Art exhibition opens based on inspirational Dee Valley

* Above and below: some of the artwork featuring in the exhibition at the Dory Gallery.

* Artist Mikey Jones live painting a mural on the walls of the gallery.

A new exhibition which invites you to take a fresh look at the Dee Valley and the works of art it inspires opens in Llangollen's Dory Gallery in Regent Street today (Saturday).

The Dee Valley landscape, which had its official preview to an invited audience yesterday afternoon (Friday) has been a source of inspiration to artists, poets and tourists for centuries, drawn to the area in search of the sublime. 

It became a hub for artistic activity in the 18th century, captured on canvas by renowned painters such as Richard Wilson, Paul Sandby and JMW Turner, and beautifully described in words and poetry by writers including George Borrow, Thomas Pennant and William Wordsworth.

Following this tradition, the Our Picturesque Landscape project is presenting an exhibition of over 60 contemporary works of art inspired by the scenery of the Dee Valley.

Through thoughtfully commissioned paintings, poems, installations, photography, drawings, textiles and even a myriorama, the exhibition will explore our connections with the landscape, and highlight the unique balance between the stunning natural beauty and important industrial heritage of the area.

The exhibition will be open at the Dory Gallery until Sunday October 8 accompanied by a full programme of events, art workshops and family friendly activities. For up to date details go to: www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyAONB.org.uk

The exhibition is part of the Our Picturesque Landscape project, funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hannah Marubbi, Partnership Officer for Our Picturesque Landscape project, said; “There is strong artistic heritage in the Dee Valley, and the picturesque qualities of the landscape continue to inspire creatives today. 

"We are really looking forward to celebrating the fantastic and diverse works of art that have been created throughout the Our Picturesque Landscape project, and sharing them with the community through a programme of free, interactive events.  We are grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for the £1,382,400 funding which has made our project and this exhibition possible.”

Latest roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council

Latest roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are: 

CASTLE STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF DEE LANE, LLANGOLLEN, 27/09/2023 27/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

O/S MALTHOUSE BUTLERS HILL 21/09/2023 22/09/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement HAFREN DYFRDWY (DANIEL) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

CHURCH STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF CHAPEL STREET, LLANGOLLEN, 25/09/2023 25/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works DWR CYMRU/WELSH LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure.

Working Denbighshire offering help to school leavers

Following on from results month, Denbighshire County Council’s Working Denbighshire team are reminding recent high school and sixth form leavers that free support and help is available.

Working Denbighshire is an employability service which aims at supporting Denbighshire residents, aged 16 and above through coaching, training, and mentoring. 

Part of this service offers Wellbeing support. This has been put in place to help participants who don’t feel ready to go straight into employment or a placement. The dedicated wellbeing team have organised free weekly activities to raise aspiration, increase motivation and engagement. Activities planned include Beach Yoga, Lama Walking and Coffee Mornings, all aimed to improve participants confidence and skills for the future. 

Working Denbighshire also have dedicated teams in place for students that feel ready to go straight into employment but would benefit from 1-2-1 support and guidance with career development. Experienced mentors are on hand to help with job searching, CV writing and to support individuals through application processes for training, volunteering and placement opportunities, all focused around their choice of career. 

Support doesn’t stop there, as the team is trained to work to the needs of the individual and will even offer financial support for students experiencing financial barriers when trying to access training, placement or employment. 

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation said: “Working Denbighshire are there to help school leavers with any employment advice they may need. 

"The team can also help with finding training and further qualifications and finding a work or volunteering placement.” 

David Morgan, Working Denbighshire Manager at Working Denbighshire said: “It is important that we offer a 1-2-1 personalised service to each of our participants as everyone needs a different level of support, especially young people who have recently left education.” 

Geraint Davies, Head of Service for Education at Denbighshire County Council said: “Leaving school or sixth form can be a confusing time, with many roads to choose from. Working Denbighshire are there for school leavers, if they decide to go straight into work after finishing their education.”

Working Denbighshire is part funded through the Welsh Government Communities for Work Plus Programme which supports those most disadvantaged in the labour market to overcome the barriers preventing them from gaining employment. 

Working Denbighshire has received £3,529,632 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

* To sign up to receive support from Working Denbighshire visit - https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/jobs-and-employees/working-denbighshire/forms/contact-us-working-denbighshire.aspx or to find out more about the service - https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/jobs-and-employees/working-denbighshire/working-denbighshire.aspx

Railway stages diesel gala this weekend

Llangollen Railway is planning a Diesel Gala this weekend, Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September.   

