County now 'aims to improve' reprieved youth centre field

* Mike Edwards' recent picture of the youth centre field.

The youth centre field's recent reprieve from being earmarked for housing will allow the county council to improve it and increase its use.

That's the word from Denbighshire in response to a question from llanblogger about why it has just been removed from the list of candidate sites for possible future development.

Earlier this week we reported how a campaign backed by local Assembly Member Ken Skates and the area's two county councillors had urged the council to withdraw proposals which would have seen houses go up on land on Willow Street, including the football pitch next to the youth centre.

The site, covering one hectare, is currently used for youth club and pitches and it had been suggested for residential development when it appeared in the list of candidate sites for Denbighshire's next Local Development Plan (LDP).

Mr Skates wrote to Denbighshire's chief executive Judith Greenhalgh last August to raise his concerns and to call for the site to be withdrawn from the list of 11 proposed plots for new houses.

Mr Skates also said he was concerned that Llangollen county councillors Graham Timms and Mel Mile were not consulted on the plans before they were published last year.

Cllr Graham Timms said earlier this week: “After a long battle I am delighted that the youth club and football field has been saved for Llangollen’s young people."

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council has since said: “The football pitch site is not included in the LDP as a possible housing site to allow the council to work with partners to investigate whether we can improve the football pitch and increase use.

“The youth club remains in regular use and this important local service will continue.”

Local resident Mike Edwards recently wrote to Cllr Timms to express his concern about the current state of the field.

In an email, a copy of which was sent to llanblogger: "I am very concerned that the football pitch has been out of commission for months being cordoned off where SG Estates have constructed a below-ground soak-away for the Vicarage Road Development.

"The area has remained in this condition for sometime meaning it is unavailable for local youths to use. There is no sign of any final reinstatement work and no consultation or communication with residents to keep them in the picture, it’s our town and our facilities after all."

Steve Griffin, managing director of SG Estates responded: "The final seeding for the football pitch will be carried out when we have suitable weather."

MP gives update on the Kronospan fire in Chirk

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes (pictured) has sent an update on the fire at Kronospan in Chirk:

I wanted to express my sympathy and concern again to all the residents of Chirk and the surrounding area about the air quality problems that they have experienced over the last days due to the fire at Kronospan. I would also like to thank North Wales Fire & Rescue service for the great work they have done in dealing with the fire.

I had a very helpful meeting with the Town Council in Chirk on Tuesday before returning to Westminster and I am sorry that parliamentary duties today mean that I cannot attend the emergency Chirk Town Council meeting this evening. I am, however, keeping closely in touch with residents who have written to me about the problems and with Chirk Town Council itself.  

I am very pleased that Wrexham Council convened a multi-agency meeting yesterday, 15^th January, with key partners including North Wales Fire and Rescue, North Wales Police, Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales and the North Wales Emergency Planning team.  The group has  agreed to the deployment of Air Quality monitoring equipment and personnel provided by Natural Resources Wales to Chirk to provide actual air quality monitoring readings.

I am meeting with the Chief Executive of Wrexham Council tomorrow and with Kronospan shortly. I have also been keeping the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart MP, in touch with developments at Kronospan. I will be available to meet residents in Chirk from 9am – 5pm on this Saturday, 18^th January, at a walk-in surgery in the Parish Hall, Holyhead Road, Chirk LL14 5NA – please email me at simon.baynes.mp@parliament.uk if you would like to attend or come on the day and hopefully you won’t have to wait long.

Looking to the future, I think it is vital that the planned investigation into the causes of the fire is conducted in an open and transparent manner. We also need to continue the multi-agency approach and ensure that there is independent monitoring of noise and environmental emissions. We all want Kronospan to thrive as a business given the many benefits that it brings to Chirk and the surrounding area in terms of jobs, investment and prosperity and this will be best achieved by open and transparent communication between the company and the surrounding community.

Former Clwyd South MP speaks of her own and party's future

* Former MP Susan Elan Jones on Breakfast TV this morning.

