'Fight your corner over lost benefit cash', says Skates

People facing benefit cuts are being urged to "fight their corner" by a Member of the Senedd who says hundreds of claimants in his constituency have had theirs reinstated on appeal. 

In 2020, Ken Skates helped a disabled Cefn Mawr woman who had her Personal Independence Payment (PIP) slashed by more than £80 a week win her appeal to the UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). 

Now the Clwyd South MS is repeating his calls for people to ‘fight back’ after learning that at least 440 claimants in his area have won their own appeals in recent years. 

He said: “Although benefits are not devolved to Wales and are the responsibility of the UK Government, I have seen an increasing number coming to me for help in recent years after having their PIP or other claims cut by the DWP. 

“Many people have been successful in appealing and having them reinstated, but I’m concerned that many feel there is no point or don’t know where to turn. Charities like Scope have also spoken out about this, and it’s important that people know they can fight back.” 

Mr Skates previously raised the issue in May 2020 when he helped cancer survivor Karen Richards take on the DWP and win. She also received back-dated payments after the UK Government admitted they should never have taken away her mobility support payments. 

PIP is the main disability benefit and is designed to support people with the extra living costs associated with their long-term condition. 

Mr Skates says that as reported by the Liverpool Echo in November, Scope analysed UK Government data between July 2019 and June 2021 and found there had been 12,579 successful appeals for PIP claims each month – equating to a wrong benefit decision being made every minute of the working day. In December, the newspaper also revealed that the DWP had 67% of its PIP decisions reversed.

The MS, who was also an outspoken critic of the UK Government’s cut to Universal Credit, said: “These payments are a lifeline for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and the fact that so many are being overturned shows the number of incorrect, unfair decisions being made every single day.

“The numbers also highlight why people should fight their corner. If they don’t know how to, there is help available, and Scope has some really useful information on its website. There are also other organisations like Citizens Advice which can help free of charge.” 

Mr Skates says that if you want to challenge a benefit decision, you have one calendar month from the date on your decision letter to ask the DWP to ask for a ‘mandatory reconsideration’. 

Figures released by the DWP show that, in Clwyd South, there were 100 successful appeals against PIP reductions in the 2016-2017 financial year, 90 each in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and another 80 in 2019-20. Last year 40 of Mr Skates’ constituents managed to get their reductions reinstated.

Drakeford says Covid Alert Level 2 will stay in place

First Minister Mark Drakeford (pictured) has asked people to keep taking steps to protect each other and keep Wales safe from the wave of omicron cases.

He has confirmed alert level 2 measures will stay in place in Wales following the outcome of the latest regulations review.

Cases of coronavirus have risen sharply to their highest ever levels as the omicron wave has surged across Wales in the post-Christmas period. The latest figures show there are more than 2,200 cases per 100,000 people in Wales.

Mr Drakeford said: “The omicron wave means we are all facing a difficult month ahead of us. We are already seeing extremely high case rates in communities and we must be prepared for cases to rise even higher, just as they have elsewhere in the UK.

“This variant may not be as severe as we had initially feared but the speed at which it is travelling and its infectiousness continue to be cause for concern.

“That makes it vital that we all take action to keep each other safe. The things which have helped to protect us all throughout the pandemic will continue to protect us now.

“This includes getting vaccinated and making your booster a priority, limiting the number of people you meet who you don’t live with, and taking a lateral flow test before going out and mixing with others.

“Together, we will keep each other safe and we will keep Wales safe.”

At alert level 2 people must:

• Wear a face covering (unless there is a reasonable excuse not to wear one) in all indoor public places, including when not seated in a pub, café or restaurant.
• Meet no more than five other people at a café, restaurant, pub or other public premises (unless with their household of a larger number). This applies to both outdoor and indoor areas of the premises.
• Work from home if they can.
• Self-isolate for seven days if they test positive for Covid-19. People should take a lateral flow test on day six and day seven. If either test is positive they should remain in isolation until two negative lateral flow tests or after day 10, whichever is sooner.
• Not take part in an organised event indoors of more than 30 people or outdoors for more than 50 people. All organised events must be organised by a responsible body and have a risk assessment.

People are also being encouraged to follow strengthened guidance to help them stay safe at home, this includes limiting the number of people they meet who they don’t live with, to flow before you go by taking a lateral flow test before going out, meeting people outdoors wherever possible and making sure indoor spaces are well ventilated.

Company takes over recycling sites - but not Llangollen

* The running of the 'pop-up' waste site at the Pavilion car park will not be taken over by Bryson Recycling.

