News
Council's new website goes live
The Council has completely revamped its website to make it more accessible to the public – and it’s now live.
Each public service organisation needs to ensure that its website meets the requirements of the Equalities Act and have accessible websites by September 2020. Making a website accessible means that it can be used by people with impaired vision, motor difficulties, learning disabilities, deafness or impaired hearing.
Councillor Richard Mainon, Cabinet Lead Member for Corporate Services and Strategic Direction, said: “We hope people like out new look website and find the new look site a lot easier to navigate and find the information they need.
“We are always looking at ways of improving our online services and this latest change in law has given us a great opportunity to revamp our website, making sure it fully complies with accessibility guidelines.
“We have been testing the site with the Disability Access Centre and have passed their accessibility tests. We have also introduced some minor changes in response to feedback from the public and we would like to thank people for taking the time to get in touch.
“It has a very different look and feel from the existing website. It has a clear and simple design; it should be easier to read in terms of font, colours and contrast and the language should be easy to understand. It has also been designed so that it can be used on as many digital devices as possible.
“Our website is one of the key platforms for the Council to provide advice and information to the public and is available twenty four hours a day, 365 days a year.
“The Council is focussing on providing more services online and allowing customers to access a wide range of information about council services, as well as registering requests, making payments and getting involved in consultations.
The new-look website is available by visiting: http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/.
Have you got a story to share and work in one of the following roles?
Have you got a story to share and work in one of the following roles?
- Work as part of a learning disabilities team
- Mental health worker
- Social worker
- Dementia worker
- Substance misuse worker
- Home help
- Someone that works with and helps children
Then we would like to hear from you!
The Workforce Development team are working in connection with the We Care Campaign Team and Careers Wales to develop digital case studies/ videos focussing on a day in the life of you and your chosen career path.
The short videos will be used by Careers Wales in Schools and Colleges to promote Health and Social Care Careers and by the We Care Campaign during Campaign weeks on social media and the We Care Website.
If you would like to get involved please contact Samantha O’Mara via email at samantha.O’Mara@denbighshire.gov.uk or telephone 01824 706610 / 07920294117.
Rural residents urged to apply for funding for improved broadband speeds
Rural residents and businesses in Denbighshire are being urged to apply for funding towards the cost of installing gigabit broadband.
The Welsh and UK governments are now working together on the Gigabit Broadband Voucher scheme which covers part of the costs of installing new gigabit-capable internet connections.
Under the new partnership £7,000 is available for small-to-medium sized businesses and up to £3,000 is available for residential premises.
Gigabit-capable broadband connections offer the fastest and most reliable speeds available, and the scheme is open to rural premises with broadband speeds of less than 100Mbps.
Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for the Economy, said: “This scheme will help ensure more people and businesses have access to reliable broadband speeds. I urge all those Denbighshire residents in rural locations without decent broadband to check to see if they are eligible for these vouchers.
“Connecting communities is a priority for the Council and improved internet connections ensure our communities have access to goods and services and helps the county’s businesses provide services online.
“It is possible for residents or community groups to work together on applications and the Council is working to advise and assist them with their applications.”
You can contact the Council via communitydevelopment@denbighshire.gov.uk and to check eligibility visit: https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/
Update on Denbighshire Registration Service
Services provided by Denbighshire Registration Service have resumed, with some changes to how ceremonies are undertaken to allow social distancing guidelines to be followed.
For Register Office ceremonies, only two witnesses are able to attend, with no other guests. For venue ceremonies, people are asked to contact the venue and ensure they will be open on the day of the ceremony and check any revised rules they may have, including the number of guests permitted, which must be by invitation only.
Anyone wishing to make a new booking for 2020, can do so by contacting the office on 01824 708100.
Notice of marriage / civil partnership appointments are available on a case by case basis. Priority will be given to those couples with ceremonies booked for 2020. Anyone who has already made a booking may contact Denbighshire Registration Service by emailing ceremonies@denbighshire.gov.uk.
Birth registration appointments are available now, strictly by appointment only. Please call 01824 708100 to make an appointment.
