Residents have their say on county priorities

A total of 177 Denbighshire residents have signed up to work with the county council and be part of a new citizens panel having their voices heard on some key topical issues.

In late 2016 the council asked for views on its draft aspirations through the County Conversation debate.

The council also took the opportunity to ask people whether they would like to get involved in the citizens panel.

1,526 responses were received as part of the debate through online surveys, face to face discussions and over the phone.  Those aspirations were then ranked in order of importance to residents:

•        Denbighshire is a place where younger people will want to live and work and they have the skills to do so

•        Communities are connected and have access to goods and services locally, online or through good transport links

•        There is an attractive and protected environment that supports communities’ wellbeing and economic prosperity.

•        People can live independent and fulfilled lives in strong, caring, safe and resilient communities

•        The Council and communities work together to overcome challenges; devising and delivering joint solutions

•        There are events that bring people together, creating active communities and helping business to prosper

These draft priorities will be discussed by the council after the elections. 

The next round of the County Conversation campaign will see a series of drop-in sessions in June to help shape these draft priorities further.  Details will be publicised nearer the time.

Dr Mohammed Mehmet, Denbighshire’s Chief Executive, said: “We were delighted with the participation in our County Conversation around the draft aspirations and the range of feedback we received. Involving Denbighshire residents at an early stage was crucial, to make sure we were on the right lines in terms of what’s important to ensure healthy, safe and vibrant communities. There was clearly a lot of support for our draft priorities.

“We will be providing all of this information to the new Council and a final decision on the priorities will be made later this year. We have also made a firm commitment to keeping our residents informed on progress with our priorities.

“Many respondents from different parts of the county  also said they wanted to be involved in our Citizen’s Panel. This is a great opportunity to work with us and help shape the future direction of the council. 

“They will also play an important role as a sounding board, providing a snapshot of public opinion on some of our most important issues. The Citizens Panel is expected to meet for the first time later this year."

Services charity receives £500 boost from Llangollen

Llangollen Town Mayor, Cllr Mike Adams, left, handed over a cheque for £500 to Squadron Leader Gordon Massey, Clwyd chairman of Armed Forces charity SSAFA, at the Town Hall.

The money came from the town's annual Festival of Remembrance last year via the Mayor's Charity Fund.

Nominations sought for county sports awards

* The 2016 sports awards winners.

The Denbighshire Community Sport Awards 2017 are now open for nominations.

Over the last five years the awards have recognised over 60 individuals, teams, schools and clubs for their dedication to local community grass root sport in the county.

There are also elite level athletes representing Wales and Team GB in their chosen sport from the local area who will continue to be rewarded.

All of the award finalists will go forward to the Sport Wales and BBC Wales sport personality awards held in Cardiff, where Denbighshire will be looking to add to its tally of eight finalists and six national winners in the past five years.

Nominees must live in Denbighshire or be affiliated to a Denbighshire club relevant to their nomination and have achieved their success in the last 12 months up to the application closing date which is Friday July 21 2017.

This year’s categories include sports performer, junior sports performer, coach of the year, team of the year, volunteer of the year, disability sport award, young inspiration award, lifetime achievement award and the Sport in School award.

An individual or team will also be chosen from all the previous category winners for their outstanding achievements/contributions to sport and will represent Denbighshire for the next year as Community Sport Ambassador 2017.

Jamie Groves, Head of Facilities, Assets and Housing said: “The Denbighshire community sport awards has helped recognise and share some amazing stories over the last few years.

“Each year there are new nominations from various sport clubs and schools throughout the county, and last year our panel found it difficult picking just 3 finalists for each category.

“This proves to us that the quality of sport in Denbighshire is very high and that there are plenty of opportunities for people to return to playing sport or to try a new sport as a beginner.

“This is all down to the army of selfless volunteers within our community clubs, so let us recognise this and celebrate community sport in Denbighshire again this year!”

Denbighshire Leisure services are also looking for suitable organisations which would like to link to their brand to the community sport awards as a category sponsor and a sponsorship package can be sent for more information.

* For more information on the awards and details on how to nominate or sponsor this year's event please visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/sportsawards.

FoE measures Llan traffic pollution levels

* FoE's findings for Llangollen.

Traffic pollution levels in parts of Llangollen are comparable to those found in major cities, according to environmental champions.  

In one location pollution is close to the legal limit, potentially putting at risk the health of residents, claims Friends of Earth's local group.

In January this year the group deployed five Nitrogen Dioxide measuring kits to measure this pollution for three weeks and they say the results were surprising.

The European Union has set a legal average annual limit for NO2 at 40µg/m3 (micrograms per cubic metre). But even at low levels, short term and long term exposure to NO2 can have significant negative health effects.

FoE says one of the measurement sites was found to be very close to the 40µg/m3 limit and that the levels displayed in Llangollen, especially those on the A539 Mill Street and by the A5/Castle Street traffic lights are comparable to those found in certain locations in major cities, such as Chester, the outskirts of Liverpool, Walsall and the dockland area of Cardiff.

* The table of results.

