FOIE No. 20067 to Flintshire County Council

Flintshire County Council continue to frustrate my enquiries.
I have received a letter from them today stating they are unable to supply data in the format I asked for.


Here is a further FOIE as they refuse to give up the data withs regards their monitorings of Chester Rd, Penyffordd traffic.

1. Name of equipment used to monitor traffic on Chester Rd, Penyffordd April / May 2007.
2. Name of equipment used to monitor traffic on Chester Rd Autumn 2008.
3. Date of purchase of Sierzega equipment.
4. What equipment was purchased.
5. A copy of specification of Sierzega equipment specifically that regards output of data.

You have 22 working days to comply. I will confirm by return any email communication sent to me.


Links to equipment used by Flintshire County Council
Sierzega
Applied Traffic

Penyffordd Butcher Top Man

The UK’s number one sausage has been revealed as Stephen Vaughan’s Traditional Pork Sausage at a prestigious championship event this week.

Link Meat Info

Helen, Steve's partner is pretty hot with the ready made meals too.

Speed limits should be cut to 20mph in some areas, say MPs

Transport committee condemns 'appalling' level of child road deaths. -

I say Chester Rd Penyffordd an accident waiting to happen.

Link The Guardian

Learner driver accident

The vehicle lodged in the hedge at Coed Y Craig, Penymynydd. Perhaps the accelerator pedal was pressed instead of the brake pedal.

Thought for the Day

Failure is the key to success;
each mistake teaches us something.

David Mclean - Meadowslea site builder goes into administration

Click here The Evening Leader

Former Penyffordd county councillor Colin Bithell said: "This is the first major sign of the slowdown affecting this county and we should be looking at protecting our industry.

"This has been a major company in this area for many years. If we're not careful we could see building in this county grind to a halt.

"The county council should bring some projects forward so that what building companies we have left have chance to survive."

FOIE Fun in The Leader

Here's the article about a 7 vehicles pile up outside a school in Denbighshire.
Click here The Leader

I make the comment "Ask Denbighshire Council to do a speed survey. Ask to see the full data from the survey. Council's are loath to show you exact traffic data. This must change."

jrdsohr comments

I work within the Traffic dept of a neighbouring authority and I must say that Local Authorities do not loath showing accident/speed figures. Through the Freedom of Information Act, authorities must publish this information on request. Some authorities do charge for the release of some information but is only when it has been deemed commercially valuable ie when a developer requests it. Please when you want to shout about stuff and berate the local council do your homework first or you are only going to be made to look like a fool.

I made my comment on the following experience with Flintshire County Council.
At least 5 FOIE's this year totally ignored not even acknowledged.
The last FOIE applied for 8 weeks ago still not satisfied thus breaking the law.

Of course the final solution is to go to the Information Commissioner and or complain to the Local Government Omsbudsman. This takes time but will used if all else fails.

I have FOIE'd data held by Flintshire Highways who have done two sessions of vehicle monitoring on Chester Rd.

Penyffordd Bonfire 2008

Troy Dog the Flintshire Leader Celeb

Click Image to read

Local Penyffordd bridle path needs a make over.

The lovely Kate Forrester on the phone

from the Evening Leader asking if they can use a photo from the blog. Would like them to run my FOIE fiasco but never mind. Klaus will be back in the papers later on this week folks.

Thought for the Day

Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.

~ C.S. Lewis

Carl Sargeant AM on the warpath

Press Release.

Not fit to look after the Council Coffers.

Calls this week by Officers and Leaders of Flintshire County Council for an improved cash settlement have been met with disbelief from Assembly Member for Alyn & Deeside Carl Sargeant.

