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Local Elections 2008

Click link below to see what is happening in Flintshire

Link The Daily Post

Why Worry?

There are only two things to worry about-
Either you are well or you are sick.
If you are well, there is nothing to worry about.
But if you are sick, there are only two things to worry about-
Whether you will get well, or whether you will die.
If you get well, there is nothing to worry about.
But if you die, there are only two things to worry about-
Whether you go to Heaven or Hell.
If you go to Heaven there is nothing to worry about,
and if you go to Hell, you'll be so busy
shaking hands with old friends that you
won't have time to worry.
So why worry?

I make friends I make enemies

Yesterday I made new friends, today Lisa gets the "the Medusa look" in the Penyffordd Post Office off a Williams family member. Lisa did her own leaflet, it says nothing bad about David.

My leaflet is all my own work.
I say this to the Williams clan. What if one you gets run over in lawless Chester Rd or Hawarden Road? A child, grand child or grand mother. Cllr David Williams has known for a year about the level of speeding.
Would you blame David or put it down to bad luck?
I call it bad village management.

Has he asked Flintshire Highways about the traffic data recorded? -- no

I told him in March about the speeding traffic, we had the meeting in May with Flintshire Highways.
I agree to stuff I know will not work, I had no choice but to go along.
I think the meeting sorted by Colin Bithell and Flintshire Highways before hand.
1. An extra 30 mph speed sign - of no use
2. A rumble strip
3. A possible flashy sign
4. A route to school map to be sorted via Penyffordd Primary School Headmaster

The route to school map was not followed up.

There is progress in the slowing of traffic but it is not fixed by along way.
Are we pressing Flintshire Highways to check traffic speeds again? -- No
All the above applies equally to Cllr Colin Bithell

You Williams clan should be pushing for a safe village, not leaving it wide open for the daily rat run. Do you not have any village pride or do you all live up quiet cul de sacs and can't care less?

20 mph outside schools makes some new friends.

Swansea City plans 20mph speed limit outside all primary schools

Kevin Clinton, head of road safety for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, says the slow zones are effective.

He said, “People, especially children, should be free to use the streets on which they live without the fear of being killed or injured by drivers who are going too fast and 20mph zones can reduce child pedestrian casualties by up to 74%.”

Click here

Cllr Colin Bithell in College Mismanagement talks

Welsh Assembly officials have proposed removing the board of governors from the Welsh College of Horticulture at Northop due to a loss of confidence in their ability to manage the colleges finances.
It would appear the board of governors have had this problem since 2000. It would appear the Welsh Assembly have had enough of the extra hand outs due to the governors inability to keep control of expenditure. Colin Bithell is a governor.

Colin's Political Career

His political career began after his family had moved to Broughton, Chester, and in 1970 he was elected to Flintshire Council.
After four years and boundary changes, Flintshire was taken into Clwyd.
Colin, however, chose to seek a seat on Alyn and Deeside District Council, and served for 19 years, being chairman in 1982/83. After a short period away from local politics, he was elected to Penyffordd Community Council and Flintshire County Council.
Now aged 71, Cllr Bithell is deputy leader of the Independent Group on Flintshire Council and is a governor of the Welsh College of Horticulture at Northop.

Links
Northop College Mismanagement
The Evening Leader

Pivotal Conversations

Yesterday I had two surprising positive conversations with what might be called village elders. Their positive response to my actions emboldens me. There are a few out there who feel I may have puppet masters. This is not true. They have been clever enough to leave me to my own devices. The final nails in the coffin of the the old regime hammered in today?
Or has the postal vote and national politics got in the way. We shall see.

A Positive response from Penyffordd and District residents

On the way around we are finding quite a few residents who are fed up with the Tom Jones / Colin Bithell show. Every 4 years they gang together to keep new blood off the Penyffordd Community Committee also at County Council level.

If any of you are reading this can I ask the following question.

Do you have your own mind or do you always do what others tell you?

Penyffordd and District has consistently missed out on opportunities available.

Is it not time for a change?

Will you consider voting for myself Colin Hughes, Lisa Harding, Linda Vidamour, Cindy Hinds, Jane Hopwood and David Williams for Penyffordd Community Council.
Average age 56 instead of the current 68 years of age.

You do not have to vote for all 10 places just the ones of your choice.

Its time for a regime change, will you help to make it so? Your vote is secret.

A Phone Call from Colin Everett Returning Officer for Flintshire Elections 2008

This is something I have been waiting for. Lisa puts him off whilst we get the rest of our leaflets delivered. I ring Colin back a few hours later.
The problem is not what I think it is going to be but something trivial that needs to be precise.

There is a problem with the wording regards publishing and printing of my electoral leaflet. I have left out the printers or in this case copiers. We changed from using a company in Buckley because their commitment to customers was poor.
Forgot to put copier company in Mold on the literature.
The waters are now calmed I have sent the required data to Colin Everett.

Keep a good eye on your Pet Dogs

A child's dogs have been stolen in Pontybodkin. It would appear a dog has been stolen recently in Penyffordd.
The story here in The Daily Post

The election trail still has hurdles

We have three leaflets to deliver. Lisa has the full amount of 1450 leaflets. Mine however appear to be about 260 down. More hassle trying to fit work in with leaflet delivering and getting more. Wet hair, wet shoes and having my fortune told by Cllr David Williams yesterday. Lisa is walking around with a cold, a sprained ankle. So it was not surprising that she wanted to have a go at David yesterday. I had to send Lisa down the road away from the discussion, David in his car, me on the opposite side of the road with cars speeding in between us whilst David vents his spleen.

I remain steadfastly committed to living in a village centre not a shortcut speed rat run for over a 1000 vehicles a day.

A Chance Meeting with Cllr David Williams

I have just had a 10 minute meeting with Cllr David Williams on Wrexham Road. David is not happy with me. I have not been happy with 2000 cars that speed passed my house every day for the last 14 months and beyond.
David feels aggrieved and feels it is personal. It is not personal . If Colin Bithell and Tom Jones had volunteered email addresses they would have had exactly the same.
I have apologised to David if I have caused him and his family distress. Some of my blog is "tongue in cheek" and not to be taken seriously. This however does not come over on The Internet very well.

