tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6916716995754055072024-03-27T23:53:33.985+00:00Wrecsam.newsPlaid Whitegatehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05757898330400853732noreply@blogger.comBlogger2235125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-74390212876843745682024-03-20T10:13:00.003+00:002024-03-20T10:13:25.999+00:00Why Plaid Cymru voted against Wrecsam Council's 2024 budget<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Councillor Marc Jones, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Wrecsam Council, made this speech to explain his group's opposition to the budget:</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"The background to this budget is 15 years of austerity. Austerity is not a given - it's a political choice. The choice from the UK Government determines how much money reaches public services such as councils, the NHS, fire and police. </span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="im" style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="color: #500050;">"With reference to the Fire Authority, of which I'm a member, the levy this council is being asked to pay is very high and that's because the UK Government settled a pay claim but did not provide the funding to pay for it. That puts additional pressure on the Fire Authority and consequently council budgets.</span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><span style="color: #500050;">"Wrecsam's budget has its own particular problems:</span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><span style="color: #500050;">"Firstly there's the £1.7m hole in the middle of it like a Polo mint. The hole is for unspecified cuts. Given that this authority has had to make £23m in in-year savings in 2023-4 and struggled to do so, I wonder how it will make an additional unspecified £1.7m in cuts? The leadership constantly tell us when we, as opposition councillors, want to maintain a service that we have to find savings elsewhere - what would we cut instead? But now we see that holes of £1.7m can be left in budgets without explanation beyond 'the savings will be found'. That worries me - it's not a balanced budget, it's a hope for the best budget.</span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><span style="color: #500050;"><b>"Secondly, it is imposing a £5m cut on school budgets. Schools, like most of the services this council funds, don't have other income streams - they're there to provide a good education for our children. School budgets are overwhelmingly spent on staff - teachers, teaching assistants and essential support staff. So cuts in their budgets means cuts in those staff - that will mean 1:1 support being cut, experienced teachers being replaced with less experienced cheaper teachers and ultimately larger class sizes as classes are merged. Even if schools can get through this year on their reserves, they will more than likely be facing this the following year. Is this going to improve pupils' education? Is this going to prevent more young people falling through the net and ending up needing more specialist (and more expensive) care? Have we carried out an equality impact assessment on how these cuts will affect pupils and their families, let alone the school staff expected to rise to this challenge?</b></span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><span style="color: #500050;">"Thirdly, the only element of the budget untouched by these cuts appears to be councillors. We call again for the Exec Board to be reduced from 10 to 8. Why should councillors be immune to this pain?</span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><span style="color: #500050;">"But the underlying problem here is not particular to Wrecsam - the safety net that the council provides is full of holes. Whether it's our roads, growing demand for children's and adult social care or education. That safety net is close to snapping completely. </span><br /><span style="color: #500050;"><br /></span><div dir="ltr"><div>"Which brings us back to the 15 years of austerity. Councils across Wales and England face a bleak future - some in England have already fallen over the edge and effectively declared themselves bankrupt. Another year or so of this austerity and councils in Wales will probably follow suit. There's a lot of finger pointing at the Labour Welsh Government's poor decision making of late - and that's a fair and valid point. </div><div><br /></div><div>"But let's not get away from the fact that, while head teachers are shaking buckets to raise funds for their schools, there are millionaires who are becoming billionaries because this UK Government has siphoned off public funds for donors and cronies to profit from dodgy PPE and the like. That's where the fingers should be pointed and that's why this budget is costing taxpayers more and delivering less. </div></div><div dir="auto" style="color: #500050;"><br /></div></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">"I have a lot of sympathy with officers trying to make this budget work. But we as councillors have to say with a united voice - not just here but across Wales and across the border - that enough is enough. If we don’t make that stand against the lack of funding from central govt then we will see that safety net grow ever more tattered and people will get hurt. Enough is enough."</span></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-25612125927445535502024-03-06T16:32:00.005+00:002024-03-06T16:32:41.957+00:00Why is it OK to build thousands of homes on open countryside but don't you dare build 10 homes on a derelict farm?<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjW3SxyYoLA2gCDIsnl9v19622L7mT7dogq71TxzgQXM5BfyoS3q-A6A27yYQRdzby7zbx9pv05859P8UWbVIRMGagauuj2ycuiNoe4CjtTtk3NBbsOPtOFyrFrvxDOL_y0hIOC8wq5fT39BQeiQOPJf3IrNawsTpmDG9RWLP76ESNDdka3v5Jn6tq0K10" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="840" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjW3SxyYoLA2gCDIsnl9v19622L7mT7dogq71TxzgQXM5BfyoS3q-A6A27yYQRdzby7zbx9pv05859P8UWbVIRMGagauuj2ycuiNoe4CjtTtk3NBbsOPtOFyrFrvxDOL_y0hIOC8wq5fT39BQeiQOPJf3IrNawsTpmDG9RWLP76ESNDdka3v5Jn6tq0K10" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>The derelict Gamford Farm site</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />A proposal to build 10 energy-efficient homes on the site of a derelict farm near Rossett provided a good example of how the planning system works.</p><div>Monday night's planning committee approved 10 new houses on a derelict site of farm outbuildings. They went against the recommendation of the chief planning officer who produced a remarkable argument to reject the proposal. The Local Development Plan, he said, does not allow for the development as it would be "harmful to the countryside".</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the same LDP that has allowed the allocation of thousands of houses in open countryside on three sides of Wrecsam, plans that would see significant and lasting harm to the countryside. By contrast, building new housing on a brownfield site that is 300 metres from the centre of Rossett. </div><div><br /></div><div>The LDP has got rid of protection of large swathes of green fields, which are important for food security, for our environment and to preserve the green spaces between our local communities. What the LDP does is create urban sprawl that, if it's allowed to happen, would see the villages of Bersham and Gwersyllt, Rhosrobin and Pandy coalesce with Wrecsam.</div><div><br /></div><div>So why is that permissable while 10 homes on a brownfield site is not permitted?</div><div><br /></div><div>This is how the planning system as it is works - for big housing developers rather than more sustainable housing developments. For profit not for communities. </div><div><br /></div><div>The development may now be called in by the Welsh Government. Given its woeful record on protecting open countryside and pathetic record on building organic communities, I wouldn't hold my breath.</div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-26573647370246447492024-02-28T13:14:00.003+00:002024-02-28T13:14:46.130+00:00 Veteran Plaid politician reveals intriguing family link to JFK assassination<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKzvhYKA3Kb36GnwhvLdwMZQ1_fut8DEAob4bjUxQiOV9bSkuH_FoqE0JgnKdrub2Xq114cWZqynFTnejX-fhJ-dso2rYRTUTUpPHaNnrU9MEcDeer8m-MvVpb_KXL9v-KXRg5OX-CtbvxuqPZmd18JIOTddpUl3emXCjF2cW9kDJ6W2F62ii8cisVfwM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="960" height="169" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKzvhYKA3Kb36GnwhvLdwMZQ1_fut8DEAob4bjUxQiOV9bSkuH_FoqE0JgnKdrub2Xq114cWZqynFTnejX-fhJ-dso2rYRTUTUpPHaNnrU9MEcDeer8m-MvVpb_KXL9v-KXRg5OX-CtbvxuqPZmd18JIOTddpUl3emXCjF2cW9kDJ6W2F62ii8cisVfwM" width="320" /></a></div><br />Veteran Plaid Cymru politician Dafydd Wigley will reveal an intriguing family link to the John F Kennedy assassination in a talk in Wrecsam next month.<p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div>Mr Wigley, who has spent 50 years in Westminster as an MP and latterly as a Lord, will be speaking at a talk in Saith Seren organised by the local Plaid Cymru branch.</div><div><br /></div><div>His talk will be about a relative, Murray the Hump, who was Al Capone's right-hand man and the suggestion that the gangster was involved in the assassination of President John F Kennedy in 1963.</div><div><br /></div><div>The event will also feature father-and-daughter folk duo Bryn and Cadi from north Powys and has been organised by Plaid Cymru's Wrecsam branch.</div><div><br /></div><div>Councillor Becca Martin, one of the organisers, said: <b>"It's a real treat to have Dafydd Wigley come to Wrexham to visit us and share his insights. The event is a fundraiser for our Westminster campaign and we're sure many people will want to attend to hear what he has to say. I'm also looking forward to hearing Bryn and Cadi, who are a lively folk duo gaining a real following across Wales."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Tickets are available behind the bar at Saith Seren for just £5 and the event starts at 7pm.</div></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-28015050925994231692024-02-28T13:09:00.004+00:002024-02-28T13:09:41.911+00:00Call to sort out rural GP surgery 'once and for all'<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhup1bMHtdddReyTFTtUUY68CM_eOowHGEHjIlr-3O_eQStarB6DT6Q7_Bjq23djFgtBvrzZfQIjPlhczL1Jt8IIaYAHmNBS67sxD6v6JPbIyoz6rrYGpkIryp2dyEX-hfrt-b-AE7mMgJwDTrscJk_-t5ZP3R6WNPe4IcfuAL1EZaApiQtLiyMZ6IhYOU" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhup1bMHtdddReyTFTtUUY68CM_eOowHGEHjIlr-3O_eQStarB6DT6Q7_Bjq23djFgtBvrzZfQIjPlhczL1Jt8IIaYAHmNBS67sxD6v6JPbIyoz6rrYGpkIryp2dyEX-hfrt-b-AE7mMgJwDTrscJk_-t5ZP3R6WNPe4IcfuAL1EZaApiQtLiyMZ6IhYOU" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong style="text-align: left;">From left - Llyr Gruffydd MS, Dyfed Edwards (chair BCUHB), Dr Kieran Redman, Dr Bill Whitehead and Geoff Ryall-Harvey of Llais</strong></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p>Plaid Cymru's North Wales Senedd Member has called for a long-running dispute between an award-winning GP surgery and Betsi Cadwaladr health board to be settled once and for all.</p><p>
</p><p>Llyr Gruffydd MS made his comments after a meeting between BCUHB chair Dyfed Edwards at the Hanmer surgery, which is run by Dr Kieran Redman. The current surgery is operating from an overcrowded and dilapidated building that all parties agree is not fit for purpose and there has been a decade-long campaign by staff and patients for a new building that would be able to offer an expanded service for patients in Hanmer and surrounding rural area.</p><p>The meeting was facilitated by Llais, the patients' voice, and Llyr Gruffydd said he hoped that the meeting would settle the long-running dispute.</p><p>He said: <strong>"I first visited Dr Redman at the surgery back in 2020 and it's incredibly frustrating for him, his staff and patients to see that - despite endless meetings, several plans and promises by a variety of health board managers, nothing has materialised. </strong></p><p><strong>"The latest offer by the health board was for a new GP surgery with a footprint of 298 square metres. This is totally inadequate to enable the practice to offer sufficient space for two doctors, training for students, private consultation rooms and adequate storage and staff facilities. The health board has been given several opportunities to meet these requirements and we should remember that Dr Redman and his staff have had to put up with inadequate and frankly outdated facilities for more than a decade as this dispute rumbled on.</strong></p><p><strong>"That was why I was so glad to be able to join this important meeting with the new chair of BCUHB, Dyfed Edwards. He has shown a new willingness to engage with communities that feel they are losing health facilities, something that's felt very acutely in rural areas. We recently had a public meeting with him in Betws-y-Coed with a very positive outcome and I'm optimistic that, having seen the situation first hand, he will want to ensure that the good work being done in Hanmer can continue in a fit-for-purpose building.</strong></p><p><strong>"Such a building would enable the practice to take on students from the North Wales Medical School and ensure a new stream of GPs who can replace those who are looking to retire or reduce their hours. This is an exemplar practice that has won awards for its pioneering work in the past and it deserves the very best of modern facilities to enhance that work in the future.</strong></p><p><strong>"The health board has a new chief executive and I'm hoping that this fresh leadership team will see a new emphasis put on these important primary health services."</strong></p><p> Dr Kieran Redman, who has led the campaign for more than a decade, said: <strong>“We were delighted that Mr Edwards and Mr Gr</strong><strong>uffydd</strong><strong> took the time to visit Hanmer Surgery to see for themselves the primitive conditions from which we provide a service to our patients. We are also indebted to Mr Ryall-Harvey and his colleagues at Llais for arranging this meeting.</strong></p><p><strong> </strong><strong>“We have been campaigning for new premises for twelve years now; this is far too long. Our patients are no less important than those who are registered at other surgeries which have newer, more spacious and better-equipped premises. Yet the constant pressure from Health Board managers to restrict the size of our new project, to something so small that it would be overcrowded as soon as it opened, is very frustrating.</strong></p><p><strong> </strong><strong>“We have to hope that 2024 will finally be the year in which we reach a successful conclusion to our long campaign and our patients will be able to receive medical care in premises fit for the 2020s rather than the 1960s.”</strong></p><p> Geoff Ryall-Harvey, Regional Director of Llais North Wales, added<strong>: “We felt that it was necessary to progress this long-standing matter and were pleased that the BCUHB Chair and Llyr Gruffydd agreed to a meeting with Dr Redman and representatives of the Hanmer Surgery Patient Action Group. The patients and staff of the Hanmer Surgery deserve a modern surgery that meets today's needs.”</strong></p><p>
