Dear Sirs

I refer to the letter from Colin Jones in your 26 March letters page and would agree with him on many of his points. In particular he makes a valid point regarding the numbers of unemployed and homeless arriving in Rhyl from elsewhere. Many of these people, predominantly young males, present themselves at the Marine Villas Homeless Unit on Crescent Road in the town centre. They can be seen queuing for a bed from early in the day and make a nuisance of themselves.  They make for an intimidating presence for locals and for the many visitors arriving in Rhyl who disembark at the coach park opposite. They gather outside and around the unused public toilet where they can be seen openly drinking, taking drugs, urinating in public and generally behaving in an anti-social manner. There is no supervision and no apparent police presence with the will to bring them to order. The surrounding area bears the scars of their daily visits which is bringing the whole neighbourhood down!

The local people deserve better from our local authority and the police. We need to understand why these people are coming to Rhyl in such high numbers and discourage this immediately - Unlike Mark Webster who was quoted recently as saying that he sympathised with the homeless who appear to have caused the fire at the Grange Hotel and thought extra facilities should be made available for these people, it is my opinion that we must break the mould and discourage more of them coming to  Rhyl for theirs and our sakes .  I am not sure that Webster’s constituents would want a larger homeless unit opposite their homes.  Why should the people of west Rhyl have to suffer because of poor management and supervision of these people and this area. 

Ideally a New Homeless shelter should be resited and its location & size should be agreed by all stake holders starting with the Local community but until this is possible, the very least that the local families deserve is that the area should be policed and properly supervised so that they is zero tolerance policing outside the Unit to stop people causing problems, frightening children and the elderly and generally making a mess of the area. To improve West Rhyl we need to encourage families and local people to want to live & work here rather than having the huge turnover of people who drift in and out constantly. Residents of West Rhyl deserve to have a safe and pleasant environment in which to live and work  this will only happen if it is community led and then we can look forward to a  better future in Rhyl.

Colum McCormack Welsh Lib Dems

County Council Candidate - Rhyl West

It's been 100 days since I was elected leader of the Liberal Democrats – and I wanted to update you on the progress we've been making. It's a huge privilege to be your leader at such an exciting time.

There was a great buzz at our recent conference in Liverpool. And party members from every part of Britain have been telling me how pleased they are that we are stepping up the fight against the two establishment parties. Our determination to open up politics, and give control over health, education, and the environment back to the British people, is really resonating.

Our top team is more than a match for the other two parties. We've got Vince Cable on economics, Chris Huhne on home affairs, Susan Kramer on families, Ed Davey on foreign affairs, David Laws on public services, Steve Webb on the environment and Julia Goldsworthy leading the fight against the faceless government bureaucracies that let us all down.

We are making the running on the issues that matter to people in their everyday lives - from home repossessions, to energy prices and the unfair Council Tax. And we are the only party that's been standing firm on important issues of principle like fighting for citizenship for retired Gurkhas, opposing identity cards and putting the case for an 80% carbon reduction target.

And in five weeks we have a huge opportunity to show the progress we're making. I've been out campaigning hard with Brian Paddick, our outstanding candidate for London, and his excellent team. We have a real chance of delivering a Liberal Democrat Mayor for our great liberal capital city.

At the same time we have important local elections across many parts of England and all of Wales and I've been working closely on these with Director of Campaigns Hilary Stephenson, chair of the local elections campaign Andrew Stunell and Cllr Tim Pickstone from ALDC.

I'm so proud of our record in local government. Time and again, we've turned round towns and cities that have been failed by the other parties. And, with your help, on May 1st we will once again challenge both Labour and Tories in their heartlands.

As I said in my conference speech in Liverpool: the chance is there, so let's seize it.

Rhodri Jones✘  Tremeirchion

Yn Edrych Ymlaen I’r Dyfodol!

Looking Forward to the Future!