Copy certificates can only be ordered over the telephone by calling 01824 708100.
Death registration appointments will only be completed over the phone. Please call 01824 708100 to make an appointment.
Citizens Advice Denbighshire
Do you know anyone – or are you supporting anyone – who needs to apply for settled status?
Citizens Advice Denbighshire are supporting the County's residents to access the EU Citizens Rights Service, funded by the Welsh Government, where individuals and families resident in Wales can have access to free, impartial and confidential information, guidance, and advice on settled status applications and access to in-depth, specialist help on social welfare issues.
This service supports EU, EEA and Swiss citizens with settled, pre-settled status applications and also offers access to wider advice services, including specialist advice.
The deadline for citizens to apply for settled status is fast approaching – applications must be submitted no later than 30 June 2021, and applicants must be UK residents by 31 December 2020.
To speak to an adviser or to book an appointment with our EU Citizens Rights team, please call 0300 3309 059 between 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Climate change plan for Council decision making
The Council will meet to discuss making climate change a guiding principle in its decision making process.
Last year the Council declared a climate change and ecological emergency which included a commitment to make the authority net carbon zero by 2030, enhance biodiversity across the county and call on the Welsh and UK governments to provide assistance and resources to enable the Council to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Full Council is set to vote in October 13 on amending its constitution so all decisions made ‘have regard to tackling climate and ecological change’ after the recommendation was approved by the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee at a meeting on September 9.
Councillor Graham Timms, the Council’s Climate Change and Ecological Emergency Working Group Chair, said: “By having regard for tackling climate and ecological change in decision making we hope to limit the Council’s impact on further exacerbating climate and ecological change and to maximise opportunities to make a positive contribution.
“If the recommendation is approved we believe we will be the first Council in Wales to take such a step and this shows the commitment the Council has made to tackling the climate change and ecological emergency.”
Councillor Brian Jones the Council’s Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment, said:
“Protecting the environment is a priority for the Council and during lockdown work has continued on ensuring the Council is reducing its carbon footprint and increasing biodiversity in the county.
“We have already achieved a lot, we have reduced carbon emissions from our buildings and fleet by 15 per cent since 2017, the Council now only uses renewable electricity for its own buildings after switching to a renewable only energy provider for its schools, leisure centres, libraries, council offices and depots and we are over halfway to reaching our target of planting 18,000 trees by 2022.
“Our Climate and Ecological Change Strategy and Action Plan to get the Council to net carbon zero and ecologically positive by 2030 which we engaged with the public on earlier this year will be ready early next year. We intend to consult with the public on the draft strategy in the autumn.”
Denbighshire Community Development Workshops
Interactive web-based workshops to discuss your community development plans and aspirations with the DCC Community Development team and others.
From September 2020 we will be hosting web-based community development workshops to discuss community project ideas and developments across the county.
We would like to tailor the sessions to suit your community priorities, offering information and guidance on specific topics of interest to you. We would also like to facilitate networks of interest, allowing those across the county working on similar projects to share ideas and best practice.
We will use online video calling software to facilitate the workshop, which are anticipated to be 1.5hrs long and structured to include:
- key considerations/advice regarding the theme discussed;
- examples of best practice;
- and an open discussion or Q&A session with theme experts.
If you would be interested in attending a web-based workshop of this nature, please complete the questionnaire below to help us tailor the workshops appropriately:
Questionnaire link
Work continues on East Rhyl defence works
The next phase of work is due to start on a £27million flood defence scheme in Rhyl in October.
The East Rhyl Coastal Defence Scheme will protect 1,650 properties in East Rhyl and is funded through the Welsh Government, as well as part funding by Denbighshire County Council.
Work started on site in April and is on target to be completed by December 2022.
Material including large rock will continue to be delivered to the site to enable the construction of the rock armour revetment, which will commence in October.
The revetment is expected to take around eight months to build.
Cllr Brian Jones, the Council’s Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment, said: “This scheme will significantly reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses and offer peace of mind to residents impacted by the floods in 2013.
