Good news for Patrick?

Flintshire County Council have agreed to pay Cllr Patrick Heesom's  legal bill as long as he wins. My limited view of Flintshire County Council is not impressive. They seem to have this idea that they know best and will frustrate and attempt to gain  proper information or action. Many county councillors will share this view but will not admit it in public. Dealing with county hall is a PIA.

They have tried for 4 years to hide traffic data taken on Chester Rd. Penyffordd has been taken for a ride with regards the new A55 Warren bank exits. We are part of the new trunk road structure whether we like it or not. We have been shafted.

It is a fact the the Flintshire County Executive hate Cllr Patrick Heesom. They do not I think like Cllr Alison Halford. Robust questioning on short comings ( ie council housing or Canton) sends officers into hissy fits.

At the end of the day robust questioning of county officers will become a thing of the past. With the cry " I am being bullied" stopping any councillor dead in their tracks. The downside being for the county councillor financial ruin. Officers retire into the sunset on gold plated pensions.

The bottom line being Patrick hasn't murdered anyone. Do Flintshire ratepayers want an efficient run county or one that seems to be there for lots of not very hard pressed jobs with good pensions?

Having an efficient run county involves robustness when faced with obsfucation and inefficiency.

Link The Daily Post

Martin has left the following comment. At present Blogger is refusing to show comments in full below the blog. Martin's comment is where the comment section below is.
Martin Said
 I for one, will certainly not be congratulating Cllr. Heesom. In this harsh economic climate we should not be throwing money at Councillors who fail to adhere to the Code of Conduct. 
Just because Cllr's like Patrick Heesom and Alison Halford ask awkward questions, and court controversy it does not make them the hero’s of the hour. 
Alison Halford's Blog is very destructive. It has caused untold misery and considerable mayhem in County Hall. All the bleating about Canton will never repair the damage she has inflicted on the characters of those in high office.
Those of us who foolishly voted for her-and deeply regret it-having read some of her blog entries, feel that the only decent thing for her to do would be resign and take Cllr. Patrick Heesom with her!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Colin replied
Thanks for the comments Martin which are most welcome. Just for the record may I say I have never spoken  to or had any emails off either. I find AH's blog of interest. There needs to be more blogs about Flintshire County Council. We need a Druid of Anglesey.  You talk of codes of conduct. I have had a senior officer sit opposite me in a meeting  knowing full well there were nearly 2000 vehicles a day speeding through Chester Rd Penyffordd. He sat there and said nothing. Didn't even say they had measured the traffic. 
He's not lost anything he's waded off into the sunset with a gold plated pension.


FCC have lied and cheated me over traffic data for Chester Rd for three years. Codes of conduct seem to go only one way. ( Where may you ask are Penyffordd Cllrs on this)


Any way if the Big O finds against PH you may have half your wish.


A sad day for democracy. 




keywords: Welsh Ombudsman.

Penyffordd Ice Rink

I do not recommend the Well House estate it's treacherous. I suppose that applies to most roads off our main roads. More to come this morning. Penyffordd has been lucky so far. We missed a shed load last night.

Let's hope the idiot muppets will see sense. This one didn't.

Link The Daily Post

Klaus annoying another community

Klaus made himself extremely unpopular over a gate and a footpath in Penyffordd. Connah's Quay have had issues with him now he's at it in Treuddyn. He would try the patience of Job. I can't find the article by Carolyn mentioned in The Leader.

Links
The Leader
Treuddyn Website.

ps. you will notice the website complete and working which is not how ours is.

Castell Alun School Hope Sports facilities

in The Leader

This will affect Penyffordd which has no floodlit all weather 5 a side facilities.
Penyffordd has governors at Castell Alun.

"Councillors in Hope have been looking at ways of retaining public use leisure facilities at Castell Alun High School.
They have been told the main issue is whether an agreement can be reached with the governing body to keep the premises open to the public outside school hours.
They have written to the county council asking if meetings can be convened with other town and community councils to see if they might be willing to offer financial support to threatened sports facilities for the benefit of their residents."

