Coronavirus update from Welsh Government

Latest updates on coronavirus from the Welsh Government are:

           

• More than 23,000 children and young people have taken part in a landmark Coronavirus and Me survey in Wales.
• A collaboration between the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, the Welsh Government, the Youth Parliament and Children in Wales, the survey has provided a unique insight into how children are coping with the pandemic.
• The full results are available at: https://www.childcomwales.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/FINAL_formattedCVRep_EN.pdf
• Watch the First Minister’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1269954711328747527

• The Deputy Minister for Health and Social Care Julie Morgan marked the start of National Carers Week by announcing an additional £50,000 funding for Carers Wales.
• The new funding will provide more unpaid carers with professional and peer support to help them manage their mental health.
• https://gov.wales/additional-ps50000-announced-support-unpaid-carers-mental-health-during-pandemic

• Updated – frequently asked questions about the coronavirus regulations in Wales https://gov.wales/coronavirus-regulations-guidance

• Public Health Wales has today confirmed a further 42 cases of coronavirus in Wales today bringing the total number of cases to 14,438 – the real figure will be much higher.
• Sadly, there were a further three deaths reported by Public Health Wales today, bringing the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths reported by Public Health Wales to 1,401.

Where to find the latest information

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://phw.nhs.wales/news/public-health-wales-statement-on-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Queries about support for businesses, including about eligibility for the Economic Resilience Fund? Visit the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• If you can help the effort to produce PPE in Wales please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/news-and-blogs/news/provision-critical-equipment-and-personal-protection-equipment-ppe
• The Welsh Government holds a daily media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and routinely supported by a BSL translator. They will be held at 12.30pm every week day. They are live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel and are broadcast live on BBC One Wales and S4C.
• First Minister Mark Drakeford held today’s press conference – you can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1269954711328747527

Latest on appeal to help railway survive lockdown

The appeal to help Llangollen Railway make it through the coronavirus lockdown has so far raised almost £80,000.

The good news for the heritage attraction comes in the latest update from railway general manager Liz McGuinness.

She says: "A few weeks have gone by since our last update so we felt it only right to keep you up to date with what is going on at Llangollen Railway.

"Firstly, thank you to all those who donated to and took part in our online auction. We had an excellent response to this and will be running another one later this month. If anyone has any items they would like to donate for auction please email donate@llangollen-railway.co.uk.

"As mentioned last month, our fundraising efforts have so far raised approximately £78,000 including online donations, share purchases, gift aid and the online auction. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has supported the railway over the last couple of months.

"We are sure many of you are wondering why we need so much money when we are closed and very little is happening. 

"The monthly outgoings whilst closed, are approximately £14,000. This includes things like utility bills. In July when our payment holidays cease this will jump to approximately £26,000 per month."

She adds: "Once we are given the go ahead to open we have a lot of work to undertake. The listed buildings we take care of will need maintenance/repairs, the track will need a full inspection and the engines, which have stood idle for months, will need servicing.

"This will all cost money and we need to be in a position to hit the ground running when we are given the go ahead. Your donations will continue to make that possible.

"If you are in a position to donate to our online fund the link is below. Shares can also be purchased to help support the railway and more details can be found on our website.

"We, like all of you, await the next Government update but until then, take care and stay safe."

For the railway's appeal go to: https://llangollenrailway.charitycheckout.co.uk/…/covid-19-…

MP encourages businesses to go for rate grants

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes (pictured) is encouraging Llangollen businesses to apply for Welsh Government Business Rate Grant funding before the scheme closes at the end of June.

In April the Welsh Government announced support for businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, which Denbighshire and other local authorities across Wales are administering.

The Welsh Government has stated the Business Rates Grant Scheme is continuing to take applications up until June 30. After this date any application received will not be eligible for this grant.

Simon Baynes said: “There’s been good uptake from businesses in Clwyd South applying for this support. And I’m keen to encourage any businesses who haven’t applied yet, to take full advantage of the support available to protect jobs and get businesses through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If you think you may be eligible, get in touch with either Denbighshire County Council or Wrexham County Borough Council who’ll be able to help. And as always, if there’s anything I can do to help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me and my team by email on simon.baynes.mp@parliament.uk.

