Action Called For On Danger Road

Carl Sargeant AM Call’s for Urgent Action to Improve Safety on Danger Road
Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant has called on Flintshire Council to make urgent safety improvements to the A5104 before there is a fatality on what has been deemed a danger road by local residents.
Carl Sargeant AM joined protesting residents in Treuddyn today to demand urgent action and to warn of the dangers that the A5104 presents local residents in Treuddyn on a daily basis.
Speaking after the demonstration Carl Sargeant AM said;
“I am urging Flintshire Council to ensure that safety measures are introduced on this Council owned road immediately, there must be no more delay, the people of Treuddyn deserve to be protected from the misery of speeding traffic on this dangerous stretch of road.”
Calls to improve road safety on the A5104 are being made at the same time that details are emerging that the County Council has cut the amount of funding available for introducing speed restrictions in the County. Flintshire County Council has cut the level funding by fifty thousand pounds in this financial year.Responding to the news of road safety budget cuts Carl Sargeant AM said;“Lives are at risk on this and many other local roads and I find it most disturbing to learn that this all important budget has been reduced this year.”

Step Up To Learning Success

Carl Sargeant AM congratulates ‘Step up to Learning’ as a Great Success


A Wales Union Learning Fund project called ‘Step Up to Learning’, run by Trade Union, Unite and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, has today been congratulated on its success by Alyn & Deeside AM Carl Sargeant.
UNITE were successful during the 2008 round of the Wales Union Learning Fund in securing £126,400 to support this project which aims to involve more than 50 employers from across 9 different sectors in Wales.

Carl Sargeant AM for Alyn & Deeside said
“The project offers support for hundreds of employees to take responsibility of their own learning, which will strengthen our investment in skills in the workforce. The Wales Union Learning Fund, now in its eleventh year, has already helped 139 projects with nearly £8m from the Labour led Welsh Assembly Government.”

AM Welcomes Programme

Carl Sargeant AM Welcomes Community Warmth Programme
Residents in Alyn & Deeside have the chance to improve the insulation of their homes, save significant amounts of money on their annual fuel bills and receive advice on additional benefits they could be entitled to.
Alyn & Deeside is the first area in Wales to launch the ‘Community Warmth’ programme which will visit over 14,000 homes. This programme offers free measures to many people, who will see savings on their fuel bills.”
Community Warmth Flintshire is a programme, sponsored by N-power and run by Warm Wales, a Community Interest Company, who have run successful Fuel Poverty programmes across Wales.
Warm Wales assessors will visit around 14,000 of our most vulnerable homes in the next year. The areas identified for assistance are within the electoral wards of Buckley Bistre West, Sealand, Saltney Mold Junction, Mancot, Shotton Higher, Shotton East, Queensferry and Connah's Quay Central.
Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member, Carl Sargeant said: “This particular scheme will prove to be very beneficial for residents in Alyn & Deeside, the more people that can be given practical assistance in reducing their fuel costs, the better.”
Warm Wales assessors will call on householders in coming weeks. If you want further information about how the Community Warmth programme can help you, please call Warm Wales on 0845 026 113.

Carl Sargeant AM Welcomes New Debt Helpline
Residents in Flintshire who are struggling to pay for their homes will be able to access a new housing debt helpline.The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government has launched the helpline to provide free advice for those who have mortgage or rent arrears or face eviction or repossession. The helpline will provide free and impartial advice from experienced debt counsellors. Anyone living in Wales can access the service by ringing 0800 107 1340.The helpline is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government with support from the UK’s leading debt charity, Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS), which will operate the helpline, and the Wales Co-operative Centre which will ensure awareness of its availability among those who need it. Carl Sargeant AM for Alyn & Deeside said: “The ultimate aim of this helpline is to help people keep a roof over their heads. In the current economic climate, residents need somewhere to turn to for free, professional advice and this helpline will provide that. “This is another example of the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government providing a practical innovation to help those who need help. “I welcome the efforts of the CCCS and the Wales Co-operative Centre and look forward to working with them in the future for the benefit Flintshire people.”

Investment In The Future

Carl Sargeant AM delighted at announcement for New School In Flintshire

Over 4.5 million pounds has been secured for the new purpose built school replacing the old Dee Road Infants and Custom House Lane Schools in Connahs Quay.
Schools and colleges in Wales need to be places that inspire learners of all ages. They need to be places that can accommodate 21st century technology; be adapted to meet the changing needs of learners in a rapidly developing knowledge economy whilst making a significant contribution in tackling climate change.
Flintshire County Council failed to bid in the first round of Capital Investment fund but with assistance from the Welsh Assembly they have been successful this time.
Carl Sargeant AM said " I am pleased that our education facilities will be brought into the 21st Century. This is only the start of the programme and will be watching carefully to see how our children will benefit from this Assembly Funding. I must also pay tribute to The Chair of Governors Cllr Bernie Attridge in the way he has lobbied both myself and the Minister for Education to recognise the need for investment in our children.
Chair of Governors - Cllr Bernie Attridge said " This announcement will give our children brand new technologies and educational experiences. I am really pleased for the schools involved, early educational opportunity gives the very best of life chances and this is what will be delivered. I thank my colleagues for their support and Carl Sargeant AM for taking our request forward.

Good Advice

Carl Sargeant AM support’s Alyn & Deeside Energy Advice Roadshows

Carl Sargeant AM is urging Alyn & Deeside residents not to miss out on free energy saving advice and equipment from the North Wales Energy Advice Centre on reducing their energy bills and carbon emissions.

