Simon Baynes MP to fight North Shropshire at general election

* Simon Baynes MP celebrates his new candidature with Conservatives in North Shropshire (from his Facebook page).

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has been selected to fight the neighbouring seat of North Shropshire for the Conservatives at the next general election. 

Mr Baynes is hoping to move on as his present constituency, which he took from Labour’s Susan Elan Jones in 2019 with a majority of 1,239, will disappear under boundary changes before in time for the election. 

Over the weekend he was selected as candidate for North Shropshire, just across the border in England. 

The seat had been held for the Conservatives by Owen Paterson who left the House of Commons in November 2021 after being found by the standards authority to have broken rules on paid advocacy.

The episode threw Boris Johnson's government into turmoil, as the then-prime minister tried to overhaul the misconduct system to save his MP from suspension.

At the subsequent by-election North Shropshire was taken for the Liberal Democrats by Helen Morgan with a majority of 5,925, which indicated a swing of 34.2% away from the Conservatives.

Announcing his new candidature on his Facebook page, Mr Baynes said: “I am very honoured to have been selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Shropshire given that, under the boundary changes, my Clwyd South constituency will cease to exist at the next general election.

“Having grown up on the Welsh borders at Lake Vyrnwy, been to school in Shrewsbury and through my work as the neighbouring MP, I know North Shropshire very well. 

“I will continue to represent Clwyd South as the MP and then look forward to being the Conservative candidate at the next general election for North Shropshire.”

Sale of popular field sparks concern on social media

* One of the agents' pictures of the field which is up for sale.

The proposed sale of a popular field close to the town has caused concern amongst local people on social media.

A post appeared last Saturday revealing that agents J.J Dell & Co of Oswestry were offering “a very rare opportunity to acquire approximately one acre or thereabouts of pasture land with road frontage situated in the town of Llangollen."

Comments about this on Facebook have identified the plot as what is known locally as Sara’s Field or Cae Hir.

The agents’ description says there is a public footpath running the full length of the land, which is being sold freehold with vacant possession through informal tender.

It goes on: “Use of land is restricted to pasture. Clawback – there is an expired Planning Permission to develop for housing. If development shall become possible within the next 20 years the purchaser will be obliged to pay a quarter of the increase in value to the seller.”

Another Facebook post giving background on the field quotes an article from the Daily Post, originally published in 2005, which says: “An action group yesterday called for the public to come up with memories of a field to save it from developers' bulldozers.

“Cae Hir, a long narrow field which overlooks the town of Llangollen, was left for the use of local people by writer Sara Pugh Jones.

“Plans to build houses on it have been thrown out, but the Cae Hir Action Group fears there could be an appeal.

“John Fowles, a member of the action group, said: ‘Before Sarah Pugh Jones died, she tried to ensure that the field would be kept for pastoral purposes. She offered it to the National Trust and to the then Llangollen Council, but they were not prepared to take it on.

"’She then left it to three local men, with a covenant that it should not be built on. The field has, however, been sold and the new owner wants to build houses on it.’”

A number of those who commented on Saturday’s post were opposed to any development of the field.

One said: “No more houses please,” and another, “they might as well take all the beauty of our fantastic town,” while another asked, “could a village green application be put on it?”

There was also talk of an action group being set up to purchase the field to save it from any future development, with one suggestion of a Just Giving page being set up to finance this.