Visitors will be able to board a variety of trains which will run an intensive timetable between Llangollen and the newly-opened station at Corwen.

The station at Corwen re-opened in June of this year, the latest westward extension of the railway which runs on the former Ruabon to Barmouth route. The line is now ten miles in length.

On both days, trains will depart Llangollen on the hour, between 10.00 and 15.00, according to the timetable published under the auspices of ‘British Rail's Llangollen and Corwen Railway', part of the ‘Dee Valley Region'.  

The journey to Corwen takes 40 minutes, calling at Berwyn, Glyndyfrydwy and Carrog. Return trips from Corwen will leave hourly between 11.15 and 16.15, calling at the same stations on the way back.

Three additional trains will run on Saturday only, departing Llangollen at 16.00, 18.45 and 20.35.  These return from Corwen at 17.05 and 19.45, though the 20.35 only travels as far as Glyndyfrdwy.  

Both the 18.45 and 20.35 are named trains – the Sulzer Symphony Scenic Landcruise – and do not call at intermediate stations.  These trains, which have bar facilities, will be topped and tailed by Classes 25 and 47.

Some trains will be hauled by Class 25 D7659, the last locomotive to be built by Beyer Peacock at Gorton, in 1966. It is visiting the North Wales line courtesy of the Waterman Railway Heritage Trust. Class 31 31271, also doing its part to haul trains, was built by Brush Traction in 1961 and is visiting courtesy of A1 Locomotive Group.  

The final locomotive in the trio will be Class 47 1566, built by BR at Crewe Works in 1964. They will be hauling a mixture of suburban and Mark 1 coaches.

Two freight services will also run. Passenger capacity for these services is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. There is a warning on the timetable, however.  Passengers are asked to ‘bash sensibly', with a further warning that “anyone who appears intoxicated or behaves in ‘bellowing or flailing' will be asked to leave the train”.

Your chance to have a say in stage group's future

* A scene from the Twenty Club's production of the Vicar of Dibley in 2022.

The long-established Twenty Club of Llangollen are holding their annual general meeting at the RAFA Club in Llangollen on Wednesday September 20 at 7.30pm.

A spokesperson for the stage group said: "Everyone is very welcome. We are always keen to have new members to take part in this lively society whether it us treading the boards or backstage or front of house performance week.

"This is your chance to have a say in the future of the club, and there us even a fun quiz immediately after the meeting."

Welsh hero's sword, crown and dagger to travel on Llangollen Railway

* Owain Glyndŵr's statue in the centre of Corwen.

A very special cargo will be conveyed on the Llangollen & Corwen Railway this Saturday.

To mark Owain Glyndŵr Day the legendary Welsh hero's replica sword, crown and dagger will be conveyed on the 12.21 train, hauled by a Class 47 engine, from his family land at Glyndyfrdwy, arriving at Corwen station at 12.40. 

It will then process with a carrying party from Embassy Glyndŵr to Corwen Square and the Owain Glyndŵr statue. 

At 13.00, representatives of the Corwen Owain Glyndŵr Day Festival will lay a wreath on the monument before a trustee of the Amgueddfa Corwen Museum officially receives the sword and crown from one of the Glyndŵr Embassy representatives. 

The dagger will be presented by Cllr Gordon Hughes, on behalf of Corwen Town Council.

The 44-inch long sword, known as the Sword of the Nation, weighs more than eight pounds and was originally unveiled at Cardiff Castle, having been paid for by an anonymous donor and commissioned by Embassy Glyndŵr, who said back in 2004 that the sword would act in place of Welsh “national treasures and symbols of statehood” lost after the conquest of Wales by Edward I in 1282-83.

A spokesperson for Llangollen & Corwen Railway said: "We are honoured to work with Amgueddfa Corwen Museum and convey these historic artefacts on their journey for display in the very heart of Owain Glyndŵr's homeland and on his national day of celebration from Glyndyfrdwy." 

Llangollen man joins gruelling 800-mile charity challenge

* Gary Perriton features in a story in the Leader.

A Llangollen man will join a group of intrepid cyclists on a gruelling 800-mile Rock2Rock challenge from Rock in Cornwall to the rock of Gibraltar to raise awareness and funds for veterans' charity, Launchpad, according to a story in the Leader.

* For the full story, see: Rock2Rock challenge in aid of Launchpad veterans' charity | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk) 

Notice of phone survey in the county

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has let people know that NEMS Marketing Research is going to carry out household surveys by telephone regarding local shopping patterns and town centre uses in the county over the next two months. 