Resident’s who sign up for loft and cavity wall insulation could be saving over £265 a year in reduced energy bills. Residents who attend the energy advice surgeries will also receive free low energy light bulbs and an energy saving plug which reduces energy wasted from standby settings on electronics.
Flint-sulate, a partnership between the North Wales Energy Advice Centre, trusted local insulation installers and endorsed by Welsh Assembly Member, Carl Sargeant, offers subsidised loft and cavity wall insulation, with each measure now available for most privately owned or privately rented properties at around £169 per measure (reduced from a full installed cost of £500 per measure).
Carl Sargeant AM said,
“I would urge local residents to attend the advice surgeries and pick up their free light bulbs and energy saving plug, its well worth a visit. Installing insulation instantly results in a home that is warmer in winter and cooler in summer and the cost of installation will start paying back in less than two years. Additionally, people over 70 and those in receipt of many benefits will qualify for free insulation, and people over 60 can generally receive either loft or cavity wall insulation free.”

The North Wales Energy Advice Centre road shows will be in attendance at the following places in Alyn & Deeside,
Somerfield Connah’s Quay – Saturday, 1 AugustBuckley Shopping Precinct – Saturday, 22 August

AM's Support For Campaign

Carl Sargeant AM Shows His Support to Stroke Association Campaign
Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant attended the Stroke association’s FAST campaign awareness raising day held in the Welsh Assembly Senedd building on Wednesday, (8th July 09).
Speaking after the event, Carl Sargeant AM said,
“Stroke has never been higher on the agenda in Wales and in the UK as a whole as it is today. Most residents will have seen the NHS ‘FAST’ – face, arm, speech test – awareness campaign advertisement shown on TV, with over 150,000 people in the UK suffering from a stroke every year, it is imperative that people can recognise a stroke when it is happening and take prompt action. I fully support all attempts to raise awareness that could ultimately save lives.”
The Welsh Assembly’s Health, Wellbeing and Local Government Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into stroke services in Wales.

Praise For New Facility

Carl Sargeant AM visited the residents of Shotton’s new £7 million residential scheme
Alyn & Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant visited the Llys Eleanor Extra Care Scheme in Shotton last week, meeting residents and viewing the state-of-the-art facilities at the scheme. The £7 million extra care scheme opened its doors to new residents earlier this year. The scheme provides 50 state of the art apartments including a restaurant mini cinema gym games room and hairdressing salon. There is 24 hour care on site with individual care plans for each resident. Apartments are available to purchase or rent to people aged 60+ who have care and accommodation needs which meet Clwyd Alyn Housing Association and Flintshire Council’s eligibility criteria for the scheme.
Carl Sargeant AM visited the Extra Care Scheme, which has been built on the site of the old Hafan Glyn residential home in Shotton, Carl was joined by the Deputy Housing Minister and representatives of Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, part of the Pennaf Housing Group.
“I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Llys Eleanor it is a fantastic facility with care and quality under one roof. I particularly enjoyed meeting with local residents who have very quickly created a great sense of community, the staff I met were excellent and it was clear from my discussions with them, that the care they offer to the residents helps them to maintain their independence while providing the very best level of individual support.”

AM's Concern For Local Fishermen

Carl Sargeant AM Support’s Protesting Local Fishermen
Alyn & Deeside’s Labour Assembly Member Carl Sargeant is to join with over 50 local fishermen who plan to hold a demonstration tomorrow in protest against the Environment Agency and their handling of a dispute over cockling licence permits.
Carl Sargeant AM has taken up the plight of local fishermen after learning that the Environment Agency has only allowed 50 permits to people who wish to service the cockling industry by fishing in the Dee Estuary, unfortunately many local fishermen have not been granted permits, whilst many people from outside the area have been permitted by the Environment Agency to undertake cockling on the banks of the River Dee. Local fishermen are concerned that the licensing programme undertaken by the Environment Agency has unfairly disadvantaged local cocklers.
Speaking in advance of the planned demonstration on Friday, Carl Sargeant said,
“I have been contacted by many local constituents who have been cockling locally for many years, but this year they have all been refused licences, at the same time as people outside the area have been granted permits. If local fishermen are not granted licences to cockle on the Dee then many of my Constituents will suffer financial hardship. I support the plight of our local fishermen and will join them in their planned demonstration on Friday.”
Carl Sargeant AM has raised this matter with the Environment Agency and with the Minister for Rural Affairs, Carl has also asked that the Auditor General for Wales to begin investigations into how and why the Environment Agency’s license issuing programme has excluded local fishermen from undertaking their trade on their local River.

Welcome News

CARL SARGEANT AM WELCOMES WELSH CHILD TRUST TOP UP FUND
Alyn and Deeside Assembly Member Carl Sargeant has welcomed news that the Welsh Child Trust Fund top-up will begin in September.
More than 32,000 eligible children in Wales will be entitled to a voucher worth £50 to be paid into their Child Trust Fund account. Children from families on low incomes will be eligible for a further £50.
The Fund already helps families save for their children’s future by providing a £250 payment at birthday and again when the child reaches the age of seven. Households on low incomes are entitles to additional payments.
This announcement is the first in a series of 24 events to mark the two year anniversary of the One Wales agreement. The further 23 announcements will take place over the next 23 months with one being made per month.
Carl Sargeant AM said: “This is fantastic news for families in Flintshire. This is an important initiative which will help address the consequences of child poverty in Wales. It is will also highlight the importance of saving. “