Alison Halford Blog update

Link Alison Halford County Capers

Government liabilities 6.5 Trillion?

The Conservatives do not enthuse me either.

Link 6.5 Trillion

Future energy requirements for myself, Penyffordd and the UK

Here's my 400ah forklift truck battery. It's in the back of the car. It weighs 300kg. We are going to try and get it out the car tomorrow. A forklift truck put it in

Solar cells that produce electricity bought on Ebay from USA

Sharps. The dark panels along the side and up the front are Solar PV panels that cost a fortune to us. Many years to payback original investment to install domestically at present.

Sharps' solar panels at their factory at Llay.

This is going to be a bit long. On the way back from the carboot I'd thought we would have a mooch around Llay Industrial Estate. Sharps have a large facility there producing solar panels. I know how to treat a girl.

Perhaps I should start from the beginning. UK Plc is in trouble over future cheap energy. The proof of this can be seen by the closing of the Angelsey Aluminium works with a large loss of jobs.
We have umm'd and ahh'd over the last 15 years whilst our reserves have been depleted and we are starting to have to rely on the like of dodgy Russia for gas supplies.

The current issue over returning the Lockerbie bomber to Libya for oil shames us in front of the world. Desparate measures for desparate times.

No proper strategy for future energy has been agreed and set into motion. The idea that wind mills will keep us all warm with loads of cheap energy is moonshine. The current push for thousands of windmills to litter our hills and oceans is misconceived. Every windmill has to be backed up by one of those "filthy" oil / coal powered electricity generators.

I used to be pro Nucleur with the proviso that we had a very strong independent body to oversee the industry but the clean up costs are ridiculous. Originally the proletariat were fed the line that nucleur power would produce free electricity............

So we are up the creek without a paddle having to rely on others. Is this how the EU wants the UK?

So bearing the above in mind I have started to reduce our energy requirements from the grid. I have been making investments on Ebay and at the car boot sales.
1. Solar cells to make solar panels. (Ebay USA) This will be an ongoing investment.
2. Kingspan for wall and roof super insulation bought on Ebay as seconds.
3. A fork lift battery 400 Ah from Ebay
4. Someone gave me a wood burner which needs a heat exchanger added to the flue.
5. A petrol chainsaw purchased at the Chirk Carboot sale. Currently I am wading through health and safety with regards chainsaws on the HSE site.


Lisa is a little perturbed at my dilution of savings. I think however the current quantiative easing (government printing money for free) will have a large dilution on our savings as a country.

Those that saved prudently are going to have to pay for the madness of our banks for many years ahead.

To be continued.................

Link
Renewable Energy UK
Walesonline

Rocking at The Milly

Just come past the Red Lion, three cars out front. Then past The Millstone the balcony is packed, there is a bouncy castle for children. In the carpark a girl dance troupe are practising.
The last three lease holders struggled with the pub all admitting defeat after trying to move the pub upmarket. The owners Punch Taverns must be well pleased as will be the current lease holders.

Another day another carboot sale

This time Farndon. This tremendous wood carving is on the road between Rossett and Holt.

To Chirk Carboot Sale

Possibly the largest carboot sale within a 100 miles. Most human life is here. There must be over 500 stalls here on occasion. Perhaps 1500 people visiting the carboots. By 8.00am it's getting busy on a sunny day.

There are the traders, meat, fruit and veg, coffee and hamburger stands. car parts, keys cut, plant and flower sellers, cycles, golf clubs, everything for mobile phones, house clearers, you can even get a new tyre put on your car. Today I saw someone having their fortune told with cards. Cars and caravans also for sale.

All cheaper than shops or supermarkets.

The people, Welsh, English, Poles, Romanians, German, French, Pakistani, Africans. As well as the traders there are people deciding to loose all that rubbish they have built up, people emigrating, downsizing. Everyone knows the phrase "how much?"

Up the top end the new carboot sellers arrive. If you have anthing of interest your stall will be mobbed before you get your stuff out. They descend like a plague of locusts. Since we don't do carboots ourselves this is not an issue. It's best if there are at least two of you.

Amongst the carboots and stalls the predators roam amongst the crowds methodically going up and down each row eyes scanning the ground sheets and tables subconciously dodging the people, prams, children, dogs on leads and the sheep muck underfoot. It's hard work and can take up to three hours to get around.
Specialists in jewellery, antiques, books, tools and plant equipment, clothes. Ready to pick up items for little money a pound, five or ten that will go for 25, 50 or a 100 elsewhere. Knowledge that has been picked up for years through trial and error the key to success.

Best times to go. May to September.
It's open most of the year but retires to the top field in the Winter.
Best weather to go. Sunny.
Best weather not to go. Rain, wind and cold.

If you are selling. £8 pound a stall at the time of writing, big stalls pay more.
You need a table or polythene sheet ( blue tarpaulin). If you want to be a pro have a spare sheet to throw over everything if it starts raining. Try get a spot where your car shields you from any wind or sun. Sellers turn up the night before in caravans and motorhomes or after 6 am on the day.

If you are buying or just out for the day.
Look at the weather forecast the night before. We check Met Office Rain Radar before deciding to go on the morning. Appropriate footwear should be worn, women often turn up in white pumps and trainers, flipflops and mules.

The ladies also wear the most inappropriate of clothes, cleavage and builder's bums abound. Some women have triangular tattoo's near their coccyx, also some have put on thongs as well.