Roadworks alerts from one.network and council

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Willow Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 26 July - 27 July   Roadworks, Delays possible   Traffic management: Traffic control (two-way signals)   Description: TM PURPOSES ONLY. POLE IN PRIVATE   Works location: WILLOW STREET OUTSIDE 5   Public facing description: one.network has automatically assigned a category of Unclassified works to this Works based on the information available. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Openreach.   Responsibility for works: Openreach   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: BC006MQONSAWN0KFWF3M348Y   Aber Adda, Llangollen, Denbighshire 26 July - 27 July   Roadworks, Delays unlikely   Traffic management: Some carriageway incursion   Description: MJ QUINN TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING:: RENEW JOINT BOX FRAME AND COVER FOOTWAY   Works location: OPPOSITE ADJACENT BELLA VISTA ABER ADDA   Public facing description: one.network has automatically assigned a category of Unclassified works to this Works based on the information available. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Openreach.   Responsibility for works: Openreach   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: BC006MQONSAWN0POWF2T724G  * Local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is: A542 Abbey Road ABBEY ROAD until 30/09/2023 Ailwynebu/ Resurfacing DCC WORKS UNIT 10 mya/10 mph Convoy  PENGWERN COMMUNITY CENTRE CAR PARK LINK ROAD BETWEEN PENGWERN AND MAES PENGWERN 01/08/2023 03/08/2023 Gwaith Trydanol / Electrical Works O'CONNOR UTILITIES Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure  OPPOSITE BUILDING KNOWN AS GLAN YR AFON BROOK STREET 21/08/2023 25/08/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure.

Judy to run half-marathon at 78 in memory of friend Sandra Woodhall

 

* Judy Smith, right, with her friend Sandra Woodhall at an event celebrating the success of the Llangollen Round Challenge last year.

A friend and fellow organiser of the hugely successful Llangollen Round Challenge is planning to run a half-marathon in memory of Sandra Woodhall who died last month.

At the age of 78, Judy Smith has registered to take part in this September’s Great North Run, tackling the 13-mile course to boost funds for Cancer Research UK, the charity for which the Llangollen Round has already raised many thousands of pounds since it began in 2012.   

The Challenge was set up by Sandra and Judy and other members of the Llangollen Ramblers group and is based roughly on the Alpine Walk Tour of Mont Blanc.

The amount it has raised for Cancer Research UK has climbed steadily from £33,000 to over £120,000 the last time it was run in 2022.

Judy said: “On September 10th I shall be running the Great North Run half-marathon, raising funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of Sandra Woodhall, who sadly died in June. 

“So many local people knew her, both as a most diligent local vet, and as a great friend. 

“She herself was passionate about Cancer Research UK, being chairman of the local committee, and in her lifetime raising more than half a million pounds for that charity.”

She added: “I’m not exactly a spring chicken – OK, I’m 78 - so that 13-mile run won’t be easy, but I wanted to do this as a tribute to her. 

“Several of the establishments around town have boxes where people can donate, including Dee Valley Vets, Pro-Adventure, Leisure Centre and the Ponderosa Cafe, or you can donate through my online Just Giving page at: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/judys-giving-page-109/

“Cancer Research UK will be very grateful for any donation you can make in Sandra’s memory.” 

* To contact Judy about her half-marathon challenge, call 01978 869364 or 07905 330788, or email: smithdinbren@gmail.com

Team looking for aspiring film-makers to help with short movie

The county council’s Working Denbighshire team are looking for aspiring film-makers in the area to help with creating a new short film which will celebrate the people they support and the work of the organisation. 

No previous experience is needed, and professional filming and editing equipment will be available to use during shooting thanks to arts and media charity, TAPE. 

Beginning on the July 25 five dedicated days are planned, which will be solely focused on both the creation of ideas, filming, and editing. The days will be divided up as follows: 

* July 25 – Decide what stories you want to tell and how the stories will look and sound. 

* August 8 and 9 – These are the production days, with filming on location and interview filming taking place. 

* August 15 and 16 – These days will be dedicated to editing and adding the finishing touches to the film. 

The film will later be used in Working Denbighshire’s promotional materials going forward. 

Steve Swindon, Founder and Creative Director at TAPE, said: “TAPE is excited to be involved in this project. We know how getting involved with something like this can be really positive for young people and lead on to other exciting opportunities in the film and creative industries."

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for any aspiring filmmakers to come and share their ideas and get the chance to use both professional filming and editing equipment for free."