The results will inform the preparation of the Town Centre Assessment in support of Denbighshire's  replacement Local Development Plan.

Have your say on proposed new National Park

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has announced the dates of a series of online and in-person engagement events where they can have their say on an initial Area of Search map for a proposed new National Park in North East Wales. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Two events will be held in Llangollen during November.

Designated Landscapes, consisting of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs), cover approximately 25% of Wales. 

They are areas legally recognised for their natural beauty, and for National Parks, the opportunities they provide for open-air recreation. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

In its Programme for Government (2021-2026), Welsh Government set out its intention to designate a new National Park in North East Wales based on the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 

This would be a fourth National Park for Wales, and the first new such park to be established in Wales since 1957. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Welsh Government has commissioned NRW, as the Designating Authority in Wales, to evaluate the case for a new National Park based on the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). The case for a new National Park will be considered within the existing Senedd term (2021-2026). ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

The engagement events will take place in October and November 2023 and will be an opportunity to learn more about the project, ask questions of the team and share feedback on an early map of the area being assessed. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

Ash Pearce, Project Manager, said: “There will be a full consultation on a proposed boundary map in 2024 when we have completed our assessments and refined the map. At this stage the map simply defines the area to focus our assessment work, we are interested in listening to and understanding all stakeholders’ points of view. I would urge anyone interested in the project to visit one of our online or in-person drop-in events to find out more about the work we are doing and share your feedback with us by completing a questionnaire.” ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

The engagement period will run from Monday 9 October until 23:59 on Monday 27 November 2023. People will only need to attend one event, be that online or in-person as the information shared will be the same for each event. ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​

People are encouraged to drop by at the in-person events, there is no need to book a place. If interested in taking part in one of the online events, email the project team at designated.landscapes.programme@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk with your name, state your interest (e.g. resident, community leader, landowner, farmer, business owner, organisation representative, etc) and which event you are interested in (the date). These will be bilingual events with simultaneous translation provided.

NRW have prepared procedural guidance setting out the statutory process that must be followed. It is evidence based and allows for engagement and consultation with statutory consultees, the public and other stakeholders. For more information on the project and evaluation process, visit the website at: https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/north-east-gogledd-ddwyrain/north-east-wales-national-park-designation-project

Local events are: 

Tuesday 14 November	6pm – 7.30pm	Online	via Microsoft Teams
Saturday 18 November	*10am – 4pm	In-person (drop-in)	Llangollen Town Hall ‌​‌‌​​​‌‍‌​‌​‌‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌​​‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​​‌‌​‍‌​‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌​‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌‌‍‌​​‌​‌‌​‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌​​‌‍‌​​‌‌​‌​‍‌​​​‌‌​​ Castle St, Llangollen LL20 8NU

Councillors get stuck in to clear rubbish from river

* On the rocks: Cllr Felton fills a sack with rubbish from the river.  

Two Llangollen councillors - assisted by a waterborne friend - went into action to clear away some of the rubbish left behind in the river after a weekend of warm weather.

County Councillor Karen Edwards joined Town Councillor Scott L Felton scrambling around on the rocks in the middle of the Dee left exposed when water levels are low.

They're a favourite place for people to gather when temperatures rise but a large number leave their rubbish strewn around the area.

In a Facebook post Cllr Felton said: "After the predictable problems faced by Llangollen at the weekend, myself assisted by County Councillor Karen Edwards have just been down on the rocks below the bridge to clean up the filth left behind.

"Whilst there, two canoeists came paddling along and kindly retrieved some rubbish from the bit of bank below the Royal Hotel, so a shout out for them."

* A passing canoeist helps clear rubbish lodged on the bank near the bridge.

Rotary wants you to vote in its scarecrows competition

* One of the competition entries is the Ladies of Llangollen 

depicted as scarecrows.

People are being invited to vote online for the Vale of Llangollen Rotary Club's scarecrow competition.

Groups and individuals across the area have been encouraged by the club to build their own scarecrow and make a £3 charity donation for entering the contest.

Pictures of the entries went on the club's Facebook page on Sunday and people have until 5pm on Sunday September 17 to vote for what they think are the best examples.     

A club spokesperson said: "It’s been really fun making them and putting them up outside our houses and shops. I think it brings a smile to everyone’s face.

* To vote for the best scarecrow, go to: https://www.facebook.com/ValeofLlangollenRotary

Rotary advises to call up the Facebook post, then press the photos to like and not just on the post itself.

