Why do I question Global Warming

Take a look at The Devil's Kitchen run on how they measure earth temperature.
Warning: other parts of the above blog are not for the faint hearted.

Institutional Whitewash

When reading below letter please bear in mind the fact* there are more than a 1000 vehicles a day that speed through the middle of Penyffordd.
*Arrive Alive data

Click Image to read

key words: Inspector Alun Oldfield, Charles Hughes, Chief Superintendent Ruth Purdie, Eastern Division.

Idris Jones Cllr

On our daily walks we have met Idris Jones ex councillor for Treuddyn for 42 years. We had quite a chat. He knows Cllr Tom Jones who wishes to ignore 1000 + speeders a day through our village. Idris was in The Evening Leader recently because a lorry ploughed into the back of his brothers trailer with Idris in it, they had to be cut out. One hopes his brother will recover from his extensive injuries, the prognosis however is bleak. HGV's need new rules. Their driving practice deadly.

Mystery Bird

As a child I roamed the fields well clear of noisy traffic. I was an egg collector but no longer I respect all life that does not threaten me. On our walks which have a natural silence with the puppy who has prodigious levels of energy we have come across a mystery. A bird that I cannot identify.

Clues
1. Rich chocolate brown back
2. Larger than a blackbird
3. We think possibly a bird of prey but.............
4. Territory near a marsh
5. Always seen on the ground before being disturbed
6. Flying pattern extremely dynamic.

It is not a jay, sparrow hawk, owl, fowl, ..............................................

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

Answer A Woodcock.

Speeding in Penyffordd.... yawn

I've been out this afternoon in the front garden installing infra red security cameras to catch the low life who are damaging my car. The damage is personal as it has happened twice in two different places in Penymynydd Rd. Its either speed ticket related or a community councillor relative possibly those who object to not being allowed to speed through village. Naturally they will live in cul de sacs with speed humps..................hypocrites.

Vehicles speeding through nearly every minute of the afternoon. It's not mentioned in Penyffordd Community Council meetings.

Tom Jones (I take great pleasure from being a cllr and doing f-all) and Colin Bithell (no speeding in my cul de sac) are lining themselves up for further school governorships. How can they do this when over a 1000 vehicles speed through the village every day?

Inspector Alun Oldfield, Arrive Alive and Flintshire County Council are not interested one iota.

keyword: Colin Everett Chief Executive Flintshire County Council, Ruth Purdie, Chief Inspector, Eastern Division, North Wales Police,

Cllr Colin Bithell wouldn't give these planning permission

Link Strange Buildings

No BNP members in Penyffordd

Its official. There are a few here below..

"The Wrexham list includes members from across the county, including Rhos, Llay, Ponciau, New Broughton, Ruabon, Coedpoeth, Marchwiel, Acton and Acrefair.

British National Party members in Flintshire came from areas including Mostyn, Mancot, Mynydd Isa, Garden City, Flint, Holywell, Connah's Quay, Northop Hall, Bagillt, Greenfield, Northop, Pentre, Mold, Buckley, Treuddyn, Gronant, Sealand, Hope, Broughton, Saltney.

Many listed members in Flintshire are from rural areas, including Rhydymwyn, Gwespyr, Pantymwyn and Llanasa."

The Leader comments section is worth a read. The Leader

Woman assaulted in Stryt Isa

On Tuesday a woman with a pram walking down Stryt Isa was punched in the ribs after berating a driver who was going too fast. Police are investigating. The Evening Leader are looking for information. news@flintshireeveningleader.co.uk
Walking down country lanes especially Lower Mountain Lane is a hazardous affair. One has to constantly be on guard for idiots flying down the road especially at shift end from Airbus and Raytheon.
Its time these lanes have a 30 mph limit and not 60 mph as at present.

key word Mark Stewart HR Airbus

Police Helicopter out last Friday night at 11.25 pm

over Green Park. Also officers on foot. Three youths arrested. It looks like they had pinched a car.
Perhaps not locally but they were stopped in Green Park, Penymynydd.

Bonfire Blues 2008

The two ladies who have organised Penyffordd Bonfire for the last 6 years have decided to stand down after a complaint about the bonfire being too big. 800 people turned up this year.
Penyffordd does not have too many social events of this magnitude.
Lots of money raised, The Institute needs it.
Does this mean a substantial rise in subscriptions for those groups that use the Institute?

Standing down wind of a bonfire should be a no brainer..................

Further to my complaint against North Wales Police

with regards their lack of effort to deal with speeding traffic through Chester Rd, Penyffordd. I have received a letter today from Inspector McClintock in which he states that he has now completed his enquiries with the exception of an enquiry to Flintshire County Council that is still outstanding.

Flintshire County Council remain at the vanguard of communication and cooperation.

Penymynydd Church at night

Credit Crunch

This is how it started.

Link Portfolio

Penyffordd Community Council November 2008 meeting

The following may be irreverent in places, a personal view. Start 6.30. All Community Councillors present excepting Cllr David Williams who has never been on time for anything that I know of. Also not present Cllr Jane Hopwood. CBM Chris Pullen was late.

Also present on the public side Jess, Lisa my wife, Mr Hewitt, he of large tracts of building land within the village, Mr Hewitt attends most meetings. Also the couple who live in Station House. Four houses are up for planning permission up the unadopted lane next to their house.

Planning was started as CBM Chris Pullen was late. Gordon Williams had written a 6 page diatribe to the council over his planning application down the unadopted lane. Cllr Edwina Davies thought it required a reply. One un named comment was " the brow beaten ramblings of an idiot". Cllr Colin Bithell was very irate at the planners for passing Gordon's application when the council recommended refusal. The lane has drainage close to the surface and it was felt heavy construction vehicles would disrupt said drainage. Cllr Tom Jones said move on.

The Spinning Wheel has had refusal for knocking down of the pub to build a house.

It seems funny that 4 houses down an unadopted lane get the nod but The Spinning Wheel project gets knocked back.

CBM Chris Pullen is to have a base in the village. He is to have an office in The Spar. GNI Nigel Jones Clerk to the Council is to write to Inspector Alun Oldfield with regards a lap top for Chris.

Penyffordd is to have half a PSCO paid for by Castle Cement Padeswood.

