County council elects new chair

* Councillor Meirick Lloyd Davies (left) and Councillor Alan James.

Councillor Meirick Lloyd Davies, who represents the Trefnant ward, has been elected as chairman of Denbighshire County Council for the next 12 months.

His chosen charities for the year will be breast cancer and prostate cancer causes.

Councillor Davies  is replacing Councillor Peter Scott of St Asaph, whose 12-month term in office has come to an end.  

During a ceremony at County Hall in Ruthin, Councillor Scott presented a cheque for £14,500 to St Kentigern’s Hospice,  his chosen charities for the year.

Meanwhile, the new vice chair for the council for the next 12 months will be Councillor Alan James of Rhyl.

MP slams cuts to police budgets

During Wales Office Questions in the House of Commons yesterday Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones (pictured) slammed UK Government funding cuts to the police.

She cited a report from the National Audit Office that showed central government funding to the police had been cut by 30% since 2010-11.

She also quoted from a report of the cross-party Home Affairs Select Committee which described the current police funding structure as being 'not fit for purpose'.

Speaking afterwards, Ms Jones said: "I'm very angry at how the UK Tory Government has cut funding to police budgets.

“I know first-hand from helping local people who've been affected by crime that there is no such thing as a victim-less crime. Crime affects individuals and it affects our local communities too. 

"It's wrong that changes to the police funding system in recent years have meant less is coming from the centre. As a consequence richer parts of the country are not paying their fair share. 

"I know how hard our local police work but they deserve a better and fairer funding system. It's vital that we support victims of crime and invest properly in police funding."

Police motorcyclist involved in collision

Denbighshire Free is reporting this afternoon that a police motorcycle has been involved in a crash which has caused a road block near Corwen on Wednesday.

The A5 has been closed in both directions at the exit from Corwen towards Llangollen following the crash involving the North Wales Police motorcycle and a car.

* For the full story, see: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/17641585.a5-closed-near-corwen-following-crash/

Work steams ahead for the railway at Corwen

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Whilst the spotlight has been on infilling the Gap near Corwen, work by Llangollen Railway volunteers elsewhere on site has centred around the subway access to the platform.

The subway entrance now features brick pillars and coping stones, as recovered from the former Bridge 31, and, above, work is underway to install the traditional fencing, as recovered from the Great Western station at Burnham in Buckinghamshire and renovated by the Llangollen team on site.

Planned now are the installation within the stairway of a chairlift for use by the mobility impaired, a necessary feature for any opening of the station.

Help shape the future of Llan at the Co-op today

The group of volunteers putting together Llangollen’s contribution to the county council’s next Local Development Plan is holding the second of its three planned meet-the-public events today (Monday).

Shape My Llangollen (SML) was formed last year at the behest of the Town Council to produce a 'place plan' for Llangollen.

The idea is that this plan, when approved and endorsed by the Town Council, will feed into the new emerging Local Development Plan being produced by Denbighshire County Council.

The plan will cover topics such as the natural environment, built environment, economy, and community and is a genuine opportunity for some grassroots democracy.

SML is therefore engaged upon a far-ranging consultation exercise is contacting as many of our local organisations and individuals as possible to seek their views on any issues which affect or concern them so that they may have an input into the plan.

This could be anything from the state of local roads and pavements to the provision of social care and youth facilities, in fact anything which might have an effect on the local community.

During May SML is hosting a series of three consultation events when we’ll be asking members of the public for their views on what’s good and bad about our town and finding out how they think it could be improved.

The first of these was successfully held last Tuesday at Llangollen Health Centre when scores of people took part in the question session.

The second event is today at the Co-op store in Regent Street, from 10am until 1pm and from 2pm until 5pm.

The third is at Home Bargains on Thursday May 23 at the same times.

SML chair Phil Robinson said: "If you have strong opinions about Llangollen and its future shape, we’d love to meet and chat to you, so please come along and see us."

