European Parliamentary Elections 2009

Voting takes place in Wales on Thursday.
Your candidates are here
The voting is for 4 MEP's

Lisa's Kitchen

which isn't looking too good at the moment (diy issues me) . Any how the food that comes out of it is very good. Anyone who wants advice on how the dishes are cooked please ask. Below will be a hot index of each dish.

Red Dragon Pie ( Aduki Beans) with Baked Potato and Pasta

Tofu and Mango Kebab with Salad

Ham and Tomato Frittati with salad

100% beef beefburger with apple salad, lemon rice, deep fried cauliflower and tomato chutney

Mixed Berry Clafouti with Yoghurt

Link here

Baked Salmon with wholewheat spagetti, beetroot and green beans

Bobotie with pilau rice and beetroot tomato

Lemon Tuna Toasty with Salad

Indian Style chicken, deep fried cauliflower, home made coleslaw and lemon and corriander cous cous.

Home made Salmon Fishcakes with glazed carrots and beetroot

Cod in Beer Batter

Pork chops in sauce from Steve the butcher, tomato salad, cauliflower and mixed fried peppers

Chicken wrapped in bacon

Rib Eye Steak and Chips

Cod with a breadcrumb crust with sugar glazed carrots, baked beetroot
and tomato and cos lettuce

Chilli con carni with brown rice and cucumber salad and stuffed peppers

Vegetable pizza with spinach and dry roasted pine nuts

Toad in the Hole with onion gravy with carrot and swede mash

Vegetable frittata and salad
Link here

Wholewheat vegetable pizza, cucumber salad and baked potato.
Link here

Prawn Pirri Pirri

Rasberry Pavlova

Baked Salmon with wholewheat spaggetti and beefsteak tomatoes and cucumber

Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Tofu Soup
Soba noodles in miso soup with chilli and ginger

Sweet Pepper Pizza with Jamie Oliver rice and coleslaw

Spicy apricot-stuffed salmon

with

Simple Cauliflower

Asparagus and scrambled duckeggs on toast




Haloumi cheese and vegetable kebabs
with lemon and corriander cous cous
and avocado slices
with sweet chilli sauce.

In The Leader .....Oh dear

Perhaps a reading of my letter below and a re reading of the letter above may show you how
" a put down " can be constructed out of words I did not actually say. Its done a lot in politics.

The key word I said was "could" which is not definite. Anyway I thank Councillor McFarlane for allowing me the possibility of a reply letter to The Leader.
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Thank you Leader for publishing Flintshire County Councillor's expenses which

were very enlightening. The figures provided however could give a false impression

with regards travelling expenses. Those who took zero expenses for travelling could be seen

as being saints when in fact they never attend council meetings or visit Shire Hall.

Whilst attendances to county business at Shire Hall do not show the full picture they do give

rate payers an indication of a ward's representation in County affairs

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keywords: Cllr David Mcfarlane Broughton South

Flintshire Economic Outlook

Link The BBC

Belly Dancers at The Millstone

as advertised in The Leader on Greek Night 4th of June. May have to go down to do a story for the blog!

Also

Pensioner Meal Deals 2 for £8.
Also other special meal deals.

Email: themillstone@live.co.uk
Telephone 01244 548824

A new CBM for Penyffordd District

CBM Howie Williams is the new police officer for Penyffordd. He has worked previously in the Wrexham area. I had previously been told it was someone else. There will be a change over period due to communication issues.

Employment Concerns

for Penyffordd workers at Vauxhalls, Ellesmere Port.
Link The Guardian

North Wales Policing Pledge

Link http://www.north-wales.police.uk/nwpv2/en/yglas/newsDetail.asp?sid=PR654599

Do a 1000+ speeders a day qualify?


keywords: Chief Superintendent Ruth Purdie Commander of Eastern Division.

A request to Penyffordd Councillors

To: Cllr Cindy Hinds, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Linda Vidamour

Dear Penyffordd Councillors,

I understand that there is the Penyffordd Neighbourhood Forum at the Legion at 6.00 pm Wednesday evening. There is a notice in the Spar but not the Post Office.

Unfortunately I cannot attend.

As elected representatives of Penyffordd will you ask North Wales Police what they intend to do about 1000+ speeders each day through Chester Rd Penyffordd which is also a major route to school.

Can you also ask that the problem be added to North Wales Police's website whilst the issue is ongoing..

Speeding through communities is anti social behaviour.

As you are aware Flintshire County Council hold the relevant speed data which they refuse to release.

An example of wholesale anti social behaviour is the morning rat run 7.30 am to 9.00am weekdays.

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2009/05/penyffordd-community-forum-may-2009.html

Colin Hughes

Chester Rd Penyffordd

copied to Blog

Postscript. Cllr Cindy Hinds replies within 8 hours by email. Cllr Linda Vidamour will also respond. Cllr David Williams will not he ignores his councillor code of conduct.

Penyffordd Community Forum May 2009

At the Penyffordd British Legion on Wednesday (tomorrow) at 6.00pm. Our new CBM will be in the chair. Are we going to see a new accountable North Wales Police who work with Chester Rd Penyffordd community.