I stay committed to living on a road that has a 30 mph speed limit that most of you have in your roads. I should be living in the middle of a village with a bypass, not a road that is a rat run for 1000+ cars and lorries.

After my original push off by Nigel Jones, The Clerk to the Council who explained that speeding traffic was nothing to do with Penyffordd Council I sent an email possibly through Cllr Linda Vidamour or Cllr Cindy Hinds as Nigel will not have an email address saying I would do my best to have a regime change in the elections the following May.
They continue to try to ignore the speeding so it comes to this.

Cllr David Williams did not receive the email to the Penyffordd Community Council but has known of the speeding issue for over 12 months.

Cllrs Linda Vidamour, Cindy Hinds and Edwina Davies have helped and communicated through out the last year.
Cllr Colin Bithell and Tom Jones have tried their best to ignore me for the last 14 months.
Cllr Colin Bithell takes the applause for getting an extra 30 mph sign (doesn't work), half a rumble strip and a flashy sign whilst trying to ignore the dangerous conditions that are in place every school morning between 8.30 and 9.00 am in Chester Rd , a major route to school.

Postscript. David was telling me various projects he has helped with in the village.
He rightly says I have done nothing.
If I can bring about the traffic calming of our village centre by making our politicians sit up I will have achieved extra safety for our children, OAP's and horses.

Penymynydd Sad Person

Posted on a door. "No election leaflets" There are only 4 or 5 for the village anyway. Perhaps they need to try a little Robert Mugabe.

election 2008 banner

Click top of left hand column banner to see postings.

Whilst out delivering election sheets

Click on Image

I run into the Birdman of The Old Warren. Many a tale to tell, a character.

This is his cockrell that follows him around all day like a dog.

David Williams Election May 2008

Click on David's sheet to read.

Since David will not give me an election sheet here is one I found on the road.

David says if you want somebody to represent you who will attend meetings, sit on sub committees etc, he is not your man.
Just to familiarize the reader who may not know the local government system. It is a smaller model of our national government. We have a local government and we have a local opposition. They compete to run Flintshire County.

We currently have a majority to Labour on Flintshire County Council so the Labour Group run the show.

Labour hold all the executive positions. They have something like a two seat majority over the non labours.

The Local Opposition is made up non Labour. Our Cllr Colin Bithell is Deputy Leader of the Local Opposition which is why he gets £16,000 a year instead of £12,500 which is what every county councillor gets plus expenses. Colin gets the extra as he has to spend a lot of time at Shire Hall which may even be on a daily basis.

So David who has attended 3 out of 15 meetings has not supported the Independents at all.
David must ask the question of why would the local opposition as a group do anything to help Penyffordd with his total lack of turning up and reliability. He doesn't even apologise for not turning up.

So David what did we get for your £12,500 last year.
I know a resident who rang you up about a problem and you told them to put it in writing.
Why the extra hoop to jump through.
Not really what you get the £12,500 for David.

Community Councillors get no money in fact there is a negative, my election literature cost £160 and there in no certainty of me getting on the Penyffordd Community Council. My investment is there because I have had 14 months of getting not too far.

On the back of David's election sheet one of David's aims is to raise the profile of Penyffordd at Shire Hall and with councillors. - How can you do that if you do not go too meetings and support the Independents?

David feels that with another 4 years he can make further progress in improving the quality of life in our village.

So you have known about 100's of cars flying through our village each morning on a major route to school for 14 months.

What is the progress on this daily trashing of our village. Not much.

David has mates in the village who can't see the trouble with doing 50 mph passed the Post Office.

Post Script. Cllr Colin Bithell has done his best to ignore the speeding.

To the Printers Part 2

We go to Mold to a fast print shop. Its market day so no where to park legally so I hang out with the car in a private group of houses where Dolly Dog and I meet Albert the dog. Lisa is back within 5 minutes with a proof. We are ready to rock n roll.
The great man Cllr Tony Sharps has been in the day before with his printing instructions. Tony of course has his village tied down traffic wise whilst Chester Rd Penyffordd is still part of Charles Hughes' 60 mph trunk road network.

County Councillor David Williams' Attendance Record for meetings at Shire Hall

So David does three out of a possible fifteen and takes £12,500 home

So that's £4166 per meeting.

Flintshire County Council rules on attending meetings is that you should attend 4 out of 12. I think it should be 8 out of 12.

Cllr D T M Williams - attendance at Flintshire County Council Meetings

1st March 2007 (Ordinary) - attended - P

13th March 2007 (Ordinary) - apologies - x

17th April 2007 (Special) - apologies - x

25th April 2007 (Special) - Didn't attend or tender apologies- x

8th May 2007 (Annual Meeting) - apologies - x

22nd May 2007 (Ordinary) - attended - P

28th June 2007 (Special) - Didn't attend or tender apologies - x

31st July 2007 (Ordinary) - attended - P

27th September 2007 - special - 10.00 am - apologies - x

special - 2.00 pm - apologies - x

23rd October (Ordinary) - looks as though his name was put in and then crossed off

6th November (Ordinary) - apologies - x

5th December (Special) - apologies - x

29th January (Ordinary) - Didn't attend or tender apologies - x

19th February (Special) - apologies - x

I have 2000 cars that speed passed my house everyday.

It also took him 4 months to pass over contents of a letter by Dave Faulkner Acting Director for Regeneration and Environment for Flintshire County Council.

Arrive Alive Turn up anyway

I thank thee for the visit.
You nearly caught me lol
I cant win with Arrive Alive
They can't come enough or have the right strategic places to stop the morning rat run.
They turn up when I say we don't need them because of the traffic lights.
The van was very well blended in with the parked cars.

Dear Arrive Alive please cancel our monthly visit

An Email to The Arrive Alive Partnership of North Wales - Also to the Great and the Good
All the way from Rhodri Morgan First Minister to the village cat.

Dear Rose

Good Morning a new week is upon us and the sun is out.

