First Citizens Advice column of the year

Here is the first monthly column of the year from Denbighshire Citizens Advice:

Q: I keep seeing on the news that my bills could be going up soon. It’s making me really worried, especially as I spent more on Christmas than I should have done. How can I get my spending habits back on track in 2022? 

A: A lot of people will be asking themselves this question right now. The good news is there are lots of things you can do to be more in control of your money and better prepared for the future. 

Firstly, find out exactly what money you have coming in and going out each month. Be realistic about what you need for essentials like food and travel. Then you can set yourself a budget that you can stick to - take a look at the budgeting tool on the Citizens Advice website to help you do this. 

If any of your bills do go up in the coming year, you can go back to our budgeting tool anytime to create a new plan and stay in control. Our website tips on how to reduce your regular living costs may be helpful if you find you have more money going out than coming in at any point.

You should also make sure you’re getting all the income you’re entitled to. Use the income checker on the Citizens Advice website to see if you could be getting more support, such as benefits or government grants. You can also use this to make sure you’re being paid the right wage.

If you’ve been using credit cards, your overdraft or store cards for your spending, it’s understandable if these debts are causing you worry. It’s important to prioritise paying your rent or mortgage, plus energy bills and Council Tax first though. Not paying these has the most serious consequences. On the Citizens Advice website, we have advice about which bills you need to prioritise and the support available for paying these and other bills.

Once you have planned how to pay your priority bills, the budgeting tool can help you plan how to repay credit cards, overdraft charges and store cards.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, particularly when it comes to managing personal finances. If you need more specific support or don’t feel able to manage your situation alone, call our debt helpline: 0800 240 4420. You’re not on your own.

This week's planned work on 2020 project

Work planned for this coming week on the town's 2020 project is:

• Install kerb on Castle Street west
• Continue paving on Market Street south

MP visits new Castle Street barbers shop

* Simon Baynes MP in Top Cut Barbers with owner Khalid Khidir.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes visited the new Top Cut Barbers on Castle Street in Llangollen.

The shop, which opened in December, is owned by Khalid Khidir, who has previously worked in barbers in Shrewsbury and Oswestry, and has experience of being a barber for more than seven years.

During the visit, Mr Khidir told Mr Baynes more about his experience of opening the first business of his own.

Mr Baynes said: “It was a pleasure to visit Khalid and to welcome a new business to Llangollen. 

"During the Welsh Government’s Covid lockdowns, we all missed being able to go to a barber or hairdresser so a visit now that restrictions have been relaxed means a great deal more to us. 

"I wish Top Cut Barbers all the very best in developing their business and every success in the future.”

 

Applications for winter fuel payments still open

Applications for a winter fuel support scheme for Denbighshire residents are still open.

Denbighshire County Council is administering the Welsh Government Winter Fuel Support Scheme which offers eligible households to claim a one-off £100 payment to provide support towards paying winter fuel bills.

Since it opened on December 13 over 4,000 people have applied to the scheme and over 2,000 payments have already been processed.

The payment is available to qualified households who already receive support from at least one of the below schemes listed below, regardless of how bills are paid; provided you are responsible for the payment of the fuel bill or pre-payment meter;

1. One member is in receipt of Income Support
2. Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
3. Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
4. Universal Credit
5. Working Tax Credits at any time between 1 December 2021 and 31 January 2022

Cllr Julian Thompson-Hill, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets, said: “Since the scheme was rolled out, the council have been working in conjunction with Welsh Government officers to ensure that all qualifying residents in Denbighshire receive payments as quickly as possible.”

“Although a large number of qualifying residents have already received their payment, we are still reaching out to ensure that eligible residents who haven’t yet processed their application, do this before it is too late.”

All applications must be received by February 18, 2022.

* For more information or to apply for the scheme visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/benefits

Former Llangollen churchwoman to become assistant bishop

* Archdeacon Mary Stallard.

A churchwoman well known to the people of Llangollen will be consecrated as a bishop next month.

Mary Stallard, who was one of the first women to become a priest in the Church in Wales, lived in the area for a number years while her husband, the Rev Andrew Sully, was vicar.  

