Empty homes problem should be tackled, says AM

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood (pictured) has called on the Welsh Government to help bring the around 27,000 private sector homes in Wales that have been empty for more than six months back into use.

Speaking in a debate on the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee Report: ‘Empty Properties’, Mr Isherwood, who is a member of the Committee, said that many owners do not wish to see their properties lying idle and should be supported to bring them back into use.

He stressed that when attempts to tackle the problem informally fail, local authorities have powers to deal with empty properties, but said “this isn’t straightforward”.

He said: “Having a national action plan in place, adopting genuinely community based approaches, accountability measures and establishing a source of legal expertise for empty property teams to access will be critical.

“As we stated, this should include work to understand the impact that having a specific officer with responsibility for empty properties can make – and training for Local Authority Officers and Members on the enforcement options available will be essential, as will the provision of flexible funding solutions that are sensitive to local needs and assist property owners.

“As a former Housing Association voluntary Board Member, I welcome the Welsh Government’s recognition that Housing Associations play a key part in bringing empty properties into use, but will need to see evidence that they have been genuinely involved by both Welsh Government and Local Authorities.

“Although the Welsh Government rejects ring-fencing for housing purposes of revenue collected by Local Authorities through the Council Tax premium on empty homes, we must see evidence that Local Authorities have been encouraged to use this funding to address local housing supply needs.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Welsh Government have only agreed in principal to our recommendation that they undertake a review with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) of the current statutory enforcement powers available to Local Authorities to tackle empty properties in order to simplify them and make them more effective.

“It is also concerning that they have only agreed in principle to our recommendation that they and the WLGA undertake an exercise to assess whether second-home owners are avoiding payment of the Council Tax premium by falsely registering their property as a self-catering business or claiming that a family member has moved in. Serious allegations about this were made to us and we need the facts – especially where this could involve fraudulent activity.

“However, as I stated when we were debating Stage 3 of the Housing (Wales) Act “there is the danger that second-home owners who have put their life-savings into realising their dreams will be hit hardest” by the Council Tax premium – and therefore rent out their second homes rather than lose them – when “the people that can afford it will shrug this off”.

“Speaking here in 2011, I noted that Denbighshire’s Empty Homes Officer at that time, funded by Housing Associations, had told me that “every empty home has a different story.  The key is to understand why it is empty and to work closely with the owner to bring it back into use”.

Beautiful birch at Plas Newydd ready for next season

Work has been progressing at Plas Newydd (pictured), now that the main visitor season is over, to recreate a birch avenue in the historic garden.

When the Ladies of Llangollen lived in Plas Newydd they had an avenue of birch trees which has long since gone. 

As part of the National Lottery Heritage Funded Our Picturesque Landscape project, a previously heavily shadowed entranceway into the Dell has been opened up and planted with 24 birch trees comprising of six different birch varieties including the beautiful Betula Jacquemontii and Betula Albosinensis.

Volunteers and staff from the wider Denbighshire Countryside Service and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty team helped to plant the trees. 

Thousands of native wildflower bulbs such as English bluebells and snowdrops are being planted this autumn under the birch trees ready to put on a spectacular display in the spring.

The Our Picturesque Landscape project is leading on a five-year restoration of the Dell which has started with repairing many of the crumbling stone walls and will be replacing the existing handrail with something more in keeping with the garden as it would have been two hundred years ago.

* If you would like to get involved by volunteering with the restoration projects please get in touch with the team on 01824 706163 or contact: our.picturesque.landscape@denbighshire.gov.uk

Mike Fawcett a regular dog walker at Plas Newydd said: “It seems a small thing now as we head into winter but it will grow and establish and look wonderful when the trees are in leaf next spring with all the bulbs in flower too, I look forward to seeing it then and seeing the project progress.”

Operatic deliver a cheerful early Christmas present

* The Royles and other cast members lead the sing-along finale.

The aim was to inject some early Christmas spirit into a bleak winter evening.

And that’s exactly what was achieved by a talented cast from Llangollen Operatic Society when they staged their seasonal show, A Right Royle Christmas, at the Town Hall last night (Tuesday).

The title stems from the fact that running through the second half was a series of hilarious sketches paying homage to legendary TV comedy The Royle Family.

Presiding over the clan in all his flatulent, sweary majesty was Big Jim, ably and accurately portrayed by Operatic mainstay Bill Hughes, backed up on the couch by Alison Ravenscroft as the long-suffering Barb, Heather Wolfson as the dotty Nan, Helen Belton as the fag-wielding Denise, Shea Ferron as dopey Dave and Aled Morris as Our Anthony.

A couple of the sketch performers stepped out of their roles to double as pretty competent comperes, Bill Hughes doing the opening presentation and Shea Ferron handling the bits between segments of the show. You might say Shea actually tripled up as he also belted a very nice Younger Than Springtime from South Pacific in the first half.

It was songs, songs all the way right from the off, with members of the Young ‘Uns previewing a couple of numbers from their own production of The Wizard of Oz which hits the Town Hall stage from February 13 to 15 next year.

Simon Orton-Jones was next up to do a handy version of You’ll Be Back from the musical Hamilton followed by Sophie Preston with Once Upon a December just to remind is why we were here.

Josie Meredith took us back to the highs of The Sound of Music with Climb Every Mountain before Jill Handley and Josie Meredith dueted on the iconic White Christmas, Aled Morris, a star of the Young ‘Uns, moved the audience with Believe from Starlight Express and Heather Wolfson provided a thoughtful Candelight Carol.    

   

The first half of the show ended with an extremely powerful Tell Me on a Sunday from Leigh Mason and The Prayer from Helen Belton and Simon Orton-Jones.

