Fuel Price Issues for Penyffordd

Fuel is an easy target for government to raise taxes. The problem being freedom to travel is the oil that lubricates the economy. It's alright the green's wanting everyone to use less petrol and diesel ( China has just announced plans for a new 42 million people city who will be wanting personal transport whether it be cars or airbuses ).

Put fuel prices up and most modern human activity is affected.

Resentment is stirring here in The Daily Post. Small lorry firms suffering greatly.

Done my accounts last week. My fuel bill half the year before so nearly half the revenue for the chancellor.
Trouble is these public servants and politicians who decide policy don't live in the real world. They don't run businesses they just have this task of spending x amount of billions before the end of the financial year. This may be about to change in the next few years.

To Talacre Beach

A5104 shut again 4.00 pm today

Another accident, North Wales Police in attendance. The A5104 between Penyffordd and Pontblyddyn one of the most dangerous roads in Flintshire.

North Wales Police presence on Chester Rd.

Freedom of Information Request Time

Yesterday Inspector Martin Best made certain assertions in The Flintshire Chronicle. Time to ask what he bases his assertions on.

Link What do they know

To the best pub in Penyffordd

which happens to be The Bridge in Pontblyddyn.............. more later.

Penyffordd dancer to perform live on TV

Nicolette Whitely is hoping people in the county will pick up the phone and vote for her this weekend.

The 22-year-old, of Penyffordd near Mold, began dancing six years ago and went on to pursue her passion by training at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA).

Link Flintshire Chronicle

Does Inspector Martin Best misinform?

Quote "South Flintshire police inspector Martin Best said: “North Wales Police have continued to monitor the effect of the highway alterations to both speed and traffic flow along Chester Road.

“To date no increases have been identified. However, the South Flintshire neighbourhood policing team will continue to monitor and take appropriate action when offences are disclosed.”

Link Flintshire Chronicle

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It would be fair to say that no increases have been identified because NWP never look.

NWP do not monitor traffic in Chester Rd. When Gosafe last monitored traffic in Chester Rd the road to Broughton was shut due to the building of A55 Warren Hall exits. Flintshire County Council representative for Gosafe refuses to hand over the last set of data taken on Chester Rd.
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The following are facts Inspector Best

1. Traffic hammers through Chester Rd at various parts of the day. We have a rat run every working morning, neighbours over the road will back me up. Gosafe have the data. Let's have it all out in the open. Let's see the unedited Gosafe data taken in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Prove me wrong. 

Your statement to the Flintshire Chronicle stinks, have you had training in the Met?. I expect better from a police inspector.

postscript. Will Penyffordd Cllrs demand new traffic speed data so we can all see what's happening? Don't hold your breath!


Leader quote


South Flintshire Inspector Martin Best received a commendation for his leadership.His commendation reads: “Martin has made great endeavours to seek out best practice and support when required and has never failed to take personal responsibility for his area’s performance.
“Martin has quickly become well known and highly regarded by our partners outside North Wales Police, including local councillors and other elected representatives. He is a model leader and an inspiration to a number of staff.”

Ongoing speeding in Chester Rd

Many thanks to the Flintshire Chronicle for printing my letter on NWP large lack of enthusiasm for traffic policing in communities such as Penyffordd. It's funny how we have had no traffic policing in Chester Rd for maybe 2 years yet yesterday afternoon our CBM Howie was on Chester Rd with a speed gun.
Communities want more than gesture policing  NWP.

Question. Where are Penyffordd Community Council on this? With Chester Rd residents and school children or North Wales Police?

Continuing from previous post

Simon Jenkins puts everything into perspective. This is stuff that will affect Penyffordd.

Link The Guardian

The current state of the nation ........................

So we have had a bubble economy for the last how many years. House price rises built on nothing. Mortgage holders using their houses as banks spending unearned money on holidays and everything else.
The banks have stopped lending to business, a lot of business are drawing in resources to consolidate rather than expand, a lot of building firms are just existing keeping their infrastructure in place.

Shock horror today our economy shrunk by half a percent.(in the real world shrinkage it's a lot more)

Up pops the arse who was architect to all this bubble spending Ed Balls. Saying the government are doing things wrong. Ed Balls should be in jail as well as Gordon Brown for destroying our economy.

The national newspapers are no different. The Guardian that lost £40 million last year claims shock horror at the state of the nation.( Here)

Penyffordd Panto 2011

Penyffordd and Penymynydd Pantomime Group

proudly present

Treasure Island

by Tony Bradford and Tina Webster

at

The War Memorial Institute

Chester Rd.