Do they do this to make you look when they bend over?

Lots of male crumpet for the ladies.
A voyeur's paradise.

Don't wash your hair the night before if we have not had rain for days it gets dusty. Rain means mud. Take pound coins, fivers and tenners. Twenty pound notes can be an issue.

The car boot sale is perfect for children's clothes and toys. Adult clothes, tools, plumbing bits, electrical bits, paint, household goods and cheap fresh food.

Good Points. Best carboot, loads of stalls and well run.

Bad points. Toilets dire, sometimes a 20 minute queue to leave site due to them not allowing you to take the nearest exit to the A483. I know a good way out but I'm not telling.
Good toilets to be had in the middle of Chirk.
Crime is just about non existent.

If you like watching people a fascinating place to go.

keywords: Chirk, car boot, carboot.

Self sufficiency

Click image to enlarge

This is my first go at peppers. They are about 4 inches long. Are they hot or just the same as standard peppers? Lisa says she will find out. It's a good idea to keep the label on........
Research on the pepper picture gallery suggest pepper type Anaheim (life sized) (HS: 25)
Which are not that hot. Habanero Mustard is hot with a HS rating of 23,000.

Links
Growing Peppers
Pepper Picture Gallery

Women want to get on their bikes

as well as Flintshire County Councillors.
Link The Daily Post

Penyffordd Guides in The Chronicle

Penyffordd Guides in today's Flintshire Chronicle with a photo of 2 guides who have done their cooking badge at Hawarden farm shop. They will be presented with their badges at the Hawarden Good Food Fete on 12/13 September 2009.

What not to do if you are a county councillor with ambitions

Link Walesonline. Long live the power of the Internet.
This is not a dig at Labour. All parties must have a few of these lurking around. Comments are at the bottom of the article. The article contains profanity with asterisks.
The Youtube video has been pulled.

Robbery at knife point in Penymynydd

Link The Leader

Flintshire County Councillors get on their bikes

in an effort to encourage Flintshire to use bicycles more. There's a row over whether to give the councillor cyclists 20p per mile. An Independent body is looking at remuneration for county councillors in Wales and this is one of the measures being looked at.

Since I daily traverse the dangerous A5104 I would like to issue a challenge to Flintshire County Councillors.
To show how dangerous cycling is in Flintshire on busy A and B roads I would like to propose the following.

Each Flintshire County Councillor will be taken to the top of Treuddyn at the beginning of rush hour and given the task of cycling from the top of Treuddyn on the A5104 down to Penyffordd railway station. On their way which is mostly down hill they are to mentally take note of how many times they have near misses with vehicles and how many times their presence on the road causes other vehicles to have potential head on's.

Also notice how hard motorists have in staying on their side of the white line due to the excess speeds they do. Some do it because they are on a racing line, others do it as they can't stay on their side of the road due to their speed. At times you will be doing less than 5 mph with vehicles flying past you at 50mph+. This will include 20 ton lorries coming from the quarries.

Whilst the push to make Wales fitter is admirable mixing cyclists with modern fast traffic in my opinion will lead to higher death rates. It will not be me however as I will not cycle on A roads.
Cycling needs to be kept away from fast road traffic and the public should be advised accordingly.

Postscript. In The Leader Friday 62 year old knocked off his bike at Rhydtalog. Slight injuries taken to hospital.
Quad erat demonstrandom.

Link The Leader

Ditch the car from the school run

As children across Wales prepare to return to school next week, Lee Waters, director of sustainable transport charity Sustrans Cymru, says it’s time to ditch the car from the school run.

Link Walesonline

Parents taking chidren to school are part of the speeding problem.

CBM Howie Williams making the difference

The Neighbourhood Forum went well with about 10 people present. Penyffordd Community Councillors are full of praise for CBM Howie Williams and so are community members.
Anti social behavior was discussed with ways of reducing it.
Including excellent work already carried out by Howie.

The hole in door gang

One of the guard dogs makes his own window.

A wet windy walk

Penyffordd Neighbourhood Forum

Wednesday 18.00 hrs at the Penyffordd British Legion.

Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom's Last Post

The Last Post

So, I have almost finished my career.

Thirty long years in the police, the last nine and a half here in North Wales, and at midnight tonight it will all be over.

I am completely institutionalised - I don't own my own mobile phone or Blackberry, I don't possess my own car, or even insurance (I'm named on my wife's).

I haven't been into a garage to buy a tyre or get a car serviced for a decade.

You may be wondering how I'm going to cope out there in the real world. I certainly am.

But before I hang up my boots for good I look at North Wales Police in mid-2009 with real pride in what we have achieved together over the last several years.

NWP is now one of the very best performing forces in England and Wales and we continue to improve.

Crime is way down, detections are way up, our roads are much safer and so indeed is our whole society - in fact the evidence shows North Wales now to be just about the very safest place to live in the whole of England and Wales.

And we are dramatically improving public satisfaction with our standard of service, aiming for real excellence there too in the near future.

But that's not all. Due to good planning aided by our outstanding Finance Dept we are OK financially, and despite a very uncertain economic future for the UK I am confident that we will be able to maintain police numbers for some time to come.

We have the best kit available anywhere, the envy of our colleagues in other forces (many of whom are now copying our lead - the very best form of flattery).

We are leading the service with mobile coputing and use of the internet, and our whole community policing programme is cutting edge. I could go on and on - many of you will recall just how true that threat is!

