Work planned for the coming week on the Llangollen 2020 project is:
North Wales Police are appealing for witnesses after a three-vehicle road traffic collision on the A5 in Chirk, near the Halton roundabout, yesterday (Saturday) left a casualty with life-changing injuries.
The collision occurred at just after 12.05pm and involved a white Volkswagen Crafter, a Red Transit van and a black Honda motorcycle.
On its Facebook page North Wales Police says: "Did you see any of these vehicles prior to the collision? We are keen to speak to anyone with any information, or who may have dashcam footage of the incident.
"If you do have any information that can assist with our enquiries, we urge you to come forward using our LiveChat facility or 101, quoting reference B027421. https://orlo.uk/Vsoud
Here is the column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice:
Q: I’ve just been offered a new job and now I need to tell my current employer. The new company wants me to start as soon as possible. The problem is, we’re already a bit short-staffed where I am now and I don’t know how soon I’ll be allowed to leave. How should I bring all this up with my boss?
A: Congratulations on your new role. It can feel awkward telling your current employer you’re moving on. The time between telling your employer you’ve found a new position and you actually leaving is known as your notice period.
If you’ve been in your current job for less than a month, you won’t have to give any notice period (unless your contract says otherwise). If it’s more than a month, you’ll have to give at least one week’s notice. Your contract should make it clear exactly how long is expected.
If you don’t have a contract, and your employer has no written record of you agreeing to a notice period, you should give at least one week’s notice.
It’s worth waiting until your new employer has confirmed your employment, for example by giving you a start date before handing in your resignation. It’s then best to resign in writing (email is fine), so that you have a record of the date you told your employer. On the Citizens Advice website we have a page on handing in your notice with tips on how to write this letter.
You can work a longer notice than the one in your contract, if you wanagree it with your employer. If you’re keen to move on sooner rather than later, it may also be possible to negotiate a shorter notice period than your contract says. If you want to go down this route, it can be useful to reassure your current employer that you will tackle any urgent work before finishing.
Fixed-term contracts are a bit different, as you won’t need to give notice if you intend to leave on the last day of contract. Leaving early would usually mean giving at least one week’s notice, unless your contract says otherwise.
Don’t forget about your holiday days during your notice period. If you have unused paid holiday you should speak to your employer about either taking these during the notice period or being paid for them.
Finally, sometimes people can change their mind about moving jobs or find their circumstances alter. If this happens to you, you should speak to your current employer to see what the options are and if you can stay in your current role.
Everyone’s situation is
different, but if you face any challenges with an existing or potential
employer, contact Citizens Advice for advice: Freephone number 0808 278
7933 or visit our website pages about what
to do when you’re leaving a job.
Denbighshire County Council is hosting an information event aimed at residents thinking of becoming a councillor.
The next
county council elections will take place on Thursday, May 5 on the same
day as the city, town and community council elections.
Council
representatives will be on hand to provide information on the role of the
county councillor, how the council works, the issues county councillors will
face after the elections, the nomination and election process and the support
available to councillors once elected.
The event will
be held on Zoom starting at 6pm on Tuesday, March 1 and will last for
approximately an hour.
If you would
like to attend please email democratic@denbighshire.gov.uk or telephone (01824)
712589 / 712575.
* For further
information about any aspects of the elections process, please visit:
www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/your-council/voting-and-elections/be-a-councillor.aspx
or call 01824 706000.
The passes cost £50 for an adult or senior and £25 for a child and offer free travel on A, B or C timetables only. They are valid for 12 months from the date of issue.
The passes are not valid for special events, galas, Santa Specials, evening events or charter trains.
If you would like to apply for a residents pass you need to visit Llangollen Railway Office on Platform 2, Llangollen Station.Passes offer free travel on A, B or C timetables only.
Current office hours are Monday, Tuesday and Friday – 9am until 5pm. The office is closed for lunch between 1pm and 1.30pm.
The railway says you will need to bring:
* Fire on the mountain – outdoor skills expert Jamie Corry with Sally Lloyd-Davies, of South Denbighshire Community Partnership.
A chance to channel your inner Bear Grylls with activities like breadmaking over an open fire is part of a Wellbeing Week designed to help people in the Dee Valley chill out after the trials and tribulations of the pandemic.
The free six-day event features everything from
bushcraft to knitting with sessions to boost mental wellbeing as well as
countryside skills, cookery and crafts and is being staged in Corwen and
Llangollen from Monday, February 28.
