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Friday, October 30, 2009

Blogger gets Town Council to disband

A town council has disbanded after members staged a mass walkout in protest at being constantly criticised by a lone internet blogger.
"'Here we have a cosy group of people who are so used to residents taking them at face value that when they are challenged they can't take it."

Relative calm ends

After three days of relative calm with three way traffic lights at Penymynydd Rd and Chester Rd junction reality returns with traffic hammering through the village again.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Castle Cement as seen from Rhydtalog


Airbus ‘to match 2008 planes total’

EUROPEAN planemaker Airbus expects to match the number of planes it delivered last year in 2009 but said the A380 superjumbo programme was still challenging.

So it's a good job we had the credit crunch?

Link Daily Post

Further Financial Troubles?

The Dow and FTSE 100 yesterday both threatened a secondary correction — on the 80th anniversary of the great crash of 1929. Today the Shanghai Composite fell below 3000 and the Nikkei 225 below 10000, both warning of another down-swing. The Australian All Ordinaries index closed below 4600, signaling a correction, but final confirmation will come from the Dow.


We have involved ourselves in a colossal muddle, having blundered in the control of a delicate machine, the working of which we do not understand. The result is that our possibilities of wealth may run to waste for a time — perhaps for a long time.

~ John Maynard Keynes: The Great Slump of 1930

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

An alternative lesson from the double dip the economy took in 1938 is that the GDP created by massive fiscal stimulus is artificial. So whenever it is eventually removed, there will be significant economic fall out.

~ David Einhorn - Greenlight Capital

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Cllr Arnold Wooley on life in Flintshire

In The Leader Cllr Woolley describes Flintshire as our diverse and beautiful county. Flintshire County Council is commited to the well being of our environment.

Cllr Woolley describes a situation I do not find in Penyffordd. Lorries that use the village instead of the bypass. Buses that pile through. Unpoliced traffic by the 1000.

Flintshire County Council have on record that Chester Rd, Penyffordd has over a 1000 speeders each day. I and others in Chester Rd await action by Flintshire County Council to slow down the constant speeding in our village which resembles a race track on a major route to school by our children.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Noise - I hate it

Today I have had to work near the front of the house. Buses and lorries roaring through, cars hammering through. It's the noise that drives me mad. After all God's sake we have a bypass.
Anyway here is a good article on noise and listening. I am not on my own.

Link Timesonline

Further re Cronyism in Community Councils

My letter here has been published by The Leader today. (edited version). I have also forwarded my email to the Expert Panel who have been looking at local democracy in Wales.

They say

All comments on the recommendations made by the Expert Panel in their report will be recorded and forwarded to the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, Dr Brian Gibbons. The comments made in your email regarding the *banning of "Independent" election sheets do not relate to a specific recommendation made by the Panel - so it will be recorded in the "general comments" section.

* should say group election sheets

postscript: I'll explain what is unfair about 10 councillors on one election sheet be they Independent, Labour, Conservative or BNP shortly.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Salmon with ginger, chilli and coconut lentils

Heat oil and soften a dessert spoon of finely chopped root ginger, 2 green chillis and 1 clove of garlic. Add 165 mil coconut milk and 1 x 410g tin of green lentils drained. Simmer uncovered for 10 mins and then stir in a handful of chopped parsley. Top with cooked salmon.

Served with glazed carrots and steamed brocolli.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Community Council Websites

At the moment Cllr David Williams is struggling with ours which is here. I did offer to set one up for free with free ongoing technical help but David decided against. He then criticises me for doing nothing for the village. One can't win.

There are also the costs for the website space and website name which are ongoing and yearly. Also the site needs modifying and updating by someone who can program in html or a similar language. A knowledge of cascading style sheets is also needed.

Northop Hall Community Council have a website here. I notice they too wish to deter traffic taking a short cut through their village . At the bottom of the page is a free software to set a community website, it will not be as easy or functional as mine though.

© 2009 Northop Hall Community Council
Joomla! is Free Software released under the GNU/GPL License.


Blogger which is what you are looking at is the best way forward for Penyffordd Community Council.

Its free.

The website name is free.

Its easy to use.

Items can be added by most councillors who are familiar with computers within a few minutes of their machines being set up. No learning of html code. Cllrs Cindy Hinds, Linda Vidamour, Jane Hopwood and David could add content.

Information will be indexed by Google in seconds, a private website like the one David is currently stuggling with can take 9 months to start to get indexed by Google. I know I have been there with our commercial website.

Access permissions can be granted or removed.

Polls can be carried out online.

There can be a forum area.

You could have a donation page through Paypal which allows secure payments from all credit cards.