Cllr Linda Vidamour is to produce another Penyffordd Community Council newsletter. Well done Linda.
There was little enthusiasm from most councillors. Just vote us in every 4 years and leave us to it thinking.

Speeding traffic continues wholesale. In my opinion the worst village for speeding in Flintshire.
The old brigade are just not interested. Cllr Cindy Hinds brought up the initiative that Carl Sargeant AM has been pursuing which is a consultation on speeds in villages. Again not well received by the old brigade because they are all mostly Tories whilst Carl is Labour.

Cllr Margaret Jones has received a special award from the WI for community service and helping in the village. There you are Margaret you will be indexed by Google shortly.

Cllr David Williams continues his efforts with regards speeding and through traffic not using the village with Flintshire Highways who would appear to be unhelpful. David hands out his actions done in sheet form as a County Councillor for Penyffordd over the previous month under Any Other Business. This does not go down to well.
David is also unhappy with speed and lack of correspondence when dealing with Flintshire County Council officers.

Flintshire UDP outcome is to be announced on 9th March 2009. ( quote Cllr Cindy Hinds)

Any Other Business should be for last minute items. ( I think). David however is to be congratulated on telling the village what he has been doing. As does Cllr Cindy Hinds with her newsletter that is delivered to most houses in the village.

Any Other Business entails the Chairman Cllr Joe Bell going around each councillor in turn asking them if they have any further items to discuss. Last month Cllr Colin Bithell jumped straight in with a rant about me suggesting Clerk Nigel might not up to the job. This month he tried it again but had to wait his turn. This month was a rant about the granting of Gordon Williams' planning application despite Penyffordd Community Council objections.

On a scale with regards Colin's blood pressure it would seem that Gordon's planning application approval produced a higher figure than the rant against me last month.

Cllr Colin Bithell ran in this years elections as a councillor for the family. Colin continues to show no interest what so ever in speeding traffic through the village. It's village safety Colin! If he does not change his tune on this it will be brought up at the next elections if he should stand.

Congratulations to Nigel the Clerk on his pay rise. One supposes Nigel has had rises being Clerk to Leeswood and also perhaps a larger one for being Clerk to Flint Town Council.

Postscript : Cllr David Williams turned up 10 mins late. Cllr Jane Hopwood after that. Jane had informed council that she would be late.

A letter from the Penyffordd Community Council

telling me off for suggesting our Clerk to the Council Nigel Jones might be better in retirement. Perhaps I should have extended that to most of Penyffordd Community Council. Over a 1000 vehicles every day speed through Chester Rd, Penyffordd. Will speeding be on tonight's agenda?
I think not.

Remembrance Sunday 2008

The weather for the march atrocious. So I think the remembrance confined to a service in the War Memorial Institute. Buckley Band had decided for what ever reason that they would not attend this year.

Local Walks Coed Talon

keywords: walks, Coed Talon, Flintshire, Wood Pit Nature Reserve, dog walks, bridle paths, horses.

Links
Photos
Photo (better)
Flintshire County Council's 25 Best Walks
Flintshire Dog Walks
Further Dog Walks Flintshire / Denbighshire

Inspector Oldfield to investigate local escort

who provides services to the lonely and the disabled. Pity he is ignoring the local rat run and a 1000 cars that speed through Penyffordd every day.

When are North Wales Police going to provide accountabilty to communities?

Penyffordd Community Forum tonight. CBM Chris Pullen pushed the speeding off the forum because he won't deal with it.
What point are the forums?

Postscript. No forum last night as scheduled. No advance notice of cancellation, no idea.
Postscript 2. Chris says he could not make it and the CBM taking his place was sick.

Wi Fi Issues

For the last two days the internet has been very slow. Lots of web pages timing out, emails taking a life time to load.

What is the problem.
1. A virus?
2. Our machines have been recruited on a DDOS attack?
3. Firewalls?
4. Windows messing around.

A month ago I had big trouble installing a new adsl router. So the first thing I do is stop all firewalls on the network. What I forgot about was the Wi Fi side of the router which as default is left open so anyone with a laptop or pocket computer within 100 yds of the house has free access to the internet through our WiFi. Whilst not completely against the occasional sharing I am not up for someone else using our full bandwidth to down load a film etc whilst we struggle to load a web page.

So now the WiFi security is 128 bit enabled. No more free internet to my little friends with laptops.

key suspects clue: China

An appeal against the avoidance of FOIE reference R001214

To Lynne Fensome
Directorate Support Manager
Environment and Regeneration
Flintshire County Council

Dear Lynne
Thank you for the recent communication with regards Flintshire County Council's continued avoidance of my FOIE. This email is an appeal as recommended by The Information Commissioner against your answer for avoidance of my FOIE.
You state that my request cannot be complied with as the software will not export to Microsoft Excel format.
I say hogwash!
Hugh Jones uses the following equipment of which I have a letter from Arrive Alive confirming this
http://www.appliedtraffic.co.uk/news.php?extend.9.4

This equipment comes with FREE software


It specifically says

FEATURES

• Laptop Connections


• Real Time View of Traffic Data


• Graphical and Tabular (MS Excel) Reports


• Microsoft Access & Excel Output


• ASCII and WIMNET Output


• Quality assurance of reported data

So I appeal against the continuing deceitfulness of Flintshire County Council. You have the alloted time advised by The Information Commissioner to respond.

Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

keywords Colin Everett Chief Executive Flintshire County Council.

An email to Tim Newhouse, county councillor for Hope

Hi Tim
Hope you are settling into your new role as county councillor.
I read in the Hope Church Parish magazine that you have issues with speed, just like everyone else who lives on main roads.
I come through Hope daily and rate the main road passed the school one of the most dangerous in the county.
An accident waiting to happen.

I bet you get Airbus shiftworkers with illegal exhausts flying through your village too , just like Penyffordd.
Airbus have an obligation to local villages but ignore their corporate responsibility on local environment.

Flintshire County Council have the following device to measure traffic speed in your ward.
http://www.appliedtraffic.co.uk/prodisplay.asp?proid=6
It gives exact speeds, vehicle length, even how many occupents.
Such marvellous technology hidden from our communities.