However, although I will resist the temptation to witter on endlessly, I simply must mention two more things which have made us so special.

Firstly is our successful attack on our local organised serious criminals - Gizzi and his ilk.

I can remember years ago when the force was almost afraid of tackling him and his sort; now he's been to prison and we've got his assets. And he is not alone.

We don't just catch speeders, we attack hardened criminals and we win. They don't like it, at all. Serves them right.

The second point is totally different but of crucial importance. We have wholly changed the perception of North Wales Police amongst the Welsh speaking community.

We are seen now not as an English-speaking army of occupation but rather as the bilingual local police force, a true part of the community that is North Wales - and I have been inducted into the Gorsedd of Bards of the Island of Britain as a result, an accolade for us all, which almost no-one outside Wales can or wants to comprehend

The fact is that we have made a big difference, and we have done so because we, all of us, are very good at our jobs. We know what we're doing, and we're 'up for it'. This is not luck - it is us, doing our job and doing it well. True professionals; the best.

I have been very pleasantly surprised over he last few weeks since my retirement became public knowledge by the overwhelming warmth towards us felt by large numbers of the public.

I am constantly getting stopped in the street or in the shops, often by complete strangers, and thanked for what we have achieved.

The public have noticed the improvement we have made to their quality of life; a fabulous antidote to the sanctimonious sour note of the malign Daily Mail and the rest of the tabloid press.

A real feelgood factor which makes it all worthwhile - and we earned it together, as a team. I'm proud as hell of us and I hope every one of you feels the same, because you deserve to.

The future for policing in North Wales looks very good. But I won't be part of it, because I've done my bit, and now I'm off. I've sold my house at at a painful knockdown price and am going sailing round the world with my wife just as soon as we can buy the right boat.

Or perhaps I will enter politics, after all. You never know.

Good luck and fondest regards

Good bye.

Richard Brunstrom

Y Prif Copyn

Chief Constable of North Wales 2001 - 2009

Link The Leader

Everyone and his/her aunty will be trying to get a letter in The Leader over the above.

Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom has left the building

In the Daily Post "Yesterday Eric Evans, who served for nine years as deputy chief constable, made an outspoken attack.

He said: “Mr Brunstrom’s remarks regarding the policing of North Wales and the manner of dealing with serious crime and criminals is deeply insulting and an affront to North Wales police officers of all ranks who were serving before he was appointed as chief constable.

“At least now with his retirement the force will have the opportunity to come out of what has been a dark period of policing in North Wales, and the force can start once again to provide proper policing for the community rather than concentrate on target figures which have little relevance to the public.”

Link The Daily Post

Chief Constable Richard Brunstron carried out an audit of Penyffordd with councillors in tow. What he pointed out and solutions to be made was very good but he "forgot" the near 2000 vehicles speeding (circa 2007) through the village each day.

What is required in is North Wales Police accountability in communities not just the facade.

The proof of this continuing unaccountability is the refusal of NWP to have a proper forum for debate. NWP currently refuse to acknowledge that speeding is even an issue in Penyffordd on their website.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An email to North Wales Police Authority Chairman Cllr Ian Roberts (Chirk) - New Chief Constable

Dear Cllr Roberts,

Good morning.

One hopes that the new Chief Constable will not be able to dodge speeding issues in communities.

Also to be faced the eradication of North Wales as a race track by motorcycles and vehicles.

They are a deadly pestilence to our environment.

One should be able to hear buzzards in the skies of North Wales not 100's of motorcycles racing with illegal exhausts

(uninsured) three miles away.

One hopes that the WAG will back the new Chief Constable to the hilt on the above issues.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Link Policing Pledge

Public Finances diminish..........................

Just in case you believe the green shoots of recovery stuff.

1. Corporation Tax down 34% for the same month last year.
2. VAT plunged 34% from the same month one year ago.

Income Tax and National Insurance revenue will also be taking a good hiding. Looks like 20% down on last year.

The Chancellor Alistair Darling has borrowed 44 times more this year than he said he was going to borrow.

The banks are still trying to shore their balance sheets up by refusing to lend to business

The above figures are horrendous. Any political party that pretends that huge cuts in public spending are not going to happen is dealing with untruths.

Private Enterprise funds nearly ALL public health (NHS), education, law enforcement, councils, etc through their taxation. All the employees and their pensions.

UK Plc is in a very deep hole.

House improvements energy wise

I live in a house that is about a 100 years old. The walls are solid and act as radiators. With energy prices rising and set to rise much higher (IMHO) I have decided invest in materials and systems to severely limit my use of the National Grid and Gas supplies. The goal is to be able to survive on energy generated from solar panels and wind stored in special batteries combined with super insulation of the house.
Also water heating and space heating through solar.
Also the use of a woodburner.

Submarine batteries are perfect for the job, very heavy and hard to find. Also good are electric operated stacker truck batteries also very heavy.

Some chap sells batteries on Ebay which he says are deep cycle but are not. It's easy to get caught out. I've bought off Ebay some solar cells which are superior to those produced by Sharps in Llay.
They only cost £4 to post from the USA. You have to solder them together and put them in a metal frame.

