Commissioner says George Floyd death "besmirches" policing worldwide

A police boss has spoken out to condemn the brutal killing of George Floyd which has sparked protests across the United States.

According to North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones (pictured), the tragedy has besmirched the name of police officers all over the world.

Mr Floyd was an unarmed black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, was filmed kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes as he told them: "I can't breathe".

The  case has reignited deep-seated anger over police killings of black Americans and racism.

It follows the high-profile cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Eric Garner in New York and others that have driven the Black Lives Matter movement.

Commissioner Jones, who served as a police officer, said: “I utterly condemn the violence that let to the death of George Floyd.

“I was sickened when I saw the footage for the first time. I thought that kneeling and putting all his weight on George Floyd’s neck was over the top, brutal and totally unnecessary. I was shocked when I saw them using so much force.

“There were three police officers there are the time and Mr Floyd did not appear to be resisting.

“As a former police officer, I felt ashamed. What happened in Minneapolis have given a bad name to the police service right across the world.

“Donald Trump’s response has been equally reprehensible. He is using this tragedy for political purposes to appeal to his White supremacist base.

“He is deliberately inflaming an already volatile situation and that is unforgivable.”

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, of which Mr Jones is a member, also released a statement saying they were appalled by what happened.

They said: “Alongside our communities, we are  saddened and appalled by the footage that has emerged from the US over recent days of the death of George Floyd at the hands of US police officers.

“We express our heartfelt sympathies to the family of George Floyd and to all the communities affected by these events, and we acknowledge the current strength of feeling and the impact that incidents of this nature have on communities around the world.

 “In this country, we are proud of the ‘policing by consent’ model on which our forces operate and the work that our police officers and staff undertake day in, day out to keep our communities safe.

“We also have a clear and accountable governance system in place, with directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners representing their local communities and holding their chief constables to account on behalf of their communities for policing in their area.

“We are committed to working with our communities and Chief Constables to ensure that the principle of ‘the police are the public and the public are the police’ is worked towards and achieved, and that we deliver against the important commitments set out within the NPCC Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy."

Next big raffle will support Ysgol Bryn Collen

Ysgol Bryn Collen will benefit from the next big raffle being run by teh Llangollen Coronaviris Help Group.

Co-ordinator Cat Mead posted on Facebook: "We will be doing another Large Raffle to raise funds for Ysgol Bryn Collen. ALL proceeds will go direct to the School.

"We have raised funds for Zero Food Waste and Food Share Llangollen and Llangollen Railway reaching great amounts with the support of Local Businesses and Residents donating prizes.

"PLEASE contact me direct with any Prize Donations you may be able to offer."

Cat can be contacted via the group's Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2605345223029039/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

A note from the school/PTFA on the post says: "Ysgol Bryn Collen can't wait to welcome learners back to school when it's safe to do so. All monies raised from this raffle will be put towards resources and activities that promote learners' well-being as we support them through this difficult time."

* Sheena Grindley's voluntary work has been recognised.

Latest local people to be highlighted by Cat Meade during National Volunteers Week for their work on behalf of the community during the Covid-19 crisis are Sheena Grindley and drivers.

On Facebook Cate says: "Prescriptions are such a vital part of a lot of peoples lives, when I set up the service this was the biggest area to cover and the volume of calls for medication was overwhelming.

"We had a handful of Volunteers collecting 2 or 3 times a day, then Sheena, who is a member of The Rotary Club, along with the President of the Rotary Barry Pinel came up with idea of replacing the "dial a ride" to a prescription collection.

"Sheena realised the volume I was tackling and assisted with collections, as I became busier she kindly took to the challenge and has been running the prescription requests direct since week 4, taking many calls,emails and texts a day, with her volunteer drivers collecting and delivering prescriptions across Llangollen 6 days a week.

"Many of you will know Sheena as twice Mayor of Llangollen, Town Council, Cittislow Group, Secretary of the Rafa Club, Rotary Club and Dial a Ride. As well as a wife, mother and grandmother Sheena is always finding ways to help this Town.

"I would also personally like to THANK YOU Sheena, for not only the help (which took a lot of pressure off) also for your kindness, you have been reassuring and also for telling me off for overloading myself not to mention the "Bingo" and Raffles.

"Please Join me in a Big THANK YOU to the Lovely Sheena and all the Volunteers delivering medication daily."

Overnight fire is believed to have been arson

A huge fire that broke out in Llangollen overnight is believed to have been started deliberately, fire crews say.

Firefighters from Llangollen, Chirk and Corwen were called to Panorama Walk just after 11.30pm yesterday to battle the wildfire.

* For the full story see North Wales Live at: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/firefighters-battled-llangollen-gorse-fire-18354631

Children's safety is priority says county chief of schools' return

Denbighshire County Council has issued a statement in response to the announcement by Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams MS today that schools will re-open in phases from June 29.