Sophie Roberts opened the second half by urging us to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Rian Andrews put her all into Ave Maria.

After the Royle Family had made its first of three appearances, it was on with the songs as Celyn Orton-Jones, another Young ‘Uns favourite, reminded us to Never Fall in Love with an Elf, the successful duo of Jill Handley and Rachel Dobson returned with I Know Him So Well of happy 1980s memory and Dan May, the co-producer of this great show along with Grace Goff, presented O Holy Night.

The Royles stayed on stage to lead a bit of audience participation starting with the Slade’s obiquitous Merry Christmas Everybody and continuing with John Lennon’s War is Over and Jingle Bell Rock.

There were a couple of carols before the big finale of Twelve Days of Christmas which not only had the audience singing along urged on from the stage by Shea Ferron but also springing to their feet in the appropriate places.

The big day might still be three weeks away but the Operatic crowd made it feel like it had already arrived in Llan.   

* The Young 'Uns cast from The Wizard of Oz.

* Shea Ferron comperes ... and sings.

* Simon Orton-Jones with a number from Hamilton.

* Once Upon a December from Sophie Preston.

* Bill Hughes does some announcing and later played Jim in the Royle sketches. 

* Josie Meredith sings Climb Every Mountain.

* Dueting duo Jill Handley (left) and Rachel Dobson.

* Believe by Aled Morris.

* Heather Wolfson presents Candlelight Carol.

* Leigh Mason belts out Tell Me on a Sunday.

* Simon Orton-Jones duets with Helen Belton. 

* The Royle family in all their glory.

* Sophie Roberts sings a Christmas number.

* It's Ave Maria from Riah Andrews.

* Celyn Orton-Jones has timely advice about falling in love with an elf.

* Co-producer and soloist Dan May.

* The entire cast take the stage for the finale.

* The audience are up on their feet for the Twelve Days of Christmas.

Moreton Hall School's Christmas gala concert

Moreton Hall School, just off the A5 towards Oswestry, is staging a special gala concert this Saturday evening, details of which are on the poster below:

Campaign for safer parking near schools is a success

A clampdown on anti-social parking outside schools has taken place in Denbighshire.

As part of Road Safety Week (November 18 to 24), Council officers carried out spot checks at schools and spoke to a number of motorists about road safety.

Police Community Support Officers and Civil Enforcement Officers also attended schools to deter parents from parking on zig zags and double yellow lines.

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire County Council’s Head of Planning and Public Protection Services, said: “I’d like to thank all the pupils, teachers and parents who engaged with Road Safety Week in Denbighshire.  The campaign to raise awareness was a success and helped spread the message that anti-social driving and parking around the county’s schools puts children’s lives in danger.

“We will continue to work with schools and urge parents to observe the Highway Code and facilitate the safeguarding of children. The message is simple, parking on pavements and zig zags forces children to walk on roads which are busy and congested during these hours.”

The Council held its Park Safe Walk Safe competition to promote safe parking and driving around schools in the county with Ifan Micallef from Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy, Cynwyd, winning a 50 Halfords voucher for his design.

Civic team judges Christmas windows competition

* Deputy mayor Issie Richards and mayor Jon Haddy 

are now deliberating on the competition winners.

Llangollen's mayor and deputy mayor have been out and about in town this morning (Monday) judging this year's competition to find the most attractive window displays in the run-up to Christmas.

The contest was organised as part of the annual Christmas festival, which was successfully held last Saturday.

Prizes and certificates are up for grabs for the most attractive displays and mayor Cllr Jon Haddy along with deputy mayor Cllr Issie Richards braved the freezing weather to closely scrutinise the frontages of shops and other businesses. 

They were joined by Jane Cheminais representing her husband Austin 'Chem', the town crier,  

Chem, who chairs the Christmas Festival committee, said: “Our family orientated festival attracts over 2,000 people into Llangollen town centre and the Christmas shopping experience offered by local traders is an important element of our success.

“In the busy Christmas period, there is nothing more important than the shop front or business window display to attract customers through the door and create a colourful and festive experience for shoppers.”

Deliberations on the displays are now going ahead ready for the announcement of the winners later this week on llanblogger.

Judging goes ahead at some the entrants' premises ...

* Cllrs Richards and Haddy along with Jane Cheminais, centre, at Lily Rose Interiors.

* Jade's Hair and Beauty ...

* Tenovus charity shop ...

* Wingetts estate agents ...

* Ty Nook ...

* and Riverbanc.

Operatic's big Christmas show is tomorrow

Llangollen Operatic Society will stage its Christmas show tomorrow (Tuesday) evening from 7.30pm in the Town Hall.

The first act of the special production, which has been jointly produced by Dan May and Grace Goff, opens with the society’s junior section, the Young ‘Uns, presenting a selection of songs from their latest show, Wizard of Oz, which runs at the Town Hall from February 13-15.

With Shea Ferron as compere, it continues with songs from performers who have appeared with the Operatic and other local groups.

They include Simon Orton-Jones, Sophie Preston, Josie Meredith, Jill Handley, Rachel Dobson, Aled Morris, Alison Ravenscroft, Heather Wolfson, Leigh Mason, Helen Belton and Shea Ferron.

Running through the second act is a special seasonal parody of hit TV comedy the Royle Family.

More songs will come from Sophie Roberts, Dean Richards, Riah Andrews, Celyn Orton-Jones, Dan May and those who have already been on stage in the first half.

The Operatic Chorus takes the stage to provide a selection of Christmas songs before the finale when the audience will be encouraged to join in with carols and other numbers.

* Tickets details are on the poster above.