County consults on new measures to control dog fouling

* Bag it and take it home: that's the message from Cllr Mark Young.

Denbighshire County Council is consulting on a draft Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to make people properly control their dogs in public areas in the county.

A PSPO allows the council to take action against pet owners who allow a dog to foul in an area of public land without cleaning it up and those letting a dog off a lead anywhere this is not allowed.

In 2017 the council introduced a Control of Dogs PSPO to help to tackle these issues and when producing a new PSPO, we have a legal duty to ensure members of the public, as well as partner organisations such as North Wales Police and Natural Resources Wales, have an opportunity to give feedback.

Cllr Mark Young, the council’s Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities, said: “The vast majority of dog owners are respectful of others and clean up after their pets. 

"However, we receive a number of complaints about anti-social behaviour from dog owners who don’t control their dogs properly in public places. This PSPO will allow us to take action against those who behave irresponsibly with their pets.  

“I would encourage as many people as possible to have their say on the draft PSPO before the deadline on April 18 and take part in the consultation process.”

* You can read the draft PSPO document, view maps of the proposed restricted areas, and provide feedback at https://countyconversation.denbighshire.gov.uk/project/573 or in writing to PO Box 62, Ruthin, LL15 1AZ.

Citroen e-C4 helps you warm to electric cars

Citroen C4 launch report by Steve Rogers

Taking the jump to electric is too big a step at the moment but I am warming to it after driving the new Citroen e-C4.

But there are plenty ready to take the plunge if orders for the new family hatchback are anything to go by.

Even before the car has gone on sale 50 per cent of orders are for the zero emissions, zero tax electric model and even when the hiatus is over Citroen expect sales to level off at a surprisingly high 30 per cent.

And just to emphasise the changing of the motoring guard diesel sales are expected to be almost non-existent but there will be a couple of options which will suit high mileage drivers.

So what do we make of this new Citroen, and more to the point is it a conventional hatchback or SUV?

It is certainly marketed as a hatchback but standard 18 inch wheels raise the ride height and with the sloping coupe roofline could pass for an SUV so Citroen has an eye on pleasing both camps.

Where this C4 defies conventional wisdom is its ride. Rivals like Ford Focus, VW Golf, Mazda3, Seat Leon are definitely sporty but Citroen has gone the way of comfort which is hardly surprising given its heritage. It broke the mould with pneumatic suspension decades ago, models like the CX gliding along our roads, and making my young sons car sick after a few miles!

But the current system is far more sophisticated with progressive hydraulic cushions on each wheel adapting to the surface. Does it work? Too right it does, apart from silly money luxury motors with air suspension, this is far and away the most comfortable car I have driven doing a brilliant job cushioning against the vagaries of our road surfaces. Combine that with front seats to rival your favourite arm chair and you have a mainstream car providing exceptional levels of comfort.

You do lose some of the driving sharpness of the aforementioned rivals but this is only noticeable when pushing hard through twists and turns, and how often does that happen with the family on board?

As you would expect the cabin is bang up to date with digital driver's binnacle and head up display which is a brilliant driver aid, along with a centre mounted 10in touchscreen for navigation, radio, phone connections etc. 

A useful new feature is a pull out drawer in the dashboard for a tablet. Trim quality has been upgraded over the previous model with some areas taking on a distinctly premium feel suggesting Citroen is hoping to tempt customers from the more expensive German brands.

And it would seem the company has bowed to pressure reinstating physical switches for the heating system rather than having to do everything through the touch screen. Hallelujah for that!

Cabin space is up to par with decent rear legroom even for taller souls although the sloping roof does impinge on headroom. Another slight issue is rear vision which isn't great so it would be well to spec a model with a reversing camera.

For a family the C4 is practical with a full width opening tailgate and twin level boot floor. Space is on par rather than exceptional beaten by some rivals including its Peugeot 308 sister but there is a bonus for the e-C4 where no boot space has been lost to storing the battery pack.

Petrol is going to be the dominant force with a choice of 100, 130 and 155bhp outputs, all extremely capable economic engines with low emissions, the upper level variants coming with an eight speed automatic gearbox. The diesel 110 and 130bhp engines are refined, punchy and can top 60mpg but unless you are doing huge miles go for the 100 or 130bhp petrol which are good for 50 plus to the gallon and a good deal cheaper.