Former Clwyd South Labour MP Susan Elan Jones hasn’t ruled out standing at the next General Election, she has told llanblogger.

But in the immediate future she is planning to return to her old job of charity management.

Ms Jones, who lost the seat to Welsh Conservative Simon Baynes at the December 12 poll by 16,222 votes to 14,983, has been speaking on the BBC about how she would like to see her party recover from its worst defeat in many years – and the type of person who should lead it.

BBC Wales news bulletins during this morning’s (Thursday) BBC Breakfast featured a short interview with 51-year-old Ms Jones, who had been Clwyd South’s MP since the 2010 election.        

She said: “I want us to look at the policies that command widespread support.

“I think some of our policies but not all of them did.”

She added: “I want a leader that people see as Prime Minister and I want a party that’s not obsessed with its internal workings and itself but its first priority is the country.”

After the interview was screened Llanblogger contacted Ms Jones to ask her about her personal plans for the future and she replied: “In terms of next steps, you could say that I have been inundated with cards, letters and emails from constituents and many of these and people I have met while out and about have asked me if I will stand at the next General Election.

“That’s quite a long way away, however! - and I won’t be making any decision on that until nearer the time.

“However, I worked in charity management before I was an MP and that is what I will be hoping to do at present.”

Hospice aims to help with a delicate subject

It may be a subject you want to avoid but, according to Benjamin Franklin, there are two things in life which are said to be certain – death and taxes.

In May Nightingale House Hospice, Wrexham is supporting the national Dying Matters Week. The 2020 theme of Dying To Be Heard will focus on how to help by listening.

Dying Matters is a coalition of organisations who think it is important for people to talk about what is important to them in relation to their death.

In preparation for this special week the hospice is hosting an information evening to help local organisations, institutions, groups or businesses put on their own event with confidence and have the usually-avoided conversation.  

If your organisation, institution or group would be interested in finding out more or feel you might like to be involved next May, come along to Nightingale House Hospice on Thursday, January 30 at 4.30pm-6pm.

Kay Ryan, the hospice's outpatient services coordinator, said: “It sounds like a morbid subject to encourage people to talk about. We all hope for a long and healthy life, but we are not immortal and unfortunately ill health or accidents do happen.

“We can probably all think of circumstances around someone’s death where we thought, ‘I wouldn’t want that to happen to me or, anyone I care about’ or ‘I wouldn’t know what to do if that happened to one of my family or friends’.

“Talking about these things doesn’t make them happen any sooner but it can help people think about what is or would be important to them."

* If you would like to attend, please ring Nightingale House Hospice Reception on 01978 316800 and leave you name and contact details.

Temporary closure of Birch Hill planned

The county council has made a temporary order to close a section of Birch Hill in Llangollen to traffic to allow the replacement of gas mains.

The section involved runs for about 135 metres in an easterly direction from the A5 junction.

The traffic order comes into force on Monday January 27 and lasts for 18 months or until the completion of the works by Wales and West Utilities, whichever is the sooner.

According to the order, the works are expected to last only until about February 14.

An alternative route for traffic will be signposted via Maesmawr Road and the A5.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the period of closure, adds the order.

Pinocchio sticks his nose in at the Pavilion

* Pinocchio played by Sophie Siddall, Prosecco, 

the pantomime dame is 

David Lyne and Geppetto is Neil Barrett.

The story of Pinocchio, the tale of a little boy whose nose stretches when he lies, will open in Llangollen tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

Pinocchio, complete with an extending nose, is the annual production from the Llangollen Pantomime Group featuring a cast and crew of almost 40 local people.

Doors open for the five performances on Thursday at Llangollen Pavilion.

The production, based on the nineteenth century Italian book The Adventures of Pinocchio and the 1940s Disney film has been adapted for the Llangollen stage by the show’s director, Justine Bradey.  

It is the second show she has directed and this time she is working with assistant director, Samantha Fletcher. 