The packed programme has been put together by South
Denbighshire Community Partnership (SDCP) and will be based at venues in Corwen
and Llangollen.
Alongside Knit and Knatter, pampering and cooking
demonstrations there will be Nature for Health activities, Emotional Resilience
coaching, exercise sessions and bread-making, which takes place at the Pengwern
Centre in Llangollen.
But this is breadmaking with a difference and comes
courtesy of outdoors expert Jamie Corry, who runs the Wild Bushcraft Company, a
glamping and outdoor activities centre at The Forge, near Corwen, in the shadow
of Moel Fodig, a 3,500-year-old hillfort.
He said: “It’s not like regular breadmaking – this
is bannock bread, unleavened dough twisted around a stick and cooked over an
open fire.
“The air in the bread when you knead it makes it
expand when it’s cooked – it’s delicious and very easy but first you have to
make your fire with sparks from a flint and the bark from silver birch which is
full of volatile oils and soon catches light.”
The breadmaking will be at the Pengwern Centre in
Llangollen Centre and Scot Jamie Corry is also in charge of the sessions on
countryside skills and axe-throwing but there are also less physical activities
on offer.
SDCP Community Health and Wellbeing Officer Jess
Horner said: “We have put this varied programme together to provide
opportunities to try new things all of which aim to improve wellbeing.
“We want to trial a number of activities and get
feedback on how successful and worthwhile they are with a view to offering them
in future.
“Many people have found life very difficult in the
pandemic and this is an opportunity for the community to come together as part
of our National Lottery community fund funded ‘ Your place or Ours‘ and Betsi
Cadwaladar Health Board funded ‘ICAN’ projects to help improve people’s wellbeing”
The wellbeing week has secured match funding from
Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) as part of their ‘Winter of
wellbeing’ initiative and on the first day of the wellbeing week SDCP
will be hosting a drop-in financial wellbeing event at Canolfan Ni Corwen in
partnership with Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council, Citizens Advice
Denbighshire and many other organisations.
* To access the full timetable of wellbeing week activities please visit https://www.facebook.com/sdcpartnership and to book directly you can visit SDCP’s Eventbrite page http://sdcp.eventbrite.com/ or contact SDCP on 01490 266044.
Work planned for the week ahead on the town's 2020 project is:
A petition started by a Wrexham councillor calling on the Welsh Government to back urgent repairs to the storm-damaged B5605 road bridge in Newbridge has so far attracted over 2,500 signatures.
The online petition, at you.38degrees.org.uk, is the idea of the independent member for Cefn, Sonia Benbow Jones, and is aimed at Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James.
It was started eight months ago and now has 2,519 signatures of people who want to see the bridge back into use for the benefit of people living in the area and the avoidance of a 15-mile detour through Llangollen whenever the A483/A5 viaduct is closed as it has been today due to high winds.
* The petition calling for repairs to the B5605 bridge.
The petition calls on the Minister to provide Wrexham Council with funding to repair the bridge following Storm Christoph over a year ago.
Describing the importance of repairs, the petition says: "The B5605 provides critical road links between communities Newbridge, Cefn Mawr, Rhosymedre and Ruabon and also Chirk to the south.
"This is causing major disruption to local residents and businesses and also provides critical diversionary route from the A483. In the event of closures on or planned works on the A483 it means a fifteen mile division via Llangollen which is unacceptable."
The petition can be viewed at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/repairs-to-bridge-b5605-newbridge?bucket&fbclid=IwAR1rFG2ze0g7T6JTZOSbsaOfwB26iFnkPNh3gJ0wCwZ1E5TJVdE6aiXoCdg
* Meanwhile, town councillor Stuart Davies has this morning (Monday) emailed local county councillors and Denbighshire chief officers about the congestion caused by the traffic diversions in Llangollen.
He says: "Llangollen is gridlocked. Traffic backed up several miles to the Sun Trevor. People are not happy. Yet Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, despite me warning them months ago, are still allowing this to happen.
Attaching a screenshot of local people's complaints about the situation, he asks: "What are you intending to do to sort this problem, please?"
* Simon Baynes MP outside Chirk Castle during one of his runs.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes recently completed the 50-mile running challenge in aid of Maggie’s Centres and managed to raise over £2,000 for the cause in memory of family members.
Maggie’s Centres are based in various locations and offer support free to anyone with cancer and their families who walk through the doors.