Isherwood slams Labour for "undermining" Brexit

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has hit out at Labour Welsh Government Ministers for their "incessant attempts" to undermine Brexit.

His attack came after he questioned the Brexit Minister over claims that EU elections will in effect be a second referendum.   

Addressing the Counsel General and Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles AM in the Assembly Chamber, Mr Isherwood (pictured) said:  “Last week, Labour's ruling body rejected calls for the Party to commit to a second EU referendum, with some senior Labour figures counselling that the alternative would have forfeited leave-supporting Labour areas, but with others having since quit the Labour Party because of Mr Corbyn's failure to support a second referendum - a situation, may I say, that other Parties may be familiar with also.

“How, therefore, do you respond to those who are saying that the EU elections, which we now know are going ahead on 23 May, will in effect be a second referendum?”

In response, the Minister said: “We will be engaging in these elections, reminding people of the benefits that membership of the European Union has had for Wales. I think the lesson for us here is that we should all, in this place, recognise the value that Wales has derived from membership of the European Union. I think any relationship with the European Union short of that is less good for Wales than membership. I think we will take the opportunity, in the coming weeks, of reminding people of the advantages that we have had as members of the European Union.”

Mr Isherwood added: “Although some 60 per cent of UK Labour constituencies voted to leave, including 59 per cent in Wrexham and 56 per cent in Flintshire, and although the Labour Welsh Government claims to respect the outcome of the referendum, Labour Welsh Government Ministers never cease in their campaign to undermine it. At least Plaid Cymru  are honest about their intention to betray the result of the EU referendum, despite Wales voting to leave the EU."

Pengwern nature project lands top award

* Winners of the tenants awards line up.

A nature project in Llangollen has scooped one of the top honours in the first ever Denbighshire Housing Tenants Awards.

During a ceremony in Rhyl this week Friends of Pengwern won the Community Project of the Year award.

Working with the Nature for Health project, the group have helped improve the local, natural environment. 

Their winning citation says their work has made a real difference in their community, bringing people together to look after their local and natural environment, while encouraging others to take a pride in their area. 

Project activities include dry stone walling, community woodland and willow weaving. The group are now leading on this and working with the Woodland Trust.

A host of tenants from across the county were honoured for their achievements at the inaugural awards arranged by Denbighshire Housing and held at the 1891 restaurant in Rhyl.

Winners in the other seven categories were:

* Communal Garden of the Year award: Trem Y Foel Residents Association, Ruthin.

* Tenant Garden of the Year award: Angela Carrington-Roberts.

* Housing Resident/Community Group of the Year award:  The Marsh Community Association, Rhyl. 

* Denbighshire Housing Customer Service of the Year award: Shirley Rippingale. 

* Tenant of the Year award: Stuart Nield-Siddall of Rhyl.

* Young Tenant of the Year award: Bethan Owen of Rhyl. 

* Denbighshire Housing Award: Gina Jones, chairperson of the Marsh Residents Association.

Jamie Groves, Denbighshire’s Head of Facilities, Assets and Housing, said: “We were honoured to host the first ever award ceremony, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of our tenants. The panel was delighted at the quality of the applications which showed the vast amount of good work going on in communities county-wide.

“There are some great examples here of tenants making great efforts to look after their properties, as well as some exemplar community projects that help improve the life of residents living in their community. Their hard work, commitment, drive  and amazing efforts help the housing team to provide a great service to tenants."

Geoff Davies Lead Officer for Community Housing told the packed audience about the vision for Denbighshire Housing is to invest in council homes and neighbourhoods to the highest standards, working with tenants to agree priorities but recognising that people then make communities great places in which to live.

The evening’s main sponsors were Roger W Jones, Rhyl & Jewson. The other sponsors were Alliance Leisure, Hags,  Liberty Gas,  AICO,  SC2,  G Parry Home Improvements,  Capita One, Greenspace team, Denbighshire Housing, Torus; Sherratt a Howdens.

During the ceremony, there was a performance from Côr Sain y Sir. The choir is made up of Denbighshire County Council staff.