Richard Jones

 Flintshire councillors Nancy Matthews and Richard Jones recently visited a pioneering waste processing facility on Merseyside that turns household rubbish into renewable energy.

The mechanical heat treatment plant, operated by Orchid Environmental on behalf of Merseyside Waste Authority, is one of eight pilot demonstrator projects across the country funded by Defra to explore new methods of dealing with household waste. The facility is contracted to process 50,000 tonnes of municipal waste per annum, although it has the capacity to increase that to 80,000 tonnes annually, and reduces the level of waste that would have otherwise gone to landfill by up to 90 per cent. 

Up to 45 per cent of the waste is converted into biomass fuel products that are being trialled in various industries, while another 20 per cent of the waste is eventually recycled. The remainder is lost as moisture into the atmosphere. Cllr Matthews said: “The visit was extremely useful for both Richard and me, providing us with an opportunity to see close up one of a series of new technologies in action. 

“In order to reduce landfill – and thereby minimise the year on year increases in landfill taxes – and to help increase our recycling performance we must look at and consider all emerging new technologies that can help us achieve that goal.  “This process is one of many that are currently being considered by councils everywhere and one that has many benefits worthy of serious examination alongside other strategies being developed.” Cllr Jones added: “The pressure on Councils to reduce landfill while also increasing recycling is huge and we must evaluate every possible solution if we are to achieve our targets while minimising the impact of landfill tax on local residents.”ENDS

Buckley Councillor Richard Jones, Lib Dem member for Buckley Bistre East, has welcomed the review of car parking charges across Flintshire with a view to scrapping them altogether.

Cllr Richard Jones said:” It was one of my election pledges to oppose the introduction of car parking charges in Buckley, so I very much welcome this review.

“Buckley and many similar relatively small towns across Flintshire rely on local residents for their trade, without free car parking this trade would diminish as these residents would tend to utilise the free parking in either ’shopping parks’ or supermarkets.

“I have regularly raised these concerns since my election with Officers at County Hall and I have supported calls to have a more relaxed view in terms of car parking charges in general in line with Welsh hospitals.

“This is a time to assist in reducing overheads for local residents and businesses already suffering from the global credit crunch, not to introduce yet further ’stealth taxes’ on their cost of living. I hope the review reaches the right conclusion and resolves to scrap these charges.”
ENDS

That was the message that Eleanor Burnham, North Wales Welsh Lib Dem AM, shared with the audience in her keynote speech to Ymgyrch Senedd i Gymru at the National Eisteddfod.

Following in the footsteps of Megan Lloyd George, who headed a Senedd i Gymru campaign back in 1951, fellow female Liberal North Walian Eleanor Burnham used the opportunity to urge a ‘YES’ campaign to win a referendum for greater powers for the National Assembly.

Ms Burnham, who has described the current devolution settlement as ‘swimming is custard’ launched a strongly worded attack on the anti-devolutionist Labour party in Wales and called for the ‘YES’ campaign not to be fronted exclusively by politicians.

Ms Burnham will said: “All polls suggest that the people of Wales are ready, and have been ready for some time, for a full Parliament for Wales.

“Labour is holding Wales back. They have been in government since the outset of the National Assembly of Wales - happy to puff their CV with “architects of devolution”, but refusing to acknowledge that they’ve built an unstable house that is almost impossible to live in.

“Labour has left us with a half-baked devolution process although they seem to have taken all the credit for bringing powers from London to Wales. Whilst it may be true that they were the ones in power when the referendum came in 1997, Labour are the ones keeping the devolution wagon in first gear.

“From Labour AMs blocking LCOs in Cardiff to Labour MPs bemoaning that they have too much work because of the number of LCOs coming from Cardiff, they are the real “conservative” party in Wales. One LCO in one year. Maybe that’s why they call it the One Wales government.

“In order for devolution to go up a gear or three, we have to significantly reduce Labour’s dominance in Wales. Luckily we have an ally in this: Gordon Brown. Nobody is working harder to reduce Labour’s popularity. Keep up the good work Gordon.”

Ms Burnham added:”People are seeing the benefits of devolution but through very muddy lenses. We need to make sure that people see devolution clearly for what it is and what it can bring them.

“But we cannot leave devolution to the politicians – it’s too important for that.

“A YES campaign must be made up of people who the public listen to and respect – famous faces. It is true that politicians aren’t trusted which is a sad fact and that’s is why we need to have a wider range of faces on board, faces the Welsh public respect, faces who the Welsh public trust and faces the Welsh public identify with.

“How do you get the attention of that person who knows nothing about the devolution process? It’s not by putting them in front of a boring politician talking about fields, schedules and LCOs. Far better to hear it from someone who that person respects and will actually listen to, without feeling patronised.