Justine said: “We are very excited to be putting on Pinocchio. It’s not a traditional pantomime but we have lots of great characters who will keep the audiences entertained.  

"In our show Pinocchio lives with his puppet-maker father, Geppetto in the town of Lambrusco.  His father’s housemaid Prosecco becomes the traditional Dame character.  

“Pinocchio is a cheeky, wayward young boy who wants to join the circus.  He comes unstuck when he meets Mr Stromboli, the circus master, our show’s baddie.

“It’s a fun packed show with plenty of traditional Pantomime jokes, silliness, slapstick comedy live music and audience interaction.”

Pinocchio is played by 11-year-old Sophie Siddall, who’s in year seven at Ysgol Dinas Bran.  

Local picture-frqmer David Lyne returns as the Pantomime Dame, Prosecco the housemaid and there’s a Welsh character, Jim-the-cricket, played by 16-year-old Harvey Barrett, who is in year eleven at Dinas Bran.

The songs in the show, accompanied by a seven-piece live band, includes Wake up Boo by the Boo Radleys, Moves like Jagger by Maroon 5 and Shuddap you Face by Joe Dolce.

Over the years, Llangollen Pantomime Group has donated a portion of its takings to local charities.  Last year it donated £750 to the Alzheimer’s Society and £250 to the Llangollen Christmas Day lunch, organised by Mike Connolly.

Llangollen Pantomime Group was started by St Collen’s Church more than 30 years ago.  Today it draws cast and crew from across the town. 

Llangollen Pantomime has evening performances until Saturday and matinees on Saturday and Sunday January 18 and 19.  The show lasts just over two hours. 

* Tickets are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenpanto or in person from Gwyn Davies Butchers, Jade Hair & Beauty, Dee Valley Produce or by calling 01978 860297. 

Youth centre withdrawn from list of possible housing sites

llanblogger exclusive

* County Cllrs Graham Timms (left) and Mel Mile outside Llangollen Youth Centre.

* Ken Skates AM backed the campaign to have the youth centre withdrawn from the LDP list.

Assembly Member Ken Skates has welcomed Denbighshire Council’s decision to shelve plans which could have seen houses built on Llangollen’s youth club site.

The Clwyd South AM had backed the calls of local residents and the town’s county councillors and urged the authority to withdraw proposals which would have seen houses go up on land on Willow Street, including the football pitch next to the youth centre.

The site, covering one hectare) is current used for youth club and pitches and it had been suggested for residential development when it appeared in the list of candidate sites for Denbighshire's next Local Development Plan (LDP).

Mr Skates wrote to Denbighshire's chief executive Judith Greenhalgh last August to raise his concerns and to call for the site to be withdrawn from the list of 11 proposed plots for new houses. 

At the time he said he would help campaigners fight the plans ‘all the way’.

He said: “I’m pleased that the council has listened to people’s concerns and that this site is no longer earmarked for housing. 

"I know a lot of local people are already worried about the over-development of the area and worried about how it will cope with the 95 new homes currently being built just across the road from the youth club. I’m sure they will join me in welcoming this decision.”

Mr Skates also said he was concerned that Llangollen county councillors Graham Timms and Mel Mile were not consulted on the plans before they were published last year.

He added: “Graham and Mel have come in for some unfair criticism over this. They never agreed with this idea in the first place and both made it clear they would oppose this site being used for housing. They deserve a great deal of credit for this outcome.”

Cllr Graham Timms said: “After a long battle I am delighted that the youth club and football field has been saved for Llangollen’s young people. 

"The county council have at last seen sense and removed our important amenity from the plan.

"The initial announcement came right out of the blue. No one expected that the council was going to put this land forward for housing and we as county councillors had no advance warning of it.  

"I am grateful to the many local residents who supported the case that we have been making. The public consultation meeting held in Llangollen earlier this year was the best attended in the whole of Denbighshire and most people were objecting to the youth club proposal."