I bring good news from Chester Rd Penyffordd

West Wales Utilties are digging the road up for 5 weeks

Its quite a good traffic calming tool, someone turned the 3 way traffic lights off last night, it wasn't me honest! A simple set of traffic lights that have more effect than the combined might of North Wales Police and Arrive Alive. Mind you the previously mentioned are really all smoke and mirrors.

Impotent to manage speeding traffic in North Wales due to having no resources

Pity we can't have them for 50 years as Flintshire Highways are determined to use Chester Rd, Penyffordd as a trunk road, I think the term is "de facto" Flintshire County Council thinks Penyffordd a soft touch. I'm sure Cllr Bithell is an employee of Flintshire Highways.

Flintshire Highways are currently the Philistines of Traffic Management in Wales

One can but hope for a change of policy.

Still on traffic lights the Spanish have the right idea.

Traffic lights are put in the middle of the village they are speed activated and turn red.

The more speeders in a certain time frame and the red light time increases.

No grumpy motorists with points and a happy village

Can Penyffordd be the first Welsh village to have them please?

Can you tell Essi to cancel the van for our once in 4 week visit this month.

One of the 800 odd other suffering communities can have our place instead.

Pity we can't have Hugh's Magic box to tell us how we are doing.

I know how we are doing and its not that good.

All this technology and its left in the cupboard

Still I'm going to do my best to tell the whole world about it.

I'm busy with my election literature at the moment

I've got the lawyers going over it

.

One of them says I'll be going to The Tower if I don't alter stuff.

As a non stake holder I'm gung ho!

I married a rich woman, its all Lisa's including the Porsche

One county councillor has been found doing photocopying at Shire Hall

and has been reported to North Wales Police

I'm hoping its one of ours!

One of my County Cllrs is taking credit for half a rumble strip and a flashy sign, I say barsix the swine!

I did all the work!

He says he is now handing the traffic mangement over to North Wales Police.

This is one of the two councillors who have tried to ignore this problem for the last year

When I read this I went into a fit of laughter.

Lisa my wife thought I was having a heart attack.

regards Colin Hughes

Prospective Community Cllr for Penyffordd

No copy to Inspector Alun Oldfield until I've written to Richard to see why I can't

A copy to Cllr David Williams who doesn't want one but who is getting one anyway.

Is that £12,500 for 3 meetings or 14 at Shire Hall last year, David?

I've asked both David and FCC but they are both being a little slow.

So I've put down on my election literature you have attended one, so there!

Tom Jones' Independent Party - Part One

Blogger is not uploading images at the moment.
I have the first five of Tom's Independent Party to show.

1. Joe Bell
Joe is not a well man and should not be standing
2. Colin Bithell
Colin is a governor of both schools but will not have me telling him that we have 2000 speeders on a major route to school every day. I think Tom Jones is involved.
3. Edwina Davies. Edwina stood with me in the freezing cold for two hours with CBM Chris Pullen trying to educate the speeders.
4. Joe Davies. Should not be standing He is too old in my opinion.
5. Stan Davies. Stan's photo looks like one of the great train robbers. married to Edwina

To the Printers

With our election material. I had fancied Colin Bithell's sheet and have copied its style. Previously Lisa had rung up Colin's printer to ask prices and times. Bit vague on prices but because it was election material they would put it through in 2 days. We mention we have digital copy on a CD Rom.
What I thought would be a doddle has gone to being complicated and expensive. Colin Bithell who stands to loose £60,000 over 4 years if not elected has done some investing.
Cast coated A4 white paper with a spot of colour for his photo. I'm sorry Colin but you look the typical untrustworthy politician with that smile.
The professional photo, the design and printing are quite an eye watering sum for pieces of paper that may be read by a third of the recipients.

So the cast coated paper and the colour photo are gone lol

The visit to the printers was an experience we will like to forget. I used to have my breakfast on this little council run trading estate 20 years ago. The printers is opposite. We turn up 1.15pm, three or four staff are sitting around looking very disinterested. No reception area just printing equipment and boxes everywhere. Takes 5 minutes to find someone to talk to. I have a little look around. They have a Heidleberg printer that does A3. We used to do printing and I always fancied one, lovely to watch, poetry in motion. The engineering that allows a sheet of paper to be picked up and a dot of ink applied to within a thousandth of an inch still makes me marvel. Of course a modern printer for a computer now does the same. Printers are sold at a loss so they can get you to buy the ink

Someone gave me an offset litho once. It was due I think for the scrap yard. Then they found us some work, letterheads and business cards too. There started an unhappy apprenticeship in the black art of offset litho printing.

Any way back to the printers. Our man descends from upstairs and we go across to his offices. Very nice but not very concentrated on getting our job done. I give my CD to the design chappy. He can only see the photos. he cannot open our files which have 4 hours of work on.
He has also had his personality removed like the workers in the printers.

We come away brain scrambled. We can't believe how crap we have been looked after.
I get home and find I can give it to them in pdf format which they will accept.
They will however will not be receiving our little order.
No interest in having our business at all.

keywords: Penyffordd Local Elections May 2008

Lisa and myself have been down the photographic studio's

We are getting a little behind with our election literature. I've had Colin Bithell's and Tom Jones' Independent Party literature. Colin has splashed out but you need to understand that there is £64,000 at stake here. No sign yet of Cllr Cindy Hinds or Cllr David Williams' election literature.
I think we will be leaving ours to the last minute.

Community Cllrs of course get no money in fact I would say a proper functioning community councillor will be well and truly out of pocket over four years. I'm not talking about councillors who turn up once a month for a meeting and do nothing else.

Its nice to be back online

Blogging has been down for three days.

Police Neighbourhood Forum tonight

Its between 7 and 8. Usually 2 or 3 people turn up including Lisa and myself. I haven't gone, North Wales Police Management are not my favourite people at the moment.