The Internet changeth almost everything

There is this silent revolution moving at speed through our lives. The Internet is placing huge pressures on local and national media. Bricks and mortar (proper shops) antique, book shops etc
have been decimated. High streets and villages are going to change forever.
For example my angle grinder has packed in. A quick look on Ebay, I can get a brand new one for £8 with £8 delivery with 48 hour delivery. It doesn't come with a disc but I have loads of those anyway.
It's not a Makita but it will work.

Paypal can be used for secure online payments that takes less than a minute.

The Internet offers nearly full transparency and information on most facets of life.
Flintshire County Council and North Wales Police have embraced The Internet but they struggle a little as they can't have all their own way.

North Wales Police will not currently let me join their forums. I can however copy their forum and start a debate through the blog here. I do no think they will like that.

One example,,,,,,,, to be continued

Penyffordd Post Office for sale

Price to be published shortly.
It has been suggested by wiser heads that my description of the realities of owning a post office might not help with a successful sale......................
So this entry has been severely edited.

6 Million not working and claiming in the UK

Link Coffee House The Spectator Blog

Hope Mountain Strange Sheep

Hope Fagl Lane Quarry in the background

Click to images to enlarge

Lost in the Post North Wales.

We regularly send packages by Royal Mail. We also use the excellent UPS. The figures of £200.000 are mentioned. This figure is the tip of an iceberg. The process of claiming money back can be long and wearisome and many must give up.

Methods employed by Royal Mail.

1. You fill in a claim form send it off and nothing happens.
You ring up they say they have lost it. Fill another one in.
They also take ages to reply if you get lucky

2. They say that an item of proof that you have supplied is missing when you know you sent it.
Fill another one in.

3. Say you find an item at a carboot sale for 50 pence. You put it on Ebay and it goes for a £100.
It gets lost in the post. Royal Mail want receipts ( you don't get receipts at car boot sales) They also want to give you what you paid for it and not what its worth, ie. 50p instead of £100.
There is also the risk of getting negative feedback by the customer when the fault lies with Royal Mail.

Thankfully this messing around is getting less.

I think its a good idea to contact your AM or MP if messed around.

Postscript. Our postal losses through the post office system is less than 0.1% most of which are parcels sent abroad.

Link The Daily Post

To Chirk Carboot Sale

Click to image to enlarge.

This is the extraordinary Rob Chapman entertaining those all around him. He and his lovely partner have a carboot stall. Rob is a very warm human being with musical talents. He also sells books that myself and Lisa are interested in, human potential etc. Rob is trying to downsize. His library is the problem.
Link Bring to Mind

Cllr Carolyn Thomas in The Chronicle

Click on image to read.

Carl Sargeant AM is hiding in the crease of the page on the photo. Cllr Carolyn Thomas is a county councillor "to die for" with regards protesting against speeding traffic through her ward of Treuddyn. I wish Carolyn was county councillor here. There are more than a few here who would wish I would perhaps move to Treuddyn. lol.
Carolyn has had indecent amounts of exposure in both The Leader and The Chronicle.

Carolyn is complaining that her speed protest campaign in Treuddyn has been hijacked for political gain. Carolyn says that she is an independent councillor and works on behalf of residents and not a political party.

This is not quite the case. Carolyn is part of The Independent Group that with two other political groups run Flintshire County Council. Labour who were in control before 2008 are the opposition group. There is only one non aligned independent county councilor and that is Cllr Colin Legg.

Even our Cllr David Williams has joined the Independent Group. I originally criticised David on the blog for not joining the the Independent Group. It is good to see he has now joined.

With regards politics that Carolyn complains about. The Welsh Assembly Government holds the country purse strings they are made up of Labour and Plaid Cymru. Flintshire County Council is run by The Independent Group along with the Conservatives and the Lib Dems. We have a Labour AM and MP. So politics are unavoidable. As someone said to me fairly recently " You have to look at the big picture".

Oh to have Cllr Carolyn Thomas on board for 20 mph in village centres and schools Flintshire campaign.

Question? Why don't Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami MP come to Penyffordd as we have over a 1000 speeders each day? I'm a little shy asking people, believe it or not. Also the political capital is not much. Penyffordd isn't bothered about speeding cars that will knock their children and grandma down that's why it's a struggle.

Daffodils are ok but don't mention village environment.

Link Mark Isherwood AM Outraged

A Veritable Cornucopia of Puerility

Click on image to read

Mike Devlin on The Chronicle letters page. This chap is very good.

Killing speed and not a Penyffordd child

Link Ian Dale

US accuse Britain of stoking trade row with £340m Airbus loan

Link The Guardian

My thanks to Flintshire County Council Leader Arnold Woolley

I have been struggling to place a FOIE with Flintshire County Council. For some strange reason my computer will not send the FCC form to them. A telephone call ( by Lisa) to FOIE dept is denied ever happening. Emails to a lady in FOIE disappear as do emails to the FOIE dept.
None of the persons below have anything to do with the above skullduggery.
My thanks to Cllr Arnold Woolley who has suggested an excellent way to make sure emails are answered

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Mr Hughes

Thank you for your request for information which is acknowledged.

Your request has been forwarded to the Freedom of Information Act Contact Officer for the Lifelong Learning Directorate, David Bridge, to process and this Officer will be in contact with you.

Yours sincerely
Gwen Smith
Head of Business Development
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rules of engagement for doing FOIE with Flintshire County Council
Construct your FOIE in a text editor.
Save it
If you use the online form you should receive a reference number.
If you use their email address cc it to your county councillor as well.