The centres were founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks who used her own experience of having cancer to create a new type of cancer care.
The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996 and, since then, a network of centres across the UK and some abroad have now been established to offer care to those facing cancer.
Mr Baynes had to run 50 miles for the challenge, with the money raised assisting those who use the centres.
In total, he raised over £2,000, which was inclusive of match-funding.
His efforts and those of others who took up the challenge resulted in a total of £115,037 being raised.
Mr Baynes said: “I was pleased to complete this challenge for a cause that is close to my heart as both my parents and my father-in-law died of cancer.
"It is quite a long time since I did any running and therefore I had to build up my fitness gradually over the 5 weeks of the challenge.
"I did the running in Wales and also in London in the evenings after working in Parliament and I discovered many sights which I had not seen before.
"I am very grateful to the large number of family and friends who sponsored me for this truly inspirational cause which brings so much comfort and hope to people suffering with cancer across the UK.”
A Llangollen Railway volunteer is currently staging a new temporary exhibition in Llangollen Museum.
Entitled Along Lost Lines, the display is by Peter Dickinson, one of the founding members of the railway's Heritage Group.
It charts the history of the old railway line linking Ruabon with the coast at Barmouth.
The exhibition includes a range of artefacts, posters and exhibits relating to the line.
A dedicated section includes some original parts from Queen Victoria's Royal Train from 1897 which are being shown in public for the first time.
The exhibition opens today (Saturday) runs until April 3. Entry is free.
Currently, the museum will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 11-4pm.
The exhibition is a joint collaboration between the museum and the Llangollen Railway Heritage Group.
* Simon Baynes MP, left, with Joel Rees-Jones at the newly-restored stone access ramp in Llangollen.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes recently visited Llangollen to see the latest developments at the LIFE Dee River Restoration Project.
Mr Baynes met with Joel Rees-Jones, the Project Manager from Natural Resources Wales, and visited the Llangollen site to learn more about the developments taking place as part of the Natural Resources Wales’ project.
As part of the LIFE Dee Project, restoration work is taking place on the two weirs in Llangollen with the aim of improving conditions for threatened species such as Atlantic Salmon, Sea Lamprey and River Lamprey, by minimising the impact of physical barriers in the river and help these species build sustainable populations.
The development has also provided an opportunity to help improve safety for paddle sports, as well as improving the stone ramp used for access to the River Dee near the downstream weir.
The LIFE Dee River Project have also been working on similar projects across the catchment.
The project also focuses on in-river restoration work, such as work recently completed on Brynkinalt Estate.
Iain Hill-Trevor of Brynkinalt said: “The contractor has done an amazing job, the results are great, and the boost for the habitat of the river is really exciting.”
Joel Rees-Jones, Project Manager of the LIFE Dee Project at Natural Resources Wales said: “The LIFE project is providing us with a great opportunity to work with partners across the Dee catchment to improve the conditions within the river for the species and habitats found there. We look forwards to seeing and sharing the positive results from the interventions carried out.”
Mr Baynes said: “My recent visit to the LIFE Dee River Project was a wonderful insight into how the restoration work is going to benefit the local area and it was great to hear from Joel about the exciting developments taking place.
"This is a positive step forward in ensuring conditions are improved for threatened species and will also improve safety for users of the river.”
The project is supported by the European Union LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity Programme, Environment Agency, Snowdonia National Park Authority and Dwr Cymru.
Local appointments are available to give blood.
* Follow the link for further details: https://wbs.wales/LlangollenTC
Fe allech chi achub 3 bywyd mewn un awr
Rhowch waed os
gwelwch yn dda
Denbighshire County Council has responded to complaints about noise caused to nearby residents by overnight working on the Llangollen 2020 project.
A post on social media yesterday (Monday) asked: "Anyone know why the workers doing the footpaths (were) still working at 12, waking up my little girl driving machinery in and out of market street?"
This point was later taken up by campaigning page Llangollen Advocate which posted: "Things that go bump in the night …. Yes it’s the 2020 works running on past midnight last night keeping people awake in the town it seems.
“The council would like to thank members of the public and businesses for their continued patience during the ongoing work.”
* Simon Baynes MP in the House of Commons Chamber.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has been appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Ministerial team at the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
A (PPS) is selected from backbench MPs to act as an assistant to a minister or team of ministers in the House of Commons.