Quite a few cars there tonight and Lisa is not home yet.
Call me cynical but are our councillors starting to do the right thing on the eve of an election.

postscript: This is how community policing should work. I say no more as I have plenty of wooden sheds.
Do we have any more surprises before the elections, Police working with county councillors on speeding issues, one never knows.

keywords: Katie Quinn (sargeant) rather nice, North Wales Police

Number of residents attending 14.

Colin Bithell Election Literature May 2008

Colin Bithell is campaigning for you and your family.
So lets see Colin.

1. Chester Road a route to school still a race track after he has known about it for 14 months
He takes praise on stuff I have pushed him into doing
The initial contact by Nigel Jones saying that speeding was nothing to do with them must have been discussed by Colin Bithell and Tom Jones before phoning me.

2. Health facilities that includes doctors and a health centre are leaving Penyffordd. Grandma and Grandpa will have to get the bus to Buckley or Hope.

How does the above help Penyffordd and District families Colin?

Click to Enlarge
Cropped and shrunk to increase loading time.

Flintshire County Councillor reported to North Wales Police

for using County Council photocopier for election use which is illegal. They are not saying who it is but the Chester Chronicle know who it is.
It's no one from Penyffordd is it?

All a bit silly really as you get election expenses of £600 per person.
* I am of course completely wrong on this. Greed sees the £600 but fails to to read the detail which say expenses will not be re-embursed. You do however have to send in the expenses form.
This is where Peter Hain came unstuck with the failure to mention £106,000 on his expenses form.

The rules with regards becoming a councillor are fragmented. I got Lisa to phone up last week because I wasn't sure of rules. Even after looking at the website given by Flintshire County Council I was still unsure. Its dead easy to walk into bother with the election authorities. Over paying people to deliver leaflets, honest criticism being labelled a smear, not having the correct wording on your leaflets.

As mentioned previously I got a communication from Flintshire County Council with 2 weeks to go discussing what to have on your literature. If I was having 4 colours with this, that and the other on it would have been printed by then

Speeding in Sandy Lane Saltney

I see a lady writes a letter to The Evening Leader.
Shirley states
I keep to the speed limits because I have a daughter in the car with me most days and I want to be in control of my driving.
However, the idiots who go over the limit have no thought for anyone else but themselves.
Let's hope they never injure or ill a child, person or animal in their thoughtlessness as they would never forgive themselves.
Is there anyone out there who knows the speed limit in Sandy Lane?
And to the police; if you want to catch speeders park down Sandy Lane and fill your boots.

Precisely the same in Chester Rd. Flintshire County Council's reply and proposed actions are lame.
Flintshire County Council continuing to favour road users over house and village environments
As for North Wales Police filling their boots, do me a favour!

Chester Rd Penyffordd.
Currently partially traffic calmed due to Wales and West Utilities who
have the road up for the next 5 weeks

keywords: Charles Hughes, Dave Faulkner, Inspector Alun Oldfield,

FOIE No 3 with regards speed monitoring equipment used by Flintshire Arrive Alive

A Freedom of Information Enquiry ( No3) to the Arrive Alive Partnership

Dear Rose
Hope you are well. Winter continues to hang on. Yesterday we were going to Bontuchel until I looked at the local BBC website. There are too many nutters on the road as it is, snow is a foreign substance to these idiots so I try to avoid journeys in snow. I see someone managed to close the Mold Ruthin road for the morning yesterday. Mindless automatons driving to work, road conditions the last thing on their minds. I see it in their eyes as they tail gate me.

On to the business in hand. I have been left a considerable sum of money by a great aunt who thought highly of me, I get on much better with mature ladies than most other humans, children are down at the bottom of the list. I see them trying to get run over each morning. Someone however needs to care for them, their headmistress most probably running around like a headless chicken with school inspectors.

Before I rush out to buy the latest Audi I was thinking of purchasing the device that Hugh Jones of Flintshire Arrive Alive Partnership (picture above) is taking down off the lamp post. These devices as you know are so sophisticated that they can even tell how many occupants are in a car together with the vehicles speed, direction, exact time, exact speed and weather conditions. Isn't technology marvellous.

It's a pity ( A disgrace) your bosses continue to hide vital information to our village safety. I have a County Councillor ( 13 days remaining) who can think of about 6 different items of a higher priority than 2000 cars that speed passed my house which is a route to school. Both County Councillors with their heads buried in the proverbial sand like a couple of ostriches. What speeding cars, I see no danger here.

The FOIE comes in the following form
1. What is the model and name of the above device that Hugh is taking down off the post.
2. The company name and address of the people who supply the above device.
3. The name of the software that is used to process the above data.

I await the managements reply with interest. Arrive Alive should bear in mind that they work for us the general public. We pay the wages. Arrive Alive Partnership continue to put lives at risk by refusing to hand over anonymous data that shows exact speed and times of vehicles in Chester Road for May 2007.

The only reason for not supplying full data is the hiding of Arrive Alive's gross inefficiency in dealing with speeding cars in communities. They were not set up to deal with our speeding issues.
I approximate there are over 1500 communities in North Wales who are poorly serviced by the current setup. That's 700+ who are on the books and another 700 who were knocked back by Arrive Alive's ridiculous high bar qualifying system.

They were set up to deal with accident black spots. There needs to be proper talks about funding for Arrive Alive and an end to this Marquis of Queensberry stuff. The Department of Transport's comments with regards Richard's horse box a disgrace.

The speeding public who are many do not give a toss about village environments and will continue to treat villages like Penyffordd with impunity until the introduction of proper measures such as civil engineering solutions, hidden speed cameras or Spanish traffic lights.

I'm sure you will pass this on to Inspector Essi Ahari of Arrive Alive management


Have a good weekend lets hope it warms up for the garden. Mine's here

regards Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

ps The Gas Company are doing road works for the next 5 weeks perhaps they can slow the traffic down. To date Arrive Alive, North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council are a failure.


Inspector Alun Oldfield of North Police has asked me to remove him from my email list as I have made a complaint against North wales Police.
Cllr David Williams also does not want my email but David is getting one anyway. Its what you get your £12,500 a year for David.