</p><p> </p>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-43351389559869248712024-02-02T10:18:00.002+00:002024-02-02T10:18:57.714+00:00'Stop ignoring local community over future of Nine-Acre Field'<div class="gmail_attr" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4_gu-EuzO4j47CpvvRVN7xQPKKj9Is_eI8rrugjpJ7e_arGNDxSJSARXgwncbi8qReBKu18ZTRNDeWa4G_tGlTm8OzDA_O7FjONM2WPvBsZUjEGh6jIevRoO4h5xbVC5ULnfYF65oLmARHvQhYeQk_GZlBfgA6hd9RA9tURxa_n8M247IdoEnpEcVbJ8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg4_gu-EuzO4j47CpvvRVN7xQPKKj9Is_eI8rrugjpJ7e_arGNDxSJSARXgwncbi8qReBKu18ZTRNDeWa4G_tGlTm8OzDA_O7FjONM2WPvBsZUjEGh6jIevRoO4h5xbVC5ULnfYF65oLmARHvQhYeQk_GZlBfgA6hd9RA9tURxa_n8M247IdoEnpEcVbJ8" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfi0xlB4bRAAIkaoLNIug3hlPQN6F4HFkGFqSjREjvY2exieDO57blEDa06hcYyvQ3sV0IVvAPU5weiD1b4W__nQ9WtEMXwGbTBDRpjuESCrVgB3PiFtr-Cct5Q5DN9IfDESBSB0JIv8vgGGRG2iCsrR6tmadS3S3lNvuhzGx8eVxAhTVqOiXn0BvXd4s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="299" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfi0xlB4bRAAIkaoLNIug3hlPQN6F4HFkGFqSjREjvY2exieDO57blEDa06hcYyvQ3sV0IVvAPU5weiD1b4W__nQ9WtEMXwGbTBDRpjuESCrVgB3PiFtr-Cct5Q5DN9IfDESBSB0JIv8vgGGRG2iCsrR6tmadS3S3lNvuhzGx8eVxAhTVqOiXn0BvXd4s" width="320" /></a></div><br />A councillor has urged Wrexham Council to involve the local community in the future use of an important green space.</span></div><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote" dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr" id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Cllr Becca Martin, who represents Acton and Maesydre, expressed her frustration with the council's leadership after an announcement about the future of the Nine-Acre Field in her ward was made to the media without any discussion or involvement with her and the local community.</span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The Plaid Cymru councillor said:<b> "It's been more 15 months since a grand announcement was made about the future of Nine-Acre Field. Since then, I've pressed for public access and that was finally granted, for which I and the local community are grateful. </b></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>"But the community campaign to save the Nine-Acre Field was about much more than just opening the gate. We are keen to see the field, which is a valuable open space in our community, used to its maximum potential for the benefit of all. We've wasted time in expecting the council to deliver on its grandiose pledge more than a year ago.</b></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div id="m_2873007451686426256m_-4508104986233510589m_4384115008753535836divRplyFwdMsg" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><b>"I fully accept that the council faces financial challenges but engaging with local elected representatives, the community council and local residents doesn't cost money. It should be an integral part of our democratic process and I fear the council leadership is missing a trick in not engaging with a community that is really committed to doing the best for Nine-Acre Field."</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div><p>More here: <a href="https://www.wrexham.com/news/unfair-to-progress-9-acre-to-queen-elizabeth-ii-park-plan-due-to-council-budget-pressure-246470.html">"Unfair to progress" 9 Acre to 'Queen Elizabeth II Park' plan due to council budget pressures - Wrexham.com</a></p>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-57011699161482314262024-01-10T17:04:00.001+00:002024-01-10T17:04:10.093+00:00Reasons to oppose the 455 homes on the circus fields off the A483<p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">On 8 January 2024, Wrexham Council's planning committee narrowly approved plans by Russell Homes to build 455 houses on green fields next to the A483.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-family: arial;">The site was allocated under the council's controversial Local Development Plan, approved on 20 December 2024 and still open to appeal.</span></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Plaid Cymru councillors Pete Howell (Gwersyllt South) and Marc Jones (Grosvenor) spoke against on the following grounds:</b></span></p><div class="gmail_quote"><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;">1. Air quality</span></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">There are signs on the A483 stating that pollution kills and we need to cut our speed to cut our emissions because of the pollution. Yet this plan will put a children's play area right next to this busy road and this planning committee is being asked to approve this strategy of placing young lungs in an area deemed of greatest risk. This is despite an Air Quality Act currently making its way through the Senedd and which, I believe, should be given significant weight. That's not an encouraging start.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">The Air quality assessment considers Nitrogen Dioxide and particulates known as PM10 and PM2.5. PM2.5 is the most toxic and deadly micro-particulate, because it is smaller and gets into the lungs. In light of the newly adopted LDP policy on air quality, I believe the council needs a new updated assessment because the report has not been updated to confirm that the number of “receptors” (i.e. humans affected) takes into account recent developments in the area.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0px 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex; padding-right: 1ex;"><div></div></blockquote><b><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Health </span></b></div><div class="gmail_quote"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span class="im">Health provision is also raised in the report - we all know where we are with accessing GPs, A&E and ambulances in the area now. Betsi Cadwaladr health board raises "significant concerns about the sustainability of local Primary Care services if the proposal goes ahead and about the physical space available within current Primary Care facilities to accommodate more patients in the area, as well as clinical staffing concerns."<br /></span>That should give us all pause for thought. Where are the people that would move onto this estate going to access a GP? We have a planning system that states it's not our problem. It's there in black and white in this report. We acknowledge we're making things more difficult for the NHS but tough.<br />That's not the fault of planning officers but it is why I believe our planning system is broken. It's not fit for purpose if it doesn't take a holistic view of the impacts of its decisions.<br /><br /><b>3. Highways matters </b><br />As you'd expect with a housing estate of 455 homes on a greenfield site, there will be additional traffic movements. There will be thousands of them every day despite the talk of it being a highly sustainable location. The access to the site is via the Mold Road next to the farm shop and on the Stansty Chain Link, a country lane, that comes under the A483 by Ysgol Plas Coch. Let's look at those two roads in detail because there are a number of junctions that are significantly impacted by this proposed new development.<br />Firstly the <b>Stansty Chain link</b> - there is already significant gridlock at key times in this part of my ward - people seeking to drop off children at Ysgol Plas Coch, which now has capacity for 315 pupils, so there is already significant pressure at peak times. The police have been monitoring traffic issues on this stretch of the road. The developer's traffic assessment states that the <b>additional </b>traffic outside the school will be 23% - a quarter more vehicles - at that point during the morning peak hour and 73% during the evening peak hour. <br />From there, traffic will need to move on to either the Plas Coch roundabout and then the B&Q roundabout or via Stansty Bridge underpass to the Walnut junction, where an additional 7.8% of traffic is anticipated in the morning peak and 7.7% in the afternoon peak.<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br />During the evening peak as well the traffic survey estimates an increase of 15% in the traffic travelling down the Stansty Lane towards this new development as people opt to take this frankly dangerous, unlit and narrow country lane as a rat run to get home. <br /><br /></span></span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">This brings me, in passing, to another concern that is unaddressed by these plans - <b>namely pedestrian safety</b>. Much is made of the active travel route whereby everyone from the estate is expected to walk or cycle down Stansty Chain Link, this windy, unlit and narrow country lane to get to town. Despite the application noting no fatal accidents between 2014-18, there <b>have</b> been fatalities on this road in the past decade and there have been serious car accidents more recently. It's a very poor road and there are no plans to make it safer in this application. It will remain a two-way country lane which will have many additional road movements along it if this application is allowed. In addition, once people walk or cycle to Plas Coch, there is no pedestrian crossing for them at either the B&Q roundabout or further along Stansty Road. </span></div><div></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Critically, this area already has junctions that are over-capacity at peak times. The B&Q roundabout, the Plas Coch retail park access roundabout, the main A483 Mold Rd roundabout are all over-stretched in peak hours. The increasing number of vehicles accessing Plas Coch in recent years is due to a series of incremental planning permissions - The Range, a hotel, Costa Coffee, M&S Food Hall, expanded Aldi and a still outstanding application for a McDonalds drive thru - that have put added pressure on these junctions. The traffic assessment produced by the developer accepts that some of the junctions are over-capacity and will be over-capacity in 2030, when it would be likely that this scheme would be nearing completion. So what is the mitigation put in place?</span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />You'd imagine it would have to be substantial. But in reality it amounts to NOTHING on Stansty Chain Link and two very minor changes on the Mold Road roundabout. These amount to adding two sets of traffic lights on the Mold Rd roundabout, which in my view will reduce flow and create more back-up. The other change is so minor that it is laughable - it's to change road markings on the Mold Rd roundabout. The proposal is to change the road markings BACK to how they were a decade ago, when Wrexham Council's Highways Department recognised they were causing congestion. Now this is being proposed by a developer who clearly doesn't want to spend money on proper mitigation and to make the real improvements that would be needed to mitigate the thousands of extra vehicle movements that will occur in this area as a result of this planning application.<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br /><br />Is this just the view of a local councillor? <br /><br /></span>No, I want to quote this council's <b>own Highways response to this application dated 27 February 2020</b>: "It is rather surprising, given the significant capacity issues that the report itself raises, that the highways consultant feels there is no justification for the provision of any additional mitigation."<br /><br />This assessment also confirms that the road-marking changes would take us back a decade when the changes were made, with the approval of the Welsh Government's trunk road agency because there were issues with vehicles queuing back to the A483.<br /><br />It states: "There are long-standing and well-documented capacity issues in the vicinity of the site. The A541 Mold Rd junction with the A483 at J5 and B&Q roundabout suffer <b>serious traffic queuing</b> issues at peak hours.<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br /><br /><div>The same report describes the Stansty Chain Road as a 'narrow unlit road with poor pedestrian provision and forward visibility'. It goes on to say "It is of inadequate width to permit simultaneous passage of vehicles and is considered to be of inadequate design and layout to cater for additional traffic." </div></span>It also states "Plas Coch Rd and Stansty Rd have both historically suffered capacity issues at peak hours."<br />It goes on to say that a number of transport studies have been undertaken in recent years on the Mold Rd roundabout and the B&Q roundabout - each has revealed that the junctions are ALREADY over-capacity.<span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br /><br />The Walnut junction was the subject of an appeal and recent transport assessment and both revealed that the junction was at capacity during peak hours.<br />Of course since then there has been significant extra housing in the vicinity - 190 new houses are almost complete at Rhosrobin, 94 new houses are nearing completion on the University campus and work is just starting at New Broughton on 112 houses. These will feed into the B&Q roundabout as well.<br /><br /></span>The developer, in fairness, has carried out new traffic assessments to see whether demand has changed since these applications were submitted in 2020. What the new surveys show is that most are marginally lower post-Covid but - given that we're meant to be a planning committee and should be planning ahead - then we need to understand that <b>even now </b>these junctions are over-capacity and that the three new housing developments already granted permission amounting to 400 new houses I've just mentioned will add to the pressure. The application in front of us now is bigger than all three of those combined. We're trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot here - and when something's already full and you keep pouring into it, then something's got to give. <br /><br /><i>The developer referred to the 400 flats now becoming 94 homes on the Glyndwr campus. Yes, this is a reduction but they neglected to mention that the 400 flats were approved because they were said to have significantly fewer vehicles than 3 and 4 bed homes and also had an access/exit via Crispin Lane and Mold Rd. That access point is now denied to the 94 homes through a barrier on the campus, meaning that <b>all </b>the traffic from that new estate will have to access via the Plas Coch roundabout. So, no, that is not sufficient mitigation to push ahead with this scheme.</i><span class="im" style="color: #500050;"><br /><br />The Welsh Government states that a 5% increase in traffic volumes is a material increase. That means it's a material consideration for this planning committee and justifies refusal because the developer has not put in serious mitigation,<br /><br /></span>Given the very serious concerns raised by the Highways dept in their 2020 report, and it concludes with "I therefore raise concerns about the suitability of the site for a development of this size", I want to ask whether highways officers are happy with this application. Because if they believe a few road markings and a couple of extra traffic lights on the Mold Rd roundabout are going to sort out the existing over-capacity and the increased traffic this will cause, I have to say we're living in a parallel universe. </span></div><div class="gmail_quote"><span class="im" style="background-color: white; color: #500050;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><div>If we get this wrong and we have gridlock, congestion and increased accidents on country lanes, we cannot unbuild these 455 homes.</div><div><br /></div></span></span><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In summary, there are sufficient grounds to refuse this application on Highways grounds alone but I also believe that the Air Quality issues need to be challenged. If the developer is confident that changing the road markings and adding traffic lights is sufficient to mitigate the added traffic, can we see that mitigation put in place before a single house is built?