If no reply phone FCC or contact your county councillor.
You should not have to take the step of complaining to the Chief Executive but...................
There is of course there is "the ultmate big stick" the Information Commissioner.

Good news for Airbus

Airbus Broughton £340m government cash boost hailed.

Link
The Evening Leader
Eads profits down to £767m for half year

A letter for consideration Leader.

Lord Mandleson is to be congratulated for securing £340m to help secure future work at Airbus Broughton and for sub-contractors. His stepping in to stop Welsh post office closures was also most welcome.

When Flintshire County Council gave Airbus planning permission to expand Airbus some years ago they overlooked the effect that their shift workers would have on local village environments.

Penyffordd village leaders sat on their hands whilst plans were passed that would seriously affect Penyffordd's environment. In return for this gift from the state is it not now Airbus' turn to honour their stated corporate commitments to local communities and pay for local traffic calming from their vast profits?

Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District


keywords: Mark Stewart, Tom Enders, A380, A350 composite wing.

Postscript. Grant maybe the word rather than gift, although if you are a company who are struggling to get continuing credit from the stupid banks it would be looked upon as a gift.

Penyffordd News

It's sunny.

An Email to Mark Tami MP re speeding in Chester Rd

Part 2 And another thing Mark.

NWP's environmental audits of communities our's here

http://www.north-wales.police.uk/nwpv2/en/nptSearch/wardResults.asp?ID=06&WID=F51

Former Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom carried out an audit of Penyffordd his suggestions were very good excepting he managed

to steer his way past a couple of thousand speeding cars a day.

He's in The Post this morning spouting hypocrisy on customer satisfaction

No where in the above audits will you see speeding mentioned.

Our councillors too timid to press NWP.

I would like you as my elected MP to press NWP and FCC for a lasting solution to this continuing plague on our village.

I see the Llanffynydd solution where you live is most excellent.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

copied to blog

spelling mistakes corrected....

taken my tablets

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

From: Lisa

To: Mark Tami MP

Cc: The great and the good

Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 8:22 AM

Subject: Chester Rd speeding update - email Mark Tami MP

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

Part 1 Hi Mark

It's early morning, the rat run hammering through the village.

Not a policeman in site.

Since our new bobby Howie has been installed in the village I reckon

74,000 vehicles have sped through our village.

Our councillors will not push the police into doing their job either.

I've had a look on the NWP forum, a CBM on there getting very tough

with speeders saying she would only able to visit the area twice a month, that will show them!

http://www.north-wales.police.uk/portal/search/SearchResults.aspx?q=speeding&PageIndex=4

This pathetic effort of twice a month was mentioned by CBM Chris Pullen so it must have

come from police management.

Quite frankly NWP have got no idea or no intention to crack down

on speeding. The whole thing is a sham. Let's just pretend.

Is it not time to start again with regards policing in communities?

NWP are wasting millions on pretending to do their job.

NWP Authority are also not doing their job

The whole thing is a hoax.

1. NWP will not put speeding in Penyffordd as an issue on their web site

2. They will not allow me to join their forum.

3. They will not communicate with me.

This email shows the continuing total unaccountability of NWP and authority.

One mad resident who is not going away.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

ps I suppose my phone and computer are being watched.

Police state getting nearer?

As someone who protests against the way North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council deal with speeding and illegal exhausts I am concerned at the use of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act for interception of phone and email records. In 2008 Flintshire County Council applied on seven occasions, three by Trading Standards, three on Anti Social Behaviour and one with concerns environment.

What was the environment one about?
Does protest come under anti social behaviour?
What about North Wales Police interceptions?

Support in The Leader letters page

Click image to read

You will see similarities to Chester Rd here. Councillors and North Wales Police of no practical use.

Flintshire County Council and The Freedom of Information Act

Previously I have had about 4 FOIE's ( Freedom of Information Enquiries) to Flintshire County Council disappear into the internet ether. You fill the form in online press the send button then theoretically you get a return email from a computer robot with a reference number.

I managed finally to get one to register on their system. The enquiry was refused ( how many speeding cars in Chester Rd each day) but hey it's all good fun.

So Saturday I filled the online form in again - no robot.
Sunday tried again in case I pressed clear instead of send.
Emailed them Monday - nothing.
Lisa phoned them Tuesday - still no success.................
Emailed again Tuesday evening..........
Wednesday morning 10.38 am still no acknowledgement of FOIE.
Wednesday evening tried again. Instead of using Mozilla I used Windows Explorer.
Still no joy
Go for nuclear email option.
Emailed to various county councillors and officers.


It's not some sort of picnmix where FOIE's can be put in the bin because they don't like the content request.


Postscript: Cllr Arnold Woolley has emailed me to say that they are looking into my complaint for which I am most thankful. This is looking like a technical issue.

As for the refusal of FCC to hand over speeding traffic data for Chester Rd, Penyffordd that's another matter.

Meteor Shower tomorrow night

Link BBC

A Note to Penyffordd Councillors

This is how other communities deal with speeding in North Wales.
http://www.north-wales.police.uk/portal/search/SearchResults.aspx?q=speeding

North Wales Police Community Portal

I have joined.
http://www.north-wales.police.uk/portal/

and have mentioned that taboo subject in Penyffordd "speeding"
Just the odd 1000+ each day.

postscript. They refuse to let me have my say.

Next Penyffordd Neighbourhood Forum

26/08/2009
18:00:00
Committee room, Penyffordd Royal British Legion.