All Penyffordd residents are equal but some are more equal than others

Our CBM Howie Williams and a traffic warden have been stopping drivers in the restricted zone of Penymynydd Rd and either warning them or booking them for driving in a restricted access zone.

Last night I and others watched Cllr Tom Jones drive up Penymynydd Rd through the restricted zone to the other end.

Some are more equal than others Tom. Penyffordd Council have being trying to push Howie for months and our previous CBM Chris Pullen to stop short cut traffic going through Penymynydd Rd, Penymynydd.

Link Animal farm

Illegal Drugs

A voice of reason in The Independent.

keyword: Bob Ainsworth

Dobshill woman gets stolen bulldog back

in The Leader.

keywords Margaret Williams.

Education - All must have fees

Link The Spectator

Two for the price of one

in The Independent

Eric Pickles for Prime Minister

Here is what Eric has to say " What I'm asking, though, is that instead of reporting to me, councils become much more open and transparent to local people so they can see where their money is going. "


Link 
Channel 4
Localism at a Glance

North Wales Police Helicopter

A lovely piece of kit. Costs £1.7 million a year to run. The story in the Daily Post. I usually wave to it when it goes overhead.

Links 

Helicopter detail

Eurocopter

More bobby chopper pics and detail
If you want to see the specifications click on the link on the above page. Its on the right.

Eurocopter main website

For those who do not like helicopter noise
http://www.helicopter-noise.org.uk/

A Letter The Leader will NOT consider

The excuse a matter of semantics. They had the decency to say so though.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Leader

I see you are currently not allowing comments on cancer rates shock.

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/96598/cancer-rates-shock-for-north-wales-villages.aspx#comments

Shall I try a letter?

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

With regards your front page headline "Cancer Rates Shock for Villages". It's interesting to note that you report that Llanfynydd which is miles away over Hope Mountain has a perceived higher rate for respiratory and cancer incidents over the normal national rates for Penyffordd which is half a mile down wind from the main stack which has a population many times that of Llanfynydd.

This would suggest a clean bill of health with regards Hanson Cement and the so called increased risks to health for Penyffordd, Padeswood and Buckley residents.

You also report in the above article that noise is an issue emanating from Hanson Cement for Penyffordd. Speeding traffic 24/7 on Penyffordd By Pass poor road surface and through unpoliced village centre traffic make an awful lot more noise than Hanson Cement. It would be good to see Penyffordd elected representatives concentrating on matters closer to home such as child and OAP safety and village environment.

Environment means more than planting daffodils cllrs !

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd


Further Links 
Daily Post
BBC NE Wales

postscript: I've spoken to someone about the statistics produced and they say the statistics are of little use because of what the statistics are and also not compared with.


ie. an area similar in geography but without a cement works stuck in the middle of the valley. 

MOT ripoff?

Making do with older cars the MOT has always been a PIA. We currently have a little man who takes the car for the MOT then does any repairs required to get it through. He has the honesty of a saint.

Here's the latest on MOT's in the rest of Europe on Anna Raccoon

Penyffordd Turkeys

At Karen's Farm

Mark Tami MP, David Hanson MP on the non merits of a new police watchdog

Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami added: “I have very serious concerns about proposals being put forward, which will lead to the politicisation of the police force.

“This would also make policing far more reactionary and susceptible to vested interests.”

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

Mr Alun Lewis NWPA Chairman said: “The functions of the Police and Crime Panel will be very limited. We believe the Government’s proposals are likely to promote confrontation instead of building consensus.

“We are also concerned the legal structures proposed require a huge amount of legal work to untangle the current arrangements and involve unnecessary duplication.

“We believe joint responsibility for governance should rest between the Commissioner, the Panel and the Chief Constable, each with a clearly defined role and responsibility to co-operate with the others.

“The Commissioner would have a powerful role in taking over the responsibilities and statutory duties of the police authority, particularly in relation to holding the Chief Constable to account, setting the force budget and the policing element of the council tax.”