Cllr Mel Mile said: "The withdrawal of this proposal is very welcome, particularly as there will be even more demand for our green spaces as the new housing estate near Vicarage Road continues to grow. We have worked together with the community to make the case for our town and won.”

Voluntary services council is recruiting

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council is currently recruiting for a host of new posts.

DVSC has secured the lease to operate Ruthin’s Market Hall and is also in the process of taking over the Naylor Leyland Centre where it is based.  

These two venues, developed to form a hwb, are going to play a big part in its future, says the council.

The jobs on offer, in DVSC's own words, are:

Hwb Innovation Lead - To take the lead on developing these premises into a Hwb from which we will deliver new and existing services to our members and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our members and invigorate the local economy

To lead and develop DVSC’s Hwb delivery team to provide DVSC’s core services in a dynamic, enterprising and customer focused way and to ensure Hwb activities are integrated with and drive DVSC activities.

To spot opportunities that enable DVSC to diversify income streams and develop services that meet identified needs.

Enterprise and Learning Officer - To support the HIL to develop these premises into a Hwb from which we will, deliver new and existing services to our stakeholders and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our stakeholders and Invigorate the local economy

To lead on DVSCs Enterprise and Learning programme of activities and our Sector Support Service providing support, information and training to DVSC stakeholders, and communities in Denbighshire.

Market Hall Support Officer - To support the HIL to develop these premises into a Hwb from which we will deliver new and existing services to our members and the community as a whole, create new income streams for DVSC and our members and invigorate the local economy

To lead on the practical day to day delivery of the Market Hall and the development and delivery of DVSC’s market offer networking and developing the list of stallholders.

Marketing and Engagement Support Officer - To support the Marketing Engagement Officer (MEO) to provide marketing and engagement support to the Hwb delivery team (specifically Dementia Aware Community Led Programme -DACLP, and our core delivery work through Third Sector Support Wales - *TSSW).

Preparation and production of marketing materials for events and activities. Supporting on social media, press releases, communications, events for Hwb delivery team.

Business Development Officer - To respond to grant funding and tender opportunities and re-tenders enabling DVSC to sustain existing services and achieve social enterprise growth.  You will identify opportunities, develop strategies for success and produce compelling bid documentation within deadlines. You will also support other team members to develop confidence and skills in developing funding proposals.


DVSC Associate opportunities -In the next year we anticipate new opportunities for work in the area of community engagement, community resource mapping and community enterprise development. We are initially looking for Associates in the areas of Community engagement, Community and service mapping, Impact assessment, Business and strategic planning, Marketing and promotion (including the development of Market strategies) and financial management and forecasting


The job descriptions with person specification, additional information and application form are available on the DVSC website Work with Us page.

Extra possible development site added to local list

* The additional candidate development site at Cilmedw.

An extra site in Llangollen has been added to the list of those already put forward as possible areas for future development in Denbighshire.

Last summer the county council revealed that 11 sites in the town had been suggested as potential development candidates in the replacement Local Development Plan (LDP) which is currently in preparation.

Council planners have just written to concerned parties informing them that one additional local site has been added to the list – land at Cilmedw Way, just off the A5.

Covering 8.36 hectares, this is currently used for agriculture but has been suggested for mixed use.

Its listing says that the site does not comply with the Draft Preferred Strategy.

Details of additional candidate sites which can be found here: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/LDP

(Click on ‘Replacement Local Development Plan’, then click on ‘Additional Candidate Sites’ and from the list of areas click on ‘Llangollen’)

This is the third site at Cilmedw to appear in the list. There is one covering 1.6 hectares which is currently an overgrown field and another of 3.7 hecatres, used as greenfield land, and both are suggested for housing and/or leisure.

  

Planners stress that, as with all other candidate sites, the submission of the third Cilmedw site does not mean it is a planning application.

Work is already well advanced on preparing the new LDP for Denbighshire to cover the period 2018 – 2033.

The first major consultation stage was the draft Preferred Strategy, or Pre-Deposit, which took place at various venues across the county, including Llangollen Town Hall, last July and August. 