They are a very shy about showing the data but the more councillors who know about this device the better.
FCC and Arrive Alive have evaded my FOIE's so far on Chester Rd Penyffordd data for which they hold two sets.

Flintshire Highways and Arrive Alive are currently risking lives by not making this data available to communities.
They are acting in a totally unaccountable manner. Perhaps their management need to re read their codes of conduct

I see over in Cheshire county, 12 road deaths in two weeks, not surprising the way a good proportion of traffic races around.

I hope you will support 20 mph for village centres and schools.

Hope you have better luck with Arrive Alive, we get them once every blue moon.
Arrive Alive trying to do a job for which they were not set up to do.

The whole question of how Arrive Alive, North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council tackle speeding in villages needs to be questioned.
As mentioned above they hide the data which shows how poor they operate. It would be good to see the above agencies operate in the real world and be judged just like the rest of us instead of hiding data.

regards Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

still over a 1000 vehicles speeding through the middle of Penyffordd every day..........................vroom vroom.

Penyffordd Bonfire 2008

Just about the biggest social get together in Penyffordd for the year.
Well done Reith Ingman and his team of volunteers.

FOIE No. 20067 to Flintshire County Council

Flintshire County Council continue to frustrate my enquiries.
I have received a letter from them today stating they are unable to supply data in the format I asked for.


Here is a further FOIE as they refuse to give up the data withs regards their monitorings of Chester Rd, Penyffordd traffic.

1. Name of equipment used to monitor traffic on Chester Rd, Penyffordd April / May 2007.
2. Name of equipment used to monitor traffic on Chester Rd Autumn 2008.
3. Date of purchase of Sierzega equipment.
4. What equipment was purchased.
5. A copy of specification of Sierzega equipment specifically that regards output of data.

You have 22 working days to comply. I will confirm by return any email communication sent to me.


Links to equipment used by Flintshire County Council
Sierzega
Applied Traffic

Penyffordd Butcher Top Man

The UK’s number one sausage has been revealed as Stephen Vaughan’s Traditional Pork Sausage at a prestigious championship event this week.

Link Meat Info

Helen, Steve's partner is pretty hot with the ready made meals too.

Speed limits should be cut to 20mph in some areas, say MPs

Transport committee condemns 'appalling' level of child road deaths. -

I say Chester Rd Penyffordd an accident waiting to happen.

Link The Guardian

Learner driver accident

The vehicle lodged in the hedge at Coed Y Craig, Penymynydd. Perhaps the accelerator pedal was pressed instead of the brake pedal.

Thought for the Day

Failure is the key to success;
each mistake teaches us something.

David Mclean - Meadowslea site builder goes into administration

Click here The Evening Leader

Former Penyffordd county councillor Colin Bithell said: "This is the first major sign of the slowdown affecting this county and we should be looking at protecting our industry.

"This has been a major company in this area for many years. If we're not careful we could see building in this county grind to a halt.

"The county council should bring some projects forward so that what building companies we have left have chance to survive."

FOIE Fun in The Leader

Here's the article about a 7 vehicles pile up outside a school in Denbighshire.
Click here The Leader

I make the comment "Ask Denbighshire Council to do a speed survey. Ask to see the full data from the survey. Council's are loath to show you exact traffic data. This must change."

jrdsohr comments

I work within the Traffic dept of a neighbouring authority and I must say that Local Authorities do not loath showing accident/speed figures. Through the Freedom of Information Act, authorities must publish this information on request. Some authorities do charge for the release of some information but is only when it has been deemed commercially valuable ie when a developer requests it. Please when you want to shout about stuff and berate the local council do your homework first or you are only going to be made to look like a fool.

I made my comment on the following experience with Flintshire County Council.
At least 5 FOIE's this year totally ignored not even acknowledged.
The last FOIE applied for 8 weeks ago still not satisfied thus breaking the law.

Of course the final solution is to go to the Information Commissioner and or complain to the Local Government Omsbudsman. This takes time but will used if all else fails.

I have FOIE'd data held by Flintshire Highways who have done two sessions of vehicle monitoring on Chester Rd.

Penyffordd Bonfire 2008

Troy Dog the Flintshire Leader Celeb

Click Image to read

Local Penyffordd bridle path needs a make over.

The lovely Kate Forrester on the phone

from the Evening Leader asking if they can use a photo from the blog. Would like them to run my FOIE fiasco but never mind. Klaus will be back in the papers later on this week folks.

Thought for the Day

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

~ C.S. Lewis

Carl Sargeant AM on the warpath

Press Release.

Not fit to look after the Council Coffers.

Calls this week by Officers and Leaders of Flintshire County Council for an improved cash settlement have been met with disbelief from Assembly Member for Alyn & Deeside Carl Sargeant.

Flintshire County Council will receive £181.5 million in core funding from the Welsh Assembly Government in 2009-10 to support local services such as education, social services, refuse collection and recycling services. This is equivalent to £1,206 for every man, woman and child living in the area and represents a 2.7 per cent increase on last year’s settlement. In addition funding has also made available of £10.4 million to support capital projects in Flintshire. The Council will also receive specific grants to support a range of activities including funding for the foundation phase, refuse disposal recycling and free bus travel

Carl Sargeant AM said “These are challenging economic and financial times for the public sector, businesses and citizens alike. In a time of economic instability and where industry and the public are having to tighten their financial belts Flintshire County Councils Independent/Conservative/Liberal Council are considering spending £100,000 pounds on laptops for the members and this in addition to what is understood to be a £5000 levy for each member to spend in their wards is being considered.

I am astounded that in this economic climate the New Independent Council seeks to spend money on new laptops for members. After a week where this council invested and seeks to lose 3.5 million in the Icelandic Banks they are now seriously considering spending £100000 on IT development. Only this week I have had a pensioner come to see me seeking repairs to her toilet that was reported in July. Roads in Flintshire at gridlock or traffic speeding dangerously through villages. Where are their priorities? With power comes difficult decisions – I hope that the executive sees sense and kicks these computers into touch.

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

I am indebted to Carl Sargeant AM for bringing this up. Dealing with Flintshire County Council is not a happy experience. They ignore or try to avoid FOIE's. They do not answer emails or return phonecalls.

Link The Evening Leader

Penyffordd Bridle Path Swamp

This is the best route along this edge. Over to the left a 2 foot drop. You can see where the horses have lost footing with sliding hoof marks into the brook.