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

Delyn Labour MP and former Government Policing Minister, David Hanson, told the Chronicle he will be voting against the proposals because there is ‘no justification’ for the expected £100m+ a year cost.

“There is no justification at a time when the Government is cutting police resources and the number of police community support officers,” he said.

Link Flintshire Chronicle

My thoughts. We have a police force that spends more time on holiday than on the beat. North Wales Police have no interest in traffic policing, they drive around in cars rather than walk. 

There is no way to get them to do something if they wish otherwise even though its part of the job for which I pay them.

What's wrong with The Guardian

in The Slog

Now there's a funny thing

Hospital admission and Cancer Registry figures showed levels of all cancers in this area at 497 cases per 100,000 people, much higher than the Welsh average of 413 cases per 100,000.

But in six other nearby areas, including towns and villages in the immediate vicinity of the plant in Padeswood (and Penyffordd) , cancer rates were either on a par or below the Wales average.

The other six areas drawn up for the study included parts of Buckley, Padeswood, Penyffordd and Penymynydd.

The rest in The Daily Post

Hanson Cement News

on the BBC NE Wales website

Melwood Close play area could be closed to save council cash

in The Flintshire Leader

Newspapers and Blogs

As with lots of areas (excepting our village environment) big change is happening. Local and national papers are suffering year on year losses. This can only go on a few more years. Even The Guardian which has perhaps the best online website ( not necessarily the political content) is loosing money.

Early this year The Times owner Rupert Murdoch took The Times behind a pay wall. This is not going very well. Congratulations to Guido for beating The Times. However loosing local newspapers is not good for local democracy. There will be no central place for the short comings of our local politicians to be highlighted.

Just a reminder in case some of you forget or do not know

Gordon Brown's new book is out. This is a review of the book on Amazon.

Link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Crash-Overcoming-Crisis-Globalisation/dp/0857202855

The comment

By 

Supertzar - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Beyond the Crash: Overcoming the First Crisis of Globalisation (Hardcover)

When you read Tony Blair's response to the coalition's plans, when you consider the ideas Frank Field had to transform welfare in Britain, when you look at the spectacular growth in ultimately ineffective tick-box City compliance, when you consider the £6bn the UK Exchequer lost from selling the country's gold reserves or the decimation of private sector pensions, when you consider which country alone had a run on its banks or look at the level of indebtedness and structural defecit in the UK, you begin to notice a thread. 

It's quite clear that the country has paid a high price for the grandiose delusions of Gordon Brown. Whether delaying welfare reform, jacking up taxes with precious little to show for it, reducing the UK's competitiveness, increasing spending in huge (Labour voting) swathes of the country to Soviet levels or crushing incentives to create the wealth we need to both close the defecit and pay down the £1 in every £4 spent that we currently borrow, this deranged, abusive, out-of-control lunatic has his hands all over the crime scene. 

Having failed the first test of democracy he has faced outside of his constituency, one might expect Gordon Brown to have spent his time reflecting on his 'contribution' to the UK. Or perhaps make amends by devoting his time to serving his constituents. Not a bit of it. At the date of publication, the poor deluded folk of Kircaldy and Cowdenbeath have been represented in parliament for a mere handful of the 200 odd days for which their MP has been paid. Instead, Gordon Brown has devoted his time to knocking off this 300-page exercise in personal exculpation. 

As he notes in his introduction, Brown is neither a financial expert nor an economist. Which might explain, but does not excuse, his lamentable diagnosis of the causes of the financial meltdown he fomented. It was all bankers paying themselves too much apparently. If only they'd paid themselves 10% less, all would have been fine. What about if public sector payrises had been pegged to inflation or a certain Chancellor hadn't raided - and thus destroyed - private sector pensions or what if the banking regulation system that had worked for hundreds of years had been left in place or what if the asset bubble had received some attention by, say, increasing the banks' capital adequacy ratios? 

You can take your pick of brilliant hindsight-derived ideas, Gordon, but ultimately, you were in charge and your delusions about abolishing boom and bust meant you spent so much of our money, we now have to borrow just to pay off the interest. Your diagnosis is utter delusion from start to finish. 