Additional candidate sites were submitted to the council during the draft Preferred Strategy consultation period. 

The letter from planners says: “It is important to note that no decision has been made on any of the candidate sites and they are not planning applications.

“The candidate sites are simply a reflection of what has been submitted to Denbighshire County Council for consideration to potentially be included as allocations in Denbighshire's replacement Local Development Plan 2018 to 2033.

“We are now consulting on these additional candidate sites.”

Earlier local candidate sites suggested were:

1. Mile End Mill (0.57 hectares) current use: watersport centre and vacant mill building. Proposed use: mixed use, residential and commercial.

2. Land adjacent to The Chestnuts, Berwyn Street (0.64 hectares) current use: vacant land. Proposed use: residential development.

3. Tyn Y Wern off the A5 (0.525 hectares) current use: hotel/tourism. Proposed use: residential development.

4. Maesmawr Road adjacent to Tyn Y Wern (1.1 hectares) current use: agricutural. Proposed use: residential development.

5. Land adjacent Erw Las, Fron Bache (0.033 hectares) current use: garden/amenity. Proposed use: residential or tourism accommodation.

6. Climedw, Corwen Road (1.6 hectares) current use: overgrown field. Proposed use: housing and/or leisure.

7. Climedw, Corwen Road, Site 2 (3.72 hectares) current use: greenfield land. Proposed use: housing and/or leisure.

8. Land off Maesmawr Road - Option 1 (2.05 hectares) current use: agricultural. Proposed use: residential.

9. Land off Maesmawr Road - Option 2 (5.4 hectares) current use: agricultural. Proposed use: residential.

10. Berwyn Works (0.49 hectares) current use: former employment use. Proposed use: residential development.

11. Llangollen Youth Club site (1.0 hectare) current use: youth club and pitches. Proposed use: residential development.

* Details of these sites can be found online at: 

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/planning-and-building-regulations/local-development-plan/replacement-ldp/candidate-site-maps/Llangollen.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0XIzJYlX9gwipAT-8GRZt6AIWLn0DyvT-sLlGleTvDiIefJjv1FZbmq40

Public asked for their views on transport

A survey has been launched to ask members of the public their views on transport.

Denbighshire County Council has commissioned Wrexham Glyndwr University to undertake research into transport in North Wales.

It is part of the Council’s work on Connected Communities to better enable people to travel to work, education and services, and the survey will help identify issues members of the public face.

All responses will be completely anonymous and confidential, and will help inform what Denbighshire County Council and regional partners may be able to do to address barriers to travel.

You can take part in the online survey at http://www.transport-barrier.cymru/

Singer entertains at Methodist lunch

At their annual post-Christmas lunch at the Hand Hotel yesterday (Sunday) members and friends of Lllangollen Methodist Church were entertained by Megan-Hollie Robertson from Wrexham (pictured) who successfully competed in a recent Eisteddfod.

Megan, who  studied musical theatre in Guildford, sang a selection from a Sondheim musical to a number from Sister Act to delight her audience.

Llan panto this week ... oh, yes it is!

Llangollen Pantomime group are departing from the more traditional type of show to stage a panto with a difference later this week.

From Thursday to Sunday, January 16-19 they'll be bringing to the Pavilion stage Pinocchio, the little wooden puppet learning how to be a real boy, and his many adventures.

Director Justine Bradey said: "Although Pinocchio is not is not the usual pantomime the story should appeal to both boys and girls.

"This is my second time directing for Llangollen after last year's Snow White. This year my assistant director is Samantha Fletcher."

Travel writer's glowing description of Llan

* The writer says Llangollen Bridge gives the town an Alpine look.

Llangollen has won itself a glowing write-up on the Visit Wales website.

It comes from south Wales journalist Jude Rogers who pens regular pieces for The Guardian, Observer and New Statesman.

And she describes Llan as “this beautiful riverside town.”