Funding fair to be held at Town Hall

 

A funding fair is to be held at Llangollen Town Hall tomorrow, Wednesday September 13, from 10am-1pm.

Hosted by the Denbighshire Council for Voluntary Service, this will offer the opportunity for community groups and organisations to access information and guidance from several different funders.  

* For further information, email Samantha Mullan at DVSC Samantha@dvsc.co.uk.

Vandals steal paving stone from library steps

* A gap left by the missing paving stone on the library steps.

Anti-social behaviour in the town entered a new phase when one of the paving stones on the steps leading to the town’s library and Tourist Information Centre was ripped up and carried away over the weekend. 

And a county councillor for the area has called on North Wales's chief constable and Police and Crime Commissioner to come up with a strategy to combat what she has called "unacceptable" levels of public disorder in Llangollen.

The gap left by the paving stone theft was covered by safety barriers earlier today (Monday). 

The incident has been playing out on Facebook since early morning and someone commented that they saw teenagers carrying it towards the bus stop around 6.40 in the evening, although they don’t say which evening. 

The person who originally posted about the stone on Facebook said later: “There is CCTV footage of teenagers skateboarding etc on the steps most of the evening and leaving lots of litter.” 

This afternoon another person posted that they had seen the missing paving stone on the steps leading down to the canal on the way up to the school. 

There have been a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the town in past weeks, including reports of abuse of staff and theft from local businesses. 

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards said: "As the end of the summer season draws to a close the hot weather of last weekend brought many visitors to the town. Incidents of anti-social behaviour, vandalism and theft occurred, some of which have been reported on social media and to me directly. 

"Whilst the town’s economy relies mainly on tourism , we also find that it can bring to the town the worst elements of todays society. This is unacceptable for residents, challenging for our local businesses and bad for tourism.

"As one of your elected representatives I have written to the Chief Constable and the Police and Crime Commissioner to highlight this issue. The police have a responsibility to deal with matters of public disorder and to protect, assist and reassure the community.

"There needs to be a far better strategy to respond to these problems when they occur, and I have asked for a meeting with the Chief Constable to progress this matter. I will of course keep you informed of the response I receive in due course. 

"We all have a stake in ensuring that the town in which we live remains a great place where decency and community spirit prevails over the things which would blight our society. It will be an uphill struggle, but complacency is not an option."

Denbighshire County Council has been asked to comment.  

* A safety barrier was erected around the gap later. 

Concert for Christmas Festival features trio of Llan TV stars

Three of Llangollen's own TV stars are teaming up for a concert in aid of the town's Christmas Festival.

Shea Ferron, who made it to the finals of ITV's Britain's Got Talent as part of the Johns' Boys choir, will appear along with well-known local musician Chris Sims, who was featured in Channel 4's The Piano, and "singing policeman" Karl Joseph who hit national prominence on ITV's Star Struck.

Llangollen Superstars takes to the stage at Llangollen Town Hall on Saturday October 7.

* For tickets visit: https://llangollenfringe.co.uk/.../llangollen-superstars

Latest roadworks alerts from the county council

Latest local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is:

Outside MALTHOUSE BUTLERS HILL 21/09/2023 22/09/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement HAFREN DYFRDWY (DANIEL) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure.

A539 CASTLE STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF DEE LANE, LLANGOLLEN, DENBIGSHIRE CASTLE STREET 27/09/2023 27/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A539 CHURCH STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF CHAPEL STREET, LLANGOLLEN, DENBIGSHI CHURCH STREET 25/09/2023 25/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works DWR CYMRU/WELSH LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Llangollen named among best places to visit in the country

* The story in the Daily Post. 

According to a story in the Daily Post, Llangollen has been named in a list of the best small towns and villages to visit in the UK. The Denbighshire town was named best in Wales in the magazine's survey of places to visit in the country.

* For the full story, see: The North Wales town named among the best places to visit in the country - North Wales Live (dailypost.co.uk)

Operatic's cake afternoon goes down a treat

Llangollen Operatic Society hosted a successful charity cake afternoon at the Silver Band Rehearsal Room in Parade Street yesterday (Saturday).

The tables was filled with a variety of delicious-looking bakes which were served with tea, coffee or, on a particularly hot afternoon, cold orange squash.

Proceeds will be going to North West Cancer Research, Macmillan Cancer Support and the Stroke Association.

There was also a fine array of donated raffle prizes on offer.     