“Work is progressing well and by the end of August, preliminary works will start on forming the first of three permanent beach access points.
“Contractor Balfour Beatty has been able carry on with the work as planned, whilst fully adhering to the Welsh Government’s coronavirus regulations and guidance, since work started in April.
“In response to requests from beach users, the contractor has been able to provide access to be the beach at weekends from Marine Drive, near Old Golf Road and we would like to thank residents for their understanding while work is being carried out.”
A site haul road has been created using the existing promenade between East Parade and Splash Point and a temporary stone track between Splash Point and Garford Road car park.
A stone ramp has been formed at Splash Point to allow access to the beach for the heavy machinery that will be required to carry out the work while a visitor centre has been set up at the site compound and members of the public are welcome to drop by to discuss the scheme with the public liaison officer.
Information about the project can also be found at https://www.eastrhylcoast.co.uk/
Social distancing reminders in Denbighshire a sign of the times
A series of signs have been placed across Denbighshire, as part of a visual reminder for people to continue to social distance when they’re visiting town centres.
The signs have been placed in town centres and form part of a wider campaign to encourage more people to visit town centres safely.
In June, the Council set up a Task Group had been set up to support town centre businesses during and after the re-opening of shops, working jointly with business associations and local communities. The Council also has teams out and about in our main town centres, monitoring compliance with safety guidelines, as well as offering practical support to businesses, such as signage or posters.
Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, who is also the Cabinet Lead Member for the Economy, said: “For more than three months, town centres - the heart of many of our communities - stood still and quiet, with businesses closed and visitors and locals alike asked to stay at home and away from others until things became better.
“The easing of restrictions on town centre businesses has been a step in the right direction and the Council has worked closely with the business associations and communities across Denbighshire to ensure the re-introduction of services has been as smooth as possible.
“The signage is one of a number of initiatives that have been introduced in town centres. Teams of staff from the Council have also been working in town centres, liaising with businesses and listening to their feedback. They have also been able to identify what works well and whether there were any localised issued that needed addressing.
“The messages around social distancing are equally as relevant as they were at the beginning of our work and we would like to thank the communities of Denbighshire for supporting this essential work”.
Shielding
Since the start of lockdown, the Council, with the support of Denbighshire Leisure Ltd, has proactively contacted more than 6,000 shielded people and residents aged 70 or over who have been isolating, to offer advice and support to ensure they can access the supplies and services they need whilst remaining at home.
This has included referrals to community groups, local charities and council services for tailored help including grocery shopping, medication collection, telephone befriending and basic care needs assessments.
The Council ended these calls when shielding restrictions were lifted last month.
Cllr Bobby Feeley, the Council’s Lead Member for Well-being and Independence, said: “The last few months have been very difficult for those who have been shielding and isolating. We have been in touch with more than 6,000 people, and have been in regular contact with a majority of those.
“The feedback from residents has been very positive with many telling us how appreciative they were of the calls.
“Over 80 staff from across the Council have been involved, with many officers quickly adapting to working in a completely different way.
“I would like to thank staff for their dedication and hard work during this process; my thanks also goes to our external partners including Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) and the British Red Cross for their contribution.
“We are reminding residents they should continue to follow Welsh Government advice and that they are not required to change how they have been dealing with coronavirus.”
Residents can still use the community resource list at http://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/community-resources for contact details and web addresses of local shops willing to deliver supplies, and where to go for local and national help and support. If they need additional support, please contact the Council.
Residents can also access information, advice and assistance which includes our Telephone Befriending Service by contacting Single Point of Access on 0300 456 100.
Should Welsh Government introduce a second lockdown, the Council will be in touch with residents who are advised by the Chief Medical Officer for Wales to shield again.
Recycling and Waste
Dee Valley pop up recycling and waste collection service to resume
The Council is informing residents in the Dee Valley of the re-introduction of the Saturday waste and recycling pop-up service in Llangollen and Corwen.
The service, which enables local residents to dispose of excess waste, garden waste, additional residual household waste and some oversized items, has now resumed.
