Llangollen vicar appears on national TV this morning

* Father Lee Taylor on TV this morning.

Llangollen's vicar this morning made an appearance on a national television show.

The BBC's Sunday Morning Live looks at moral, ethical and religious issues with the help of expert guests.

Father Lee Taylor, vicar of St Collen's, was amongst the interviewees in an an item about the benefits of pubs to modern-day society.

Father Lee, whose family ran pubs back in his native Lancashire and who worked in some of these when he was younger, told the interviewer that they were "great places for engagement, interacting together and associating with others from all walks of life".

He also explained how he had performed a number of beer blessing ceremonies in his professional life, including one in Croydon where he was based before moving to Llangollen late last year.

Father Lee said he had used a very old prayer written in 1615 to perform the blessing and how it had been suggested during this period that beer may be a "salutory remedy for the human race".

"It's all about putting the good things together and celebrating the things that come from God," he added.

Public servants invited to free Glyndwr masterclass

* Dr Sarah Evans and Ken Perry.

People working in public services who want to drive change in communities across the region are being sought for a free evening masterclass run by Wrexham Glyndwr University.

Whether they work in the private, voluntary, community or public sector, participants are being asked to take part in the masterclass which links to new leadership courses being run at Glyndwr.  

The evening will give attendees a feel for some of the subjects covered by the university’s new MA in Public Service Leadership and its Introduction to Systems Leadership Short Course.

Both courses are unique in this country, and has been designed specifically to dovetail with the Welsh Government’s Future Generations Act – a major piece of legislation which is transforming the way that services are being delivered across Wales.

The taster sessions  are designed to help start breaking down barriers and building up networks among the diverse range of people working to improve the region’s communities.

Ken Perry, director of leadership practice Do-Well (UK) Ltd and a visiting industrial fellow at Wrexham Glyndwr University, has had a key role in developing both the MA and the short course.

He said: “Both of the sessions are open to everyone and anyone involved in public service – whether they work in the public, private, or third sectors.

“Anyone who is interested in the wealth and health or our region – and what they can do the help improve it – should get something out of these  courses. We have got avoidable inequality across communities in Wales, and through these taster sessions and the wider courses they feed into we are looking at finding the pioneers who can help to tackle that situation – and to build the kind of networks that are needed to do it.”

Dr Sarah Evans, Lecturer in Business at Glyndwr University and a public sector specialist, is the programme leader for the course. 

She said: “These courses are all about driving change through collaboration – and helping people build the networks they need is vital to securing that change. By coming to this event, people can get a taste of how they can work together on some of the big issues which face our society.”

The taster session – and Glyndwr’s  wider Public Service Leadership courses – are already picking up interest from organisations across Wales. 

Ken added: “We are looking for pioneers – people who are prepared to come in, take the course we have developed, and make it work for them and their situation.

“As well taster sessions,  we also offer a short course and an MA in Public Service Leadership – and we have been talking to fascinating people from across North Wales about taking part in each of them.

“We are talking to people from the NHS, the voluntary sector, housing associations and local authorities and more.”

The free taster session has been designed to tailor with the working day –  and runs from 4.30pm to 7pm.

* For more information and to secure your place, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/public-service-leadership-masterclass-arweinyddiaeth-gwasanaeth-cyhoeddus-dosbarth-meistr-tickets-63112180230?aff=ebapi

Former councillor keeps pictures of Boris's early fight

* Boris Johnson canvasses in Castle Street during the 1997 General Election.

* The rosettes worn by Conservative supporters in '97.

* The first letter on Daily Telegraph notepaper.

... and side two.

* The letter from the office of the Mayor of London.

... and the letter's flipside.

* Boris Johnson's supporters wait anxiously for the result of the 1997 Clwyd South election.

Former Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has displayed various treasured items he keeps as mementos of the time 22 years when Boris Johnson fought the local Parliamentary seat.

The poll battle came in May 1997 when the man who became Prime Minister yesterday unsuccessfully contested the Clwyd South Seat during the General Election in which Labour won a landslide victory across the country.

He picked up 9,091 votes compared to his Labour opponent Martyn Jones who received a winning total of 22,901.

Stuart Davies acted as Johnson’s press officer and has since kept a number of pictures and souvenirs of the occasion.

These include a couple of Tory blue rosettes worn by supporters during the campaign and two letters sent to him from the candidate.

The first is dated just after the 1997 election and is written on the notepaper of the Daily Telegraph where Johnson was working at the time as a journalist.

In it he says - in at least foreign languages - that the “struggle continues” and the second came in October 2015 after Johnson had won the London Mayoralty for the first time. In it he tells Mr Davies that he fondly recalls visiting Brymo steelworks during the Clwyd South campaign.

