Temporary increase in notice period for eviction to be extended

The temporary increase in notice periods for eviction, including those announced in July, will be extended to 31^st March 2021, Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James announced today.

Notice periods in relation to all tenancies, which had been due to return to their pre-Covid position after 30 September, will now be set at six months. However, where the reason for giving notice relates to anti-social behaviour or domestic violence, notice periods will revert to the pre-Covid position. These arrangements will be reviewed in December.

The extension is part of a wider package of Welsh Government funded measures to protect both tenants and landlords from the effects of the pandemic which include:

• a new low interest loan for tenants in rent arrears or struggling to pay their rent arrears because of Covid-19. The loan will be paid directly to landlords or agents and can be repaid over a period of up to five years at a rate of 1% APR
• a private rented sector helpline run by Citizen Advice Cymru for tenants struggling with rent, income or housing benefits to advise tenants on ways in which they can maximise their income and manage debt – with a view to helping them pay their rent if they can and hold on to their tenancies.

Addressing the Senedd, the Minister said: “The coronavirus pandemic is continuing to have a significant impact on daily life and is still posing major challenges for all of us. I have therefore acted to give additional protection to renters by extending the current six month notice periods for eviction, other than the notice periods for possession grounds relating to anti-social behaviour and domestic abuse which will revert to the pre-Covid position.

“I am committed to ensuring we continue to protect renters whilst at the same time mitigating impacts on landlords and protecting communities from the harmful effects of ongoing anti-social behaviour. Where rent arrears have accumulated due to Covid-19, private rented sector tenants will soon be able to apply for a loan through the Tenancy Saver Loan scheme when it opens for applications at the end of this month."

The Minister added: “While these changes offer greater protection to tenants, they are not an excuse for people not to pay their rent if they are able to, and address any financial problems they are experiencing. Having an early conversation with landlords to work out a way forward is vital, as is getting the right debt advice. This is why we have recently invested an extra £1.4m in advice services to ensure people have the help they need to build financial capability and to claim the benefits they are entitled to.”

In addition, eviction proceedings will not take place for properties in areas affected by local lockdowns and there will be a pause on eviction proceedings over the Christmas period.

Council chief quizzed over broken canal railings

* Karen Edwards's picture of the broken railings.

A council chief has been questioned about the safety of broken railings on the canal bridge near to Llangollen wharf.

Contacting Judith Greenhalgh, chief executive of Denbighshire County Council (DCC), late last month former town councillor Karen Edwards wrote: “I would like to draw your attention to the damaged railings on the canal wharf bridge. 

Supplying pictures of the damage, she added: “This damage occurred at least three years ago. It begs the question as to why this hasn’t been fixed and I would like to know what DCC intend to do about it.

“To be honest, we’re all getting pretty fed up with the lackadaisical approach being taken by DCC in this town and it’s high time DCC officers stepped up to the mark and stopped taking this town for granted as a ‘cash cow’ for DCC coffers.”  

Ms Greenhalgh responded: “As this relates to the parapet railing of the bridge I can confirm that the area was inspected by the Senior Engineer in the Structures team and he is of the view that the fence is still fit for purpose and is therefore a low priority in terms of repairs.

“Unfortunately the railing does get caught quite regularly by buses travelling up to the school but to rectify the alignment so that damage won’t occur is unfeasible.

“We do monitor the situation carefully and should any further damage occur then the position will of course be re-assessed.”

Ms Edwards wrote back to the chief executive saying she was “perplexed” by the response.

She told Ms Greenhalgh: “School buses do not use this route. The children attending Dinas Bran school walk to the Pavillion car park where the coaches are parked . I’m somewhat surprised you don’t seem to be aware of that.

“Coaches do however take tourists up Wharf Hill to Llangollen Wharf where visitors enjoy the canal boat trips.

“ Whilst I’m not a structural engineer, the photographs I provided clearly show that the metal railings are no longer securely fixed to the stone parapet base. When was this last inspected?

“Surely you are placing your council at risk of a negligence claim for failure to protect the safety of users of a public highway, both pedestrians, including the plethora of visitors and residents  that regularly walk that way to access the public footpath that leads up to Castell Dinas Bran, not to mention the school children and drivers of vehicles .

“The pedestrian access to the canal is also below that bridge, so what happens if a vehicle goes through those damaged unsecured railings and crashes onto the path below?

“Regardless of the safety aspects, which are paramount, the damaged railings look an absolute mess rather like the ones on the A539 also reported recently and damaged months ago.

“Bearing in mind that Llangollen is an important inland tourist destination set in the picturesque landscape of the World Heritage Site and AONB , this needs urgent attention  to deal with their damaged appearance.”

