Plas Kynaston Canal Group

30/08/2024

11/07/2024

Anyone wishing to see the latest public domain information available on the B5605 issue, please call round to the Ebenezer. There is now a large display on such in the Climate Crisis Mitigation section of the Pontcysyllte World Heritage Site Visitor Centre at the Ebenezer. We believe that this is the most comprehensive collection of information on the B5605 made available to the public since Storm Christoph and the land slide in 2021.

Your comments and local history knowledge on this issue will be welcome, and please rest assured we are doing our best for our community.

14/01/2024

Leading members of Cefn Community Council are seeking to have me deposed as a Community Councillor for speaking up at a CCC meeting on the 4th of May 2021 for our community. I am appealing to anyone who attended that meeting, or the previous meeting on the 23rd of March 2021 to come forward as a witness. It is a fact that 14 members of our community were logged on to the zoom meeting on the 23rd of March, and only 4 were logged on the 4th May, which is one reason why I spoke up for our community. There is a host of other information and evidence to submit at court relating to the case but unfortunately, I am being told by WCBC, that the only thing that will be considered, are the accusations.

I have also been accused of Slanderous and Libelous comment on social media for reporting that “WCBC was assisted by CCC” in the disposal of the Ebenezer during Court Proceedings in Cardiff in 2021. Now at the risk of being accused of the same again, it would seem that “CCC are being assisted by WCBC”.

This trial is by public hearing where I have been denied any form of recording bar minutes prepared by WCBC, therefore again I appeal to as many as possible to attend, and to take account of what is going on, and what is said.

I will be at the Guild Hall at 09:30 and if anyone would like to speak as a witness, I will take your name and ask, if this is possible during the hearing.

15/09/2023

Plight of the Curlew
During recent years the numbers of Curlew in our countryside have dropped alarmingly. Rhun Jones of the AONB, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Denbighshire Council is coming to give a presentation on the Curlew at the Ebenezer Chapel on Tuesday the 19th of September at 7:30pm.
Please come along and find out about the Curlew, and perhaps what we can do to help this nationally important bird species.
Light refreshments available at the Ebenezer and Beverages available from the Holly Bush Inn just over the road.

31/07/2023

This week at the Holly Bush Inn (+ Ebenezer), Cefn Mawr we have:
• Wednesday 2nd AONB Presentation about the new National Park on our doorstep, at 7pm in the Ebenezer, light refreshments available. Please come along, all are welcome.
• Thursday 3rd Pool knockout, come along and join, hopefully 2 teams this year, A & B for the coming season. Holly Bush Inn 6pm onwards till midnight if necessary!
• Friday 4th, MC Karaoke till one in the morning, come along and sing the night away with Martin Crocombe, starts around 8pm.
• Saturday 5th, Ellie sings at the Holly for her first performance with us in our Afternoon Music Sessions, a truly great artist not to be missed, starts around 5pm.
• Sunday 6th, full support for the Freddie Spanner Memorial Trophy Match, doors open at 10am.

17/07/2023

Light pollution is increasing worldwide at twice the rate of global population growth and virtually every species studied is impacted in some way by light pollution. However, people can play a vital part in helping reduce this and create an environment that supports dark skies. We can become dark sky friendly with our own lighting and help address the situation. Dave Shiel of Denbighshire Council will be giving a presentation on Wednesday the 19th of July at 7pm in the Ebenezer.