</span></div><div><br /></div><span class="im" style="background-color: white; color: #500050; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-66952121633774697222024-01-10T13:51:00.004+00:002024-01-10T13:51:41.337+00:00 Health board accused of putting political masters before people's health<p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqB6Xf8aJFpUFoVnwGmKA4kjjKdEWorD3M9xu0J7CCdmcXSWyI8nq_xoraxCJBP7j-hsjQrIe9JcAZbl2oH60WjIVElIQXCbhH61Uc2UocMeqba9KSj2zhAzaTe2KqIYOf1X-NiAHipqJhCZejC5LIE0yZByBCeQdqHDLLRn9x1eSxWfyln9XSSRMMn4Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="342" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiqB6Xf8aJFpUFoVnwGmKA4kjjKdEWorD3M9xu0J7CCdmcXSWyI8nq_xoraxCJBP7j-hsjQrIe9JcAZbl2oH60WjIVElIQXCbhH61Uc2UocMeqba9KSj2zhAzaTe2KqIYOf1X-NiAHipqJhCZejC5LIE0yZByBCeQdqHDLLRn9x1eSxWfyln9XSSRMMn4Y" width="320" /></a></div><br />Betsi Cadwaladr health board has been accused of putting its political masters before people's health after failing to object to a large housing development on the outskirts of Wrexham.<p></p><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">The health board was consulted about plans to build 455 new houses on green fields next to the A483 on the Mold Road. In its representations to Wrexham Council's planning department, it stated that it had<i> "significant concerns about the sustainability of local Primary Care services if the proposal goes ahead and about the physical space available within current Primary Care facilities to accommodate more patients in the area, as well as clinical staffing concerns."</i></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Despite these serious concerns, the health board did not object to the planning application, which narrowly passed on the planning committee by 7-6.</span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">Councillor Becca Martin, of Plaid Cymru, said everyone in Wrexham was aware of the current pressures on the NHS locally but that the health board ducked the opportunity to stop things getting worse: </span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></div><blockquote><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>"I'm astounded, as are my Plaid Cymru colleagues on the planning committee, that the health board could express significant concerns about how the NHS locally would cope with these new patients but still not raise a formal objection. Worse still, it didn't request a contribution should be made by the developer to meet future demands on the NHS caused by the new housing estate. </b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>"I've written to Betsi Cadwaladr's new chief executive to ask why the board has failed to make stronger representations to protect health services locally. To say that it has significant concerns about the sustainability of GP services in the area and then simply roll over and make no formal objection is astounding.</b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>"Many local residents already struggle to access a GP, let alone an NHS dentist, get into A&E or get an ambulance. Now that this housing development has had permission, where are the people that would move onto this estate going to access a GP? The planning authority does acknowledge this development is making things more difficult for the NHS but simply shrugs its shoulders that it's not their problem. That's why our planning system is broken. It's not fit for purpose if it doesn't take a wider view of the impacts of its decisions."</b></span></div></blockquote><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">She questioned the motivation behind Betsi Cadwaladr not challenging more strongly: </span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b></b></span></div><blockquote><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>"Betsi is in special measures again and that means its being run directly by the Welsh Government. This is the same Welsh Government whose inspectorate has deemed that Wrexham needs thousands of new houses on greenfield sites surrounding the town, where they will merge with neighbouring villages. This was the first of those controversial housing developments and I have to question whether Betsi management decided it was more important to put the wishes of its political masters - the Labour Government - before the health needs of local people. If so, it's an absolute scandal.</b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>"Labour locally has decided that building 3,700 new houses on greenfield sites on three sides of Wrexham is acceptable, regardless of the damage it does to the environment, to our public services and our transport infrastructure. It's jumped in bed with big housing corporations against the wishes of local residents, who have made clear their opposition to this scheme and even bigger plans in the pipeline for the Ruthin Road and Cefn Road."</b></span></div><div></div></blockquote><div><span style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></span></div></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-7419844981068372192023-11-08T10:11:00.001+00:002023-11-08T12:08:44.517+00:00 It's bin a long time... <p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLablatxEiVoq0W-_MIClEco7qWPlRXNQk2AfAjOM-6_Z0rmly0mEqGc2_wlOftG7YuGq1RaNUz2zwvXSqpOnJ7RoJhs8FOg4KvzyYpa6tGi-dHMtSpzFVSNpcjT-_HSKw3lbNViM4YPoIiiXfy2_2vvCSFE3-xJljckMEt0UBCCb1w9lNcGWgumNPMmY" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="830" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjLablatxEiVoq0W-_MIClEco7qWPlRXNQk2AfAjOM-6_Z0rmly0mEqGc2_wlOftG7YuGq1RaNUz2zwvXSqpOnJ7RoJhs8FOg4KvzyYpa6tGi-dHMtSpzFVSNpcjT-_HSKw3lbNViM4YPoIiiXfy2_2vvCSFE3-xJljckMEt0UBCCb1w9lNcGWgumNPMmY=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Many town centre streets are a mess</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><u></u><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Plaid Cymru councillors on Wrexham Council are calling for fairer refuse collection schedules now the strike has ended.</span><u style="font-size: 11pt;"></u><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><u></u><span style="font-size: 11pt;">It's in response to the unequal way communities have been affected by the action and its aftermath.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Cllr Becca Martin, who represents Acton and Maesydre ward, said: <b>"Strike action by Unite members affected many departments of the council, but was most noticeable with refuse collections and rubbish collecting in the streets. Many areas of Wrexham struggling through reduced collections. However, it seems some areas have been hit harder than others, with those who usually have Friday collections being most affected. These tended to be ones in Wrexham town itself and we've seen the results - piles of rubbish accumulating in the street even now - more than a week since the strike ended.</b></span><b><br /></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b>"Throughout the strike action we saw bin collections being pushed back by a day or two through the week. This is completely understandable and acceptable given the circumstances; what isn’t acceptable is that although collections Monday through to Thursday were all continued and completed through the week, on Monday’s the cycle started again meaning Friday collections were missed repeatedly and consistently throughout the strike. To make matters worse it is continuing now workers are back on the job and dealing with the matter."<u></u> </b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">Cllr Marc Jones, where some streets didn't get a collection in seven weeks and still haven't had the promised recycling collection last Friday, said: <b>“This level of disparity is completely unfair on our residents who have Friday collections, many of whom have barely had a single collection since August. We’ve all struggled with the effects of the strikes but to completely miss out the same rounds week in, week out is just unacceptable. Particularly when we are hearing that other areas have been prioritised.</b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;"><b>"Although most of our group's councillors represent town wards, the ones that represent village wards have seen a far more reliable collection over the strike period and since then. Why is that?” <u></u> </b><u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">The group are also questioning the level of communication during the strikes, leaving residents with little to no information meaning many also missed collections, and also since the strike ended. <u></u> <u></u></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt;">Cllr Martin added: <b>“Some of our residents received emails telling them to bring their bins in if they weren’t collected. The bin lorries then turned up on a Sunday with no warning meaning many people had taken their bins in as requested to via email. It's difficult to advise residents when the information is incorrect. We've approached the Environment Department both as individual councillors and collectively to try to improve communication but we're still in the dark about collections."</b></p>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-90146896583427952142023-10-31T14:46:00.002+00:002023-10-31T14:46:21.585+00:00Quiz night tribute to popular quizmaster<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12AhyphenhyphenlkIRiQJiJXYDjmFcKtFw103_GlGlnituOpRunAbqIUeTtdqzCvb6wgpA_IxOWxpFnwdwaT8KfMba7_d5RIrA6kgvFm-P6_Rx7aK0DmGk346xHq3wHxlzQO4SqGnPRHyRbFnq7PaswZKIPQyKsvPU1uPabNitXsxyb7HtRA5OzvkeImLrbM9QyjA/s206/PhilPhillips.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="155" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi12AhyphenhyphenlkIRiQJiJXYDjmFcKtFw103_GlGlnituOpRunAbqIUeTtdqzCvb6wgpA_IxOWxpFnwdwaT8KfMba7_d5RIrA6kgvFm-P6_Rx7aK0DmGk346xHq3wHxlzQO4SqGnPRHyRbFnq7PaswZKIPQyKsvPU1uPabNitXsxyb7HtRA5OzvkeImLrbM9QyjA/w301-h400/PhilPhillips.png" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Karen and Phil Phillips</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />A quiz night being held at Saith Seren this Friday night will pay a special tribute to the man who was meant to the quizmaster. <div><br /></div><div>Phil Phillips had agreed to be quizmaster for the event but died suddenly while on holiday in Canada with his wife, Karen. </div><div><br /></div><div>After discussing the matter with the family, the organisers decided the event should continue but with part of the proceeds going in aid of a good cause selected by Karen Phillips. </div><div><br /></div><div>Karen Phillips said: </div><div><b><blockquote>"Quizzes meant so much to Phil and he also loved Saith Seren, so this will be especially poignant. The organisers have kindly offered to donate funds from the event to a cause dear to my heart, which is to help fund a Wrexham man who had a catastrophic spinal injury earlier this year. The family of Chris Williams have set up a crowdfunder online to help him with rehabilitation after his mountain bike injury. I hope people can support that." </blockquote></b></div><div>Quiz organiser Marc Jones said: </div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>"Phil touched many people's lives in Wrexham through his work as a teacher and in social services. He was also a fine local historian who wrote a weekly column in the Leader for many years illuminating so many aspects of the town's history and heritage - something he developed with his popular town walks. He was also a quizmaster who liked to share his knowledge across so many subjects and there would always be a quirky element to the quizzes he hosted, whether in Saith Seren or the Bowling Green, his local. For that he will always be missed. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"He was also very faithful and true to Saith Seren, where he helped with the learners' Thursday club - Clwb Clebran - and for us in Plaid Cymru he also leaves a large legacy. Phil stood for Plaid Cymru in the Offa ward in 2018 and came a good second to a long-established councillor. We asked him to stand again in 2022 but he claimed he was too old - it was hard to accept because he was a youthful and good-natured character in so many ways (unless you were cheating in a quiz!). His love of his home town and of Wales, its heritage, language and culture, defined him as a very special man. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"Family and friends will celebrate the life and times of Phil at a later date but Friday is our chance to say an appropriate tribute to our friend." </b></div></blockquote><div>The quiz at Saith Seren is £10 for a team of 4 and teams are asked to attend at 7pm to register with the aim of starting at 7.30pm.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anybody wanting to contribute to Chris Williams's fundraiser can visit <a href="https://gofund.me/e3297b77" target="_blank">https://gofund.me/e3297b77</a>
</div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-90986382638084437642023-10-25T11:54:00.002+01:002023-10-25T11:54:22.013+01:00Flood concerns over Redrow housing development site<b>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP40QOxo1a4zpWt4jX10dPsA69TfaLCsdupT3NwHEkCECtKU3d2EYWDXDzYpdXSaiHCG314uWjC_2LdROsCdaAbincQRBSgmWGWpuEHKzDnZkHpwsX-S7TvnH07WQCLCXlBaWoHQN3zSzWvSTUECuFqBJ3PBJlpavsaZC46YUql7AkAmkFYGv-l6XqcMI/s2048/Redrowflood.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP40QOxo1a4zpWt4jX10dPsA69TfaLCsdupT3NwHEkCECtKU3d2EYWDXDzYpdXSaiHCG314uWjC_2LdROsCdaAbincQRBSgmWGWpuEHKzDnZkHpwsX-S7TvnH07WQCLCXlBaWoHQN3zSzWvSTUECuFqBJ3PBJlpavsaZC46YUql7AkAmkFYGv-l6XqcMI/w400-h180/Redrowflood.png" width="400" /></a></div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Irresponsible to build on site</b> </h2></b><div>The recent floods have raised new concerns about plans to build 1520 houses on green fields between Bersham and Wrexham. </div><div><br /></div><div> The site at the Lower Berse Farm saw large parts of the fields under water during Friday's heavy rain, reinforcing local residents' complaints about the site being a flood risk. </div><div><br /></div><div> Offa county councillor Kate Wilkinson, who has campaigned against the housing development along with Offa Community Council, said: <b><blockquote>"The current site is already prone to flooding and any new housing will increase the run-off from the site to other areas downstream. I'm incredibly concerned that the developers are willing to take this risk, knowing that climate change is happening as we speak and is forecast to get much worse. </blockquote><blockquote>"I think it's irresponsible to be destroying green fields that provide natural soakaways and creating a huge swathe of urban sprawl that will cause problems for anyone on the new housing estate and those living nearby. </blockquote><blockquote>
"I will continue to work with local residents to try to prevent this site from being developed for housing that will not meet local need."</blockquote></b>
Councillor Becca Martin, of Plaid Cymru, has launched a petition to oppose the site being developed as a housing estate and added: </div><div></div><blockquote><div><b>"This is another good reason for Wrexham Council to refuse this planning application. It's adding to the pressures on the environment - in terms of increased traffic, increased pollution and increased flood risk. Who would want to live on an estate that potentially could see these kinds of floods and facing difficult conversations with insurance companies. </b> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div><b> "It makes the Welsh Labour Government's decision to try to force through this site as one suitable for housing through the Local Development Plan all the more incredible. As things stand, they're willing to allow developers to have their way rather than listen to local residents who will have to live with the consequences of any bad decision far into the future. I would urge the Welsh Government to rethink this LDP before it's too late."