Ein addewid ichi:

1. Rydym yn gaddo i gefnogi ein ysgolion gwledig ac ein

swyddfeydd post ermwyn sicrhau dyfodol gwell i'n cymunedau

gwledig

2. Rydym yn gaddo i gynnal, yn rheolaidd, cyfarfodydd gwaith yn y

gymuned lleol

3. Rydym yn gaddo i wrando yn ddi - ffael ar pryderon ac anghenion

y gymuned lleol ac i ymateb yn brydlon ac yn bositif

Our pledge to you:

1. We pledge to support fully our rural schools and our post offices

in order to safeguard a better future for our rural communities

2. We pledge to hold regular action meetings in the local community

3. We pledge to listen without fail to the needs and concerns of the

local community and to respond punctually and positively

Ein addewid ichi:

1. Rydym yn gaddo i gefnogi ein ysgolion gwledig ac ein

swyddfeydd post ermwyn sicrhau dyfodol gwell i'n cymunedau

gwledig

2. Rydym yn gaddo i gynnal, yn rheolaidd, cyfarfodydd gwaith yn y

gymuned lleol

3. Rydym yn gaddo i wrando yn ddi - ffael ar pryderon ac anghenion

y gymuned lleol ac i ymateb yn brydlon ac yn bositif

Our pledge to you:

1. We pledge to support fully our rural schools and our post offices

in order to safeguard a better future for our rural communities

2. We pledge to hold regular action meetings in the local community

3. We pledge to listen without fail to the needs and concerns of the

local community and to respond punctually and positively

You can vote by post

CHRIS RUANE MP votes for post office closures

LIBERAL Democrats in the Vale of Clwyd have accused Chris Ruane MP of failing to support local services after he voted to support the Government's massive post office closure programme.

The Government has ordered that one in five branches be closed. Opposition MPs tried to stop the closure programme on 19th March when a motion was proposed in the House of Commons demanding the Government halt their plans to make 2500 branches shut up shop.

But enough Labour MPs rallied around the Government’s closure plans to reject the motion and ensure the closure programme can continue unhindered. One of those voting to close post offices was Vale of Clwyd’s Chris Ruane MP.

Disappointed local Liberal Democrat campaigners are calling on Chris Ruane MP to explain why he voted to close post offices.

“Chris Ruane MP has let down people in the Vale of Clwyd by voting to allow the closures to continue,” said Mark Young, Lib Dem PPC. “In July the announcement will be made as to which branches here in North Wales will be put forward for closure. This was an opportunity for Chris Ruane MP to make a stand on behalf of residents. I am disappointed he has backed the Government rather than local people.

“The loss of post offices will hit communities hard in the Vale of Clwyd. They are vital assets for many local people and closing them will cause many difficulties for older people and others with mobility problems, in particular.

“Despite the decision of Chris Ruane MP to help the Government press ahead with closure, Liberal Democrats are continuing to fight the demolition of the post office network,” added Mark Young

LIBERAL Democrats in the Vale of Clwyd have called on Chris Ruane MP to apologise for his support for the invasion of Iraq.

Speaking at a meeting of members, Mark Young PPC said, “Five years ago, the Labour Government led Britain into the war in Iraq.  The Conservatives were the cheerleaders for military action. And MPs from both parties attacked the Liberal Democrats for our opposition to the invasion.

“It is now clear that the war in Iraq and the occupation of the country were the worst decisions taken by Britain in foreign policy in living memory.  And Chris Ruane MP backed this decision. He voted for the war in 2003.

“Five years on from the start of the invasion, 175 British troops have lost their lives, £7 billion of our money has been lost on this appalling venture and, according to some estimates, 600,000 Iraqis have lost their lives as a result.

“Chris Ruane MP should apologise to the people of The Vale of Clwyd for his part in authorising this disastrous military venture.

“This was a war that we were told was meant to make the world safer. We were told it was to get rid of weapons of mass destruction, weapons which turned out not to exist. We were told this was a war to end terrorism, but the threat from terrorism has gone up, not down.

“The remaining British troops in Iraq are not serving a useful purpose. The Government are asking our brave men and women to put their lives at risk for no gain for either our country or the world at large. Despite assurances by Gordon Brown that our troops will be coming home, they are still in Iraq.

“I am calling on Chris Ruane MP to join the Liberal Democrats in urging the Government to set a timetable for the full withdrawal of the remaining UK troops from Iraq.”

“Next week there will be a vote in Parliament calling for a full inquiry into the origins and conduct of the Iraq war. I urge Chris Ruane MP to join the Liberal Democrats in voting to hold this inquiry. Lessons must be learnt so the mistakes of Iraq are never made again.”