Nurse, the screens please.

Flintshire Roads

If the agencies can't keep the A55 free of ice what chance have we got with other less important roads.

Link Daily Post

Woman killed in Pentrobin

In The Leader

Being a county councillor can be a risky business

Ask Patrick Heesom or Alison Halford. In my opinion the device used against these politicians is too easily used as a device which subverts local democracy. Question: Who pays the Welsh Ombudsman?

Cllr Heesom is looking at a legal bill of £18000 where the Welsh Ombudsman has relatively infinite resources.

Governments talk about expanding local democracy, its all bull really. Principles can get very expensive.
The underlying message reads don't step out of line or we will crush you.

Link The Daily Post

postscript: make PH's legal bill well in excess of £50000

The merging of Penyffordd district and Buckley draws closer

We too then can be like the sprawling urban mass which is Queensferry, Shotton and Connah's Quay. There is an article in The Leader (newspaper version) reporting the re emergence of plans that have been knocked back previously. The developers are going to seek out local leader feelings on the issue. The way its going there will be one band of development from Broughton to Mold taking in Penyffordd, Buckley and Mynydd Isa.

Link www.spongreen.co.uk

Keyword: Jimsul Construction

A Xmas present for those who are difficult to shop for

Not an airfix kit the real thing. Bidding starts here. May cost you over 5 million. Just the thing for a budding dictator. Miltary aircraft and crew do not come with the HMS Invincible as standard.

Link Mailonline

Land wanted in Penyffordd to grow vegetables on

Link http://www.landshare.net/map/growers/pc:CH7+4SJ/landoffer:1/growers:1/p:4

This is a good idea, linking those who want to grow vegtables who haven't the space with those who have space. Someone at the time of writing is looking for space in Penyffordd. Someone in Drury  has land available for gardening.

Gosafe

An organisation determined to traffic calm communities to make them safer or just an agency with soft jobs and nice pensions who refuse to have their performance or lack of performance measured.

They have measured traffic in Chester Rd again this last week or two. Who knows about the traffic measuring?  Not too many, most if not all cllrs didn't.

Gosafe has no information about Chester Rd on their website. There is however information on Penymynydd and Vounog.

Business as normal Penyffordd Community Council and Gosafe continuing to ignore Chester Rd residents.

Link Gosafe Flintshire

It's not just me

Chester Rd can get busy. You can get 40 cars a minute during the rat run. One supposes I should be thankful that its not all day long like the trunk roads around Penyffordd.

Link Mailonline - Traffic noise

Low Temperatures

minus 7 degrees C at 8.00 am in Penyffordd.

£122,000

to get our CBM Howie Williams to traffic police Chester Rd, Penyffordd ( to do the job for which he is paid) . There is talk of the risk of politicisation of the police. It's already here. There is this unspoken agreement that the police can do little or nothing if they so choose with full agreement of councillors.

Perhaps it would make a change if councillors complained to North Wales Police.

ie. speeding traffic Chester Rd (our morning rat run)

Links
Telegraph
Daily Post

The cost of Xmas

The cold continues and Xmas seems a long way off. In the local paper Christmas gifts have been stolen from a family, the cost of the gifts an estimated £2000. I seem to have left the world behind.

Recent Property Sales

Not all of them but.............

25 Min Y Ddol £135,000
Penyffordd, CH4 0EB 1st October 2010

9 Min Y Ddol £127,142
Penyffordd, CH4 0EB 24th September 2010

11 Min Y Ddol £127,142
Penyffordd, CH4 0EB 20th September 2010

37 Min Y Ddol £331,995
Penyffordd, CH4 0EB 16th September 2010

Link OurProperty.co.uk.