A social enterprise company has landed the contract to manage three household recycling centres in Denbighshire - but not including the 'pop-up' site in Llangollen.

As part of the same seven-year contract Bryson Recycling will also be running five sites in Conwy County Borough.

The company says it aims to increase recycling rates, introduce more reuse activities and implement their local circular economy approach to recycling.

The Denbighshire sites it will be running are those at Lon Parcwr in Ruthin, Colomendy in Denbigh and Marsh Road, Rhyl.

Bryson told llanblogger the contract does not include the sites at Llangollen Pavilion car park and Green Lane car park, Corwen which a spokesperson said were "outside the scope of the tender".

Bryson have been working with Conwy County Borough Council since 2014 when they won a contract to manage their household recycling centres, and in 2020 they introduced a garden waste collection service for their local residents. 

The company says this new contract, which is due to commence on April 1st 2022, will result in them significantly increasing their operation in North Wales.

General manager Gareth Walsh said “We are extremely pleased to be working in partnership with both councils and are looking forward to introducing our social enterprise approach to recycling across all five sites with the aim of increasing recycling and reuse whilst providing an excellent service to local residents. We are also keen to look an innovative ways to engage and work with local communities.”  

Councillor Brian Jones, lead member for Waste, Transport and the Environment at Denbighshire County Council, said: “Working together with Conwy Council to appoint a single operator has enabled us to provide value for money for our residents as the management costs have reduced. 

"We know the recycling centres are very popular with our residents and we receive many compliments about the staff that work there.  

"The site staff, currently managed by CAD Recycling Ltd, will transfer to the new operator, meaning residents will still receive the same high standard of service they are used to, but will also benefit from new investment in our facilities.   

"I’m delighted to see that the new contract also includes more green initiatives, such as availability of free compost to site users and support of reuse projects within our communities.”

* To find out more about Bryson Recycling visit www.brysonrecycling.org

Area awakes to thin covering of snow

Llangollen awoke to a thin covering of snow this morning (Wednesday) as can be seen from these pictures of the castle and surrounding hills.

£103m for schools and colleges to help with Covid recovery

 * Education Minister Jeremy Miles.

Schools and colleges are to receive £103 million in Welsh Government funding as learners return for the January term.

£50m will be provided via local authorities through the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme. 

The funding will help schools carry out capital repair and improvement work, with a focus on health and safety measures, such as improving ventilation. 

The funding will also be used to support decarbonisation.

£45m of revenue funding will also help support school budgets, assisting schools as they continue to deal with the ongoing impacts of the pandemic and to prepare for the requirements of the new curriculum.

An additional £8m will be provided to further education colleges, to ensure learning can continue safely and ensure the most disadvantaged learners are not further impacted by the pandemic.

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, said: “I know schools and colleges have faced a very difficult time and everyone across the workforce has worked incredibly hard to meet the challenges of the pandemic. This funding will further support our schools and colleges to keep settings as Covid-secure as possible.

“While we want to support the sector in recovering from the pandemic, we also have to make sure we continue to plan for the future, and help all education settings across Wales fulfil our collective goals of making Wales a net-zero nation.

“The funding announced today will help us to ensure sustainability across the sector – be that the environmental sustainability achieved through decarbonisation, or sustainability in provision.”

This week's 2020 project works programme

 

This week's planned work programme for the town's 2020 project is:

• set up the traffic management for phase 2 of the works
• pave the junction of Bridge Street with Castle Street near the Royal Hotel
• start the footpath excavation on Market Street south at the end near the car park
• start excavating the new kerb line on Castle Street east near the junction to Oak Street, heading south toward the A5

Search team rescues injured hiker above Horseshoe Falls

* Newsar's picture of the rescue yesterday.

Leader Live is reporting this morning (Tuesday) that a search and rescue team was called out to assist with an injured hiker in Llangollen.

The story says: "On Monday afternoon North Wales Police asked North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) to assist a woman who had sustained a leg injury on a hill above the Horseshoe Falls.

"Team members quickly reached the site and provided pain relief and splinting, before using a rope system to protect the stretcher on the steeper parts of the journey down to the road.

"The woman was then conveyed to hospital by a private car."

* For the full story, see: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/19822428.llangollen-search-rescue-team-assists-injured-hiker/?fbclid=IwAR2sCU3y4FHBn0OtS6akblQZTud6Cc2jXcaN-q1sN5QWLbtNGJS_ExLRhTU