Christmas festival team unveils scaled-down 2021 celebration

* One of the festival's famous fireworks displays from a previous year.

A scaled-down version of the town’s annual Christmas festival has been announced which takes account of ongoing pandemic safety measures.

Organisers say their aim is to help get people into the festive spirit while avoiding large crowds gathering.

Instead of the usual parade to kick off the event, this year’s more modest Celebration of Christmas, planned for Saturday November 27, will centre on a programme of top-class entertainment in Centenary Square.

The highlight of the afternoon’s activities, which start at 2.30pm, will come at dusk with the ceremonial switching on of the Christmas lights along Castle Street by the Mayor and end with a bang as proceedings are rounded off in traditional style with a spectacular firework display launched from the hillside overlooking the town.

Taking the stage in a Christmas gazebo on the square during the afternoon will be talented performers from the Young ‘Uns, the junior section of Llangollen Operatic Society, who will give a taste of their smash-hit musical Little Shop of Horrors which is due to open at the Town Hall next February.

Also helping to provide a true seasonal feel with a rousing selection of Christmas music will be Llangollen Silver Band.

Llangollen’s own wandering minstrel, Chris Burton, will belt out a string of popular sing-along hits throughout the afternoon.

Town Mayor, Cllr Austin Cheminais, who chairs the Christmas Festival Committee, explained that despite its less ambitious scale, the event was still intended to help get people in festive mood.

He said: “Last year, given the pandemic, we had no alternative but to cancel the festival entirely and with Covid-19 still very much in the background,  we reluctantly decided to limit the size of this year’s event.

“But we’re still absolutely determined to have a great time and give a hearty Llangollen welcome to Christmas by celebrating the season in style.

“We have some fantastic performers lined up for our concert on the square. I’ll be switching on the amazing Christmas lights and, as usual, the team which puts on the firework display will be pulling out all the stops to end the day with a colourful flourish.”

Once again this year the festival committee is to host its popular Christmas Scarecrow Trail.

Throughout December they are encouraging people to come up with some creative and colourful entries.  

It was held last year and even during the pandemic it managed to attract over 50 inventive entries from all parts of the town.

Cllr Cheminais said: "I knew of 40 locations on the list and there were a lot more out there that I didn't know about.

"I’m hoping to get even more this year as I know how incredibly creative Llangollen people are.

"Santa and his elves will judge the competition in the week leading up to Christmas, and there are two main prizes of £25 plus five runners-up prizes of £10.

"People can help choose the winner by sending a picture of their favourite to: santa@btinternet.com."

Group promotes plans for children's water splash

*An artist's impression of how a water splash pad could look.

The group campaigning for a children’s water splash pad in Riverside Park says it wants to outline its plans to the Town Council. 

Llangollen Parks Project is a community group made up of local parents who are exploring possible options to improve and enhance recreational facilities and outdoor spaces in the town.  

One of its key areas of focus is play provision at Riverside Park, which is run by Denbighshire County Council. 

As part of its project the group recently carried out a comprehensive survey to gauge the type of improvements that local parents would like to see at the park. 

And it says the responses have also helped the group to understand the level of support locally for improved play provision. 

To date, the survey has been completed by 151 people, all of whom live in Llangollen and the surrounding areas. 

* Some of the comments in the Llangollen Parks Project survey.

Respondents rated the current quality of the provision at the park as only 2.4 out of a possible four stars. 

And the most popular additions respondents wanted to see in the park are a splash pad (81%) and play equipment that caters for a wider age range (74%). 

Eighty-six per cent of respondents said that they would use the park more regularly if its facilities were improved. 

The results of the survey mirror those of a major public consultation exercise carried out by Shape My Llangollen (SML), the team tasked by the Town Council to produce a “people’s” place plan for the area which gives voice to the way residents and businesses would like to see it develop over the next four years. 

A splash pad for Riverside Park proved to be one of the most popular suggestions from the public during the consultation exercise and as a result has become one of around 90 action points put forward in the draft place plan, which recently gained the endorsement of the Town Council. 