Google Earth Satelite does Penyffordd

Click Image to Enlarge

The Penyffordd British Legion , Penyffordd Fast Wok, Penyffordd Post office and Penyffordd War Memorial Institute. Directions Google Map.

Links Google Earth Penyffordd

Cllr David Williams is not pleased either

I mention "God intervention" in an email to Cllr David Williams. David thinks I mean something sinister. Last time I looked at The New Testament as opposed to The Old Testament God had stopped doing things sinister.
David will be seeking advice over my various mutterings.

Along with Inspector Alun Oldfield, David is refusing to have any more emails from me.
As a county councillor I'm not sure David has the luxury of not communicating with his electorate, all I was doing was reminding him of 2000 speeders that travel passed me every day.

It will be interesting to see what you have done to earn your £15,000 (approx) whilst being our elected representative.

I wonder whether you have two more weeks as a County Councillor or another four years. I'm on the case till the traffic behaves. I haven't started using my notice board properly on the corner of my hedge. Hope you have all the yes people lined up to vote.

Does someone actually ring people up and tell them to vote for David Williams?
Do Penyffordd people have a mind or are they sheep, we will see.

Long live democracy!

Global Warming continues

Its April 17th 2008. We were going to Bontuchel lunch time. This has been called off due to Loggerheads being closed with snow.

Link BBC NE

Inspector Alun Oldfield is not pleased

Some time ago I made a complaint against North Wales Police with regards the traffic that speeds passed my house everyday. The Police Complaints people I seem to remember saying the complaint was not found to stand. I replied saying the complaint was with North Wales Police not an individual. Since then their has been no communication.
The complaint of course needs to go to Richard which it will shortly.

Inspector Oldfield takes exception about being on my email list as my complaint is ongoing so he says. He has also asked me to take a photo of CBM Chris Pullen off my blog.
A second request to NOT email him.
I suppose it looks like North Wales Police support my blog which they do not.
So I have removed Chris' photo with his phone number on. It was there nice and handy if someone wanted it quickly.
So much for Community Policing as long as you don't continue to point out the 2000 cars that speed passed your house every day.
Perhaps no one wants to go to Neighbourhood Forums because they can see they offer little of substance.
We have a Neighbourhood Forum tomorrow night at 7 pm. Lisa is going I will not as a protest.
North Wales Police have washed their hands of the speeding in Chester Rd.
Arrive Alive do not have the commitment or the resources
Policing by smoke and mirrors and public relations through the newspapers

A blog I read says "Liberty if it means anything is the right to tell people something they do not want to hear".

Election Literature Communication from Flintshire County Council

14 days to go to the local elections I receive a further letter from Flintshire County Council pointing out an error on when the poll is open. Also attached are the rules on what can be said and other matters with regards election literature.
Last week I got Lisa to phone up Flintshire County Council with regards the rules for election literature. We were pointed towards a website that discussed with great gravity the rules plus an example. I think in around the year 2000 laws were passed just before the elections and everybody had literature printed that was illegal. A slight adjustment had to be made to make their literature legal, a right balls up.

Nearly all well organised people will have had their literature in the hands of their printer by now. With the advent of blogs there are some rather large holes that can be fallen into, especially where you have criticized those who are going to stand.
I have edited some of my blog just in case. The blog will not now be used as part of my election literature.

Those standing for election 2008 Community Council

Bithell, Colin C A Professional politician for 30 years. Has been a member of various political parties including Labour.

Bell, Joseph William J W.

Davies, Edwina Mary E M. Edwina tells me she played football up to the age of 40

Davies, Joseph J.

Jones, Margaret Doris M D

Vidamour, Linda L. New kid on the block. Was elected in a bye election. Good, we require more Linda's. The Penyffordd Mafia have tried to grind her down at times. Growing in confidence

Davies, Stanley Eric S E

Hinds, Cynthia C. Cindy is good for the village. Just so happens Cindy is standing for the Labour Party. The wrong party for half of Penyffordd. Very short sighted not to vote for Cindy. Cindy does a lot of unpaid work for Penyffordd.

Jones, Thomas William T W. He has nominated 6 residents and it would have been 7 out of 10 if Linda Vidamour had not nominated Joe Bell.
Fourteen months on and still over 2000 vehicles speeding passed my house everyday.

Williams, David Trevor Mostyn D T M.

Hopwood, Jane J Jane is standing for the first time. Nominated by Tom Jones which is a bad start. I have high hopes for Jane.

Harding, Lisa L. Lisa is my wife. Lisa has attended Penyffordd Community Meetings for about 14 months. She has a fantastic memory for phone numbers, car registration and what people say.
An Aries star sign woe behold anyone who tries to pull a fast one on Lisa.

Hughes, Colin Nicholas C N

To be continued

A Letter published in The Evening Leader

I thank thee.
My conversion rate somewhere near 1 in 20 for successful letters published.
It's The Evening Leader's bucket and spade, so they choose.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is nothing to do with letter published.
I made a comment regards North Wales Police use of a horse box on the Evening Leader website.
The comment was on the lines that us villages need a secret weapon against speeders
It's been pulled, there is a box you can click as unsuitable.
Perhaps a hairy biker pulled it lol

I only found out about it by looking who has looked at the website.
I followed a line backwards that led to a North Wales Police link an Inspector No3
Would that be Inspector Alun Oldfield?

Has Alun got some sort of editorial control at The Leader?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anyway here's my letter
It's not been added to the Leader Website as of yet.

Stephen Lee denies speed cameras save lives. It would be fair

to say that millions of motorists have altered their ways. As the points

add up only the stupid carry on speeding. Current motoring is akin to race track driving.

Push, push, get out of the way. There would be carnage if it were not

for speed cameras. There are over 700 communities in North Wales who

want the Arrive Alive vans more regularly. It is a fact that North Wales Police

would need £100's of millions off The WAG for Stephen's return to the streets for Police policy.

It's just not going to happen. I'm sure the 700 communities who require

Arrive Alive would be quite happy with permanent speed cameras

that operate in both directions.

Postscript. Not sure if the 100's millions will stand up to scrutiny. By the time you add officers, pensions etc the figures are very large.

