County agrees 1.5% council tax rise

Councillors in Denbighshire have approved an increase of 1.5% in council tax for the 2016/17 financial year – one of the lowest increases in the whole of Wales.

They agreed the level of tax as part of a discussion on the budget. 

It has already identified £5. 2 million savings for the 2016/17 financial year and no further cuts are required at this stage.

 

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: “The Cabinet had recommended the 1.5% increase to Full Council and this has been ratified by councillors.

 

“The council is delighted to have kept the increase in council tax to this level.   The financial settlement announced by the Welsh Government in December 2015 was much better than expected and this has meant that we were in a position to keep the increase as low as we possibly could. 

 

“Residents in Denbighshire have also told us they want to see this happen and we are pleased to be in a position to respond positively to this.

 

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, said: “Now that we have agreed on the council tax increase, the next step is to formally approve the council tax levels for the coming year.

 

"The proposed budget takes into account an increase in funding to schools to meet the national level of protection and to set aside £480,000 to mitigate the risks to the delivery of this budget.

 

“The council has worked hard over recent years to be more efficient and effective in the way that it works, whilst identifying cuts that have the lowest possible effect on frontline services provided to the public."

 

The discussion to formalise council tax levels for 2016/17 will take place at the full council meeting being held at County Hall on Tuesday, February 26, at 10am.  

Ysgol Bryn Collen delighted with Estyn report

 

* Delighted pupils from Ysgol Bryn Collen, Llangollen

give the thumbs up to their successful Estyn report.

 

Staff, governors and pupils have been commenting on Ysgol Bryn Collen's latest report from Estyn Inspectors in which the school wins high praise.

 

Some key highlights from the inspection, carried out in November 2015, shows that pupils respond eagerly in lessons, have imaginative learning experiences and have a well-developed understanding of how to make progress. The school’s leadership team has been praised for their commitment to raising standards and improving pupils’ learning opportunities for the future.

 

The school’s prospects for the future are said to be good and with the continued rigorous process of self-evaluation by the headteacher and senior leaders, and Estyn Inspectors believe this will lead to measurable improvements.

 

Chair of Governors, Dr Janet Knight said: “The Estyn Inspection team has clearly been impressed with the hard work and commitment that has brought us on this stage of our journey so far. 

 

"We are absolutely thrilled that everyone from the teaching and support staff, pupils and parents has contributed to this wonderful achievement. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their commitment and dedication.

 

“We will now be building on these improvements based on the inspector’s recommendations. The governors will be working closely with the headteacher and his team to continue to improve."

 

Headteacher David Coffey said: “We are extremely pleased with the conclusions of the Estyn Inspectors which reflects the dedication of our entire school community.

 

“Here at Ysgol Bryn Collen we put our pupils’ learning at the core of everything we do. We continue to make every effort to ensure that every child is supported to meet their potential whatever their individual needs, so that they can enjoy everything that our positive and happy school environment has to offer.”

 

Mr Coffey said he would now be going through the report in detail and take on board the recommendations of the inspectors, including putting plans in place to focus on those currently in receipt of free school meals, improve the accuracy and presentation of pupils’ writing at Key Stage 2, develop opportunities for foundation phase pupils and lead all teachers to provide high level of challenge for pupils of all abilities.

 

Members of the student council, Alfie and Georgina, said:  "We are proud of what the inspectors have said about our school. Our school is full of enthusiastic pupils who enjoy working hard and by working together we can make our school even better."

Cost of policing rises by 9p a week

The cost of policing North Wales is going up by just 9p a week for the average householder.
 

The two per cent increase asked for by North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick (pictured) was agreed earlier this week by the North Wales Police and Crime Panel.

 

It amounts to a rise of £4.68 a year a Band D property which will now pay £240.12 for annual policing.

 

It comes despite over £24 million in cuts to the North Wales Police budget over the past five years and with the prospect of £7.3 million in cuts to come over the next four years.
 

The meeting also heard that planned cutbacks to the number of Police Community Support Officers had been put on hold.
 

According to Cllr Philip Evans JP, a member of Conwy County Borough Council, what the commissioner had achieved in the face of cutbacks was "miraculous".
 

He said: "Winston deserves full marks. The increase is commendable considering the circumstances."
 

Mr Roddick welcomed the spending review by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osbourne, which ruled out further cuts to the policing budget this year but he added that North Wales Police still faced a very challenging financial climate.
 

