SM calls for support for "desperate" B&Bs

North Wales MS Mark Isherwood has again called on the Finance Minister Rebecca Evans to provide an urgent statement detailing how she’s going to support "desperate" small B&B businesses, or explain why she’s “abandoned this key sector and its support for our local economies.”

Throughout the pandemic Mr Isherwood says he has made repeated calls for support for these businesses, yet they continue to miss out on funding sources.

Yesterday he again challenged the Minister over the lack of support.

Calling for an urgent statement on the matter during yesterday’s Business Statement in the Welsh Parliament, he said: “When I asked you for a statement on this six weeks ago, I said the Welsh Government again excluded them from financial support to help them survive the pandemic, this time barred from a third round of the economic resilience fund. 

"They were also deemed ineligible in previous rounds and have been denied small business grants, unlike their counterparts in England and Scotland.

"In reply, you said they should speak to Business Wales advisers to explore whether they can point them in the direction of other forms of support. Having tried this, they told me that only loans were available, and these would push them into unmanageable debt.

“They've since told me that they are also ineligible for your lockdown discretionary grant and ask if the Welsh Government were going to help them before we go into this winter, stating, 'Our sector cannot possibly survive without additional help'. 

They therefore need a statement from you, detailing the support you will now give them, or explaining why on earth you've abandoned this key sector and its support for our local economies.”

The Minister told Mr Isherwood to send her details of the reasons why the B&B owners he referred to were not eligible for the discretionary fund

She added: “We are looking to explore what we can learn from this current ERF phase 3 in terms of our package of support as we move forward for business. So, I'd be keen to understand why they were unable to access funding through the discretionary fund, which is deliberately very wide and broad in order to meet the needs of those businesses that have not yet been able to access support.”

Mr Isherwood added: “I will now go back to the desperate B&B businesses who have been in touch to inform them of the Minister’s latest response and ask for their feedback once more, before writing to the Minister.”  

Christmas quiz papers available from Saturday

Papers to enter this year's Cancer Research Christmas Quiz will be available to collect from this weekend.

Organisers say: "Unfortunately, Llangollen Tourist Information is only open on Fridays and Saturdays, but you can pick up your Christmas Quiz as usual from Pro-Adventure.  

"For those who don’t know the town so well, it’s near the traffic lights at the top of Castle Street.  

"The quiz will be available from Saturday, 28^th November. 

"After being so badly compromised by Covid this year Cancer Research UK will more than ever appreciate all the support you can offer to put its valuable work back on track."  

New guidance on face coverings in schools and colleges

Denbighshire County Council is reminding pupils and parents about changes to guidance regarding face coverings in schools and colleges.

The Welsh Government has updated its guidance and face coverings should now be worn in all areas outside the classroom by staff and learners in secondary schools and colleges, on dedicated school and college transport for learners in year 7 and up and by visitors to all schools and colleges, including parents and carers picking up and collecting children.

The Council understands sufficient time will be needed for schools to communicate these changes to staff, parents and pupils and the expectation is these changes will be implemented as quickly as possible over the coming weeks.

Cllr Huw Hilditch-Roberts, the Council’s Lead Member for Education, Children's Services and Public Engagement, said: “Schools have worked tirelessly to keep pupils safe with a range of measures and this new guidance on face coverings will keep pupils, staff and parents as safe as possible.

“It is especially important to note that parents and carers picking up and collecting children from school grounds will now be required to wear a mask.

“Along with hand-washing and social distancing, the use of face coverings will help ensure our schools are safe and reduce transmission of Covid-19. We are encouraging pupils, staff and parents to follow this guidance so they can all play their part in keeping our communities safe.

“When cases have arisen in our schools they have been dealt with effectively and the Test, Trace, Protect procedures have been followed.

“The commitment and resilience shown by our pupils and schools has been outstanding. They have worked tirelessly and shown true courage and determination through what has been a difficult time.

“Protecting the health and well-being of our pupils and maintaining a high quality education remains our priority.”

Parents/guardians have been advised to remain alert for the main symptoms of coronavirus:

•  A new or continuous cough

•  A high temperature

•  A loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

Those advised to self-isolated should book a coronavirus test if they develop any of these symptoms, even if they are mild. A test can be booked by phoning 119 or online: www.gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

Advice requires those self-isolating to stay at home, not to go outdoors to exercise, to visit shops, family or friends, or to other public spaces. Please do not invite people to your house.

* Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

Flu jabs to be available for 50s and over

 Earlier this year the Welsh Government committed to the roll-out of Wales’ largest ever influenza vaccination programme to protect people from the risks of flu.

The Welsh Government secured nearly 460,000 additional vaccines for 2020/21 and these are currently being made available to all GP practices and community pharmacies in Wales. 

Those aged 50 and over should now expect to be contacted by their GP practice or can contact their local pharmacy to arrange a vaccination. 

By mid-November more than 750,000 vulnerable people, NHS staff and schoolchildren in Wales had taken up the offer of a free flu vaccine. Of those aged over 65, 70% had also been vaccinated - levels substantially higher than during the same period last year.

The Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething, said, today:

This winter more and more people in Wales are taking-up the offer of a free flu vaccine. We have made great progress to protect the most vulnerable in our community and a further 460,000 people in Wales will now be able to benefit from the protection the vaccine offers them and our NHS services.

Extending the flu vaccine to everyone aged 50 or over will help prevent more people becoming ill and reduce pressure on the NHS this winter. I would urge anyone who is eligible to follow the example of the huge numbers of people vaccinated already and have the vaccine.

The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Frank Atherton, said:

Everyone who is eligible for a NHS flu vaccine can be confident about having it to protect themselves and those around them this winter. Rolling-out the vaccine to all over 50s will protect them and others in our communities in every part of Wales and help protect the NHS this winter.

Four UK nations agree new rules for the festive period

A broad set of UK-wide measures to help people come together with their loved ones during the festive period, in a way that is as safe as possible, have been agreed by the governments of the UK’s four nations.

Speaking after a meeting of the governments, the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford said: “This has been a very long and difficult year for everyone. All our lives have been turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Everyone has done so much to help control the spread of the virus and to save lives. But that has meant many sacrifices, including not seeing family and close friends. We are all looking forward to Christmas and a chance to spend some time with all those we hold dear.

“Today, I met the First Ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland and Michael Gove, from the UK Government, and I’m pleased we were able to agree a common four-nation plan for the festive period.”

The text of a joint statement issued by the four UK governments is:

"As 2020 draws to a close, we recognise it has been an incredibly difficult year for us all. We have all had to make significant sacrifices in our everyday lives, and many religious and community groups have already had to change or forgo their customary celebrations to slow the spread of coronavirus and save lives.

"This cannot be a ‘normal’ Christmas. But as we approach the festive period, we have been working closely together to find a way for family and friends to see each other, even if it is for a short time, and recognising that it must be both limited and cautious.

"Even where it is within the rules, meeting with friends and family over Christmas will be a personal judgement for individuals to take, mindful of the risks to themselves and others, particularly those who are vulnerable. 

"We need everyone to think carefully about what they do during this period, balancing some increased social contact with the need to keep the risk of increased transmission of the virus as low as possible. 

"This is particularly important when considering those who are vulnerable, and before deciding to come together over the festive period we urge the consideration of alternative approaches such as the use of technology or meeting outside.

"In this context, the four administrations have reached agreement on a single set of UK-wide measures to help people come together with their loved ones in a way that is as safe as possible.

"Today we have agreed that:

• Travel restrictions across the four administrations and between tiers will be lifted to provide a window for households to come together between the 23rd and 27th of December.
• Up to three households can form an exclusive ‘bubble’ to meet at home during this period. When a bubble is formed it is fixed, and must not be changed or extended further at any point.
• Each Christmas bubble can meet at home, at a place of worship or an outdoor public place, but existing, more restrictive rules on hospitality and meeting in other venues will be maintained throughout this period.

"It is important that everyone respects and abides by the rules of each nation wherever they choose to spend the festive period. Where there are any variations in our approach, these will be communicated by each administration accordingly. Further guidance will be provided in due course.

"The winter holiday period is a time often spent with family and friends, with schools and offices closing and people travelling over the bank holidays. Many have already begun making their plans, and we are today providing clarity to help people make the right choices for them, and enjoy time with those closest to them while staying within the rules to protect us all."

