AM raises concerns over bus services

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called for a Welsh Government statement on local bus services following the demise of Acrefair-based bus company D.Jones and Son before Christmas.

Mr Isherwood (pictured) referred to the concerns of local residents and said a statement is needed to reflect these concerns and give residents some assurances  that they are being listened to.

He said:  “No doubt like others, I received concerns from affected residents who had lost local bus services, asking for help in replacement of bus links.

"I submitted a written question to the Cabinet Secretary two days later, on the following Monday. I'm still waiting for a reply to that.

"I also contacted Wrexham Council's Lead Member for Environment and Transport, who told me that officers were continuing to look at options, but this is difficult as a number of operators have ceased across the region; that despite the Cabinet Secretary's (Ken Skates) Bus Summit, they'd seen no tangible actions coming forward and that having attended two to three bus workshops, this was most certainly a wider issue across Wales.

“The Cabinet Secretary held his Bus Summit a year ago, in January 2017, stating that this was to halt the demise of the industry, following the collapse of Ruabon-based GHA coaches the previous summer.

"So, given the concerns being raised not only by affected residents, who often are on commercial rather than on commissioned routes, and given concerns being expressed that, still, no tangible actions are coming forward from the bus summit and subsequent workshops, I would welcome a statement to reflect their concerns and hopefully give them some assurance that they're being listened to.”

The Leader of the House Julie James AM replied: “In terms of the local bus services point, he raises a very important point. He did say he was awaiting an answer to his written question, and I would suggest that the Member waits to see what the answer to the question is, and if there is a more general point that he then wishes to raise with the Cabinet Secretary that would be of interest to the entire Senedd,

"I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary will be prepared to look at that, since it is a year since the bus summit took place.”

 

Health board reacts to Llan dentist closure

* The Chapel Street dental surgery which is now closed.

The local health board has responded to last week’s unexpected closure of the Chapel Street dental practice in town, which had been used by many local NHS patients.

* The closure note

in the window.

<sub>A Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board spokesperson told llanblogger: “Chapel Street Dental Practice in Llangollen closed unexpectedly on 15 January, 2018.

“We are making arrangements for the provision of NHS dental services on a cover basis until a permanent solution can be put in place.

“This will include exploring options for short term support from other nearby practices.

“Patients who require urgent treatment before they have registered with an alternative practice, should contact NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47.

“Patients wishing to see an alternative dental practice for the provision of routine dental care can find contact details for all NHS practices within North Wales on the health board’s website (www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/directory/dentists) or contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.”</sub>

Apartments plan for old Berwyn Works unveiled

A construction company has given brief details of the development of apartments it is planning on the site of the derelict Berwyn Works on the A5 in Llangollen.

Earlier this week Wrexham-based Knights Construction made a brief announcement about the scheme, for which it will be seeking planning permission, on social media, and llanblogger asked them for further information.

The company’s residential development manager Joel Smith replied to say: “We are looking at multiple - more than 20 - apartments on the site.

“We really want local people to live in this development and we feel that this will be reflected in our potential sales prices along with any affordable considerations that are stated within our section 106 agreement if planning is granted.

“At this early concept stage it’s clear that some but perhaps not all buildings on the site would need to go but more will become clear once planning is achieved.

“I would like to point out though that there are no listed buildings on the site.”

Mr Smith added: “We hope to submit planning within the next financial quarter.

“Everything we would do on the site would have local residents in mind with a view to enhance access and be as non-disrupting as possible when/if works commence.”

MP complains over controversial public appointment

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has signed a letter to Commissioner for Public Appointments calling on him to explain how controversial appointee Toby Young was put on the board of the Office for Students.  

The letter to Peter Riddell has been now signed by more than 60 opposition MPs.

Ms Jones (pictured) said: "People who hold public appointments need to be of the highest calibre and should also uphold decent ethical standards.

"However, five minutes spent searching on Google would have linked Toby Young to some really offensive comments against a whole range of people. It was only because so many people complained that he had to stand down.

"Most people in our area would have lost their jobs for saying far less than Toby Young did and I and other MPs want to know how he was even considered to be a board member of the Office for Students in the first place.

"I welcome the fact that on hearing of our the letter, the Commissioner has said he is looking into the appointment of Toby Young.

"However, it's vital we also get  a thorough review into the whole process of all the appointments to the board of the Office for Students."

Possible deal to save community garden revealed

* Volunteers gather in the garden during the recent snow. 

Llangollen Town Council could step in the save the area’s community garden from closure.