“I’m sure we politicians will have a role in the campaign – don’t you worry about that – I’m just saying it needn’t be front and centre.”

“Welsh devolution is here to stay; as it is in Scotland and Northern Ireland too. And devolution is dynamic. It doesn’t stay still. It must advance and the One Wales pledge of a referendum by 2011 on gaining parliamentary powers for Wales will be an opportunity to make this leap to a more effective and clearer system of governing Wales.

“The next step for devolution could be a great leap forward. But as any great long jumper would acknowledge – you have to get the run up right, if you want to travel great distances.

“We all have to work together, to get that run up right.”
Ends

Flintshire Lib Dems have declined to nominate any members to sit as substitutes on the planning committee claiming their approach is “consistent and principled” after they voted against an amendment to allow deputies to be used.

Following a thorough review of the planning committee by consultants Pricewaterhouse Coopers, the issue was discussed at a recent Council meeting when the amendment – against the advice of the Council’s Constitutional Committee – was carried by a majority vote of councillors.

But the Lib Dems did not support the amendment, preferring to support the option to not have any substitutes in line with the recommendations and advice of Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Lib Dem group Leader, Cllr Robin Baker, said: “:While we understood the arguments for using substitutes as a group we felt we could not support that option and our view was that no substitutes was a better alternative to protect the integrity of the planning process.

“We respect the decision was a democratic one but as it was not a position we agreed with we felt it would be hypocritical to then nominate three substitutes from our group.

“We are therefore taking a principled stance on this issue that is consistent with the group’s position throughout this debate as we feel there is ample opportunity for Ward councillors to make representation on behalf of local residents without putting themselves in jeopardy of fettering their discretion on planning matters.”
ENDS

Flintshire Lib Dems are urging local residents facing post office closures in their area to lobby local politicians and respond to the Post Office before the 15th September deadline opposing the proposed closures.

The announcement on Tuesday means that around 20 per cent of the county’s post offices face the axe unless a strong case can be made for the Post Office to rethink their plans.

The news comes only days after a House of Commons select committee warned that outreach services, set up to fill the gaps left by the closures, will fail because of a lack of cash.

Outreach facilities are being proposed in 14 communities across the region to offset the impact of closures but this latest report highlights that funding for them to be viable may be inadequate.
And the Lib Dems accused the Labour government – and local Labour MP’s – of being determined to destroy the Post Office network across Flintshire.

Cllr. Robin Baker, Leader of Flintshire County Council’s Lib Dem group, said: “Post Offices provide a vital service, particularly to vulnerable people and rural areas. When they close, other services often follow suit, with devastating consequences for the community.

“Mobile offices are being offered by the Post Office, but these wholly inadequate replacements will not provide anything like the kind of service people in rural areas rely on.

“Outreach services are a poor relation to proper post offices. The Government seems to think it can get post offices on the cheap this way. However, even outreach services need to be properly funded.

“At this rate many areas will end up with no post office services whatsoever. Ministers are presiding over the managed decline of our post offices.

“Local MPs – including Delyn’s MP David Hanson - have let down local residents by voting against a motion in the House of Commons in March that would have brought an end to the closure programme in Flintshire.

“I would urge everyone affected by these proposals to write to MP’s David Hanson and Mark Tami, lobby their local councillor and write to the Post Office before the 15th September to let their views be known,” he added.

Responses to the consultation should be sent to
Steve Geraty
Network Development Manager
C/o National Consultation Team
FREEPOST CONSULTATION TEAM

Email: consultation@postoffice.co.uk

The recent increase in energy prices just re-confirms the need for all of us to be far more efficient in the way we mange power our homes. It may have seemed ‘cheap’ and unecessary to shut doors and close the curtains, but not anymore. This government has done little to assist in any short to medium term plan for energy conservation or communication of an understandable public message in support of the things we can do to benefit not only our planet for the future but also our pockets today. Look at the list below and maybe these can go some way to help you save.
With gas & electric prices rising, this is a good time to remind/alert us all how we can save money and the planet using the top ten tips below.

Gas prices up 35%
Electric prices up 20%
10 ways to help you save energy, money, and help prevent climate change. You could save around £270 per year*.

1 Turn your thermostat down. Reducing your room temperature by 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent. You could save around £50 per year.
2 Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should be set at 60°C/140°F.
3 Close your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping through the windows.
4 Always turn off the lights when you leave a room.
5 Don’t leave appliances on standby and remember not to leave appliances on charge unnecessarily.
6 If you’re not filling up the washing machine, tumble dryer or dishwasher, use the half-load or economy programme.
7 Only boil as much water as you need (but remember to cover the elements if you’re using an electric kettle).
8 A dripping hot water tap wastes energy and in one week wastes enough hot water to fill half a bath, so fix leaking taps and make sure they’re fully turned off!
9 Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and using one can save you around £40 over the lifetime of the bulb. This saving could be up to £60 over its lifetime if you?re replacing a very high wattage incandescent bulb, or one used for more than a few hours a day.
10. Do a home energy check at the ‘www.energysavingtrust.org.uk’ link. Just answer some simple questions about your home and the Energy saving trust will give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save up to £270 a year on your house hold energy bills.