The truth slips out

Still very cold in Penyffordd. The dead tree press shown up for what it is

Greenslade Blog

Comment on the above
"

SE26lad

28 November 2010 4:23PM

They oppose Wikileaks for the same reason that politicians do, and for the same reason that so many journalists and columnists hate twitter and blogs - because however much they might try to pretend otherwise, they are part of the establishment. They like to control the debate and ensure that people believe, "the right things". "

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1333879/WikiLeaks-Prince-Andrew-caught-scandal-US-contempt-world-revealed.html

Also The Guardian
Further on Wikileaks in The Independent

Trollie's friends

Trollie and friend

Saying hello, ears back sign of subservience. The box on the collar a behaviour control device (legal)

Hanson Cement from Nant-y-Frith

Trollie's new play area

Two acres of enclosed field with good quality sheep fence to run around on..

Dolly and Trollie

 

On Trollie's new play field all enclosed with sheep fence so he can have a run off lead.

Moel Famau and Black Mountain at Nercywys on the right

Trollie's new mate at Nant y Ffrith

It's cold and I have a cold

When your partner has a cold its hard to avoid one yourself. It's a year or more since my last one. I have a 1000 things to do, I do not feel like doing anything. Sleep is strange, everything is just existence without much joy. After a cold I always feel better, more toned, more refreshed. Just a week or two to go.

A55 Chaos

And in the real world The Daily Post

Winter Snow

Everything – whether you live in the middle of town or the middle of the countryside and however dull and quotidian – is stiller, quieter. The pace of life is forced to slow in a land suddenly rendered both beautiful and unfamiliar. You can't help but look at your world anew and the sight restores and replenishes, at some deep and primal level, the soul. It's the loss of that sense of restoration that causes us to bemoan the modern lack of proper seasons.


Link The Guardian

Carry on Speeding

Link Walesonline

No electric trains for Penyffordd

in The Daily Post

Quote " Wales is the only European country with not a single metre of electrified track other than Albania and Moldova.”

Twitter the snow

If you do Twitter you can Twit if its snowing near you.
Here's the current snowfall.

http://uksnow.benmarsh.co.uk/

At the time of blogging its snowing in East England, North Wales and a little in Scotland.

postscript. The standard of comment by some who Twitter is derisory. No wonder I leave the social platforms alone.

Christmas presents

If your stuck have a look here, also some good curry houses. The Northern Face gloves look good

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas10/chrgif/the-50-best-christmas-gifts-for-men-1038266.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/the-50-best-curry-houses-2138567.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/christmas10/chrgif/the-50-best-christmas-gifts-for-women-1838587.html

So radiation is bad for you

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/is-it-time-we-learnt-to-love-radiation-2142997.html

Not much happening in Penyffordd

My new slippers have come via Ebay ordered the day before yesterday. It's freezing but it looks like we will miss the snow for now. My favourite commentator on life is back at his seat after a holiday in Australia  http://hat4uk.wordpress.com/. If you want to read a comical look at Australia scroll back through his previous comments.

Banks

in The Guardian. These are the banks we have bailed out. They should be nationalised. They are currently of no use to society just a huge drain with no benefit except for rhemselves. Eric the Cantona has recommended the withdrawal of savings from these banks. He has a valid point.

This is how it continues David Malone ( slight swearing) The comments are worth a read.

Links
Jim Corr
Dominic Lawson

Waste Matters

Brian November 22, 2010 at 16:07If you murder someone make sure you put them in the right bin. Just leaving them somewhere counts as fly-tipping and the only defence to that is being a traveller.

Link Anna Raccoon 

We are a stupid nation

The Labour government previous wrecked this country's finances. ( It is yet to be played out)  Now they are in the lead poll wise with a vacuous leader who talks of "profound change" bullshit. Why are we soooooooooooo thick?

Link
The Guardian

Ed Milliband

Our favourite curry house

named the best in Wales. The chicken tikka masala which is NOT a traditional Asian dish but created in the UK is divine. Sir Anthony Hopkins thinks it's good he pops in if he is within 50 miles of the place. Me I'd have it airmailed to California.

Links
BBC NE Wales
Bengal Dynasty

We're all doomed!

 

I have had an email today from a partner of the Motley Fool. The email is advertising their financial news letter. The basic message is 

a. Get out of property as an investment ( not your home)

b. Buy Gold

c. Get rid of anything to do with the Euro

d.  The Bond market is about to burst

e. The FTSE 100 companies are well over valued.

