Nearly 30,000 more people registered to a GP in Cardiff than resident in the city

ADMINISTRATIVE problems in population estimates are restricting the NHS from meeting patients needs, groups in Cardiff claim.

Miscalculated population figures have been highlighted as a problem which needs addressing if both adequate funding and access to services is to be improved.

At the moment NHS funds are based on the Office of National Statistics mid-year population estimate. The most recent estimate quoted 336,238 people in Cardiff. But the number of people registered with a GP in the city for the same period was 363,888 – meaning 27,650 more people were registered to a GP in Cardiff than the estimated population of the City as a whole.

The figures come just a week after First Minister Carwyn Jones made longer GP opening hours an election pledge.

Groups feel this can only be putting pressure on already-stretched services including lengthening hefty waiting times to access a GP.

Steve Allen, chief officer of the Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council said: “If I am taking everyone out for a meal and I budget that this will cost £400, and then 10 more people turn up, I still only have £400 to spend.

“It is the same situation here – there are clearly more people demanding service than are being funded.

“I’m not apportioning blame, but the system needs to be changed for the benefit of patients,” he said.

David Rosser, director of CBI Wales said: ” The NHS must be more flexible and responsive. It must be convenient for the patient and not just the provider,” he said.

Mr Rosser said: “Clearer funding could then be used, perhaps to introduce schemes such as drop-in clinics for people to use after work in big cities in Wales.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Assembly Government Department of Health admitted: “People move about. The last thing you’re really thinking about when you are busy moving house is un-registering from your previous doctor.

“This is where the main difference in the figures has come, it is just natural population movement,” he said.

Canton Councillors plea to Cardiff City FC

Councillors say City refuse to communicate on resident concerns

COUNCILLORS are urging clear the air talks with Cardiff City FC as the possibility of Premier League football nears.

Canton Coun Ramesh Patel and Richard Cook both expressed concerns to Cardiff Evening News that since the new Malaysian consortium, headed by Dato Chan Tien Ghee, officially took over in May they have had no consultation with the club.

Coun Patel said: “It seems strange that the club don’t wish to interact with the local community. They have to remember we are their neighbours, even when the crowds go home we are still here.”

Coun Cook said: “I am concerned with the lack of dialogue. There are things which are already a problem like the parking chaos on match days.

“I would like to talk with them constructively about how we can improve this for all parties, as well as discussing changes to the current park and ride system,” he said.

Under the current park and ride system run by the club as part of planning permission conditions, fans are charged per person for the service. Cardiff Council’s own service for shoppers to the St David’s Centre from County Hall charges per car.

The service currently provides 1,500 car parking spaces. Average attendances at Cardiff City matches this season have been 22,578.

Coun Cook said: “The problems are difficult now, can you imagine what will happen if they get into the Premier League?

“We want this as much as anybody but we must plan for this eventually now for the benefit of all the residents of Canton, as well as fans.

When the move to the new stadium was announced in September 2007 an official club statement read: “The plans also include improvements to the streetscape and parking facilities in nearby Canton.”

Cardiff City were unavailable to comment.

Canton road change causes Cowbridge suffering

Stavros claims diverted traffic is killing business

Cardiff council has been accused of “strangling small business” after a road junction change in Canton.

The junction change, where Lansdowne Road and Cowbridge Road meet at the bottom end of Canton, was completed last year and naturally directs traffic coming into Cardiff up the A road, Lansdowne Road.

And it has allegedly caused a noticeable drop in foot-fall and passing trade on the Cowbridge Road shopping strip.

And local buisness’s now want the council to erect a sign telling passers by of their existence.

Stavros, owner of Stavros’s fish bar said: “ The road change has taken away a massive chunk of my business. I live and die on passing trade and now, if you haven’t been to Canton before you wouldn’t even know Cowbridge Road was here.”

Tim Fowler, of Canton Cobbler said: “We have seen a noticeable drop in traffic since the junction change. A sign could make a big difference to us, more passers by equals more trade.”

Richard Winder, owner of Richard’s Framing on the road: “Anything which can help in the time of a recession is a bonus. I can’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be a benefit.”

Kishwar Siddique who runs the Londis said: “It has made life very difficult for business’s at the end nearest the junction. People are just missing us all together.”

Canton Councillor Ramesh Patel said: “It’s something I will definately propose to Council. We need to make sure that Cowbridge Road continues to thrive and the council should be helping small business’s in this time.

“With business rates proposed to rise by 4.3 per cent I think the Council should be taking every measure it can to keep local business afloat and I see no reason why a sign wouldn’t help,” he said.