He said: “I believe that our budget once again balances financial prudence and enabling North Wales Police to keep North Wales a safe place to live, work and visit.
 

“It means that working in effective partnership has become even more important and has a high priority in my revised police and crime plan on which the precept is based.
 

“That is not only to assist North Wales Police and its partners in overcoming our financial challenges but also in delivering my other three priorities, preventing crime and anti-social behaviour, delivering an effective response and reducing harm and the risk of harm.
 

“Working in partnership enables responses to be more effective and lasting in their benefit to the community than they otherwise would be. It also reduces demand and increases the capacity of frontline staff.
 

“We must meet the challenges of the growing demands on policing which now include child sexual exploitation and cyber crime while the most recent terrorist attacks in Paris and elsewhere mean that a region with a major port also has heightened anti-terrorism responsibilities.
 

"It is also vital that we respond appropriately and factor in future cutbacks amounting to over £7 million over the next four years.
 

“When taking into account the £24m of savings already made, a further minimum saving of £7m represents a very significant challenge and one which will lead to changes in the way policing is carried out in North Wales.
 

“We have made the decision not to draw upon our reserves because of the need to safeguard future policing by investing in much-needed new police stations at Wrexham and Llandudno and by continued recruiting to maintain front line numbers which would otherwise be reduced by retirements.
 

"As a result I am satisfied we will be able to police North Wales effectively although it will be a greater challenge.
 

"In future we will need to achieve even greater value for money and there is more work to be done in terms of collaborating more with other forces to ensure we make the best use of the resources at our disposal.
 

“The latest cuts do not include a reduction in Police Community Service Officers as was originally anticipated and this increase of two per cent does give North Wales Police the balance between protecting the service and affordability.
 

“I have held discussions with the Chief Constable who has confirmed that the increase provides a budget to enable the operational delivery of the policing service in 2016/17.”

 

 

Forum to discuss county's tourism priorities

The priorities for Denbighshire as a tourist destination will be high on the agenda of the county’s  next Tourism Forum meeting, taking place in early March.

 

The Denbighshire Tourism Forum meeting at the Oriel House Hotel, St Asaph on Thursday, March 3 will allow tourism businesses to agree the priorities for Denbighshire’s Destination Management Action Plan in 2016-17.

 

The forum’s guest speaker will be Melanie Sensicle, Programme Delivery Director, Northern Tourism Growth Fund, VisitEngland.

 

There will also be an opportunity to update delegates on tourism-related activity since the previous Forum held in October.

 

* To book a place at the Fourm, please e-mail: tourism@denbighshire.gov.uk or telephone 01824 706223 by February 11^th, together with details of any dietary or access requirements.

 

Registration for the event will take place from 10.30am ~ Forum starts at 11am ~ Lunch and networking at 1.30pm.

Falklands veteran on mission to sell North Wales

 

* Jim Jones, with Llandudno in the background, is now managing director of North Wales Tourism. 

A Falklands veteran with years of experience with local authorities is on a new mission to sell North Wales to the world.

Jim Jones spent eight years with the Welsh Guards and was badly burnt during the Falklands War. 

After leaving the forces he worked in local government - eventually heading up the tourism and communities department at Conwy Council.

Now he has taken the role as managing director of North Wales Tourism, the largest destination management organisation in Wales.

Talking about his career, Jim, 51, originally from Llandudno, said: “From a very young age, when I was a member of the army cadets in Llandudno, I wanted to join the military.

“I was proud to eventually serve for eight years in the Welsh Guards and, amongst other places across the world, I served in the Falklands where I was involved in the war with Argentina in 1982.

“I was one of the Welsh Guardsmen aboard the landing ship Sir Galahad when it was bombed by the Argentines.

“I was quite badly burned.

“After recovering from this injury I continued to serve with the regiment but after being hurt again during a training exercise, I left the army.

“I spent many years working for local authorities.

“I am passionate about caring for the community I live and work in, which led me to working with local authorities.

"I became Head of Strategy, Performance and Projects for the London Borough of Redbridge and after 18 months in that job I came back to North Wales and spent eight years heading up the tourism and communities department at Conwy Council.

“I learned then the tourism adage that ‘if it’s a great place to live then it’s a great place to visit’.”

He said leaving the authority was a tough decision.