All standing as Councillors Penyffordd May 2008

Bithell, Colin C	5 Allerton Close, Penyffordd, Nr. Chester, . CH4 0NJ		Thompson, Derek R Thompson, Vera
Bell, Joseph William J W	40 West View, Penyffordd, Chester, .	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Vidamour, Linda
Davies, Edwina Mary E M	Hope Green, Wrexham Road, Penyffordd, Chester, . CH4 0HT	Housewife Independent	Jones, Thomas W Jones, Rita F
Davies, Joseph J	73 Hawarden Road, Penyffordd, Nr Chester, . CH4 0JD	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Walsh, Pauline A
Jones, Margaret Doris M D	18 Plas-Yn-Rhos, Penyffordd, Nr.Chester, Flintshire, . CH4 0JY	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Bithell, Colin
Vidamour, Linda L	71 Chester Road, Penyffordd, Chester, . CH4 0JP	Independent	Matthews, Jeffrey J Owen, Peter J
Davies, Stanley Eric S E	Hope Green, Wrexham Road, Penyffordd, Chester, . CH4 0HT	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Jones, Rita F
Hinds, Cynthia C	38 Berwyn Avenue, Pen-Y-Ffordd, Nr. Chester, Flintshire, . CH4 0HS	The Labour Party Candidate	Thomas, Joan J Parry, Dennis R
Jones, Thomas William T W	Cross Farm, Penymynydd, Chester, .	Retired Farmer, Independent	Bell, Joseph W Davies, Edwina M
Williams, David Trevor Mostyn D T M	Cae Derw, Wrexham Road, Pen-Y-Ffordd, Near Chester, Flintshire. CH4 0HT		Griffiths, Peter Woodward, David M
Hopwood, Jane J	Orchard House, Station Way, Pen-Y-Ffordd, Flintshire, . CH4 0GA Works for The Evening leader	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Jones, Margaret D
Harding, Lisa L	1 Belle Vue Terrace, Penymynydd Road, Penyffordd, Chester, . CH4 OLS	Independent	Boyd, Gillian M Bailey, Susan K
Hughes, Colin Nicholas C N	1 Belle Vue Terrace, Penymynydd Road, Penyffordd, Chester, . CH4 OLS	Independent	Boyd, Gillian M Bailey, Susan K

Link Flintshire County Council

Those standing for Penyffordd County Councillors 2008

Bithell, Colin C	5 Allerton Close, Penyffordd, Nr. Chester, . CH4 0NJ	Independent	Jones, Thomas W Taylor, Valerie M C
Williams, David Trevor D T	Cae Derw, Wrexham Road, Pen-Y-Ffordd, Near Chester, Flintshire. CH4 0HT		Griffiths, Peter Ellis, Mark
Hinds, Cynthia C	38 Berwyn Avenue, Pen-Y-Ffordd, Nr. Chester, Flintshire, . CH4 OHS	Labour Party Candidate/Ymgeisydd Plaid Lafur	Thomas, Joan J Jones, Lorna P

Link Flintshire County Council

Arrive Alive, FOIE's and the Obstruction of Democracy

I see in The Daily Post that 19 North Wales Police Police officers received speeding fines from Speed radar last year yet Arrive Alive who are a partnership with North Wales Police will not hand over anonymous data with regards the number of vehicles and their speed through Chester Rd, Penyffordd for May 2007.
I am standing as a community councillor for Penyffordd yet I am standing for a position with one hand tied behind my back because of Arrive Alive's current refusal to supply data which has a relevance to village safety on a very busy route to school that has approximately 2000 vehicles that speed through the village.

I am daily ridiculed in Penyffordd village over my claim of 2000 speeding vehicles.

Arrive Alive's refusal to hand over the required data is an active obstruction to the democratic process of Wales.

There are over 700 communities who want Arrive Alive assistance with maybe another 700 communities who have been refused assistance due to Arrive Alive's high bar qualification

keywords: Inspector Essi Ahari, Arrive Alive management, Inspector Alun Oldfield, happy smiley stories.

It would be a good call for you newspapers to ask Arrive Alive in FOIE's for the number of clients that Arrive Alive currently services plus the number of clients refused plus speed data. They currently use a statistical method to blind communities as to the actual speeding. Their speed average of 32 mph hiding 2000 speeders a day in Chester Rd , Penyffordd

I have asked for electronic speeding data collected by Arrive Alive for North Wales for 2004 and 2007 to gauge speeding in North Wales Communities. It has been rejected on amount of time to collect data. Also they claim a non standard databases.

Quite frankly to be charitable I find their excuse rather lame. With DVD technology I'm sure the data would fit on a DVD no bother.

Links
Arrive Alive Complaint
Arrive Alive Refusal

Penyffordd County and Community Election candidates to be anounced today

By Flintshire County Council. Returning Officer Colin Everett.

To Prestatyn - Spring Tides

Ken Livingstone to push for 20 mph in residential London

Whilst up here " in the sticks" its 40 - 50 mph by the 100. As Ken says "Nine out of ten pedestrians will be killed if hit by a car travelling at 40 mph, but only one in forty will die if hit at 20 mph."
Chester Rd , a major route to school with no lolly pop and a daily rat run.

Link: Reuters

Nearly 2000 speeders a day, every day through Penyffordd a rural village with a bypass.

The Information Commissioners Office

When they will not hand out the information you want go here.
Click here.

The Freedom of Information Act

I currently have various FOIE's against public agencies.

Arrive Alive have refused to hand over harmless anonymous data that is of relevence to village safety. They site exemptions under sections S31 and S38.
We are in the second phase of my request. It takes 4 to 6 months. Its called kicking the ball into the long grass. As long as we have speeding in Chester Road I will continue to press. Arrive Alive's grounds for refusal are very weak.