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 get involved in the film, contact workingdenbighshire@denbighshire.gov.uk or call 01745 331438.

Latest Citizens Advice column

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Q: I bought a pram for £400 online, but it never arrived. At checkout it said delivery would take 3-5 working days, but I never received any tracking information. I chased the seller and they said they’d speak to the delivery company, but now when I try to phone them my call goes straight to voicemail. I’ve had no response to emails either. The website I bought it through looked legitimate but now I’ve seen people posting on review sites about products that never arrived and some are saying this is a bogus seller. Have I been scammed and if so, what can I do? 

This sounds like a very frustrating situation, and unfortunately scammers are always finding more sophisticated ways to trick shoppers, including having very legitimate-looking websites. 

From your letter, there are signs it could be a scam. We’ve detailed information on our website about how to spot the signs of a scam that you might find useful to check. 

As you’ve already parted with your money, the first step is to contact your bank immediately to let them know you think you’ve been scammed. 

In terms of getting your money back, a lot depends on how you paid. We have full details on our website on the routes you can take. For example, if you paid by debit card, your card provider can ask the seller’s bank to refund the money. This is known as the ‘chargeback scheme’. If you paid by credit card and the item cost more than £100 but less than £30,000 you might be able to claim under the Consumer Credit Act. This is known as a ‘Section 75 claim’. Under £100 on credit card you can’t use Section 75, but you can use chargeback. 

It’s always a good idea to report a scam, even if you haven’t got your money back yet. You can do this by contacting Action Fraud. 

It’s also worth knowing your rights as a consumer in case the seller does get back in contact and turns out not to be a scammer. If something you ordered hasn’t arrived, it’s the seller’s responsibility to get the item to you. So if they say they don’t know where the pram is, you can ask for a redelivery or, depending on how long you’ve waited for a delivery, you may be able to get a refund from the seller. We have advice on our website about how to do this. 

It’s also worth knowing that if a trader, having taken your money, refuses to deliver an item, Trading Standards may be able to investigate them. 

For more advice on dealing with suspected scams or problems with traders, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline 0808 223 1133 or talk to an adviser online through the Citizens Advice website. Many people may need emotional support after falling victim to a scam, and we have advice on our website about how to get this too. 

Citizens Advice runs Scams Awareness campaigns aiming to: give people skills to identify scams; encourage people to share their experiences with scams; help people gain the confidence to report scams. The campaign is led by Citizens Advice in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP).

Dairy farm may be looking for a sign

* The sign fixed to an old gate in the canal. 

Llandyn Organic Farm may be looking for a sign at the moment ... quite literally.

But if the owners of the dairy business based at Llandyn Holiday Park just outside Llangollen care to look in the canal not far from their base near the main A539 road they should be able to spot it.

Llanblogger was up on the canal this morning and saw the sign hanging from a rusty gate and dipping down into the water.   

How it got there is anyone's guess but we have alerted the farm to the sign's location from where they should be able to retrieve it. 

MP urges people to nominate local heroes for Welsh national awards

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has called for people in his constituency to nominate candidates for the 2024 St David Awards. 

The awards celebrate those who give back to their communities, who are contributing towards civic life and ensuring Wales is a better place to live. They serve as the national awards for Wales. 

Members of the public can nominate people for nine different categories, which are:

1. Business
2. Bravery
3. Community Spirit
4. Critical Worker (Key Worker)
5. Culture
6. Environment
7. Innovation, Science and Technology
8. Sport
9. Young Person

The deadline for nominations is October 19. 

Three finalists in each category will be announced by judges on February 22, with those who reach this stage invited to the award ceremony itself later in the year. 

People in Clwyd South can nominate those they believe worthy of consideration via the following website: https://www.gov.wales/st-david-awards/nominate

Mr Baynes said: “The St David Awards are a fantastic way of recognising and celebrating those who contribute to civic life in Wales. 