Lisa above standing on the best passing point. She is standing on a fence post.

Hoof prints a foot deep filled with water or mud. I have filled some of them with stones. Its a lottery whether your foot stays on the surface or goes down 9 inches.

The middle of the bridle path above. The monster thinks its marvelous.

This bridle path is used every day by walkers and horses. This area is a possible serious injury or death location for horse riders.

Penyffordd Advice Surgery

by Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami MP was at 3.00 pm in The Penyffordd War Memorial.

Missed it!

Missed the notification in The Leader.
Someone has put Carl and Mark's literature through the door this morning but work got in the way and I didn't read it.
Not to worry. Speed and village environment issues will not be sorted in 5 minutes.

A visit by Arrive Alive

Up the Vounog around 2.15 pm and Chester Rd at 4. 15 pm.

Penyffordd Community Council Meeting October 2008

Tonight at 6. 30 pm.
It would appear the council may take a more enlightened view of the speeding in future, a big thank you to Cllr Tom Jones.

Cllr Colin Bithell launches into a tirade with regards my blog and what I have said about GNI Jones the Clerk to the Council. One supposes you read an online diary with your own baggage. Emails or blogs can be taken in various ways as they are one dimensional with no visual or other inputs.
Quote "The whole point of blogging is that people state their thoughts, opinions and observations. They state their likes and dislikes."

The Internet offers better democracy better transparency. My point of view being my own. In fact I like Nigel very much, a character in a world of faces.

Cllr Colin Bithell praised Castle Cement for its efforts to clean up fugitive dust.

Cllr David Williams is to be congratulated on trying to get "access only" signs for the village.
I think we need a regime change in Flintshire Highways.

It would appear there are a few on Corwen Rd who object to the speeding. If they fly past here they must get it too. Also noisy vehicles coming out the Red Lion

Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami's Christmas Card Competition

The Alyn and Deeside Labour tag team, Mark ‘The Enforcer’ Tami, and Carl ‘The Governor’ Sargeant have launched a competition to find a design for their 2008 Christmas card. Children in the constituency are being asked to come up with designs, with the winning image being printed on the Labour politician’s official Christmas card.

Link The Steamer

Klaus gets money for Penyffordd footpaths

Mayor of Saltney, Flintshire county councillor Klaus Armstrong-Braun regularly inspects footpaths and says he has been appalled to find so many blocked and obstructed, highlighting areas near Penyffordd and Caerwys.

Of the cash, £60,000 is from the Welsh Assembly Government and £100,000 from Flintshire County Council capital fund of £500,000 for environmental works.

Full Story Link The Daily Post

Yours truly in The Leader

Eagle's Meadow Development comments in The Leader

Colin Hughes, of Penyffordd, said: "I welcome the new developments. For some time Wrexham and its shops have been seen as a 'poor man's Chester' but this is just the kind of change needed to bring the town up-to-date, not just in terms of retail but leisure activities too."

I am quoted on one of the worst days so far for the Stock Exchange. Interesting times ahead.

Castle Cement Jobs to go?

Jobs could go at Flintshire's Castle Cement due to credit crunch.

Click The Evening Leader

Lisa and I to borrow £2000 each to the banks

It would appear every tax payer is having to help to keep the banks going. Our bank the Natwest used to charge us £25 for going overdrawn by 25p. A rather large amount of money passed through my account recently. They were on the phone pretty smartish offering various schemes.
How stupid do they think we are?

The banks thought they could hand out shifty loans, bundle them up, sell them on and walk away with good bonuses up front. Their greed and stupidity knows no bounds.

The bailout is equivalent to £2,000 for every taxpayer in the UK.

Link The Guardian

Penyffordd Woman on arson charge

Click here The Daily Post

POLICE last night charged a 29-year-old woman with arson and recklessly endangering life after a fire at a house in Penyffordd on Sunday night.

I have the gossip on what happened but can't say before the trial I presume.

Something Unusual

Link Scroll down page

Police interview woman after fire in West View

POLICE are interviewing a woman after a fire at a house in Penyffordd last night.

Just after 7pm North Wales Fire and Rescue Service received a call about a house fire at West View in Penyffordd near Mold.

Links
The Daily Post
BBC
The Leader

House Sales in Penyffordd

I get a monthly newsletter on house sales from the site mentioned. It would appear only one house has been sold in the ward of Penyffordd district.

There have been no recent sales added within 500 metres of CH4 0LS, we have widened your search region to CH4 0
• Dale Cottage, Old Warren, CH4 0EG - Sold for £360,000 on 14-08-2008
• 102, Broughton Hall Road, CH4 0QN - Sold for £154,000 on 01-08-2008
• 29, Fairfield Road, CH4 0PD - Sold for £99,000 on 28-07-2008
• 40, Warren Drive, CH4 0PT - Sold for £90,000 on 22-04-2008


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

I take property websites with a pinch of salt. I know of various properties for sale in our area which are not apparent using search engines.

Bannel Farm Auctioned

£17,948 per acre for Bannel Farm

Parcels of land reached £17,948 per acre equivalent when the 107-acre Bannel Farm at Penyffordd, Flintshire, was auctioned by Wright Manley.

The house, buildings and 27.36 acres made £470,000;

5.88 acres £82,000 (£13,945)

; 37.42 acres £165,000 (£4,402)

; 17.48 acres £110,000 (£6,292)

; 13.21 acres £100,000 (£7,570)

; 1.97 acres £28,000 (£14,213)

; 1.55 acres £27,000 (£14,193)

; 1.95 acres £35,000 £17,948).

Link Farmers Guardian

Broadband Blues

No Internet for 3 days. We have been reduced to going around to friends to borrow broadband for 30 mins. A £30 investment for a new modem adsl router from Maplin this morning. Although at teatime it was not looking like a good investment as it would not work. Four hours of head scratching and that was just today. A hard reset to default via the pin hole reset in the back gets us on our way. 20 emails to repond to.

When broadband goes down what's the problem?
1. Firewall
2. Broadband Router
3. Your Isp
4. A Virus or malware

Part of the afternoon BT conversation led Lisa to say " There's no need to take that attitude with me!" The return phone call much more polite. I think the manager must have replayed the conversation lol

BT seem to have stopped using Scottish and Asian in the technical departments. They are equally difficult to understand.