I hope these tips help you to keep your money in your pocket

Local Lib Dem campaigner Cllr Richard Jones has welcomed the Health Ministers’ decision to establish a new neurology unit in North Wales.

Richard said: “After originally being lead to believe that patients would have to travel to South Wales for treatment, I am absolutely delighted for our area and the region at the announcement of the planned Neurological Unit in North Wales.

“I welcome the Health Minister’s common sense and good judgement in this case and look forward to these plans being delivered through the North Wales Office, taking into account the costing of the plans.

“Edwina Hart has listened and acted positively in a situation which should never arisen.”

If you need to contact the Council, come along to the Mobile office in Brunswick Road,** Buckley between 9.30 am - 12.00 pm on 5th August 2008. It can be used as your contact point for all Council Departments in addition to carrying information and literature from a variety of other organisations serving the community.
The Mobile Office visits Buckley once every month, I will confirm the dates here at least 1 week in advance.

**or overspill car park near to Bevans if you are unable to park in the pedestrianised area.

Flintshire Liberal Democrat Councillors are calling for radical improvements in recycling if the County Council is to meet ambitious targets of 40% recycling and composting of municipal waste by 2010.and 70% by 2025.

The call came after Cllr Nancy Matthews, the new Executive Member for Waste Strategy and Management for the coalition administration, joined waste leaders from across Wales at a meeting in Cardiff to discuss the mounting pressures on local authorities.

Jane Davidson AM, Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing was also present at the meeting with the Cabinet Members with responsibility for Waste to discuss how they can improve recycling facilities and proposals for meeting Welsh Assembly Government waste targets.

Cllr Nancy Matthews said: “Despite early successes in Flintshire and making reasonable progress in our initial recycling plans it would appear that listening to other local authorities’ improvements they have caught us up.

“My vision is to put Flintshire a the forefront of waste management, rewarding residents for good practice and realising efficiencies that can save them money by making less to landfill our motto.

“Every council in Wales must aim high when it comes to waste reduction. While we face significant financial pressures in meeting targets around recycling, composting and the management of waste services, we have to embrace waste management as a key priority and tackle it in a creative way so that it is self-sufficient in the long term.

“Our recycling record to date is a clear indicator of the councils’ investment in recycling services and commitment to encouraging a cultural shift in consumer behaviour so that the public make use of the services available to them and therefore send less to landfill.

“However, we have to be realistic about what is achievable and an ambitious 70% recycling target by 2025 means we must looking at every feasible option.

“It also means we need a strategy that will deliver step change and radical improvement, coasting along is not enough to get us where we need to be.”

Flintshire Lib Dem Group Leader Robin Baker added: “This is certainly a key issue for our group and one that we will be discussing in the coming weeks with our coalition partners. I am confident we will be able to come to a consensus on our joint approach to tackling this agenda, along with other key issues we face.”
ENDS

Liberal Democrats in Flintshire have welcomed the launch of the Liberal Democrats’ vision for Britain by Party Leader Nick Clegg MP. Called ‘Make it Happen’, the paper will be debated at the party’s conference in Bournemouth in September.

In ‘Make it Happen’ the Liberal Democrats say:

* They will cut taxes for ordinary families
* If your local hospital can’t see you on time, they will pay for treatment elsewhere
* They will switch taxes from people to pollution - so it pays to go green
* To improve standards in education, they will fund extra help for those who need it most
* They will put Britain at the heart of Europe to make us a force for good in the world
* They will stop ID cards so we can keep control of our privacy
* They will change the voting system so everyone’s voice counts
* They will bring communities together with local people in charge
* They will give communities a say in how offenders pay for their crimes

Cllr Richard Jones said, “I am delighted to be able to back ‘Make it Happen’. It sets out how the Liberal Democrats will run Britain .

“No resident of Flintshire has escaped the rising cost of food and fuel. The credit crunch is biting hard and local people are feeling the pinch.

“Nick Clegg has set out how we can help ordinary people through cutting taxes on those on low and middle incomes. Thousands of people in Flintshire will benefit from this.

“We are taking the plans in ‘Make it Happen’ to the people of Flintshire during the summer to get their response. And in September, we will be heading to the Liberal Democrats’ conference where we are looking forward to taking part in the debate.”