16/07/2023

Dear All, after over 2 years of closure since Storm Christoph Cefn Community Council were given a presentation regarding the current situation by WCBC. Kevin Edwards from WCBC came to the George Edwards Hall on the 11th of July 2023 to give the presentation on what would now form the next phase. He stated that because of the technical difficulty of the works and significant risks involved WCBC had had problems in getting Civil Engineering Companies to tender for the work.
Fortunately, though Jones Brothers of Ruthin, a known civil engineering company with experience had stepped forward 2 weeks prior, i.e. some time in June this year. According to Kevin they will now proceed to resurvey and complete their own geotechnical study prior to preparing their own plan of works to rebuild the road. Again, Jones Brothers will do this because of the risk factors involved in the works, and cost estimates will then have to be based on these studies and their plans.
Kevin also reported that the previous plans and studies had cost WCBC approximately £200K and that there was still £2.6M lefts from the original sum allocated by Welsh Government.
Therefore, WCBC are now waiting on Jones Brothers to complete their study and design phase and submit their costings based on these. Then if these are acceptable to WCBC, works will commence in accordance with the new design still to be completed by Jones Brothers.
Please be aware that I have also posted on the new medical centre and the Holly Bush Inn bus stop.
Regards, David Metcalfe.

16/07/2023

Our community in the central section of the Pontcysyllte World Heritage Site including all the villages on both sides of the valley from Fron to Plas Madoc and Garth to Pentre numbers 10,000 people according to census records. This is the largest community in the World Heritage Site outnumbering both Llangollen and Chirk combined (4,500 each). And yet we seem to have the poorest medical provision. Please be assured this is not said against our medical staff who are excellent, but just the working conditions, facilities (or lack of) and buildings they must work in. This is deplorable for such a large population.
Cefn Community Council recently had a presentation (11th of July 2023) by Health Consultants YMA regarding progress made on this. Peter Lister stated that the preferred site remains the old Kwik Save / Co-Op site that 2000 of us signed the petition for back in 2014. However, this is not decided yet. He stated that the Health Board are looking to set up an Integrated Social & Health Care system and are looking for a budget of around £5M with £1.5M allocated for site acquisition.
To help on this issue the Consultancy YMA (a third party) would like as many peoples views and responses as possible and a meeting will be scheduled for such in the GEH during September.
It is also notable that Peter (lead consultant) thought the walk up from the Tesco Car Park to the Doctor’s surgeries as unreasonable. Please see my other posts on the Holy Bush Inn bus stop and New Bridge.
Regards, Dave Metcalfe.

16/07/2023

I have received various stories regards the busses stopping here and fortunately been able to alight the bus here myself recently. However, the future of this remains under question. Our County Councillor (Cefn Ward) remains opposed, and I have received no indication otherwise. I have asked for the contact details at Arriva and WCBC that he has been talking too, to confirm the situation, but these have been refused.
We would like to see the busses continuing to stop and allow people on and off the bus. At a recent Community Council meeting even the Health Consultant reporting on the progress of our new Health Centre objected to being expected to park in Tesco and walk up the hill to view the Doctor’s Surgeries. Furthermore, we would like to see a proper bus stop sign on this side of the road and timetables on both sides of the road. This is now the main gateway into out traditional village centre and needs to be recognised as such, especially since our village centre has been left without public transport since 2014.
Two questions for comment please, (1) Can any body think of anywhere else in the world this has been allowed to happen? And (2) Can anyone remember when the busses from Wrexham to Llangollen ceased to run through our village centre?
All I can say is that our community has been bypassed and ignored for far to long and things need to be done. Please see my following posts on the New Health Centre and New Bridge. Please note I am posting not as a Community Councillor but as a landlord and member of the public.
Regards, Dave Metcalfe.

12/07/2023

Dear All, Marathon Man Paul Edwards is coming on Saturday to the Holly Bush Inn to give a short presentation on his last expedition across America, to raise money for Hope House Childrens Hospice.
We have had collection buckets on the bar for Paul and Hope House since our last effort to try and help in the Little Nellie appeal.
We don’t know what we have raised but would like to say thank you to everybody that has chucked in. Paul has done many extreme events to help Hope House and we are proud to help him do so. So, if you would like to hear about his last walk across America please come along at 14:00 or 2pm.

09/07/2023

Dear All, it would now appear that our County Councillor and some Community Councillors (not all) are trying to get the busses stopped from stopping at the Holly Bush Inn on this side of the road. I have asked for an explanation but received nothing. Perhaps our County Councillor would like to explain why?