To an Environment Agency Wales Exhibition on the monitoring of Castle Cement

In the Penyffordd Institute. The lovely Ann Weedy on reception. I see from the visitors list that Cllr Colin Bithell and Cllr Hadyn Bateman have been to the exhibition this afternoon. My wife Lisa looking at the information boards.


We speak with Chris Jones from Environment Agency Wales. I raise various issues regarding furnace temperatures and the above spike in dioxins in 2004. It was explained to me that 2004 was the last year that the old kilns were in operation which may have accounted for the rise.


I said I was very pleased with the reduction in cement dust in Penyffordd. Castle Cement have made serious efforts to deal with fugitive dust. Cement dust no longer gathers on our car.

Enforcement notices against Castle Cement.

The exhibition is also on tomorrow between 1 .00 pm and 9.00 pm. Your attendance is welcomed.

Links

Environment Agency Wales

Castle Cement

The beginning of the end for Airbus Chester?

Airbus have opened their first factory in China. How long before all Airbus aircraft are manufactured in India and China?

Labour costs in China and India are a fraction of the costs of Airbus Chester.
China will have the largest market in the world.

Showing China how to manufacture Airbus aircraft is a step in the wrong direction.
It reminds one of the courting spiders. The male embraces the female, they mate, then she eats him.

keyword: Broughton, inscrutable,

Link Airbus China story

Penyffordd Power Cut

Electricity went off 2. 00am. Flickered back on around 4.00 am then went out. Flickered back on at 6 ish then went out. Came on finally about 8.45 am. Areas affected, centre of village. Up as far as Abbottsfield Rd and over to the Coed y Craig estate Penymynydd.

Since this is becoming a fairly regular occasion I am going to make alternative arrangements. Not to save the world but to have a cup of tea when I want to.

Also an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Source ) for our servers.

Link : Me and the fragrant Mary Foley Postmistress in The Leader

Amazon Type Service for North Wales Police

cc: North Wales Police, Cllr Cindy Hinds, Cllr David Williams, Cllr Linda Vidamour, Cllr Tom Jones, Cllr Patrick Heesom, Cllr Tony Sharps, Carl Sargeant AM, Mark Tami MP.

Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom wants police force to emulate Amazon's customer service
Click here The Daily Post

Here in Penyffordd we appear to have no problems at all according to North Wales Police website as of today

Click here North Wales Police Penyffordd Area.

( I have reported website to NWP as it does not scroll down, it may be fixed by the time you see it)

Over a 12 hour day period in Chester Rd Penyffordd a major route to school we have 2.25 vehicles doing more than 35 mph every minute of that time of 12 hours. (worked out using limited FCC traffic speed data for Chester Rd)

We also have anti social behaviour ongoing.

There are illegal exhausts by the 100.

Some way to go.

NWP need to be pressed to update their website Penyffordd councillors.

As a seller on Amazon I get charged a hefty price to use their services. Their terms are dictatorial and final with no form of comeback, you are dead, gone, such is the Amazon way of doing things.

One hopes North Wales Police do not emulate this part of Amazon.

Environment Wales - Castle Cement Advice

Click Image to enlarge

Sgt Katie Quinn's Blog

Click here

Inspector Alun Oldfield's Blog

Click here

also here

Speeding Motorists in Saltney

Community Councillor Jane Hopwood

in the Evening Leader on the Evening Leader stand at Mold Food Festival 2008.
Evening Leader photos can be bought here.

Threatening Telephone Calls

There are an element in the village that are against speed calming in Chester Rd Penyffordd. On Monday evening my wife Lisa received a threatening phone call. The coward is of course so threatening he with held his phone number. NWP are investigating this incident. BT have been asked for the withheld phone numbers.

Penyffordd Village Idiots

I have put a Utube video here of the speeding traffic here
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dHfeZxn7Ya0

Comments on the video

Jonesy6918
Has there been any accidents in the area you are talking about. You misunderstood. I am against speeding, but you are going about the issue the wrong way. You have no right to take pictures of people without their consent, let alone put registration plates on the net, especially since u base your evidence on how fast you THINK cars are going because of how they sound. Your evidence is poor and so are your methods. Leave it to the professionals.

321owen
I agree with Jonesy ( posted yesterday evening)



Some of our locals take offence at not being able to speed through Chester Rd.
Their comments above show their level of intelligence and care for Penyffordd children

370 cars do more than 35 mph every day on Chester Rd
Flintshire County Council have the data they have measured it.

Fact Three weeks ago a young girl missed death by a second. Click here
Fact There is a young child up the road who crosses Chester Rd on a cycle with no brakes.
Fact A young child cycled out of Crossways without stopping or looking for cars last week
( Quote CBM Chris Pullen) Chris had to have a word with him.

You people are a disgrace to the village of Penyffordd.
Your kids can't play football if they have broken legs plebs!

3000 vehicles each day through Penyffordd a village WITH a bypass.

Warren Hall A55 Exit

Warren Hall Strategic Business Park - construction of the A55 Warren Bank Interchange Improvements. (Saesneg yn unig)

LINK The Welsh Assembly

The Deputy First Minister has agreed to the implementation of a County Road Scheme by FCC under Highways legislation, implementing existing planning consent granted 15th October 2004, in relation to the procurement of the Warren Bank Interchange Improvements.

Date of decision / Dyddiad y penderfyniad:

5th August 2008

Statement of information / Datganiad gwybodaeth:

Planning consent for the development of the Warren Hall Business Park was issued to the Welsh Assembly Government by Flintshire County Council on 21st April, 2008. This consent requires the improvement of the adjacent A55 Warren Bank Interchange to be up-graded before the business park can be occupied. A separate planning consent was previously granted on 15th October, 2004 for the Interchange improvements. These included the provision of two additional easterly slip roads to create an “all way interchange” together with the creation of two additional roundabouts on the A5104, either side of the A55.