It was stopped due to coronavirus restrictions, as the Council could not safely continue the service due to the on-going need for social distancing measures.
The Council has been reviewing the position constantly, and with more staff returning to work due to the lifting of the shielding restrictions, the service can now continue.
There are a number of temporary changes to the service and local householders will be required to pre-book a slot and must attend at their chosen time.
Slots can be booked online at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling.
Customers are required to bring their booking reference number with them, along with proof of address, as the service is only available to Denbighshire residents. Anyone attending without a booking will not be allowed to use the service.
There will be 24 x 20 minute slots available between 9am and 11am.
The next slots are:
Saturday, September 19 – Corwen, Green Lane Car Park
Saturday, September 26– Llangollen Pavilion
Saturday, October 3– Corwen, Green Lane Car Park
Time slots will be reviewed after reviewing waste volumes and throughput to maximise the number of slots we can offer and the Council will continue to release slots on a four weekly basis, after reviewing the service.
The service will operate on its historical alternating cycle as long as it is safe to do so, at Cowen on the first and third Saturday morning of every month, and at Llangollen on the second and fourth Saturday morning of every month.
Cllr Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment, said: “We would like to thank residents in the Dee Valley for their patience and understanding and to apologise for any inconvenience caused.
“The coronavirus restrictions were put in place to protect people’s health and safety and now with more staff returning to work, we can reintroduce the services in Llangollen and Corwen safely.
“We will review the service on a weekly basis to ensure we optimise the service through this phased re-opening.”
There are a number of temporary changes to the service:
There will be no additional green waste service on the first and third Saturdays in Llangollen, but this will be kept under review.
Additional signage and traffic management will be in place to help direct customers, and enable social distancing rules to be followed.
Initially, the pop-up waste service in Llangollen will be situated on the actual Pavilion site, not the car par below. This enables us to manage social distancing, prevents congestion, and frees up car park spaces at a busy time of year for the town. Signage will be in place from the car park entrance to direct residents, and this information will be provision to anyone who requests at slot at the time of booking.
In order to allow as many residents as possible to use the service, we will not accept twin axle trailers at this time. Households with such large quantities of waste should book a visit to one of the 3 HWRC permanent sites. We are now accepting all trailers at our permanent sites (a permit is still required). We are advising customers to bring no more that around 1100 litre of waste in any one visit (the equivalent volume of a Ford Focus with the seats down.) so that we have enough capacity on our vehicles to accept the waste.
Initially we will be unable to accept soft furnishings such as textile covered sofas and mattresses, but we do hope to expand the service soon.
Residents are also asked not to attend the site if they are self-isolating and/or showing Covid19 Symptoms.
Residents are not required to wear a face covering as the service is outdoors and the two meter rule will be strictly enforced.
Countryside Services
Pebble painting workshops held in Denbighshire
More than 100 people have taken part in a series of pebble painting workshops.
The Council’s Countryside Service, via the Welsh Government ENRaW project, artist Tim Pugh, with assistance from James Davies MP and members of the community, held three days of pebble painting workshops at Coed Y Morfa and Parc Pendre Prestatyn, and Brickfield Pond, Rhyl.
These were a continuation of the efforts of the community on the Prestatyn/Dyserth Way snake and Brickfield Pond snake.
Some pebbles were brought from the original snakes and included in the art works, and many more were made on the day by the avid artists.
Councillor Tony Thomas, the Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said: “These sessions provided a fantastic opportunity for families to take part in a fun and engaging activity.
“Families were able to enjoy a safe outdoor environment and have fun painting rocks in the sun and with the help of Tim Pugh, creating beautiful snake like art works. All sessions were full, and all families were appreciative of the summer holiday activity.
“These pebble snakes have helped bring the community together as well as show support for the NHS and key workers. As a Council we are proud to have been able to host these sessions to support the great work being undertaken in the community.”
The pebbles at the Prestatyn are still in place while pebbles at Brickfield Pond will be installed in the car park at Morrisons’ Rhyl branch.