"As MP for Clwyd South, I am always keen to highlight my constituents who go above and beyond in their contribution to our communities and these Awards are a great way to do that. If anyone wishes to nominate a resident of Clwyd South for this prestigious award, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.”

Pengwern Hub's summer events programme

Summer holiday events planned for the Pengwern Community Hub are:

You can give blood at the Pavilion next Wednesday

 

Did you know that only three per cent of the eligible population in Wales give blood? 

The next session is at Llangollen Pavilion on Wednesday July 26. 

To book an appointment go to https://wbs.wales/LlangollenPavilion

Food Share gives support to children during summer holidays

Just over a week ago the Welsh Government announced that it would be stopping the support for children who have free school meals during school holidays. 

As a result, Llangollen Food Share is starting a new service to help parents to provide lunch for their children.

The circular above has been sent out to all pupils in the three Llangollen schools.

It says: "Free school meals support for families during school holidays has just been withdrawn by the Welsh Government, but don’t worry!

"The Llangollen Food Share have decided to help local families with free food packs for children. You can pick up your free packs for children on Monday or Thursday from 9am-11am at our centre until the end of the holidays. 

"Please help us to avoid food waste by contacting us beforehand to let us know what you need.

"Llangollen Food Share Hub is at the town end of the main Market Street Car Park in Llangollen. Call or text: 07538 894 449, email llangollenfoodshare@gmail.com , Facebook:/Llangollenfoodshare/ If you are unable to get to our centre – give us a call. In some circumstances our volunteers may be able to deliver to your door."

County councillor to hold 'surgery' sessions at Town Hall

 

Council teams with police to control Llangollen summer parking

Council and police officers are working together to manage parking at Llangollen’s Horseshoe falls and the surrounding area this summer season. 

Denbighshire County Council and North Wales Police are urging visitors to the hotspot to park responsibly this summer and consider planning ahead to visit other attractions that are available across the Dee Valley if the area is busy. 

The council has made a number of preparations already to manage an increase in visitors. 

Extra countryside rangers are in place to manage the area and provide support and information for visitors. 

Civil enforcement officers are also monitoring the site and surrounding area, especially at predicated peak busy time. 

Work has also been carried out to add fencing to the car park entrance. The new fencing is similar to what is already found on the surrounding estate and is designed to stop parking on the grass verges which can obstruct other traffic. 

Awareness signs advising drivers to park responsibly will also be placed on the site. 

Visitors coming into the area on a Saturday can now use the Dee Valley Picturesque Bus which provides a circular route running every Saturday until November 4 2023, linking Llangollen and the surrounding villages to Horseshoe Falls and popular local attractions including Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wenffrwd Nature Reserve, Valle Crucis Abbey, Plas Newydd Historic House and the Horseshoe Pass. 

The service will enable visitors and residents to visit and explore these locations without the need of having to constantly find car parking spaces at the sites. 

Stops include Llangollen Pavilion where there is ample parking to leave vehicles for the day. 

Councillor Win Mullen James, Denbighshire Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “We want people to enjoy the great attractions Llangollen and the surrounding areas have to offer but would remind them that parking restrictions are important for both road safety and ensuring there is a fair turnover of parking spaces. Anyone not complying with parking restrictions risk receiving a Penalty Charge Notice from civil enforcement officers.

“Our rangers are working every weekend at Horseshoe Falls to provide advice and guidance to visitors coming to the site and I would ask that the public also respect the role they are there to carry out. 

“Please plan your day in advance, use facilities such as the Dee Valley bus to travel on which will save parking spaces and make sure you have other options planned for visiting and parking if you cannot stop at your first choice of venue as the area has plenty of attractions to visit. 

“The Dee Valley also has a rich area of attractions to visit, from Llangollen right up to Corwen. I would urge visitors to plan ahead and consider all options so if the falls are busy you will not be disappointed on your day out.” 