Welsh Government's coronavirus updates

 

Latest coronavirus updates from the Welsh Government are:

• The Welsh Government’s bespoke Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) has helped to protect more than 100,000 jobs across Wales during the coronavirus pandemic, new figures show.

• To date, the fund has delivered almost £300 million of support to more than 13,000 companies in Wales, which has been vital in helping businesses manage the challenges and economic impacts of coronavirus.
• https://gov.wales/more-100000-jobs-safeguarded-welsh-government-covid-fund

• Health Minister Vaughan Gething has made a statement about the NHS winter plan to the Senedd today https://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/6563#A60247

• Press release https://gov.wales/winter-plan-health-and-social-services-wales-published

• Education Minister Kirsty Williams has made a statement about schools re-opening in the Senedd today https://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/6563#A60245
• The latest summary report published by the Technical Advisory Cell is available at https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-summary-advice-11-september-2020
• Download information about testing and contact tracing in languages from English and Welsh to Arabic and Tigrinya at https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-multilingual-information-about-coronavirus 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 110 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 19,681 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.

• There have been a total of 1,597 deaths reported by Public Health Wales.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

• The latest ONS figures show the cumulative number of deaths involving coronavirus in Welsh residents to 4 September was 2,569.

• Of the deaths registered in the week ending 4 September 2020, there were provisionally four involving coronavirus registered in Welsh residents – one more than the previous week. Most deaths occurred in hospitals.
• The excess death rate for Wales for the period 29 February to 4 September was lower than in England (14% in Wales compared with 23% in England)
• The ONS figures for deaths are different to those provided by Public Health Wales as they include all deaths registered; they also measure deaths over a different time period.
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

Where to find the latest information

• Information about local restrictions in Caerphilly County Borough Council area: https://gov.wales/local-lockdown 

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://covid19-phwstatement.nhs.wales/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• If you can help the effort to produce PPE in Wales please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/news-and-blogs/news/provision-critical-equipment-and-personal-protection-equipment-ppe
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL translator.

They are held at 12.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.

Historic roof at St Collen's goes under investigation

* One of the experts examines the ancient roof

at St Collen's Church.

A team of experts has been drafted in to help investigate the historic roof at St Collen’s Church in Llangollen.

Vicar, Father Lee Taylor has put together a task force to lead a new project to reorder the building to make it a more adaptable space for the community and also more engaging and accessible for visitors. 

The most striking part of the building is the 15th century carved oak hammer beam roof which is thought to have links with the monks at Valle Crucis Abbey. 

Father Lee said: “A previous St Collen’s guide book boasts that this is what we got in Wales while Michelangelo was working in Rome. It is believed to be the finest example of medieval Welsh craftsmanship. 

“We want to get a more accurate dating of the roof and interpretation of all the carved figures on it. We are also planning to install a new lighting scheme that would highlight and enhance all the carved images on the roof.” 

He added: “I have been in touch with the Royal Commission on the ancient and historic Monuments of Wales and am delighted that they want to work with us. 

“One of their senior investigators, Richard Suggett, an expert in architectural history, and his colleague chief executive Christopher Catling, visited St Collen’s recently to assess the roof as to its suitability for tree-ring dating which may provide an exact date for the roof.  

“The result of this would be a visitors interpretation board placed at the back of church. 

“One fascinating story depicted on the roof is of the man who drank too much ale. 

“Often, medieval woodcarvers would embrace the humour of the secular world by portraying stories that would be cyclical. 

“In this particular three-part story, the man is shown firstly rolling beer barrels, secondly drinking the contents from one of the barrels and, thirdly, fully immersing himself in the barrel so not to let any go to waste.”

Coronavirus updates from the Welsh Government

Latest updates from the Welsh Government on coronavirus are: 

• Cultural and heritage organisations will be able to apply for financial support from the Welsh Government’s £53m Cultural Recovery Fund from Wednesday.
• 
  
• Music venues; recording and rehearsal studios; Heritage organisations and historic attractions; accredited museums and archive services; libraries; events and their technical support suppliers; independent cinemas and the publishing sector will also be able to bid for a share of £18.5m.
• 
  
• More information is available at: https://gov.wales/cultural-recovery-fund-open-applications
• Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport Lee Waters has published a statement about embedding remote working in Wales: https://gov.wales/written-statement-embedding-remote-working
• Up to £1m will be invested in credit unions to ensure they can provide access to fair and affordable credit for people affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government, Hannah Blythyn has announced https://gov.wales/ps1m-help-credit-unions-support-those-need-during-coronavirus-crisis