</b></div></blockquote><div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-42346045015463530682023-10-16T14:23:00.004+01:002023-10-16T14:23:44.047+01:00CAMPAIGNER'S DELIGHT AT DECISION TO KEEP WREXHAM FIRE ENGINE<p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDtafox8x8JqF2ZmCB-ucUCDIVyIAqBwuZUBtVgwdgGodgfk5wGCyDbHfCSXkJqzJ9qxFtW4BBiDb-dFRMJz5TgifXR3fRmQ1dcK4za-7qmlukQT5pguGXqK_ZWKjydBjXggPkKrdUieUGw7MSjST6gywNv0LuHQ9GTBi3r1OhL1-fEYCOzdUCkE3qyRk" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="333" data-original-width="500" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDtafox8x8JqF2ZmCB-ucUCDIVyIAqBwuZUBtVgwdgGodgfk5wGCyDbHfCSXkJqzJ9qxFtW4BBiDb-dFRMJz5TgifXR3fRmQ1dcK4za-7qmlukQT5pguGXqK_ZWKjydBjXggPkKrdUieUGw7MSjST6gywNv0LuHQ9GTBi3r1OhL1-fEYCOzdUCkE3qyRk=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">'A victory for people power'</span></b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div>Campaigners have expressed their relief that plans to axe Wrexham's second whole-time fire engine have been withdrawn by the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority.<div><div><br /></div><div>Councillor Becca Martin, who set up a petition to fight proposals that would have seen the number of frontline firefighters slashed from 52 to 28 in Wrexham, said she was delighted at the news: </div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFEPuSIPYnlih4tzNNJuuljxlUJo37fjpzpFqN_sAu669TLCYQHdi9jC_MKUip8pDtE3Axt7fZc2OkCWugYhJeAwMTRlvdbs1KvRinUmysva8hrwPb5otMcbsT78N57PArRTf6NM7uP_wnQa0aKuFuPltOAgO_825vF_pgnnShDzdxhdbcDVsfZXaLKQA" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFEPuSIPYnlih4tzNNJuuljxlUJo37fjpzpFqN_sAu669TLCYQHdi9jC_MKUip8pDtE3Axt7fZc2OkCWugYhJeAwMTRlvdbs1KvRinUmysva8hrwPb5otMcbsT78N57PArRTf6NM7uP_wnQa0aKuFuPltOAgO_825vF_pgnnShDzdxhdbcDVsfZXaLKQA" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Councillor Becca Martin</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />"The NWFRA's decision today to take options 2 and 3 off the table mean the most extreme measures to cut one in eight firefighters across north Wales have been effectively scrapped.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"People were horrified at the thought of losing this vital service, especially as Wrexham's fire station takes 50% of all calls across the North. That explains why feelings were so strongly against the plans in the consultation that was held and why the Fire Authority feels it has to withdraw the proposals.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"It feels like a victory for people power and I'm so pleased for everyone who joined our campaign - whether by signing the petition, joining our protest or taking part in the consultation.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"It's not all over, however. Because this was, in part, driven by a lack of funding for a vital emergency service we're going to have to ensure that firefighters don't face this kind of threat in the future. We had to fight for this second fire engine back in 2016 and won, we've done it again in 2023 and now we need to turn the tide to ensure public services are properly funded and run effectively.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"From talking to firefighters on the frontline, I know how much of an impact losing these jobs would have had. There have also been concerns expressed about the cost of senior management within the fire service as well as the planned new training centre, which is estimated to cost £48m. I hope that the fire authority will look again at these elements in terms of costs rather than looking to cut frontline services in the future."</b></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-34522202409561566282023-10-16T08:45:00.003+01:002023-10-16T08:45:21.519+01:00 Plaid councillors propose exemptions for key Wrexham roads<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO7_9INQocHBkiwHLv3pVuUA71fDvsglTh-bpxBhNS0DQhbh0QO7rdHrA9v3FOOnGkHKBP6F0ppidW6ewso9iJe1WDHrzZBsGVTy85JbYoDY3xT2yd2-yKQPPeghX7SGkGr4OvgzS2tA4deQBdNkDrFCU8oAB84E6_hfOK0oAQm5SRNmeVWHHGRBoggUA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="193" data-original-width="261" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiO7_9INQocHBkiwHLv3pVuUA71fDvsglTh-bpxBhNS0DQhbh0QO7rdHrA9v3FOOnGkHKBP6F0ppidW6ewso9iJe1WDHrzZBsGVTy85JbYoDY3xT2yd2-yKQPPeghX7SGkGr4OvgzS2tA4deQBdNkDrFCU8oAB84E6_hfOK0oAQm5SRNmeVWHHGRBoggUA" width="320" /></a></div><br />Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrexham have submitted a number of key roads for exemption from the 20mph speed limit.<p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div>The move came as a result of consultation with local residents in their wards and more widely throughout the borough.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Carrie Harper said:<b> "We're in favour of reducing speeds to 20mph on residential streets and outside schools, medical centres and care homes so Plaid Cymru in Wrecsam has no problem with the intention of the policy. However, we made it clear before the scheme was introduced that we believed key arterial routes in and around Wrexham should be among the exemptions.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"Wrexham Council has only obtained 10 exemptions to the 20mph in comparison with Swansea that has more than 150. After consulting with our nine councillors and with the wider public, we've received many calls for key arterial routes to be exempted and we support the council looking at those seven roads on the grounds that they would not compromise pedestrian safety.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"There are others proposed by the general public that we have put forward to officers as well, as it's important that there is maximum engagement with residents from the council's perspective.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"We'll wait to hear back from the council on whether all or any of the proposals we've put forward are exempted."</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">These are the roads the Plaid Cymru group would like to be considered for exemption from the 20mph route and returned to 30mph:</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc"><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="circle"><ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="square"><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Mold Rd (B&Q roundabout to The Turf)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">A541 Mold Rd, Gwersyllt</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Chester Rd (from A483 to inner ring road)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Holt Rd (from Greyhound to Tesco roundabout)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Ruthin Rd (from A483 to Morrisons junction)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Kingsmill Rd (from Kingsmill pub to Green Dragon lights)</span></li><li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Cefn Rd (from 100m beyond Ysgol Morgan Llwyd to junction with Abenbury Rd)</span></li></ul></ul></ul></div></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">There are additional roads proposed by local residents that Plaid Wrecsam has also submitted.</span>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-10005030039520518032023-10-02T11:21:00.005+01:002023-10-02T11:36:49.114+01:00'We win when we stand together' - watch Plaid's Carrie Harper at the rally to Save our Fire Service<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_20ucAHQPwit-o9DoRbrgQ68lxYfXuAKuKUHBYlVzOp7oXaz9utXbz5JeHOrv6URGV7SLJ6Ku9pFAxRqCvOT-JxOczWEya146QaSwPt1AcoHnq2PPw3dCoAW2AM-vTmN4pwyXXIMAnxxBl59yBofwOt2Jv5_vuQTdbhOan-cXLIx7cc28ZdBTm3Pht4/s2048/SaveourServices2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2_20ucAHQPwit-o9DoRbrgQ68lxYfXuAKuKUHBYlVzOp7oXaz9utXbz5JeHOrv6URGV7SLJ6Ku9pFAxRqCvOT-JxOczWEya146QaSwPt1AcoHnq2PPw3dCoAW2AM-vTmN4pwyXXIMAnxxBl59yBofwOt2Jv5_vuQTdbhOan-cXLIx7cc28ZdBTm3Pht4/w400-h300/SaveourServices2023.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Plaid activists campaigning to save our services</b></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>More than 100 people attended the Fire Brigades Union's rally in Wrecsam against proposals by the North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority to cut services across north Wales. <p></p><p>Speaking from the top of an FBU fire engine, Plaid Cymru's councillor Carrie Harper explained the backdrop to the proposed cuts and why it was so important to resist. You can watch her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CarrieWrecsam/videos/2712491142236952">speech in full here</a>.</p><p>Other speakers included the UCU's Amy Rattenbury, who emphasised trade union solidarity among all strikers and campaigners as well as Cerith Griffiths (FBU Cymru), Stuart Stanley and Matt Ryan (FBU North Wales) as well Merseyside FBU chair Lee Hunter and Cllr Dana Davies of Labour.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-65988304961450383592023-10-02T10:48:00.000+01:002023-10-02T10:48:10.013+01:00 Plaid councillors respond to Wrexham council U-turn on 20mph speed limits<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCrvicJyVKVp0ZypKUkNkWQytyD3Zd4UPSqoNdFGFIQrxotUmpAvM9AD9z4dB-zFtXYptcjx1xwHXF4TLwP7epwuz92zfwGSXrD8Bjeq9QdHapZGL-BRKHyy5Xty1Eavzb0ysNt18XKAIp7ZtKj9aq4IzUS3II4soNl5hIw8kM081PQYqSroI2selsaQ/s590/20mphsign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="332" data-original-width="590" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiCrvicJyVKVp0ZypKUkNkWQytyD3Zd4UPSqoNdFGFIQrxotUmpAvM9AD9z4dB-zFtXYptcjx1xwHXF4TLwP7epwuz92zfwGSXrD8Bjeq9QdHapZGL-BRKHyy5Xty1Eavzb0ysNt18XKAIp7ZtKj9aq4IzUS3II4soNl5hIw8kM081PQYqSroI2selsaQ/s320/20mphsign.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrexham have welcomed further consideration of exemptions to the current 20mph speed limit in built-up areas - but say the council has u-turned on limits on arterial roads.<p></p><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><div><br /></div><div>Wrexham Council has one of the lowest number of exempted roads in Wales - just 10 compared to more than 150 in Swansea but now says it is reviewing certain road speeds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Carrie Harper, <a href="http://www.wrecsam.news/2023/08/re-think-blanket-20mph-speed-limit-on.html" target="_blank">who first raised concerns about the number of exemptions back in August</a>, said: </div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>"It's now a fortnight since the 20mph speed limit was introduced in urban settings across Wales. Before it was introduced we raised our concerns locally about the fact that every road in Wrexham town, for example, was going down to 20mph when it can be argued that arterial roads such as Cefn Road, Chester Road, Holt Road and Mold Road could be exempted. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"The experience of the past fortnight bears out that analysis and it's good to hear that the council is now reviewing the situation. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"We questioned Wrexham Council about their reasoning for these specific arterial routes and the answer given 10 days ago was that some of these key routes into the town centre could <i>at some point</i> have active travel routes alongside them. It's true there are consultations ongoing for active travel routes on Mold Road, Chester Road, Holt Road and Kingsmills Road but the current financial situation facing the Welsh Government makes it unlikely they will all come to fruition. Pre-emptively dropping the speed to 20mph seems to be putting the cart before the horse.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"So why has the council changed its tune just 10 days later?"</b></div></blockquote><div>Cllr Harper said Plaid Cymru in Wrexham wanted a meaningful consultation with residents after revealing that just 55 people responded to the original consultation: </div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>"There was a very brief consultation in August that concluded on September 1st. As a result of that, two roads that were changed down from 30mph to 20mph as a result of residents' pressure but I think we need to continually review this in the light of actual experience of driving and living along these routes. There's general consensus about 20mph being fine on residential streets, estates and outside schools or medical facilities. So that leaves those arterial roads between villages and into town.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"We've collected a number of examples from across the county borough and will be submitting them to the Highways Department for consideration. Before we do that, we'd like local residents to put forward their suggestions for specific roads - you can do so by contacting <a href="mailto:plaidwrecsam@gmail.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">plaidwrecsam@gmail.<wbr></wbr>com</a> with full details of those roads."</b></div></blockquote><div><b></b></div><div>Plaid Cymru is publishing an exchange between Cllr Marc Jones and WCBC Highways Dept (reading from bottom up) re 20mph exemptions.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div style="border-bottom: none; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid rgb(225, 225, 225); padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Marc1 Jones <<a href="mailto:Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><br /><b>Sent:</b> 20 September 2023 11:34<br /><b>To:</b> Hugh Jones <<a href="mailto:Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><br /><b>Subject:</b> Review of 30mph exemptions on roads</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p></div></div><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Hi Hugh and XXXXX</p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Can you update me on the following:</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">1. How were the 30mph exemptions decided initially within WCBC?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">2. What was the outcome of the consultation? As far as I'm aware no changes to the exemptions were made - can you confirm?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">3. Some counties have put in as many as 130 exemptions, we have had just nine. To what extent was that dictated by council resources?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">4. In light of the introduction of the 20mph default limit, when will speeds be reviewed and some roads be returned to 30mph as evidence emerges?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">5. What is the mechanism for proposing roads should return to 30mph?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">6. What is the cost for doing so per road (TROs and signage presumably)?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">7. Is there any funding from WG to pay for that?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">All the best</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Marc</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><br clear="all" /></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: #38761d;">Y Cynghorydd / <b>Councillor Marc Jones</b></span></p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #38761d;">Plaid Cymru, Grosvenor</span></b></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="background: white; color: #38761d;">Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam / <b>Wrexham County Borough Council</b></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div class="gmail_quote"><div lang="EN-GB" link="blue" vlink="purple"><div style="border-bottom: none; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid rgb(181, 196, 223); padding: 5pt 0cm 0cm;"><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">From: </span></b></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Date: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Wednesday, 20 Sep 2023 at 3:56 pm</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">To: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Marc1 Jones <<a href="mailto:Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Cc: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">, Hugh Jones <<a href="mailto:Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">Subject: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">RE: Review of 30mph exemptions on roads</span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Good afternoon Mark.