Plaid comments on county budget

Denbighshire Council has voted 31-13 against increasing funding for disabled and less-able children after the full council rejected a Plaid Cymru budget amendment for an extra £500,000 for education.

The council budget passed yesterday will mean a 4.75% increase in Council Tax and the further outsourcing of services to external agencies, including commercial waste and archaeological services.

Plaid Cymru Group Leader Councillor Arwel Roberts said: “Councils across Wales have received cuts year on year that has resulted in some services being cut and others being outsourced. The Welsh Government is insisting that councils do more with less money. This is completely unsustainable.

“We understand how difficult it is to balance the books in the current economic climate. However we believe that we must sometimes invest to save. Our proposal was to add an extra £1/2m to our education services in order to ensure that disabled and less-able children get the proper attention they need.

“The End Child Poverty Campaign last week released a shocking report showing that, after housing costs, more than 27% of children in Denbighshire live in poverty. That’s an appalling figure.

"We know that the single most effective route out of poverty is through education. If we are serious about lifting people out of poverty, and ensuring that each pupil gets the due attention they need in order to reach their full potential, then we should invest in ensuring that we can properly resource the schools to accommodate disabled and less-able children."

Cllr Roberts added that the budget will also result in the council getting rid of the position of county archaeologist, outsourcing commercial waste, scrapping the grant to fund small and medium-sized businesses in the county and cuts to the council’s ICT department.

He added: “It’s a concern that the council’s instinctive response is to outsource services instead of first looking to see how and if we can collaborate with other councils across North Wales and ensuring that these public services are kept in public ownership.”

Castell Dinas Bran in running for magazine prize

Llangollen's Castell Dinas Bran has been shortlisted in the BBC Countryfile Magazine Awards 2018.

The awards recognise the best of the British countryside, from mighty landmarks and outstanding nature reserves to superb national parks and fine rural pubs.

The castle is one of five sites shortlisted in the Landmark of the Year category, along with The Dark Hedges, Country Antrim; High Force, County Durham; Minack Theatre, Cornwall and Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis.

Judges said of Castell Dinas Bran: "This 13th-century ruined castle atop a rugged pinnacle offers commanding views of Welsh valleys and has long captured visitor’s imaginations.

"Sitting high above Llangollen and alongside Iron Age embankments, it is a place of romance and legend.

"Wordsworth wrote of it: 'Relics of kings, wreck of forgotten wars, To the winds abandoned and the prying stars.'"

Judge Phoebe Smith says: “It is home to a legendary giant and is steeped in wonderful Welsh folklore.”

Voting for the awards runs until March 5. Winners will ne announced on March 13.

Vote online at https://surveys.automatesurvey.com/s?p=W108144300S2099&h=2241451, or fill in the form and send your choices to Awards, BBC Countryfile Magazine, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN.

Denbighshire council tax to rise by 4.75%

Councillors in Denbighshire have approved the authority’s budget for 2018/19, with a 4.75% increase in council tax.

Members had considered the implications of the local government settlement and the increase in council tax has been introduced to address financial pressures in social care, as well as continued support for school budgets.

Denbighshire is not alone in considering how to fund an increased demand for funding education and, particularly, social care. 

The  budget includes an increase of £1.8m (2.7%) in budgets for schools, and an additional allocation of £1.5 million (3.2%) to social care.  Pressures exist across the organisation and further efficiencies in all services have been identified to help deliver a "balanced" budget.

The council tax increase for an average Band D property will mean an increase of £56.58 which equates to £1.08 a week.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance, said: “A tremendous amount of hard work and consultation has gone into planning for this budget and we are pleased that our efforts have resulted on the budget being approved.

“Setting a budget in a tough financial climate is difficult and over the years, Denbighshire has worked hard to plan ahead to manage the position and to reduce the impact on frontline services as much as possible.

“This has been one of the hardest budgets to work on so far. Whilst the actual reduction from Welsh Government was not as bad as first feared, we need to take into account a number of other factors, such as pressures in pay, pension and the National Living Wage, as well as price/energy inflation, 1% in fire service levy and allowances for increases to the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

“The financial climate continues to be challenging and staff across the Council have found savings that will help us balance the books.

“We know that residents of Denbighshire demand that we protect the most vulnerable members of our society, while continuing to deliver the best possible services across the rest of the Council.  In order to address the increasing pressures in Social Care we are therefore recommending that the average Council Tax will increase by 4.75% allowing the council to invest an additional £1.5m in this area to support our most vulnerable residents.

“However, we also know that all our residents are finding the current economic situation challenging, which is why we must keep any increase in Council Tax down to the minimum necessary.

“We can reassure residents that, despite dwindling budgets, we will continue to work to the best of our ability on providing the best possible services to the public."

Community Garden threat removed

Llangollen Community Garden has today issued the following statement on Facebook:

Denbighshire County Council has confirmed that the developer has withdrawn their proposal for the community garden land.

This means that there is no longer an immediate threat to the community garden.

THANK YOU for your support that has helped save the garden.