Warren Bank Interchange has a grade-separated junction with 2 slip-roads only (eastbound-off and westbound-on). Existing traffic travelling in the opposite direction goes through Broughton (county roads) to access / egress the A55 at the next interchange (eastbound-on and westbound-off). With the expansion of Airbus (A380 Wing Facility) and the Retail Park in recent years, a greater demand is now placed on the existing county highway network to serve the area of Broughton than was envisaged when the Warren Hall Interchange was previously approved in 1998. 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.

In order to facilitate the delivery of the slip roads, which would be constructed entirely on land within Assembly Government ownership, Flintshire County Council wishes to implement the works as a “County Highway Scheme”. The Council, as local highway authority, is satisfied that this scheme has network benefits for the county highway network and traffic congestion as well as direct economic benefits to both Warren Hall and the Airbus Facility at Broughton. The Council would utilise its powers conferred by the Highways Act 1980 by implementing the planning permission granted for the scheme in October 2004 (planning reference 036330).

The Minister for the Economy and Transport is being asked to consider the relative merits of the above scheme which is critical to the successful development of the Warren Hall Business Park.

The above scheme will be very retrograde for Chester Rd, Corwen Rd, Wrexham Rd environments in the village of Penyffordd.

Penyffordd Community Council October 2008 meeting

is being postponed to a week next Wednesday.

A talk with Nigel Jones Clerk to the Council Penyffordd

Previously I have written that Nigel had been quoted as saying plans had not been passed. Nigel assures me he said no such thing. Nigel says he is fully behind the Multi User Games Area now being constructed.

An email to Sgt Katie Quinn with regards speeding on Chester Rd

Dear Katie,

Hope you are well.

Inspector Alun Oldfield is in The Leader cracking down on speeding in Saltney.

FCC hold data that shows 370 vehicles speed through Penyffordd each day at over 35 mph through a village centre that has a 30 mph limit.

Also we are a major route to school.

Since speeding in Chester Rd is back on the Penyffordd Neighbourhood Forum list after being removed for no reason except it being a permanent embarrassment I hope action will now be taken to stop this wholesale speeding.

Also I hope NWP will liase with FCC to put a permanent stop to this unending speeding thus releasing NWP to deal with other matters. I give the excellent example of Cllr Sharps' village of Northop Hall as the gold standard.

I also hope in the future that NWP will side with Penyffordd Community to rid the village of the HGV plague since we have Penyffordd By Pass.

NWP should be batting for Penyffordd Community not the Road Haulage Association.

Flintshire Highways currently have no regard for Flintshire communities.

An example of which is Rhydymwyn where 3 people have been killed and Highways still insist on a stupid 60 mph speed limit that rips open their community environment and kills people.

Hoping that Flintshire will better regard their village communities in future

regards Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Published to Blog

Links

http://www.eveningleader.co.uk/news/Speed-limit-change-to-30mph.4519675.jp#3268866

Inspector Alun Oldfield enforcing 30 mph in Saltney

in The Evening Leader here
As Inspector Oldfield is in charge of Penyffordd we could do with him up here to stop the 370 vehicles each day that do more than 35 mph through our main street that is 30 mph.
Data from Flintshire County Council.

Saltney town clerk 'could be our saviour' of council

Saltney mayor Cllr Klaus Armstrong-Braun praised Mr Thorniley's work.
He said: "He has had to sort out various problems and he has done a wonderful job.
"With his vision and experience, he may be able to drag Saltney Town Council out of the dinosaur era and into a professional future for the benefit of the community.
Mr Thorniley has replaced Gareth Williams, who was town clerk for 34 years.

Time for change in Penyffordd?

Full story The Evening Leader

Is Dad's Army going to stop messing around?

For Dad replace the word Tom as in Cllr Tom Jones. Penyffordd people have worked hard to get the current Multi User Games Area under construction as we speak. The late Derek Darlington had a lot to do with pressing for this project. Cllr Cindy Hinds has had a lot to do with this project and many others. Castle Cement are in the mix. Cllr David Williams and Steve Johnson have marked out the areas. Flintshire County Council have passed the plans. The passing of the plans by Penyffordd Community Council have been passed and minuted.

One week into the construction.

Cllr Tom Jones comment "Your making a mess of this."

Cllr Colin Bithell phone comment " Someone has made a complaint from the football club"
Heard saying " There I've done it for you" as he put the phone down.

Penyffordd Football Club " No we haven't complained"

Cllr Joe Bell Chairman rings Cllr Cindy Hinds and is extremely rude to her.

Clerk to the Council Nigel Jones saying the plans haven't been passed.
Nigel Jones did the minutes that said the scheme had been passed.

It's time Nigel Jones read his code of conduct. He is supposed to neutral, not batting for Cllr Tom Jones who is behind all this nonsense

Postscript
I have written above that Nigel had been quoted as saying plans had not been passed. Nigel assures me he said no such thing. Nigel says he is fully behind the Multi User Games Area now being constructed.

Yes Dad's Army just about weighs the highlighted Cllrs above.

Postscript. Part of Penyffordd Community ( ie Tom Jones and cohorts Cllr Colin Bithell and Cllr Joe Bell) have contested the actual positioning of the MUGA and wanted to stop it.

They made the decision where it should be and then said that was not the situation they agreed too.

and Hello to my new readers.

A Big Thank You to The Flintshire Leader

for publishing the following letter in this evenings edition.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Leader

A letter for consideration

Re Letter speed cameras good as prevention not traps

Your correspondent condemns NWP for their positioning of the Arrive Alive van at the bottom of Broughton hill. Would it not be fair to say that if speeders are unimpeded by traffic they will have broke the speed limit all the way from the A55 exit. A quick look at Broughton's Neighbourhood Forum shows three items with regards speeding. It is a fact that all fines are returned to central government. Arrive Alive respond to community concerns they have no interest in fines as they do not receive a penny. Your correspondent finally comments that " NWP are focused on motorists and not necessarily criminals" Motorists turn into criminals when they speed inappropriately injuring or killing motorists and pedestrians. NWP and the WAG are committed to lowering deaths by vehicles in North Wales. North Wales communities fully support this committment.

regards Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Environment Wales advice on Castle Cement

RESIDENTS living near Padeswood cement works near Buckley are being invited to dropin sessions by the Environment Agency to find out how it monitors the site.

Read here The Daily Post

A phone call from an irate parent

who seems to think I am not very approachable and up for an argument and he has my name and phone number which is ex directory. I am under the impression I have removed said photos that he is upset with.