Ms Stallard, who has served as Archdeacon of Bangor for the past four years, has been nominated as Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Bangor. 

She will share the leadership of the diocese while the Bishop of Bangor, Andrew John, serves as Archbishop of Wales and will be consecrated as a bishop at Bangor Cathedral on February 26. 

Originally from Birmingham, Archdeacon Mary grew up in a vicarage. Her father was a vicar and her mother a scientist which meant she was raised in a home where asking questions about life and faith was encouraged.

She read Theology at Selwyn College, Cambridge and studied to be a teacher in London before training for ministry at Queen’s College, Birmingham and Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary in India. 

She served her curacy in Newport, before moving to the Diocese of St Davids as deacon-in-charge and vicar of Ysbyty Cynfyn, Eglwys Newydd and Llantrisant. 

In 2003, she was appointed Canon Residentiary at St Asaph Cathedral and Bishop’s Chaplain, serving also as Diocesan Director of Ordinands and Chair of the Diocesan Board of Ministry, and as Provincial Selection Secretary.

From 2011 to 2018 she served as Anglican Chaplain at St Joseph’s Catholic & Anglican High School, as well as being an Associate Priest in the Wrexham Mission Area. She was also co-director of the St Giles’ Centre for Religious Education & Faith Development in Wrexham.

She was appointed Archdeacon of Bangor and associate priest of Llandudno in 2018.

Archdeacon Mary’s substantial broadcasting ministry has seen her appear on BBC Radio Cymru as a leader of Yr Oedfa and contributor to Bwrw Golwg, on BBC Radio Wales’s All Things Considered, Celebration, Wednesday Word and Weekend Word, and on Radio 4 as a leader of The Daily Service and Sunday Worship and as the author and presenter of Prayer for the Day.

She and her husband Andrew, who is Ministry Area Leader of Llandudno, have two grown-up daughters. Her hobbies include cooking, reading and running.

Archbishop Andrew paid tribute to Mary’s pastoral heart and strategic vision. 

He said: “I am delighted that Mary has agreed to take on operational responsibility for much of the life of our Diocese to assist me while I take on the role of Archbishop of Wales. 

"Mary has a heart for ministry and leads with pastoral sensitivity, empathy and wisdom. She has a wealth of experience, having served in four of the Church’s six dioceses, and across a range of specialisms. Her professional approach and strategic vision is well known and her appointment is a positive step for the diocese of Bangor.”

Archdeacon Mary said: “The call to be a Christian and to serve in ordained ministry as a deacon and a priest is one I’ve always found both exciting and a bit daunting. 

"This new opportunity to explore and offer gifts for leadership as assistant bishop with the great team in Bangor feels like a big investment of trust. 

"I will do my best to respond to this new call and to honour that trust, seeking to build on the work already begun to worship God, grow the church and love the world.”

MP raises Newbridge Road repairs with Prime Minister

* Simon Baynes MP at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has raised the issue of the Welsh Labour Government’s funding of the Newbridge Road repairs in Parliament.

And he asked Boris Johnson during yesterday's Prime Minister's questions to comment on how the next phase of Levelling Up Funding will bring hope and prosperity to communities in Clwyd South and elsewhere in the UK.

Mr Baynes said: “In Clwyd South the Welsh Government has been dragging its feet on funding urgent repairs to the Newbridge Road while, in contrast, the Prime Minister and his government have delivered record Levelling Up Fund investment of £13.3m along the Dee Valley from the Trevor Basin to Llangollen and Chirk and on to Corwen.”

At Newbridge Road vital infrastructure was damaged in February 2021 due to flooding on the B5605 between Newbridge and Cefn as a result of a landslide. 

This severed the link between the two communities and the wider settlement areas of Chirk, Plas Madoc and Ruabon. 

The Welsh Government has recently confirmed funding of £175,000 to make technical studies with regard to repairing the extensive damage caused.

The successful Clwyd South Levelling Up bid was sponsored by Mr Baynes and is a cross-county project, developed by Wrexham County Borough Council and Denbighshire County Council. 