Our disagreement over the land use and value of the community garden has always been with Denbighshire County Council. In order to safeguard the garden for the future we hope to work with Denbighshire County Council and Llangollen Town Council to find a long term solution.

So there is still work to do. Working out a long term solution could take 12 months or more.
We appreciate and would like to thank you once again for your support over the past few months. Your support going forward will also be very much appreciated.

Labour gives update on key Llan issues

* Improving town centre traffic flow is on the agenda, says Labour's newsletter. 

In their latest newsletter members of Labour's team in Llangollen give an update on a number of key issues in the town.

They say:

* Town Traffic – Llangollen’s town and county councils are working closely with the Welsh Government on plans to completely remodel the town centre to greatly improve the flow of vehicles and pedestrians. 

* Double yellow lines – The A5 will soon have double yellow lines on both sides right through the town following concerns over parked vehicles causing tailbacks, particularly on busy days.   

* Air Quality – Traffic pollution on the A5 is very close to the European limit, according to a Friends of the Earth survey. Cllr Graham Timms says he is working with the county council to monitor air quality in Llangollen, with three testing stations being set up. The first results are expected back in March.  

* Community Garden – The situation is changing by the day at the moment, but a satisfactory outcome moves ever closer. Well done to those who campaigned to keep the group growing.    

Tidy Town Team celebrates another successful year

* Members of Llangollen Tidy Town Team at their annual lunch in the Corn Mill.

Members of the Llangollen Tidy Town team met for their annual lunch at the Corn Mill yesterday (Sunday).

In his latest annual report the voluntary group's co-ordinator David Davies said: "The 18-strong team has continued to meet at least once a month come rain or shine during this our twelfth year of operation.

"2017 has seen the continuation of some annual events together with some new challenges.

"Ongoing has been our litter clears, with a total this year of 25 full sacks collected,  around the Wharf and canal side, especially pre-Eisteddfod week,  along the A5, around Dinas Bran School and on the Castle Hill.  Finds on Castle hill included garden seating and a porta loo!

"We have continued our third year tree clearing and opening up of Cemetery Woods, including felling a large tree dangerously overhanging Llangollen Railway's offside station platform. The bonfires at this location demonstrate the team's pyromania abilities.

"Hill Street cemetery also benefitted from a vegetation clearance.

"Various seats around the town have been repaired during the year and, after much negotiation and with the support of the Canal & Rivers Trust, we provided and installed a new seat on the canal side opposite the Llangollen Basin. 

"This arose as a result of an idea from senior residents of Cwrt Glan Y Gamlas who have limited walking ability. The seat in such a position was just right for a short stroll turnaround point and has since been much appreciated by them and many visitors.

"At Plas Newydd we completed the project of clearance of laurel growth from the steep sided bank of the Cyflymen.    

"Enjoying wading in water, we also this year cleared the water channel of the stream flowing down Dinas Bran hill past the school.  This had been lost under overgrowth for a few years.

"We assisted at the Town Christmas Festival in our usual capacities of stall erection/dismantling and traffic control for the parade and fireworks.  

"The Town Hall also received our attention with the kitchen and one dressing room being deep cleaned and then ceilings and walls repainted.

"Together with thanks from the Town Council it was good to receive a letter of thanks from a hall user who noticed the significant difference following our work.

"A big thank you to all our supporters  and  to all members of the team for over 500 hours of voluntary work during the year."

Plaid fights for Real Living Wage

Plaid Cymru claims more than a thousand low-paid workers could be in line for a pay boost if the party gets its way.

Denbighshire County Council should become a Real Living Wage Employer says the Plaid group as the authority prepares to vote on its annual budget later this month.

The minimum wage as of April will be £7.83 per hour for those aged over 25. The Real Living Wage Foundation has calculated that the Real Living Wage for all those living outside of London should be a minimum of £8.75 an hour.

Denbighshire County Council employs over 1,200 people on less than the Real Living Wage.

Plaid Cymru Councillor Mabon ap Gwynfor (pictured) said: “Denbighshire County Council has a chance to show that we value our workforce by ensuring that each and every person employed by the council received the real living wage.

"Earning a Real Living Wage has many proven benefits – the number of absences and sick leave falls; staff turnover decreases meaning less money spent on advertising, hiring and training new employees all the time. It results in a happier and more dedicated workforce.

“Around a quarter of Denbighshire County Council’s workforce earn less than the Real Living Wage, the vast majority of them women.

"In-work poverty is on the rise, and many people are having to double-job in order to make ends meet. Denbighshire Council should not be part of a system that forces people into poverty.

"We in Plaid Cymru have called for this policy to be adopted before, and we believe that the time has come for us to treat our workforce with respect and dignity by ensuring that they all receive at least the Real Living Wage.”

Cllr ap Gwynfor went on to say that the Plaid Cymru Group will not support any budget that sees cuts in frontline services: “We understand that Denbighshire Council has been given a poor settlement by the Welsh Government and that there is a squeeze on finances.

"But we will not support any budget that proposes to cut frontline services. Our Social Services, Education services, and public transport have been crying out for funds, and we will do everything that we can to protect them and if possible boost them.”