Penyffordd Councillors* and governors remain indifferent to Penyffordd children's safety.

*Cllr Linda Vidamour and Cllr Cindy Hinds the exception.

Photographs, Children and Useless Councillors?

Tonight I have had a surprise visit by CBM Chris Pullen. The parents of a child in the village who I fear will be the first one to get knocked over in the speeding traffic have complained to NWP about a photo I took of said child. I have also mentioned on the blog various conversations I have had with the said child. All these have been taken the wrong way by the parents, perhaps with a little encouragement from a few Penyffordd Community Councillors. The parents appear to put a harmless photo of no consequence ahead of their child's safety.

The roads are dangerous in Penyffordd and Tom's Army sit on their hands.

Perhaps it was someone else's feathers I have ruffled. These include FCC, NWP or Penyffordd Community Council.

Busy week for me and NWP. I have a meeting with them on Friday.

Plan view Dobshill Hospital

Click image to enlarge

Plan View Meadowslea Hospital

Click image to enlarge

Taken by satellite before it was demolished.

Dirty Tricks?

Lots of local people have given a lot of money and a lot of their time to raise the money ( £40k + ) for the Multi Use Games Area that is now a week into construction. All those involved have had months to see the plans. Those involved also had a site meeting.
Why are we having arguments now over the plans?

Answers on a post card.

Good Financial Advice

If you had purchased £1000 of Northern Rock shares one year ago it would now be worth £4.95.

With HBOS, earlier this week your £1000 would have been worth £16.50,

£1000 invested in XL Leisure would now be worth less than £5,

but if you bought £1000 worth of Tennents Lager one year ago, drank it all, then took the empty cans to an aluminium re-cycling plant, you would get £214. So based on the above statistics the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

Link The Spectator

Postscript. Rather than giving £214 away, crush your cans and go to Chadwicks in Sandycroft. They have rufty tufty lads but the business is run by a lady.

ps I hate Tennents Lager................................

For Sale The Old Parsonage

The house next to Penymynydd Church. Just a snip at £730,000.

A visit by Detective Craig Turner of Mold CID

Together with an assistant. This is serious stuff, two detectives!

Chief Executive Colin Everett as Returning Officer has given North Wales Police four names to investigate over Election May 2008 irregularities. My name is on the list as I think Cllr Colin Bithell made a complaint regards my election literature which failed to comply with election law.

My crime being the non disclosure of my publisher on my literature!

When printing my literature I had the forces against me. Since I liked Cllr Colin Bithell's election literature I went around to see his printer. Since I have experience in design I had my literature on a CD ready to roll. What an amateur lot were his printers. After half an hour at the printers I thought it easier to use a photo copier so I went to Mold. Half way through the print run the machine broke down. This needed a visit to Llandudno next day to pick up the rest as time was running out.

The end result being I am told by Detective Craig Turner not to do it again!

I feel an FOIE in the wind................................

A Meeting with Mold CID

Four months after the local elections I am to have a meeting with Mold CID over my election literature. This afternoon I have run it passed Sue, Grabbit and Runne, my lawyers.
The meeting is later on this week.

A letter from Carl Sargeant AM with regards WAG speed consultation

Click to enlarge

This is a letter from Ieuan Wyn Jones AM to Carl Sargeant AM acknowledging representations made by Penyffordd Community Council with regards vehicle speeds for villages.

keywords: Ieun Wyn Jones AM Deputy Minister,

Pen Y Group Project started

Work has commenced on the £40k+ multi game use area for the village. Cllr Cindy Hinds and others have worked hard to find this money. An area next to the Millstone is being worked upon. I think Castle Cement are providing the base.

North Wales Police in Penyffordd

Part of Sgt Alun Davies' email.

Speed checks in Penyffordd on the evening of 10th September. This was not Arrive Alive, but the roads policing dept.

Outside the chip shop / British Legion on Chester Road, we only had one vehicle exceeding the limit.

We then moved onto Vownog Hill, where just one car was issued a ticket for speeding.

We spoke to a number of residents, who were very supportive of our presence.

Chester Road, Penyffordd is much appreciative of the attention.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also the 2 hour session by Arrive Alive CNH

A letter from Elwyn Davies Chief Education Officer for Flintshire County Council (plus my reply)

Click to enlarge

A reply to the Chief Education Officer for Flintshire Elwyn Davies

Dear Elwyn,
I hope you are well. Thank you for the very speedy reply to my letter which is here. It's good to be dealing with the top man. You say that Penyffordd Junior School has an up to date Risk Management plan that is regularly audited.

I think the auditer's need auditing.

Lets take a look.

1. No lolly pop lady
2. No advisory 20 mph
3. Minimal speed humps.
4. You (FCC) have data that shows speeding at school starting and leaving times. 370 vehicles speeding at above 35 mph each day.
5. Arrive Alive show no inclination to do the job properly.
6. North Wales Police have so far shown little enthusiasm to police our daily rat run part of which is on our major route to school.
7. Two weeks ago we nearly had a young girl on her bicycle run down. Click here
8. We have Charles Hughes and Derek Kirby overseeing planning of huge increases of traffic
including HGV's for our major route to school even though we have a by pass.
9. To get Charles Hughes' attention we need to have 3 fatalities on Chester Road

Does it all not seem a little too dangerous for our children Elwyn?

regards Colin Hughes

Published on The Internet for ALL to see.

A Lettter to Councillor Colin Legg ( or better still Cllr Owen Thomas)

Dear Cllr Legg
I hope you are well and enjoying your new role in FCC.
I have thought about emailing you before but was unsure if you represented Rhydymwyn as Rhydymwyn is not on the map politically on Google or FCC site. I am still unsure............

Tonight I have been to Rhydymwyn for dog training at the bowling club. My wife Lisa does the training with our new puppy, I watch the entertainment.
I find the traffic that thunders through Rhydymwyn quite awful. The instructor cannot be heard over the 60 mph traffic.
It also seems to me a big distraction to the bowls club.

