Police campaign sees 60 drug drive arrests

More drug drivers than ever before have been caught by North Wales Police during the recent Christmas Anti Drink and Drug Drive Campaign.

The campaign, which ran from December 1^st 2016 until January 1^st 2017, saw 60 drug drive arrests being made. During the same period North Wales Police administered 9,448 breath tests of which 95 were positive, failed or refused.

Officers used intelligence-led tactics and local knowledge of hotspots to detect people who were driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol over the festive period.

Inspector David Cust from the Roads Policing Unit said: “Although the festivities are now over, we are reminding motorists of the message that drink or drug driving is unacceptable all year round.

“We will continue in our efforts to change driver behaviour in order to make our roads safer.

"Throughout the year North Wales Police will remain alert to the threat of people who are driving under the influence of intoxicants and will continue to catch those who take this risk and endanger innocent road users.”

The 2016 campaign was a concerted effort by not only the Roads Policing Unit, but also colleagues from the Armed Alliance, Local Policing Services and the newly-established Special Constabulary Road Safety Unit.

The Unit, which is based at Police Headquarters in Colwyn Bay, compromises of a Special Sergeant and five Special Constables. They recently secured their first drug-drive conviction after a 25-year-old man from Ellesmere Port was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine, costs and victim surcharge totalling £525.

In March 2015 new legislation was introduced in England and Wales which set legal limits for how much of a substance; both illegal drugs and prescription medication, motorists can have in their system whilst driving. Officers use a drugs swipe test at the roadside to see if a motorist has taken cannabis or cocaine.

Any drivers who fail the test are arrested and taken to police custody where a sample of their blood is taken. The blood is then sent away to be examined to see if any illegal levels of a drug are found. If the driver refuses to give consent, they face being prosecuted for the offence of failing to provide a sample of blood for analysis.

Throughout 2016 North Wales Police made 881 drink drive and 400 drug drive arrests across the region.

Inspector Cust added: “The initial campaign may be over, but our work continues. Our message remains the same - don't risk it.

“Drink and drug driving ruins lives all year round. People will choose to do so anytime so we need support from the public 365 days a year to help us take these people off the roads of North Wales.”

* If at any time of the year you suspect someone is driving whilst unfit to do so is asked to contact North Wales Police on 101. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Ambulance service launches defibrillator campaign

* Sports stars Shane Williams and Lee Trundle join

Welsh Ambulance Service mascot Jack at the launch of the Defibuary campaign.

TWO sporting heroes have backed a Welsh Ambulance Service campaign to encourage people to locate their nearest lifesaving defibrillator.

Both Wales’ all-time leading try scorer Shane Williams and Swansea City legend Lee Trundle are supporting the Trust’s annual Defibuary campaign, which runs throughout this month.

It is aimed at raising awareness of what a defibrillator is, where to find the nearest in a life-threatening emergency and how to raise funds to purchase one for your community. 

In Wales there are approximately 8,000 sudden cardiac arrests outside hospital each year and every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10 per cent.

As part of the campaign the Trust is encouraging members of the public to take a selfie with a defibrillator or a photo of one and send it via Twitter with details of its location and postcode to @WelshAmbPIH using the hashtag #Defibuary.

Williams, who notched up 58 tries in 87 games for Wales, and Trundle who netted 83 goals over two spells with the Swans, became the first to take part at the launch of the campaign at Swansea’s Quadrant Shopping Centre and are encouraging others to join them.

Williams, who played as a winger for the both the Ospreys and Neath and now works as a TV pundit, said that knowing where to find a defibrillator could make all the difference to someone suffering from a cardiac arrest.

He said: “It is a pleasure to be supporting the Welsh Ambulance Service with their Defibuary campaign.

“I never fully understood how important it is knowing where your nearest defibrillator is. It literally saves lives.”

Meanwhile Trundle, who burst onto the scene with Rhyl and Wrexham AFC and is still scoring for fun for Llanelli Town, called on as many people as possible to get tweeting their defibrillator selfies.