If you go here it says:-
What is North Wales Police's commitment to you?

To retain the highest standards of honesty and integrity at all times.

To stay responsive to the needs of the local community.

To provide an excellent policing service which exceeds public expectations.

To be at the heart of local communities, working with you to improve the quality of life.

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North Wales Police activity in Penyffordd here.

1000+ vehicles speeding through Chester Rd each day is NOT on the list.

Crime increase in Penyffordd District

There have been various vehicle break ins including the Wellhouse estate.

The Millstone does turn away business

Its Bank Holiday Monday, Penyffordd is dead. The Millstone has a couple of bouncy castles on the old bowls green. There is no car parking space on the car park. The place is buzzing. A far cry from the last 3 years where successive managements have tried to push food as the number one item which led to an empty car park 7 days a week.

Chirk Car Boot Sale - Getting Bigger

Click image to enlarge

Here's a nice couple with their daughter. Fighting Tesco in Ruabon. Tesco will decimate local shops. People who care about their local environment. He tells me Denmark are doing big things to reduce cars in communities.

An Email to Carl Sargeant AM - Re: A Greener Wales

Hi Carl,

Hope you are well.

The First Minister mentions this today

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/arts-in-wales/2009/05/22/rhodri-morgan-outlines-blueprint-for-a-greener-wales-at-hay-91466-23686216/

I think this is rather excellent.

This all ties in with Route to Schools and Manual for Streets.

With Chester Rd, Penyffordd in the firing line of Warren Hall A55, Warren Hall Business Park etc I hope that

FCC can be persuaded of the argument for no through traffic for Chester Rd when the above developments go ahead.

Or at the very least a system which forces vehicles to do 20 mph with HGV's banned.

At the moment Chester Rd acts as an alternative trunk road rather than a village road that has a bypass

regards Colin

Penyffordd District

still 1000+ speeders every day..........................

Penyffordd County Council Expenses

With all the furore over expenses The Evening Leader has obtained expenses for county councillors for the year ending 2009.

Cllr Cindy Hinds Basic allowance £12,831, Travelling Expenses £182.85, Subsistence £0.
Cllr David Williams £12,831, Travelling Expenses £0, Subsistence £0.

Cindy goes to Shire Hall at least twice a week. David visits Shire Hall about 5 times a year.
As I have said previously. If you do not play the game (representing Penyffordd at Shire Hall) I cannot see how you can be anywhere except the bottom of the queue when funding is available.

The top amount claimed by a county councillor for travel was £1300.

The basic allowance might seem a lot to some people but it will be well below the minimum wage level when time spent on council matters is added up at the end of the year.

Community and Town Councillors receive nothing.

If you have a responsibility at Shire Hall such as Council Leader ( Cllr Arnold Woolley) you get the £12,831 plus a special responsibility allowance of £28,920. Other Cllrs such as Patrick Heesom or Tony Sharps get a £14,686 and £16,496 repectively.

Special responsibilty councillors have to spend much time at Shire Hall.

The government of Flintshire County Council is a minature version of national government. The leading party governs in this case The Independents, last time we were Labour led.

Birthday

I am 55 today.
The presents.
The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac
Peter Green's Biography
A Purple Orchid

My daily presents include long walks in the country.
Being able to do what I like with who I want.


Goals. To live in a village and not a race track

Tx to Sue Postoffice for the birthday present.

Credit Crunch Strawberries

Mid May fruiting, can't be bad. Can I eat strawberries from May to December?

A Big Thank You to The Evening Leader

Click to image enlarge

It must be said I have never met or spoke to Cllr Patrick Heesom. I regularly send him emails about speeding in Penyffordd because of his position. I also send them to all the great and the good up to First Minister Rhodri Morgan.

I sent the letter to The Leader because I am fed up with the manner that officers deal with me. They have tried for two years to deny me traffic data collected on two occasions in Penyffordd. This data could be read by MS Excel (still can) . They have recently bought new software so that I cannot read the data. Wasting rate payers money to deny me an FOIE.

These officers need to know that they work for us ( as do North Wales Police).

There should be total transparency and scrutiny except for exceptional circumstances. Denying me traffic data that shows the true extent of speeding outside my house is not one of them.

The hiding of Chester Rd traffic data allows the All Wales Safety Partnership, North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council to work against the interests of Chester Road instead of working for Chester Rd.
This is totally counter to the published aims of the above agencies.

The statement that we need more Cllr Heesom's can be expanded to include politician's of all parties including The Independents.

Still over a 1000 speeders in Penyffordd each and every day.
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The unedited version (I have no issue with The Leader editing letters)

cc: Welsh Ombudsman

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration.

I read with interest in The Leader the battle between members and officers of Flintshire County Council over members rights to manage county affairs. I'm sure I am not the only one to be frustrated when dealing with county officers. My own experience being that FOIE's disappear or not answered properly, a blackmail attempt to stop my wife standing for community council unanswered, a scrutiny officer failing to respond to valid complaints over FOIE's. Highway officers withholding important traffic data at meetings and requests for data ignored that has very important consequences for Penyffordd village safety.