The Health and Wellbeing Value of Allotments
Allotments are found throughout the country, and provide opportunities for people to grow their own produce on a leased plot of land in a community space. These are important green spaces, enhancing the local environment, providing a source of food, bringing communities together, are an educational tool, and have many health and wellbeing benefits. Allotments grew in popularity throughout the 20th Century, and have seen a resurgence in popularity due to an increased public interest in sustainability and self-sufficiency.
We have eight allotment sites within communities across the county. The newest of these sites is the Geufron in Rhyl. This was opened as part of the Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing (ENRAW) project, an initiative to improve access to nature and promote health and wellbeing along the North Wales coast through a corridor of urban green spaces. Denbighshire’s allotments are as follows:
- The Morfa, Prestatyn
- Glas Meadows, Denbigh
- Greenfield Road, Ruthin
- Fron Bache, Llangollen
- Uwch y Dre, Corwen
- Crescent Road, Rhyl
- Ffordd Las, Rhyl
- The Geufron, Rhyl
The new Geufron Allotments in Rhyl
Allotments promote an active lifestyle through the manual work required in looking after an allotment, and can be an effective form of exercise. In addition, allotments promote mental wellbeing through access to the outdoors, providing people with an activity to focus on and take pride in, and offering new social opportunities within the local community. Taking up an allotment is increasingly recommended by healthcare professionals to alleviate a range of mental and physical health issues. This is particularly important in urban areas with limited access to green space, with many residents not having their own garden.
These spaces encourage local residents to grow their own produce, whilst learning new gardening skills. A healthy diet is encouraged through producing their own fruit and vegetables, which is particularly important for households who may struggle to afford healthy produce. This in turn promotes a healthy lifestyle and promotes wellbeing. Allotments also reduce plot holders’ reliance on supermarkets and help them move towards self-sufficiency and a more sustainable way of living, as well as increasing awareness of the importance of local produce.
The Ffordd Las allotments in Rhyl
Allotments are known for bringing people from across the community together, of all ages and backgrounds. Gardening can be an icebreaker as it provides a common interest for people to connect over, and can alleviate social isolation. Allotment groups are becoming increasingly popular. In Denbighshire, Prestatyn Community Allotment Group provides gardening opportunities for those who do not have a plot, and is a social opportunity for local people. There are plans for a new initiative in Rhyl through the ENRAW project to provide allotment spaces for Syrian refugee families, where they can grow their own produce and share gardening skills. At the Corwen allotments, a number of volunteer sessions brought volunteers from across the county together to tidy up the allotments and repair a dry-stone wall on the site. In Denbigh, there are plans for a community orchard alongside the allotments, and Vale of Clwyd Mind run weekly gardening sessions. Through these sessions, the Council is providing educational opportunities in rural skills, which can be shared and passed down to the next generation.
Dry-stone walling with volunteers at the Corwen allotments
The green spaces provided by allotments are vital in urban areas, where such spaces are hard to come by due to pressures to build more housing and reduce garden sizes. Allotments therefore provide havens for wildlife in Denbighshire’s towns. Plants grown in the allotments, and grass banks surrounding them, are an important habitat for insect pollinators. This in turn benefits birds and small mammals. These green spaces allow the migration of wildlife across urban areas. Therefore, urban green spaces can have an impact on biodiversity on a large scale. In the Prestatyn allotments, a solitary bee box has been installed to provide a nesting habitat, and has been a success, showing that insect life can thrive in these spaces. Urban green spaces such as these are vital places for local people to enjoy wildlife and the outdoors, especially for those who have difficulty travelling out of urban areas into the countryside, which further boosts health and wellbeing.
The solitary bee box at the Prestatyn allotments
The Council aims to increase awareness of the health and wellbeing benefits of allotments through the promotion of its allotment sites, and working with community groups. Denbighshire hopes that the popularity of allotments will continue to grow in order to promote healthy lifestyles in urban areas.
For more information on our allotments, contact claudia.smith@denbighshire.gov.uk.