The Daily Post is reporting that the A539 near Llangollen is shut in both directions following crash this evening (Saturday).
* For the full story, see: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/live-a539-near-llangollen-shut-22507757
British Cycling has announced the dates and venues for the 2022 for the National Downhill Series.
The series is to be delivered by five separate organisers, beginning in Rheola in April. Round two will be a UCI C1 in Fort William, followed by a UCI C2 event in Llangollen for round three.
The series ends with rounds in Caersws and at Revolution Bike Park, which hosted the national championships in 2019.
National Downhill Series
Round 1: Rheola, 16 – 17 April (event organiser – Malc Dunn, Gravity Events)
Round 2: Fort William, 7 – 8 May (UCI C1) (event organiser – Colin Houston, SDA)
Round 3: Llangollen, 28 – 29 May (UCI C2) (event organiser – Si Paton, BDS Events / Malverns Classic Team)
Round 4: Caersws, 13 – 14 August (event organiser – Malc Dunn, Gravity Events)
Round 5: Revolution Bike Park, 17 – 18 September (Mike Marsden, Borderline Events)
A Neighbourhood Alert from North Wales Police says that a large metal gate was recently stolen from the Vivod area near Llangollen.
Measuring 12ft by 5ft, it was taken sometime between 6pm on Tuesday December 6 and 7am the next day.
PC2264 Chris Jones, rural crime constable for Central, Conwy and Denbighshire, said: "Only the gate was taken and no further reports have been received at this time.
"This message is to make people aware of the incident and to ask that any suspicious vehicles, especially at night, are reported to North Wales Police.
"We are asking that gates, especially those alongside roads, are secured as safely as possible."
Denbighshire County Council is reminding residents about the free parking scheme which is running until December 31.
Council-run
town centre car parks will be free to use across Denbighshire every day from 3pm
to encourage more people to use their local high street for shopping in the run-up to Christmas and New Year.
The Free After
Three initiative will be available in the following car parks:
• Llangollen - Market Street, East Street, Hall Street and Mill Street.
• Corwen - Green Lane
• Denbigh - Barkers Well Lane, Factory Ward, Crown Lane, Post Office Lane and Vale Street.
• Prestatyn - Lower High Street, Kings Avenue and Railway Station
• Rhuddlan - Parliament Street
• Rhyl - Central, Morley Road, West Kinmel Street, Library (disabled bays only),
Town Hall, Sky Tower and Railway Station.
• Ruthin - Market Street, Park Road, Crispin Yard, Troed Y Rhiw, Rhos Street, St
Peters Square and Dog Lane
• St Asaph - Bowling Green
Morfa Hall
private car park, Rhyl, is not included in the initiative.
The council says it is also reminding people to follow Welsh
Government guidance, to shop safely, including wearing masks in shops and to be
courteous to our local traders during this busy period.
Denbighshire County Council is reminding residents to follow Welsh Government guidance around Covid-19.
The Welsh
Government is advising people without Covid-19 symptoms to take a lateral flow
test before going out – whether that’s to a Christmas party; Christmas
shopping; visiting friends or family; going to any crowded or busy place or
before travelling.
University
students returning home for Christmas are also being encouraged to test before
coming home.
Those who test
positive, or who are showing symptoms of Covid-19, should not go out and
arrange for a PCR test and self-isolate.
Residents are
also being reminded to attend their booster jab appointment when they are
offered one.
Cllr Mark Young,
the Council’s Lead Member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer
Communities, said: “With the Omicron variant spreading throughout the UK, we
are reminding residents of Welsh Government guidance around Covid-19 ahead of
Christmas.
“We want as
many people as possible to stay safe and Covid free during the festive period
so they can celebrate with family and friends, safely and sensibly.
“Taking a
lateral flow test before going out or visiting loved ones helps reduce the
spread of Covid-19 and free lateral flow tests are available to pick up from
your local Denbighshire library, pharmacy or to order online.
“We are also
reminding people to continue to wear a mask when needed, and if you are meeting
up with people to allow fresh air into indoor spaces.
“The emerging
evidence around the Omicron variant shows three doses of the vaccine – two
primary doses plus the booster – gives people better protection.
“Therefore it
is vital residents who are offered the booster jab attend their appointments.”
* Free lateral
flow tests, for those without symptoms, are available from Denbighshire
libraries (libraries are closed from 1pm on December 24 and re-open on January
4) or you can order them or find out the location of pick up points at
pharmacies at https://gov.wales/get-rapid-lateral-flow-covid-19-tests-if-you-do-not-have-symptoms
* Those with
Covid-19 symptoms can book a home PCR test at https://gov.wales/get-tested-coronavirus-covid-19
or to find your nearest test centre visit https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-testing/book-a-covid-19-test/
All community pharmacies in Wales will be able to offer an extended range of services from April 2022 as part of substantial reforms agreed by the Health Minister.