I have about 8 FOIE's against Flintshire County Council. They are currently breaking the FOI Act on at least half of my requests because they are supposed to reply in 20 working days. As with Arrive Alive I have asked for electronic data for May 2007 when they measured traffic speeds for about 4 days.
I have also asked for various pieces of information with regards a meeting in May 2007 being misled by holding back of vital information with regards safety of Penyffordd village. Flintshire Highways also said they had no funding left for the year yet Cllr Tony Sharps appeared to get funding in the same year 10 months later.
Also I have asked for communications by Cllr Colin Bithell , Cllr David Williams and the late Derek Darlington who was County Councillor for the village and Leader of Flintshire County Council with regards Chester Rd and increased traffic due to various schemes.

Castle Cement agree in Principle to help fund extra police support

Cllr Colin Bithell has a go at Castle Cement here link Evening Leader then goes along to Penyffordd Community Council on the same day and agrees to take funding off Castle Cement for extra policing in Penyffordd.

The Clerk to Penyffordd Community Council email address?

Early on in the year I asked if Penyffordd Community Council would provide an email
address to communicate with the council.
The request was denied. I see Flint Town Council make Nigel who is also ours and Leeswood Clerk to the Council have an email address.

Link Flint Town Council

Keyword G N I Jones
Email address for Flint Town Council
townclerk@fflinttowncouncil.freeserve.co.uk

Link Flintshire Town and Community Councils

A Letter from Geraint Jones of Flintshire County Council and my response.

Geraint Jones is Senior Road Safety Officer for Flintshire County Council
His letter is below my reply.

Dear Geraint,

Thank you for the clarification.

At a meeting last May 2007 in which two Flintshire County Officers

Charles Hughes and Gerwyn Powell,Cllr Colin Bithell, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Linda Vidamour and myself attended it was agreed that FCC would approach Penyffordd Junior School to discuss a travel plan

and funding from The WAG.

I see it has never been acted upon or followed up, not your fault , ours

Also the installation of an extra 30 mph sign and a rumble strip.

No money available for anything more but Cllr Tony Sharps of Northop Hall getting plenty of funds

for the required improvement of the crossroads at Northop Hall in the same funding year

All around Flintshire there are schools with advisory 20 mph.

Penyffordd Junior School as you know has not applied, not your fault, ours

The bumps that are supposed to slow down cars do little to stop

modern cars from doing 40 mph outside Penyffordd Junior School.

Other schools I notice have higher profile bumps.

I have had complaints from families that live next to the school.

There are approximately 2000 cars speeding passed my house every day which is

a major route to school which Flintshire Highways are full aware of as they hold the traffic speed data for about a four day period from last May.

The current refusal of North Wales Police to support an HGV ban through the village a disgrace.

I remain committed to wanting to live in a village that has a bypass

rather than a village that is currently a race track at certain times of the day.

Chester Road currently acts as the second trunk road for the area whatever Derek Kirby says.

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2008/04/letter-from-derek-kirby-with-regards.html

Rossett village which has similar circumstances to Penyffordd has been "closed down".

The safety of our children, villagers and horses should be the concern of those elected for Penyffordd. It would be a good idea if Flintshire County Council and my Penyffordd Councillors

read The Manual for Streets click here

or

(http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2007/08/map-for-streets-assemblys-plan-for.html)

Flintshire Highways have the knowledge and the funds available to slow down traffic in the middle of Penyffordd village if they so choose. A visit to Wrexham Council villages show perfect examples.

regards Colin Hughes

Penymynydd Rd, Penyffordd.

ps The new pro active signs work a little but are no defence against the modern motorist

who will take no notice of anything that does not penalise him or restrict his or her ability to drive at 50 mph through Chester Road Penyffordd a rural village road which remains as open as the A55.

I hope Flintshire County Council will do a safety and environment assessment of Chester Road in the near future.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message -----

Subject: Safe Routes - Penyffordd Juniors

Dear Mr Colin Hughes,
I refer to your general enquiry regarding the above.

For your information Penyffordd Junior school featured in the above
initiative in June, 2003. This involved a consultation meeting
with the Headteacher, Chair of Governors, Parent Governor, Local Members,
Council Officers and a representative from the N.W. Police.

As a result new signage was provided on the approach to the school and the
'school keep clear' zigzag markings were made mandatory.
Also, a zebra crossing facility was installed on Hawarden Road near the
Junction Corwen Road (by Scouts Hut).

The initiative is now called Safe Routes in Communities programme and any
schemes identified must be supported by School Travel Plans before any
bid can be considered for funding by the Welsh Assembly Government.

There are no immediate schemes being considered for Penyffordd Junior
school. However should any scheme(s) be identified as a result of a Travel
Plan being
submitted by the school, these will need to be prioritised in conjunction
with other Flintshire schools.

I hope the above information clarifies the situation.

Kind Regards,

Geraint, Senior Road Safety Officer

A Letter from Derek Kirby with regards Chester Road being used as a de facto trunk road (my description)

The letter below from Derek Kirby of Flintshire County Council has been cropped and the image shrunk for faster loading. If any councillor or prospective councillor can see anything startling in this data or letter it would be good of you to let me know. I will be replying to Derek Kirby in due course.

tresmegistes@gmail.com

Click on Image to Read

A Further letter to The Newspapers with regards speeding.

The Rat Run in full flow. The middle of a rural Welsh village of Penyffordd, 200 or 300 cars ploughing through, our new pro active sign completely ignored. They don't give an F really. The position is the following.
1. Arrive Alive do not have the resources to deal with this plague.
They also have one arm tied behind their back. Arrive Alive have got to be seen to be fair.
Arrive Alive have set the bar high for qualifying for Arrive Alive assistance using statistics to hide the true speed data. To take an example Chester Road is quoted by North Wales Police as having a 32 mph average speed. This figure when presented to councillors hides 2000 cars that do plus 30 mph passed my house everyday which is in a rural Welsh village, has a bypass, is a 30 mph limit and is a major route to school.

2. North Wales Police had a big splurge in The Evening Leader and other local papers about CBM's getting their own speed guns. They promised 10 sessions then an audit of the effects of the speed gun sessions. They did four sessions then Arrive Alive declined to measure traffic speed over say a four day period similar to when I made my original complaint.
North Wales Police do not have the resources to deal with this daily plague that goes on. They too have one arm tied behind their back.