Performances

Fri 4th February @ 7.00pm

Sat 5th February @ 1.30pm

Sat 5th February @ 7.00 pm

Sunday 6th February @ 2.00 pm

Admittance Price

Adults £4

Children and OAP's £2.50

Family packs price available

Tickets are available at Penyffordd Post Office

Credit Crunch Effects on private business

Accounts have to be sent into HMRC by the end of the month. So I am sorting through figures. I have always hated doing accounts but you do need to know what's going on for your own sake and for our government that spends our money like water. In 2005 we started a new venture by 2007 our sales were going through the roof then the credit crunch hit. Also our competition increased vastly with competing companies using computer programmes to drive us smaller people out of business.

Say I alter the price of a 100 of our products so they are the lowest on the internet. Tomorrow morning our competition will run their computer programmes automatically scanning our products against their products. Their computers will then alter all their prices so that they are lower than ours.

It's called the race to the bottom. The bottom line being is to sell stuff the competition don't have.

At the moment there are a lot of businesses struggling out their. Shops unless they are selling mobile phones or food must be having a nightmare. High monthly costs with income steadily falling.
Bank behaviour to private business is a disgrace. A friend of mine advised many years ago not to borrow money from the bank unless you have the means to pay it straight back should they ask for it. This is a very hard task in the modern world. His advice however has paid large dividends.

The car industry must be feeling very uncomfortable, its very easy to put off the buying of a new car.

Government have failed to look after the golden egg ( private business) which pays for everything they spend. Health, education, social services.

Government bills for public pensions are colossal, they are in the trillions.

Until the government gets radical with conditions that favour private companies expanding business and taking people on UK PLC will continue to drive along in the ditch.

The Chancellor George Osborne would love my account graphs. Costs getting lower and revenue climbing........................

Mark Tami MP takes a swipe at BT for us long suffering customers

Commons debate
====================================

Oral Answers to Questions - Culture, Media and Sport: Community Broadband (20 Jan 2011)
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2011-01-20a.990.3&s=speaker%3A11267#g991.1
Mark Tami: What discussions has the Minister had with BT and other
suppliers who still produce maps showing broadband coverage, sign people
up and take their money, only for them to find that broadband does not
work and probably will not work for many years?

The Old Establishment Media v The New Media

The Guardian

Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson resigns for personal reasons

Guido

Alan Johnson caught bonking a civil servant.
Outed by a special advisor to Ed Balls
Step forward new Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls !

Link http://order-order.com/2011/01/20/balls-spad-outed-alan-johnsons-family-problems/

Postscript: Or in today's Telegraph Johnson's wife having an affair with security, take your pick I'm sure the truth is in there somewhere.

Fact: The Guardian lost £40 million last year....................

Meet my new mate Janez

Current EU Commissioner for the Environment, I'm hoping that includes Penyffordd which was part of the EU last time I checked.

Links
Janez Potocnik
Facebook

Welsh Assembly Government Bull Muck

"As highlighted within the Transport Impact Assessment for Broughton, Flintshire County Council view the construction of the new eastbound-on slip-road and westbound-off slip-road as being of network benefit to the area, by providing a 20% reduction in traffic passing through Broughton village to link onto the A55 to and from the east, thereby significantly improving environmental and highway safety conditions within local communities."

But not Penyffordd!Traffic levels in Chester Road are rising.

Link Warren Hall Strategic Business Park - construction of the A55 Warren Bank Interchange Improvements.

Flintshire councillor bullying probe begins

First day The Daily Post and The Flintshire Leader

Second day The Leader and The Daily Post

Third day The Leader and the Flintshire Chronicle

Further day The Leader 16/02/2011

4/03/2011 The Leader

keywords: Barry Davies, Patrick Heesom, Susan Lewis

Our MP to go?

Will Mark Tami have to fight David Hanson for the same job?
MP's get a lot of stick. Would you take a job on the basis you could get kicked out in 4 years time? From local hero to zero. You get kicked out due to massive mistakes from the likes of Gordon Brown. I emailed David Hanson ten o'clock one Thursday night when he was police minister. He was in the house just going through divisions to vote, he replied on his blackberry.
Alright if you have a separate income but not alright if you haven't.

Link The Daily Post

Albania, Romania or Penyffordd?

 

Chester Rd pothole watch

Email to Cllr Tony Sharps Head of Roads and Environment

Morning Tony,

Here's a glitch in Flintshire's trunk road system.

 It's next to the half a rumble strip highways gave us. I've travelled far and wide but I can't ever remember coming across half of one. The locals drive around it and there's nothing to impede those building up speed from the middle of the village on their way out.

You of course have everything sorted in Northop Hall no one is going to come hammering through your village at any time of the day or night due to measures you have had put in place.

Well done!

Take Chester Rd, Penyffordd as a contrast. Wide open as fast as you like. Our CBM is not interested and neither are our councillors.

Our shortcut traffic really appreciate what WAG have done at Warren Bank.

Are we up to 3000 vehicles a day yet?

Everything you stand for at a Northop Hall and fought for with regards the A494 development we have here in Chester Rd, Penyffordd even though we have a bypass. 