District police Inspector Laura Salisbury-Jones said: “We will continue to work closely with Denbighshire County Council, and any danger caused by vehicles will be dealt with robustly.”

Llangollen's new park run gets glowing review from national body

 

* Run Wales's Joie Rhisiart, left, with members of the Llangollen Park Run team.

Llangollen’s new weekly Park Run has had a glowing review from a representative of national community running organisation Run Wales.

Josie Rhisiart  tagged along with a large group who took part in the fifth Saturday morning run recently.

Her visit was part of the Celebration Relay which provides all Run Wales-registered groups with the opportunity to showcase themselves, share information about their activities and encourage more people to take part in social running outside of their regular weekly park run.

In an article in the Run Wales online newsletter she wrote: “The car park in town was buzzing with park runners excitedly chatting about the event, queuing for the public loos and asking if anyone knew where the start was – it was clear that it was going to be another busy morning with visitors!

“A t 9am we shuffled along the old railway trail, with the River Dee on our right and off we went on the 5th park run event in Llangollen, which is a very pretty (and flat) out and back with one section which is repeated again towards the end of the 5k. 

“The scenery at Old Railway Trail Llangollen parkrun is a lovely mix of woodland and open spaces with far-reaching views – if you take notice, you’ll see Castell Dinas Brân high on the hill too.

“This week, the volunteer team welcomed 6 people to park run for their very first park run experience, and 9 who had been once before and come back for a second time today. Welcome to the park run family.

“Today’s most experienced park runner was James Barber of Shropshire Shufflers, who, as a member of the esteemed ‘500 Club’, chalked up his 534th park run this morning in Llangollen. An additional 19 of today’s park runners were members of the 250 Club, so there was experience galore here today.”

She went on: “Llangollen’s Old Railway Trail park run promises to be a popular destination for park run enthusiasts from near and far. Its accessibility and captivating scenery are sure to attract visitors throughout the year.  

“Old Railway Trail Llangollen, park run started on 17th June 2023. Since then 765 participants have completed 888 parkruns covering a total distance of 4,440 km, including 60 new Personal Bests. A total of 65 individuals have volunteered 96 times.”

County cabinet agrees big tax rises for second and empty homes

Denbighshire looks likely to go ahead with major increases to council tax premiums on long-term empty and second homes. 

At its meeting earlier today the county council’s cabinet unanimously recommended increasing the charges to 100% from April 2024, then 150% from April 2025. 

The proposal will now go before the full council for final approval in September. 

Denbighshire recently held a public consultation on increasing the tax premiums on long term-empty homes and second homes.  

The council says results showed the majority of respondents who live in Denbighshire felt there was a need for an increase in the charges for both categories of homes. 

Owners of these homes did not generally support the proposals, although there was slightly more support for a charge for long-term empty properties. 

The results were included in a report that was presented to the cabinet today, where members recommended that officers proceed with the next steps to take forward the proposals by taking a report to full council in September. 

The proposals support the council’s Corporate Plan which aims to encourage home owners not to leave their properties empty and bring them back into use for the benefit of local Denbighshire communities and also their economies. 

Although the Welsh Government has given powers for increases up to 300%, the proposals which will now go forward for consideration by full council are: 

•  Second home and long term empty premium charge will remain at 50% for April 2023 then increase to 100% from April 2024 then 150% from April 2025. 

•  Those properties that have been unoccupied and unfurnished for five years or more will pay a higher premium at 50% more than the standard premium. 

Cllr Rhys Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said: “We are fully aware of how much housing is needed in our local communities to support families who want to stay in the county and thus contribute to the local economies promoting growth and support for local culture. 

“This scheme will help encourage these empty properties to become available again for local residents who will in turn add to sustaining and improving our county’s economic health.”

Silver Band to play in Centenary Square on Friday evening

 

llanblogger looks into enforcement of new 20mph speed limit

llanblogger special report

* The 20mph speed limit will soon be imposed on roads across Wales.

