Recent Posts

61

Three Towns Policing Issues / Re: North Wales Community Alert....WhatsApp ‘family member’ scam

« Last post by SteveH on July 20, 2024, 09:36:06 am »

⚠️If a family member or friend makes an unusual request on WhatsApp, always call the person outside of WhatsApp to confirm it's really them.

📲Report spam messages or block a sender within WhatsApp. Press and hold on the message bubble, select ‘Report’ and then follow the instructions.

💸If you have lost any money as a result, please report it to Action Fraud.

#NWPCyberSafe
Message Sent By
Dewi Owen
(North Wales Police, Cyber Crime Officer, North Wales)

62

Games, Jokes & Quizzes / Re: Quiz Time!

« Last post by SteveH on July 20, 2024, 09:32:38 am »

7/10 for me, missed a few silly ones, not awake yet.............

63

Games, Jokes & Quizzes / Re: Quiz Time!

« Last post by Hugo on July 19, 2024, 10:28:37 pm »

Test your knowledge of the news with our Big Fat Quiz of the Week
It's been another busy week for news in North Wales and beyond       8 out of 10 for me


https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/test-your-knowledge-news-big-29574587

64

Politics & Current Affairs / Re: North Wales News

« Last post by SteveH on July 19, 2024, 09:55:29 am »

Plans to breathe new life into a former Grade-II listed hospital have moved a big step closer after they cleared a major planning hurdle. Councillors have green-lighted plans to build up to 334 homes at the old North Wales Hospital site in Denbigh.

The site is much cherished by local people but it has fallen into disrepair since closing in 1995. The former asylum was acquired by the council through compulsory purchase in 2018 and its use for housing is seen as crucial if the historic core is to be saved.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/relief-bid-build-334-homes-29567895?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

65

Local News & Discussion / Re: CCBC costs and cutting...Owners of second homes and long-term empty homes

« Last post by SteveH on July 19, 2024, 09:52:54 am »

People asked to have say on major changes to council tax in North Wales county
Changes aimed at freeing up Conwy properties are due from April 2025

Owners of second homes and long-term empty homes are being quizzed on the effects of a planned increase in council tax. Conwy County Borough Council is set to impose the premiums on these properties from 2025-2026.

The changes are aimed at "encouraging" owners to bring empty properties into use and support the increase of affordable housing for purchase or let in local communities, says the authority. The council says that levying of the premium could raise revenue to support its housing and homeless budget "which as a result of demand has increased from £2.15 million in 2020/21 to £5.36 million in 2024/25".

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/people-asked-say-major-changes-29566960?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589


PS
'Russian roulette' claim over second homes plan
Cabinet members at Cyngor Gwynedd approved a proposal on Tuesday to enforce the controversial move.

The local authority said it has a "huge housing crisis", fuelled largely by second homes, and has become the first county in Wales to issue a so-called Article 4 direction, forcing people to obtain planning permission for a second home or short-term holiday let.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6p2qe073v7o

66

Politics & Current Affairs / Re: National Health Service.........Llandudno Hospital

« Last post by SteveH on July 19, 2024, 09:49:38 am »

Health board explains why operations at North Wales hospital have been cancelled
It comes after a Senedd member claimed a broken lift was to blame

A health board has addressed concerns a "broken lift" is leading to operations being cancelled at a North Wales hospital. Patients have had the location of operations switched from Llandudno Hospital to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor during recent months.

And Welsh Conservative MS Janet Finch-Saunders, for Aberconwy, claimed a broken lift was the reason for the cancellation of operations in Llandudno. Earlier this week Ms Finch-Saunders had claimed it was "ludicrous" that a broken hospital lift had led to patients being transferred to other units which are "overwhelmed".

She raised the matter in the Senedd, with Welsh Government Minister Jane Hutt saying it was a matter for the health board. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has now addressed the claims, and said the operations are actually being moved due to work to prepare Llandudno for more procedures.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/health-board-explains-operations-north-29558567?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

67

Local News & Discussion / Re: ASSETS to tourism in Llandudno and North wales

« Last post by SteveH on July 19, 2024, 09:46:32 am »

The three seaside towns named the best in Wales

Consumer magazine Which? surveyed 4,744 members of its online panel in January 2024 about their experiences of UK seaside towns and villages in the last year

cont https://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/three-seaside-towns-named-best-29567291?IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

68

Covid-19 / Re: General Covid 19 news

« Last post by SteveH on July 19, 2024, 09:34:37 am »

Hugo....Sorry to hear that, it shows we still have to be careful , get well soon........................

How the UK planned for the wrong pandemic
Even as Covid hit, the government and its health officials were bullish in their confidence about their ability to cope.

Dr Jenny Harries, then the deputy chief medical officer for England, hailed the UK as an “international exemplar” in its preparedness at one of the early TV press conferences.

She was not the only one who thought like this – after all, just a year before the pandemic a government review had praised our “world-leading capabilities”.

But such a belief, said Baroness Hallett as she set out the first of her Covid reports, was “dangerously mistaken”.

The UK had, in fact, prepared for the wrong pandemic. How did this happen?

Across 217 pages and more than 80,000 words, external, Baroness Hallett has set out a detailed and damning critique of how a decade of over-confidence, wasted opportunities and muddled-thinking left the UK sleep-walking into a pandemic that went on to claim more than 200,000 lives and cause long-lasting damage to the economy and society.

cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9472qxk1vo


PS
I think I was more prepared than the government was, I have just re read my first post on the Covid thread on: February 26, 2020, 11:05:28 am »  have a look, link ...... http://www.threetownsforum.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=4351.msg111698#msg111698

69

Covid-19 / Re: General Covid 19 news

« Last post by Hugo on July 18, 2024, 02:57:46 pm »

Covid hasn't gone away either as I've heard that a lot of people have caught it recently but thankfully with no serious side effects.  After a night of coughing and a headache this morning I took the test and it was positive for Covid.     

70

Politics & Current Affairs / Re: Financial matters

« Last post by SteveH on July 18, 2024, 10:27:21 am »

Pay is rising at its slowest rate in almost two years as the job market continues to cool.
Wages grew at an annual pace of 5.7% in the three months to May, but are still outpacing rising prices.

The number of job vacancies has fallen while growth in the number of employees on payrolls has slowed, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

The unemployment rate remained at 4.4% in the three months to May.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw5ykyzdzezo


Pound hits highest level against dollar for a year
Fresh data on Wednesday showed the rate of inflation was proving more stubborn than expected by some analysts.

This prompted traders to cut bets on an easing of rates in August, and sent the pound above $1.30 for the first time since last July.

The pound has also been boosted by market hopes that the new Labour government will offer economic stability.
cont https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c80e9k4wegno