There are also two pictures in the collection, one of which shows party supporters gathering round during the count and the other featuring the candidate back in 1997 canvassing from the doorway of a people carrier in Castle Street, Llangollen.

Mr Davies said: “I remember him from the campaign as being something of a man of the people who liked to meet and was able to talk easily to everyone right across society.

“I think that if he’s not able to push through Brexit we’ll see him call an early election and then I reckon he’ll win hands down.

“By the way, there are lots of jokes these days about his modern-day vehicle being messy all the time. Well, it was the same was back in 1997.”

Volvo S60 is a neat piece of Scandi chic

* The Volvo S60 saloon.

* The S60's interior.

Volvo S60 road test by Steve Rogers

THIS is a tail of amazing good fortune or, as my wife said, absolute stupidity.

It all started while loading golf clubs into the boot of the Volvo S60. I needed somewhere to rest my mobile and laid it on the edge of the roof mentally telling myself not to forget it before driving away.

You will have guessed what’s coming. I nipped to the gents and the distraction was enough for me to drive away with said mobile sitting on the roof.

The 15 mile drive home is mainly B roads, uphill, down dale, lots of twists, poor surfaces and the occasional pothole.

At home the mobile is nowhere to be found and then that moment when the head sinks into the hands. I left it on the roof of the car so that is the end of that... but low and behold it is still there.

After the stinging rebuke from my wife I suggested we look at the bigger picture and what it said about the quality of the S60s suspension and its ability to soak up everything thrown at it. My phone really should have ended up in a ditch.

The S60 saloon is Volvo's newest model following on from the V60 estate and shares the Swedish company's current design DNA so models morph into a set shape but who cares if they look great. It has won them loads of awards, not to mention sales which are at an all time high.

The new model is in the early stages with one engine, a four cylinder 2-litre petrol. Note the absence of a diesel, a brave move when rivals like Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz are hanging in there with clean, economical diesels but sales show Volvo buyers are migrating to petrol.

As for the 2-litre it musters 250bhp and in all honesty is plenty quick enough with a decent amount of mid range pick up which is what's really important for stress free overtaking, and all this comes through a smooth eight speed automatic with steering wheel shifter paddles to spice up the drive.

If economy is important in the buying process then S60 is on the back foot against its diesel rivals. Mid thirties to the gallon is the best I could get which is reasonable for a car of this size with this sort of performance but way short of what a similarly powered diesel will return.

Once that hurdle is cleared the rest is an easy sprint to the finish line. S60 is in the zone right across the board but the stand out feature has to be the interior. The minimalist Swedish styling is Scandi chic at its best and along with the quality of materials makes it the pick of the class.

Volvo has taken the bull by the horns and virtually eliminated switches with the main functions selected from a nine-inch touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard. It works on the same principal as a mobile phone or tablet and is able to store masses of information.

I have got used to it driving Volvos over the last few years but still find swiping the screen for everyday tasks a distraction. That said there is the simplest of solutions for a driver who wants to keep his eyes on the road.

Voice control. Change the heating temperature or fan speed, select a radio station, or say a post code for navigation and it happens. Job done, I'm happy. The 12.3in digital display in the driver's binnacle is another bonus especially when using navigation.

It's a great car to drive too, lashings of style and substance, and superbly comfortable seats. R-Design models err towards a sporty drive with stiffer spring settings and selectable drive modes yet passengers are still cushioned against our many poor road surfaces.

As you would expect Volvo provides an abundance of safety features and that includes keeping the car in its lane and emergency braking if the driver's eyes are not focussed on the road or you are too slow to react to an obstacle whether it be a person or vehicle.

There are more S60 model variants on the way including the imminent arrival of the monstrous T8 twin engine with 400bhp. That is going to spice things up a bit!

That said Volvo does not hold the monopoly on the medium saloon sector which is jam packed with excellent models but while the Swede is amongst the best it is not enough to persuade me away from my favourite, the rear wheel drive Alfa Romeo Giulia. In fact if I was going down the Volvo road my pick would be its sister, the V60 estate, same car with more flexibility.

Key facts

S60 R-Design Edition 8sp auto

£37,920

2-litre T5 petrol 250bhp

0-60mph 6.3secs; 145mph

35.3-39.8mpg combined

155g/km. 1st year road tax £530

Boot capacity 442 litres

Insurance group 34

Final decision due on leisure delivery plan

A final decision will be made on the budget for transferring leisure facilities and functions provided by Denbighshire County Council to an alternative delivery model.

The cost and net savings for a ‘Council-owned not-for-profit trading company’ is to be discussed by the Council’s Cabinet on July 30th.

The business plan has previously been approved by Full Council.

The Council-owned trading company would enable the leisure service to trade more commercially to help sustain the facilities, as well as making substantial savings for the Council in the first year of operation.