Yes campaigners visit Canton

Cardiff politicians from the Yes for Wales campaign claimed there was a real risk of losing the March referendum last night.

Speaking at a public meeting at Chapter Arts centre, Canton, Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood said she feared the campaign’s official designation could affect the poll turnout.

The decision of No campaigners True Wales not to seek lead campaign status has meant, under the rules of the Electoral Commission, neither group can be awarded official status.

This means neither campaign is entitled to free media coverage and taxpayer funding, something its campaigners say could jeopardise their efforts.

Miss Wood said: “Turnout is going to be a big problem. A No vote will result in a reduction of status for Wales and could be seen as a vote of no confidence in Wales as a nation. It could be seen as the way Wales does politics. We may lose credit with countries outside the UK and may not be taken seriously in the future.”

Labour AM Mark Drakeford also voiced concerns over visibility issues. After and hour and a half campaigning in West Cardiff, he said: “It was a pretty sobering hour and a half, trying to find people who knew about the referendum.

Losing official campaign status ftom the Electoral Commission has meant each campaign has lost out on £70,000 taxpayer funding and free media coverage.

Throughout the meeting donations were being collected in a hat and campaigners were asking for volunteers to help distribute leaflets.

Miss Wood admitted she was struggling to get excited about the campaign, but said complacency was the campaign’s biggest fear.

She said: “The No campaign has been tapping into public fears, such as wasting public money and this is misinforming and negative.”

Councillor Nigel Dix, a spokesman for the No campaign, refuted Miss Wood’s comments and said: “We are providing an informative campaign without wasting taxpayers money, highlighting the private agenda of the Yes campaigners.

“I am confident the public will make the right decision on March 3.”

The meeting was chaired by former First Minister Rhodri Morgan who voiced a different concern during the meeting.

He said: “Those who dislike any decision of the Welsh Assembly will be utilising the referendum to vote against them. This is much more dangerous than the No campaign.

But Miss Wood said a Yes vote would speed up law making and reduce costs. She also criticised fears, voiced by No campaigners, which say Westminster powers to scrutinise Welsh legislation would be lost and told audience members Welsh MP’s within the Assembly would still have power to scrutinise laws.

Campaign director Daran Hill was more optimistic.

He said the campaign was generally more supported compared to the 1997 referendum.

“The real grass roots, not the astro-turf, are voting Yes for Wales. When you talk to people on the street they can be easily won around.”

Canton’s Labour Coun Ramesh Patel provoked a few laughs around the room. He said: “The message out there is simple. We know what law making powers we have got, we just have to remind people.

I was knocking on door and I said free prescriptions and they said: ‘you’re right, I’ll vote Yes.’”

Canton cyclists frustration at illegal parking

At a time when Cardiff Council is encouraging more of us to ditch the car for the bike, the illegal parking in cycle lanes on Canton’s, Cowbridge Road makes it miserable to cycle.

Charlotte Cox, a psychology assistant said: “You don’t know when they are going to pull out, or open the door and if you go round them you might be knocked off by a bus,” she said.

Mike, who commutes to lecture at Cardiff University said: “Cowbridge Road is just getting worse. I commute every day and I have seen a traffic warden twice.”

Natalia Parslow, who cycles her young son to school before continuing to work said: “To be honest Cowbridge Road is so bad now, I’ll go out of my way to avoid it. I don’t care if it takes me longer.”

Canton Councillor, Cerys Furlong, who cycles up the road each day to work said: “The cycle lanes are a bit of a joke. I just stay with the flow of the traffic it is much safer.

The Council has added a further 10 traffic officers, and in a statement pledged to plough money from parking fines back into parking enforcement.

“Let’s see if they can back their words up with actions,” Coun Furlong said.

Councillor Richard Cook, a keen cyclist, would like to enforcement to be the beginning of a clearer cycling plan. “Enforcement is the beginning. A barrier or curb like in France may help, but for me ‘peletons’ of commuters, with experienced cyclists at the front and rear and less in the middle, sharing the road safely is the best option,”he said.

“No easy fix” to parking problems in Canton

 

Coun Ramesh Patel has admitted there is “no easy fix” to parking problems in Cardiff.

Speaking at a recent PACT meeting Coun Patel told residents Cardiff council was “never going to be able to solve all the parking problems.”

His revelation was in response to residents’ anger over continuing parking issues throughout the ward.