Link (not sure for how long)

http://www.fsponline-recommends.co.uk/page.aspx?u=toxicendo&tc=LMYKLB09&PromotionID=2147067298&

The above happens when governments fail to regulate markets properly then try to hold everything together with manipulation.

None of the above should be classed as financial advice.The sites I read however are all shouting the above. We shall see.

 

An ex policeman's view of law and order

(and mine) in The Mail.

"As a retired police officer I, and many of my colleagues, have always felt that the government have always deliberately put hurdles in the way of the police gaining convictions resulting in terms of imprisonment.
The prison population has remained relatively static in the last 50 years yet the crime rate has increased dramatically.
My impression was that the government created legislation and procedures to make policing so difficult that a specialist solicitor could always get somebody of on a technicality (deliberately built in).
Another way of keeping effectiveness down is woolly soft sentencing. When I joined the service anyone assaulting an officer automatically went to prison. The theory was that the courts must protect those that protect the public.
Now, they don't even necessarily get prosecuted for that. Offenders can even badly beat up the elderly and still avoid prison.
The government does not protect its public and has not done so during my lifetime."

- Dave, Gloucester, 22/11/2010 00:15

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1331806/More-police-streets-does-NOT-mean-crime-claims-minister-Nick-Herbert.html#ixzz15zwDXkFY

A Blogger exposes himself

The Druid of Anglesey has come out. His blog is the way forward for democracy. Flintshire could do with a couple of Druids. Their flavour of no consequence just an honest dialogue and a way forward. IWJ non comment and Albert Owen MP comment are to be expected if the blog is read as their non performance is constantly mentioned.

Link Daily Post

Mark Tami MP in the House

speaker:Mark Tami : 9 Commons debates
=====================================

There are more results than we have shown here. See more:
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/search/?s=speaker%3A11267+section:debate&o=d

Business, Innovation and Skills: Topical Questions (18 Nov 2010)
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-11-18a.1049.6&s=speaker%3A11267#g1051.2
Mark Tami: In response to my hon. Friend  the Member for Wrexham (Ian
Lucas) and my right hon. Friend  the Member for Leicester East (Keith
Vaz), the Secretary of State gave vague assurances on intra-company
transfers, particularly those that are vital to the future of Toyota on
Deeside. When will he finally end the uncertainty that still hangs over
this issue?

Backbench Business - [9th allotted day]: Immigration (18 Nov 2010)
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-11-18a.1078.1&s=speaker%3A11267#g1093.2
Mark Tami: I shall briefly address two issues, tier 1 workers and
intra-company transfers, and following your guidance, Mr Deputy Speaker,
will give climate change and air travel a wide berth. It is already
clear that the Government's cap, as originally formulated, does not fit,
and once again a headline-grabbing policy that went down very well with
the tabloid press has turned out to be far from...

Backbench Business - [9th allotted day]: Immigration (18 Nov 2010)
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2010-11-18a.1078.1&s=speaker%3A11267#g1094.1
Mark Tami: I accept the hon. Gentleman's point that, in some aspects,
tier 1 has gone wrong, but we should not put the whole thing in the bin
and say, "We are going to introduce a blanket ban at some point when we
reach some quota that is made up as we go along." I accept that there
are problems, but I am discussing a company that directly employs and
pays such workers; they do not come to this country...

====================

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'Address' box of your web browser, and then press 'enter'
or 'return' on your keyboard.

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The View from Model Farm over to the Cheshire Plain

The Coalition Government is making cuts

Public borrowing rises yet again.....................

Link Bloomberg

Alison is saying nothing

Link Alison Halford

Road safety and vigilantism

in The Economist. The police as usual quite happy for the slaughter to continue.

Chester Rd traffic survey.

Chester Rd is having a traffic survey. I've asked Cllr Cindy Hinds who put it there and for what purpose. Cindy knows nothing. This seems to be par for county councils. To my mind anything done in a ward, our representative should know what's happening, they are just not told.