The Swansea City ambassador said: “It's great to be involved in the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Defibuary campaign.

“You could save a life by knowing where your nearest defibrillator is. There's prizes up for grabs too so get tweeting your selfies with defibrillators in Wales.”

Those who take part will have the chance to win a number of fantastic prizes including two defibrillators for your school or community, donated by the Welsh Ambulance Service and the Cariad charity.

For sports fans you can also get your hands on five complimentary tour tickets for the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, courtesy of Wales Rugby Union, and two FIFA World Cup qualifier tickets for Wales versus Austria on September 2^nd 2017, donated by the Football Association of Wales.

Other prizes up for grabs include family entry to Bluestone Water Park, a meal for two at Wetherspoons, a selfie stick, Costa Coffee syrups and a gift from Thorntons.

Dr Brendan Lloyd, Medical Director for the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “When someone goes into cardiac arrest, early defibrillation is a crucial part of the chain of survival.

“In fact there are a number of people in Wales who are alive today thanks to the quick-thinking actions of bystanders in using a nearby defibrillator.

“That’s why we’re encouraging everyone to familiarise themselves with where they can find the closest piece of lifesaving equipment available to them. Hopefully you will never need to use it, but it really could make all the difference.”

To locate your nearest defibrillator you can use NHS Direct Wales’ local service finder online at http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/localservices/

You can also watch the Trust’s guide to using a defibrillator on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lDjBHIL6mU

Plan for extra police gets go-ahead

Seventeen extra police officers and an additional six staff will be recruited in North Wales after a police boss won backing for his budget plans.

The proposal by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones (pictured) to increase the cost of policing by 76p a month – less than the cost of a loaf of bread - was supported unanimously by the North Wales Police and Crime Panel.

The increase of 3.79 per cent in the police precept is among the lowest in Wales and was backed by the public in an online survey.

The survey showed that 63 per cent of almost 1,000 council taxpayers questioned were in favour of an increase of five per cent or more.

The average householder in a Band D property will pay just £9.09 extra a year, a total of £249.21 for the annual police precept, up from £240.12, and it comes in the wake of a cut of more than £1 million in the Government’s policing grant for North Wales.

Next year the central government grant, which makes up half the force’s budget, will amount to £71.7 million, a 1.4 per cent cut.

The panel refused to consider the proposal last week and deferred the meeting until today.

Arfon Jones was "disappointed and frustrated" last week's meeting was deferred 90 minutes before it was due to start.

He said: “I am pleased we have finally been able to resolve this issue because the interests of the people of North Wales must always come first.

"We live in challenging times and that is true of policing as well as other areas of society.

"The figure of a 3.79 per cent increase is based on a sound business case which has been worked through in great detail and in consultation with the Chief Constable.

“I have also consulted with the public by holding an online survey which almost 1,000 council taxpayers took part in and which saw an overwhelming majority in favour of an increase of at least five per cent.

“The increase is considerably less than that and is based on achieving a balance between running an efficient and effective police force with a recognition that many people in North Wales find it difficult to meet even a small increase.

“The level of the precept is crucial to the effectiveness of the force in keeping North Wales a safe place to live, work and visit and setting it is one of my principal responsibilities.

"As a result of the decision today, North Wales Police will be able to recruit another 17 police officers and six more members of staff.

“Policing budgets have been under pressure for a number of years and this will certainly continue to be the case with a further £7 million in cuts to the budget due by 2020.

“There will be continued uncertainty for police funding for 2018/19 and beyond so it was vitally important to get today's decision right.

The Commissioner and the Chief Constable have agreed cuts of £2.86 million in the North Wales Police budget for 2017-2018 with over £1.25 million of those cuts reinvested in frontline services which will also be boosted by an extra £1 million in front line posts from the precept increase.

