Action taken on Market Street loading bay

* Workmen at the loading bay outside Jenni's shop in Market Street.

A loading bay placed outside shops in Market Street as part of the town's new social distancing traffic measures earlier this week has been moved by workmen today (Friday).

The package of changes includes widening pavements in Castle Street - removing its on-street parking bays - and  on Abbey Road, reversing the one-way traffic flow in Church Street and making Market Street partially one-way. 

However, people have been unhappy about some of the changes, including Jenni Lloyd who runs Jenni's shop in Market Street.

She started a petition to be handed to Denbighshire County Council which attracted almost 100 signatures in its first couple of hours.

Complaining about the loading bay outside her shop, she said: "The lorries are 5ft from my window and it's fairly constant as the bay is servicing the whole of Castle Street."

A meeting between her, other concerned local people and a county official was held earlier this week and this morning workmen could be seen apparently moving the loading bay.

Jenni Lloyd said: "I am delighted and grateful for all the overwhelming support I have received from so many people this week.

"I feel as though the whole town has been behind me!"

Llangollen County Councillor Graham Timms said: "After discussions with fellow Llangollen county councillor Melvyn Mile and I it has been agreed to move the loading bay to our originally proposed location, which is on the opposite side of Market Street, starting just beyond the shops. The taxi rank will stay where it is." 

Coronavirus cases at Llangollen Fechan being investigated, says county

Denbighshire County Council has this morning issued a statement on a number of coronavirus cases at the Llangollen Fechan Care Home.

It says: "An Incident Management Team (IMT) has been convened, comprising Denbighshire County Council, Public Health Wales and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

"Co-chair of the IMT, Nicola Stubbins, said: 'We have been working together to investigate a number of cases of Coronavirus in staff and residents at Llangollen Fechan Care Home in Llangollen.

'Over the last three weeks there have sadly been 56 positive cases and 15 deaths with coronavirus amongst residents. In addition 33 staff members have been tested positive for the virus over the same period.

'We would like to assure all concerned that control measures have been put in place working jointly with the care home, including limiting the movement of staff and residents to reduce transmission.

'Our thoughts and condolences are with all affected and we remain committed to working together to address the situation.

'Anyone who meets the definition of a contact will be contacted as a routine part of theTest, Trace and Protect process and provided with additional advice for themselves, their household and other contacts.

'As we move into the next phase of the Coronavirus pandemic we expect to see cases in a variety of settings, and we manage any clusters of Coronavirus appropriately. This can include providing advice around infection prevention and control, and by supporting contact tracing where required.

'We remind the public that they have a vital role in preventing the spread of Coronavirus. They can do this by adhering to Welsh Government regulations currently in place in Wales, and by observing social distancing guidelines – that’s staying two metres away from others – and washing hands regularly.'"

Statement from the home ...

A statement issued on behalf of RobertsHomes  (North Wales)  Limited, which runs the home, says: " The Llangollen Fechan nursing home in Denbighshire has experienced a high level of Covid-19  cases in recent weeks.

"As a result, we are deeply sorry to report 15 residents with coronavirus have died in the Llangollen Fechan. 

"Our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences go out to the families of those deceased residents. We are continuing to support the next of kin who have lost a loved one and also those families whose loved ones remain in our care, during this difficult time. 

"A total of 56 residents and 33 staff have tested positive for Covid-19. As an organisation we are working with the relevant departments of Denbighshire County Council, Public Health Wales and many other organisations to manage and contain the situation and continue to follow the appropriate guidelines. We very much appreciate the support we are being given.

"All the staff at Llangollen Fechan are committed to providing compassionate and high-quality care for all residents in both its EMI and Residential Units. We thank all our staff for their continued support. Our main priority will always be to make sure all of the residents in our homes are as safe as possible.

"We are taking every precaution to ensure prevention measures are in place to contain the outbreak and minimise transmission. 

"We are working closely with our colleagues in public health and other public bodies to monitor the situation and to ensure all necessary action is taken.  

"Regular testing of our residents and staff continues and we continue to advise those who have been in close contact to self-isolate in line with national guidelines." 

Statement from Care Forum Wales

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “We would like to extend our condolences to the families of those who have passed away.

“It is a deeply worrying time for everybody concerned and our thoughts are with the residents and staff who have also been affected by the virus.

“This tragic case is a stark and cruel reminder how virulent and dangerous the Covid-19 is.