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd

postscript: Cllr Cindy Hinds informs me her and Cllr David Williams are in discussion with FCC over the above. Pot holes have already been reported but I guessed that. 

To Hawarden to plunder Sir William Gladstone's library

The library has a s*ale on. Next time we go we will perhaps concentrate a little less on the books and take in the atmosphere. They have too many books so they are getting rid of some. Always willing to oblige.

Advert. House clearance of books, libraries in Flintshire, Cheshire, North Wales, Wirral and Liverpool.
Non fiction in the main but we take the lot.
Excess or unwanted books given to local charities.

Lisa :  tresmegistes@gmail.com

Penyffordd Bypass Noise Map

The much maligned EU has set forth directives making members take noise maps of areas of large traffic flow. South Wales has had quite a few maps done already. There is the first band which are the worst areas affected by traffic noise then there are the secondary areas and so on. I was of the opinion that N Wales had not done any since none are published. I'd even got a letter sorted for the papers to go on about the north south divide etc.

I was talking to a Flintshire County Council officer the other day who informed me that noise measurements have been taken.

People in the local papers go on about Hanson Cement making noise and avoid the primary source of noise which is the bypass.

When money is available ( there is some actually ring fenced ) our bypass will get a new surface. A reduction of the speed limit from 40mph to 30 mph enforced would also make a big difference.

postscript. Chester Rd is a primary source of noise if you live here, the road at  the back of where Cllr Cindy Hinds lives is also a primary source of noise.

Links Environmental Noise Directive

Who is this man?

He is Herman Van Rompuy, he is President of the European Council, Head of the EU. Most people in the EU have never heard of him, you didn't vote for him yet his power is immense.

Link Wikipedia

Chester Rd Traffic Update

Now that A55 Warren Hall new exit and entrance are open Chester Rd is a nice easy short cut for anyone South of Penyffordd going to Broughton, Chester or beyond. The morning rat run is busy. Cllr David Williams had speeding on the agenda at the December Penyffordd Community Council meeting. Both him and Cllr Cindy Hinds have been talking to Flintshire Highways I presume over short cut traffic that sees the village as a better option than sitting in a queue on the Penyffordd Bypass.

And the picture............... This is Delhi where there have been 78 road rage deaths in the last year. It's what happens when you allow uncontrolled breeding.

Penyffordd in Europe

What is the present situation of the EU?

Greece has overspent and can't keep up with the repayments. The EU has bailed out Ireland and might help Italy and Belgium. It can't help Spain which has when I last looked a million unsold apartments.

Germany is refusing to pay for anymore bailouts backed by France.

The Slog puts it more eloquently here

Oh! and what does Penyffordd have to do with this?. Well you'll be helping to pay for it all.

Google gets radical

Being very clever can have it's down side. UK's attempt to make everyone equal downgrades cleverness.
Google take the lead over mass education.

Link The Independent

And for those looking for a little S & M

It seems Chirk is the nearest. The comment section has a lively 17 comments which have been disabled, spoilsports?

postscript: comments have appeared again.

Link The Leader

More global warming propaganda

The excellent Christopher Booker

Kingfisher seen in Penyffordd

There's not much running water in Penyffordd. There's a quite a large brook next to where the old railway used to run to Kinnerton by the children's playground. There is also a stream that runs down Penymynydd Rd. Years ago George Jones tells me the stream used to be open. Now it runs under the pavement.

It eventually comes out by the farm next to George's house from a culvert it then joins the stream previously mentioned which flows down passed Bramley Lane to Kinnerton then into the River Alyn then on to the River Dee. In this stream next to the footpath are tiny fish. Not sure what they are. This is where I saw the kingfisher when the snows were last here. Karen in the post office tells me someone else has seen it too.

Apologist for speeders

Some one called Andrew P Withers on Anna Raccoon

postscript: I've had an email of sadbutmadlad putting me to rights, can't see the point of replying. People have no respect for communities when they get on their bikes or in their cars. You would most probably find quite a lot fancy they have green credentials but it doesn't stretch to respect for communities.
As I said apologists.

Mark Isherwood AM stands up for Flintshire walkers

in The Flintshire Chronicle

link Mark Isherwood AM

Bullying allegations have cost Flintshire councillor Patrick Heesom ‘thousands of pounds’

Quote: Cllr Heesom said the ‘costs and the losses’ he has incurred during the two years since the allegations were made have been ‘punitive and damaging’.

He added: “I am looking forward to getting the hearing out of the way. It’s not just about clearing my name, but it’s about putting the record straight.

“After this is all over some big questions will have to be asked about the whole process and why it has taken so long.”

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

I think "they" want Patrick out the picture permanently, he's been kicked into the long grass for two years so far. Perhaps lead boots off Connah's Quay bridge the better option for some.