The unpaid role is seen as the first rung on the ministerial ladder.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) helps to protect and promote the UK’s cultural and artistic heritage and help businesses and communities to grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit, as well as giving the UK an advantage on the global stage, striving for economic success.
Mr Baynes said: “I am very honoured and delighted to have been appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
"The work of the Department covers many areas of UK Government policy which are extremely important for Clwyd South.
"And I am looking forward to delivering on the Government’s commitments and continuing to work hard for the people of Clwyd South as their local Member of Parliament.”
A social care leader is calling for an assurance that everybody working in the sector will receive a £1,000 bonus payment – even staff like cooks, care support workers and cleaners.
Mario
Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales (pictured), said the extra cash for front line
social care workers announced by the Welsh Government was welcome in the midst
of a dire staff shortage.
But
he’s concerned that some ancillary staff might miss out.
Mr
Kreft says that would be totally unfair when they too have played a vital role
in keeping vulnerable people safe during the pandemic.
According
to Deputy Health Minister Julie Morgan MS, the initiative is costing £96
million and the bonus will be aimed at some 53,000 people working in the
sector.
It
comes on top of the £43.2 million announced last December that’s designed to
ensure social care workers receive the Real Living Wage from April onwards.
Care
Forum Wales are concerned that all of this money might not reach the frontline
because it is being channelled via local authorities and health boards.
Last
year Mr Kreft was criticised by the Welsh Local Government Association for
suggesting that asking councils to distribute social care funding to care homes
and domiciliary care companies was like “putting a fox in charge of the henhouse”.
Some
authorities were better than others in getting the cash to front line but in
far too many cases, he said, care homes were still waiting for any extra money
to reach them.
Mr
Kreft said: “We certainly welcome the £1,000 as a first step recruiting and
retaining social care workers at a time when we are facing the worst staffing
crisis anybody in the sector can remember.
“There
is a much bigger issue about how we value social care worker and how we
commission social care to ensure that our wonderful workforce receive the
rewards that they deserve.
“We
have been having weekly meetings with the Deputy Minister and we are grateful
to her for her inclusive approach in involving Care Forum Wales in her
deliberations.
“In
relation to the £1,000, there is a question mark about those people who have
slogged their guts out during the Covid nightmare, through all of the
challenges, who may not be eligible.
“I
am thinking of people who may have been dealing with infection control,
catering and cleaning staff because they have all played an absolutely key role
in keeping people safe.
“We
really need to have clarity that these people are not going to be overlooked
because there has been an astonishing commitment by the social care sector and
social care workers in different settings come in all shapes and sizes.
“I
hope there’s going to discretion in that guidance for employers to be able to
ensure those who have kept people safe and gone above and beyond during
the pandemic are rewarded for those efforts.
“The
key thing is that nobody gets overlooked because in Wales social care staff
have made an astonishing contribution to the safety of vulnerable people.
“We
need to make sure that social care family benefits but I think that’s
possible because I think the government understands the sector has made.
“The
issue is quite different in terms of the £43 million that’s been set aside to
pay people Real Living Wage from April.
“The
delivery mechanism for that needs to be very carefully developed in partnership
with the sector so that the guidance is such that local authorities and health
boards will ensure it gets through to the front line so that our staff can
actually receive the Real Living Wage.
“Care
Forum Wales was very clear in 2020 when we launched our campaign for social
care workers to receive an annual salary of at least £20,000.
“Every
political party in Wales bought into that campaign and what now need to ensure
is that we have the right mechanism so that local authorities have no wriggle
room.
“We
don’t want to see a repeat of the shambles last autumn when £41 million in
recovery funding was given to local authorities because we Know that has been
less than consistently allocated to the sector, as we warned would be the case
at the time.
“Last
October we felt the guidance was not strong enough or clear enough and we were
criticised by the Welsh Local Government Association for daring to suggest that
would be the case.
“In
the event our concerns were proved to be wholly accurate. Surprise, surprise –
many months later in February we see there are those local authorities, as we
predicted, that there were some local authorities who did the right thing while
others sat on the hands.
“We
still have some local authorities in Wales that have not ensured that
desperately needed money has got to the frontline as the Welsh Government
intended.
“Some
providers have still got the begging bowl out at a time when care homes are
closing because of financial difficulties.
“Among
the places we have lost is a greatly valued care home in Mold and that is a
stark reminder we have to have a sustainable service and that people with
complex needs can be cared for in their own community and they don’t have to
remain in hospital so the NHS can concentrate on what it’s best at.
