North Wales post offices boosted by Assembly funding

North Wales AM Janet Ryder has praised news that 10 post offices across North Wales are among those awarded a total of £1.5m from the Post Office Diversification Fund.

She said the Welsh Assembly-funded scheme would lead to the equivalent of 57 full-time jobs at 75 post offices throughout Wales - a clear example of how the Welsh Assembly Government was committed to communities.

The Plaid Cymru AM said: 

"The UK London government has neglected the Post Office network and closed far too many of our community post offices in Wales. What a refreshing difference in attitude to see the Welsh Government taking positive action to safeguard and support post offices because we recognise their importance in our communities."

This is the second round of funding which is designed to help sub-postmasters and sub-postmistresses diversify and improve their Post Offices. A total of £1.1million for sixty three post offices was announced in July.

The £4.5million fund, which will run for three years and is open to every sub-post office in Wales, aims to help with business and marketing advice, advertising, training and some set-up costs for new services. Funding can also be applied for improvements such as creating better access to buildings, upgrading computer equipment, improving security or providing better signs for the outside of premises.

Twelve Post Offices have been awarded grants of up to £5,000 each for small capital projects such as new air conditioning or security systems and sixty three have been awarded up to £20,000 each for larger capital projects such as renovation, improving access or installing facilities for new services. Thirty-four of the Post Offices have also received up to £15,000 in revenue funding which will help employ new staff or increase staff hours to provide more services.

Janet Ryder said:

 “I am delighted that so many Post Offices across North Wales have been able to take advantage of the fund and that it is already making a difference to businesses and communities alike. The enterprises we are now supporting are excellent examples of how Post Offices can provide so many other services for the communities they serve."

Huw Roberts, Director of Welsh Affairs for Royal Mail said:

 “One in seven of Post Offices have now been directly helped by the Fund. We are delighted to be working with the Welsh Assembly Government on this scheme – it can only be good for the community and the service we provide.”

NOTE: Of the 75 post offices receiving help, 10 are in Janet Ryder's North Wales regional constituency. They are:


Llanfairtalhaiarn PO, Conwy
Cerrigydrudion PO, Conwy
Llangollen PO, Denbs
Meliden Rd PO, Denbs
Wepre PO, Flints
Hawarden PO, Flints
Flint PO, Flints
Ffynnongroyw PO, Flints
Glyn Ceiriog PO, Wrexham
Town Hill PO, Wrexham

AMs question Communities First scheme to tackle poverty

The Daily Post reports on Assembly questions over Communities First projects.

AMs question Communities First scheme to tackle poverty

Dec 4 2009 by Tom Bodden, Daily Post

SENIOR Welsh Assembly Government officials were grilled by AMs yesterday over the failings of a £214m drive to tackle deprivation in some of Wales’ poorest communities.

The flagship Communities First programme was launched eight years ago, yet an inquiry by the Auditor General for Wales found “fundamental risks” and warned it faced falling short of its ambitions.

The 147 projects across Wales delivered local benefits but the Assembly Government had to strengthen its approach to “programme bending” – which requires public bodies to prioritise their spending in these areas.

Under the initiative, local partnerships coordinate activities such as health and well-being events, community safety promotions, youth projects, training courses and environmental clean-ups.

But it was 2007 before the Assembly Government took steps to monitor if partnerships were run as intended.

That review encouraged more focus on outcomes.

Jonathan Morgan, Conservative chair of the watchdog public accounts committee, suggested to civil servants that problems highlighted in a previous evaluation six years ago of the programme had remained.

Plaid Cymru AM in North Wales Janet Ryder highlighted that of £214m spent on the initiative, some £140m went to projects to employ staff and £30.5m to local authorities and voluntary sector to employ staff to manage and support teams in communities.

“Should local councils not have been supporting these initiatives anyway?” she said.

Mr Morgan said: “The whole idea was to try to improve the community fabric within the 100 most deprived wards, not as a recruitment exercise for local authorities or anyone else.”

Emyr Roberts, director general for public services, said: “Many of these areas lack capacity to get community development underway, the first phase has been about developing that capacity.”

Dame Gillian said it was impossible to manage all projects from the centre.

Out with the street pastors

For the past four years, weekend revellers in Wrexham town centre have had the added safeguard of Street Pastors to look after them. Last week I attended a dinner to celebrate their achievements as the first such scheme in Wales.