As a Flintshire rate payer I would hope that will consider environment in future.
I feel 30 mph is quite adequate for Rhydymwyn. One could then hear oneself think.
The 60 mph an insult to your community

Flintshire Highways need reeling in. They put speeding traffic above community environment.
I also hope you will back 20 mph limits for village centres and the end of illegal exhausts in Flintshire.

regards Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District
Flintshire Rate Payer

Postscript: Owen Thomas is councillor for Rhydymwyn a fact hard to find on the internet.

A Letter to The Leader about Secret Meetings over Warren Hall Business Park

Dear Leader

A Letter for possible publication in your letters page.

Re Secret Meeting over Warren Hall Business Park

Recently there has been a secret briefing by Flintshire Highway officers
Charles Hughes and Derek Kirby to Penyffordd Community Council. Last Wednesday Warren Hall was brought up at Penyffordd Community Council meeting but there was no move to inform Penyffordd residents as to the contents of the meeting.

Given Flintshire Planners recent shenanigans at Croes Atti that was well documented in The Leader we are greatly perturbed at the lack of information. When the alarm was raised at Croes Atti the planners bent over backwards to supply 10 mph squareabouts to slow down rat runs. Warren Hall Business Park may be the jewel in the crown for Flintshire County Council but it is a poisoned chalice for Penyffordd village.

Penyffordd Community Council leaders and FCC are keeping Penyffordd residents in the dark.
We are sleep walking into an environmental disaster for our village.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

note: Cllr Linda Vidamour and Cllr David Williams were on holiday when the secret meeting took place.

The Current Flooding and Penyffordd

As we live on a hill and not in a valley flooding does not affect Penyffordd much. One area where we have difficulty is drains. The grids in Chester Rd were lifting yesterday as the drainage system cannot deal with heavy rain. Sewage ends upon Hawarden Rd in some areas. Cllr Cindy Hinds has made representations to the utilities concerned. I suppose no more houses built till the systems can stand up to heavy rain would galvanise them into action.

North Wales Police Horse spotted in village at 8.20 pm

Don't recommend Chester Rd the horse and rider will get run down...................

Home Zone Chester Rd Penyffordd

Charles Hughes and Derek Kirby will be able to think of a 1000 reasons why we can't be a homezone. We of course are the second bypass.


Links
Homezone
Homezone Website
Homezone Regulations
Chester Homezones
Living Streets

Neighbourhood Forum September 2008

Place Penyffordd Institute
Time 6 . 30 pm
Present Cllr Colin Bithell, Decima Hodge, Cllr Linda Vidamour, Cllr Cindy Hinds, Cllr Margaret Jones and about 5 residents.

Lisa my wife has gone. I stopped going when they took speeding off the list. Its no good having forums if complaints are not acted upon. North Wales Police and Flintshire County Council have an anti social behaviour partnership. Its not working here in Chester Rd Penyffordd with regards speeding traffic.

The worst problem in the village remains a big issue. (not the problem I have)
A resident getting irate about lack of action by NWP. I know how he feels.

Lower Mountain Rd speeding by Airbus shift workers was brought up. The resident involved has found a place for North Wales Police to operate speed gun. Airbus idiots are doing 60 mph plus in a lane that should be 30 mph. Flintshire County Council sits on their hands. Altering speed limits akin to pulling teeth.

Speeding in village added back to the agenda. Hooray!

Airbus continue not to honour their corporate statement commitment to local environment.

keyword Mark Stewart HR, 380, @

An omnibus session by Arrive Alive

A big thank you to Arrive Alive. There is a problem however. As soon as the van leaves the breaking of speed limits in our village returns. Today has been the wettest day in a long time. Surface puddles across the road. Does this slow the traffic down? A proportion but there are still loads of nutters out there with nothing between the ears.

Publish Post

Hope quarry plans rejected by Flintshire planners

Flintshire villagers are celebrating today after plans to re-open a massive quarry near Wrexham were thrown out.

The controversial proposals would have seen the disused sand and gravel quarry at Fagl Lane, Hope, opened again after four years.

Link The Evening Leader

Postscript. The people of Penyffordd, Hope and Caergwrle owe Cllr Stella Jones a big thank you for her efforts to stop this planning application.

Further Postscript

Hope Councillor Tim Newhouse put his written objections to the quarry in his report to the Flintshire Planning Committee.

This decision thankfully overturned Cliff Shone's vote FOR the quarry in 2002.

A letter to FCC regarding school governors in Penyffordd

Governor Development Officer Administrative Officer
Flintshire County Council
Mold

cc Penyffordd Cllrs

Dear Sir / Madam

I live in Chester Rd Penyffordd which is a major route to school to Penyffordd Junior School. For the last 18 months I have tried to get Penyffordd Community Council interested in the concept of road safety for our children. It has been a large uphill struggle with various councillors who in the past have held office at Flintshire County Council. It has got to the stage where they are actually pro active in stopping anything to do with child safety.

A week ago a young girl was nearly killed in front of my wife and myself outside my house on Chester Rd. I have written to Penyffordd Community Council whose attention to my letter did not even raise a comment.

I think it is time for Cllr Tom Jones and Cllr Colin Bithell to relinquish their school governorships.
They may have done good work for the community in the past but are now well past their sell by date.

They continue to put Penyffordd Junior School pupils lives at risk by not having a proper risk management plan. They see no merit whatsoever in pushing North Wales Police and Arrive Alive to do their job.


sincerely Colin Hughes

ps I do hope you respond as communication is a little patchy with FCC
This has been published to The Internet

Links
Letter
Accident

School Governors and Child Safety

Are school governors responsible for child safety? I think so.
Both Cllr Tom Jones and Cllr Colin Bithell refuse to see the danger posed by over 370 speeding cars a day on a major route to school where they are both governors.

There are more than 370 speeding cars. I have to use Flintshire County Council data which says that 370 vehicles a day exceed 35 mph.

They have been told in my letter to the Penyffordd Community Council that a child nearly got killed last week but still refuse to see the issue.

Key Issues - Risk Management Plan - Health and Safety -

Failures.
No pressing of Arrive Alive Agency to visit village - no plan to slow down traffic in the village - no pressing of North Wales Police to take action.

Blogs

Blogs have enabled those who think 'No' to say 'No'. Blogs are too cheap to be bought off or controlled, too easy to set up to be silenced. Blogs are bad news.

Quote on Samizdata