There are various other options available and many more continue to be added.

Instead David struggles on with a website that costs money to run annually and which he will struggle for ever to master. It's time to give up the struggle David and get real.

Clocks go back tonight

Clocks move backwards one hour.

Sunday 25 October 02:00 BST** (01:00 GMT )

**As the UK will be on BST (British Summer Time), we will change our clocks at 2 am on Sunday 25th October.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Letter to The Leader - Cronyism in community councils in Wales

cc Welsh Assembly Government, Barry Davies, Head of Legal Services Flintshire County Council

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration

At present the The Welsh Assembly Government are holding a consultation on local democracy in Wales. An expert panel have made 35 recommendations to improve our perception and involvement in local government. One area they have looked at is the retaining and recruitment of a diverse group of councillors.

May I suggest they ban group "Independent" election sheets for local elections. This allows a local "Independent " godfather to surround himself with cronies and dead wood blocking those keen to stand. Currently if your face fits you get a free ride in Penyffordd elections.

If Leader readers in other areas of North Wales have had similar issues when trying to stand as a councillor now is the time to put your thoughts forward to the expert panel. You have one month.
The Leader has the contact information.

Colin Hughes
Penyffordd

notes. I believe Penyffordd Community Council have approached FCC for a second time with a view to gagging my blog.

Apologies to Cllrs Jane Hopwood and Linda Vidamour you are not the target.
Postscript: Cllrs Cindy Hinds, David Williams and Colin Bithell published their own sheets. Clr Colin Bithell also appeared on the general sheet of community Independents.

Still over a 1000 speeders each day on a major route to school councillors!


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

Mark Polin, New Chief Constable of North Wales Police


Mr Mark Polin was appointed Deputy Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary on 19th October 2007.

Mr Polin entered the Police Service in 1983 joining the City of London Police where he rose to the rank of Chief Inspector. His last posting saw him in charge of operations at Snow Hill, with particular responsibility for security operations at the Central Criminal Court and other high profile venues.

In 1998 he transferred on promotion to Gwent Police as Superintendent in charge of various central operational functions, including the Force Control Room and the firearms, public order and traffic units. This was followed by command of the Ebbw Vale Division.

December 1999 saw his appointment as Chief Superintendent and Divisional Commander of Caerphilly Division and in 2002 he assumed responsibility for Professional and Ethical Standards Department.

Prior to his appointment as Deputy Chief Constable he held two other Chief Officer portfolios in Gloucestershire Constabulary. As Assistant Chief Constable (Corporate Services) he was responsible for the Criminal Justice, Community Partnerships and Contact Management Departments and a member of the Local Criminal Justice Board and other strategic partnerships in the County.

In the role of Assistant Chief Constable (Operations) he was accountable for performance improvement and responsible for the three territorial Divisions and the Specialist Crime Investigation Services and Operational Services Departments. He also performed many national and regional roles and in particular was, and continues to be, the ACPO Lead for criminal justice reform issues and also the chair of the Regional Tasking and Coordinating, Firearms and Forensics forums.
He acts as an umpire on the national counter terrorism exercise programme focusing on Gold Command and associated structures and processes.

Mr Polin holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from the Open University.

Mr Polin starts in his new position of Chief Constable of North Wales in November.

Postscript Mark Polin comes from Gloucester Police Force which have a proper Police Pledge system in place. As opposed to North Wales Police whose current policing pledge is non existent.

Link Gloucestershire Constabulary

Further 20 mph zones rolled out in Wrexham

Link BBC NE Wales.
Meanwhile its business as usual in Chester Rd. Foot to the floor.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

To Delamere Forest to support Bullies in Need



Bullies in Need is an unregistered charity that supports unwanted English Bull Terriers. They give money and support for the rehoming and temporary fostering.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Good news for Penyffordd Wine Circle

Penyffordd Community Council hand out grants to local organisations such as Women's Institute and Flower Club. Nigel Jones, Clerk to the Council has just delivered a cheque for Penyffordd Wine Society. This money will help us survive. The last few years have seen drops in membership but we have had new members join recently.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Fool's Paradise

The current state of our economy.
Link The Telgraph

Bonfire night to go ahead

Last year the bonfire organisers stepped down after a complaint of sparks from the bonfire landing on someone's head. This year it will be run by Penyffordd Institute Committee. Well done.

Postscript. It's on a Saturday and starts 30 minutes earlier than normal. Gates open 6 pm.
Date. November 7th.