There are four trim levels Sense, Sense Plus, Shine and Shine Plus and spec level is good from the start but I think most buyers will go straight to Sense Plus as the starting point. Petrol and diesel models range from £21,005 to £28,255 which are more than competitive.

Apart from some exterior light blue trim inserts the electric version is identical, Citroen adding a model to the C4 range rather creating a specific shape like Volkswagen's ID.3.

Like most electric cars it is very quick off the mark and the only noticeable difference over its ICE brethren, other than running silent, is slightly firmer suspension to cope with the extra weight of the battery pack. The range is 217 miles from a 50kW battery and best charged from a wall box. A Podpoint box worth £500 is fitted free with the car.

If your main requirement in a new car is comfort then you have to try the C4 because this is where it shines over its rivals. It also looks good and is competitively priced but falls short on boot space against the best of the opposition.

Fast facts

e-C4 Shine Plus

£32,545 (starts £30,395)

Electric motor 136bhp

0-62mph 9.7secs; 93mph

Range 217 miles

Charge time 5-7 hours

Road tax: Zero

Emissions: Zero

Care chief's warning on Covid: We're not out of the woods yet

* Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales.

A social care leader has warned the public in Wales not to become complacent and to "remain vigilant” as the number of Covid deaths in care homes continue fall.

Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, said new, more contagious and potentially more dangerous mutant strains of the virus could still throw a spanner in the works.

It was vitally important, he stressed, that people adhered to sensible safeguards like social distancing, wearing masks and sanitising properly.

The importance of doing the right thing was underlined by the catastrophic death toll in care homes since the onset of the pandemic.

The latest figures show that a total of 8.043 adult care home residents had died since March 1 last year – that was 43 per cent higher than the same period two years ago.

The rollout of the vaccine had led to a significant decrease in the number of Covid deaths in care homes .

According to Care Inspectorate Wales, there had been a 16.5 per cent decrease – down from 238 to 173  - in the number of cases involving residents and staff in the previous 20 days.

Following a peak of 20 care homes deaths  per day on January 21, there were now around three deaths per day, which was similar to the number observed at the beginning of November.

Mr Kreft said: “It is excellent news that the number of deaths in care homes is now decreasing and it is a clear indication that the vaccine rollout is having a major impact in helping to protect residents and staff from this deadly disease but we are not out of the woods yet, far from it.

“However, emerging mutant strains of Covid are a real cause for concern because they are more contagious and it’s feared the new variant from Brazil may be more resistant to the vaccine, posing a real risk to elderly, frail and vulnerable people.

“It is vitally important that we do not become complacent. We must remain hugely vigilant and I would appeal to people to adhere to all the sensible safeguards like social distancing, wearing masks and sanitising properly.

“Our first and most important priority is ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff so we need to adopt a cautious approach to care home visiting.

“Thanks to the availability of the vaccines, there is now light at the end of this very dark tunnel. This is hopefully the beginning of the end of this nightmare and it would be a tragedy if we blew it when we are so close to the finish line.

“Another level of protection would be provided if care homes in Wales were allowed to refuse to hire staff who have not had a Covid jab unless they have a legitimate medical reason because it only takes one person to bring one of the new strains of the virus into vulnerable people.”

“The statistics are also a stark illustration of the scale of the Covid catastrophe and the tragic toll the pandemic has taken on residents, despite the heroic efforts of front line staff, managers and care home owners. The number of deaths in care homes since March 1 last year is 43 per cent higher than the same period two years ago.

“While the success of the vaccine rollout is a real positive, we must never forget those we have lost and we must honour their memory by doing everything in our power to protect the vulnerable people  for whom we have pledged to provide care.”

Affordable homes up for rental, councillors told

Denbighshire housing officers have asked Llangollen's two county councillors to pass the word that a number of the affordable houses in the area are being advertised for rental.

Cllrs Geraham Timms and Melvyn Mile were told: "I just want to draw your attention to the fact that five of the two-bedroom properties at Vicarage Road, Llangollen are currently being advertised for Intermediate Rental (80% of market rate) on the Tai Teg Affordable Housing Register website.

"If you know of anyone who should apply or can promote the information further I would be grateful.

"The closing date to apply for the properties is April 5th, 2021."