Despite the area now being made up of 50 per cent resident parking, many households are still experiencing difficultly in parking their vehicles due to

commuters filling up their streets in a bid to avoid hefty, city parking charges.

“We are always worried when we leave our home we won’t be able to park our vehicles when we return and we will get a ticket,” said Paul Kaged who lives on Landsdown road.

Other residents voiced their concerns about friends being unable to park while visiting their homes, with fans during Cardiff City matches and city commuters taking up the other 50 per cent of free parking on streets.

Coun Patel recognised streets were being abused, but he blamed a 19th century road structure and multiple occupying households with more than one car on current problems being faced by the residents of Canton.

But one resident hit back at Patel, slamming public transport as an inadequate mode of getting to work.

Ian Thomas, 26, from Victoria Road, Canton said: “I’d use public transport if it got me to work on time for meetings and if it was reliable so I knew I was going to get to work on time in the morning.”

But not everyone is completely unsatisfied with the scheme, which was brought into force on the back of the Cardiff City build under a section 106 agreement.

Bill Saundrs, 71, has lived on Clive road for 42 years. He said: “I now have an 80 per cent chance of parking my vehicle, something I have never had for the last 10 years.”

Since July last year, 31,461 parking tickets have been issued in Cardiff to people who parked illegally in resident bays and on double yellow lines, generating more than £600,000 for Cardiff City Council.

Coun Patel now hopes the money can be used to enforce tighter parking controls throughout the area by employing more traffic wardens.

The curious case of the Sand Martin

The naming of a pub on the site of the Cardiff City Stadium has branded “crazy” and “disappointing” by City fans.

Marston’s Inns and Taverns, the owners of the new pub which is due to open in the spring, have decided to name it The Sand Martin.

And the decision has left City fans scratching their heads as to the connection between the diminutive bird and the club.

James Leighton, author of Fred Keenor: the man who never gave up about the Cardiff cup winning captain said: “It’s a crazy decision. They could have picked anything to do with Cardiff City FC.”

James Corp, a barman and City season ticket holder for 10 years said: “It’s not a great name is it? A pub’s name is meant to reflect and be a part of the community it’s in. I think it should have been called the Fred Keenor or the John Charles.”

While Chris Bond, an electrical engineer from Canton said: “Well nothing says Cardiff quite like a sand martin does it.”

Phil Nifield of the Cardiff City Supporters trust said of the decision: “I am disappointed but not wholly surprised. We don’t think the name proposed is appropriate for the location and felt The Fred Keenor or, indeed, The Bluebird would have been excellent choices.’

Explaining the name a Marston’s spokesman said: “our practice is always to choose a non-partisan name for our outlets. In recent years we have chosen various combinations of birds, insects, animals etc. Hence in other food led outlets we have in South Wales, there is the Otter at Newbridge, the Willow Tree, Brynmawr, the Dragonfly, Merthyr Tydfil and the Bumble Bee at Blackwood etc. All are hugely popular and the generality of their names has not attracted any adverse comments.

We have already been lobbied to name our pub variously, The Leckwith, The Gareth Edwards or after one of a plethora of worthy Welsh rugby legends. So as not to offend any one organisation, we always choose not to align ourselves to a specific group or individual, no matter how noble or revered the cause.

For the purposes of absolute clarity, our pub restaurant is not a sports bar or a sports TV-led outlet. It is fundamentally, a family dining outlet where food will account for up to 70 per cent of the turnover. Indeed, on match day we will be at the mercy of the local constabulary as to whether alcohol can be sold at all, without a substantial meal, during specified hours.

Although, we appreciate that some may question the precise relevance of a ‘Sand Martin’ to this particular location, in reality, it is no more perplexing than would be a ‘Red Lion’, a ‘Flying Horse’ or one of many other wonderful and imaginative names that have become attached to public houses over the years. Accordingly, we aim to appeal to as broad a church of patrons as possible, by attempting not to cause offence or disrespect to any.”

Do you have a view on the name? Send us your thoughts at thisiscanton@yahoo.co.uk

Ramsey Joins Bluebirds… again

Cardiff City hope Arsenal and Wales star Aaron Ramsey will help fire them to the Premier League.

The 20 year, Caerphilly born midfielder has arrived on loan from the Gunners for a month-long stay to aid the Bluebirds promotion challenge.

Ramsey will be available for a critical seven game period for City up to February 26, which includes one of the most important South Wales derbies in recent years.

Speaking to the club’s official website Ramsey said: “I thought it was the right time to come back, play in a few games and help Cardiff get a few points to get in top position again.”