Rotary Club hosts successful community event at church hall

Vale of Llangollen Rotary Club has been hosting its All Things Llangollen community event at St Collen’s Community Hall this afternoon (Saturday).

Around 30 local groups and organisations were being represented, giving people an insight into what they do and how to become involved.

The event continues until 6pm today.

* Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Pictures by David Hennigan.

* Llangollen Repair Cafe.

* Llangollen Running Club.

* Llangollen Museum.

County council issues advice after yellow weather warning

Following on from the yellow weather warning issued for this area today (Saturday) Denbighshire County Council has issued further information for the public.  

The information says there will be a thunderstorm between 2 and 9pm, with a few heavy showers and thunderstorms possible, perhaps leading to some disruption, and it adds:

"What to expect

• Spray and sudden flooding could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures 

•  Where flooding or lightning strikes occur, there is a chance of delays and some cancellations to train and bus services

• There is a slight chance that power cuts could occur and other services to some homes and businesses could be lost

•  There is a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds."

The county says it has additional resources on standby throughout the warning period to respond to any flooding related incidents should they arise.

Further updates will be provided if deemed necessary.

In the event of any emergency situation requiring an immediate response, contact should be made directly via the out of hours contact centre between 5pm – 8:30am including weekends on 0300 123 3068.

 

County's tourism sector shows record economic growth

 

* Llangollen is one the county's premier tourist spots.

STEAM (Scarborough Tourism Economic Activity Monitor) figures for 2022 show a considerable rise in the economic impact of tourism for the county. 

Figures show that tourism generated £628m in 2022, besting the pre-covid 2019 number of £552m by almost 14%. 

The number of staying visitors also increased in comparison to 2019, with 1.64 million deciding to stay within the county in 2022, an increase of 3.1%. 

Total visitor numbers were up by 0.6% in comparison to the 2019 pre-pandemic numbers, with 6.03 million visiting Denbighshire in 2022. 

The numbers show that the tourism sector is bouncing back well, with the number of staying visitors up by 56.1% in 2022, when compared with the 2021 figures. 

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation said: “These figures are very welcome and demonstrate the importance of tourism to the local economy and the resilience of this sector in what has been a challenging period for the industry.”

Councillor Win Mullen James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “Our coastal and rural attractions have both demonstrated strong increases in economic impact in comparison with 2021 improving by 40% and 50% respectively. This underlines how strong the tourism offer is throughout the county.”

 

Latest Citizens Advice column

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Q: I need a new car for work but I can’t afford to buy a new one so I’ve been looking at second-hand options. I’ve heard so many horror stories about people buying cars that turn out to be faulty. I’m worried that I won’t know what to check, especially as I know very little about cars. How can I make sure I don’t buy a dud car? 

A: For many people, buying a car is a major purchase and whether it’s new or second-hand, the process can seem daunting and complicated. But don’t worry, there’s lots of information on the steps to take when buying a car and what you can do afterwards if something goes wrong on the Citizens Advice website. 

First of all, where are you going to buy the car? If you’re buying from a trader, choose a trustworthy one with an established name with a good reputation. Ideally, they will be part of a trade association or follow the industry’s code of practice. 

If you’re buying via an auction, this is much riskier as you’ll have fewer legal protections like the right to returns or refunds so carefully read the terms and conditions before you bid. 

If you buy from a private seller, there’s a few extra steps to take. For instance, try to inspect the car at their home address so if something goes wrong later, you have a record of that. 

Make sure the car’s details are correct by using the DVLA’s free online vehicle information checker. You’ll need the registration number, MOT test number, mileage and make/model of the car to do this check. Also, check the car’s MOT history for free on gov.uk 

Keep a copy of both these results (take a screenshot or download the information) as well as the original advert or description of the car. You might also consider getting a private history check to see if the car’s been reported stolen, still has money owing on it, or has been in a serious crash. This will cost about £20. 

Before buying a car, it’s good to check if it meets emissions standards as it could mean paying extra charges when driving through London’s ULEZ or clean air zones across the UK. 

Inspecting the car is crucial before buying. Ideally, do this during the day when it’s not raining (scratches are harder to see on a wet car) and take it for a test drive for at least 15 minutes and on different types of road, if possible. Check you have the appropriate insurance for a test drive (either your own or the seller’s policy might cover you). 

Once you’ve decided on a car, don’t be afraid to negotiate on the price. If you take out a loan or finance to buy it, make sure you can afford the repayments over the lifetime of the contract. If you pay with cash, you will have fewer protections than other options like debit. 