It consists of three projects - 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 will also 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.

In response to Mr Baynes’ question, the Prime Minister said: “I thank my hon. Friend very much and what pleasure it gives me to address the Member for Clwyd South, where I tried unsuccessfully so many years ago. And I’m delighted that a Conservative Government is now investing so massively in Levelling Up in Clwyd South and across the whole of Wales.”

Speaking later, Simon Baynes MP said: “I was very pleased to highlight the issue of the urgently needed Newbridge Road repairs and the Levelling Up Fund investment of £13.3m in Clwyd South. 

"I recently visited the landslip on the Newbridge Road where I saw first-hand the damage that has been caused on the road and where I used the opportunity to call on the Welsh Government to urgently conduct essential repairs. It is astonishing that the Welsh Government has taken so long - almost a year - to react and there can be no further delays on their part in making sure these repairs are done as fast as possible.

“I was also very glad to highlight in PMQs the investment by the UK Conservative Government in Clwyd South via the Levelling Up Fund which 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.”

Asked by Sam Rowlands, North Wales Conservative SM, about Mr Baynes' question on Newbridge in the Senedd yesterday Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change in the Welsh Government, said: "Yes. I noticed it was raised both in First Minister's questions and in Prime Minister's questions by Simon Baynes - erroneously, because he's blaming the Welsh Government for something that is the responsibility of the local authority. 

"I understand the temptation to play politics on this, but he ought to do his homework a little better before casting aspersions. 

"We are in discussions with the local authority. We want to help them to solve this problem, but it's for them to put in the right application, to the right fund, in the right way. I think it's unfortunate that Sam Rowlands joins the bandwagon of placing blame at our door when it doesn't properly belong here. 

"That said, we recognise the problem this is causing to the local community and we want to be part of finding a solution. The leadership for this belongs properly - as a former council leader, he will recognise—with the local government, and we hope to work along with them to try and find the solution as quickly as possible." 

Latest ...

* On Thursday afternoon Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government, said he was appalled at the comment and accused the Welsh Government of shirking their responsibility.

Speaking in the Welsh Parliament Mr Rowlands, said: “The closure of this road for more than a year now has had a huge impact on local people, who now have to take longer journeys. This is a significant issue for them, adding 15 miles and up to 30 minutes to their journey, while of course also adding to their carbon footprint. 

“I did write to the Minister on 23 November regarding the damage to the B5605 between Cefn Mawr and Newbridge, caused by storm Christoph. I wrote again last week but I've yet to receive a response to any letter. The repair works to the road are expected to cost around £1 million, and 12 months after the storm, the only progress that appears to be made is that Welsh Government approved money to carry out a preliminary assessment.” 

South Wales based, Labour Welsh Government Minister Lee Waters labelled questions about the closure as “playing politics” and said it was the responsibility of the local authorities.

Mr Rowlands added: “I am quite frankly amazed that the Welsh Government is still not taking this issue seriously and expecting Wrexham council to foot the bill for something on this scale. My colleague in Westminster, Simon Baynes, MP for Clwyd South has also raised this matter in Parliament.

“Last week Cefn Mawr’s Labour councillor said they would need help to repair the damage to the road and said they had done all they could to get things moving.

“People living in this area and affected by this road closure deserve better. We all know that Labour’s Cardiff-based Welsh Government ignore North Wales, but you know it’s bad when they can’t even agree with their local councillors.” 

500 expected in this year's Llangollen Round Challenge

Around 500 people from across the UK are expected to take part in the 4th Llangollen Round Challenge in aid of Cancer Research UK.

The sponsored 35-mile hike will be held over two days on May 28 and 29 and organisers describe the route is a real challenge.

A spokesperson said: "We'll promise you magnificent scenery along the way and support in completing the course.

"The route will be waymarked and marshalled, with five checkpoints carrying water and light refreshments. Back at base there will be more food, certificates and medals for everyone.

"In line with last year we expect around 500 entrants."  

* For more information about how to take part in the challenge, call Judy on 07905 330788, or visit the Llangollen Round Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/llangollenround2022