Peter Black AM steps in over proposed badger cull

Link Walesonline

Goings on at Shire Hall August - September 2009

Link Alison Halford

Go Safe

This is the Wales Casuality Reduction Partnership.
http://www.gosafe.org/

They say they are no longer Arrive Alive. The North Wales web address tells a different story.

http://www.arrivealive.org.uk/

Mark Tami MP has sent me a letter he received from WCRP following representations made by Mark to the WCRP with regards Chester Rd Penyffordd speeding. Previously Carl Sargeant AM has made similar efforts. I am told CBM Howie Williams has also been in touch with WCRP recently.

keywords   gosafe.org 

Flintshire to experience a new kind of rain

I kid you not.

Link The Leader

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Speeding - It appears I am not on my own

Link Daily Mail

Cllr Colin Bithell in The Leader

over Warren Hall Business Park. Good points made by Colin but he forgot to mention all the extra traffic through the village. Mind you if his arguments are correct we will not be having any extra traffic.

Link The Leader

Airbus 320 to be built for another 10 years

Ten years is a long time. We shall see. China will be making 1000's of Airbuses in 10 years time.
Both Boeing and Airbus seem to be biding their time on new models.
Amounts of energy for flying might also be an issue.
Link Daily Post

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

North Wales Police Horses in Penyffordd


Horse box parked in The Millstone. There are ongoing issues with "youth". CBM Howie Williams is on the case. This must be part of a program to reassure residents of North Wales Polices' commitment to neighbourhood policing. They must have been riding around in the dark. There is horse muck near the Millstone always gets Leader readers going. Cow muck is better for the garden as they send the grass through 2 stomachs which gets rid of the grass seed or so I am told.

Snouts in the trough

Having had a few issues over the years with the Inland Revenue and VAT including CCJ's one is a little incensed with how MP's are treated. Former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith was let off with a Common's apology. The Revenue don't normally do apologies, it's repayment with interest and stern warnings about withholding any other issues they have not been told about.

Link Guido

Vauxhalls accept pay freeze and 600 job loss

Link Timesonline

Postscript. Further negotiations job losses taken off the table.

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Global Warming Scam

Link The Spectator

Penyffordd Community Council receives its first FOIE

Well I think I am the first. It was about a CCTV camera placed in the village. I placed the FOIE last Tuesday. It took 6 days to answer. Nigel pushed the answer through my door this morning.

In light of ongoing planned improvements the above FOIE now answered with satisfaction if not puzzlement.
They knew nothing............

Castle Cement Dust Outage continued

Hanson Cement (nee Castle Cement) have hired valeeters to deal with 100 vehicles with dust issues. One lady in the affected area was heard to say that her car had not had any dust on it. It might have had something to do with the fact she keeps car in a garage..................

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Pubs continue to close

We tend to walk in areas between Penyffordd and Llandegla.
1. The Poachers in Ffrith has shut.
2. The Railway in Coed Talon is shut.
3. The Cross Keys in Llanfynydd have applied for planning permission to turn pub into a house.

Meanwhile another pub we pass has few customers...............

Lisa's Kitchen


Chicken pasta with green salad


Tofu mango kebabs with quinoa, soya beans, peas and avocada

Friday, October 09, 2009

Recent house sales in Penyffordd District

Sales recently added within 500 metres of CH4 xxx

• 1, Towers Way, Penyffordd, CH4 0JS - Sold for £175,000 on 03-08-2009


Sales recently added within 500 metres of CH4 0LJ

• 8, Green Park, Penyffordd, CH4 0LY - Sold for £157,000 on 31-07-2009

Sales recently added within 500 metres of CH4 0HP

• Gilwell House, Abbotts Lane, Penyffordd, CH4 0HW - Sold for £249,995 on 03-08-2009

Link OurProperty.co.uk.

Dust outage at Castle Cement

Cllr Colin Bithell on the war path in The Leader. Not sure if they are going to put it on their web pages. Anyway here's my letter. If Cllr Colin Bithell is standing as a county councillor at the next election he needs to get moving on speeding in the village.

Dear Leader
A letter for consideration.
It would be fair to say that Hanson Cement (formerly Castle Cement) have cleaned up their act very considerably with the new kiln in operation. Cement dust on cars has become a thing of the past. They make one small mistake that affects one small part of the village and Cllr Colin Bithell is out of his box like a greyhound out of the traps. It's a pity Cllr Colin Bithell can't get interested in the safety of children and older residents in our village centre. Last local election his literature said he "stood for the families of the village" Why does he continue to ignore our daily rat run on a major route to school?
Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District.

Postscript Link
The Leader
Daily Post

Postscript: Pity no one is interested in speeding through the village. Speeding kills people the dust will not.

Your energy bills are set to rise.