A spokesperson for Llangollen Parks Project, Jessica Evans, said: “Our next step is to talk to the Town Council to request that they prioritise exploring the feasibility, options and costs surrounding such a project in partnership with the county council.” 

The project’s survey produced some interesting comments from its respondents, including: 

“A splash pad would be fantastic as it would suit a wide age range and encourage families to use it instead of paddling in the dangerous river.” 

“The park and promenade get a lot of heavy usage and are now looking a little tired and could do with TLC and an element of quality injecting into the site.” 

“It [the park] is in desperate need of investment and regeneration.”  

MS welcomes crime commissioner's "more bobbies" pledge

* North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin, left, with Clwyd South MS Ken Skates in  Llangollen.

A pledge to put more bobbies on the beat will help reassure elderly and vulnerable people in North Wales, says Llangollen's Senedd Member.

The promise to increase the number of police officers and staff is contained in the new policing blueprint drafted by the region’s new Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin.

Strengthening neighbourhood policing was a key priority in Mr Dunbobbin’s manifesto when he was elected in May this year.

The news was welcomed by Clwyd South MS Ken Skates during a walkabout in Llangollen with Mr Dunbobbin.

Mr Skates said: “Everybody in the Labour Party across North Wales and indeed farther afield across Wales cheered when the result came in  for Andy.

“Andy is universally popular within the party so everybody was absolutely thrilled by his success.

“He is sincere, authentic and passionate about communities. He’ll bring immense experience and great skills to the role and he’s so deeply rooted in the community as well.

“Andy’s passionate about North Wales and about people’s security, safety and sense of belonging so I  have no doubt he’s going to be a brilliant commissioner.

“His first Police and Crime Plan is hugely ambitious but it responds to and addresses the key concerns that residents across North Wales have – and that we need a really strong plan for neighbourhood policing.

“I know that often people look back nostalgically to when we had police stations right across our communities and what people in the modern era want is a police presence on the ground.

“That’s precisely what Andy is promising with an increase in visible policing which is so important, especially for vulnerable people and the elderly. I think this is something that people will respond to really well.

“The Welsh Government is also playing its part by funding an extra 100 PCSOs across Wales.

“It was a key pledge for Welsh Labour at the election and I am delighted that North Wales is getting 20 additional people keeping people and our communities safe and again it responds to key concerns that people have expressed. It’s massively important to people’s wellbeing.

“The values that a leader has are shown through the policies they promote and Andy’s plan promotes community cohesion, safety, security and wellbeing, particularly for the most vulnerable people in society.

“As an example, the establishment of a Victims’ Panel will be hugely beneficial  in addressing the concerns of victims and their concerns moving forward.”

Mr Dunbobbin said he was pleased to join the MS for a tour of Llangollen particularly as Mr Skates was so passionate about the community he served.

The commissioner said: “I share that passion because our communities are at the heart of everything we do and policing has a massive role to play across North Wales.

“It’s really important to have a good understanding of our communities and how we can support each other.

“Each community has its own challenges but it’s about working together to make things better in a spirit of partnership.

“I put a huge amount of time and effort into writing my Police and Crime Plan because I wanted to make sure I encompassed everything that was really important to the people of North Wales.

“During the election campaign it was clear that the number one priority for communities is to improve visible so neighbourhood policing is the bedrock of my Police and Crime Plan. 

“Local Neighbourhood Policing Teams  provide the visibility and reassurance but are also widely regarded as being an invaluable source of intelligence to tackle the most serious and organised criminality. 

“In order to tackle issues ranging from drug dealing in our towns to rural crime on our farms, it’s imperative that all our North Wales communities have positive relationships and experiences with their local police, helping break down existing barriers and empowering residents to have their say on where we as a service should be focusing our efforts.”