“That
is why we have to ensure the new guidance for the Real Living Wage is worked on
and co-produced in partnership with all parties so we have an effective
mechanism for distributing funding in the right way.
“This
is surely the beginning of a more consistent national approach instead of the
postcode lottery of having 22 local authorities and seven health boards doing
things differently.
“Last
October I said that allocating the funding via local government was tantamount
to putting a fox in charge of the henhouse and sadly what I feared has now come
to pass. It hasn’t been consistently applied and there are cases where the
money has not got to the front line.
“It’s
therefore vital that we learn the lessons and we approach this issue in
partnership so that we do not repeat the same mistakes.
“We need to see social care workers as a value not a cost to our society and our country.”
The former Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, from Rhosllannerchrugog, passed away yesterday following an illness.
In his role as Commissioner he fought for the rights of Welsh speakers and to promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language.
He graduated with a law degree at the University of Aberystwyth in 1983, and he later went on to practice as a solicitor.
His career in politics began when he was first elected to Wrexham County Borough Council in 1991 for the Rhos and Ponciau Ward. In 2003 he became Mayor of Wrexham and the following year was voted in as Leader of the council.
In the 2011 election for the then National Assembly for Wales, he was elected as a Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, going on to become the party’s spokesperson for Children and Young People and for the Welsh language. In the 2016 Assembly election his North Wales regional seat was captured by UKIP.
In April 2019 he was appointed by the Welsh Government to the role of Welsh Language Commissioner, succeeding Meri Huws in the post.
He was also very active within his local community, and has been a member of the Stiwt Arts Community Centre committee since it was established in the 1980s.
Tributes have been comping in throughout the day including those from Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates and former MP for Clwyd South, Susan Elan Jones.
Ken Skates described his former colleague in the Senedd as a ‘true champion for the people and places of our region and nation.’
He said: "Aled was a gentleman, a brilliant and professional public servant, a
true champion for the people of this area and Wales.
"He was always good company to have and was utterly dependable. He believed passionately in his home community of Rhos and the wider area of Wrexham County Borough, serving our communities with understanding and full commitment.
"We’ve lost a
rare type of politician in Aled – someone who was always polite, compassionate
and empathetic at all times. He will be missed by so many people, across the
political divide."
Former MP for Clwyd South, Susan Elan Jones, also grew up in Rhosllannerchrugog and said the community would be united in sadness.
She added: "He was an exemplary public
servant, who served his home community and the people of Wales with great
dedication.
"He was also a brilliant Welsh Language Commissioner. We will remember in our thoughts Llinos and the rest of Aled’s family, his friends at the Stiwt, and his many friends across a large number of organisations that he was involved in."
Energetic members of the weekly zumba classes run by Julie Kirk Thomas at Llangollen Town Hall were special guests at the Ty Pawb centre in Wrexham on Saturday afternoon.
Led by Julie, they performed a demonstration routine as part of a special programme of entertainment celebrating Wrexham's bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 and were warmly received by the audience who gathered in the food court.
The Welsh Government has confirmed a consultation on proposals for a local visitor levy will launch this autumn.
Rebecca Evans, Minister for Finance and Local Government, said a levy would enable destinations in Wales to be enjoyed for generations to come.
Tourism provides a substantial economic contribution to Wales with tourism-related expenditure reaching more than £5bn annually in 2019.
The government believes that a tourism tax would raise revenue for local authorities enabling them to manage services and infrastructure which makes tourism a success.
The Welsh Government’s Programme for Government, and the Cooperation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, both contain commitments to introduce levies.
Formal consultation on draft legislative proposals for a visitor levy will launch in the autumn, providing a platform for a range of views to be considered.
Rebecca Evans said: "Visitor levies are a common feature in tourist destinations internationally. They are an opportunity for visitors to make an investment in local infrastructure and services, which in turn make tourism a success.
"Without such a levy, local communities face an undue burden to fund local services and provisions on which tourists rely. From keeping the beaches and pavements clean, through to maintaining local parks, toilets and footpaths – the critical infrastructure that supports tourism should be supported by all those that rely on it.
"The introduction and subsequent use of such a levy would enable destinations in Wales to be enjoyed for generations to come and encourage a more sustainable approach to tourism.
"The levy would be proportionate by design, and powers to raise the levy would be discretionary for local authorities. This would enable decisions to be taken locally, according to the needs of our communities.
