Queensferry Library open again

Queensferry Library reopened today, November 23 at 2 pm.

The opening hours are:

Monday 2pm -5pm
Tuesday 10am -1pm and 2pm -7pm
Wednesday 2am – 5pm
Thursday 10am -1pm and 2pm -7pm
Friday 2pm -5pm
Saturday 9.30am -12.30pm

Public access computers will be available and normal lending services will be resumed.

For any enquiries please ring 01244 812544 or your nearest library.

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Warning on council tax phone scam

Flintshire County Council is asking residents to be on their guard following reports of a phone scam targeting Council Tax payers across North Wales.

Bogus callers are telephoning tax payers advising that they can help them claim a refund of overpaid Council Tax and to arrange a refund into their bank account.

David Barnes, Council Tax Manager said, "I would like to stress that this is a scam designed to obtain peoples bank account details. We would advise residents never to give their personal banking details over the phone, unless they are totally sure that they are speaking to a genuine caller.

If you are in any doubt, take the caller's number and check that they are genuine, before calling back."

Any suspicious calls of this nature should be reported to the police.

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Road safety concern at Merthyr children's centre

More than 40,000 children are killed or injured each year as result of road accidents. Most of these accidents happen near homes and many as a result of school gate parking or parking illegally where large numbers of children gather.

Concern was raised recently due to the increased volume of traffic surrounding the ICC, a high number of cars parked on yellow lines and non-permit holders parking in disabled bays, so with this in mind staff at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s Cwm Golau Integrated Children’s Centre (ICC), Pentrebach decided to pilot a road safety campaign during November as part of the National Road Safety Awareness month.

The idea of the scheme was to highlight the dangers of parking dangerously and to raise awareness of road safety to parents/carers and centre users.

Staff wore high visible jackets and issued letters and road safety leaflets to all users encouraging them to be more aware of road safety. All persons found parking in non-designated areas were asked to move immediately.

Councillor Richard Thomas said: "I fully support the efforts of staff at Cwm Golau ICC in raising the profile of road safety. The safety of children and Centre users is of paramount importance to us, particularly in light of a recent accident in the Borough involving a child."

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Free gyms for service men and women in the Vale

A scheme offering Service personnel, either living or staying in the area, free use of facilities at Vale of Glamorgan Council leisure and sports centres, has been extended until April 2011.

The council cabinet move follows a six-month trial during which members of the armed services were provided with access to the authority’s extensive and popular leisure facilities.

After hearing from cabinet member for leisure and tourism Cllr Anthony Ernest that a barrier to participation appeared to be difficulties for personnel in obtaining the required ‘formal leave letters,’ the cabinet agreed to accept proof of Armed Services ‘membership’ and the signing of an ‘honesty pledge.’

Cllr Ernest added: "By continuing this scheme, which provides an opportunity for individuals to remain active during leave periods, the council is showing its commitment to the highly valuable and dangerous work being carried out by our Service personnel. It is a small way of thanking them for their duty and dedication."

Full details of the scheme are available on 01446 744770.

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Rural grants on offer from Torfaen council

A local charity is the second Torfaen organisation to benefit from the Branching Out Fund.

All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary in Llanfrechfa has received a grant through the Torfaen Rural Development Plan (RDP) - a project delivered through a strategic partnership and a local action group, creaTe.

Val Taylor, a trustee of All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary, said: "We specialise in the care of unwanted and often abandoned or abused animals, with the aim of providing a caring service of the highest quality to help all animals in need.

"We are delighted to receive this funding as it will help us restore an old barn into a training and visitor facility. This new facility will eventually enable us to become more sustainable and will improve the standard of care we provide."

Local farmers, businesses and community groups can apply to creaTe for grants up to £5,000 to help develop enterprise through diversification activities.

In addition to the grant, the RDP team will work with All Creatures Great and Small Animal Sanctuary to help it through the planning process and access additional external funding to make the project a reality.

The RDP, which runs until 2013, is funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and aims to:

• Improve the quality of life in rural communities
• Strengthen the farming and forestry industries
• Safeguard and enhance Torfaen's environment and rural heritage
• Foster competitive, sustainable businesses and thriving rural communities.

