County councillor speaks out on possible loss of town's public toilets

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has issued this new statement on Denbighshire County Council's highly controversial plan to divest itself of public toilets across the county - including those in Market Street - as part of a money-saving exercise. 

"Much concern has been expressed on social media regarding the potential closure of the Market Street Public Conveniences. Denbighshire County Council, like most councils, is currently attempting to balance its budgets in the face of increased funding pressures. 

In my opinion the closure of the toilets would be an act of self-harm, both to the local economy and to the social well-being of the town. 

As I’ve stated previously I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm the fact that I do not support Denbighshire County Council's proposal.

The Town Council had been asked to consider taking over the operation of the toilets without any identified funding for the proposition. 

At the Town Council meeting held last Tuesday they agreed it would not be possible to take over the transfer of ownership of the facility as currently offered, given the information provided by DCC thus far and all the financial liabilities that would entail, but they remain committed to working collaboratively with DCC to explore alternative solutions that ensure the continued availability and upkeep of public toilets in the town without imposing unsustainable costs on the local population.  

I am not a Town Councillor, but I am obviously aware that for a small TC they already have quite a hefty financial responsibility with the assets they already own, namely The Centenary Square, The Town Hall, The Pen Y Bryn Cemetery and The Chain Bridge.

For DCC to close this vital facility whilst retaining all the income from parking charges would be an act of asset stripping and it is naïve to think that the carpark usage and thus the footfall and visitor economic benefits to the town as a whole will not be affected. 

There is no recognition from DCC that Llangollen’s combination of a carpark and public conveniences in the same location attracts visitors as a stopping point. The income received from the town’s public car parks is more than sufficient to support the continued operation of a public toilet facility. DCC is quite happy to take the car park revenue but falls short of reinvesting it back into the town that generates it.

If all our efforts fail and closure is the only option as ultimately this will be a DCC cabinet decision scheduled for September’s meeting, then we will be left with no alternative other than to ask for help to manage transition of these much-needed facilities to a sustainable low operating cost facility that is capable of being transferred to local operations and I hasten to add that could well be extremely challenging."

u3a members learn some Tai Chi moves

Members of the Berwyn and District University of the Third Age (u3a) were treated to half an hour of gentle exercise at their May meeting. 

Nesta Wivell took them through some slow Tai Chi moves, ideal as a taster for anyone looking for controlled exercise. 

The u3a meets on the third Monday of each month at Canolfan NI, Corwen. See the website for more details. 

The next meeting is a talk about the restoration of the steamship Daniel Adamson, on June 17. 

Search is on for event business coordinator for town

Cadwyn Clwyd is seeking to appoint a freelance event business coordinator for Llangollen. 

The person chosen will work on behalf of a number of local organisations including Llangollen Food Festival, Llangollen Fringe, the Christmas Festival, Llangollen Railway events and the International Eisteddfod. 

The role, which will have a budget of £18,000, will focus on promoting networking and collaboration, supporting local businesses, and contributing to the overall prosperity of Denbighshire. 

According to an online advertisement, the project aligns with the objectives of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) by “building pride in place, increasing life chances, and supporting local business.” 

The person appointed will also be expected to create a pool of at least 50 volunteers and coordinate their involvement in various town events. 

The co-ordinator will be contracted on a self-employed basis during the six-month project, starting in June and ending in December. 

They will report regularly to a steering group of key stakeholders. 

The role specification says the person must have experience of working with business on a collective basis to develop and implement joint projects and also of communications and public relations. 

They would be required to have a weekly presence in Llangollen whilst an element of home working could be part of the role. 

Deadline for applications is 4pm on Wednesday June 12.  

Cadwyn Clwyd is a social enterprise which provides guidance and support to communities and enterprises in North East Wales and further afield. 

* Go to https://bit.ly/3WKVtFN for details on how to apply.

Arrest made on suspicion of bus driver assault

* One of the police cars which attended the scene yesterday evening. 

The Leader is reporting that a man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a bus driver in Llangollen. 

North Wales Police said the alleged incident occurred when the vehicle was on Castle Street in the town centre shortly after 5.30pm on Thursday (May 23). 

* For the full story, see: Llangollen: Man arrested on suspicion of assaulting bus driver | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)

Free concert tickets up for grabs in Eisteddfod treasure hunt

* Manic Street Preachers June 28.