The facilities proposed to be included are the county’s seven leisure centres as well as the Prestatyn Nova, SC2, Rhyl Pavilion Theatre, Rhyl Events Arena and events function, North Wales Bowls Centre, Rhyl Town Hall, Ruthin Craft Centre, Llangollen Pavilion, 1891, Café R (Ruthin) and Strategic Leisure.

Whilst the consideration of an alternative delivery model (ADM) is new to the Council, many other councils across the UK are already using similar ADMs to deliver a range of services, and the Council has engaged extensively with these other Councils as the Denbighshire model has been developed through the various stages.

Cllr Bobby Feeley, lead member for Well-being and Independence, said: “We are very proud of our leisure services in Denbighshire which have a positive impact on residents’ health and well-being.

“Investment by the Council over the past ten years has seen visitor numbers increase and ensured facilities are first class and up-to-date.

“Moving to an ADM will ensure the company continues to deliver a high-quality leisure provision long into the future, but as the company would be solely owned by the Council it will be the Council that sets the priorities for the company and the level of service expected.

“Therefore the public should see very little difference in terms of the quality of the services provided or the ‘look and feel’ of the facilities.”

Cllr Julian Thompson-Hill, lead member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets, said: “We have recognised the need for on-going investment at times of significant financial challenge. We have also listened to the public as the demand for leisure sessions grew and continues to grow across the Council.

“This model will allow for the continued innovative and entrepreneurial approach to commercial leisure long into the future.”

If the plan is supported by Cabinet the ADM implementation process will be started by the Council with the company expected to be operational April next year.

Give prescribed heroin to addicts, says police boss

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

A police boss is calling for a pilot scheme to be set up in North Wales to give prescribed heroin to drug addicts as part of a pioneering treatment programme.

According to the region’s police and crime commissioner, Arfon Jones, the introduction of Heroin Assisted Treatment would save lives, reduce crime, cut costs and reduce the scale of the illicit drug market.

A similar scheme is being launched in Cleveland in the Autumn by the police and health authorities in Cleveland with the blessing of Home Secretary Sajid Javid who is allowing it to go ahead under licence.

It will see people with problematic drug use being given medical-grade heroin – diamorphine – at special centres where they can inject themselves twice a day, seven days a week.

The aim is to cure the most drug-dependent addicts by giving them access to medical and other specialist staff.

It has been estimated the scheme will cost about £12,000 a year for each addict, which is a fraction of the cost of the crime they commit.

Mr Jones believes a pilot in North Wales should be funded by the Area Planning Board, which together with the Health Board, has an annual budget of £10 million a year to spend on schemes aimed at combating substance abuse, including alcohol.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, was speaking at a conference organised by the Welsh Association of Community Safety Officers in Newport.

He said: “Reducing criminal exploitation of vulnerable people is the overarching priority of my Police and Crime Plan so I am delighted to be here.

“In my view, the current method of tackling organised crime through the Criminal Justice System has not been effective.

“Once one group has been removed, another replaces it within days, or even hours which inevitably leads to further violence and exploitation.

“Trying to arrest our way out of responding for the demand for drugs is not working and quite frankly hasn’t been working for a long, long time.

“In 1971 when the Misuse of Drugs Act was introduced, we had less than 2,000 problematic opioid users now we have 300,000.

“Heroin Assisted Treatment is proven to reduce crime, cut costs and reduce the scale of the illicit drug market.

“From a Public Health perspective, the benefit of Heroin Assisted Treatment are endless because it reduces the likelihood of overdose, reduce the risk of HIV and other blood borne viruses and provides individuals with access to services.

“There are also clear benefits to the Criminal Justice System. Heroin Assisted Treatment has been proven to reduce acquisitive crime considerably.

“In Switzerland Heroin Assisted Treatment was introduced in 1994, and subsequent academic evaluation showed that prescribing medicinal heroin to 10 per cent of the heaviest users and whom committed much crime resulted in a 40 per cent reduction in the  illicit heroin market and reduced burglaries by up to 50 per cent

“Secondly I believe that diversion away from the Criminal Justice System is essential in ensuring that the most vulnerable within our societies are protected and helped to address their underlying issues.

“The majority of low level offenders offend due to their inability to deal with various issues and situations. These can include substance misuse, housing, debt or mental health to name but a few. 

“By addressing these underlying issues individuals are less likely to offend as they are no longer in crisis.

In 2013, Durham Constabulary introduced the Checkpoint Diversion Scheme which provided low level offenders with an alternative to the Criminal Justice System.

“Nine navigators were employed to work with low level offenders to address their underlying issues and work with them to prevent re-offending.

“This scheme has been extremely successful and has seen the reoffending rate reduce to around four per cent.