What do you think of the Ramsey deal? Can he make the impact in a month?

Canton Community Gardens, the next step

Healthy eating, recycling and self-sufficiency will be just some of the benefits available to Cardiff residents after a community garden won a £36,000 grant.

Canton Community Gardeners and Chapter Arts Centre in Canton have teamed up for the project, which hopes to educate people about healthy eating, whilst having a bit of fun in the process.

And the scheme has been boosted by a £36,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Michael Goode, the chairman of Canton Community Gardens said: “ The project is about local people being proud of their area and meeting new people at the same time.

It is a long-term project to make the area more attractive and of benefit to the community, but with the help of local people, and this grant, it is more than achievable.”

The project will see the redevelopment of unused land around Chapter, into a lush predominantly edible, garden. Local schools will have designated bays to come and work on and learn about healthy eating in a hands on way, while the produce grown will be sold in the Chapter shop to cover the cost of new plants.

Mr Goode, who volunteers his time to the project, said: “We aim to use the Lottery money to buy green houses, extra plants and a van to transport materials needed for the garden. We are also going to buy bee hives to go the roof of the building and hopefully they will produce some honey to sell in the shop.”

Canton councillor, and project supporter, Ramesh Patel said: “I am not normally a keen gardener but I think this is a fantastic project. It is brilliant for people who maybe don’t have the time, or space outside their own home to be involved in gardening and make some new friends.

The group are very dedicated and I think it is an example of a project that could be replicated across Cardiff. Everyone can be involved and there is a real community feel.”

If you would like to get involved in the project, you can contact Michael Goode cantoncommunitygardens@hotmail.com

Get out and about, and into shape, in Canton

 

Start 2011 with a bang and beat the bulge with the first of thisiscanton’s running routes. If you try it let me know what you think, and if you have one of your own I’d love to try it out.

5 mile canton-Bay

This five-mile(eight km) run pivots on the Millennium stadium as you travel from Canton to the Bay and back again, taking in the Brains brewery, Callaghan Square and the Millennium Centre as you trace the banks of the Taff to the coast.

And the side stepping ability of Shane Williams wouldn’t go amiss in the early part of this route as you dodge pedestrians and bins heading towards the stadium via Wellington Street and Grangetown.

I attempted the route in the middle of the day and there were plenty of wayward umbrellas, buggies and casual strollers to navigate in the first mile so I would imagine this could be intensified with commuters or school children heading home.

On the day I chose, a snorkel may have been a valuable addition to standard running kit, but in general you don’t need anything like spikes as the route is all on solid pavements and paths.

 At the one mile mark you reach the Taff trail and this is where the real fun of this route begins. It felt like a little escape from the bustle of central Cardiff with only the sound and sight of the river as a therapeutic companion.

Sweeping across the river and into the Bay, the magnificent Millennium Centre creeps into view. Running through the Bay your mind is taken over by the sights rather than the running itself.

 Whilst you’re exported out of city life as you run away from town the run back to the centre along Lloyd George Avenue is pretty exhilarating as the full Cardiff city centre skyline beckons you. The blinking antenna of Stadium House is a good marker to focus on as you plough up what felt like the only slight uphill section.

The route is generally extremely flat giving an opportunity for people of all abilities to enjoy it and the paths in the middle sections of the run are certainly wide enough to bring a friend along.

My only real frustration was both the start and end of the run were very staccato because of all the traffic lights and road crossings. I seemed to spend a lot of time doing a silly dance to try and keep my legs fresh while waiting for the lights to change!

 At eight kilometres, the route is perfect for those building up for a 10k run and would by ideal for half marathon trainers to use as their midweek quick run.

Perhaps the best thing about the route is it is perfect for all abilities. Well lit throughout, it felt safe, although perhaps the Taff trail section would be unadvisable alone after dark. And there are loads of points where you can shorten or extend the run to match your abilities.

The route is easy to access as you could pick it up and leave the loops at your convenience, but if you want to follow it directly, catch any of the buses heading towards the Cardiff City Stadium or Cowbridge Road, or jump on the train to Ninnian Park and walk the few hundred meters to the start.

At the finish you can head over to the Cowbridge Road to take in your chosen method of re-hydration. There are plenty of shops to grab an isotonic drink, or if your legs and mind require a stiffer stimulant, Canton’s crawl of pubs can help you out.

This route can really be as easy or difficult as you want it to be, and I will certainly run it again, but I think the time of day you choose to run will have a say in your enjoyment.

7/10