Communities urged to grab share of £1.3m green fund

* From left, Howard Sutcliffe, of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB; Haf Roberts and Cara Roberts of Cadwyn Clwyd’s Green Communities Project, and Haf Jones, of Conwy County Council. Picture by Mandy Jones Photography.

Towns and villages across North East Wales are being challenged to come up with innovative green projects to earn a slice of a £1.3 million fund aimed at boosting the local environment.

The Green Communities Fund aims to provide money to kick-start sustainable community-led projects and is being launched this month across the rural areas of Denbighshire, Flintshire, Conwy and Wrexham.

Up to 30 towns and villages across the region can benefit and are being invited to submit their proposals for schemes which can range from creating bee gardens to bio-diversity corridors and bicycle networks.

It is being administered by rural development agency Cadwyn Clwyd and funded by the Welsh Government Rural Communities Rural Development Programme funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), and Welsh Government.

Project Lead Haf Roberts, based at Cadwyn Clwyd’s Corwen office, said: “The message is to bring people and nature together because one of the lessons from Covid is how important our green spaces are to our physical and mental well-being.

“The quality of the local environment directly affects us so this initiative aims to help improve and enhance community green spaces, strengthen local biodiversity and mitigate the effects of climate change.

“The projects need to be community-led so that local people have a sense of ownership and ensure they continue to provide value over time.”

They aim to deliver the wellbeing goals in the Welsh Government’s Wellbeing and Future Generations Act by focusing on Covid recovery and green growth at a community level.

It is a Welsh Government scheme under the ENRaW Fund (Enabling Natural Resources and Well-being) to support improvements to where people live, work and play.

It covers the rural areas of the four counties where biodiversity projects and green infrastructure can help green the environment and communities.

Cadwyn Clwyd’s partners in the project include Denbighshire County Council, Conwy County Borough Council, Flint County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council.

Howard Sutcliffe, of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, said: “The time is right now as we’ve entered a world of climate change and green infrastructure with COP 26 just around the corner and this project is all about improving the quality of life, especially after the pandemic.

“This project really brings green values into the community and we will see the benefits on the ground for all the community such as tree-planting, electric charging points and projects everyone can benefit from.”

Haf Jones, Conwy County Council Community Development Officer, said: “We are fortunate to be surrounded by beautiful green communities in this area and this project will involve people in those communities after 18 months of Covid restrictions.

“So many have discovered the countryside during lockdown and hopefully they will continue to enjoy the peace, tranquillity and fresh air which is also so important for our mental health as we slowly adapt to life after lockdown.”

Haf Roberts added: “We are looking for good ideas that communities can get involved with to transform their local environment.

“These can range from developing community gardens and orchard planting to energy efficient improvements to community buildings.

“Improvements that enhance access to services and facilities will also be considered in the context of greening the local environment.

“We want community groups to be innovative with ideas around using their green spaces in interesting and inventive ways and encouraging all members of their locality to take part and benefit from this activity.

“There is an element of time pressure because this is the last round of European funding that is coming through so we need communities to get their expressions of interest in quickly as the project ends in June 2023.

“It’s a tight schedule but it is a golden opportunity for rural communities to take responsibility and take advantage of this project.

“We have wonderful assets in our countryside and this is about managing them and improving them and one of the key aims is to create more community-owned green spaces and more community involvement in their local environment.”

Communities with an idea for a project within the eligible counties can declare an interest by filling in the form available on the Cadwyn Clwyd website at http://cadwynclwyd.co.uk/green-communities/

Since 1995 Cadwyn Clwyd has attracted nearly £30 million in European and domestic funding for North East Wales’s rural areas across sectors such as the environment, food and drink, tourism and rural services to support communities at the grass root level.

* For more information about Cadwyn Clwyd contact them on 01490 340500, email: admin@cadwynclwyd.co.uk or go to http://cadwynclwyd.co.uk/

Budget announcement of backing for three local schemes

* Simon Baynes MP with volunteers at Corwen Station in February 2020.