“I loved my job with Conwy Council because I love working for the community, so it had to be something pretty special to prise me away from that – and the job I have now,” said Jim.

“As managing director my overall role and aim is to put North Wales firmly on the tourism map, both nationally and internationally.

“North Wales Tourism is a movement of like-minded people in the tourism business who see the benefits of belonging to a regional brand, which is North Wales.

“Ours is an organisation that is not supported by any government money and is run for the benefit of its members.”

He added: “Our membership is currently 1,000-plus, and growing, and members come from all sectors of the tourism trade, including hoteliers, attraction providers and many others.

“Some have been with the organisation for 20-odd years.

“My average day is spent engaging with tourism businesses, putting together marketing packages and generally representing North Wales Tourism to other organisations.

“I like to say that if you give me just five minutes in a room with someone I can sell North Wales to them.

“My mission over the next 12 months is to bring the tourism industry in North Wales together, so we can collectively promote North Wales’s spectacular beauty.

“We have diversity of landscape, heritage, culture and language, quality food and drink, fantastic accommodation, and the huge investment that is being put into our adventure and family attractions.

“These are putting us on the map as one of the best adventure tourism destinations in Europe.

“Another key project is the development of our North Wales Tourism Hospitality Academy.

“This academy will provide solid links between universities and colleges and the industry, to make sure we are equipping employees of the future with the skills they will need to meet the expectations of future visitors.”

The organisation is currently based in the West End of Colwyn Bay but is moving into new offices in the centre of the town to establish a North Wales Tourism HQ.

Jim said: “We have 20 staff but we are looking to increase our membership and expand our presence by opening more drop-in centres across the region.

“That could mean more job opportunities.”

He added: “We are the largest destination management organisation in Wales, we have been going for 25 years and have a membership that is growing. I think that makes us unique.”

Jim also paid tribute to his predecessor at the group.

He said: “Esther Roberts did a tremendous job in the 15 years she was with the organisation.”

Police looking for speed-gun volunteers

The word has gone out to members of the local Neighbourhood Watch that North Wales Police are looking for volunteers to help deter speeding motorists across the region.

Launched in time for National Road Safety Week, Community Speed Watch aims to educate drivers about the dangers of speeding, whilst addressing concerns of local residents about cars speeding through their neighbourhoods.

The initiative is a partnership approach between the community, the police and the local authorities which is already running successfully in other police force areas.

“Community Speed Watch gives local people the ability to actively get involved in road safety. It can be set up in any village, small town, or urban area, governed by either a 20, 30 or 40 miles per hour speed limit,” said Sergeant John Roberts from GoSafe, the Wales Road Casualty Reduction Partnership.

“Motorists who speed through residential neighbourhoods are very often unaware of the impact their actions have on local residents, or the danger they pose to other road users and pedestrians and this is something we are working with communities to address.”

Full training will be given and volunteers on the scheme will visit known speeding hotspots within their own communities and will use hand-held speed guns to capture the speeds of oncoming vehicles.

Details of those vehicles will be collated and relayed back to North Wales Police, who then issue a letter to the owners warning them that they have been spotted.

Persistent offenders will receive up to two warning letters, and on a third occasion, offenders can expect further action by police.

Sgt Roberts added: “We are looking for local residents, who are willing to volunteer a small amount of time each week to monitor speeds with speed detection equipment.

“If you have good communication and interpersonal skills then we’d love to hear from you. Equally you will also benefit by gaining experience of liaising with a variety of individuals and you’ll have a raised awareness and insight into the work of the police.

“Our aim is to spread the message that our community simply won’t stand for speeding motorists and hopefully, together, we can bring down the average speed of cars on our roads.”

* For more details,  contact the North Wales Police Recruitment Department via 01492 804699, or e-mail CSW@nthwales.pnn.police.uk.

Further information including the application form and post profile is available via the North Wales Police website www.north-wales.police.uk

Gala dinner supports air ambulance

* The Chain Bridge Hotel, scene of the February 27 gala dinner.

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Wales Air Ambulance a gala dinner will be held at the Chain Bridge Hotel in Llangollen on Saturday February 27, starting at 7pm.

The evening, hosted by supporter Ron Hughes, will feature a speaker, musical entertainment and a raffle with all proceeds going to the Air Ambulance.

Tickets, priced at £30, are available by emailing the host at rontacv@gmail.com,or calling 07780 668781.