This is in exclusion to any credit crunch issues. It's due to lack of government, foresight and investment. China is also hoovering up energy resources all over the world just to make matters worse.

Link Reuters

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

An exert from Wordsmith by John Williams

to rid me of the previous post.

This was about his father who returned from WW2 a much altered person.


Adolf, his part in my father's downfall.

"But he had not the nous to capitalise on his talents as an artist, a natural pianist and a skilled carpenter. Instead he chose to assiduously train for a place in the Welsh national drinking team".

War can damage your health.................

Penyffordd Community Council meeting tonight

cc Chief Constable Mark Polin

It is aproximately 960 days since I first wrote a polite letter to Penyffordd County Council about speeding in Chester Rd. This was met by a phonecall from Clerk Nigel Jones saying that speeding was nothing to do with the council.

I calculate conservatively that 226,000 cars have sped through the middle of the village since the phonecall from Nigel

North Wales Police sit on their hands. Their neighbourhood forum promises just talk.
Arrive Alive remain unaccountable as ever. I have spotted their van in Pontblyddyn three times in the last month. Why aren't Penyffordd councillors pressing Arrive Alive. Do some councillors have too many mates who speed through the village?

Chester Rd is a major route to school, it's where your children go to school, grandad and grandma get their pensions.

It's still like a race track.......................................................

Councillors should resign and North Wales Police forced to do their job.

keyword. Chief Inspector Ruth Purdie

postscript grammatical errors remedied.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Books to be read

One book that makes me smile and chuckle whenever I open its pages is Wordsmith by John Williams. John wrote (past tense) for The Liverpool Daily Post. Perhaps their greatest columnist, his writing style masterful, wry and witty. Something to try and emulate.
Lisa says it will not get me far ridiculing Penyffordd Community Council however.

Link Bookfinder

Postscript. One of the few books that will make me laugh hysterically.

Letter re Warren Hall Business Park

A letter published in today's Leader

The Leader comment last Friday talks about " not rejecting the creation of new jobs" with regards Warren Hall Business Park Development. So far the Welsh Assembly Government, Flintshire County Council and the Planning Inspector have ignored the real issues of vastly increased traffic levels for Penyffordd and Kinnerton.
How can we have any faith in the planning process if the real concerns of local communities are just steam rollered aside? Support for this development will happen after our communities are protected and not before.
Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District.

Lisa's Kitchen Meatballs with garlic bread

Arrive Alive Safety Partnership to be disbanded?

Arrive Alive have so far ignored representations made by Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami MP with regards speeding in Chester Rd, Penyffordd. They are an unaccountable organisation whose main purpose in life is keep themselves in jobs.

Their description of Chester Rd on their website under Flintshire a complete fabrication that hides a 1000 speeders a day.

In The Mail
"The Tories will also scrap the Safety Camera Partnerships quangos and force local authorities to take a lead on the location and running of cameras."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1218377/Tories-promise-brake-number-speed-cameras.html#ixzz0T8vd28V1

keywords   gosafe.org 

Neighbourhood forums, just talking shops?

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration.

cc Chief Constable Mark Polin
Dear Leader,
At the recent Penyffordd Neighbourhood forum North Wales Police promised to tackle speeding in Chester Rd, Penyffordd which is the village centre and a major "route to school" for young children.
One month on nothing. No communication with Chester Rd residents and no action. Of what use are Police Pledges, Balance your Bobby and other initiatives if North Wales Police do not act on community concerns?
Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

keyword: Inspector Martin Best

Monday, October 05, 2009

So, you think the recession has bottomed out.

Read the link below plus comments. Quite a lot of talk about M3 money supply. It is possible however to get the general drift of the UK situation with regards our economy and how far we are up the creek without a paddle.

Link The Telegraph

Friday, October 02, 2009

Cllr Chris Bithell having trouble with boy racers in Mold

cc Chief Constable Mark Polin

Dear Chris,

I have followed your ongoing struggle against boy racers in Mold in The Leader. We have boy racers in Chester Rd, Penyffordd perhaps more but ours are spread over a wider period. A 300 speeding morning rat run is ignored everyday by Inspector Martin Best in Chester Rd, Penyffordd.

Is it not time in your position on North Wales Police Authority to persuade North Wales Police to forget the "soft touch" and to book them. They speed and have illegal exhausts.
We in Chester Rd are not happy, you in Mold are not happy. What's going on?

ps. No councillors in Penyffordd will stand up to our rat run. It's been going on for more than three years. Why is this?
We also have over a 1000 speeders a day.

Colin Hughes
Chester Rd Penyffordd
copied to blog

Link read Roland Cleth in the comments

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