Before that, I went out with them as they checked that people out to enjoy themselves on a Friday night were safe.

It was interesting to see that their presence was very welcome by both revellers and door supervisors, who were very complimentary of the service being provided by these volunteers. One girl who was incapable of walking in her high heels was given a pair of flipflops, a practical help to many who struggle to combine stilettos and alcohol.

It was reassuring, as a parent, to know that youngsters had people out on the street who were there if they needed them for help, advice or simply to get them home. Their presence is low key and perhaps less confrontational than a high-level police presence would be.

Many thanks to Billy and Gareth - in the picture - and all the others who do this voluntary work and also those who help in the background to ensure the service continues.

'Affordable housing for Wales must not be blocked by London politicians'

Plaid Cymru's North Wales AM Janet Ryder has today called on the Westminster parties to give assurances that they will not cause any further delays to Plaid plans to provide more affordable housing for Welsh communities.

Janet Ryder was speaking after a statement by Plaid deputy housing minister Jocelyn Davies, who is seeking powers from Westminster to legislate in order to increase the availability of affordable housing; a One Wales commitment which has even more resonance in the current economic climate.

A previous bid for these powers was derailed by MPs trying to dictate the Welsh legislation that should follow.

Plaid Cymru’s Janet Ryder said:

 “When Plaid went into government we committed to ensuring that more affordable housing was created for Welsh communities. This aim has become even more pressing in the current economic conditions. Unfortunately, MPs in Westminster derailed the legislative process last time by trying to dictate the measures that the Welsh government could put in place once they had the power to legislate. This set the process back causing years of unnecessary delays in being able to deliver on affordable housing. Affordable housing for Wales must not be blocked by London politicians.

"It is vital that the affordable housing LCO, which gives the Assembly the power to make laws in this matter, is not delayed any further. The MPs job is to decide where the powers to legislate should lie, not what is going to be done with them. It is only right that the London parties make a solid commitment that their MPs will not try to second guess what measures the Welsh government intends to develop with the powers and will instead work to ensure as smooth a passage as possible for this LCO.”

Janet Ryder added that affordable housing continued to be a huge priority in North Wales, despite falling house prices: 

"What we're seeing now is a lack of finance available for house buyers, who are being asked to find 25% deposits - that could amount to tens of thousands of pounds. If you're on an average wage in North Wales, that's just not possible. 

"That's why I was pleased to attend the recent affordable housing conference at Glyndwr University along with Jocelyn Davies along with councillors and housing experts from every council in North Wales. It demonstrated that there are alternatives to the failing open market that councils and the Welsh Government need to look at seriously if we're to meet the housing needs of people."

Janet backs 15,000-strong petition

Plaid Cymru's North Wales AM Janet Ryder has backed a 15,000-strong petition against a sub-regional plan that links North East Wales to Cheshire and Merseyside.

Janet Ryder was down in the Assembly building in Cardiff to welcome the People's Council of North Wales campaign group as they presented their petition - the largest ever presented to the Assembly.

She said:

 "The petition's size demonstrates the strength of feeling in Wrexham, Denbighshire and Flintshire on this matter. The West Cheshire/North East Wales sub-regional strategy is repeatedly played down by council officers but it is evidently a material planning consideration as they prepare their Local Development Plans. 

"It's important that the concerns of the people were listened to and that local housing needs are paramount. The North East has seen thousands of homes built in the past 10 years and also seen house prices rise way beyond the reach of the average local wage. The latest news that Denbighshire wants to treble the number of houses in Bodelwyddan and effectively create a new commuter town on the A55 reinforces the thrust of this strategy.

"The plan has been developed without people's consent. This petition is a wake-up call to planners, politicians and developers to say 'enough is enough' and calling a halt to overdevelopment. I commend the hard work carried out by the campaign to raise awareness, to highlight the dangers to the environment, our communities and the fragile Welsh identity in many of these areas."

Pictured with Janet Ryder AM are Cllr Carrie Harper, of Wrexham, and other campaigners down in Cardiff Bay.

Plas Madoc update: Communities First bosses suspended

Today's Daily Post has news of developments in the Plas Madoc investigation. I was due to meet Communities First representatives on Friday on the estate but learned today that the meeting had been cancelled.

