Richard Jones

CALL IN JEOPARDISES HEALTH CENTRE PLANS SAY LIB DEMS

Richard Jones — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 19:08:36 +0000

The call in of an Executive decision regarding proposed new health centres in Mold and Buckley could jeopardise the plans say Flintshire Lib Dems.

The move by the Labour group has been described as “yet another spoiling tactic” designed to undermine the current administration says Buckley Cllr Richard Jones.

It is understood that the Labour group are seeking clarity that the sale of the land for the proposed centres for less than market value does not conflict with current Council policy.

However, Cllr Jones claims that as there has been no change in policy since Labour lost control of the Council they should know full well what the policy is.

Cllr Jones said: “Given there has been no change in policy since the Labour group controlled the Council I see no reason for them to seek the clarification they claim to be looking for.

“General Disposal Consent (Wales) 2003 allows for an authority to dispose of an interest in land for ‘less than best’ when it considers that the purpose for the interest in land disposed of is likely to contribute to the promotion or improvement of economic, social or environmental well-being.

“It is clear that the development of two new health centres fits this criteria and I can see no justification or reason for this to be called in other than it being yet another spoiling tactic by the Labour group.

“The people of Mold and Buckley deserve better from their elected representatives than this on going petty approach from the opposition who appear to be hell bent on jeopardising progress for political gain rather than putting the people of Flintshire first.”ENDS

CRADBOARD RECYCLING PILOT LAUNCHED

Richard Jones — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:19:51 +0000

HOUSEHOLDERS in Flintshire will be able to recycle cardboard for the first time, thanks to a new pilot scheme.

Flintshire Council has launched a trial scheme, targeting one area in the county, which will give residents the chance to recycle their cardboard waste, alongside newspapers and magazines, in larger blue recycling bags.

The council has, until recently, only had access to facilities to recycle paper, cans, plastic bottles, glass and green waste.

Cllr Richard Jones said: “We have excellent recycling collection services in Flintshire, but people also want to recycle cardboard packaging, and now we are introducing a trial scheme so they can do this.”

Residents in the pilot area will be issued with new blue bags and a leaflet explaining how they can use the new service, collections for which began on Monday.

Cllr Jones added: “We appreciate residents in all areas of the county will be keen to have this service too, but we ask people to be patient, as we trial this only in certain areas initially.”

For more information on recycling, call 01352 703350.

MOTION WITHDRAWN AFTER CONCERNS RAISED

Richard Jones — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:00:46 +0000

A proposal to provide struggling second home owners with a discount on their council tax was withdrawn after members raised concerns that it would benefit property speculators and others who didn’t need subsidies. Buckley Lib Dem Cllr Richard Jones withdrew his motion when it became clear he did not have the support of other members during the Council meeting at County Hall on Tuesday (October 28^th, 2008).

But an unrepentant Cllr Jones defended his decision to table the proposal and cited a lack of clarity surrounding his complex idea led to its downfall.

Speaking after the Council meeting Cllr Jones said: “It was never my intention for those who clearly do not need their council tax bills subsidised to benefit from this motion.

“However, I assumed that my intentions would be understood and would serve to initiate debate that would result in other helpful initiatives for other groups of residents, my proposal would have required a clear test to qualify for the proposed discount but other members felt they could not support the resolution as it stood.

“I apologise to residents that I tried to represent, but nevertheless, I am pleased to have initiated a debate about the issue which has helped to raise awareness that the Council must do what it can to help struggling residents during these times of difficulty alongside the measures taken by politicians at Westminster and in Cardiff .”

LIB DEMS CALL FOR MOBILITY BENEFITS FOR THE BLIND

Richard Jones — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:34:45 +0000

Flintshire Lib Dems are calling for the higher rate mobility component of disability living allowance to be extended to include the blind.

In a motion tabled by Cllr

Robin Baker to be discussed at the next full Council meeting on October 28^th, the Lib Dems highlight the injustice of the current system despite the obvious difficulties blind people endure.

Cllr Baker, Leader of Flintshire Lib Dems, said: “No one can doubt the difficulties experienced by blind people and the barriers to independent mobility their disability creates.

“This motion calls on the Government to recognise those difficulties and barriers and provide blind people with a level playing field.

“Many blind residents find it difficult to access facilities that many of us take for granted – including Council services – without facing additional costs. This campaign aims to redress that injustice and unfairness and help with those costs, particularly at a time when everyone is facing difficult financial times.

“I hope all members support this campaign,” he added.

BUCKLEY COUNCILLOR SAYS PLANNING DECISION WOULD INCREASE HIGHWAYS RISK AND COULD MAKE COUNTY HALL LIABLE

Richard Jones — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:23:03 +0000

Buckley Lib Dem Cllr Richard Jones has claimed a decision confirmed by the planning committee this week could potentially make County Hall liable for the increased risk created by the application.

Councillors voted in favour by 12 votes to six of confirming their decision taken on the 2^nd September to approve an application for a change of use to a car sales site for land at The Cottage on Sealand Road, Sealand.

The decision was brought back to the committee this week by Council officers as they felt it represented a substantial departure from the Council’s strategic policy in relation to Green Barrier.

Despite re-affirming the original committee decision the application will still need to be referred to the National Assembly as it departs from planning guidelines previously agreed by the Council.

Cllr Richard Jones said: “This application was clearly contrary to our planning policy guidelines as set out in our Unitary Development Plan as was highlighted very thoroughly by the Officers during the meeting and there are no grounds for this departure.

“I very much suspect that the National Assembly will reject this decision on those grounds alone.

“However, what really concerns me is that by approving this application we are potentially knowingly allowing additional risk to be created on our roads.

“Will Flintshire County Council be liable if there is an accident in the future at this site because we allowed this increased risk to be created?”