There are seven wards in Torfaen classed as rural and rural-based business in these areas could be eligible for grant from the Branching Out Fund. The wards are Llanyrafon South, Blaenavon, Abersychan, Cwmynyscoy, Llantarnam, Two Locks and Wainfelin.

For more information on the RDP, contact 01495 742146.

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Family trees and more for free at RCT libraries

Ever thought about researching your family tree - but don’t know where to start? Why not make the library your first port of call?

Rhondda Cynon Taf libraries offer a wide variety of resources to help people in their local and family history research. Resources include books, newspapers and periodicals, photographs, maps and plans, illustrations, directories, electoral registers, records and census returns.

There is also free internet access to the whole host of websites aimed at helping people discover their roots, including ancestry.com. This is available in libraries free of charge and the latest addition to this database includes a searchable list of all British Prisoners of War captured in Europe during World War II.

Libraries in Aberdare, Pontypridd and Treorchy have dedicated Local History sections with experienced staff on hand to offer assistance and advice. Each Local History section contains microfilm/microfiche readers and family history related resources including:

· Census returns

· Historical Ordnance Survey and Tithe maps

· Local newspapers

· Electoral registers

· Trade directories

· Burial records

If you are a beginner or simply wish to learn more about family history, why not join family history classes at Aberdare and Pontypridd Libraries?

Cllr Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said: "Our libraries are a fantastic resource for people interested in finding out more about their family history. All of our libraries have books that can get you started by explaining the methods you should use and the places you should look to find out about your ancestors."

Welsh Libraries Champion Ruth Jones and celebrity genealogist Cat Whiteaway are currently spearheading a campaign to encourage more people to use their local libraries when researching their family trees or local area.

Cat, who studies the history of families and the line of descent from their ancestors, said: "I wouldn’t be able to produce my radio and television programmes without the help of libraries."

To see a detailed list of family history sources held at Aberdare, Pontypridd and Treorchy library please visit: www.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/libraries

For more information email: nick.e.kelland@rctcbc.gov.uk

Membership of all Rhondda Cynon Taf’s libraries is free and everyone living or working within the county borough is welcome to join. Find out more by visiting www.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/libraries

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Get in shape for Christmas at Abedare gym

If you’re aiming to get slim and trim in time for Christmas, then the Zenith Health and Fitness studio at Michael Sobell Sports Centre, Aberdare, can help you on your way.

Staff at the fitness studio have launched the ‘Christmas calorie countdown’ - a challenge for people to burn off as many calories as possible in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “This time of year, people usually want to lose a few inches so they can enjoy the indulgences of the festive season without feeling too guilty!

"Our Christmas calorie countdown is a good way to help people get motivated to lose weight and feel fitter."

Controls are set on the measured sessions, so that a maximum of 1,000 calories are burnt in each class. Participants are advised that they must not reduce their normal calories intake.

Cardiovascular machines, weight machines, body weight exercises, circuit training routines, fitball, abdominal exercises and free weight exercises can all be used during the sessions.

Men and women are invited to join the challenge, which ends on December 14, 2009. For more information, please call the Zenith studio at Michael Sobell Sports Centre, The Ynys, Aberdare, on 01685 874323

Rhondda Cynon Taf’s leisure centres and pools offer a huge range of classes for all ages this winter. To find your nearest centre, go to www.rhondda-cynon-taf.gov.uk and click on leisure facilities, or call Leisure Services on 01443 400563

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Care for young carers in RCT

Rhondda Cynon Taf Mayor Cllr Robert Smith was delighted to be asked to judge a competition to find the eye-catching artwork that will be used on the publicity and information material distributed by Cynon Valley Young Carers.

The material is being updated and given a fresh new look thanks to a Big Lottery Fund grant, ensuring information is up to date and relevant for the 75 young carers the scheme looks after.

Leanne Lemonheigh, 17, of Penrhiwceiber was chosen as the winner. She is a well-known carer within the groups and looks after her mother, who has mental health issues.

Selina Bunny, 14, of Penywaun, was the runner-up, she cares for her siblings, who have a range of learning difficulties.

