Saturday 30 October 2010

Marl Ward Focus



Thanks to the Team this morning. In not great weather we were able to deliver over 1000 leaflets. I enjoy delivering around the ward as it is a great chance to talk to residents and listen to their views and issues.

I have already had 2 telephone calls and a return slip pushed through the letterbox with a ward issue.

North Wales Liberal Democrat Fundraiser



I am out tonight at a Fund Raising dinner, our special guest will be Dr Vince Cable MP. I will post on this after the event.

RHS Tatton 2010 Costs

Below is a breakdown of the Environment departments costs for this years event. This year was another great success and I was particularly pleased to see our tourism brochures being distributed to the 10's of Thousands of visitors.

I hope this is enough information for Anon and I also hope that residents see the promotional work for tourism that has been taken advantage of. I cannot guarantee our attendance at this event into the future, which I believe will be a missed opportunity but perhaps we could look for more sponsorship.




The cost breakdown is as follows

Bedding plants (Sponsored by Ball Collgraves) No Cost

3D Figures £1200.00

Transport £1000.00



Total Charged £2,200



Nursery

Compost £80.00

Plant production 32hours @ Scale point 17 Paid 8.72+3% on cost =£0.39

Total hourly rate (£8.98.)

32 hours @ £8.98 = £287.41



Total Charged £367.41



On site build up

Saturday

Build up 33 hours @ Scale point 17 Paid at enhanced rate 1.5 (£13.08) +3% on cost =£0.39

Total hourly rate £9.12

Total hours 33 x pay rate =£300.82

Uncharged labour 11 @ scale point 38 £16.55

Total uncharged labour (£181.00)



Total Charged £300.82



On site build up

Sunday

Build up 33 hours @ Scale point 17 Paid at enhanced rate x2 (£17.44) +3% on cost =£0.52

Total hourly rate £17.96

Total hours 33 x pay rate =£592.68

Uncharged labour 11 @ scale point 38 £16.548

Total uncharged labour (£181.00)



Total Charged £592.68



On site break down

Sunday

Break down 5 hours @ Scale point 17 Paid at enhanced rate x2 (£17.44) +3% on cost =£0.52

Total hourly rate £17.96

Total hours 5 x pay rate (£87.20)

Uncharged labour 5 @ scale point 38 £16.548

Total uncharged labour (£82.74)



Total Charged £87.20



Grand Total Charged = £ 3548.11

Sunday 24 October 2010

Wedding Anniversary

Today my wife and I will celebrate 17 years of Marriage and according to tradition I need to celebrate this with a gift. I googled 17 year anniversary and it came up with two gift ideas. A traditional gift should be a watch or a modern gift of a piece of Furniture. So god only knows how today will pan out.

It scares me how 17 years have flown by, but on the whole they have been 17 good years with two beautiful girls coming into the world because of our marriage. It makes me feel very proud as they are both a credit to my wife and I (even though sometimes they call me Mike instead of dad). Call me old fashioned but when I said the vows "In sickness and in health til death do we part" I meant them.

I also find myself today thinking of my of my late Mum.

Today will be a celebration of our marriage. Lorraine wants to start off by going to the food festival in Conwy to buy some good local produce for dinner tonight with our two girls.

Monday 18 October 2010

Smoking Related Litter



A couple of months ago I was contacted by a resident and asked if I could help her son who had been issued with a fixed penalty for discarding his cigarette in the street. I told the lady that I could not help her son as I felt he deserved the fine, she asked me if I was a smoker, I replied no but I used to be. She said that ex smokers were the worst and hung up.

I was in Colwyn Bay on Thursday and noticed this pile of "cigarette ends". I personally believe that such premises must provide a means of disposing the cigarette ends and have reported this particular incident.

In Conwy we have two unannounced independent street cleanliness audits each year where up to One Hundred and Fifty streets are inspected and given a grade of 1, 2 or 3, 1 being clean and tidy and 3 having noticeable litter. These audits are carried out by Keep Wales Tidy and not only look at litter but also look at Graffiti, dog fouling and fly posting. The biggest problem that transpires from these audits every time is smoking related litter.

I have noticed now lots of cars do not have ashtrays and have lost count the times that I have seen motorists flicking their cigarette ends out of their windows. This is a big problem nationwide that needs addressing. Perhaps an extra charge on cigarettes to assist with the cleaning up???

Tuesday 12 October 2010

Allotments




One of Conwy's corporate commitments is to provide more allotments for our residents. I am pleased that we will soon be offering up to 60 plots to people on our waiting list including up to 12 plots that are raised and can be accessed by residents with disabilities.

We currently have 355 people on our waiting list and will offer these allotments to people within a 3 mile radius, who have been waiting longest. This site will have its own water source powered by a solar pump and is situated off Tan Y Bryn Road Rhos-on-Sea. I am looking to open this site in December and will have an open day. Anyone wanting to enquire about allotments can do so by phoning 01492 575337.

Thursday 7 October 2010

Family




After a very busy and productive day yesterday I arrived home and was asked if I would like a "cuppa".
It arrived in this Mug that my girls gave me a few years ago for Fathers Day, not a lot more to add to this really, I just had a nice feeling. I am a very lucky man to have such a great loving family.

Wednesday 6 October 2010

Marl Ward Clean-Up

Before, The path from Marl Drive to Glyn Y Marl Road




After, Residents can now access St Michael's Church and the Doctors on Glyn Y Marl Road, without the detour up The Hill on Conwy Road




A very busy day today, we filled around 5 skips, we cleared this path above and also some land at the rear of 8-2 Victoria Drive. We gave out around 2 tonne of soil conditioner (Compost to me!!). All in all very successful and some great feedback from residents.

Spending a Day on my Ward

Today is an Environmental clean up day on my Ward and I will be spending the day assisting with picking up litter with the pupils from Ysgol Maelgwn and hopefully clearing a footpath with probation services.

I do enjoy these days as you can physically see the difference that has been made at the end of the day. Will post some photos later.

Tuesday 5 October 2010

Press Release




I am delighted to share this press release that has gone out this morning. I was informed of my selection late yesterday. My family as ever are very supportive of my decision to stand and I would like to place on record at this very early stage my sincere gratitude.

MEDIA NOTICE


Aberconwy Lib Dems


Having polled more votes than Plaid Cymru in the recent General Election, Aberconwy Libdems are targeting the Plaid held Aberconwy seat for the Welsh Assembly.

The result of their candidate poll was announced late on Monday with local Councillor Mike Priestley of Llandudno Junction selected with the overwhelming support of Liberal Democrat members.

Mike more than doubled the vote, gained by the Libdems in the last Assembly Election in Aberconwy and supporters are confident that with the retirement of popular Plaid AM Gareth Jones that they can also obtain more votes than Plaid at the Assembly election to be held on Thursday, May 5 2011.

Mike holds the Conwy County Borough Council Environment portfolio and was recently elected a Foundation Governor, representing north Wales, of Liverpool's highly esteemed Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Monday 4 October 2010

quote

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. -Eleanor Roosevelt