Sealand Community Council appeared to support Cllr Jones’ concerns submitting a late observation of objection to the committee on the grounds that “the increased flow of traffic onto the site will create a major traffic hazard onto a road with a 60mph limit.”

The Council’s own Highways engineers also felt the application should be refused because it would be “detrimental to highway safety.”

Whitford Lib Dem Cllr Chris Dolphin also voted against the application and said: “This is a grassed area in the green barrier, it is a non-starter, we don’t allow development on green barrier sites for a good reason and I see no argument for doing so in this case.”

Cllr Jones concluded: “This is inappropriate development that is contrary both to our planning policy and highway safety and should never have been granted.

“I find it astonishing that in one breath some elected members are praising our Officers and calling for us to support their professional advice and judgement and in the next breath they are choosing to vote against it!”

COUNCILLORS TO VISIT UPM FACILITY

Richard Jones — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 07:07:41 +0000

Members of Flintshire County Council are to visit UPM Shotton this week (Friday 3^rd October 2008) to assess the impact of the renewable energy plant that reduces its carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 tonnes annually.

The cross party visit, coinciding with Flintshire Business Week, has been arranged to help elected members gain a greater understanding of the technology that has increased UPM Shotton’s self-sufficiency in heat by up to 95% and in power by up to 25%, whilst also reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Organised by Cllr Nancy Matthews, Executive Member for Waste Strategy and Management, 18 elected members will meet with senior UPM executives to discuss the success of the investment.

Cllr Richard Jones said: “This visit will give elected members the opportunity to see for themselves the benefits of renewable energy and how it can provide heat and power while also reducing emissions.

“Embracing new and emerging technologies are going to be vital in developing a sustainable strategy to tackle waste and waste management in the coming years, so it is critical that elected members have an insight into what is available to us.

“We are working on a new waste strategy to be considered before the end of the current calendar year and this visit will help with its development and with members understanding of the issues we face.”

FCC Town Centre Healthcheck Study

Richard Jones — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:32:05 +0000

The recent findings by Tym & Partners (Retail Planning Consultants) have confirmed that Buckley Town Centre is in need of ‘Moderate Intervention’ to maintain its current role so that it does not decline as a result of strengthening local competition from Broughton Park and similar retail centres. It considers that there is scope to improve the convenience retail shopping of Buckley, which is currently insufficient.

It appears there is a need for another supermarket in Buckley to address this particular local deficiency and this report will be used to identify the type and size of that requirement to ensure that Buckley does not suffer from further business degradation.

Buckley must plan for the future so that it truly provides quality retail outlets with less need for local people to travel to other retail centres. Our challenge is to stop the bleeding of retail finance to Chester and Wrexham and to maintain it in our local Town. It makes good sense-we just won’t need to travel to buy. In order to lower your Carbon footprint and support local businesses-The money you earn in Buckley should be spent in Buckley. Over the next months and years FCC Coalition Councillors of Buckley will strive to attract quality businesses to our Town in order to provide structured growth for the future.

Mobile Office

Richard Jones — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 21:04:16 +0000

Mobile Office in Buckley on 1st October 2008 at 09.30-12.00pm in it’s usual position at Brunswick Rd

EDUCATION REPORT EXPOSES MORE LABOUR FAILURES CLAIM LIB DEMS

Richard Jones — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 07:25:34 +0000

A report into the future education provision in Flintshire carried out by the Wales Audit Office and presented to the Council’s Executive last month (August 5^th, 2008) exposes yet more Labour failures local Lib Dems have claimed.

The report highlights the lack of planning by the previous Labour administration, the absence of a strategy to address the future provision of education across the County and key decisions put off by an Executive “lacking the morale fibre” to tackle the big issues say the Lib Dems.

The Audit Office also identified that in addition to a backlog of £35million of work needed to improve the condition of schools and to address disability access, the full cost of the work required to make Flintshire schools fit for purpose remains unknown.

Additionally, spending on Flintshire schools was forecast to be among the lowest in Wales at £215 per pupil compared to an average across the country of £400.

Cllr Carolyn Cattermoul, Lib Dem Education spokesperson, said: “This report is a damning indictment of the previous Labour run Executive and exposes yet more failures and their lack of morale fibre when faced with making tough decisions.

“Slowly, but surely, the skeletons are beginning to emerge from the cupboards as the full extent of Labour’s mismanagement at County Hall is gradually becoming known to the new Executive.

“The scale of the task facing the new Coalition administration is a huge one but I am confident that collectively we can rise to the challenge and under Arnold Woolley’s leadership we can turn these problems around.

“We have had to listen to constant sniping and petty attacks from the Labour party since their fall from power in May.

“But faced with the growing evidence of the failings on their watch and under Cllr Shotton’s leadership, maybe it is time for them to take a long hard look at their own performance over the past ten years before commenting further on ours over the last four months.”

ENDS

Ipsos MORI-Living in Wales survey 2008

Richard Jones — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:57:36 +0000

Between September and November 2008 up to 500 properties within Flintshire will be surveyed as part of a 2nd phase which will be a repeat of it’s 4 yearly Property Survey, consisting of a visual inspection of randomly selected properties across Wales by trained surveyors.
The Living in Wales survey is conducted annually by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government. It provides the main source of information on households and the condition of homes in Wales.
The 2008 survey is made of an interview with the householder and for some, a follow up visit by a qualified surveyor to undertake a statistical property assessment of your home.
The Property Survey collects data for WAG for their analysis to formulate housing related policy and spending plans. No written report is produced for an individual property. A property survey takes about 45 mins to complete and all surveyors will carry ID photo cards with a freephone number so that you can check who they are. All information given to us is strictly confidential to Ipsos MORI and will not be used to identify individal homes. If you require further information please do not hesitate to ask.