Milk & Alcohol

Is There any wonder as to why we have so many problems in our society today, sad but true some alcohol is cheaper than milk.

Alcohol and Substance Misuse

I am pleased that the local newspapers have given front pages to the problems we encountered last Sunday regarding alcohol and possible substance misuse. Today at 10am, I am meeting Council officials and Police at this site to discuss safety improvements for the area, this meeting has been booked for a couple of months. I will use this site meeting as an opportunity to discuss this recent problem. The district police inspector stated that solvent abuse is not something that has been flagged up in community action plans, so today I will flag it up.

I am also attending a police community meeting in the Memorial Hall in Llandudno Junction at 2pm, this will be another opportunity to discuss this and other issues.

To find out more on substance misuse go to www.re-solv.org

Hospital visit after cancelled Meeting!

Well what a day yesterday! I had the afternoon off from 2pm after a meeting was cancelled. I have neglected my garden this year, so decided to catch up with some weeding and mow the lawn, motivated I got stuck in. After about an hour I felt a sting to my right eye, so I went inside to rinse it. The bottom line, was I was in absolute agony and ended up in Llandudno Hospital. Within half an hour I had been seen by a senior nurse and a doctor, placed on anti biotic cream for my eye and tablets for an impending infection on my eyelid. I may be out of action for a day or two and have given apologies for todays meetings.


I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Llandudno Hospital for their prompt care and professionalism. It's times like this that make you realise what a great asset we have in Llandudno and it makes me sad and angry when certain individuals and their party try in a round about way to take credit for saving this great place. I have written to the local paper with my views.

I hope that people like me see through cheap stunts like this. After all it was the people that worked tirelessly to save the services at Llandudno hospital, not individuals. Well done to ALL that have given up many hours to protect this hospital in order for people like me to access it.

Quotes

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist
Golda Meir

There would be no one to frighten you if you refuse to be afraid
Mahatma Gandhi

In the beginners mind, there are many possibilities but in the experts mind there are few
Shunryu Suzuki

Treasure your relationships, not your possessions
Anthony J. D'Angelo

The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall
Nelson Mandela

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that wont work
Thomas Edison

Be kind whenever possible, it is always possible
Mahatma Gandhi

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted

Albert Einstein

Respect!!!!

My wife is away visiting friends in Surrey this weekend. I decided to spend some time with my girls today, well that's what I thought. This morning after breakfast I received a text stating that I had to go and see the state of the underpass at the Flyover in Llandudno Junction. The place was in a terrible state with broken bottles and the stench of urine, my pictures are not great (they were taken from my mobile phone) and don't really show how bad it really was.

Amongst this mess was approximately 30-40 beer bottles, 3 Vodka bottles, 2 aerosol cans and some drug paraphernalia (what we have here is a serious alcohol and substance misues issue). A number of things have been on my mind all day after seeing this mess:

• Were the Police involved? no they weren't, they did not receive one call
  
• Should we increase the age limit to purchase alcohol to say 25 years old?
  
• What damage are these people doing to themselves?


• Should we increase the price of alcohol off sales?
  
• We know we have a national problem with under age drinking, what on earth are the parents doing to address this problem?

Just a few things going through my mind, so much for my Sunday with the girls (sorry girls) and thanks to the Council for coming out and clearing up after these individuals, it's worth mentioning that there was a youth football match in this area today and at least they did not have to witness such a scene. Also, I know of a blind resident with a guide dog who uses this route most days. So the question is, if respect was taught to our youths (respect yourself, respect others, respect your environment and so on), would this have happened?

Out & About in Deganwy

Canvassed in Deganwy this afternoon and early evening and have to say Thank you to the residents who gave myself and the team a warm welcome. I was very encouraged indeed by the positive response on the doorstep.

We never identified one single Labour supporter and that seems to back up the views that Labour are going to collapse here in The New Aberconwy Constituency and the UK in general. Also some interesting views regarding Plaid and their ability to influence in Westminster, an interesting campaign to come.