Music fans can get their hands on the hottest tickets in town next weekend as North Wales gets ready to celebrate 77 years of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

This summer will be the biggest year ever for the Llangollen Eisteddfod which will host 11 headline shows featuring the likes of Tom Jones, Bryan Adams, Gregory Porter, Paloma Faith, Manic Street Preachers plus more, alongside its traditional Core Week celebrations.

With global stars heading to the town more than 50,000 music fans are set to attend a show at Llangollen Pavilion this year… and next Saturday (June1) organisers are giving fans the chance to bag themselves FREE tickets by taking part in a special treasure hunt.

* Paloma Faith June 21.

To celebrate 77 years of the international festival – 77 pairs of free tickets will be hidden at various locations around the Llangollen Pavilion grounds.

Artistic Director of the Eisteddfod Dave Danford said: “With less than a month to go before we kick off our amazing summer of live music with Bryan Adams, we’re giving fans the opportunity to find free tickets for our biggest shows. This includes tickets for some of our sold events, so don’t miss your chance to be a part of it.

“This year will be our biggest and best festival yet and we hope to see as many people as possible join the hunt for the some of the hottest tickets in town.”

* Madness July 13.

The Treasure Hunt will begin at 10am on Saturday June 1 and continue until 2pm.

·       * 77 special envelopes will be left at various locations around the Llangollen grounds. Inside each envelope will be a special code relating to a specific headlining concert.

·     * The lucky finders must then take the envelope and code to the Box Office at the Llangollen Pavilion to redeem their pair of tickets.

·      * This is limited to one pair of tickets per finder and tickets must be redeemed before the box office closes at 2pm on Saturday June 1. All under-16s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18+

·   Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has come a long way since the first festival in 1947, with more than 400,000 competitors from more than 140 nationalities and cultures having performed on the Llangollen stage over the years.  This year, as well as bringing some of the world’s biggest artists to Llangollen – more than 3,000 competitors will be heading to the festival for a string of competitions for its core Eisteddfod week, aimed at promoting international harmony and reconciliation through music and dance.

This year, in a new partnership between LIME and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor, a series ofheadlining concerts will take place throughout June and July. Tom Jones, Katherine Jenkinsand Gregory Porter will all perform during the Core Week festivities while global rock stars Bryan Adams and Simple Minds, British pop giants Madness, indie heroes Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers and Suede, BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith, chart-topper Jess Glynne and disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHICwill headline dates either side of the iconic festival. 

* For more information and to purchase tickets go to llangollen.net  

Historic locos to go on show at railway's diesel weekend

* Class 26.

* Class 31.

Hot on the wheels of a very successful Spring Branchline Steam Gala, Llangollen & Corwen Railway will hold its second large gala event of 2024 early next month. 

The Diesel & Industrial Weekend takes place on the weekend of June 1 and 2 and will feature six diesel and steam locomotives along with an historic diesel railcar.

Volunteer gala organiser George Walker said: “This weekend is all about celebrating the evocative era of diesel-hauled trains on Britain’s eailways between the late 1950s and 1990s and the part that railways have played in industry. 

"We will be showcasing our fleet of historic and powerful mainline diesel locomotives, with three taking part. 

"We have our Class 26 No 5310, which was built in Smethwick in 1959 and spent most of her working life in Scotland and has been with us at Llangollen since 2009.

* Class 47.

"Then we have our Class 31, which carries 1980s Railfreight Construction Livery and worked the very last stone train out of Blodwel Quarry near Oswestry in May 1986, not too far away from our railway. 

"Finally, we have our Class 47 No 47449, the most powerful locomotive on the railway. Powered by a 2,580hp 12-cylinder Sulzer diesel engine, 512 of these locomotives were built for British Railways and a handful can still be found in mainline use today. 

* Pilkington shunter.

"Our locomotive was built in Crewe in 1964, so is celebrating her 60^th birthday this year. She spent a lot of her BR life working around North Wales, so is very much at home on our railway. 

"At the other end of the scale, 350hp Class 08 shunter No 08202 will be hauling public trains on our railway for the first time after joining us on hire last month."

The heritage railway, which is speeding ahead with a spectacular recovery from the collapse of its PLC operating company in 2021, continues to welcome trains to its new Corwen Station, which opened in June 2023. 

Visitors can also enjoy a visit to our scenic countryside stations at Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy and Carrog and a walk in the surrounding Dee Valley, an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

* Plasser 12-ton crane.

The Horseshoe Falls beauty spot is just a 10-minute walk from Berwyn station, which nestles in the Dee Valley gorge and has spectacular views of the river and hills. 