The author admits that despite her parents being regular visitors to the International Eisteddfod and her brother, a Swansea choirmaster, bringing groups of singers there, she hadn’t before been the town.

But she tells her readers that Llangollen is “one of the most atmospheric and intriguing places I’ve ever been to in Wales.”

She sets the scene by musing that the River Dee makes the town “look Alpine in a peculiar way”.

The 16^th century, listed bridge, she says, can be viewed from the “homely and popular” Corn Mill and she calls Gales a “stylish, wood-panelled wine bar”.

Also in for a pat on the back are The Three Eagles and the nearby Cornerstones B&B, where she stayed the night in one of their “gorgeous” rooms.

Taking a look at the shops in the town centre Ms Rogers provides complimentary descriptions of businesses such as Courtyard Books, the Oggie Shop, Porters Delicatessen and Zingiber Wholefoods.

She was also impressed with Llangollen’s heritage railway and its route towards Corwen, St Collen’s Church and Plas Newydd, for which she gives brief potted histories.      

The author ends by saying her visit: “Set off in my head the idea of Llangollen as a place ahead of its time, as I left, I knew there was even more to this progressive, beautiful place. As (I cross) the old bridge and head home, I know there's only one way to find out. And my return trip's already booked.”

* See the full report at: https://www.visitwales.com/destinations/north-wales/north-east-wales/exploring-loveliness-llangollen

Concerns raised over state of playing field

* Mike Edwards's picture of the playing field he is concerned about.

A concerned local resident has told a local county councillor of his concerns about a Llangollen playing field and the nearby site where new homes are being built.

Mike Edwards tells Cllr Graham Timms in an email, a copy of which was sent to llanblogger: "I am very concerned that the football pitch has been out of commission for months being cordoned off where SG Estates have constructed a below-ground soak-away for the Vicarage Road Development.

"The area has remained in this condition for sometime meaning it is unavailable for local youths to use. There is no sign of any final reinstatement work and no consultation or communication with residents to keep them in the picture, it’s our town and our facilities after all.

"This is on top of severe ongoing disruption for residents firstly on Willow Hill and now Vicarage Road. Vicarage Road is covered in a layer of mud despite being swept and it’s regularly littered with parked construction vehicles cause immense problems for the Vicarage Road residents.

"I would be grateful if you could take this up with the relevant officers and SG Estates and let me know what proposals are being put forward to alleviate the issues and to provide greater respect to residents of Llangollen."

Cllr Timms responded: "I had an email from a ward member about the youth centre sports pitch and the mud on the roads by the Vicarage Road site. I've spoken to SG Estates this afternoon and will be meeting with them early next week to help to resolve these issues.

"The sports field is still a candidate site for housing in the new LDP (Local Development Plan) but myself and Ken Skates have made our objections clear at the highest levels within the county council. I am hopeful that the sports field will be saved for future generations." 

Steve Griffin, managing director of SG Estates, told llanblogger: "The final seeding for the football pitch will be carried out when we have suitable weather.

"We have purchased a road sweeper that sweeps the road three times a day and have extensive offsite parking for vehicles in the compound area.

"It’s almost impossible not to cause some disruption during our development works by the nature of what we do and the weather we have to do it in."

He added: "The new road will be completed to base course by Monday meaning 99% of our site traffic will use Willow Street from Monday. This will help enormously. 

"One last mitigating point, we cannot control the site operations associated with the new reservoir. We seem to be taking quite a few blows on the chin for these guys." 

Town council seeks community grant applications

Llangollen Town Council is seeking applications for its latest round of Community Grants.

The scheme, which the council runs in conjunction with Cittaslow Llangollen, aim to reward the
skills, experience and expertise of the local voluntary and community sector and the help they give to the council in achieving its aims and priorities for residents.

A single organisation can receive funding up to £250 whilst partnership and joint applications could be supported to a maximum of £1,000.

A council spoksperson nsaid: "It has been proven over the years that small cash grants can really make a big difference in helping communities get schemes and projects started."