The successful Cynon Valley Young Carers is based in the Hirwaun YMCA and offers support and information for some 75 people aged between eight and 18.

As well as practical support on issues such as financial issues and budget planning, the scheme also organises respite care and social events for the young people to give them the break they need.

Mayor Cllr Smith said: "I was honoured to be asked to judge the competition and look forward to seeing the new, improved information material when it is completed.

"It is essential our young carers have access to a wide range of information and support to assist them as they carry out their difficult roles. We are also committed to giving them the respite and social activities they need so they do not forget they are young people, as well as young carers.

"Schemes such as Cynon Valley Young Carers allows this and I am pleased to be able to show my support."

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Warning on council tax phone scam

Powys residents are being warned of a potential scam involving people claiming to be from the local council tax office.

Powys County Council is issuing the warning following reports from other parts of Wales where people are making unsolicited telephone calls to householders asking for their bank account details. Householders were asked to hand over their details under the pretence they were due a council tax refund.

Tony Price from Powys County Council, explains: "This scam has now been reported in other parts of the Wales and UK so we want to ensure residents are aware of it.

"We do not make unsolicited calls to householders to ask for their bank account details. Only Powys County Council has the ability to arrange a council tax refund and we ask people to fill in specific forms in order to arrange this.

"Don’t give out your personal or private details unless you have instigated the call and are sure that the person you are speaking to is completely genuine."

The council advises that if you are uncertain if any caller is genuine, ask for the person's name and extension number, then call the council tax switchboard on 01597 827463 or 0845 602 7033 and ask to be put through to them.

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Free Christmas parking in Newport

Newport City Council will be offering free parking in all council-owned car parks across the city every Saturday from now until Saturday 19 December.

Leader of Newport City Council, Councillor Matthew Evans said: "Car parking fees can certainly add up for shoppers over the festive season, so Newport City Council has introduced this initiative to ease the financial pressures for shoppers and encourage them to use the facilities we have on offer in our city centre. This is a win-win situation to boost footfall and assist traders."

Participating City Council car parks include Cambrian Multi-storey, Park Square, Emlyn Street, Faulkner Road, Hill Street, Maindee and Stow Hill.

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Gold for green in Neath Port Talbot

Environment enthusiasts from across Neath Port Talbot will put their efforts under the microscope at an awards ceremony tonight.

Neath Port Talbot Environment Forum will host their first ever ceremony to congratulate Schools, Businesses, Voluntary Organisations, Public Sector Departments and wildlife projects for their commitment to improving the Environment.

The awards which are split into six categories include Green School of the Year; Green Business of the Year; Voluntary Sector Organisation of the Year; Public Sector Department of the Year; Action for Wildlife Award and an Overall Winner. There will also be awards for commendation.

The ceremony organised by Neath Port Talbot Environment Forum and sponsored by The Countryside Council for Wales and CORUS will be hosted by Iolo Williams.

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Ali Thomas, for the NPT Environment Forum stated "The standard of awards entries has been fantastic and we hope that we can do this again next year. The council is committed to improving the environment and it is a pleasure to see people working together to make our County Borough a greener place to live.

Through working together we have helped to reduce air pollution, improve water quality, reduce flytipping and increase recycling and reduce waste to landfill. We haven't done this alone - we recognise all of those who have helped us to achieve this. We also extend our thanks to those of you in the community making a physical effort to improve your own local environment."

CCW Senior Countryside Officer Ceri Daugherty added, "We are proud sponsors of the award ceremony. It's great to see a variety of organisations, schools, businesses and public sector departments taking a proactive approach to try and address our environmental responsibilities and being rewarded for their efforts."

A spokeman for Corus commented: "We are delighted to support the inaugural Neath Port Talbot Environment Awards, 2009. We are achieving a great deal, but we continue to address our environmental responsibilities with respect to continuing to extend our positive relationship with the community and the environment for everyone's benefit."

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More Welsh authorities awarded for member support and development

Three additional councils in Wales (Conwy County Borough Council, Denbighshire County Council and Gwynedd Council), one additional Fire and Rescue Authority (North Wales Fire and Rescue) and two National Park Authorities (Brecon Beacons National Park Authority and Snowdonia National Park Authority) have been awarded for the quality of support and development they provide to elected members.