The scheme’s co-ordinator Miriam Beard and the finance and monitoring officer Andy Bunning have been suspended while auditors scrutinise the books.
It follows allegations about the way the scheme, which has received millions of pounds funding to regenerate the local area, was being managed.

Yesterday Plas Madoc Councillor Paul Blackwell, who sits on the PMCF board said the scheme was fully co-operating with the investigation.

A Welsh Assembly Government spokesman said: “The Welsh Assembly Government and Wales Audit Office are working together to investigate concerns raised about governance arrangements within the Plas Madoc Communities First Partnership.

“As a result of preliminary findings two members of staff employed by the Plas Madoc Communities First Partnership have been suspended, pending further investigation.

“The Assembly Government is continuing to work with the Communities First Partnership in Plas Madoc to ensure that its projects and activities in the local community are able to continue while further investigations continue.

“It would not be appropriate to comment further until the investigation has been completed.”

Coun Blackwell said: “There is full co-operation with the investigation and at the moment there is no evidence of any wrong doing.”

PMCF was formed in 2003 as a limited company and a registered charity.

Its purpose is to regenerate Plas Madoc, which is one of the most deprived wards in Wales.

The community has major problems with access to services such as GPs and dentists, education standards local employment opportunities, and support for childcare.

PMCF funnels funds into proactive schemes to give the local community a much needed boost.

Since 2003 PMCF has co-ordinated a range of beneficial projects to support the area including £125,000 to give play areas a facelift, taking children on life changing trips to Gambia, and organising local environmental action schemes to clean up the area.

Concerns were raised earlier this year there were problems with the way it was being run, with Mandy Bostwick, a psychotherapist and community councillor for Coedpoeth inWrexham, going on the record voicing her worries.

But the claims were denied by PMCF bosses who insisted they would be vindicated after the investigations had concluded.

Iraq war inquiry snub to families in Wales

Plaid Cymru has spoken out against the latest developments in the UK Government’s Iraq Inquiry, which excludes Wales and the role of Welsh servicemen and women by omitting them from the key stages of the process.

The Iraq inquiry headed up by Sir John Chilcott, which was launched on 15 June 2009, has been taking evidence from families and service personnel.

Representatives of the inquiry visited cities in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland but Wales has been completely left off the radar.

Plaid's North Wales AM Janet Ryder said:

 "Fourteen Welsh servicemen, including four from North Wales, died in the war in Iraq. That's one in 11 of all UK fatalities in the conflict. Their families are being denied the opportunity to contribute to the inquiry and I'm sure several of the many injured during the conflict would want to have their say too.

"As is the case with many ex-servicemen abandoned to their fate once their fighting days are over, it seems the establishment is bypassing us with this inquiry. Given the contribution Welsh personnel make to the British Armed Forces - way beyond its actual population - it's important that families and others can contribute to this important inquiry. Plaid has consistenly opposed the illegal war in Iraq and this inquiry has to ensure that mistakes made then are never made again."

She backed calls by Plaid Cymru MPs for the investigation to be more specific by splitting the inquiry in two, with one arm to look at the reasons why a decision was made to go to war, and another to investigate actions during the war.

Plaid’s Westminster leader Elfyn Llwyd MP said:

“Yet again Wales is barely an afterthought. Large numbers of Welsh soldiers were sent to Iraq to fight an illegal war and now the Government is showing little respect to them, their fallen colleagues or their families by leaving Wales out of such an important inquiry.

“We will never get to the truth if short cuts are taken and evidence still allowed to be gathered in secret. This must be a full and transparent inquiry.

“Brown has already managed to call the inquiry into disrepute over his original decision to hold the inquiry in private. He has since bowed to pressure allowing some consultations to be discussed in public, although still information will be withheld and there is no guarantee what will happen once the report is released.

“Typically, Labour will try and water down the report by releasing it in Spring when chances are it will be buried under the General Election. We must have full scrutiny over this issue.

“We need a debate and a vote in Parliament after the report is published and if the Government’s report raises doubts as to the legality of the Iraq war, then Plaid will call on the Government to submit itself to the judicial scrutiny of the International Court of Justice."

Praise for pioneering anti-social behaviour team

North Wales Assembly Member Janet Ryder has praised the work of a pioneering team tackling anti-social behaviour hotspots.

The Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales made her comments after visiting the Youth Justice team at its base in Derby Road, Brynteg, near Wrexham.

 The team of four in the picture  - Fred Derbyshire, Nick Edwards, Donna Shepherd and team leader Craig Matthews - work from an office above the local AM/PM store run by Dino Paletta, also pictured, who has been backing the scheme by providing free office space.

She said: "This team is targetting areas that have the potential to spiral into anti-social behaviour and I'm very much in favour of this kind of preventative work. If we can nip problems in the bud by providing alternative outlets for youngsters as well as getting them to inter-act more with older generations then the savings in terms of community relations and the actual cost of police intervention is huge."

The team is currently engaged in a 12-week project in the Brynteg area, where a public meeting agreed on a course of action for the team, who work closely with the police, local council and other agencies.

Janet Ryder added: "Twelve weeks seems a very short timescale to make an effective intervention and, although I'm sure it is making a real difference in key communities, perhaps the programme needs to have more time to make an impact in villages like Brynteg. I would welcome greater involvement by the team on a longer-term basis to engage with children from the age of eight upwards and ensure they stay out of trouble."

Funding for the project, which is backed by North Wales Police and Wrexham Council, comes to an end in March despite the positive feedback the scheme has been receiving. Janet Ryder said: "It's hard to demonstrate that youngsters haven't got involved in anti-social behaviour as a direct result of this team - how do you prove a negative? But I believe it's an effective way to improve our communities and deserves further support."

AM marches against marble church housing scheme

North Wales Assembly Member Janet Ryder has marched with community campaigners fighting plans to treble the number of houses in their village, saying it is a "warning to us all" of what can happen when local needs are ignored.

 The Plaid Cymru AM for North Wales spoke after joining more than 100 local people who walked across fields at Bodelwyddan that have been put forward for an extra 1715 homes next to the village's landmark marble church. There are currently 800 homes in the village. Janet Ryder said: "The turnout amongst villagers on a wet and windy day reflects the concerns people have about the over-development in this area. Building on fertile green fields like these is unacceptable. I have already raised concerns in the Assembly about this and other housing developments in north-east Wales, which have far more to do with the profits of developers than local housing need.

"If this part of Wales does not have very careful planning in the coming round of Local Development Plans, we're going to see a ribbon of commuter estates and dormitory villages created along the A55 and A483 corridors. This has nothing to do with creating communities with a sustainable future and local people are right to fight this.

"The tone of the campaign group is one of measured anger. This is not a simple NIMBY - Not in my back yard - attitude because residents in Bodelwyddan understand that this is part of a bigger picture whereby the north-east is effectively being used to service the housing needs of the Liverpool and Cheshire region. It does not make sense to create new commuter estates along the A55 for people to travel back and fore to Liverpool and Manchester. That's not a sustainable community and puts huge added pressures on the local infrastructure."

The Bodelwyddan Development Action Group, which organised the protest, also held a mass meeting last week. The meeting, at the village community centre, was chaired by local resident and former Conwy Council chief executive Derek Barker, who slammed the plans. He said: "If you're looking to develop an area, you don't start off with housing. Past housing growth has had no impact on affordability because we have an area of poor wages based on tourism and agriculture. These plans are not based on local need. We need honesty from Denbighshire County Council because this will just allow Cheshire people to have a house here."

Janet Ryder added: "These proposals for Bodelwyddan are just the most extreme example of what happens when the needs of a local community are ignored and trampled on. We have a disturbing situation where planners in Flintshire, Conwy, Denbighshire and Wrexham councils are having to reflect the housing needs of a wider sub-region that includes Cheshire and Merseyside through the Mersey-Dee Alliance. I see no similar demand for councils in those areas to reflect the needs of people in this part of Wales - it's one-way traffic."

New hospital operating theatres will cut waiting lists

Plaid Cymru's North Wales AM Janet Ryder has expressed delight at news that three new hospital theatres for the area will increase operating capacity by a fifth. The three at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd near Bodelwyddan will cost £5.4 million and include two laparoscopic theatres delivering "keyhole" surgery and one new urology day care unit.

Janet Ryder said: "Current operating theatres at Glan Clwyd are working to capacity so these are much needed new facilities being provided by the Welsh Government. The laparascopic theatres will be purpose-built and state of the art and this extra theatre space will increase capacity at Glan Clwyd by 20%. That means more operations can be performed and that will substantially reduce waiting times facing patients.