Completed applications should be returned by January 30.

The council says that if the planning group confirms the eligibility of an application under this year’s Participatory Budgeting scheme it will go forward to the next round. 

This is a voting event which is to be held on Monday, February 24 at 6.30pm in the Town Hall.

A preference voting system will be used where voters assign an arbitrary number to each project based on how much they like the project. 

The votes are then added up and the projects put in rank order depending on the total number of aggregate votes. Projects are then allocated funding in rank order until the funding runs out.

Applicants will be invited on the evening to give a presentation up to a maximum of three minutes in length to present for their project. 

* For further details, contact: townclerk@llangollentowncouncil.gov.uk

Corwen aims to be one of region's greenest towns

* Energy Local Corwen is ready to go live thanks to South Denbighshire Community Partnership and pictured at the Corwen Hydro-Electric generator are, from left, Leah Edwards and Margaret Sutherland with Kirsten Sedgewick, of Citizens Advice.

Corwen is on course to be one of the greenest towns in Wales thanks to a ground-breaking energy project aimed at cutting local electricity bills and making money for renewable energy providers – and for the community.

The town already has its own community hydro-electric project fed from the Pen y Pigyn Reservoir but now it wants to broaden its appeal to sign up 60 local households to join CEL – Corwen Energy Local.

The scheme is being run by South Denbighshire Community Partnership who are based in Corwen and are particularly keen to enlist stakeholders with their own generating capacity – owners of solar panel and other systems able to feed power into the grid.

That power would be added to the energy generated by the town’s hydro-electric power plant which is fed by the Pen y Pigyn reservoir and they could cash in on their contribution.

At the same time homeowners in an area blighted by fuel-poverty could save up to £300 a year from their electricity bills - and some of the profits from the scheme will be channeled into a special fund which could provide £2,000 a year for local community projects.

Wales’s national community energy project, Energy Local Cic, is showing savings of between 10 and 30 per cent for households in Bethesda, where it launched its first scheme, and experts believe similar returns could be expected in Corwen.

SDCP Chief Officer Margaret Sutherland said: “It’s very exciting for Corwen to be at the forefront of a scheme like this and we’re already showing the way with the community hydro project which will be one of the partners in this scheme.

“Research we have carried out has shown there are real issues with rural and fuel poverty in Edeyrnion and we hope this is the start of addressing that.

“Corwen can become a model for others to follow as the town develops into a hub of renewable energy and there is scope for this to be extended in the future.

“The area is a real hotbed of green energy with the windfarms being built just up the road on the Denbigh Moors.”

Energy Local is also on board in Corwen and renewable energy expert Mary Gillie, a key figure in the success of the Bethesda scheme, is playing an active role in advising on the Corwen project.

She said: “It has worked very well in Bethesda and the savings have been significant and we are now trying to include community hydro and solar schemes in the same way Corwen is aiming for.

“Smart meters can tell you every half hour if energy is being generated whether it’s a community hydro scheme or a solar array on a house like mine and if I’m not using it then it goes into the grid and the community is paid for it and that saving can be shared by the stakeholders.

“If someone is generating more electricity than they’re using then that will also go into the grid and they can earn money from that which can make it more financially viable to install solar panels.”

Residents of Corwen and the surrounding villages of Glyndyfrdwy, Llidiart y Parc, Carrog, Cynwyd, Gwyddelwern, Bryn SM and Bryneglwys will be eligible to sign up with Energy Local Corwen and a meeting is to be held in the town at Canolfan Ni on Thursday, January 16, at 7pm.

The Corwen Hydro Project which is a partner in CEL generates electricity at a turbine house in the town centre driven by the Nant y Pigyn and Nant Cawrddu streams which plunge 500 feet from a reservoir high above Corwen to generate 55 kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to supply up to 40 homes a year.

Over its 40-year lifespan of receiving government feed-in tariffs it is estimated that the project will generate £1.2 million with £120,000 going directly to community benefit for local organisations and good causes.