(One reads with incredulity that FCC officer's wish to bring auditing back in house after many years of regular appearances in Private Eye's Rotten Boroughs.(edited out) Penyffordd County councillor David Williams is frustrated that his correspondence is ignored. I'm sure my issues are the tip of the iceberg. Rather than trying to get rid of Cllr Patrick Heesom may I suggest that Flintshire County Council Executive look a little nearer to home. A good start would be for senior officers to re-read their codes of conduct and apply them properly to themselves and their departments. Flintshire residents and councillors deserve much better. We need more Cllr Patrick Heesom's not less, to build a strong well run county.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/

links

http://www.alisonhalford.co.uk/2009/03/audit-commitee-the-facts-dont-add-up/

Richard to get his own back?

It would be fair to say there is no love lost between the Chief Constable and certain politicians.
Payback time?

Link The Daily Post

Meanwhile his force continue to ignore our daily rat run that's part of the 1000 speeders a day. Recently North Wales Police have been publicizing a new Pledge Policy where they are promising to deal with residents complaints about North Wales Police. Time to put it to the test?

Postscript: The Leader

To The Duke's Garden Centre

To replace the melon plant the snail killed. Why can't they wait till the plants get some leaves?

Not the best day to go as its the Chester Half Marathon, a 30 minute wait whilst they trundle past. In another life time 3 stone and 25 years lighter I could manage a half marathon in 1 hour 35 mins, a marathon in 3 hours 23 minutes.

Marathons are funny affairs in that you hit a wall about 20 miles in. This is where the body runs out of glycogen and starts to use body fat as energy. It affects runners differently usually in an emotional way. It can make you cry.

I met Lisa when I was a jogger.

Marathons that I have run include the North Wales, Liverpool, Manchester and Barmouth. I have had a look at the rain radar which is not good. A band of red and pink moving up the country. It was at Mid Wales when we came out. Red and pink means a downpour. Sure enough the heavens open. Running in cold rain is uncomfortable, a pace is required that keeps body temperature up. Stopping is not an option unless there is somewhere warm to go.

The White Lion Penymynydd

Click image to enlarge

I used to go in The White Lion in my 20's when I did not live in Penyffordd. It was like having a pint in your house. Three old ladies ran it. Nigel the Clerk to the Community Council is related.
They had pickled eggs in a jar.

Link Geograph.Org

The All Day Breakfast

Today, its up and running at the Institute.
An annual event to raise money for the youth of the village.

Postscript: The good people of Penyffordd and district raised a sum of £1000+.

The Bus Stop to nowhere

You talk about traffic calming for the village and the instant response is that there is no money available. A raised platform bus stop has been constructed by Flintshire County Council at the border of Penyffordd district on Chester Rd. Arriva the bus company refuse to stop there.
The cost to the ratepayer £10,000.

Penyffordd Community Council May 2009 meeting

at 6.30 pm.

Main points.

CBM Chris Pullen is moving to Penerlag.
Inspector Alun Oldfield is moving to become a Detective Inspector. On the point of speeding traffic ( a 1000+ a day) they have been a dead loss. There has been progress however with our "youth". Will this be temporary or lasting?
Link The Evening Leader
On the plus side Inspector Oldfield got rid of the travellers who were trespassing pretty smartish.

Four CBM's have applied for the position of CBM for Penyffordd district and Higher Kinnerton.
This is somewhat unprecedented according to CBM Chris Pullen.

We have acting Police Inspector Alan Massey until the Inspector Martin Best is ready to take up his position.

Two community councillors tonight were rather unwell.

Cllr Cindy Hinds is the new Chairperson for the next year.
Cllr Linda Vidamour is Vice Chairperson.

Speeding was brought up. Vounog, Penymynydd Rd.
Possible 20 mph for outside Penyffordd junior school. 30 mph for Dobshill.

Chester Rd continues to have a 1000+ speeders each day.

Cllr Colin Bithell ("I stand for the family"local elections 2008) of course is dead against 20 mph in the middle of the village. I will campaign actively against Colin if he should stand again for councillor if he will persist on being against 20 mph in our village centre.

Cllr David Williams is having trouble with Flintshire County Council. Apparently they are not answering his correspondence. David will not answer any emails I send him either.

What goes around comes around David. lol

Is Cllr David Williams for traffic calming in the middle of the village? Or a wide open road for his speeding mates at The Red Lion.

The bridle path in Lower Mountain appears to be a success. I managed to get The Leader to do a story. FCC has filled in the bog as they said they would. The horse riders are happy with it.

Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom to retire

as I said a month ago.

Links

WalesOnLine

The Evening Leader

Pothole Hotline

Cllr Tony Sharps, Head of Roads at Flintshire County Council has initiated a pothole hotline. He would very much like to hear from Penyffordd residents who spot potholes in Penyffordd district.
Telephone number 01352 701234.