Often, despite doing all these checks, you might find something wrong with the car after you’ve bought it. You may have a legal right to a repair, the cost of a repair or some money back but it’s on a case-by-case basis and some examples might be the car’s mileage is wrong or the car keeps breaking down. 

* For more information, check out the Citizens Advice website or call its consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

Opportunity for Denbighshire photographers

Denbighshire County Council is giving local photographers the chance to feature their best views of the region on a new generation of service vehicles. 

Earlier in the year the council made operational two Dennis Eagle e-Collect lorries which are used on the county’s northern rounds including Rhyl, Prestatyn and down to the Trefnant area. They are able to put in up to 100miles and 1000 bin lifts per single charge. 

They are part of the drive to reduce the council fleet tailpipe carbon emissions where appropriate. 

Both lorries were kitted out with a striking livery to help encourage people to reduce general waste collection.

They also carry snapshots on either side of picturesque views Denbighshire has to offer to encourage residents further to help cut waste across the county to safeguard these sights for future generations. 

The council is now offering local photographers the chance to send in their own chosen special Denbighshire views to help safeguard these sites for years to come by encouraging the reduction of waste. 

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are looking for more images to go on the livery for future vehicles in our waste and recycling fleet. Our fantastic communities know best the sites and views that are special in the county and that we should be doing our best to protect, we want to give these pride of place on these vehicles to carry this message.” 

If you would like the chance to have your image used it will need to be of high quality so that it can be blown up to a very large size.

For that reason, for small wagons we need images of:

•  5000x3000 pixels and above

•  300 DPI (dots per inch) and above 

For large wagons, images are needed of:  

•  13000x4000 pixels and above

•  600 DPI (dots per inch) and above

You must give us permission to use the image for the lifetime of the vehicle.

If your image is chosen for a vehicle your name will be clearly displayed with the image on the vehicle.

The image must be of an area within Denbighshire.

* Images can be sent to Fleet.photography@denbighshire.gov.uk  (use a dropbox link or similar for images over 10MB).

Police warn over social media property scams

Detectives from the fraud team at North Wales Police Economic Crime Unit are warning the public to be vigilant against a scam that is happening on Facebook Marketplace and other online platforms. 

They say there’s recently been an increase in the amount of fraud committed in which potential tenants are paying a deposit to view a property that either doesn’t exist or is already occupied. 

Often, people who are already renting a property have had visits from people wanting to view, who have all paid deposits ranging from £125 to £1000.

Detective Constable Rachel Roberts said: "The property rental market is currently very competitive, and potential tenants may be fooled into thinking that paying a deposit will help them secure a property.

"Legitimate landlords will never ask you to pay money just to view a property, and we would encourage anyone who receives such a request to contact us via our live webchat or by calling 101.”

MP asks for creation of Investment Zone covering this area

* Simon Baynes MP with Wrexham MP Sarah Atherton during Treasury Questions in the Commons.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has asked Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to consider establishing an Investment Zone covering his Clwyd South constituency, Wrexham and the wider north east Wales region. 

Investment Zones were announced by the UK Government last year. 

They will grant a small number of geographic areas with tax and regulatory rules designed to promote economic growth. 

A total of 12 locations across the UK will receive this designation, with each zone receiving approximately £80 million in UK Government funding over five years.

 

Speaking at Treasury Questions Mr Baynes asked: "Would the Chancellor agree with me that my constituency of Clwyd South, that of my Honourable Friend, the Member for Wrexham, and the rest of north east Wales represent one of the best candidates for a new Investment Zone? And would he also consider making this cross-border, given our very close economic, commercial, and cultural ties with the north west of England?”

 

The Chancellor replied: “I know that there are some great businesses in his constituency and I much enjoyed meeting Robin and Helen Jones from the Jones Village Bakery at a recent reception in Number 10, and I know they’re going from strength to strength. I holidayed in Clwyd last year, and from the top of Moel Famau I saw a very impressive offshore wind farm and I completely agree with him there is enormous potential in Clwyd for clean energy and as discussions continue about Investment Zones I wish him, as well, every success.”

 

Speaking after his question Mr Baynes said: “I welcome the Chancellor’s response to my question. Investment Zones represent a unique opportunity and demonstrate the desire of the UK Government to deliver on its promise to Levelling Up. Going forward, I look forward to continuing to work with Sarah Atherton, MP for Wrexham, and other parliamentary colleagues to maximise the chances of an Investment Zone being established in our area.”