The scheme is publicly owned and it is also payback time for them after an issue of £1 shares raised £318,000, over half of them bought locally, to fund the project which was developed by rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd.

The agency provided a £12,000 feasibility study through its LEADER fund as part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is financed by the Welsh Government and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

* For more information on the Energy Local Corwen project and South Denbighshire Community Partnership go to http://www.canolfan-ni.org/ and to https://www.facebook.com/SouthDenbighshireCommunityPartnership/ and for more on Cadwyn Clwyd go to http://cadwynclwyd.co.uk/

Make more recycling your resolution, says county

Denbighshire County Council is asking residents to make 2020 the year to recycle more ahead of major changes to waste and recycling collections being introduced next year.

A series of initiatives have already been introduced in parts of the county, to encourage people to get prepared for the new waste and recycling collections that will provide residents with:

§  a new weekly collection for recyclables such as paper, glass, cans, and plastic

§  a weekly collection for food waste

§  a new fortnightly collection for clothes and small electrical items

§  a four weekly collection of non-recyclable waste

The aim is to encourage more recycling on top of the council’s current rates (64%) to meet the Welsh Government’s 70% target by 2025, with an expectancy that the target will rise to 80% in future.

If residents use the recycling service correctly, it should only result in a minimal amount of residual waste being created, the council says.  

It is therefore proposing to change the collection of non-recyclable waste to every four weeks for the majority of households.

Residents would be issued with a  bigger black bin if they need one, but overall, households would have more capacity each week for managing their waste than they have with our current service, the council believes.  

The new weekly recycling service (using a stacking recycling trolley) will provide more capacity for recycling when compared to the current fortnightly collection with the blue wheelie bin, it adds.  

Councillor Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Highways, Planning and Sustainable Travel, said:  “We want to thank the county’s residents for their recycling efforts to date.  

"Denbighshire is one of the UK’s highest recyclers but the goal posts are changing and we expect recycling rates to be a lot more stringent in future. That is why we need to work together now, ahead of the changes coming in next year, to encourage more people to recycle even more than they are doing now.

“We want to work with communities to understand their recycling behaviours and we are introducing a series of initiatives aimed at focusing more on recycling over the coming 12 months. There will also be lot of engagement going on and information being shared across the county, so watch this space."

* For further details about recycling in Denbighshire, please visit: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling

Concerns expressed over school budgets

*Llyr Gruffydd AM with Malachy Edwards, NAHT Cymru’s 

North Wales regional officer, outside the Senedd. 

Members of teaching union NAHT Cymru were outside the Senedd yesterday (Tuesday) to lobby AMs over the Welsh Government’s draft budget.

They, along with members from other trades unions, were there to discuss our concerns over the budget proposals.

They were met by Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s North Wales AM, who said he shared their concerns that the funding in the draft budget does not go far enough to “reverse a devastating decade of austerity” for schools in north Wales.

The NAHT pointed out that the draft budget includes £8m funding for Additional Learning Needs, but this will do nothing to address needs of schools where children need additional support.

Mr Gruffydd said: “There are 120,000 pupils with Additional Learning Needs in Wales so £8m equates to just 66 per child so, welcome as it is, it’s not going to make the difference that those pupils and their families need. 

"The heads, teachers and support workers in our schools, who are doing their best for those pupils, are facing an impossible position. 

"Too many of our schools, through no fault of their own, are now in deficit and having to lay off experienced staff to balance the books. So the announcement of new funds – for example of £15m to help with the professional learning of teachers – is welcome but is a drop in the ocean and fails to reverse a devastating decade of austerity.”

Mr Gruffydd added: “Too many schools, in particular secondary schools, are now feeling the financial pressures and promises of additional funding from the UK Government needed to become concrete proposals for those on the frontline. 

"Otherwise, schools in Wales will continue to struggle and our pupils will not get the education they deserve. I’m grateful to NAHT Cymru for meeting with us to discuss how we can make the improvements we need.”