“Care Forum Wales has recently launched a renewed campaign to shield social care and save lives this winter.

“The key message is how vulnerable the residents of care homes are and how everyone has to work to ensure that these people are protected.

“There are more than 20,000 care home beds Wales compared to 12,000 beds in our hospitals so social care plays an absolutely vital role in supporting the NHS, now more so than ever.

“Right at the outset of the pandemic, Care Forum Wales was ahead of the curve in calling for an efficient and effective testing regime and, while things have improved, we are not there yet.

“If we don’t protect the vulnerable people for whom we provide care and our staff many more people will die as a result. We cannot and must not let that happen.”

Fair minimum wage deal for care staff demanded

* Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales.

A major campaign has been launched to ensure qualified staff who work in care homes and domiciliary care in Wales are paid a minimum of £20,000 a year.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said they had been condemned to low pay for many years because of the “morally bankrupt” formulas used by local authorities and health boards to calculate the fees for social care.

According to Mr Kreft, the "heroic" response of care workers in saving lives during the coronavirus pandemic had highlighted their true value and it was high time it was recognised by the authorities who commissioned publicly funded social care.

It was, he said, a “national disgrace” that the 2020 Fair Pay campaign was necessary but he hoped it would shame the councils and the health boards into taking action to finally ensure that qualified care workers could be paid properly after a quarter of a century of a mismanaged market which has seen social care being treated as a “Cinderella service”.

As a result, the frontline workforce had been "left behind".

The Welsh Government had shown the way earlier this year when they announced a one-off £500 bonus payment for social care staff.

It was very welcome recognition and now local authorities and health boards should follow suit by updating their funding formulas so that qualified care workers received at least £20,000 a year as a bare minimum.

All those who worked in social care deserved at least the Real Living Wage.

One of Mr Kreft’s fears was that the NHS will effectively poach social care staff to cope with the extra demands caused by the second surge of the virus which was already underway.

Pay rates in the NHS were historically higher than those available in care homes and domiciliary care because their funding in relative terms was a lot more generous.

He is calling for an assurance from the seven health boards in Wales that they will not be recruiting additional staff from care homes and domiciliary care by offering them more money to work for them than they allowed care providers to pay.

Mr Kreft said: “Social care staff have risen magnificently to the immense challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the public understand better than ever that these people do have important skills and are vital to their communities across Wales.

“They are an army of heroes and should be viewed as a value rather than a cost to society.

“It is high time that when local authorities and health board commission publicly funded social care services that the formulas they use finally recognise their true value and enable providers to pay frontline staff a minimum of £20,000 a year from April 1 next year.

“Existing formulas that use the basic living wage as their benchmark are unacceptable, particularly given what the sector has achieved this year and the support the sector has from the public.

“We know from the first wave of the pandemic that the NHS does not have enough staff  to run the rainbow hospitals in Wales so the only place that they can go and get people with those sorts of skills is the care sector and the care sector is critically endangered. 

“There’s evidence from when the Dragon’s Heart Hospital Cardiff during the first wave that they were offering significantly higher rates of pay than what providers -which were commissioned by local authorities and local health boards - were able to pay. 

“Currently, many of the formulas used to commission publicly funded social care services are predicated on paying at or just above the legal minimum wage to a significant number of people which flies in the face of the traditional Welsh qualities of fairness and equality.

“As a result, we have a system that is self-perpetuating that has created a morally bankrupt vicious circle.

“The evidence that commissioners effectively set rates of pay is irrefutable.

“In normal times, between 60% and 70% of a care home’s income goes straight out in wages while it’s 80% in domiciliary care – but the percentage has been even higher  during the pandemic.

“If we lose skilled social care staff to the NHS then the result of that could be that homes could have to temporarily close down and send their residents to the field hospitals which would be counterproductive for everybody concerned as it would pile even more pressure on the beleaguered health service.

“I am therefore calling for an urgent assurance that the NHS will immediately refrain from recruiting anybody from social care by paying them higher wages. It wouldn’t take long for care home closures to fill hospital beds at the field hospitals

“After all their heroic work during the pandemic, you surely cannot deny that people who work in care homes and those who provide care in people’s own homes deserve a bare minimum of £20,800 a year for a full time equivalent member of staff for a 40 hour seek on £10 an hour .

“Money in care workers’ pockets is spent in their local communities which is a vital part of the foundation economy of Wales.