 

• Guidance for extended households, including the rule of six: https://gov.wales/guidance-extended-households-coronavirus
• Coronavirus face coverings FAQs: https://gov.wales/face-coverings-guidance-public

 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been a total of 19,573 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• There have been a total of 1,597 deaths reported by Public Health Wales.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

 

Where to find the latest information

• Information about local restrictions in Caerphilly County Borough Council area: https://gov.wales/local-lockdown 

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://covid19-phwstatement.nhs.wales/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• If you can help the effort to produce PPE in Wales please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/news-and-blogs/news/provision-critical-equipment-and-personal-protection-equipment-ppe
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL translator.
• They are held at 12.30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.
• Health Minister Vaughan Gething held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/ITVWales/status/1305469455279947776

 

Keep your social distance plea in North Wales

Organisations across North Wales are working together to remind young people of the need for social distancing in the region and to help the fight against covid.

They say that whilst the vast majority of people across the region adhere to social distancing guidelines, anecdotal evidence shows not all young people are following the message – reflecting concerns raised nationally.

The guidance from Welsh Government for people to adhere to two metre social distancing remains, as does the advice for people to follow hygiene guidelines. 

From today (Monday), it is mandatory for everyone over 11 years of age to wear face masks in shops.  

The Welsh Government has also announced that no more than six people from extended households can meet indoors at any one time (this does not count children aged 10 and under)

 Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, the authority co-ordinating the campaign, said: “We are proud of the efforts of North Wales communities. They have really played their part in trying to stop the spread of covid-19 across our region.

“However, we must not rest on our laurels and it is equally as important now as ever to continue to social distance. The relaxation of rules from Welsh Government does not mean that covid has gone away.  There is a risk that we could be facing a second wave of the infection this autumn and now is the time for everyone to play their part.

“We have seen anecdotal evidence of people not social distancing. This is an issue facing all areas of Wales and all we can do is continue to remind people of the social distancing regulations and hope they take notice.

“Over the coming weeks, our partners across North Wales will continue to push the social distancing messages through social media and through the local press. We can only do so much, the minority of people that do not social distance must take responsibility and change their behaviour.

“We’re in this together so we all need to work with each other to try and prevent the covid rates from escalating in North Wales."

Town Council still aims to light up the town for Christmas

* Graham Paton, managing director of Linguassist Ltd, switches on last year's lights with the Town Mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy (left).

In the wake of the cancellation of this year's Llangollen Christmas Festival due to the coronavirus threat the town council has confirmed that the festive lights will still be lit up.   

Town Clerk Gareth Thomas said: “The Christmas illuminations have always been the responsibility of Llangollen Town Council alone, and whilst it has been an integral part of the Christmas Festival the switching on of the lights is not dependent on this year’s event taking place. 

"I have spoken to the contractors engaged to undertake the works and they have advised me that they are able to do so whilst maintaining safe social distancing. 

"Therefore, the illuminations will be installed during October with a view to them being switched on as early as possible to try and provide some much needed Christmas cheer over the winter months. 

"Clearly this year’s switch-on will be a much simpler affair because of the restrictions on outdoor gatherings, but consideration is being given to some form of modest event."

The Town Clerk also reported that other aspects of the Town Council’s activities are slowly returning following the restrictions caused by the pandemic. 

Members of the public can now arrange an appointment to visit the council offices on Tuesdays and Wednesdays where a socially-distanced meeting space has been set up in the Council Chamber.

At present regulations governing community centres do not allow meetings of local authorities to be held indoors and therefore Town Council meetings will continue to be undertaken remotely until the regulations allow face to face meetings.

However, other changes to these regulations do allow for exercise in gatherings of no more than 30 people in community buildings.

Therefore, the Town Council are, this Tuesday, considering the reopening of the Town Hall on October 1 to facilitate this and considerable effort has gone into making the building Covid secure.

The Town Clerk said that during lockdown the council's Facilities Officer, Charlie Jones, assisted by volunteers, has been busy decorating the vestibule, booking hall and the first floor landings of the Town Hall. 

Charlie said: “It was appropriate to make use of the fact that the Town Hall has been closed to start repainting and renovating a number of public spaces. 

"I am indebted to the help of volunteers particularly Charles Harris and Chris Stone who have helped with this work and have allowed the Town Council to keep cost down during this difficult period when closure has resulted in a loss of income. 

"It has also not been easy with the limitations of social distancing, but the end results of all our efforts has been rewarding. 

"It is very pleasing that this work has been done in time to, hopefully, receive dance classes back to the Town Hall next month.”