Dove Cottage open to the public

Click to enlarge

Dove Cottage, Rhos Rd is open to the public on Sunday August 16 from 2 to 5 pm under the National Garden Scheme to raise money for charities.

Published in The Leader.

Arrive Alive seen

in Pontblyddyn at 20. 40 hrs. Penyffordd dropped from the list?
Just a 1000+ speeding cars a day Jim and you are doing nothing.

keyword. Jim Moore, All Wales Safety Partnership, Arrive Alive

Penyffordd Community Council and Speeding

I am for ever grateful to The Evening Leader for publishing this letter today. After two and half years I have lost patience. I know of no other community that has more speeding traffic than Chester Rd Penyffordd. Over a 1000 speeders each day is a lot of speeders. Each Penyffordd Community Council meeting which Lisa attends I ask her when she returns "Was speeding in Chester Rd mentioned. Usually the answer is negative.

There has been this extreme reluctance to even acknowledge its existence. The Summer Penyffordd Community Newsletter can't even mention that Chester Rd is a problem area. Last local elections were rigged. I say this not as a sore loser. Cllr Tom Jones has a group vote which he uses to keep out potential councillors who will not toe his line. Cllr Joe Bell should never have stood, he is too unwell. It's time for most councillors to retire. Local elections have been rigged for years and it shows through in poor community facilities.

Penyffordd Community Council have been toothless in their dealings with North Wales Police. They should be pressing them to enforce law and order in Chester Rd not sitting on their hands.
They are too weak.

Why didn't councillors press Flintshire County Council to exclude lorries when we had our bypass built? I think a few councillors have sided with local lorry firms and Flintshire County Council over the interests of Penyffordd residents

It's time for our senior councillors to stand aside they have let the village down badly.

Property Sales in Penyffordd District

• 10, Towers Way, Penyffordd, CH4 0JS - Sold for £180,000 on 01-05-2009

• 2, Hilltop Cottages, Penymynydd, CH4 0LG - Sold for £125,000 on 08-06-2009

• Breck Bungalow, Wrexham Road, Penyf fordd, CH4 0HU - Sold for £95,000 on 09-01-2009

You can search all these sales totally free of charge by going to OurProperty.co.uk.

Break in at Penyffordd Post Office

Last night we heard alarms going off at midnight. First checked the car but it wasn't that. Then thought it must be the chip shop or Legion. Turns out a spider had broken into the Post Office. The spider then built a web across one of the sensors.............................
Bit of trouble today being Monday ( internet orders happening all weekend) queue of Ebayers in post office. Alarm automatically locks the safe.........................can't open it.
Where is Mary?

Plenty of grief lined up over post as Postal Worker strike action continues................

Promotion for Mark Stewart HR Airbus

Congratulations Mark on your recent promotion. Can't find it yet on Google though. Something like Head of Operations Airbus? Anyway I'm doing some work in the garden today in an area I try to avoid. This area is where I can hear the traffic speeding past my house which is in the middle of Penyffordd village.
Of course lots of this speeding traffic is from Airbus shiftworkers which is something Airbus, Flintshire County Council, North Wales Police and Penyffordd Community Council try to pretend isn't happening.

Lower Mountain Rd is an accident waiting to happen due to your workers speeding on narrow country lanes. Chester Rd less so but we get the largest amount of speeders, over a 1000 a day. Flintshire County Council can tell from their traffic data exactly when your shift workers speed through the village but are protecting you. Is it some kind of Masonic thing? Or are Flintshire Councillors trying to get jollies on your A380?

A quick look on Airbus website says you are " Investing in The Green Wave" Aren't these marketing people marvellous. Airbus getting involved in all things green whilst allowing their workers to speed through villages around Airbus Chester every day.

Quote
Green Wave aims to raise awareness among children, young people, families and educators on the importance of biodiversity, and also supports schools around the world to educate tomorrow's decision-makers on the crucial tasks of protecting Earth's biodiversity and halting its loss.

On the 5 June 2009 World Environment Day (WED) – an initiative by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Airbus launched its “See the bigger picture” photo contest together with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and National Geographic.

Airbus calls upon young people to take action, go outside, stop, look and care about the biodiversity (the variety of plants and animals) surrounding them. We believe that submitting photographs - illustrating what biodiversity means to children - is a great way to get them excited about the natural world and for them to appreciate the importance of biodiversity.
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One would hope that Airbus will start to care about its local environments. Until then the above is just so much corporate twaddle like your corporate statement on local environments.

regards Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

ps. One of your 30 ton lorries got stuck outside the village garage the other day. You could start to act responsibly to local villages by banning them where there are bypasses. Alan Skips, Springfield Building Supplies, Alan Morris Transport and Hanson Cement all use Penyffordd bypass.

key words: Brian Fleet, John Gillbanks, Paul McKinley, Chief Superintendent Ruth Purdie, Arnold Woolley, Colin Everett.

Can Miracles happen?

In the last year Lisa and I have become aquainted with Idris Jones and Huw Jones who live near Treuddyn. Huw Jones' dad's farm is named Ffrainc which is much older in age than Penyffordd. Dating back to 800 BC.

Idris' brother, Huw's dad was involved in a very serious accident with a lorry near Ruthin. ( I hate lorries, if they tailgate they should be banned). The accident was reported in The Leader.
The case is still coming to court.