“The responsibility for making this happen clearly rests with the 22 local authorities and the seven health boards in Wales.

“The tension between a means tested social care service provided by local authorities and the NHS, free at the point of delivery has been exacerbated by unelected health boards without a democratic mandate from the community they serve.

“The social care workers in these very communities are in fact a foundation block of the healthcare system in Wales.

“We have long endured a tapestry of social care services across Wales which were not only underfunded but also promoted inequality. That tapestry has been held together by social care workers and is now threadbare.

“The time for action is now and we must shield social care and save lives this winter and into the future.”

Llangollen Town Council elects a new Mayor

* New Mayor, Cllr Austin Cheminais in his role

as Town Crier.

Llangollen Town Council held its annual meeting on Tuesday. 

The meeting, which usually takes place in May, was much delayed because of Covid-19 and was held online.

During the meeting Councillor Austin Cheminais was unanimously elected and sworn in as Llangollen’s new Mayor, with Councillor Melvyn Mile being elected as Deputy Mayor.

Cllr Cheminais has been the official Town Crier for a number of years and is also closely associated with Santa Claus through his chairmanship of the local Christmas Festival Committee. 

* New Deputy Mayor, Cllr Melvyn Mile.

He thanked outgoing Mayor Cllr Jon Haddy for his hard work on behalf of the Town Council and the residents of Llangollen during his term of office.

Cllr Cheminais thanked fellow members for their support.

He said: "It is a privilege to serve as the Town’s Mayor and I will never lose focus on putting our community first, and will work hard for what we are all incredibly passionate about - Llangollen.”

Seized criminals' cash will benefit local crimebusters

 

* PCC Arfon Jones with Sacha Hatchett, Assistant Chief Constable of North Wales Police and Ashley Rogers, chairman for PACT .

A £60,000 fund will give “power to the people” to decide who receives cash seized from criminals in North Wales.

The Your Community Your Choice scheme was launched to reward local crime busters across the region and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones is urging community groups to bid for a share of the pot.

Up for grabs are three grants of up to £2,500 for groups in each of the six counties of North Wales and three grants of up to £5,000 for organisations working in three or more counties.

This is the eighth year of the scheme which is organised by the police and crime commissioner in conjunction with North Wales Police and the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT).

Over that period a total of £310,000 has been awarded to 106 projects working to support the priorities in the commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan which sets out a blueprint for policing North Wales.

Entries close on Friday, December 11, with the Your Community, Your Choice entry form available on the North Wales Police website with a link to it on the Police Commissioner’s website.

A shortlist of applicants will be chosen by a special panel with the winners being decided by a public vote.

The cash for the awards comes partly from money seized by the courts through the Proceeds of Crime Act with the rest from the Police Commissioner’s Fund.

Commissioner Jones, a former police inspector, said: “These awards are important because they involve the community and the communities decide where the money can best be spent. It gives power to the people.

“A lot of what we fund is aimed at providing something for young people to get involved with in their spare time rather than being tempted to commit crime or indulge in anti-social behaviour.

“We want to support communities so they are able to take responsibility for their own areas.

“Smaller community groups like them can do a great deal to make communities safer, reduce crime and reduce re-offending, It also sends a good message to the communities because it shows we are listening to them.”

His message was backed by Assistant Chief Constable Sacha Hatchett who said: “This is the eighth year of the scheme and it has been a great success because it gives the public and local communities the chance to have a stake in how local issues are addressed and how we together tackle crime and disorder.

“I get particular satisfaction that part of the funding comes from the proceeds of crime, so that money is taken out of the pockets of criminals and their ill-gotten gains by the courts and is put back into community initiatives.

“It’s turning bad money into good and it’s making a real difference because it is local people who recognise and understand their local issues and how to solve them.

“Policing is part of the community and the community is part of policing and this scheme is a positive way of building trust in policing.

“It’s great to see those relationships flourish because without the community we won’t know what’s going on, without the community we won’t get vital intelligence, and we won’t solve crimes.”

PACT chairman Ashley Rogers added: “Your community your choice is a really valuable way of supporting communities and putting the choice of which projects are supported in their hands.

“It’s a very democratic process which is why I think it’s been such a long running  and successful scheme.

“At a time when community groups are struggling for funding, I was delighted that the Police and Crime Commissioner and the force increased the size of the funding pot by 50%.