3. Flintshire County Council have the means but not the will at present to stop this daily assault on our village that has a poorly designed bypass. Chester Road acts as the second trunk road through the area. They have £60 million quid to spend on what the like. (Source Evening Leader).

4. Our Penyffordd Councillors mostly still "away with fairies" on this problem.

I have about 7 FOIE's going with Flintshire County Council as a result of Flintshire Highways officers telling a meeting that they had no money and hiding the fact that 2000 cars speed through Penyffordd village every day. Deceit and Evasion.

Also North Wales Police, Arrive Alive and the North Wales County Councils have all the data on this speeding using state of the art monitors that can even tell how many passengers there are in a vehicle. Yet they refuse at present to make this data public.

So there we have it. North Wales a speeder's race track. A plus 100 mph race track f0r motorcyclists at the weekend. Two agencies North Wales Police and Arrive Alive using smoke and mirrors to try to stop this epidemic.

You newspapers having a go at Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom when you should be having a go at the 1000's of speeding motorcyclists and the tens of thousands of cars and lorries that endanger the public. Is there no political or newsworthy capital in safety and environment?

The current system is not working and needs serious changes, its time to get unpolite with the speeding public who are legion. They are currently still on course to carry killing themselves and innocents who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A Letter to The Evening Leader Re Stephen Lee

Stephen Lee denies speed cameras save lives. It would be fair

to say that millions of motorists have altered their ways. As the points

add up only the stupid carry on speeding. Current motoring is akin to race track driving.

Push, push, get out of the way. There would be carnage if it were not

for speed cameras. There are over 700 communities in North Wales who

want the Arrive Alive vans more regularly. It is a fact that North Wales Police

would need £100's of millions off The WAG for Stephen's return to the streets for Police policy.

It's just not going to happen. I'm sure the 700 communities who require

Arrive Alive would be quite happy with permanent speed cameras

that operate in both directions.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

The Letter in The Evening Leader

keywords: Chief Constable, North Wales, Horse Box, Richard Brunstrom, North Wales Police,

Postscript. The £100's of millions is a bit out. Penyffordd is going to get an extra part time PC. Castle Cement will be paying.

An email to Carl Sargeant AM with regards Speeding in Penyffordd

Dear Carl

Hope you are well.

I have decided to stand as an Independent community councillor.

To attempt to remove some dead wood from our midst.

The monthly community council meeting last night descended into farce

After Cllr Colin Bithell announced the installation of the the pro active signs

and after months of discussion one councillor under Any Other Business

asked if we could have the flashy signs!

Perhaps a change of tablets is needed.

The Penyffordd Mafia are attempting to wheel him out for another 4 years.

You couldn't make it up! It's like Dad's Army.

On the election front it looks as if we have a new political party in Penyffordd

Its called the Independent Party.

I always thought independent mean't independent.

I will not be joining as I am Independent. lol

Onto the flashy signs.

Very nice, the big one as opposed to the measly one in Broughton (currently not working)

Who says Labour gets everything.

When can we have a Gatso in it?

As to their effectiveness.

Flintshire Highways and anyone who has brain and uses the roads knows

what the score is yet you get Inspectors from North Wales Police scratching their heads

metaphorically in local newspapers about the need for research in to road deaths.

FACT: There is a large proportion of the motoring public who do not give a flying fig

for anyone else except their right to speed as fast as they can to their destination.

They understand points on license and raised tarmac and nothing else.

I wonder whether you can coax Flintshire Highways to send out that nice man

Hugh Jones, Flintshire Road Safety Officer to put his magic box on the lamp post and do another traffic speed survey.

Then we can compare the effectiveness of publicity in The Evening Leader, an extra 30 mph sign, half a rumble strip and a pro active speed sign.

Oh! Forgot to mention The Morning Rat Run

Has it changed? No not really. Still hammering through.

regards

Colin Hughes Standing as An Independent Councillor for Penyffordd

Penyffordd District

ps. my FOIE's are going a bit slow with Flintshire County Council. I'll be pressing these after the elections

pps The Lady Bobby (sorry CBM) on the horse is coming to Penyffordd today. I will be looking for a photo opportunity similar to The Chief Constable if I get the chance

Happy Smiley Stories

North Wales Police want happy smiley stories to appear in The Leader.
Does that mean we forget about the 1500 (downgraded) speeders through Chester Rd Penyffordd every day?

keywords: Inspector Alun Oldfield.

An Alzeimers moment in Penyffordd Council

Penyffordd Mafia turn out the nearly dead for re election?

Cllr Colin Bithell announces that the flashing lights are installed and working in Chester Road and The Vounog.
The pro active sign has been discussed at meetings over the last 8 months
Later on we get to "Any other business" one councillor says "can't we have one of those flashy signs?
I think he is standing for re election.

Are you people real?

Castle Cement in trouble over Landfill

in The Evening Leader Click here

Nomination Validation

Colin Everett has dropped me a note to say my nomination is ok. He is the Returning Officer for the County of Flintshire.

Are they going to wheel the oldies out?

Closing day on Friday for nominations for county and community council. For the last 15 months they have tried their best to keep 2000 cars speeding passed my house every day off the agenda.
Quite disgraceful really.

Cllr Vidamour and Hinds are excluded from the above. We need another 6 or 8 Cindy or Linda types.

I will also be be voting for Cllr David Williams for Community.

To Shire Hall to hand in my forms for Councillor

The weather blustery with a promise of rain. No where to park your car. Is this an indication of how the county is run. We park in the theatre car park which is quarter of a mile from the main entrance.
You are directed down a few corridors. There is a sign saying do not enter please knock and wait. Is this the correct way to deal with people? Reminds me of being at school.
We are however dealt with in a very cordial manner.
A couple of queries with regards our nominees election number.
Also present a community councillor from Leeswood. The conversation turns to Nigel...........
Then we are on our way up the hill passed The Law courts where a barrister is smoking outside.
We are done and dusted. Lisa and myself standing for Community Council because they are not doing part of their job properly.