That’s the latest message from campaigners fighting to prevent the popular facility being lost to the local area by being sold off for housing development.

The garden had been threatened by a deal between a local developer and the landowner, Denbighshire County council.

At the end of last year the council's Asset Management Group decided to gift the 0.5-acre plot for housing on the basis that the developer will carry out works to nearby Plas Newydd.

Founders of the garden, which was established in 2012, say they received just four days’ notice ahead of the decision, which is still due to be ratified.

Only last week the campaign was featured in a report on BBC Wales TV news when North Wales reporter Matthew Richards interviewed a number of garden group members.

Now, people who signed a petition to save the garden have received an email from Warren Davies of the community garden group which says: “Thank you for signing our petition.

The council were due to make a decision today on the developer's proposal.

“However, your support has helped us delay the final decision on the garden to March 8th.

“With the financial support of an anonymous benefactor, Llangollen Town Council has made an offer to Denbighshire County Council to buy the community garden land.

“If this goes ahead, then the Town Council will work with the community garden group to ensure that the community garden is safe.

“This is great news. But we are not out of the woods yet, we have to keep the pressure on...

“If you have already written to your councillors then rest assured your input has had a huge impact on decision makers at Denbighshire County Council.”

Garden campaign features on BBC Wales

* Members of the community garden group featured in the TV report.

The campaign to save Llangollen's community garden from closure has been aired on national television.

* Reporter Matthew Richards presents the community garden issue.

The garden has been threatened by a deal between a developer and the landowner, Denbighshire County council. 

At the end of last year the council's Asset Management Group decided to gift the 0.5-acre plot for housing on the basis that the developer will carry out works to nearby Plas Newydd.

Founders of the garden, which was established in 2012, say they received just four days’ notice ahead of the decision, which is still due to be ratified.

On last night's BBC Wales news, there was a report about the campaign when North Wales reporter Matthew Richards interviewed a number of garden group members.

One of them, Kay Polley (pictured), spoke of the amount of hard work that had gone into transforming the garden from a wild piece of land to grow vegetables, fruit and flowers.

"The voluntary hours involved have been astronomical," she said.

The reporter said no decision had yet been taken on the future of the garden by the council but that until then it would "continue to grow".   

Your views sought on cost of policing

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

A police boss is urging people in North Wales to take part in a survey to gauge how much voters are prepared to pay for policing the region.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner  Arfon Jones has launched the online poll as police across the country digest the news of how much the Home Office is providing towards their budget – about 50 per cent of the total cost.

The rest will come from Council Tax dependent on the precept local Police and Crime Commissioners ask for from councils.

In consultation with the North Wales Police and Crime Panel, Mr Jones will make the proposal on January 22 against the backdrop of news that the North Wales force was having a standstill grant imposed on it by the Home Office which effectively meant a real terms cut in grant of £2.1 million.

The latest financial blow came on top of the 20 per cent North Wales Police had been forced to axe from its budget since 2012.

Last year the precept was set at 3.79 per cent, the lowest increase in Wales, and amounted to just £9 a year or 17p a week, which is less than the cost of a piece of fruit.

But, as the financial squeeze continued, Arfon Jones spelt out the difficulties that police chiefs face.

The former police inspector said: “We do face a twin threat of increasingly diverse crime driven by the internet and tighter budgets.

“But first we have to arrive at a precept so we know how much money we have and, as last year, I will be asking the people of North Wales what they are prepared to pay for.

“In a democracy we have to trust people and last year the results of the survey showed that a majority, 63 per cent of almost 1,000 who took part, were in favour of an increase of five per cent or more.

“In the event we didn’t have to go that high but having that evidence of public support was very helpful when I had make my case for the Police and Crime Plan.

Mr Jones added: "In calculating the right level of precept, I have to balance the need for financial prudence with my responsibility to ensure that North Wales Police is an effective and efficient force that is capable of delivering of my Police and Crime Plan.

“What we are seeing now is more and different forms of crime with cybercrime having grown so much that the thin blue line of policing is now on line rather than on the street.

“In addition we have the issues of modern slavery and domestic abuse and we need to ensure that victims are confident enough of being listened to, to come forward and report it.

“Policing is under great pressure from these increased demands being placed upon it.

Despite these increased demands there remains uncertainty over what North Wales Police will receive in the years to come but the need to meet these spending challenges has to be balanced by the recognition that many people find it difficult to find even a small amount of additional money.

“My reserves are in a stable and healthy position, and therefore I have decided to increase council tax only 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.”

* To take part in the survey go to: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3991369/North-Wales-Precept-Survey-2018-19