Flintshire County Council will receive £181.5 million in core funding from the Welsh Assembly Government in 2009-10 to support local services such as education, social services, refuse collection and recycling services. This is equivalent to £1,206 for every man, woman and child living in the area and represents a 2.7 per cent increase on last year’s settlement. In addition funding has also made available of £10.4 million to support capital projects in Flintshire. The Council will also receive specific grants to support a range of activities including funding for the foundation phase, refuse disposal recycling and free bus travel

Carl Sargeant AM said “These are challenging economic and financial times for the public sector, businesses and citizens alike. In a time of economic instability and where industry and the public are having to tighten their financial belts Flintshire County Councils Independent/Conservative/Liberal Council are considering spending £100,000 pounds on laptops for the members and this in addition to what is understood to be a £5000 levy for each member to spend in their wards is being considered.

I am astounded that in this economic climate the New Independent Council seeks to spend money on new laptops for members. After a week where this council invested and seeks to lose 3.5 million in the Icelandic Banks they are now seriously considering spending £100000 on IT development. Only this week I have had a pensioner come to see me seeking repairs to her toilet that was reported in July. Roads in Flintshire at gridlock or traffic speeding dangerously through villages. Where are their priorities? With power comes difficult decisions – I hope that the executive sees sense and kicks these computers into touch.

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I am indebted to Carl Sargeant AM for bringing this up. Dealing with Flintshire County Council is not a happy experience. They ignore or try to avoid FOIE's. They do not answer emails or return phonecalls.

Link The Evening Leader

Penyffordd Bridle Path Swamp

This is the best route along this edge. Over to the left a 2 foot drop. You can see where the horses have lost footing with sliding hoof marks into the brook.

Lisa above standing on the best passing point. She is standing on a fence post.

Hoof prints a foot deep filled with water or mud. I have filled some of them with stones. Its a lottery whether your foot stays on the surface or goes down 9 inches.

The middle of the bridle path above. The monster thinks its marvelous.

This bridle path is used every day by walkers and horses. This area is a possible serious injury or death location for horse riders.

Penyffordd Advice Surgery

by Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami MP was at 3.00 pm in The Penyffordd War Memorial.

Missed it!

Missed the notification in The Leader.
Someone has put Carl and Mark's literature through the door this morning but work got in the way and I didn't read it.
Not to worry. Speed and village environment issues will not be sorted in 5 minutes.

A visit by Arrive Alive

Up the Vounog around 2.15 pm and Chester Rd at 4. 15 pm.

Penyffordd Community Council Meeting October 2008

Tonight at 6. 30 pm.
It would appear the council may take a more enlightened view of the speeding in future, a big thank you to Cllr Tom Jones.

Cllr Colin Bithell launches into a tirade with regards my blog and what I have said about GNI Jones the Clerk to the Council. One supposes you read an online diary with your own baggage. Emails or blogs can be taken in various ways as they are one dimensional with no visual or other inputs.
Quote "The whole point of blogging is that people state their thoughts, opinions and observations. They state their likes and dislikes."

The Internet offers better democracy better transparency. My point of view being my own. In fact I like Nigel very much, a character in a world of faces.

Cllr Colin Bithell praised Castle Cement for its efforts to clean up fugitive dust.

Cllr David Williams is to be congratulated on trying to get "access only" signs for the village.
I think we need a regime change in Flintshire Highways.

It would appear there are a few on Corwen Rd who object to the speeding. If they fly past here they must get it too. Also noisy vehicles coming out the Red Lion

Carl Sargeant AM and Mark Tami's Christmas Card Competition

The Alyn and Deeside Labour tag team, Mark ‘The Enforcer’ Tami, and Carl ‘The Governor’ Sargeant have launched a competition to find a design for their 2008 Christmas card. Children in the constituency are being asked to come up with designs, with the winning image being printed on the Labour politician’s official Christmas card.

Link The Steamer

Klaus gets money for Penyffordd footpaths

Mayor of Saltney, Flintshire county councillor Klaus Armstrong-Braun regularly inspects footpaths and says he has been appalled to find so many blocked and obstructed, highlighting areas near Penyffordd and Caerwys.