Group member Warren Davies said: "These readings were taken during January and February when the traffic is pretty quiet. If the rest of the year was taken into account, the average values could be much higher.

"There is a lot of talk about reducing emissions in London and in cities, but localised air pollution in our towns can be just as unhealthy.”

Nationally, outdoor air pollution is responsible for 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK, according to the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

NO2 is associated with vehicle traffic. Nationally Friends of the Earth is calling for restrictions of the dirtiest vehicles.

Locally, Llangollen & District Friends of the Earth are calling on local decision makers to consider their findings and to invest in schemes locally to reduce emissions by encouraging walking and cycling, and discouraging traffic-generating developments.

Long load passes through town

Traffic along the A5 in Llangollen was briefly held up around 11am this morning (Monday) to allow an abnormal load to pass through under police escort.

The load is believed to have been on route from Ruabon to Clocaenog. 

2017 Fringe festival programme unveiled

* Wilko Johnson (by Paul Crowther).

A disused factory could get all lit up to help illuminate this year’s 20^th anniversary Llangollen Fringe.

Professor Alec Shipley, head of the School of Creative Arts and professor of Contemporary Art Practice at Wrexham Glyndŵr University, has a special project in mind to mark the landmark occasion which means using the old Berwyn Works on the A5 through Llangollen as the base for a spectacular light show.

Prof Shipley was a guest at last Friday’s official launch of the festival at the White Water Hotel and explained that he was currently thinking of ways to create a light show based on the derelict building as a way of celebrating the Fringe’s anniversary.

He said: “I see the building as a kind of lantern and I’m looking at how to light it in a certain way.”

The professor told a large audience he also had in mind marking 20 years of the Fringe by staging another light show outside the Town Hall in Castle Street.

“I like to work with people, light and space and I have an idea of asking people to donate old teacups and saucers which could be turned into some sort of light fitting outside the Town Hall, perhaps a chandelier,” he added.

Highlights of the festival programme, which runs from July 13-23, include appearances by:

* CC Smugglers, a Bedfordshire sextet inspired by American and world folk, swing, jazz and blues on Friday July 14

* A full day festival of acoustic music, Fringe Acoustica, on July 15.

* Prolific activist, documentary maker and comedian Mark Thomas who will talk about his book 100 Acts of Minor Dissent on Sunday July 16.

* An evening in conversation with Guardian columnist, TV chef and austerity campaigner Jack Monroe on Tuesday July 18.

* The return to the Fringe of  singer, guitarist, songwriter and actor Wilko Johnson who is particularly associated with the pub rock/rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood in the 1970s. He will appear at the Pavilion on Wednesday July 19.

* Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Seth Lakeman on Thursday July 20.

* Kasai Masai, who specialise in vintage grooves from their native Congo, on Friday July 21.

* Band Pres Llareggub Brass Band, who evoke the flavours of New Orleans marching bands, Bronx-inspired hip hop and Welsh language pop music, on Saturday July 22.

* The anniversary finale concert comes when folk group 9Bach present an audio visual spectacular at Valle Crucis Abbey on Sunday July 23.

Apart from the concerts a Soul Train will run on Llangollen Railway and a Fringe jazz boat will set sail along the Llangollen Canal.

Also planned are drama in town pubs, a storytelling café,  a performance by local dramatist Peter Read, famous for his portrayal of Dylan Thomas, and an art competition based at Plas Newydd echoing the Fringe 2017 theme of Legends.

Llangollen’s New Dot community cinema group has teamed up with the Fringe for a special screening of the 80s film Sing Street on Thursday July 13.

For a limited period only Earlybird festival tickets are on sale, offering £160-£180 worth of concert admissions for £70.   

* For more Fringe information and tickets, go to: http://www.llangollenfringe.co.uk

Band joins school for successful spring concert

* Llangollen Silver Band play during the concert.

* Ysgol Bryn Collen's drama group on song during the evening.

Llangollen Silver Band teamed up with the drama group from Ysgol Bryn Collen for a successful spring concert at the Methodist Church last night (Saturday).

A large audience watched the band, including many younger musicians, play a varied programme interspersed with well received songs from the children.

The band got things underway with items including the quick march Death or Glory and continued with the cornet solo Share My Yoke and the three all-action Bond themes From Russia With Love, Goldfinger and You Only Live Twice.

First set from the school performers included a powerful version of If Only You Would Listen from the musical School of Rock.

The band came back with the spirited paso doble Ampirito Roca and The Prayer, made popular as a recording by Andre Bocelli and Celine Dion, before ending the first half of the evening with Singin’ in the Rain from the hit 1950s musical film.

St Collen’s opened the second half of the concert with another strong selection including My Favourite Things from the Sound of Music, Naughty from Matilda and Tomorrow from Annie.

The band returned to wind things up in style with Simple Gifts, used as the theme from Lord of the Dance, music from Cinema Paradiso and their own memorable version of the 1960s Richard Harris hit MacArthur Park.  

Proceeds from a collection taken at the end of the night were split equally between the band and the school before church members served refreshments.