Huw runs the farm with Idris' help. Idris who is over 70 had thought he had retired.......

Anyway Elfed is back home. Lets hope his recovery continues to better health.

Link
The Leader
The Daily Post

Postscript. Idris is 78 years old. He was a parish councillor for Treuddyn for 40 years. Up until the early 1990's meetings were held in Welsh.

Reporting Issues to Flintshire County Council

This site allows you to report issues to Flintshire County Council. Such as dog mess, potholes or street lights that need attending to. It's straight forward and takes little to master.
Link http://www.fixmystreet.com/?pc=ch4+0ls

The Freedom of Information Act and Flintshire County Council

I am indebted to the Labour Government for introducing the above act that requires public bodies to handover most types of information they hold if asked. Flintshire County Council however are loath to hand out traffic data they hold on Chester Rd Penyffordd. In fact they have bought new software specifically to prevent me from having said data.
Last night I filled out a request on their FOIE form.

I awaited the robot to send me a reference number but no number. Thinking perhaps I pressed the clear button rather than the send button I sent it again today. Still no reference number returned.

Over the last two years I have sent maybe 8 FOIE's to Flintshire County Council. I have only had a reply from one enquiry and I had to drag that out of them. The enquiry was avoided through devious means.

These days I do not fill out the online form then send it off. I do it in a word editor and save it. Then I have a copy to send again should it disappear into the ether.

My first six enquiries were never acknowledged.

Anyway I'm sure the subject of my FOIE will become apparent shortly.

Postscript. Why don't they answer emails? Phoncall tomoz


keywords: Colin Everett. Newport County. Elected Supporters Director.

Letter -- re New North Wales Police Initiative - Balance your Bobby

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration.

I read with interest in The Leader that the North Wales Police Authority and North Wales Police are to launch a revolutionary new scheme to make NWP accountable to communities. At present North Wales Police and Penyffordd Community Council are "in denial" over the 1000+ vehicles that speed through Chester Rd, Penyffordd. The so called Police Pledge initiative has been a failure. NWP have been intransigent for most of the last two years, they have refused to communicate and have been arrogant and unaccountable.

I and other residents of Chester Rd welcome this initiative. NWP have the data, they know exactly when the speeding is happening. The tools are there to measure their performance. Lets see if this initiative has teeth or just another media puff.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

keyword: Balance your Bobby

Link
www.yglas.com
BBC NE Wales

postscript: Neighbourhood Policing has also been a failure as far as Chester Rd Penyffordd is concerned. CBM Chris Pullen took it off the list of items to address as he couldn't be bothered doing it past a certain point.
As for the title " Balance your Bobby" Won't comment as long as it works.

To Royal St David's Harlech

to watch European Ladies play professional golf. Awesome is a well over used word but awesome is what Laura Davies is. Awesome can also be used to describe the ball striking qualities of those playing. Most profesionals have their personal way of striking the ball. Laura starts the ball slightly right of target and gently draws the ball in.


Links
S4/C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe
BBC Golf
Royal St David's

Penyffordd Community Council Newsletter is now out

It is most welcome that the council now keep residents informed. For many years residents left councillors to it. A big thank you to Cllr Linda Vidamour for pushing to inform residents what is going on.

County Councillor Cindy Hinds has her own newsletter as does Cllr David Williams.

BUT WHAT ABOUT CHESTER ROAD SPEEDING?

WE HAVE OVER A 1000 EACH DAY.

There is a section on speeding within the village and Lower Mountain Rd. 20 mph is mentioned as a possibility near schools. A big paragraph with with regards Lower Mountain Rd speeding but no mention of Chester Rd. No mention to the 1000+ speeders that abuse Chester Rd each and every day. North Wales Police's strategy to slow down traffic within Chester Rd looks the same as usual. It has no teeth.

There continues to be a conspiracy by North Wales Police and Penyffordd Councillors to ignore speeding in Chester Rd. No accountability. This shown by the continuing refusal to admit it is even happening.
Quite frankly the police and councillor accountability over speeding in Chester Rd is zero.
You are just ignoring it.

It started with a polite request to Nigel the clerk about speeding. He phoned up to say its nothing to do with the council. It hasn't moved far from there.

keyword: Chief Superintendent Ruth Purdie.

Comment online about planning application for stables in Terrace Lane

Please read notes before making comments. Comments will be public domain and will be able to be read by anyone.
Click Flintshire County Council Planning Application comments

The detailed plans are here.
It's a 9 mb pdf file, so you need a free pdf reader if you do not have one.

Planning Application Number 046423

Airbus delivers its 1000th A330/340 aircraft

A gargantuan engineering and logistics feat.

Link The Daily Post

Terrace Lane proposed stable development

Cllr Cindy Hinds tells me there is strong opposition to the above plans.
Cllr Hinds has been to see concerned residents including George Jones.

Planning Application No 046423

Speeding in Penyffordd still being ignored by North Wales Police they remain unaccountable as ever.............

It would appear Chester Rd Penyffordd is being singled out by NWP for non action

I have asked NWP to add speeding in Penyffordd but they have failed to do so.

We have well over a 1000 speeders each day. If its good enough for speeding to be put down for Connah's Quay.

http://www.north-wales.police.uk/nwpv2/en/nptSearch/wardResults.asp?ID=03&WID=F20

Its good enough for Chester Rd, Penyffordd.

