need for greater shopping choice in the area and Aldi is looking at a variety of sites that fit both suitability and convenience for local shoppers.”

And a spokesman for Home Bargains said today: “Unfortunately, it’s a no comment from us, as we work to a strict planner of confirmed stores.”

Tory candidate says thanks for support

Simon Baynes, the Welsh Conservative Assembly Candidate for Clwyd South in last week’s election, has thanked supporters and says he will continue to campaign on local issues in Clwyd South.

He said: “Many thanks to the thousands of people who voted for me and supported me in my campaign in Clwyd South.

"I congratulate Ken Skates on his re-election as AM for Clwyd South and wish him well."

Mr Baynes (pictured) added: "I greatly enjoyed the campaign and am proud of the huge effort that the Clwyd South Conservatives made in knocking on thousands of doors the length and breadth of the constituency which played its part in increasing the turnout from 37% to 41%.

"I will continue to help and campaign on local issues and problems in Clwyd South alongside our North Wales Regional Assembly Member Mark Isherwood AM and our local Councillors.

"I can always be contacted on 07880 786573 or baynes@bodfach.com if I can be of assistance.”

 

Designer Sarah creates poster for 70th Eisteddfod

* Sarah Meade with some of her previous posters and post cards.

A designer from the town is creating a poster and post card marking this summer’s 70th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Sarah Meade, who runs the Honey Pots gifts emporium and ceramic studio in Castle Street, said: “It will feature Katherine Jenkins and Jools Holland, who are both starring at the festival.

“I've been working with the Eisteddfod to make sure I feature as many of the flags of the competing countries as I can and it's this element of the poster that I'm just completing.

“It will have a railway poster-type feel to it, the same as the previous postcards and posters that I have designed. We're hoping to get this one reproduced on to tea towels as a souvenir for this year as well.”

Sarah currently has a joint promotion running with the nearby Witzend Gallery.

She explained: “People can come into our shop and pick up a poster and then pop over the road to Witzend to have it framed, or alternatively we have a few they prepared earlier to purchase in store now.”