"The levy will apply to those paying to stay overnight within a local authority area. Opportunities for wider contributions on the cost impact of other types of visitor activities on local infrastructure will be offered as part of the consultation on the levy."
Designated Member Cefin Campbell MS said: "Giving local people the power to introduce a tourism levy will make a difference to communities across the country, many of which attract a significant number of tourists. It will give local people and their representatives more power and resources to invest and deliver in their areas.
"Councils will be able to ask tourists to contribute in a small way to the areas they are visiting and the local services they use.
"This measure will help support a sustainable rather than an extractive tourism sector, which will help bring the greatest benefit to communities and the local economy.
"Such levies – often known as tourism taxes – are commonplace in countries across Europe and beyond. This is about mutual respect between our communities and the visitors they welcome. It is a new policy which is the fruit of a Welsh co-operative spirit."
Work planned for week starting Monday, February 14 on the Llangollen 2020 project is:
*Pave Castle Street east
* Sunday to Thursday: night works from Parade Street heading north to Dee Lane (affected properties have received letters with more information).
A two-train heritage diesel railcar service will be in operation on the weekends of 19th & 20th and 26th & 27th of February when Timetable B is to operate with trains leaving Llangollen for Carrog at 1030am, 1200 noon, 1.00pm, 2.30pm and 3.15pm.
A one-train railcar service will run on Wednesday 23rd to Friday 25th February. Timetable A operates with departures at 11am, 12,50 pm and 3.10pm.
Units expected to be in use are the Class 108/104 hybrid set and the unique Class 109 Wickham set, the latter following a major engine repair. All date from the late 1950s and show how trains used to be in British Railways days when operated on branch lines.
Riding the railcar offers the best views of the Dee Valley in the late winter season when the results of wintertime maintenance work might be seen to advantage.
The trains also offer the opportunity to enjoy recreational visits to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with many short walks, or longer from the stations at Berwyn, Glyndyfrdwy and Carrog.
According to Llangollen Railway Unofficial Facebook page, the platform at Deeside is being demolished.
The facility, which dates from 1990, has become unstable and following the removal of the points which formed the loop, the platform is no longer required.
Re-sleepering of six panels of track west of Deeside has also taken place
during early February as shown on LR Facebook page.
One noticeable change for the start of the new season is that passing of trains must now take place at Glyndyfrdwy.
Wales will gradually begin to relax some of its remaining coronavirus protections as cases continue to fall, First Minister Mark Drakeford (pictured) announced today.
From 18 February the legal requirement to show a COVID Pass to enter certain venues and events will be lifted and from 28 February face coverings will no longer need to be worn in all indoor public places.
The changes will be confirmed today, following the first three-week review of Wales’ alert level zero measures.
The latest results from the ONS Coronavirus Infection Survey suggest levels of infection have recently fallen, but community transmission rates remain relatively high in all parts of Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: "With increasing numbers of people vaccinated and boosted and thanks to the hard work and efforts of everyone across Wales, we are confident that coronavirus rates are falling and we can look forward to brighter times ahead.
"We can start to gradually and carefully remove some of the remaining protections we have in place at alert level zero. But we are not removing all the measures at once because the pandemic is not over yet.
"To keep Wales safe we need to remain cautious and do everything we can to reassure those who feel most at risk. We will keep some important protections in place, including face coverings in health and social care settings, on public transport and in all shops. We will also keep self-isolation rules in place.
"Next month, we will publish a plan setting out how we will move beyond alert level zero and the emergency footing on which we have been operating for nearly two years. This will help us all to make some plans for the future.
"From Friday 18 February, the domestic COVID Pass will no longer be required for entry into indoor or outdoor events and venues, including nightclubs, cinemas, theatres and concert halls. But events and venues will be able to continue to use it if they choose to.
"The international COVID Pass will continue to be integral to arrangements for safer international travel. Travellers will need to check the relevant countries’ rules for entry, including any different requirements for children.
"From Monday 28 February, the requirement to wear face coverings will be removed from most indoor public places, apart from in retail, public transport and health and care settings.
"If the public health conditions continue to improve, the legal requirement to wear face coverings in all remaining settings could be lifted by the end of March.
"Schools will return to using their local decision framework from 28 February and from 11 February the guidance will be updated to make it clear adults can remove their face coverings when they are interacting with babies and small children at baby and toddler groups.
"The next three-weekly review of the coronavirus regulations will be carried out by 3 March, when the remaining measures at alert level zero will be reviewed."