Denbighshire County Council says it is expecting the total amount of support to be provided to businesses in the county to exceed £30 million.

* For information on support and business rate relief visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/business-rates

Roadworks problem is highlighted at site meeting

A site meeting was held on Friday morning between contractors, county councillors and residents to discuss problems with a roadworks diversion.  

People from Fron Bache were concerned that work on the renewal of a water main on nearby Vicarage Road, due to start on June 15, would lead to their road being closed for five weeks, leaving traffic having to use Grange Road as a diversion for five weeks.

One resident, former county councillor Stuart Davies, said: "This would be impossible, a narrow sub-standard country lane being used by delivery vans, residents, emergency vehicles and no passing places."

Mr Davies explained how, after being contacted by fellow residents to help, he had phoned the appropriate county council officer and the contractor for the work and a site meeting was fixed between all parties involved.

He said: "I spoke to the contractors representatives and they assured me that they weren’t now going to close Fron Bache. 

"Another look at the site and a visit to Grange Road made them realise what a bad idea it was. 

"They had also spotted that the connection to Fron Bache wasn't in the middle of the highway but at the side and said that they were going to put the water main on the kerb-line so they wouldn’t need to block Fron Bache to connect the new main.

"So no closure but there will be some delays as they work with dump-trucks and so on but not too bad."

Libraries put newspapers and magazines online

* The new Press Reader facility on a mobile phone.

Library members in Denbighshire can now access over 7,000 newspapers and magazines online from home.

Denbighshire Libraries have added ‘Press Reader’ to their collection of digital resources, giving free access to newspapers and magazines, from 120 countries around the world, 24/7. 

The publications are available in full text, on the day of publication and look just like the printed edition. 

They can be viewed online through a web browser, or via the Press Reader app on a smart phone or tablet.

Councillor Tony Thomas, Cabinet Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said:  “During the lockdown, while library buildings have been closed, many more people have been using our free digital library offer from home.

“We have introduced new offers such as Ancestry Library, uLibrary, and now we’re able to offer Press Reader to our members. These are in addition to all the eBooks and eAudiobooks already offered via Borrowbox, and the digital magazines and comics that are available through RB Digital.”

* To access this exciting new service visit the library web pages at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/libraries and click on ‘Library Catalogue’. If you are not already a library member, join online.

Cat thanks another of her coronavirus help group volunteers

* Paula Lingard has been thanked for her work with

 Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group.  

To mark the current National Volunteers Week, Cat Meade, co-ordinator of the Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group, has spotlighted the work of more local people who have been giving their services to help the community through the current lockdown. 

Featured yesterday on the group's Facebook page was Paula Lingard.

Cat says of her: "Paula has been with us since week 1, she contacted me and offered to help, and she has not stopped since, as well as continuing working she has taken a real load off me managing this page, doing all the Admin on Volunteers, logging info on databases and a real support with some tougher tasks where Paula, me and Mike have had to have 3-way calls to come up with a solution.

"Meeting Paula through this group has been a real joy, she has been a real rock at times, she has had some 'needed' chats with me when its all got a bit overwhelming, she is always checking in on me and has wise words to say.

"I am pleased to now call you a friend and one day get to sit in the pub and laugh about these times of you 'telling' me, honestly Paula, you have been a huge support to the group and me personally.

"I asked Paula what she had planned before lockdown and she said:

'The first night of lockdown I panicked. How do you keep someone in when they are used to going out? I had plans, annual leave, grandchildren to visit! The Cornmill, The three Eagles, Gales Wine Bar … The list goes on! I was just starting to get fit with training sessions, it was working until lockdown!

'Then I came across the Llangollen Coronavirus Help group FB page and I just knew I could fill my extra spare time helping in some way.'

"Paula is one special lady, a fountain of knowledge, a heart of gold and a pleasure to know. Please join me in a HUGE THANK YOU to Paula."

End the row over Llan using Plas Madoc, says county councillor

* The Plas Madoc recycling site at the centre of the row.

The public row about Llangollen residents using the Plas Madoc Recycling Centre should now be closed.

That's the view of one of the area's county councillors, Graham Timms.

At the start of the Covid-19 lockdown the Saturday morning tipping facility on the Pavilion car park was withdrawn with local people being told they would have to use the Ruthin household waste site which is now operating an appointments only system.