</span></p><p>How were the 30mph exemptions decided initially within WCBC? </p><p><span style="color: red;">The exemptions are all semi-rural roads with very few properties, therefore they were deemed not to be suitable to drop to 20mph.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;"><b><u>We did consider keeping the main arterial routes into Wrexham at 30mph, but these are all current or future active travel routes, therefore it would make no sense to keep the speed limit higher on routes that we are actively trying to promote as active travel routes.</u></b></span></p><p><span style="color: red;">The problem is if we move away for a criteria and just start exempting roads based on popular opinion, you will end up with a city with constant speed changes and motorists not knowing what speed they should be traveling at. The whole purpose of having a criteria is that a motorist should know that if they are in a built-up area with a series streetlights then that will now be a 20mph road.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> What was the outcome of the consultation? As far as I'm aware no changes to the exemptions were made - can you confirm?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p><span style="color: red;">We had 26 TRO’s going to consultation-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> 10- To keep a road at 30mph by TRO</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> 16 – To drop the road to 20mph by TRO</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;">We had 55 responses and withdrew two road that were going to stay 30mph, but the residents insisted that they wanted them dropping to 20mph, and gave valid arguments to support their case.</span></p><p>Some counties have put in as many as 130 exemptions, we have had just nine. To what extent was that dictated by council resources?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p><span style="color: red;">The number of exemptions had nothing to do with a lack of resource, we made our decisions based on-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * The number of properties per 1Km</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * The proximity of schools.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * The proximity of hospitals, hospices and other medical facilities</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * Safe routes to schools.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * Active travel routes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> <wbr></wbr> * Minimising speed changes.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></p><p>In light of the introduction of the 20mph default limit, when will speeds be reviewed and some roads be returned to 30mph as evidence emerges?</p><p><span style="color: red;"> </span></p><p style="margin-left: 39pt;"><span style="color: red;">Welsh government currently have speed tubes at multiple locations agreed with us and will be sharing the data in the coming months.</span></p><p style="margin-left: 39pt;"><span style="color: red;">Once that data is analysed we can then make a decision on if any further changes are needed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 21pt;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></p><p>What is the mechanism for proposing roads should return to 30mph?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"> </p><p><span style="color: red;">Members or residents can contact me to propose a speed change on any road, but there would need to be strong evidence as to why the speed limit needs raising.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"> </p><p>What is the cost for doing so per road (TROs and signage presumably)?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;">A TRO cost around £2000, but that can be reduced if you put it as part of a composite order.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 18pt;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">7. Is there any funding from WG to pay for that?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin-left: 27pt;"><span style="color: red;">Welsh government has said there will be funding available to make changes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Regards</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><img align="left" alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/logo_circle.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" hspace="6" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.4&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9Qw2n3Ow7RFwqaUsh7NeC5OwIh1lcxAraRT6aswZsxxhmHVzF8eOT8wEMHEppqOjq1_F3KnZIRd7pom0vi5fjL8cSL_lUbg_BlNgHYwCl7H2HsBFHMqfxCUSk&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d1ad7999131" style="max-width: 100%; width: 124px;" /><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/address.png" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9V-53PBf--6ADTPI9ry4Y3R-oofTdMYu6UN89x8WPudElARnD-bLXVi8WEGHRG_RIKtUrFscTvuLQD-Vx3x7jfzcPACySgxNwRvosVRf7Om-fFFEwjCorQet8&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d17605c1153" style="max-width: 100%; width: 18px;" /> </span><span style="color: grey; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Adran Amgylchedd a Chynllunio, De Ffordd yr Abaty, Ystad Ddiwydiannol Wrecsam, Wrecsam, LL13 9PW </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 21.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/address.png" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_MDP_cdV1yVWoGXXYY-iQ01lX31DaJufGDW78WiHXIj1Dso_YFiQgpcO0RPrm0wV9-flRDWYLOqPOD47_kuViBzyNpri1noYlvofYLOExXNMeeN7K6uig0lmA&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d17605c1153" style="max-width: 100%; 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font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><div><div style="border-bottom: none; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: 1pt solid rgb(225, 225, 225); padding: 3pt 0cm 0cm;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Marc1 Jones <<a href="mailto:Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Marc1.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><br /><b>Sent:</b> 21 September 2023 09:51<br /><b>To:</b> Jamie Edge <<a href="mailto:Jamie.Edge@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Jamie.Edge@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><br /><b>Cc:</b> Rachel Penman <<a href="mailto:Rachel.Penman@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Rachel.Penman@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><wbr></wbr>; Hugh Jones <<a href="mailto:Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Hugh.Jones@wrexham.gov.uk</a>><br /><b>Subject:</b> RE: Review of 30mph exemptions on roads</span></p></div></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Thanks for the speedy and comprehensive response.</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Just 2 further questions:</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">1. What were the valid arguments made to drop additional roads to 20mph?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">2. What would “strong evidence” involve to change a road’s speed limit?</p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">In conclusion, there are still some signs (eg going out of Coedpoeth towards Wrexham) that say you are now in a 30mph zone. These are confusing for motorists. </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">All the best - I appreciate it’s a huge task to deal with all the signage and other changes necessary to implement this. </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">Marc</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p></div><blockquote style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 5pt;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Afternoon councillor,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> </p><p>1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span>What were the valid arguments made to drop additional roads to 20mph?</p><p><span style="color: red;">These were roads that needed a TRO to drop, but were right on the criteria borderline as they were semi-rural locations.</span></p><p><span style="color: red;">The residents made it clear they wanted the speed to drop to 20mph for valid safety concerns, therefore as with any TRO safety is always a priority. </span></p><p><span style="color: red;">I did get requests for other rural roads to drop to 20mph, but couldn’t justify it given the how few properties were on them.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"> <span style="color: red;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;">2. What would “strong evidence” involve to change a road’s speed limit?</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> There are a number of reasons we may reduce a speed limit-</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Accident data suggesting there is an issue with speeding.</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Speed data providing evidence to back up the accident data.</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The road criteria may have changed because of a housing development.</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A traffic feature such as a roundabout may have been added.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> I have never had a request to increase a speed limit (I’m sure I will now), but it would be based on similar principles.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We would need to look at the accident data at the current speed limit.</span></p><p><span style="color: red; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 11pt;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Speed data showing there is no issues at the current speed.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Obviously it would be a lot more difficult to justify increasing a speed limit, as the fact is you will be increasing the chance of an accident, and increasing the chance of a pedestrian dying if they got hit by a vehicle.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If you need anything else let me know.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Kind regards</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><img align="left" alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/logo_circle.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" hspace="6" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.4&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ9HffxgI5CHZnGNcbIxNK0xX6yv06aZ4kWK0nUKLdS6dLQQleArS-P15SydJmS4nfZaZl6qpIw6XMsw3XeGymEL83yd8mirrKvEqpGYAWyDNV8XbcRASGNmRBA&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d1ad7999131" style="max-width: 100%; width: 124px;" /><br /><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/address.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ82t3v-8vH4D6DhfZUOm3fSgTJ7Y6-Bqs9OvNMPN2xLKTwvzaC8ulg3TZ7JwMZqbZPZTY65XHYvSMI1Ayw_jTlqYmmxqvn3OTkfkHXmuTKTcIxhfHr8HRXQmYI&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d17605c1153" style="max-width: 100%; width: 18px;" /> </span><span style="color: grey; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Adran Amgylchedd a Chynllunio, De Ffordd yr Abaty, Ystad Ddiwydiannol Wrecsam, Wrecsam, LL13 9PW </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 21.3pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><img alt="Description: Description: Description: http://www.wrexham.gov.uk/assets/png/address.png" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-a:r4386159357327031251&th=18aefb8999e8a4ed&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ_Y-HQIFoYz2MlFmi2QJxlYPwILjBlW3o70mVi0I8CPm4MbTxr1eprfg5P1ZV_nEhYf3HpV-1lNV6GvsNNyOioLHJXimQXT6ybPRd1qrdl0-tGOWDeco9j1_dE&disp=emb&realattid=18ad6eda6d17605c1153" style="max-width: 100%; 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font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #002060; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p></blockquote></div></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-38647597231181598332023-09-30T10:51:00.005+01:002023-09-30T10:51:42.423+01:00Welsh Labour can stop Redrow housing development - but refuses<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdbuwq_U0DxHpYoQs9NPWGVJyjn5V4FAf2V8MKJuG2xhltoFfBfhDDMHR2FCMajzg6p1cuKqM3PeSYqujj89OpqR9BuybJe7EeaPzEclhgN9i_9gQMs7Mt8oyQgwTC4yeXSXyq6-80c0JBUaZNxjx55xSvvEyofbk3BzXY2JMeSKvp0qQmdU0BaFODI4/s840/Redrow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="510" data-original-width="840" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdbuwq_U0DxHpYoQs9NPWGVJyjn5V4FAf2V8MKJuG2xhltoFfBfhDDMHR2FCMajzg6p1cuKqM3PeSYqujj89OpqR9BuybJe7EeaPzEclhgN9i_9gQMs7Mt8oyQgwTC4yeXSXyq6-80c0JBUaZNxjx55xSvvEyofbk3BzXY2JMeSKvp0qQmdU0BaFODI4/w640-h388/Redrow.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redrow's plans for a housing estate that's bigger than Rhostyllen</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Welsh Labour could stop a 1520 housing development on the outskirts of Wrexham in its tracks - but refuses.<p></p><div><div>That's the view of Plaid Cymru councillor Carrie Harper, who has challenged local MS Lesley Griffiths to a public debate on the housing development.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Harper said: <b>"This housing development has been submitted because Redrow see that the Welsh Government is refusing to accept Wrexham Council's decision to reject a Local Development Plan. The council has twice refused to accept the LDP because it will enable two huge new housing estates on the Ruthin Road and Cefn Rd - amounting to more than 3000 new homes.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"The Welsh Labour Government, of which Lesley Griffiths is a cabinet member, is trying to impose this plan on Wrexham. The plan allocates greenfield land for these two massive housing development. It's no surprise then that Redrow and several other large housing developers are taking the council to court to try to get a judge to impose the LDP against the democratic wishes of Wrexham. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"So it's more than a bit cheeky of Lesley Griffiths and other Labour politicians to suddenly say they're against this specific housing development when the LDP they're backing 100% is allowing the development to happen.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"I want to hear Lesley and other Labour politicians explain that contradiction. Let's have a public debate here in Wrexham where we can hear both sides of the argument.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"Better still, let's have a debate in the Senedd where Labour can try to defend the indefensible and explain why it's backing developers over democracy."</b></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-66093130470140067702023-09-29T17:24:00.005+01:002023-09-29T17:24:29.773+01:00Bosses urged to talk to union to end council strike <p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1u0JAR32q3aoe-hG8aZGnIxG57rCNvSHW75Pmi2B1xyzM81FnQiyMM5o-0al7N3w-2syoDgeuqslqzY2ONzQagO2F2eLfj1AiH25vNfiAmYYN_dWlyjSGYlCv1pAiqCznmtfHOlcW9NRQ_KX8OefA1bk78nse7iZ0Y21vy2ZKQWDVe0h36KpX0lgv10/s800/Unite-strike.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="800" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1u0JAR32q3aoe-hG8aZGnIxG57rCNvSHW75Pmi2B1xyzM81FnQiyMM5o-0al7N3w-2syoDgeuqslqzY2ONzQagO2F2eLfj1AiH25vNfiAmYYN_dWlyjSGYlCv1pAiqCznmtfHOlcW9NRQ_KX8OefA1bk78nse7iZ0Y21vy2ZKQWDVe0h36KpX0lgv10/w400-h277/Unite-strike.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unite members on strike for better pay and conditions</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Plaid Cymru councillors have called for Wrexham Council to sit down and talk to strikers after a further five weeks of industrial action was announced by Unite.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="color: black;">Councillor Marc Jones, who leads the Plaid Cymru group on the council, said the current strike action had had a very visible impact in terms of bin collection and residents were understandably frustrated with the lack of information about when bins would be collected.</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: black;">He said:<b> "There are two issues behind the strike action - one is UK-wide pay negotiations that is not within the council's remit. But there are also local issues that are definitely something the council can sit down and start negotiating with the workers. </b></span></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;">"They include pay grades. Refuse collectors and other council staff are doing essential work and deserve to be paid fairly. I think most fair-minded people would see a problem with the same job being paid £1500 less in Wrexham than in neighbouring Flintshire. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;">"Rather than let this dispute fester, it would be better to get round the table and start meaningful negotiations so it can be resolved before we see a further escalation. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;">"As a group of nine Plaid Cymru councillors, we understand people's frustrations about missed bin collections and waste piling up on the streets. We're hearing from people every day who want to know what's going on and we're sharing as much information as we have. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;">"We believe the best solution is better communication with residents and with the workers themselves to resolve this as quickly as possible. This has happened with other councils who are also involved in the UK-wide negotiations so there is no reason why meaningful negotiations can't start and the strikes are then suspended."</span></b></div><div><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div><div><span style="color: black;">Cllr Jones said he had written to Wrexham Council's chief executive Ian Bancroft calling for the council leadership to address the matter (see below). This afternoon Unite announced a new round of strikes would start from 16 October and last until 24 November.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></b></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><b>LETTER TO IAN BANCROFT, Chief Executive </b></span></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_quote" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b><div class="adL" style="color: #222222;"><div class="im" style="color: #500050;"><div style="direction: ltr;"><div style="font-family: -apple-system, "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 1rem; word-spacing: 1px;"><span style="color: black;">Dear Ian</span></div><div style="font-family: -apple-system, "Helvetica Neue"; font-size: 16px; word-spacing: 1px;"><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">The Unite strike is, as I understand it, related to two matters:</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">1. UK-wide pay negotiations that are outside the council's remit and </span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">2. Local issues that are within the council's remit.</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">Given that other councils have been able to negotiate regarding local issues and seen strikes suspended as a result, I would like to know what steps the council has taken to engage with the union directly regarding local issues. </span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">Do you have an estimated figure for the cost of resolving these local issues?</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">I'm also aware that overtime is now being paid for weekend working to clear the backlog of bins. What is the cost of this to date?</span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">As I write this, further strike action has just been announced that makes my plea for negotiation around local issues all the more urgent.</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 1rem;"><span style="color: black;">Marc</span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: black;"><br clear="all" /></span><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Y Cynghorydd / <b style="font-size: 1rem;">Councillor Marc Jones</b></span></span><div><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 1rem;">Plaid Cymru, Grosvenor</span></b></div><div><span style="color: black; font-size: 1rem;">Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam / <b style="font-size: 1rem;">Wrexham County Borough Council</b></span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-35746558457069485522023-09-21T12:26:00.006+01:002023-09-21T12:26:55.624+01:00Rejecting Wrexham's Local Development Plan vital to halt huge housing estate scheme<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-5DgqN-Hi3BTKe2t5SE3JKzXfLdcC9x8eWpHphxMxuOzocOuylSBqzd1MF7M65qFvP9GUYwV5xGgVleYgLzImRBTijD_uNPgRo6HP9bXVVrUx6GLJJ_T1PB9zxJnr0BEEAVrZfkDKtpaHd38FLk8zQjs2JtTWDTw5uX33fx5PwmzQNr_OOxkYwfuW7I/s840/Kate-Wilkinson-Offa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="840" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-5DgqN-Hi3BTKe2t5SE3JKzXfLdcC9x8eWpHphxMxuOzocOuylSBqzd1MF7M65qFvP9GUYwV5xGgVleYgLzImRBTijD_uNPgRo6HP9bXVVrUx6GLJJ_T1PB9zxJnr0BEEAVrZfkDKtpaHd38FLk8zQjs2JtTWDTw5uX33fx5PwmzQNr_OOxkYwfuW7I/w320-h160/Kate-Wilkinson-Offa.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cllr Kate Wilkinson, Plaid Cymru Offa ward</b></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p>Plans by housing developer Redrow to build more than 1500 homes on the Lower Berse Farm site demonstrate how important it is to reject Wrexham's Local Development Plan.</p><div><div>The planning application for the huge new housing estate, which would include a new school and water treatment works, has now been submitted to Wrexham Council, even though the LDP has still not been accepted.</div><div><br /></div><div>The LDP allocates that farmland off the Ruthin Road for housing, something that has prompted Wrexham councillors to reject its own plan twice. The existing Unitary Development Plan designates that land as green fields and would not permit housing on the site.</div><div><br /></div><div>The final decision on the LDP sits with the Welsh Government, which has so far refused to accept the vote against the new plan.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Becca Martin, of Plaid Cymru, said: <b>"As a group, Plaid Cymru councillors have said all along that voting for this Local Development Plan would give developers the green light to build in the countryside on all sides of Wrexham, increasing urban sprawl and putting added pressure on overstretched services and infrastructure. This planning application is seeking to take advantage of the draft plan, even though it's not been accepted, and develop a housing estate on good agricultural land.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"Wrexham's population is currently static and predicted to fall in coming years, our services are stretched to breaking point and nearby roads are already overloaded. This giant housing development will make matters worse.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"It's vital that the Welsh Government listens to the people of Wrexham on this matter - they must rethink the LDP they're seeking to impose on Wrexham rather than dance to the tune of large housing developers."</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Kate Wilkinson, who represents the Offa ward next to the proposed development, added: <b>"Hundreds have signed a petition against this plan and residents are ready to fight this planning application all the way. We understand that the best way to do that is by stopping the LDP but we will use all tools at our disposal to make the case for building affordable houses on brownfield sites rather than trashing our countryside with executive housing."</b></div><div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-39891587869244452422023-09-18T12:08:00.000+01:002023-09-18T12:08:19.160+01:00Councillor champions customers and contractors over festival failings<p><span style="font-size: xx-large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjU6JRxbrRsHtpat-NcRVh4GgraBYpvNT3-wpZNCDoxC14IJn1gjdCweSRyNC6xbzIpDHqLYrYaEK5tKCvNSLJBczR-0JFN5HhnNQKfUihvil2zESiFBH41mAGLoJ_qbpFhAZsjz2qPcgKWtPrcLf_nB_yrCUuSOm0uzg9107kkBsZIkuj1ywA6Tqd5E9c" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjU6JRxbrRsHtpat-NcRVh4GgraBYpvNT3-wpZNCDoxC14IJn1gjdCweSRyNC6xbzIpDHqLYrYaEK5tKCvNSLJBczR-0JFN5HhnNQKfUihvil2zESiFBH41mAGLoJ_qbpFhAZsjz2qPcgKWtPrcLf_nB_yrCUuSOm0uzg9107kkBsZIkuj1ywA6Tqd5E9c=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Cllr Carrie Harper</b></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Complaints to Ombudsman thrown out</span></p><div><br /></div><div>A Wrexham councillor who has championed local consumers and contractors who lost money on a festival event has had complaints about her to the Public Services Ombudsman thrown out.</div><span style="color: #500050;"><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">Plaid Cymru's Queensway councillor Carrie Harper had shared information from a group of residents who had set up a Facebook group to raise concerns about the Rock the Park festival on the outskirts of Wrexham.</div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">She said: <b>"I've been contacted by many people who have struggled to get refunds from Rock the Park (RTP) events. One customer set up a facebook group called 'RTP issues' which now has several hundred members, many have shared concerns about how they've been treated by the organisers and that they're still owed substantial amounts of money despite repeated attempts to get refunds.</b></div><div style="color: black;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="color: black;"><b>"In addition I've also been contacted by contractors for the event who haven't been paid for their services. They've also listed very serious safety concerns which I understand have now been passed to the council for further investigation."</b></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div></span><div>Cllr Harper was then the subject of <span style="color: black;">two complaints by the organiser's family to the Ombudsman and the council. </span></div><div><br /></div><div>She added: <b>"Sharing concerns over the refunds issue and posting a link to the Facebook group prompted complaints from the organisers to both the council and to the Ombudsman about me personally. I've now had two letters from the Ombudsman confirming both complaints have been dismissed with a clear statement that 'Councillors are able to support local issues and causes which constituents may have raised' and that 'Councillors are entitled to express their views'."</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><span style="color: #500050;"><div style="color: black;">Cllr Harper urged anyone with concerns about the events to take them to the appropriate authorities:<b> "I'm aware that Trading Standards are currently investigating complaints and they advise anyone with a complaint to register it with Citizen Advice Consumer Services on 0808 223 1133 (1144 for Welsh language). Complaints registered this way will also be reviewed by the Trading Standards team locally."</b></div><div style="color: black;"><br /></div><div style="color: black;">The council have confirmed that there is currently no licence in place for the 2024 event, although tickets are currently on sale. </div><div style="color: black;"><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></span></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-52904221660305348882023-09-15T10:02:00.002+01:002023-09-15T10:36:34.903+01:00Firefighters and supporters rally to 'Save our Fire Service'<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC7OQ55KPwc0EzrSK1HdBdP18h5uLSJub8lcsP_H218W64asHIO77mwMEm7W_ohUFHh7bey3xuLdQbff2PP8JO3FIwKptY52rmgHHLtpCgXe5QccCG27vfl4l0IEJW1fqOSG1yr-nFD36dO5vt3qNmy1EBuEvuYvcfNbtzOEaxky_4tvH0kcDark1za-M" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="1126" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhC7OQ55KPwc0EzrSK1HdBdP18h5uLSJub8lcsP_H218W64asHIO77mwMEm7W_ohUFHh7bey3xuLdQbff2PP8JO3FIwKptY52rmgHHLtpCgXe5QccCG27vfl4l0IEJW1fqOSG1yr-nFD36dO5vt3qNmy1EBuEvuYvcfNbtzOEaxky_4tvH0kcDark1za-M=w400-h193" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>Stuart Stanley (FBU North Wales) with Cllr Becca Martin<br /></b><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Firefighters from across north Wales will join with supporters to defend their fire service in a mass rally in Wrexham at the end of the month. <div><br /></div><div> The protest has been organised by the Fire Brigades Union under the banner of "Save our Fire Service" in response to proposals to cut emergency cover in many parts of the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service. </div><div><br /></div><div> There is currently a consultation underway that outlines three options. Concerns about the extent of that consultation - which includes options to close five fire stations and axe one in eight frontline firefighters - has seen fiery public meetings and online petitions signed by thousands. </div><div><br /></div><div> Stuart Stanley, North Wales FBU secretary, said: <b>"We have been heartened by the extent of the support from across north Wales and the protest at Wrexham is to reflect that it's the busiest station and facing the greatest reduction in firefighters from 52 to 28 under two of the three options proposed by the Fire and Rescue Authority. We welcome all North Wales residents turning up to support and hope this will send a clear message to the fire authority that this process is unacceptable. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> "Although we welcome the commitment to improve some rural emergency cover in the Gwynedd area, these improvements are hugely outweighed by losses elsewhere. We have serious concerns about the job losses, the station closures, the downgrading of fire stations in parts of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham and the reduction in fire cover across many towns and villages in North Wales. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> "The FBU's counter proposal - options four and five - would see existing services maintained and plan for growth to meet demand and ensure we maintain the safety record we have in the North. We believe the public consultation will show that the people are behind or call and that's why we urge as many as possible to attend the rally." </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaGbk5UeVmDqNhgN1DIHOHPe_GKlsraspT7AImzskwF8v1Co92v_Z8mZbaEyJa9dYXUX5wk_Ii6--Yq-p8-fbX1mLFDE6vG7GS1AUoKOtM-6iuWxroQx9lb5hCSrJNyNws14tAzrsqj9OFdt1gGC4wXO0N4sCpFb05qvvcrWNO1EWD-tsAMKe-HPT0qQY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="300" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaGbk5UeVmDqNhgN1DIHOHPe_GKlsraspT7AImzskwF8v1Co92v_Z8mZbaEyJa9dYXUX5wk_Ii6--Yq-p8-fbX1mLFDE6vG7GS1AUoKOtM-6iuWxroQx9lb5hCSrJNyNws14tAzrsqj9OFdt1gGC4wXO0N4sCpFb05qvvcrWNO1EWD-tsAMKe-HPT0qQY" width="272" /></a></div></b></div><div><br /></div><div> Duncan Stewart-Ball, Wales FBU Regional Secretary, said: <b>"It is extremely disappointing that we have found ourselves at this point. The Fire Authority took it upon themselves and decided that the public of north Wales should not be given the option for improving the service. To see growth and jobs created, but instead, offered three options, that all reduce fire cover of sorts but come at an increase to the taxpayer. We urge the Fire Authority to put the growth option, the option for improvement, out to the public of North Wales and let them decide." </b></div><div><br /></div><div> Councillor Becca Martin, of Wrexham, has helped coordinate the online petition campaign. She said: <b>"Back in 2016, Wrexham was threatened with the loss of its second whole-time fire engine and 24 firefighters' jobs. A determined campaign by local people and the FBU fought off that threat and the service was maintained. Now, as a result of a decade of cuts and austerity, we're having to fight once again to save our fire service. We don't want different areas played against each other - it's really important that people from every community in north Wales unite to prevent these cuts, which will put lives at risk. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> "Losing experienced and skilled personnel would also have a detrimental affect on the Fire Service's ability to mobilise specialist equipment such as the Aerial Ladder Platform, which is so vital in dealing with house fires. Losing those additional firefighters severely reduces capacity in Wrexham, which has 50% of all call-outs and also covers more rural areas to support retained part-time firefighters. </b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b> "I stand with the the people who have to deal every day with emergencies - they say that those appliances are needed and those crews are needed. That's why I'm backing options four and five in the consultation and that's why we're holding this rally in the centre of Wrexham."</b></div><div><br /></div><div> The rally starts at noon on Saturday 30th September, at Queen's Square, Wrexham.