The main points of the Minister’s announcement were:

• It is proposed that all schools will start the next phase on 29 June, with the term extended by a week, therefore ending on 27 July. 
• In the next academic year, beginning in September, the intention is that the autumn half-term break will be expanded to two weeks.
• In each school there will be a phased approach. Year groups will be split into cohorts with staggered starts, lessons and breaks. It is expected that this will mean, at most, a third of pupils present at any one time, though schools may need time to reach this level of operation.
• There will be much smaller classes, providing secure dedicated time with teachers and classmates. This time will include online and personalised classroom experience, getting children and teachers ready for a similar experience in September.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children’s Services and Public Engagement, said: “The safety of our children, young people and our staff is a top priority and we would like to reassure parents and guardians that we will do everything it takes to create safe environments for when our pupils and students return.

“The Welsh Government has made it clear from the outset of coronavirus that schools will only re-open in Wales when it is safe to do so, but we recognise that some parents/ guardians may be still have concerns around the timing.

“A lot of work is going on in Denbighshire and across North Wales, to review all our education and school policies and procedures, to make sure they are fit for purpose for new arrangements to be put in place that will allow our schools to open safely.

“We will now consider the details of the announcement in great detail and we will work closely with schools, governing bodies and teaching unions to prepare for re-opening schools, with stringent social distancing measures being introduced in every school. There will be rigorous cleaning and hand hygiene procedures in place and we will ensure that schools have everything they need to operate safely. We await further guidance from Welsh Government in due course.

“Schools will provide information over the coming days and weeks about arrangements  that will be put in place and steps that people must follow to ensure  that the health and safety of all our pupils and staff are protected."

All Welsh schools to re-open on June 29

The BBC us reporting that all schools in Wales will reopen on 29 June, the education minister has said.

For the full story, see:
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52895374

Poll starts on return of Saturday morning waste facility

* The Facebook poll created by former county councillor Stuart Davies.

A former Llangollen county councillor has started an online petition asking local people if they want to see the swift return of the Saturday morning waste recycling service on the Pavilion car park. 

The service, in which a small fleet of county council refuse vehicles parked up for a few hours to collect waste brought in by residents, was suspended early in the lockdown.

Current Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms said recently that he and fellow local representative Melvyn Mile were lobbying hard for the return of the service but were experiencing difficulties as the county had said it could not yet ensure it can be carried out observing the required social distancing.

Without the Pavilion service Llangollen people must drive over to the Ruthin recycling site, which is operating an appointments only system, to deposit their household waste.

But now ex-councillor Stuart Davies has posted a poll on Facebook which asks local people to say yes or no to whether they want to see the service resumed as soon as possible.

The online test of public opinion was posted only this morning on the Llangollen & District Noticeboard page but more than 100 people have already voted in favour of a return of the service.

Mr Davies said: "I know our two county councillors are lobbying for the return of the Saturday morning service and I thought a show of public support like this might strengthen their argument."  

Llangollen's lack of suitable waste recycling facilities rapidly becoming a hot topic.

And Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates is looking into whether an agreement exists between Denbighshire and Wrexham for local people to use the Plas Madoc tip.

Since Llangollen's own recycling facility on the A539 was closed in 2007 people from this area have been using either the Wrexham site, or the "pop-up" Saturday morning waste service on the Pavilion car park. 

Both facilities closed when the coronavirus lockdown began about 10 weeks ago but the Plas Madoc facility opened again last week.

Mr Skates asked Wrexham last week if Plas Madoc could be used by local people but, as llanblogger reported earlier today, he was told this was being reserved for Wrexham residents.

Now it has been suggested that some form of agreement was reached between Denbighshire and Wrexham for Llangollen's use of Plas Madoc 13 years ago.

And Mr Skates said today he was seeking clarification from the two councils about whether this is the case.

Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms is also looking into the agreement claim, which was made by Stuart Davies.

Firefighters tackle wildfire on Panorama Walk

Denbighshire Free Press is reporting online this morning that firefighters have been tackling a blaze in Llangollen overnight.

North Wales Fire and rescue Service received a call just before 11.30pm on Tuesday reporting a wildfire in Panorama Walk.

Crews have been tackling the flamed through the night.

A spokesman told the Leader the incident involves two seats of fire.

Three crews and a wildfire unit are still in attendance at the site this morning.

https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/18492374.crews-battle-llangollen-wildfire-overnight/?fbclid=IwAR089lb8cD1NOhPP4LjVuAJKnbozG_InqreM7Ly5yg-0EQz8mz-Ezqq8x08

* A picture of the fire in the distance supplied to llanblogger by Stuart Davis.