Today (Wednesday 27^th October), Member of Parliament for Clwyd South, Simon  Baynes MP, warmly welcomed the announcement in the Budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hon Rishi Sunak MP, that the £15 million Levelling Up Fund Bid for Clwyd South has been successful. 

This bid, with three inter-connected projects, was sponsored by Simon Baynes MP and is a cross-county project, developed by Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council. 

The projects include, firstly, the implementation of the Trevor Basin Technical Masterplan which will ensure the World Heritage Site realises its full potential on a national and international level to attract visitors and catalyse economic growth in neighbouring communities. 

The second project is mainly focused in Denbighshire and supports cross-border visitor connectivity in the Dee Valley at the Horseshoe Falls, The Four Great Highways and Plas Newydd in Llangollen; Wenffrwd to Llangollen Active Travel Corridor including the old Railway Line and Chirk.

The third project will focus on the Corwen area, creating a new and improved Western Gateway to the Dee Valley and World Heritage Site. 

This project will improve visitor connectivity and infrastructure, Corwen town centre assets and the area between the railway station and car park, including a new platform canopy. 

It also aims to enhance the visitor experience with onward linkage to Llangollen and Cynwyd, effectively creating a new, improved and complementary visitor entry point to the World Heritage Site.

Simon Baynes said: “The three projects – the Trevor Basin masterplan, the investment in Llangollen and Chirk and the proposals for the Corwen area – greatly benefit from being already well developed and therefore eminently capable of being executed by 2024. 

"The projects are of considerable environmental importance and closely inter-connected, not least due to the Llangollen Canal and Heritage Railway which run along the Dee valley, which will therefore multiply the benefits arising from investment by the Levelling Up Fund.

“This £15 million bid also underlines the longstanding co-operation between Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council which is proving such a dynamic force for investment and improvement in the Clwyd South constituency. 

"The success of this bid reflects their professionalism and welcome desire to improve all aspects of our lives in Clwyd South. And I am very grateful for the strong commitment and support of my colleague, Sarah Atherton MP, for championing the Wrexham area, both locally and in Westminster.

“The projects included in the bid are of equal benefit to residents and visitors alike. They are strongly supported by their local communities and in many cases have already been the subject of extensive public consultation. 

"Given that Wrexham and Denbighshire are among some of the least prosperous areas in Wales, this bid will not only provide jobs and a much needed economic boost to Clwyd South but also improve the well-being of our residents by widening access to recreation, outdoor and other amenity activities. 

"They will also celebrate the amazing history, language and culture of our part of Wales and bring them to a wider audience.”

Homes plan for former Air Products site at Acrefair

Housing association ClwydAlyn is looking to build nearly 180 homes on a former industrial site at Acrefair, reports the Daily Post.

* For the full story, go to: https://www.facebook.com/331840000333432/posts/1799933776857373/

Town Council acts on carbon reduction

* The Town Hall now runs on green energy.

As part of Llangollen Town Council’s commitment to addressing the climate and ecological emergency, all energy supplies used at its properties and other assets have been transferred to a new 100% green energy company. 

Ahead of COP26 the Town Clerk, Gareth Thomas, explained that this was just one component of the climate emergency action plan adopted at the end of 2019. 

He said: "Clearly, the Town Hall as an historic listed building is difficult to manage in terms of its carbon footprint, but the switch to the new energy suppliers builds on the works undertaken in the Town Hall following the commissioning of an energy efficiency report in July 2019.

"This highlighted the deficiencies in the existing heating systems, which was in desperate need of renewal, and during 2020 work was undertaken to upgrade the boiler system to provide a more modern fuel efficient central heating system. 

"The move to 100% green energy tariffs now complements this work and shows the council’s commitment to this phase of its carbon reduction targets."

He added: "Work will continue on the action plan to ensure that the impact the Town Council’s services makes on the environment is minimised. 

"By undertaking such action the council hopes to act as a catalyst for change and wherever possible will support the community in there in endeavours to reduce individual household carbon footprints.

"Collective actions will then contribute to local and national targets."