</div><div><br /></div><div>Watch our video<a href="https://fb.watch/n3RtglupI2/" target="_blank"> here</a></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-65512313268763254412023-09-07T21:14:00.002+01:002023-09-07T21:14:30.218+01:00New Plaid leader comes to Wrecsam for Westminster campaign launch<p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifN3dUiXD9K98gSHhjYPeJ8XmTI96HRI54Mx6chq2E-UaJ-ut5D3YbY4cUI3BPo0Tquu2c8hvgKr_knu5Q2l_ahCPYHbeXSZoOiZqZe16YvX_EFsspN1x0ysf0nILs4jdZKxv9Uoti00jn0aNUMT1_yEgCLPHTPaz_luGoEVnxU3ztNRaAAdYuPBOYiUI" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="153" data-original-width="272" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifN3dUiXD9K98gSHhjYPeJ8XmTI96HRI54Mx6chq2E-UaJ-ut5D3YbY4cUI3BPo0Tquu2c8hvgKr_knu5Q2l_ahCPYHbeXSZoOiZqZe16YvX_EFsspN1x0ysf0nILs4jdZKxv9Uoti00jn0aNUMT1_yEgCLPHTPaz_luGoEVnxU3ztNRaAAdYuPBOYiUI" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru leader</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Plaid Cymru's new leader will be attending a special event by Plaid Cymru on Thursday September 21st at Hafod Restaurant, Coleg Cambria in Wrexham. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's the first opportunity for local activists and supporters to meet and hear from <b>Rhun ap Iorwerth,</b> Plaid Cymru's Ynys Môn MS. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" data-image-whitelisted="" height="196" id="m_-1134419282281069544Picture_x0020_3" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-f:1776406794612548134&th=18a710916178a226&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ84Qt9NXsZB0WLlNToqIfMSLKHM5N6BsY1kDlsKBUrDXg9owzmFJzO4cIeLXuoyhF1qNcwAzAD5jzQny3Gop59tJHOmZu31WUH7DxsSivEApfHwNGculQ76fDw&disp=emb" style="height: 2.0416in; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 2.8333in;" width="272" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cllr Becca Martin</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The evening will also see the official launch of Wrecsam's Plaid Cymru Westminster Campaign, with our official candidate, <b>Councillor Becca Martin</b> present to discuss local and national issues ahead of the next General Election.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please make every effort to attend this special event, as the Party enters a vital period, both locally and nationally.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u></u> </span></p>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-13752106243023951822023-08-24T17:48:00.006+01:002023-08-24T17:48:32.603+01:00Plaid councillors back striking workers<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw7qYYuklcGJdKcstrw3FLOpeYC2wz7JnnrFuLEPLoTuh-5Vy4joJl3ImL2ipoD_XDOPp5CdyNz_I6GEBPkNI4AVHLU9wxMKITuWA6w1B_NS0ptrbK7hh_HUc09dBbnon_dmKM0AT4Vu2uzI9cDAfpKdBW8tqpMA9Wy3FNLGiKeYTM1I3TwPpE8xttKbA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="403" data-original-width="615" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjw7qYYuklcGJdKcstrw3FLOpeYC2wz7JnnrFuLEPLoTuh-5Vy4joJl3ImL2ipoD_XDOPp5CdyNz_I6GEBPkNI4AVHLU9wxMKITuWA6w1B_NS0ptrbK7hh_HUc09dBbnon_dmKM0AT4Vu2uzI9cDAfpKdBW8tqpMA9Wy3FNLGiKeYTM1I3TwPpE8xttKbA" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Plaid Cymru councillors in Wrexham have called for additional central funding to be found to avert a proposed strike by Unite members next month.<div><br /></div><div>Unite members at Wrexham Council have voted for strike action over pay that could see various services disrupted.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cllr Marc Jones, Plaid Cymru's group leader on the council, said: </div><div><b></b></div><blockquote><div><b>"The Plaid Cymru group stands in solidarity with council workers who have seen pay fall badly behind inflation over recent years. Like many other public sector workers, such as nurses, doctors and firefighters, they've suffered pay freezes and below-inflation pay offers for a decade and more, which explains why there has been so much anger and frustration from workers across the board as they struggle to make ends meet.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"We know local councils are struggling to balance the books because they too are seeing below-inflation rises in their funding from central government. This is the root of the problem. The Westminster government is able to throw money at their friends and donors but can't find the cash to maintain essential public services run by local authorities, health boards and fire services. We need to see better funding for our public services by re-directing money to the frontline rather than to millionaires on luxury yachts.</b></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>"The PPE scandal, where Tories fast-tracked funding to their friends and donors, is only one recent example of how this government has raided the public purse to enrich themselves at the expense of ordinary workers. It has to end and that's why we're supporting the campaign for better pay in the public sector."</b></div></blockquote><div><b></b></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-49937347587400847342023-08-22T16:18:00.003+01:002023-10-02T09:52:21.704+01:00Re-think 20mph speed limit on key routes<p><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"></b></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hpPPMOizvOt7OD4CTDpNI03sB9ls-Du3Q_kqzeTd2q5-NrevH1NL2VfkVOymjaIOUa69jtG5ZiuAVveQF307IDwDu9L423J9nWBs2-Marv6BfOtdPabgIm09irV9SnwHSMqxoomHBgV2WqKkeo1w-_Yp5kIZ4qIjX8kUqafrEEA_kvR9rslFL9Kn-6c/s1600/CarrieHarper.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-hpPPMOizvOt7OD4CTDpNI03sB9ls-Du3Q_kqzeTd2q5-NrevH1NL2VfkVOymjaIOUa69jtG5ZiuAVveQF307IDwDu9L423J9nWBs2-Marv6BfOtdPabgIm09irV9SnwHSMqxoomHBgV2WqKkeo1w-_Yp5kIZ4qIjX8kUqafrEEA_kvR9rslFL9Kn-6c/w400-h300/CarrieHarper.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Councillor Carrie Harper</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><br />Call to improve public transport and cycle routes to reduce car use</b><p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;">Plans for an introduction of a 20mph speed limit on urban roads in Wrexham need to be re-thought, according to Plaid councillors.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;">The proposal to change all current 30mph speed limits to 20mph with just 10 roads exempted throughout the county borough was made by the Welsh Government. Wrexham County Borough Council has started a public consultation but councillors say that this is unlikely to change anything as the new signage is ready to be unveiled on September 17th.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;">Cllr Carrie Harper, who represents the Queensway ward, said reducing accidents and injuries was important, which is why Plaid Cymru supported the 20mph limit outside schools and on residential streets.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;">She added: <b>"There are key arterial routes through Wrexham - Mold Road, Chester Road, Holt Road and Cefn Road for example - as well as roads that link our villages that will become 20mph due to this imposition. There are just 10 stretches of roads - a total of three miles throughout the county - that will remain at 30mph if this goes through. </b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><b>"It's another example of a top-down approach by this Welsh Government that doesn't take into account local knowledge or opinions. Local councils have generally gone with the reduction and Wrexham Council is no exception. I think that is mainly because</b><b>, when resources are spread so thinly,</b><b> it's easier to do.</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><b>"If the intention is to ensure people walk, cycle and use public transport to get around, then that would need a far greater emphasis on improving bus services as well as safer cycle routes. This is all about the stick and not about the carrot.</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><b>"The top-down introduction will cause problems and I have no doubt will need to be reviewed. We're calling on the Welsh Government to take their time to get this right first time rather than have to unravel the scheme.</b></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Noto Sans", sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><b>"In the meantime, please have your say by taking part in Wrexham Council's online survey <a href="https://www.yourvoicewrexham.com/kms/dmart.aspx?strTab=PrivacyStatement&PageType=item&filter_CampaignId=1932" target="_blank">here</a> </b><b>or email your views to <a href="traffic@wrexham.gov.uk ">Wrecsam Council </a>before September 1st."</b></p><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /></div></div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-36483892461177323522023-08-14T12:32:00.001+01:002023-08-15T15:10:57.829+01:00Redrow rattled by Plaid petition success<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwmiKtBk6c1kHoYhuusQYOxPBvtJkOUcpngObXhV67wOAn5-XB3X-wlLivzCZgTKNC2_j_Hwitxx96127g9alFNB-DmbRc5Titm9-x4QJdlD8kECoOKxAS_NCpJbLwNn5rwhZzElWcyxby3-sh4S8-HEhZwWSherJblIG-VWdInSyio8Qxrr6f4K3lgsQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjwmiKtBk6c1kHoYhuusQYOxPBvtJkOUcpngObXhV67wOAn5-XB3X-wlLivzCZgTKNC2_j_Hwitxx96127g9alFNB-DmbRc5Titm9-x4QJdlD8kECoOKxAS_NCpJbLwNn5rwhZzElWcyxby3-sh4S8-HEhZwWSherJblIG-VWdInSyio8Qxrr6f4K3lgsQ" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">It appears Redrow is rattled by the success of the online petition launched against its plans to build 1500 houses on the Ruthin Road, Wrecsam.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The petition, which was originally in paper form, states:</span></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"> <span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #5c6263;">1.I object to between 1000 and</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"> </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #5c6263;">3000 cars on the Lower Berse Farm site polluting the local atmosphere and congesting Ruthin Road, Bersham Road, Berse Lane and the A483 junction.</span></span></p><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">2. I object to a large building development compressing land prone to flooding and encouraging flooding and structural damage to existing local properties.</span></p></div><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">3. I object to prime agricultural land being used for housing when there are significant areas of open and brownfield land available in the city centre.</span></p></div><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">4. I object to a huge influx of people pressurising our overstretched NHS services and schools.</span></p></div><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">5. I object to a new water treatment facility, a sewage works, with provision to pump raw sewage into the river Clywedog.</span></p></div><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #5c6263;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">6. I object to these 5 pieces of environmental vandalism devaluing our community, our landscape and existing local properties in order to maximise Redrow profits.</span></p></div></blockquote><div id="petition-content" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Redrow has written to local Plaid Cymru councillor Katie Wilkinson to "correct" the petition. Unwittingly, they have reinforced the key objections: </span></div><div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span>Firstly, with regard to traffic – the petition references 1,000 to 3,000 car movements a day but</span></span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">does not provide a source for such figures. Our transport assessment, carried out by SCP (an </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">independent assessment agency), states that 835 car movements in and out of the site would </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">be made in the morning peak hour, with 859 car movements taking place in the afternoon </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">peak hour. </span></span></b></div></blockquote><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">These are <i>additional</i> rush-hour traffic movements to the existing congestion. The developer concedes 1700 additional journeys at peak times but there will be other journeys for people working shifts, visiting relatives or friends, taking the kids to school and leisure trips. There will be deliveries to the estate as well. With hindsight, 1,000 is a huge underestimate but 3,000 looks pretty close.