As a result, a number of people have suggested they should use Plas Madoc instead.

Cllr Timms' predecessor at County Hall, Stuart Davies, argues that an agreement was struck between Wrexham Council and Denbighshire County Council back in 2007 - when the old town tip near Sun Bank closed - for Llangollen people to use Plas Madoc.   

Earlier this week Cllr Timms, along with Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates, both agreed to check with the two councils to see if this was the case. 

Now Cllr Timms says in a statement to llanblogger: "Llangollen residents have been told that they cannot use this Wrexham site. Wrexham Council made this clear in a statement to BBC Radio Wales on Monday.

”A former county councillor has been claiming that he sorted this out in 2007, but the minutes produced from a meeting in 2007 merely said that any formal request would have to be agreed by Wrexham's Executive Board. 

"Denbighshire were informed at that time by Wrexham that if a formal approach for any such arrangement was made, it would be refused. 

"Looking back on what happened nearly 13 years ago is always difficult, but it is clear that no formal agreement was reached on behalf of Llangollen residents to use the Plas Madoc site."

Cllr Timms adds: "Cllr Melvyn Mile [the other Llangollen county councillor] and I have spent a long time looking into this and drawn a blank as far as any formal agreement is concerned. 

"Wrexham Council deny it. Denbighshire County Council deny it, and no payment is being made for such a service so let's move on.

“We must now turn our attention to getting the recycling service back to Llangollen Pavilion car park as soon as possible. 

"We've spoken loudly for Llangollen on this matter and will continue to put pressure on the county to restart the service as soon as possible. 

"We've made helpful suggestions, many passed on to us by residents.  

"A 30-mile round-trip to Ruthin Recycling Centre is not a realistic possibility for most people. But our wagons will not be back at the Pavilion until the health and safety of workers and residents can be guaranteed. 

"Our superb refuse and recycling service staff have been doing a great job collecting waste throughout the lockdown from our homes, but I don't think any of us want to see them exposed to a situation where their safety and ours would be even more at risk.

“The Ruthin Recycling Centre is the nearest Recycling Centre in Denbighshire and if you need to use this service you must book an appointment on the DCC website.

"The link for booking a slot in Ruthin is: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/bins-and-recycling/visiting-our-waste-and-recycling-parks-during-covid-19.aspx"

On Radio Wales on Monday, Wrexham Council said: "All our HWRC’s (Household Waste Recycling Centres) are busy and to allow residents from outside the county borough to utilise the sites in Wrexham would cause even more congestion than currently experienced and would put an unfair weighting onto Wrexham County Borough Council. 

"To open the HRWC sites was a major political and logistical exercise carried out solely for the benefit of the residents of the Borough.

"This service is very popular and one which our residents are entitled to and which they support through their Council Tax and as such we need to restrict it to Wrexham residents only. We have had people from many, many miles away trying to use these sites and we are unable to take on the waste responsibility of other local authorities so have put the controls in place to protect our interests.”

Ken Skates SM has received a reply from Wrexham Council officer Ian Bancroft which says: "I can confirm that there is no record of any formal agreement in our files from this time.

"Like most Welsh Authorities, including Denbighshire, we are currently adopting the standard guidance for opening and operating our HWRCs, we have adopted a 10 point plan (set of rules) and this includes a proof of residency check. Whilst the current lockdown conditions prevail and the demand at our sites has to be managed we are not planning to relax these for the foreseeable future.

"As I am sure you appreciate, moving ‘Denbighshire’ waste from residents into Wrexham’s facility would require a lot of profiling and monitoring on numerous items including:

• Impact on waste volumes;
• Capacity issues;
• Managing, monitoring and adjustment of recycling rates, etc; 
• Finance adjustments and cross boundary fee and income recharges. 

"Like yourself and colleagues in Denbighshire, we have received numerous correspondence on this topic over recent weeks and to date have responded based upon the above principles."

On Wednesday, Stuart Davies launched a poll on Facebook asking if people wanted to see the swift re-opening of the Saturday morning household waste facility at the Pavilion car park.

Up to yesterday, 277 people voted yes to this, while 108 were in favour of being able to use Plas Madoc. Another 24 wanted to see the old Llangollen tip brought back into use.