"This is another example of the Welsh Government opting to invest in the North to improve public services at a time of recession rather than follow the London parties' agenda of cutting public services at this crucial time. Now is not the time to be putting public sector workers on the dole and reducing the services we need more urgently than ever."

Wrexham tops WAG budget settlement

This went out to the local press in Wrexham:

Wrexham will receive the highest increase in Assembly Government funding for Welsh councils in the latest round of funding announcements.

The 3.1% increase for 2010-11 has been welcomed by Plaid Cymru's North Wales AM Janet Ryder. She said: "Wrexham doesn't qualify for the EU Convergence Fund and has been badly hit by job losses in the past year. Therefore it's good to hear that Welsh Government funding for the council in the coming financial year is the highest in Wales."

She added: "The picture across North Wales is a mixed one - some councils are receiving below the 2.1% average increase while others, like Denbighshire and Wrexham, are above average. Because of UK government cuts in budgets, there's no doubt that many councils will struggle to maintain services.

"What's important to note is that the Welsh Government has seen a less-than-expected block grant from London because of UK government cuts but is ensuring that cuts are minimised for local councils. This is where the frontline services are and these are the services we need to protect and safeguard. That's why the Welsh Government has ensured that councils overall are getting the same funding increase as the Assembly itself."

 Wrexham Council will receive £162 million from the Welsh Government, an increase of £7 million, but the Plaid AM is concerned that the long-term funding settlement for Welsh councils could look bleak. 

Janet Ryder launched a passionate attack on the way funding is allocated to Wales. She said: "The Plaid-Labour government in the Assembly has had to use money held in reserve to help at this vital time. That is because London governments have consistently underfunded Wales because of the flawed Barnett Formula. This formula means that Labour in London is holding back money that should come to Wales. The independent Commission chaired by Gerald Holtham identified this spending gap and said that, until the funding formula was reviewed, no further cuts should be imposed on Welsh funding. This has been ignored and that ultimately means that frontline services such as health, education and social services will feel the pinch.

 "Plaid has campaigned for many years for a fair funding formula to ensure that Wales gets the money it needs. Unless that is addressed, next year's settlement is likely to be followed by more severe cuts."

The full settlement is detailed below:

	WELSH LOCAL GOVERNMENT SETTLEMENT 2010-11
	Provisional
	Table 1a: Increase in AEF								?000s
	Local Authority		2009-10  Final AEF?		2010-11 Provisional AEF?		% increase		Rank
	ISLE OF ANGLESEY		93,595		94,531		1.00%		21
	GWYNEDD		168,441		170,197		1.04%		20
	CONWY		144,405		146,042		1.13%		19
	DENBIGHSHIRE		134,698		137,920		2.39%		6
	FLINTSHIRE		183,618		186,989		1.84%		12
	WREXHAM		157,409		162,294		3.10%		1
	POWYS		179,219		181,012		1.00%		22
	CEREDIGION		98,978		101,042		2.09%		9
	PEMBROKESHIRE		159,957		162,181		1.39%		17
	CARMARTHENSHIRE		247,315		251,678		1.76%		13
	SWANSEA		296,521		302,028		1.86%		11
	NEATH PORT TALBOT		195,419		198,861		1.76%		14
	BRIDGEND		176,092		180,723		2.63%		4
	THE VALE OF GLAMORGAN		148,613		152,161		2.39%		7
	RHONDDA CYNON TAFF		340,172		348,653		2.49%		5
	MERTHYR TYDFIL		85,654		87,343		1.97%		10
	CAERPHILLY		248,483		254,083		2.25%		8
	BLAENAU GWENT		107,958		109,593		1.52%		16
	TORFAEN		129,087		131,169		1.61%		15
	MONMOUTHSHIRE		97,790		98,904		1.14%		18
	NEWPORT		191,062		196,974		3.09%		2
	CARDIFF		382,753		394,093		2.96%		3
	Wales		3,967,239		4,048,471		2.05%
	Footnote :1. 2010-11 figures include the transfers in and out of the settlement, 2009-10 figures are therefore adjusted to include the 2009-10 value  to allow comparison at local authority level. This results in a slight difference (0.02%) when compared with the overall  increase in funding before the inclusion of transfers.