Mr Jones added: “Policing is under great pressure from new demands being placed upon it – who would have thought that the majority of crime in North Wales is now being committed online rather than on the street?

“My reserves are in a stable and healthy position and so I am only looking to increase council tax in order to fund the coming year’s expenditure and to deal with the effect of further reductions in government grant if and when this should occur.”

Gill and Glyn Thomas honoured by Llan Civic Society

* Betty Lowe presents the Civic Award to Rhodri

and Penri Thomas, sons of Gill and Glyn. 

At the January AGM of Llangollen Civic Society there were five nominations for the Civic Award for 2016.

But there was unanimous vote that the award should be made posthumously to Gill and Glyn Thomas, who had both died in the past few months, and had both made a valued contribution to the town over many years. 

The presentation was made by Betty Lowe, the society’s life president, during the meeting which was held at Llangollen Museum. 

Gill and Glyn had been secretary and treasurer of Hanes for some years, and after their loss the committee had recommended that the society be dissolved. 

At the AGM the members overwhelming agreed to this course of action. 

Members of the society will be welcomed as Friends of the Museum, which holds talks on the last Wednesday of each month.

It has been suggested that the Friends expand their activities to include visits to places of interest, as Hanes used to do. 

The Museum plans to develop a historical herb garden in memory of Gill, since this was a passion of hers. 

It will be based on a monastic herb garden such as at Valle Crucis, with sections for herbs with different applications. 

This would form the basis for demonstrations of the historical use of herbs. 

MP hits out over asylum seekers' treatment

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to express concern about the Home Office’s handling of the cases of asylum seekers who have been tortured.

Ms Jones (pictured), who met recently with members of Llangollen Refugee Support Network, expressed particular reservations about how survivors of torture are sometimes turned away on "specious grounds".

The MP referred to a report authored by the organisation Freedom from Torture that documented how asylum caseworkers without any clinical qualifications often replace the expert opinion of a medical doctor with their own speculation about clinical matters.

She said: "The current set-up contravenes a clear Home Office policy on how to handle expert medical evidence of torture.

"Too many Home Office decisions with medical evidence of torture are poor and have to be corrected by judges. This is wrong in principle and it is also wrong in that it is a waste of taxpayers' money." 

Ms Jones also expressed her opposition to an Official State Visit to the UK by new US President Donald Trump until his "discriminatory travel ban" has come to an end. 

Indian theme for fundraiser

Another successful year for Tidy Town Team

* Members of the team at work outside the museum a couple of years ago.

Co-ordinator David Davies has given an account of Llangollen's Tidy Town Team's latest successful year in the organisation's 2016 annual report.

Our  eleventh year of operation.

With a couple of retirees replaced by new additions, the team continues to maintain a membership of 20 people.

Litter clearing continues on Dinas Bran Castle Hill, roadside and around the “Hawthorn” sculpture, along the Panorama and around the School and Wharf area, but litter is much reduced (except around the school) compared to a few years ago.

Highlights of the year have included our second year of the “Cemetery Woodlands” project. This has involved continuing to open up the area which subsequently revealed the appearance of a mass of spring flowers. This was especially appreciated from the opposite side of the river along “Victoria Promenade”.
  
We have also planted over 1,200 daffodil bulbs on the canal wharf bank and the roadside by the Medical Centre.

In Plas Newydd we have assisted the Head Gardener with the task of giving more light to the Cyflymen by clearing laurel growth from the steep riverside bank.  We all now know how sheep feel walking on hill sides.

The Town Christmas Festival saw us in action as usual erecting stalls and parade support duties, with the task of erecting the Christmas Tree somewhat easier this year with the new “high- tech” version around the flag pole. 

A big thank you to all our supporters during the year including: Llangollen Town Council,  Denbighshire CC,  Keep Wales Tidy,  Horse Drawn Boats,  K&C Construction and the estate of Tom Edwards.

Finally, thank you to the members of the team for another 600 hours of voluntary (same pay as when we started) work during the year.