Today’s Member Charter Awards, developed by the WLGA, recognise the effort and time invested by local authorities and WLGA affiliate members* to provide elected members with access to appropriate levels of knowledge, skills and development opportunities needed to fulfil their roles.

Cllr Russell Roberts (RCT), WLGA Improvement Spokesperson said:

"I was delighted when my own authority was awarded member charter status in 2007. A lot of work goes into achieving this award, It is recognition of an authority’s commitment to the personal development of its members but also reflects the dedication and encouragement of the member support team to develop the knowledge and skills needed by members to undertake their respective roles.

“The role of a councillor is hugely challenging and even more so during the current climate as local communities look to their elected members for support and a dedicated effort in mitigating the impact of the recession.

“On average councillors in Wales spend 25-27 hours per week on council business and this is on top of their day job and family commitments. The role of senior councillors, such as leaders and cabinet members is more than full time; they are in charge of organisations with budgets of hundreds of millions of pounds, thousands of staff and are responsible for delivering many of the major services that the public need and care most about. However, whether you are a council leader, a cabinet member, committee chair or front line ward councillor, the role of an elected member is ever changing and as individuals we need to keep reviewing what we do and how we do it. That is why the Member Charter continues to be so valuable to both authorities and affiliated authorities.”

Across Wales we now 8 local authorities, 2 Fire and Rescue authorities and 2 National Park authorities with Member Charter Status although there is a lot of good work being undertaken by every local authority and affiliate member in the field of member development and support.

To find out more about the Member Development Charter please visit: www.wlga.gov.uk or e-mail: sarah.titcombe@wlga.gov.uk

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Extra cash for Cardiff pensioners

Three thousand households in Cardiff are set to benefit from an additional reduction in council tax over the next year. Up to £55 will automatically be credited to the accounts of pensioners who qualify for the discount.

Cardiff Council’s Pensioner Reduction Scheme is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and is beginning this week. There is no need to apply for the reduction or contact the council as the money will be allocated to council tax accounts which meet the correct criteria.

To be eligible for the scheme, the person concerned must be:

• liable to pay council tax in respect of a chargeable
• dwelling which was their sole or main residence on November 1, 2009
• one of the persons liable must have reached the age of 60 or over by November 1, 2009
• he or she must be in receipt of partial council tax benefit as at November 1, 2009

Where two or more people are jointly liable for council tax, they will be eligible for the reduction if one or all of them meet the criteria.

Following implementation of the scheme, any money remaining from the Welsh Assembly Government’s allocation to Cardiff will be used in conjunction with Age Concern. Both the
council and the charity are proactively encouraging take-up of benefits in pensioner households and these funds will contribute to that scheme, between November 2009 and February 2010.

Executive Member for Finance Councillor Mark Stephens said: "I am delighted Cardiff is able to work with the Welsh Assembly Government to adopt the Pensioner Reduction Scheme.

"We are committed to giving extra help to the households most in need and the council has worked hard to ensure this is the best and most appropriate discount plan to offer."

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Council pleased that wind farm refusal stands

Denbighshire County Council has welcomed news that an appeal against a decision by the council to refuse planning permission for a windfarm near Nantglyn has been rejected.

Tegni Cyf had appealed against the decision not to grant the application for 13 wind turbines at Gorsedd Bran near Nantglyn.

This week, the planning inspector ruled that the appeal should be dismissed.

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans, said: "This is a victory for democracy. Both the planning committee and full council refused this application and at the appeal the council’s case was supported by well informed, factual evidence from residents. I must take the opportunity to pay tribute to the tremendous amount of work done by officers in the planning and legal sections, as well as councillors Paul Marfleet and Jane Yorke in preparation for and during the hearing.

"The council felt it was in the best interest of the local community not to approve the planning application and the inspector's ruling in this case clearly shows we were right in taking that decision."

In a statement, councillors Paul Marfleet and Jane Yorke said: "Many local residents are hugely relieved by this decision and appreciate the effort and support that has been put in to bringing this about, from the initial planning hearing through all stages to the public inquiry itself. This truly is a victory for democracy, common sense and humanity. The faith and determination of a small group of very decent people has brought this victory about."