“Due to the success of the Durham model, I will be introducing Checkpoint Cymru into North Wales on October 1. 

“I am currently in the process of recruiting nine navigators and I have been absolutely delighted by the high level of interest in these roles, with over 60 applications being received. 

“The navigators will be based in all three of the custody suites across North Wales and will work with individuals during what will typically be a 16 week programme, but can be tailored to individual needs – for example, those caught in possession of a small amount of drugs will be given the opportunity to attend a four-hour drug awareness programme.

“We already know from the work done by our criminal justice system partners in North Wales that many of the offences committed by female offenders given short term sentences are those that will qualify for the Checkpoint Cymru  programme.

“Children with a parent in prison are twice as likely as other children to experience conduct and mental health problems, less likely to do well at school and more likely to be excluded.

“They are also more likely to be arrested and imprisoned as young adults and three times more likely to be involved in offending activity themselves.

“Therefore, the cost to local authorities, policing and our other partners of not effectively supporting children of imprisoned parents could be substantial.

“It makes absolute sense for partners across North Wales to pool resources, best practice and learning to ensure that these children are able to reach their full potential.

“Despite the strength of the business case and the widely accepted evidence, some local authorities in North Wales remain unconvinced and will not make a funding contribution towards the costs of a small regional team established to tackle this very issue of supporting families affected by parental imprisonment.

“This is a perfect example I believe where pooled budgets could make a significant difference to partnership working and where the Welsh Government can play such a crucial role in putting together a funding package. 

“Working together in effective partnership will help us all to meet the financial challenges we face whilst providing more effective support to people ensnared by problematic drug abuse and striking a blow against the illicit drugs trade.”

North Wales joins firearms surrender scheme

North Wales Police along with forces across the country are appealing for people to hand in unwanted guns with a two week surrender of firearms and ammunition, which started on Saturday.

Many firearms are held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or are overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes. Others are acquired and distributed by criminal networks to harm, threaten and intimidate their local communities.

The surrender gives people the chance to dispose of firearms or ammunition by simply taking them to a designated local police station and handing them over.

The surrender will run until August 4. Surrendering unwanted, unlicensed weapons avoids the risk of them becoming involved in criminality and means that members of the community can dispose of firearms in a safe place.

During this period, those surrendering firearms will not face prosecution for the illegal possession upon surrender and can remain anonymous. However, the history of each live weapon will be checked for evidence of its use in crimes.

Detective Superintendent Steve Williams of North Wales Police said: “Given the large rural setting of our area, it may be that some people hold unlicensed firearms that have been handed down to them and may have concerns as to what to do with these weapons. There may also be people who, because of the change in legislation have a weapon they cannot legally hold. This surrender period allows them to dispose of these weapons in a manner that can allay such fears.

“Fortunately we do not have a significant gun crime problem in North Wales. However, we are not complacent about gun crime and we want as many guns surrendered as possible so I would encourage the public to come forward.”

This summer’s national campaign has a particular focus on firearms, stun gun type devices and pepper sprays. Police want to highlight the danger of these items and remind people they are illegal in this country and could lead to a prison sentence for anyone caught in possession.   

Assistant Chief Constable Helen McMillan, National Police Chief’s Council lead for Criminal Use of Firearms, said; “The last national firearms surrender in 2017 was a success and potentially helped save lives. With the Government’s Serious Violence Strategy underway, we feel it is the right time to ask police forces to run another two week campaign to collect unwanted guns and ammunition. Each firearm we retrieve has the potential to save a life, so do the right thing and surrender your weapon. 

“We also want to highlight that stun guns and similar devices are illegal in the UK and may not be brought in from abroad. They may be legal in some other countries, but if you are caught with one here you could be prosecuted with possession of a firearm and be put behind bars. This summer’s surrender is a good opportunity to hand in these types of devices.”

The surrender initiative is being co-ordinated by the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS). 

Detective Chief Superintendent Jo Clews, Head of NABIS, added: “This is an important national campaign co-ordinated by NABIS. During the last decade our experts have provided police forces with ground breaking ballistic forensic services and intelligence packages to prevent and detect gun crime. Even though UK firearm offences remain at relatively low levels compared to other countries, we cannot be complacent and this surrender will help remove further potential harm from our communities.”         

Weapons and ammunition can be surrendered at police stations including Wrexham.

If people are unable to visit any of these stations they are advised to contact North Wales Police on 101 to make alternative arrangements. For advice on how best to transport the weapon responsibly from home to their police station they are advised to phone 101 before travelling.

Wrexham Police Station, at the former Oriel Gallery, Rhosddu Road LL11 1AU, (01978) 834321. is open 8.30am/7pm – Monday to Saturday & 9am/6pm – Sundays.