The changes mean patients will have accessible and convenient NHS services closer to home which will in turn free up GP and other NHS services for patients with more complex needs.
The Health Minister Eluned Morgan has approved changes following re-negotiation of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework with Community Pharmacy Wales, the representative body for community pharmacies in Wales.
The agreement will introduce a national clinical community pharmacy service enabling all pharmacies to provide treatment for common minor ailments, access to repeat medicines in an emergency, annual flu vaccinations, and some forms of emergency and regular contraception.
The agreement also includes plans to roll out a Wales-wide pharmacy prescribing service which will allow appropriately trained pharmacists to treat an extended range of conditions that currently require people to visit their GP.
Eluned Morgan said: “The reforms to the community pharmacy contractual framework represent the most fundamental change to the way pharmacies operate since the inception of the NHS more than 70 years ago.
“Our ‘new prescription’ for community pharmacy sets out a collaborative, innovative and progressive approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical care. Pharmacists are experts in medicines and undertake extensive training to help people manage a range of common ailments. Utilising the skills of community pharmacy teams will mean we are able to better meet the needs of the NHS and people in Wales now and for future generations.
"We are always looking for innovative ways for our health service to improve services for patients and these substantial reforms will help pharmacies better meet the changing expectations of Welsh citizens and the NHS.”
Initially pharmacist prescribers will be able to prescribe medicines for acute illnesses like urinary tract and upper respiratory tract infections, and also prescribe routine contraception.
By April 2024 funding for independent prescribing services will increase from £1.2m to £20.2m per year and funding for the community pharmacy clinical services will increase from £11.4m to £20.0m per year.
Funding continues to be made available to support for pharmacists undertaking independent prescribing training and pre-registration pharmacy technician training.
In addition to the reforms, the Welsh Government has provided funding for pharmacies to implement innovative automated systems. Dispensing robots and ATM style prescription systems that allow prescriptions to be collected 24 hours a day will improve convenience for people collecting prescriptions and make pharmacies more efficient, providing greater access to the clinical services available.
Since April 2019, 24 pharmacies across Wales have benefited from an investment of nearly £500,000 to support adopting new and innovative technologies.
* Ken Skates and Banc Cambria project lead Mark Hooper (second right) with small business owners in Cefn Mawr.
Member of the Senedd for Clwyd South, Ken Skates, has welcomed the announcement that the Welsh Labour Government is working with Monmouthshire Building Society to accelerate the establishment and roll-out of a community bank across Wales.
Welsh Labour’s manifesto for Senedd election earlier this year included a commitment to creating a community bank for Wales, supporting its growth so it can open an initial 30 branches over the next decade.
Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has confirmed that Monmouthshire Building Society, working with the Welsh Government and Cambria Cydfuddiannol Ltd (CCL), will deliver Banc Cambria – which will aim to provide everyday full retail banking services in communities by 2023.
The UK has one of the least diverse retail banking systems in Europe, dominated by a small number of very large banks which operate according to a shareholder-value business model, seeking to maximise profits.
Since Welsh Ministers initially set out plans to explore the creation of a community bank for Wales, traditional high street banks have further accelerated their retreat from Wales’ high streets.
Mr Skates, whose constituency is the worst-affected in North Wales, launched the plans for the community bank during his time as Economy Minister.
He said: “Over the last few years, we’ve all seen the big banks leave our local communities and high streets, leaving many people without access to accessible banking services. Clwyd South has seen 80% of its high street banks close since 2015 – more than any other area of North Wales – and now has just one surviving branch.
“I raised this issue in the Senedd earlier this year and was pleased to welcome Banc Cambria's project lead Mark Hooper to Clwyd South last month. I'm delighted that the plans are progressing at pace.
"Unlike other banks, this will be owned and controlled by members – not outside shareholders. Communities across North Wales have been abandoned by their banks and the UK Government's scrapping of its agreement with the sector that that last branch in each community should remain open. We desperately need this.
"Banc Cambria cannot replace the increasing number of branches closed, but will focus on communities that have lost provision. I will continue to make the case for Clwyd South. I hope this will provide a positive impact on our communities and high streets and improve access to financial help and support in locations that are convenient for the people of Clwyd South."
Banc Cambria aims
to provide full everyday banking services for individuals and small businesses,
accessible by telephone, online and face-to-face. It hopes to have a
customer launch during 2023.