The new 20mph speed limit on roads across Wales currently 30mph is now just weeks away from being applied but a question hangs over how the new reduced limit will be enforced in this area.

A briefing paper sent out by their officers to county councillors in Denbighshire says they believe Go Safe – the agency which enforces speed limits on behalf of North Wales Police – has no current plans to increase its resources.

And a Llangollen county councillor agrees that the ability to police to the 20 limit is “questionable”.

The Welsh Government in association with the county council and the North and Mid-Wales Trunk Road Agent recently held a number of consultation sessions to brief the public about the change from 30 to 20mph at which they sought feedback from those who attended.

Llanblogger went along to one of two sessions at the Town Hall last week specifically to pose the question of local enforcement.

Concerned, like a number of other residents, about the routine flouting of the 30mph limit outside homes and businesses along Regent Street (A5), llanblogger posed the question: if the present 30mph is not adequately policed on this stretch what hope is there that a 20mph limit can be enforced?

A Welsh Government official was unable to give a definitive answer and asked llanblogger to fill in a reply slip with my query which he said would be passed on to the appropriate place, which was done.

The councillors’ briefing document says of enforcement: “There will be no changes in regard to responsibility for speed enforcement following the introduction of the default 20 mph speed limit.

“In other words, Go Safe and North Wales Police will continue to have responsibility for speed enforcement.

“Our understanding is that there are no current plans for Go Safe to increase their enforcement resources such as camera vans, as a result of the 20 mph introduction.

“So, enforcement will continue to be prioritised for those locations where risk is considered to be highest i.e. locations where there is already a history of speed-related collisions, or locations where there aren’t any collisions but vehicle speeds significantly exceed the posted speed limit.”

There have indeed been no speed-related collisions on the Regent Street stretch of the A5 in recent years but llanblogger suggests this is a matter of luck rather than any noticeable enforcement at all of the current 30mph speed limit.

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards, who allowed llanblogger to have sight of the Denbighshire briefing document said: “It appears that no new extra resources will be available to enforce the new 20mph limit, not just on the A5 in Regent Street but elsewhere in the county.”

What the briefing document says generally about the new limit:

"The default speed limit in towns, villages and cities is currently 30 mph. On the 17^th September 2023, this default speed limit will change across the whole of Wales from 30 mph to 20mph.

This change to the default speed limit is happening because the Welsh Government (WG) are changing the legislation that relates to speed limits in Wales. They are making this change for the purposes of making roads safer; to encourage more walking and cycling; and to make neighbourhoods more pleasant places in which to live.

This change will affect roads in cities, towns and villages which have street lighting and which are currently 30 mph. In other words, this will apply to the vast majority of the roads in our towns, cities and villages. However, speed limits outside of these areas will remain the same as they are now. In other words, if the speed limit on a road is currently set at 40 mph, then it will stay as 40 mph.

It also will not change our existing 20 mph speed limits. In other words, this isn’t an initiative to make all speed limits 10 mph less than they are at present.

As well as the Traffic Order related work, there is a significant amount of work currently being undertaken to make changes to existing speed limit signs and related road markings. For example, most of the existing speed limit signs at the entrance points to our towns and villages will need to be replaced by signs saying “20”. This equates to approximately 500 signs in 250 locations. This work has been split into three separate contracts for local contractors.

The approach that Denbighshire and other Welsh Councils are taking is to replace our existing 30 mph signs with signs that say “20” but have a temporary vinyl sticker with the number “3” over the number “2”. These temporary vinyl stickers can then be quickly removed once the default 20 mph speed limit comes into force on the 17^th September.

All costs associated with the 20 mph speed limit, including officer time, signage and road marking work, legal orders and advertising are being fully-funded by a grant from the Welsh Government."

* The council website has been updated to provide a page about the 20 mph speed limit. Here is a link to the webpage: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/parking-roads-and-travel/road-safety/20mph.aspx

Air ambulance called to collision on the Gwernant

* A picture of the scene used by courtesy of Matthew Jordan Hughes.