“It’s lovely project to be involved with and you can directly see the benefits from the funding in strengthening our resilient communities.”

* Completed applications must be returned by e-mail to yourcommunityyourchoice@nthwales.pnn.police.uk by 5pm on the closing date of Friday, December 11. For more information go to the commissioner’s website www.northwales-pcc.gov.uk  or the PACT website www.pactnorthwales.co.uk

 

MP welcomes Prime Minister's green blueprint

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes (pictured) has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a ten-point plan for a "green industrial revolution" which aims to create and support up to 250,000 British jobs.

Covering clean energy, transport, nature and innovative technologies, the blueprint sets out to allow the UK to eradicate its contribution to climate change by 2050, particularly crucial in the run up to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow next year.

The plan – which is part of the PM’s mission to "level up" across the country - will use £12 billion of government investment to create and support up to 250,000 highly-skilled green jobs in the UK, and spur over three times as much private sector investment by 2030.

At the centre of the plan are the UK’s industrial heartlands, including Wales.

The Prime Minister’s ten points, which are built around the UK’s strengths, are:

1. Offshore wind: Producing enough offshore wind to power every home, quadrupling how much we produce to 40GW by 2030, supporting up to 60,000 jobs.

2. Hydrogen: Working with industry aiming to generate 5GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 for industry, transport, power and homes, developing the first town heated entirely by hydrogen by the end of the decade.

3. Nuclear: Advancing nuclear as a clean energy source, across large scale nuclear and developing the next generation of small and advanced reactors, which could support 10,000 jobs.

4. Electric vehicles: Backing our world-leading car manufacturing bases including in the West Midlands, North East and North Wales to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, and transforming our national infrastructure to better support electric vehicles.

5.Public transport, cycling and walking: Making cycling and walking more attractive ways to travel and investing in zero-emission public transport of the future.

6. Jet Zero and greener maritime: Supporting difficult-to-decarbonise industries to become greener through research projects for zero-emission planes and ships.

7. Homes and public buildings: Making our homes, schools and hospitals greener, warmer and more energy efficient, whilst creating 50,000 jobs by 2030, and a target to install 600,000 heat pumps every year by 2028.

8. Carbon capture: Becoming a world-leader in technology to capture and store harmful emissions away from the atmosphere, with a target to remove 10MT of carbon dioxide by 2030, equivalent to all emissions of the industrial Humber today.

9. Nature: Protecting and restoring our natural environment, planting 30,000 hectares of trees every year, whilst creating and retaining thousands of jobs.

10. Innovation and finance: Developing the cutting-edge technologies needed to reach these new energy ambitions and make the City of London the global centre of green finance.

Simon Baynes MP said: “The Prime Minister’s announcement is hugely ambitious and will turbo-charge a green industrial revolution across Wales and the UK.

“With its established offshore wind, nuclear and electric vehicle industries, Wales is exceptionally well-placed to drive forward decarbonisation of energy, industry and domestic heating and be a centre for innovation in green technology like carbon capture."

Latest Citizens Advice column

Here is the latest advice column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice

Q: I’d like some advice on keeping my energy bills down please. I work in admin for a big corporation. We’ve been working from home since lockdown, and have been told we’ll not be back in the office before January at the earliest. Now the weather has turned, I’m freezing sitting here all day in front of my computer! I’m worried if I turn the heating up my bills are going to go through the roof!

A: I’m sorry this is causing you to worry. However, fortunately, there’s lots you can do to keep bills down.

Firstly, see if you can get a better deal by changing your energy supplier. However, as well as comparing prices, it’s a good idea to check the customer service record of a company before switching. Citizens Advice has a price comparison tool on our website, and our star rating assesses the customer service records of the 40 biggest companies.

There are also little, everyday things that can help, such as making sure televisions and other devices are switched off and not left on standby; washing clothes on a lower temperature; and only filling the kettle with the water you need.

You’re right in another way about bills going through the roof - and the walls. One way of cutting costs in the long term is to invest in good insulation - or ask your landlord to do so.

If your pay is close to the national minimum wage, the extra costs of working from home could be counted as a pay cut and bring you below the legal level. Talk to your manager or HR department, or your union rep if that feels more comfortable.

Finally, your employer should pay for any costs connected to your health and safety - such as a suitable chair for work at a computer. It’s also worth taking a look at your employer’s expenses policy, you may be able to claim for a number of other things, such as printer ink or telephone line rental.