Speeding is also being ignored on Environmental Visual Audits by North Wales Police.
As are illegal exhausts.
http://www.north-wales.police.uk/nwpv2/en/nptSearch/wardResults.asp?ID=06&WID=F51

Northop Horticultural College merges

with Deeside College. Cllr Colin Bithell is/was a governor of Northop.
Story here The Leader.
On the front is a smiling David Jones who is College Principle of Deeside. I once met David at a business networking do at Northop Country Club. He is a very nice chap. The day was a golf day for North Wales heads of industry etc. I sneaked in because I have a golf mate who employs rather a lot of people (abour 3000).
So there I was having a very interesting chat with David in the bar overlooking the course. It was curtailed however as the head networker and organiser could see I was a "no one" and guided David over to network with the great and the good. David is a good networker with the media and politicians too.
Thus ended my brief contact with the heads of industry.

Planning Application at Terrace Lane

Reference No 046423
Application here
Land adj. to, Brooklyn Farm, Terrace Lane, Penyffordd, Chester, CH4 0HB

Change of use of agricultural land to equine use, erection of stables and manage and alterations to access and landscaping

Google Map Reference here

The post code suggests house with swimming pool over the road. George Jones tells me its the field behind his house.

Decision Target Date 14/09/2009
Flintshire County Council Case Officer Mr M Harris
Tel 01352-703269

Reasons not to have it.

1. It affects house values of those that back onto the field
2. It is for 12 stables. It's too large.
3. Access will be via Terrace Lane which is very narrow.
4. Once planning is given they will be looking to build a house due to the number of horses
that will need to be looked after.
The following could be used " Security and well-being of the horses would be a material consideration"

5. This is the thin end of the wedge. Once this development is granted there will be ongoing pressure to allow further residential expansion. Penyffordd's share of Flintshire UDP housing is already approaching 30% of the current village which is an unfair obligation.
6. The field has a footpath on which local people walk their dogs. Horses can be dangerous creatures and have a capacity to kill or seriously injure local people and their dogs.
7. It's a business development on greenfields.

8. Question - Is it outside boundary for development?
9. The smell of horse urine down wind of stables would be offensive.
10. The impact on the visual amenity of nearby residential properties
11. The buildings would harm the rural character of the locality.
12. The buildings would underminine the openness of the countryside.

Your Flintshire County Council representatives are
Cllr Cindy Hinds Hdencin@aol.com
Cllr David Williams dwillderw@yahoo.co.uk

Community Councillor Linda Vidamour ( linvidamour@btinternet.com) is also taking an interest as will Penyffordd Community Community Council.

I understand Nigel Jones Clerk to the Council may have the plans.

Fatal Crash in Hawarden

Another tragic death this time in Hawarden whilst Flintshire County Council are behind the scenes planning to remove funding * earmarked for village / town road safety. Is life and village environment not more important than decoration and county hall reception alterations?

Funds are being frittered away on wallpaper and the likes whilst road deaths are becoming a near weekly statistic. Is it not time for FCC to get a grip and take proper responsibility for the carnage on Flintshire roads? North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council are supposed to act as a partnership to lower speeding in Flintshire villages and towns which is a serious anti social behaviour issue.

It is a fact that shift workers*** fly through Chester Rd Penyffordd each morning at 50 mph. We are an accident waiting to happen just like Glynne Way, Hawarden. FCC and NWP know this is happening but just ignore the issue.

Where is the county strategy to protect village environments? Cllr Tony Sharps in charge of FCC Environment Portfolio has Northop Hall protected but what about the rest of us?

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* I have a spy in Shire Hall, Edna Mopbucket's** sister who told me funding was beng removed.

**Glyn Davies Prospective Conservative Candidate for Montgomeryshire holds copyright on Edna Mopbucket.

*** shift workers equals Airbus and Raytheon

Links
BBC NE Wales
Edna Mopbucket
The Daily Post
The Leader

Postscript: Quotes in The Daily Post that can be said of Chester Rd Penyffordd.
The quotes are with regards the Hawarden fatal crash.

"One local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the 30mph street is used as a racetrack by some motorists."

The road was closed until around midday, according to the resident, who said: “I did hear a car drive past early this morning, at take off speed but then cars are always speeding along this street.

“It’s only a 30mph road but a lot of cars are doing more than 60mph.”

Hawarden councillor Clive Carver has campaigned for speed restrictions along Glynne Way.

He said: “This is very sad news but Glynne Way and the road out of Hawarden has had problems for a while with accidents.

“Something has to be done about it because we do not want to see a repeat of this incident.”

House auction Penymynydd Rd, Penymynydd.

Auction ended this last week. House withdrawn from Auction.

• Selection of Properties

Penymynydd Property Penymynydd

Plot B Stone Cottage, Penymynydd Flintshire

£50,000

WITHDRAWN FROM AUCTION - PLOT B - THE LAND HAS OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING DWELLING AND SHED AND …
Estate Agent: Christopher Hall Estate Agents - Mold - , UK

Contact Agent More Details

Penymynydd Property Penymynydd

-

Plot A Stone Cottage, Penymynydd Flintshire

£50,000

WITHDRAWN FROM AUCTION - PLOT A - THE LAND HAS OUTLINE PLANNING PERMISSION FOR THE DEMOLITION OF THE EXISTING DWELLING AND SHED AND …
Estate Agent: Christopher Hall Estate Agents - Mold - , UK