A article titled AM backs fees ban where Vale of Clwyd AM Ann Jones, said she was delighted with the decision.
She said: "Loved ones of patient's can now visit hospitals without having to concern themselves with arbitrary charges." at welsh hospital carparks.

Its a shame that Ann has not given the full story which is that in her constituency on her watch at Glan Clwyd we will be paying for over three years longer than other hospitals!

Its a national disgrace that 126 hospitals in Wales will be free to park from April 2008 this year and our local community will have to wait until 2011 for this at Glan Clwyd hospital because the trusts carpark contract was for five years and not set annually!

The Welsh Assembly Government should replace the  £423,793 revenue that Conway and Denbighshire NHS Trust receives from these charges yearly over the next three years so that people are able to access local health services without being penalised when others will be getting it free from April 1st which is unfair, unjust and unbelievable.

These charges have been used by the hospital trust to bolster their income for too long,People do not choose to visit hospital. They do so because they are ill, they are visiting or accompanying somebody who is ill, or because they work there. It is not right that they should be used as a cash-cow by the NHS. The Assembly government needs to step in, replace the revenue being raised and abolish charges altogether NOW in line with the other 126 Welsh Hospitals."

These charges are particularly hard on people with long term illnesses who have to visit hospital on a weekly basis,The last thing that anybody visiting one of our hospitals needs is to worry about having enough change for the car park. In principle, we should not tax our carers and those who are sick in this way. I would hope that the Welsh Government listens to all those calling for the abolition of these charges and acts now to stop this Tax On The ill at Glan Clwyd Hospital until 2011."

The Liberal Democrats have said that the Government’s Home Information Packs (HIPs) are failing, following the publication of the scheme’s pilot studies report today.

The study found that: - Almost 60% of buyers did not see the HIP early enough in the house buying process - After their property had been sold, sellers were less likely to agree that their HIP had helped sell their property (fell than 44% to 22% of sellers)

- 58% of buyers did not agree that HIPs speed up the buying process - Over three quarters of buyers said that the HIP had no effect on their decision to purchase their property

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson - Vale of Clwyd, Mark Young said:

“The Government has gone about this entire process the wrong way round.

“Even the Government’s own research shows that HIPs aren’t working as they should. Why weren’t these facts made public before the national roll-out?

“HIPs are now compulsory for all properties coming on the market but ministers have only now given in to our pressure and released the results of these pilot studies.

“I will be asking the Government whether they have any plans to suspend HIPs until they can be proved to work.”

This is not a green budget. This is not a people's budget. This is a con trick budget that protects the rich and abandons the poor. The Government has bottled it on green taxes and failed to implement the necessary measures to cut child poverty.

This was an opportunity to give whatever help possible to millions of stretched British families who are feeling the pinch and whose money just doesn't go as far as it used to.

Instead, we have a budget which gives only limited help to the poor, but maintains special treatment for the rich.

The piecemeal reforms that the Chancellor is introducing to the chaotic Tax Credit system won't get the Government anywhere near meeting its 2010 child poverty target.

The reality is that the Government's approach has failed. If we are to abolish child poverty for good we must not only increase income we must increase opportunity too.

These are the people most in need in our society - yet after ten years and yet another budget, they are still no nearer being given the true support they need.

It's a budget designed to fill a black hole masquerading as good for the environment. Green taxes should be revenue-neutral. They should not be treated as a wheeze to squeeze ever more money out of the British people, but should instead be designed to encourage green behaviour, and to cut the taxes of the most needy.

But instead of a budget for the environment, we have a budget driven by fiscal incompetence and political desperation.

Why has Alistair Darling not had the guts to claw back the huge profits made by energy companies, thanks to the emissions permits that the Government has given them for free?

4.5 million people still live in fuel poverty and the Government's 2010 fuel poverty target has been conveniently forgotten by ministers.

Trying to grab headlines by increasing the Winter Fuel Payment for just one year will do nothing to help poor pensioners in the long run.

Surely this is the time to compel all energy companies to introduce real, fair, social tariffs for all vulnerable people, not just those on pre-paid meters?

This budget gives no real help to families struggling with higher food bills, higher energy bills and higher debt repayments. What is this budget doing to help junior nurses, teaching assistants and soldiers serving in Afghanistan? The answer is nothing.

After 11 years in Government, Labour has completed its fiscal fusion with the Tory Party.

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