Llyr Gruffydd to fight Clwyd South Senedd seat for Plaid

Plaid Cymru's current Member of the Senedd for North Wales has been chosen to fight to represent the Clwyd South constituency.

Llyr Gruffydd (pictured) has been the North Wales MS for the past nine years and is the party's shadow minister for Energy, the Environment and Rural Affairs.

The Clwyd South constituency has been represented since 2011 by Labour's Ken Skates, who is also the Welsh Government's Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales.

Mr Gruffydd, a father of four, has been at the forefront of campaigns to defend nurses facing extra unpaid shifts at Betsi Cadwaladr health board, plans to privatise dialysis services and also been a fierce critic of the over-use of management consultants by the NHS.

Mr Gruffydd said: "I'm grateful that the local party membership has chosen me. Clwyd South is a microcosm of Wales - rural communities, towns, urban villages and a very varied economy that is a mix of industry, public services, farming and tourism. It stretches from the border near Whitchurch to Llandrillo near Bala and includes Llangollen and the urban villages of Wrexham.

"This part of Wales desperately needs fresh vision for the coming five years, so that we can recover and succeed despite the full impact of the Covid pandemic and Brexit shambles hitting the local economy and hard-pressed local services.

"These communities have had it hard - Brymbo for example lost a steelworks in 1990 and it's taken decades to recover. Many others have suffered a decade of cuts and austerity only to find that the Tories have belatedly found a magic money tree when it comes to dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic. That's come too late for many self-employed and small businesses that have fallen through the net and also many workers who have sadly lost their jobs as a result of the situation. My priority is to work with my Plaid Cymru colleagues to build a stronger Welsh economy that will offer people fresh hope after so many setbacks and uncertainty."

Mr Gruffydd added: "I'm passionate about ensuring a better future for our children. That means a greener, cleaner future for Wales and the world. The growth in renewable energy - much of it community owned such as Corwen Hydro - points in the right direction and Wales can lead the way on this.

"The environment also impacts our health and well-being - the fires earlier this year at Kronospan and the Hafod tip have both been wake-up calls about ensuring our health is at the heart of our priorities.

"That's why I've also been campaigning with local residents to improve healthcare in the rural South Maelor area around Hanmer, where a cross-party campaign seems to be bearing fruit after years of neglect."

Until recently, Clwyd South had been a Labour stronghold both in Cardiff and Westminster.

But Welsh Conservative Simon Baynes was elected as the area's MP in 2019 bringing to an end 22 years under Labour.

The Senedd Election is due to take place on May 6, 2021.

Health board taken out of special measures

This afternoon, Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced that the Health Board would be de-escalated from Special Measures with immediate effect.  

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board Chairman Mark Polin and Acting Chief Executive Gill Harris said in a joint statement:

“We welcome this significant announcement and continued support from Welsh Government.  We are encouraged by the growing confidence in our plans to make strategic longer term improvements while acknowledging that there is much more to do.

“The package of support recently announced by Welsh Government will help us to build on work to develop transformational and sustainable solutions to long term challenges in unscheduled care, diagnostics, planned care and mental health services.

“We are confident that our ambitious plans for the future will improve patient experience and waiting times. These include the establishment of Diagnostic and Treatment Centres and driving forward the business case for a North Wales Medical and Health Science School.

“We are hugely proud that colleagues across the organisation have risen to the challenge of COVID-19 and have displayed positivity, resilience and a commitment to patients in the most difficult of circumstances. We thank them for everything they have done to care for patients and keep our communities safe.

“There is a lot more work ahead but we are confident that with the support of our staff, partners, and public, the much-needed transformation of health services across North Wales will be achieved.”

In a joint statement Welsh Labour elected members said:

“Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, NHS staff in North Wales have worked heroically to help protect people.

“Today’s welcome news that BCUHB has come out of special measures is recognition of how the health board has managed the pandemic and implemented significant improvements.

“The work of improving health services in North Wales will continue and today’s announcement will provide very welcome assurance to patients and staff that Betsi Cadwaladr is heading in the right direction.”

Hannah Blythyn MS, Lesley Griffiths MS, Ann Jones MS, Eluned Morgan MS, Jack Sargeant MS, Ken Skates MS, Mark Tami MP and Joyce Watson MS