In my opinion without any inside knowledge the above stinks and is bad for democracy. As Patrick says big questions need to be asked,  don't hold your breath though Patrick.

Links
Flintshire Chronicle

Cllr Patrick Heesom

Nigella's Fish Cakes for Tea with deep fat fried chips

A million miles better than Captain Birdseye.

Links
Panko Japanese Breadcrumbs
Goujons of Sole
Nigella.com

keywords: sex and cooking

A5104 Penyffordd to Pontblyddyn

blocked this morning. Most probably due to an accident with snowy road conditions. As a near daily traveller on this road I find this road to be one of the most dangerous in the area. How many accidents have there been on this road in the last 5 years? I would say over 50.

It reaches a stage where idiots who drive cars, buses and lorries need guidance as in lower speed limits.

Muppets everywhere reported in The Leader

Penyffordd Weather Outlook

It's snowing at the moment but will cease and warm up later on. South Wales and the Midlands look like they have had a shed load. Traffic in the middle of Chester is bedlam. (not due to snow)

Chester Rd is currently white in colour.

Recent house sales in Penyffordd district

41 Well House Drive £182,000
Penymynydd, CH4 0LB 5th November 2010

143 Penymynydd Road £153,500
Penymynydd, CH4 0LG 29th October 2010

10 Kent Close £185,000
Penymynydd, CH4 0LP 25th October 2010

16 Holly Drive £200,000
Penyffordd, CH4 0NE 20th October 2010

5 St Johns Close £245,000
Penymynydd, CH4 0YT 16th July 2010

31 Min Y Ddol £135,000
Penyffordd, CH4 0EB 15th October 2010

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

A New Email Feature for me

10. Undo Send

We've all been there: you spend half an hour writing a strongly worded letter, hit send, and realize you probably shouldn't have done that. Thankfully,Gmail Labs' Undo Send feature is there to save you from yourself. After sending an email, Gmail will wait a predefined number of seconds (5, 10, 20, or 30, configurable in Gmail's settings) before sending—at any point during which you can hit the "undo" button to take back your mistake. Even if you don't foresee needing it, it's a heck of a lot better thanyanking out your Ethernet cable, so you might as well keep it around just in case.

The secret of blogging by Guido

"Across all distribution platforms last year the blog had approaching 30 million views and Guido would like to thank you readers who make this blog possible."


Link Guido Fawkes

So long Gerry Rafferty RIP

Link Obituary Guardianonline

Sharpie tells it how it's going to be

in The Post

Hanson Cement in The Leader

Link The Leader

Mystery Apple

Found an apple tree still full of fruit in mid December. The apple is three inches long. It looks like the flesh is light yellow. I have posted this picture on an apple forum for an answer. 

One year later, a better photo, well slightly.

Link All about apples

Two Predictions for 2011

1. Chris Jefferies didn't murder Joeanna Yeates.
2. Manchester City will win the Premier League.

postscript: One correct, one to go. I didn't know that CJ had been released at the time of writing. You could see the police were struggling though when they decided to pull in another neighbour. My qualification for holding forth on such matters is that my wife watches CSI and the Mentalist. I also watch Match of the Day.

If you want to know what sort of mess UK PLC is in and where we are heading read the Slog but not if you are feeling depressed

Secret Footpath

The above stile is in the middle of a wood. 

Forward it is blocked for 50 yds, behind is the picture below.

(not Penyffordd)

To the good doctor (retired) for New Years Eve. These days being a member of Penyffordd Wine Circle has it's plus points. The plan is to leave car at his house and walk home at 2 in the morning, pick up car next day, it's a 40 minute walk. It appears we are among the great and the good, a charity organiser, a professor of biology his wife a Phd, a software designer, a head of trading standards and a few further down the social ladder like ourselves. Smoked salmon nibbles on arrival with meat and fish buffet to follow. After a few glasses of social lubricant everyone is at ease ( well I am anyway).

I am under orders, no embarrassments and no shouting ( I call it social exhuberance).  

Talk gets around to the Hartsheath estate that is on the boundaries of Penyffordd. The great man who lived there a true British eccentric past away a few years ago, himself a professor of Oxford and Cambridge. It is possible to visit Hartsheath it's behind the Bridge Inn (he owned that as well)  at Pontblyddyn near the cricket club during the summer. It's best to ring to see about opening times.

Finally the good doctor has a little surprise he has made a supply of damson gin. This is something special if a little sharp on the tubes. Then I spy an opportunity for a lift home and we are deposited next to the Legion where a local who fancies Lisa can't believe his luck, it is after all New Years Day. 

A pleasant night with very good company. I need to get out more.

This morning I find half those assembled had colds ( new year kisses), then there's this poor chap who has died of swine flue.

No one is saying why this chap gets swine flue and where he got it.............................

And hangovers? no not me....

Link Hartsheath