More information is available at: https://taiteg.org.uk/en/properties/2bedroom-5person-terraced-houses-1

County councillor responds to bridge weight limit call

 

* County Cllr Graham Timms on Llangollen Bridge.

One of the town’s two county councillors has responded to a call by a town councillor and the area’s MP to impose a weight restriction on Llangollen’s historic bridge.

As llanblogger reported just a few hours ago, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has backed a suggestion by new town councillor Stuart Davies to place a restriction on the structure, which dates from the 16^th century, to protect it from damage by heavy traffic. 

https://llanblogger.blogspot.com/2021/03/mp-backs-call-for-weight-restriction-on.html

Concerns have previously been raised by Cllr Davies about Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) coming from the A539 in Ruabon, crossing the bridge and going through the town to join the A5.

He has put forward a motion that Llangollen Town Council calls upon the Welsh Government and Denbighshire County Council to implement an Environmental Weight Restriction on it.

But the proposed move has brought a rapid reaction from Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms.

He says in a statement just received by llanblogger: “A weight limit on the bridge would be great, but these simple ideas are not quite as easy to implement.

“Impossibly simplistic solutions are popular and get a quick headline but a more thoughtful solution to the town's problems must be taken. 

“In practice, a weight limit would mean an 18 mile stretch of river without a crossing for heavy goods vehicles.

“This is something that would not be allowed unless the bridge was unsafe. Environmental limits are not granted where an 18 mile journey is required to get across the river. We've been told for many years that it can't happen. 

“A much more complex, but realistic solution will be implemented over next winter to achieve a reduction in the number of heavy goods vehicles on the bridge.”

MP backs call for weight restriction on town's historic bridge

* Simon Baynes MP on Llangollen Bridge.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes is backing calls to place an Environmental Weight Restriction on Llangollen Bridge.

Llangollen town councillor Stuart Davies is calling for the bridge to be given greater protection from heavy traffic and to alleviate pollution. 

The bridge dates from the 16th Century and is a Grade I listed ancient monument and one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.

Concerns have previously been raised by Cllr Davies about Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) coming from the A539 in Ruabon, crossing the bridge and going through the town to join the A5.

He said: "I welcome Simon’s support and will be putting forward a motion that Llangollen Town Council calling upon the Welsh Government and Denbighshire County Council to implement an Environmental Weight Restriction to reduce heavy traffic transiting through Llangollen and protect this 16th Century Grade I listed building, ancient monument and one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.”

Simon Baynes MP said: “Llangollen Bridge is one of the jewels in the crown of Llangollen. And I think we should be doing everything we can now to minimise the risk of damage and preserve the bridge for future generations of residents and visitors to enjoy. 

"That’s why I’m backing calls for a weight restriction and supporting Cllr Stuart Davies in his campaign.”

* See separate story for response from County Councillor Graham Timms: 

https://llanblogger.blogspot.com/2021/03/county-councillor-responds-to-bridge.html

Health centre sends out new vaccination update

Llangollen Health Centre has this morning (Friday) given an update on the local vaccination situation, which says:

"We’ve had news that the supply of vaccines is going to improve considerably over the next few weeks which is fantastic. That’s not to say that there won’t be any blips but we are cautiously optimistic that we will be receiving an increased supply over the next month or so.

"Welsh Government has set a target for all patients in Groups 1 – 9 to be offered a vaccine by mid-April and I can assure everyone that we will be working our socks off to hit this target, as long as we get the vaccines.

"These are the groups we have still to do:

Group 5 – currently booking these in

Group 6 – 16-64 with underlying conditions*

Group 7 – patients aged 60 – 64

Group 8 – patients aged 55 – 59

Group 9 – patients aged 50 – 54

"All the above should be offered an appointment by mid-April depending on vaccine supply. I’m afraid at this stage we cannot be any more specific than that. We will have a rolling programme of vaccination clinics and we will work our way through the groups in order as quickly as we can.

"Please be patient – we will contact you when it is your turn.

"I will continue to update everyone as we get to the end of each group, so if someone thinks they have been missed, they will have the opportunity to let us know.

"Thank you for your continued support and cooperation.

Tessa

Practice Manager

*The Public Health Wales website has more detail on the eligibility criteria for this group:

https://phw.nhs.wales/.../eligibility-for-the-vaccine/