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Have your say on Connah's Quay, Shotton and Queensferry regeneration

Members of the public are invited to community consultation events to hear about the proposed Connah's Quay, Shotton and Queensferry Renewal Area.

A Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment is being carried out, looking at housing improvements, poor energy efficiency, other related social and environmental issues in the area and how to tackle them most effectively.

The Renewal Area has the added bonus of trying to achieve a real contribution towards being carbon neutral.

Councillor Helen Yale, Flintshire County Council’s Executive Member for Housing Management said: "I am delighted to be able to give our local communities in Connah's Quay, Shotton and Queensferry the opportunity to participate in this major project which has the potential to
improve the lives of many people."

As part of the Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment, Flintshire County Council is holding three community consultation drop-in events open to members of the public. The meetings will allow local residents to find out more about the Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment, what it involves, and its findings so far. It will also give local residents a chance to have their say about the issues involved and what improvements they would like made to the area.

The dates and locations for the three drop-in events are:
Monday, November 30, 4pm-8pm, Connah's Quay, Civic Hall
Thursday, December 3, 4pm-8pm, Queensferry, Memorial Hall
Tuesday, December 8, 4pm-8pm, Shotton, Carlton Club.

All the drop-in events will cover the same topics. Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the events, at any time, for as long they like. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, please contact our free phone number: 0800 169 8677

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Council Contact Centre helps more than 100,000 customers

More than 100,000 customers have visited Swansea Council's Contact Centre in the last year.

The innovative Civic Centre-based unit has transformed the way the Local Authority deals with the public.

The Contact Centre team assisted more than 10,300 customers in September alone and have now served almost 150,000 people since the opening in 2008.

And as the services it provides continues to increase it's hoped it will help even more people in the coming year.

The Contact Centre is based in the Civic Centre on Oystermouth Road and aims to ensure the public are advised and dealt with on a face-to-face basis both more easily and in as few visits as possible.

It is open from 8.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Thursday, from 8.30am to 5pm on Fridays and from 10am to 3pm on Saturdays.

Staff are trained and have access to a wide range of resources to help people seeking advice on Council services.

They also handle residents' parking permits and disabled car badge applications and payments for various Council services such as Council Tax, rent and parking penalty charge notices outside of the normal business hours.

The Contact Centre additionally accepts student finance applications, taxi licensing forms for drivers and vehicles, bus pass applications and replacement applications, planning applications and passport to leisure applications.

And more services will be provided by Swansea Council through the Contact Centre in the year to come.

Despite the number of customers now using the Contact Centre more than 85 per cent are dealt with within 15 minutes.

The vast majority of queries are resolved by the Contact Centre team directly but they are also able to call on Council departments when further assistance is needed to deal with the customer's query or request.

Cllr Mary Jones, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member of Business, Improvement and Efficiency. said: "The Contact Centre continues to transform the way Swansea Council interacts with the public and I am delighted that more and more people are recognising how the team here can help them.

"With the Civic Centre now on bus rotes including the Swansea Metro the centre is even more accessible now than it was when it opened in 2007.

"We value the work that the Contact Centre team do in conjunction with services throughout the Local Authority."

Contact Swansea Development Manager Deborah Reed said: "Contact Centre staff have readily met the increased demand for their services.

"We are looking forward to the challenges ahead with customers always at the forefront of our minds."

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Flintshire kids see democracy in action

Pupils from Mountain Lane Primary School will see how their local council works during a visit to Flintshire County Hall, Mold.

The school council will meet Flintshire’s Chairman Councillor Colin Legg and local member Councillor Mike Peers on Friday, November 20, at 10.30am.

They will have a tour of the Council chamber and see how democracy works.

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Youth cabinet members meet their mentors

Members of the Caerphilly Youth Forum Cabinet are pictured with the council's cabinet members at Penallta House council offices.

The forum has it's own youth cabinet and the structure mirrors the council's main cabinet, with each member taking on different portfolios such as education, health and the environment.

The youngsters attended a meeting of the council's cabinet on Tuesday 10th November and gave a presentation to councillors about the youth forum and the work it's involved with across the county borough. They also explained their priorities and proposed actions under four themes of Education, Environment, Regeneration and Health.