Of the cash, £60,000 is from the Welsh Assembly Government and £100,000 from Flintshire County Council capital fund of £500,000 for environmental works.

Full Story Link The Daily Post

Yours truly in The Leader

Eagle's Meadow Development comments in The Leader

Colin Hughes, of Penyffordd, said: "I welcome the new developments. For some time Wrexham and its shops have been seen as a 'poor man's Chester' but this is just the kind of change needed to bring the town up-to-date, not just in terms of retail but leisure activities too."

I am quoted on one of the worst days so far for the Stock Exchange. Interesting times ahead.

Castle Cement Jobs to go?

Jobs could go at Flintshire's Castle Cement due to credit crunch.

Click The Evening Leader

Lisa and I to borrow £2000 each to the banks

It would appear every tax payer is having to help to keep the banks going. Our bank the Natwest used to charge us £25 for going overdrawn by 25p. A rather large amount of money passed through my account recently. They were on the phone pretty smartish offering various schemes.
How stupid do they think we are?

The banks thought they could hand out shifty loans, bundle them up, sell them on and walk away with good bonuses up front. Their greed and stupidity knows no bounds.

The bailout is equivalent to £2,000 for every taxpayer in the UK.

Link The Guardian

Penyffordd Woman on arson charge

Click here The Daily Post

POLICE last night charged a 29-year-old woman with arson and recklessly endangering life after a fire at a house in Penyffordd on Sunday night.

I have the gossip on what happened but can't say before the trial I presume.

Something Unusual

Link Scroll down page

Police interview woman after fire in West View

POLICE are interviewing a woman after a fire at a house in Penyffordd last night.

Just after 7pm North Wales Fire and Rescue Service received a call about a house fire at West View in Penyffordd near Mold.

Links
The Daily Post
BBC
The Leader

House Sales in Penyffordd

I get a monthly newsletter on house sales from the site mentioned. It would appear only one house has been sold in the ward of Penyffordd district.

There have been no recent sales added within 500 metres of CH4 0LS, we have widened your search region to CH4 0
• Dale Cottage, Old Warren, CH4 0EG - Sold for £360,000 on 14-08-2008
• 102, Broughton Hall Road, CH4 0QN - Sold for £154,000 on 01-08-2008
• 29, Fairfield Road, CH4 0PD - Sold for £99,000 on 28-07-2008
• 40, Warren Drive, CH4 0PT - Sold for £90,000 on 22-04-2008


You can search all these sales totally free of charge by going to OurProperty.co.uk.

I take property websites with a pinch of salt. I know of various properties for sale in our area which are not apparent using search engines.

Bannel Farm Auctioned

£17,948 per acre for Bannel Farm

Parcels of land reached £17,948 per acre equivalent when the 107-acre Bannel Farm at Penyffordd, Flintshire, was auctioned by Wright Manley.

The house, buildings and 27.36 acres made £470,000;

5.88 acres £82,000 (£13,945)

; 37.42 acres £165,000 (£4,402)

; 17.48 acres £110,000 (£6,292)

; 13.21 acres £100,000 (£7,570)

; 1.97 acres £28,000 (£14,213)

; 1.55 acres £27,000 (£14,193)

; 1.95 acres £35,000 £17,948).

Link Farmers Guardian

Broadband Blues

No Internet for 3 days. We have been reduced to going around to friends to borrow broadband for 30 mins. A £30 investment for a new modem adsl router from Maplin this morning. Although at teatime it was not looking like a good investment as it would not work. Four hours of head scratching and that was just today. A hard reset to default via the pin hole reset in the back gets us on our way. 20 emails to repond to.

When broadband goes down what's the problem?
1. Firewall
2. Broadband Router
3. Your Isp
4. A Virus or malware

Part of the afternoon BT conversation led Lisa to say " There's no need to take that attitude with me!" The return phone call much more polite. I think the manager must have replayed the conversation lol

BT seem to have stopped using Scottish and Asian in the technical departments. They are equally difficult to understand.