Emergency services were called to a road traffic collision on the Gwernant earlier this evening (Monday).

Road ambulances were seen speeding along the A5 towards the scene just after 7pm and soon afterwards a bright yellow air ambulance also headed for the area and is believed to have landed in a nearby field.

Matthew Jordan Hughes, who has allowed llanblogger to use his picture of the incident, said on Facebook: "Everyone avoid the Gwernant either way not passable.

"Accident by the bottom police fire engine etc all there now. Hopefully everyone involved is okay."

* The air ambulance heading towards the collision scene.

Council alert about emergency closure of Hill Street

The county council has this evening (Monday) sent out a warning about the emergency closure of a local street.

It says: "Hill Street, Llangollen, has been closed by Hafren Dyfrdwy, to facilitate urgent repairs to a defect manhole cover."

 

Care home residents visited by special animal friends

The Leader is reporting how residents of a Llangollen Care Home experienced a very special visit from some furry (and not so furry) friends.

* For the full story, see: Llangollen Care Home residents welcome furry friends | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)

Ruthin Road, Wrexham closed after police incident

 

On their Facebook page this morning (Monday) North Wales say that North Wales Police are reporting: 

ROAD CLOSURE, Ruthin Road Wrexham, from the Junction of Croesnewydd road to junction of Victoria road. Emergency services at scene, road is likely to be closed for some time.

Corwen benefits from a Levelling Up facelift

* The new Corwen station is part of the town's Levelling Up facelift.

Significant developments are taking place in Corwen town centre as a result of substantial investment from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund (LUF).

During the first round of LUF, Denbighshire County Council was successful in its joint application with Wrexham County Borough Council for the Clwyd South Constituency, which was supported by Simon Baynes MP. Denbighshire secured £3.8 million to invest in the communities of Llangollen, Llantysilio, Corwen and surrounding areas.

Following the LUF investment towards the completion of the new Corwen heritage railway station, two further projects are due to commence soon in Corwen with the aim of rejuvenating the surrounding highway area of the high street and improving town centre infrastructure.

The Council will manage a project to improve the highway and public realm within the town centre and has recently contracted Tom James Construction Services Ltd. to undertake the works, which will be completed in two phases.

The first phase of work started on Monday July 3 for two weeks on the Corwen highway improvement scheme. The scheme involves a number of improvements on the A5, surrounding high street and Green Lane car park.

There will be temporary traffic signals on the A5 and Green Lane during new pavement works and temporary pedestrian crossings will also be used to minimise disruption.

The public realm improvements will consist of a general freshen up of the current paving slabs, replacement of broken street furniture and painting of signs and metal work. There will also be installation of bollards, bins and a pedestrian guardrail as well as creating a designated area within the high street for a Christmas tree to be erected each year. This is scheduled to begin on Monday, September 4 for up to six weeks.

As part of these town centre improvements, Cadwyn Adfywio will be undertaking an external refurbishment project to preserve Canolfan Llys Owain (former HSBC bank) on the high street. This is expected to include new replacement windows, guttering and rendering. The project will improve the visual appearance of a key heritage building and safeguard it for ongoing use by the community.

The external improvements to Canolfan Llys Owain are due to start towards the end of summer 2023.

Cllr Jason McLellan, Council Leader and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation said: “We are delighted to be moving forward with these projects to help improve town centre infrastructure in Corwen. The Council will work closely with local businesses and residents throughout this process to ensure disruption is minimised and any concerns or issues are identified and addressed as soon as possible throughout the duration of the works.

“We hope that this investment in the area will help to address the needs of both residents and visitors in the South of Denbighshire.”

* You can find more information about the Levelling up Fund in Denbighshire on the Denbighshire County Council website: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/community-and-living/community-development/levelling-up-fund/levelling-up-fund-luf.aspx