Cllr Phil Bevan, CCBC cabinet member for education, said, "It was great to have these enthusiastic young people attend our cabinet meeting and tell us about all their exciting projects and plans. I'm sure that these young people will excel in the future and go on to become the next generation of councillors, business people and community leaders."

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New meters in Council buildings to help cut carbon

Council buildings from schools to theatres could be fitted with state-of-the-art energy meters to identify and reduce wastage and cut costs.

Swansea Council's Cabinet is being asked to back a plan to install Automatic Energy Metering in all non-domestic Council owned buildings from public loos to leisure centres.

It would mean 850 gas and electricity meters in around 400 buildings could be updated to provide computer readouts to improve the monitoring of energy usage and end estimated bills.

The move follows the successful monitoring of similar meters in Swansea secondary schools and comes as the Council gears up for the government's Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC).

The mandatory scheme to be introduced by the Government from April 2010 means the Council has to record all the energy it uses and will have to buy carbon allowances based on that usage.

The current energy spend at the Council stands at around £6 million which means the Local Authority faces having to buy carbon allowances of up to £600,000 a year.

Allowance payments will be recycled to participants in the scheme that depend on their carbon reduction performance.

The meters and the data provided should help the Council identify ways of reducing its carbon footprint and the amount of carbon allowances to be purchased.

Buildings to be included in the scheme would include all civic offices, schools, libraries, community centres, leisure centres, museums, theatres, galleries, public conveniences, park pavilions and Council-run residential homes.

Automatic type metering has already been used in Swansea Council comprehensive schools to enable the Council to access energy use through a web-based report system.

It can identify what energy is being used at night or over weekends when schools are closed. Schools can cut costs by reducing wastage caused, for example, by computers being left on unnecessarily.

The metering will also reduce the number of estimated bills the Local Authority receives reducing over payment and administration costs.

Cllr Stuart Rice, Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Finance, said: "The meters would be part of ongoing work within the Local Authority designed to reduce unnecessary energy usage and carbon emissions.

"Not only are we trying to be more environmentally friendly but we also intend keeping the cost to Council Tax payers of the energy we use down.

"It is anticipated that the meters will help identify ways to use energy more efficiently in our buildings and generate future carbon savings."

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Local plan logo to be designed by kids

Kids in Swansea are being given the chance to put their mark on an important plan which will help shape Swansea's future.

Young people under the age of 18 in Swansea have been invited to design a special logo for the city's Local Development Plan (LDP) which is set to be produced by Swansea Council.

The LDP will set out the Council's policies and proposals for the future development and use of land.

In certain locations it will allow opportunities for building new houses and the provision of new facilities such as shops, offices and leisure attractions. However, other areas such as parks, woodlands and beaches will be protected and enhanced so that these special locations can be enjoyed by more people in the future.

The competition organisers are looking for a logo that is distinctive and will be easily associated with the LDP and the future development of Swansea.

The winning logo will be used on all documents and branding throughout the preparation of the LDP and the winner will receive an iPod Shuffle.

Three runners -up for each of the age-group categories- Primary, Secondary and Further Education- will each win £50 of book tokens for their school or college.

Gareth Sullivan, Swansea Council's Cabinet Member for Planning, said: "We want children to get involved in the LDP. This city is their future and hopefully the logo competition will give them an introduction to how Swansea's development is planned.

"The competition is a great way of us communicating with schoolchildren and hopefully we will get some idea of what they think is important."

The first stage of the production of the LDP was completed earlier this year with the production of the Delivery Agreement. The next stage will include the submission of suggested sites to be included in the plan.

Cllr Sullivan added: "The importance of having a say on the LDP cannot be underestimated and I hope the new opportunities for influence we are offering communities will be taken up.

"Communities need to be involved at the earliest opportunity to identify common ground and shared goals as well as deal with contentious issues and conflicts.

"I hope that people will take the opportunity to find out more about how they can get involved in the LDP."

Full competition details along with further information about the LDP process are available on the LDP website at www.swansea.gov.uk/ldp or by contacting the Planning Policy Team on 01792 635744.

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