</span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><b><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span>Secondly, regarding any flood risk – a flood consequence assessment carried out by Waterco </span></span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">(independent environmental impact assessors) has been prepared and areas where potential </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">for flooding have been identified would not be built on under our proposals. The site is </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">designed to operate at a greenfield run off rate, meaning that the areas of isolated flooding </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">will be made no worse as a consequence of development, nor will there be any knock-on </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">impact downstream.</span></span></b></div></blockquote><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">So Tarmacing a large area of green space will not increase flood risk and won't make the current flooded areas any worse. Of course.</span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span><b>Thirdly, the site is currently situated in the Green Barrier, as </b></span></span><b><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span>designated by the Wrexham Unitary Development Plan (UDP). However, the emerging Local </span></span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">Development Plan (LDP) proposes to allocate the land for development, which this proposal is </span><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif">consistent with. </span></b></span></div></blockquote><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Which is precisely why Plaid Cymru is opposing the LDP - it enables this specific development as well as a similar-sized housing estate on the Cefn Road.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><b></b></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face=""Open Sans", sans-serif"><b>Fourthly, regarding access to the NHS/GPs – the emerging LDP does not set out a </b></span><b>requirement for provision of a GP surgery to deliver homes on this site. </b></span></div></blockquote><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Another reason why the LDP is not fit for purpose - any large housing development will have a knock-on effect on health and other infrastructure.</span></span></div><blockquote><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span><b>Fifthly, your reference to wastewater treatment works – raw sewage will not be discharged </b></span></span><b>into the river Clywedog. A wastewater treatment plant is being proposed as a potential </b><b>solution for the site to deliver nutrient neutrality. The only water that would leave that site and </b><b>discharge into the Clywedog, would be water that had been treated by the plant.</b></span></div></blockquote><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">Perhaps we need to get Redrow to run all Dwr Cymru Welsh Water facilities because they have clearly developed a fantastic new system to prevent all river pollution. <a href="https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/every-place-raw-sewage-dumped-23118117" target="_blank">Dwr Cymru has admitted to 100,000 incidents of raw sewage entering Welsh waterways in just 12 months.</a> To our knowledge, Redrow does not operate wastewater treatment plants.</span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">One amusing side note - the letter, which complains that we do not focus on the positives (er, it's a protest petition) calls it a "community-led development". Now Plaid locally has made much of the contrast between "developer-led communities" and "community-led development" over the past decade - perhaps Redrow has got them mixed up?</span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;">It also mentions delivering "</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">up to 225 of affordable homes" - this is not exactly a cast-iron commitment. The viability test that would be likely if Redrow had to put in additional costs for road improvements would knock that figure down substantially. In addition, Redrow's definition of "affordable" is 30% below market value. So if a four-bed house is on open market sale for £400,000, then an affordable version would be £280,000 with a significant deposit. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span face="Open Sans, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>Redrow is rattled by the success of the petition to date</b> - nearly 500 local residents have already signed and the arguments being made against such a large housing development are cutting through. If you haven't signed the petition yet, please do so <a href="https://www.wrexhamplaid.cymru/redrow_petition" target="_blank">here</a>. Please share with friends and neighbours to make it clear what you think of the development.</span></span></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-14573102492261979972023-08-08T12:24:00.006+01:002023-08-08T12:29:46.126+01:00 'Dafydd v Goliath' battle over dragon logo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aZjrjQkiy6FyHJ-_yqkMeRp2w86c3-l53VGrhf557JaaECeOBMg9n4n834zOfGrtebMIxlk-zrC5Uplvk6nJwQeAp3KYfkHv61J3klBZ6iwHeNHaR3pNnreJ_BfCa_u2wcjRGuMsBIhEoRzedDsLryEUBiWX6-QQUY4guivHnfGLcO8c8Ag_6fh4mps/s2048/RebelDragon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-aZjrjQkiy6FyHJ-_yqkMeRp2w86c3-l53VGrhf557JaaECeOBMg9n4n834zOfGrtebMIxlk-zrC5Uplvk6nJwQeAp3KYfkHv61J3klBZ6iwHeNHaR3pNnreJ_BfCa_u2wcjRGuMsBIhEoRzedDsLryEUBiWX6-QQUY4guivHnfGLcO8c8Ag_6fh4mps/s320/RebelDragon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A family enterprise from Wrexham is being challenged by a US spectacle maker over its dragon logo.</span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Marchon Eyewear had a $516 million turnover in 2021, slightly larger than Rebel Dragon Designs, which makes Welsh souvenirs, badges and stickers that the family sell mainly at local fairs and events. Rebel Dragon applied to patent its distinctive red dragon logo (see below) to the Intellectual Property Office (formerly the Patent Office).</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />Now Rebel Dragon has received a notice from the IPO to say that New York-based Marchon Eyewear is opposing its application to trademark the dragon because ‘it is similar’ to their logo and Rebel Dragon sells similar products. In a statement on Facebook, Rebel Dragon refuted the claims bluntly: <b>"It isn’t and we don’t. We’ve explained to their lawyers based in London that our tiny family business is all about promoting Wales, and that the dragon is Welsh! We are not competing with them in any way shape or form and never will be. We just want to protect our own minuscule brand.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br />"We believe this is a disgraceful attempt by big business to take what is rightfully ours. They belittle their own customers by claiming that they could confuse their logo with ours. Their own lawyer couldn’t even find our website."</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />The battle has already been branded "Dafydd against Goliath" on social media with supporters incredulous that a large global corporation such as Marchon should want to challenge a local enterprise that clearly does not make spectacles. </div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">One said: <b>"It is disgraceful and absolute nonsense that customers will confuse the two. Greedy bullies."</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" /><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature" dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><img alt="image.png" data-image-whitelisted="" data-surl="cid:ii_ll23ehyv0" height="416" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-a%3Ar-501834071799711028&th=189d488f78e6ff46&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-moMMV5lS7YjeSfNsGvacSKpRIQ0OZosdqmRq5yIkk_rs_peS35ESiTmq4OvXjnTF-b0y3XWg3kCxizdNan3Z1bBSG9p7P6YJzTMcPOn1UebmxxLJMQvWRNNA&disp=emb&realattid=ii_ll23ehyv0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;" width="562" /><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></div><div><img alt="image.png" data-image-whitelisted="" data-surl="cid:ii_ll2433rj1" height="562" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b638bc720e&attid=0.2&permmsgid=msg-a%3Ar-501834071799711028&th=189d488f78e6ff46&view=fimg&fur=ip&sz=s0-l75-ft&attbid=ANGjdJ-7yInk8MphqKMQx2zHOBX1mHTtp7g9PClg2S-ha0RVP8d0DgIYvhJSnsb8RcOIj2PQpOYFFgg_N4LxI3cnfs3IalsjJdma-WfabOUuL9FDQXnFRMMAfis6Jzg&disp=emb&realattid=ii_ll2433rj1" width="290" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div dir="ltr"><b><span style="color: #38761d;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.facebook.com/marc.jones.526&source=gmail&ust=1691574305860000&usg=AOvVaw1sTxoBjHXeXoyBPmXKPIsw" href="http://www.facebook.com/marc.jones.526" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><br /></a></span></b></div></div></div></div></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-691671699575405507.post-151860309492589232023-08-06T19:46:00.004+01:002023-08-06T19:46:27.009+01:00Community council opposes plan to cut Wrecsam's second fire engine<p><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJj_2tiLIHv2v3ZC231qy_v9q1aj70yQMk1jgQQT3ybYC8S8slAYhPJveGTPEXAhRnF7yzydYczIGg_H0ACqetVInmKIacH6V3mNEbdezNuNMJXdCjRvnEIKrsb-jMTdzUKYtrKMPjPhBS7LlpK8mxGakzem_6VuG6sYCS80ONRr0UN4tPqCE3k_aCt6g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="840" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJj_2tiLIHv2v3ZC231qy_v9q1aj70yQMk1jgQQT3ybYC8S8slAYhPJveGTPEXAhRnF7yzydYczIGg_H0ACqetVInmKIacH6V3mNEbdezNuNMJXdCjRvnEIKrsb-jMTdzUKYtrKMPjPhBS7LlpK8mxGakzem_6VuG6sYCS80ONRr0UN4tPqCE3k_aCt6g" width="320" /></a></div><br />Rhosddu<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Community</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Council</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> has declared its strong opposition to plans to halve the number of full-time firefighters in Wrecsam and axe its second whole-time fire engine.</span><p></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">North Wales Fire and Rescue Authority is currently consulting the public on emergency cover across the region. Two of the three options in the consultation involve cutting the second fire appliance in Wrecsam and reducing the numbers of firefighters from 52 to 28.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The motion, which was backed unanimously by councillors, passed states:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>"<span class="il">Rhosddu</span> CC understands the financial pressures facing NWFRA faces due to 13 years of austerity. However we deeply regret that the Authority has chosen, as one of its options, to make savings by reducing the numbers of firefighters in Wrecsam from 52 to 28 and axeing the second whole-time fire appliance. This <span class="il">council</span> calls on the Fire Authority to maintain the current levels of emergency cover in Wrecsam."</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="il">Community</span> <span class="il">council</span> chair Steve Gittins said: <b>"The <span class="il">council</span> opposed this proposal when it was first put forward in 2016. Since then, Wrecsam has seen thousands of extra houses built, a new super-prison and we still have the largest industrial estate with many hazardous hotspots in the fire authority. We understand the financial pressures facing the fire authority because of 13 years of cuts and austerity. Every public service is struggling to balance budgets under that pressure and the failure of the UK Government to provide funding for the pay settlement it agreed with the Fire Brigades Union has made matters worse. </b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>"Wrecsam is the busiest station in north Wales and reducing the service in half in terms of frontline staff is part of a package of proposals that we find completely unacceptable. Two of the options involve cutting frontline firefighters by 12% and 19% - with even the Chief Fire Officer stating that the most drastic option is unacceptable to her. We are saying that a 12% cut in staffing is also unacceptable and dangerous.</b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><b>"We stand in solidarity with our local firefighters, who are always there for us when we need them. We're urging everyone to take part in the consultation by going to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.northwalesfire.gov.wales/about-us/emergency-cover-review-have-your-say/&source=gmail&ust=1691433853668000&usg=AOvVaw0yKB09LBRIYs9DUipkaIeI" href="https://www.northwalesfire.gov.wales/about-us/emergency-cover-review-have-your-say/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.northwalesfire.<wbr></wbr>gov.wales/about-us/emergency-<wbr></wbr>cover-review-have-your-say/</a> and being clear about the need to retain the current levels of emergency cover in Wrecsam."</b></div>PlaidRhosdduhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09620077969500096159noreply@blogger.com0