Conwy Valley tomorrow evening.

Conwy "Buzzing"

Visited Conwy Honey Fair on Monday with Lord Roberts of Llandudno and have to say it was good to see the crowds of late-Season visitors and locals all snapping up great produce, lots of which were local. This was the 20th Fair organised by volunteers from Conwy Beekeepers' Association and has been built up from a handful of stalls into a major regional event.

Well done to the volunteers from the Conwy Beekeepers' Association and Conwy Estuary Lions without whom this event would not take place and I look forward to your Seed Fair next March. Fairs in Conwy I believe date back some 700 years. If the Town and County Councils continue to support this event, I can only see it going from strength to strength.

Although the fudge I bought was beautiful, I really feel I shouldn't have ate it!!!! Well done to all involved.

My Allowances 2008/2009

My Allowances for 08/09 are as follows:

Basic Allowance: £12,977.96

SRA: £14,934.07

Travel Expenses: £641.34

Basic Allowance is received by every County Councillor.

SRA, Special Responsibility Allowance is for my Cabinet position, Environment Portfolio.

Travel Expenses, Excess travel, over and above my ward duties.

I have given my position on the Council my full time commitment during this time, as I believe, having Cabinet responsibility deserves full attention, for further details see link below:

http://www.conwy.gov.uk/doc.asp?cat=5219&doc=20111

Full details of all Councillors allowances should be with each household in Conwy shortly via Conwy County Councils Magazine "The Bulletin", delivered via Royal Mail.

What a load of Rubbish

So far we have held seven Environmental Days. These are days where the Council provide skips for residents to dispose of any unwanted household items, generally clean-up areas of graffiti etc and where advice is also given on waste management. On these seven days we have taken away 98.5 Tonnes of unwanted household items of which approximately 60% has been recycled.

It is encouraging to see that after these days, recycling participation rates improve and feedback from the public is very positive indeed.

The areas covered so far are:

Pensarn (Abergele)

Belgrano

Mochdre

Llandudno

Llanrwst

Kinmel Bay

Peulwys

Residents are informed by letter that these events are taking place.

It's Question and Answer Time!!

There is much debate regarding whether or not this group should be given a platform on the BBC's Question Time, the fact of the matter is that this party have won seats in Councils across Britain and even have two Members in the European Parliament.

I feel this would be an excellent opportunity to expose them for what they really are and place them under national scrutiny, one question for example could be, " Would you really deter asylum seekers heading for Europe by sinking their Boats".

Should we ignore them or expose them?

Having a Clear Out!!

Having a decluttering session in our house this weekend, came across a box of old photos, we haven't stopped laughing all weekend!! Would you send a child to school with a collar like that?

Meetings this week

Monday 7th September

8.45 Meet Police at Ysgol Maelgwn, Llandudno Junction

9.15 Meet North Wales Housing, Llandudno Junction

1.30 WREN Panel, Colwyn Bay

6.00 Assist my wife with presentation for Llanrwst Rotary Club on the Work of CLICSargent Charity

Tuesday 8th September

Ward Work, prepare for planning meeting (I do not sit on planning committee, however I will be speaking on a planning application on my ward)

Wednesday 9th September
11.00 Llandudno Junction Master Plan, Llandudno Junction Leisure Centre
2.00 Planning Committee, Conwy

Thursday 10th September
All day, Cabinet Meeting, Conwy

Friday 11th September
12.00 Open tenders, Conwy
2.00 Llandulas Landfill Meeting, Colwyn Bay
3.00 Raynes Quarry Meeting, Colwyn Bay
5.00 Liberal Democrat Executive Meeting, Penmaenmawr
7.00 Teenz and Kidz Drama Workshop, Llandudno Junction

Above are some planned meetings for the week ahead, again that is without the phone going, my email and my post and the work these can generate.