This unit is different to speed survey equipment held by Flintshire Highways and Gosafe. They use doppler wave technology with no wires.

On a general note this machinery is currently everywhere I go in Wrexham Borough Council and some Flintshire trunk roads. 

Link
Countonus
Tube Counter

keyword: count on us,

Investment in Chester Rd, a new waste bin.

Flintshire towns get millions spent on them but hey let's not moan. This one's smart and has been bolted down well. Anything not bolted down gets lifted up and thrown around by those short of something to do or those with too much ale inside them.

I am not made of the right stuff

For the last few years I have had the annual opportunity to travel to a golf country club in Derby with £50 in spends plus travelling expenses for a days golf. After two goes I have decided it's not worth the candle. Braving the morning and evening rush hours a right PIA.

In The Flintshire Chronicle we have Geoff Coote who travels from Derby to Sandycroft and back every working day. A 200 mile trip and three hours of travelling along some of UK's busiest roads. A large photo of Geoff with the reported article. He looks very pleased with himself , I think a prime candidate for therapy.........

Idiots who block you in or out of your drive

This year I have had some problems with idiots. They block my drive with their cars then come back maybe five or ten hours later.
Hence the various signs plastered on my gate. (its still happening).

Here's a man who has the right idea. His punishment completely wrong.

Link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1330189/Pensioner-caught-CCTV-using-car-shunt-vehicle-blocking-garage.html

Remembrance Sunday 2010

Penyffordd and district remember those who have fallen in the wars. The weather cool with rain. Those present that I  recognize. Cllr Cindy Hinds, Cllr David Williams, Arthur Arnold, John Martin and wife, Tony and Decima Hodge, CBM Howie Williams on duty with his military service medals on full display. Also in attendance former Penyffordd CBM Ian Millington in the leading police car..

 

Quantitative easing explained USA style, we're doing it too

Cattle trouble again

We hate walking through fields with cattle in. We have just about given up excepting there being a very healthy distance and an option to get out the field before they get to you. Having bull terriers who wish to "engage" makes it ten times worse.
Here's a couple who did not make it.

Link Mailonline

The policeman's policeman Sgt Antony Heaword of Deeside

Flintshire Footpaths

I have a bit of a whinge over footpath issues in Flintshire. Cllr Cindy Hinds got the footpath over the road sorted recently for us Penyffordd footpath walkers. Barbwire across the top of the stile is quite popular. I have had one woman in Treuddyn asking me to get out of her garden when I was standing on a public footpath. Still haven't got her sorted. FCC seem decidedly slow for some reason.
Klaus can come in handy you know, especially if he hasn't been in the paper for awhile.

It does seem however we are well ahead of counties in South Wales. Carmarthen has only 35% of public rights of way open. Here is God's country on the edge of Flintshire, not known to many..................

Links WalesOnline

Angela Merkel makes them have it

Speaking in Seoul, where she is attending the G20 summit, Dr Merkel acknowledged her demands have upset the markets but insisted it was unfair for taxpayers to be saddled alone with the cost of sovereign rescues. “Let me put it simply: in this regard there may be a contradiction between the interests of the financial world and the interests of the political world,” Dr Merkel said.

“We cannot keep constantly explaining to our voters and our citizens why the taxpayer should bear the cost of certain risks and not those people who have earned a lot of money from taking those risks.”

Link The Irish Times.Com

Shed Thefts

HUNDREDS of pounds of gardening equipment was stolen from a shed in Penyffordd between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, November 2-3.


Link Francesca Elliott at The Flintshire Leader


Looks like they knew what they were looking for, Stihl is good stuff. I have stuff similar to that stolen, it's next to where the dogs sleep.....

Temporary good news for Chester, Wrexham and Corwen Rds

Link Daily Post

Then the flood gates open courtesy of Flintshire County Council and the Welsh Assembly Government when A55 Warren Bank exits open in December.

