Latest news with #MeirionHowells
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Health
- South Wales Argus
Wild swimming river sickness risk is being considered
Concern at pollution of the rivers Usk and Wye has been a high profile issue in recent years with increased amounts of phosphorous, produced in human and animal waste, entering the rivers. Independent councillor for Usk and Llanbadoc, Meirion Howells, noted there had been 344 notifiable communicable disease reported in Monmouthshire in 2024/25, according to the council's public protection performance report. The report, presented to the council's performance and overview scrutiny committee, stated all those were contacted within target response times. It was confirmed the figures can be broken down by types of infection, such as and Cllr Howells asked: 'Do we have swimmers catching it in our rivers? What level do investigators go into to identify the source?' Principal environmental health officer Alun Thomas said investigators will ask people stricken by a notifiable disease where they have been such as farm visits and about contact with animals and where they've eaten. 'Have they been swimming in rivers, and locally, as well is a question,' said Mr Thomas who explained information is recorded on a data base, called Tarian, also used by the health board and other local authorities. 'Anyone else investigating can pick that up. So if someone in Torfaen has been swimming locally, or has been to a restaurant or a takeaway, if there are any suspicious practices the premises can be tagged and any subsequent investigator can see it and think there might be something going on here.' Mr Thomas reminded councillors of a food poisoning outbreak linked to a takeaway and said: 'The outbreak we had in Abergavenny if you have two or three notifications all pointing to the same place, and where there is a link, that's when we pounce.' Committee chair Gobion Fawr Conservative Alistair Neill said an outbreak of cryptosporidium, a parasitic infection, linked to a Vale of Glamorgan farm in April and May highlighted the importance of the service's work. He said: 'About 90 people were ill, some very seriously. This sort of thing does happen and it can be extremely serious.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Towns can keep free car parking but enforcement without revenue a 'challenge'
FREE car parking could be maintained in a string of towns following a review carried out on behalf of a county council. But the councillor responsible has highlighted the 'challenge' of enforcing parking restrictions without revenue from drivers paying for a space. Monmouthshrie County Council appointed a consultant to review its car parking policies with the authority currently providing free to use car parks in some towns and operating pay and display facilities in others. Paul Griffiths, the cabinet member responsible, was asked for an update on the review and any of its findings, especially in relation to Usk, by independent councillor for Usk and Llanbadoc Meirion Howells at the council's May meeting. Labour's Cllr Griffiths confirmed he has received the draft report and said he 'looks forward' to publishing it and said: 'What I can tell council is it makes no recommendation for change in any of those towns that currently have no charges, namely Usk, Caldicot, Magor and Raglan. 'Instead it recommends undetaking, on a town by town basis, engagement with businesses, residents and town councils to test the case for any further changes and I look forward to working with Usk and Llanbadoc to consider how these engagements may be conducted.' Cllr Howells welcomed the answer as 'very good news' and said he had conducted a survey, on behalf of the town council, to which 1,600 people responded and found 93 per cent in favour of retaining free parking. 'For a town of just over 2,600 people this level of response only goes to show the amount of concern,' said Cllr Howells who also asked how the council plans to improve enforcement of parking regulations and restrictions. Cllr Griffiths said parking enforcement and recruiting and retaining traffic wardens, known as enforcement officers, has been a challenge for the council but said action is being taken to address that. He said: 'All of us will be monitoring performance following from that action and Usk residents will note the challenge of funding enforcement when there is no revenue stream from parking charges.' Cllr Griffiths also reminded councillors there had been 'no increase in funding' when responsibility for parking enforcement transferred from police to local authorities 'in the recent past'.