George added: “We’re trying to offer visitors the chance to see something different at the railway this weekend. As well as a busy timetable of diesel-hauled trains and railcars, we will have a 12-ton rail crane carrying out lifting demonstrations at Carrog station. 

"An industrial steam locomotive from the old Austin car factory in Longbridge will also be giving short rides with brake vans. 

"These attractions will give a glimpse of what moving freight around the railways was like for well over 100 years before road transport took nearly all freight traffic away from rural branch lines, many of which then closed – like our railway did in 1964.

"Finally, there’s a rare chance to see Pilkington, a Yorkshire Engine Company locomotive that spent its working life shunting sand wagons at the world-famous Pilkington Brothers glass factory in St Helens. 

"This chunky-looking little loco can usually only be seen at work around our motive power depot, which is off limits to the public.

"We will also be running an evening Landcruise train on Saturday June 1, leaving Llangollen at 19:10 and 20:40, which runs to Carrog station and back with a real ale bar on board."

Tom Taylor, Llangollen Railway Trust manager, said: “Another busy event lies ahead for our beloved railway. George has done a brilliant job of planning this event, which should offer visitors the chance to reconnect with both our industrial past and the railway that many of us can remember from our childhoods in the 70s, 80s and 90s. 

"What is particularly inspirational here is that George is one of your younger volunteers and still only in his 20s. His passion for the railway and our diesel fleet is great to see and explodes the myth that heritage railways face a volunteer crisis due to younger folk not wanting to get involved. 

"The railway is always on the lookout for new volunteers in all areas and we are holding a recruitment open day on Saturday June 8."

* More details on the event and advanced tickets can be purchased from https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/diesel-weekend-event/.

 

Skates highlights headache of missed GP appointments

* Ken Skates MS with GP Gareth Bowdler (centre) and staff at Dee Valley Medical Centre in Overton. 

Thousands of local GP hours are being lost because of patients not turning up to appointments, says a Member of the Senedd. 

Llangollen Health Centre and its branch clinic in Glyn Ceiriog have had a total of 1,503 DNAs - did not attends in the past year.

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates found that at least 13,000 slots were missed at surgeries across his constituency between April 2023 and March this year. 

Local surgeries provided details of their ‘DNAs’ – did not attend – to Mr Skates, who is now urging people not to waste GPs’ precious time. 

“Of course, sometimes people will genuinely forget or something might come up at the last minute, but when people just can’t be bothered to turn up to appointments it has consequences for staff and other patients,” said Mr Skates. 

“Then there’s the cost of DNAs – missed appointments cost the Welsh NHS millions every year.” 

Caritas Surgery. which has branches in Cefn Mawr and Coedpoeth, was worst hit – with 3,332 DNAs over 11 months. Dee Valley Medical Centre in Overton had 1,756 over the same period, while Llangollen Health Centre and its branch clinic in Glyn Ceiriog recorded 1,503.

Ruabon Medical Centre was also badly affected, recording at least 2,930 DNAs over the 11-month period according to the surgery’s published data, while Chirk Surgery suffered 1,631 missed slots.

Mr Skates said: “If we take the average appointment as being 15 minutes, we are talking thousands of hours lost in Clwyd South. Those are hours that GP and primary care staff won’t get back where they could be helping other people. 

“Sometimes practices will write to those who don’t attend advising them of the impact it has on the surgery and its staff, but that costs more time and more money.” 

He added: “I highlighted this issue about 10 years ago, but sadly the problem appears to have got even worse. It’s a huge drain on resources.”

Mr Skates was able to get data for around half of the surgeries in his constituency. As a number do not publish their DNA information, the true number of missed appointments will be much higher. 

Of those which supplied or publish the information, Beech Avenue Medical Practice in Rhos had at least 1,379 missed appointments and Uwchaled Medical Practice in Corwen recorded 520 DNAs.

One practice manager said: “DNAs are an increasing problem, our rates have never been so high. It’s frustrating that we can’t take any real action against those who repeatedly do not attend.” 

The business manager of another surgery added: “We do have a protocol to write to offenders advising them of the impact of DNA, but it is not necessarily effective and of course it’s another task to have to find time for.” 

Ffion Johnstone, BCUHB’s Lead for Primary Care, said: “Missing an appointment wastes the time of hard-working GP surgery staff and deprives other patients of an opportunity to be seen, leading to longer waiting times. 

“At a time when resources are being stretched to meet record levels of demand in primary care, the significant number of missed appointments is something that our health service simply cannot afford. We urge patients to make every effort to attend their planned appointment and to let their GP surgery know if this is no longer possible.”