Houses recently sold

4 Holly Drive £140,000
Penyffordd, CH4 0NE 3rd September 2010

22 Coed Y Graig £170,000
Penymynydd, CH4 0XD 1st September 2010


6 Coed Terfyn £171,000
Penymynydd, CH4 0XB 6th August 2010


8 Fairview £136,500
Penyffordd, CH4 0HZ 21st September 2010

Hierarchies

Today we have had a kerfuffle between the dogs. We have the bitch who has been boss since she came and we have the young upstart puppy who pushes the envelope. There are house rules, puppy is not allowed in the kitchen which is the bitches' domain. 

The dogs have to be kept separate after being fed. 

So this evening we have one dog nursing superficial wounds to ears and cheeks. The puppy (young dog)  handed the damage out. When we first had the puppy he limped around for a month after he got taught a lesson by the bitch. So things even themselves out... .......

Dogs are domesticated wolves, their instincts persist, I am top dog after that it gets a bit hazy..............

Link Hierarchy

The Long Weekly Walk

Last Sunday saw us on top of  Pen Llan y Gwr. It's the mountain behind Hope Mountain. On top is a concrete block with the above object on. A three hour walk which returned my injured foot which I thought was better...............

Lovely views over the Dee, Mersey, Wirral estuary, Hope mountain, Black mountain, Nercwys and Erryrys.

On our way around we bumped into a friendly local who has two sheep dogs one of which is called scumbag. Always welcome to pass the time of day. He lives on one side of the road on Bryn Common his brother on the other side. They are like chalk and cheese. One friendly, one hostile.

Links 

http://penyffordd-district.blogspot.com/2009/11/days-walk-to-pen-llan-y-gwr.html

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/833579.kml&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=websearch

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?

q=http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/833579.kml&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=websearch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benchmark_(surveying)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordnance_Survey

http://www.freeimageslive.co.uk/free_stock_image/triangulationmarker0565jpg

Penyffordd Bonfire 2010

This was taken from the bedroom window. I sat Trolly the bull terrier on the window sill and he watched the lot. Other dogs we have had  hated the bangs. The night was a success, loads there, the organisers did a good job.

Later some friends called in and suggested a visit down the local hostelry. So in we went, most of the tables set up for food so we ended up on a bench next to the pool table and parrot. Not very impressed. Prices of ale are eye watering ( the same everywhere) , no wonder we do not go out very often. Perhaps we should have gone to the Red.

Lisa's Kitchen Leftovers

 

The recipe - leftovers because it was what the Penyffordd Wine Circle didn't get to.

Pastitsio

Hedge laying competition takes place in Penyffordd

here in The Daily Post

Penyffordd based group raise money

NORTH Wales Charity Ramblers has donated £12,000 to Wales Air Ambulance after a year of fundraising for the lifesaving organisation.

The Penyffordd-based group raised the cash through a variety of sponsored events over the past 12 months.

Story here Flintshire Chronicle

Lisa's Kitchen - Spaghetti Bolognese

Inspector Martin Best

has  five loaves and two fishes to play with in The Leader. Perhaps its time for North Wales Police to return to core community policing and such nonsenses as diversity officers etc kicked into to touch.

Penyffordd is joint policed with Higher Kinnerton  by CBM Howie Williams.
Penyffordd has about 3000 residents, HK will have similar or less.

What nobody asks is what does a CBM actually do in his working week?

The Slog does Australia

here

The Persistence of Penyffordd Community Council

Yes you are reading correctly. Penymynydd Rd, Penymynydd has an access only section at the top. This is because it is a major route to St John's junior school at the top.
It has no pavements as it is too narrow, it is unsuitable for traffic.
How many years have PCC pressed NWP to enforce the access only ?

1 year
5 years
10 years

Still CBM Howie Williams refuses to book people who take short cuts from Wellhouse. In the Council Minutes for September Howie still comes up with excuses on why he will not do his job.

One suggestion. Get Mervyn to deliver a letter to the Wellhouse ,Tate and Green Park estates saying as from a certain date ALL non access only traffic will be booked. It will cost a few bob but its fair.

How to keep local papers

At a time when local readership continues to shrink here is how one proprietor keeps going.

Link The Independent