Rare UK tree species receives new lifeline in Denbighshire

A rare UK tree has received a new lifeline in Denbighshire following the results of a four year long project to help protect the species.

The Councils Biodiversity Team have confirmed through genetic testing that they have managed to grow native Black Poplar trees from seed.

Work took place at the Council’s Tree Nursery based near St Asaph which has been funded by the Welsh Government, through the Local Nature Partnerships Cymru ENRaW project and Local Places for Nature grant.

A local provenance approach is used to source seeds for growing at St Asaph until the trees are ready to be planted on local land. Work carried out includes a mix of preserving and boosting core tree species such as oaks and whilst also lending a supporting hand for conserving rarer trees such as the wild service tree and now, with exciting results - the black poplar.

Black Poplars, although very rare in Denbighshire are native to the ecology of the county’s riverbanks and floodplains. They can be found scattered along the Vale of Clwyd, and can be recognised from their dark fissured bark, leaning trunks, and downward curved branches.

Mature trees grow to 30 metres and can live for 200 years. They are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female trees.

Black Poplars are thought to have decreased in numbers due to habitat loss from drainage and canalisation of riverbanks, the removal of female trees and their “unsightly” fluffy seeds, and a decrease in demand for their timber as faster growing hybrid poplars were introduced. Centuries ago, Black Poplar wood was used in buildings and various products (poplar wood is heat resistant and used for wagon brake blocks) until the construction industry turned to non-native trees and interest in native black poplar dwindled.

The Biodiversity Team worked to pollinate from surviving males at one Denbighshire location with a female in another part of the county and another male also cross the border in Conwy.

Senior Biodiversity Officer Liam Blazey explained: “The project has been over four years in the making from researching the location of suitable Black Poplar trees to the process the team put in place at the tree nursery to grow more of the rare trees.”

“We are really excited to have grown true native black poplar trees from seed and most importantly the methodology we used to do this has worked as hoped

“The methodology worked by carrying out controlled pollination between selected males and selected females. This has produced viable native Black Poplars and that’s really good news for us and for the species.”

Liam explained the results were sent to Forest Research, Forest Genetics Lab who carried out a DNA fingerprinting test to determine if the work was a success. The results came back positive for all of the randomly selected trees, with the results showing the respective genetic contribution from the expected mother and father. 

He said: “The majority of black poplar propagation in recent history has been via taking vegetative cuttings, meaning the same individual and hence genetics is copied many times.

“The fact is we have grown Black Poplars from seed is really nice because it introduces new genetic combinations and hence more resilience to the next generation of black poplars.”

The Council’s Biodiversity Team’s next step in the ongoing work to protect the black poplar will be to collaborate with other groups interested in this rare and iconic tree.

Liam added: “We can’t keep going back to the same female as we may end up with genetic issues down the line, as all the seedlings will be brothers or sisters with the same mother. Going forward we hope to start conversations with other local groups that know of other female Black Poplars, share our methodology and go forward from there and spread out the genes we have here in the natives we have grown. “

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are very proud of our Biodiversity team for breathing life into this project to boost Black Poplar species in the county. It is scarce right across the UK and the team’s fantastic efforts will give the tree a chance to thrive once more in Denbighshire.”

Council’s Street Lighting team recognised nationally for frontline work

Denbighshire County Council’s Street Lighting team has been highlighted for its provision of frontline work through an annual national awards event.

The Service has been shortlisted in two categories for the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Performance Networks 2025 Awards within the Best and Most Improved Performer categories.

Across the county, the team maintains 11,763 streetlights and 1,547 illuminated signs and bollards to provide safety and support the wellbeing of residents.

APSE is one of the UK’s top benchmarking agencies which works with over 200 councils across the UK.

The Street Lighting service provides service data annually which is then measured against other similar data entries from across the UK which includes staff training, development and attendance, service performance, financial standing and service value for money and general service delivery and management of the service.

APSE is committed to highlighting excellence in the delivery of frontline services to local communities and have shortlisted the Street Lighting service in the APSE Performance Networks Awards for Best Performer in Street Lighting and Most Improved Performer in Street Lighting.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are proud that our fantastic Street Lighting staff have been recognised for their hard work and commitment for keeping our street lighting on to protect and help residents across Denbighshire.

“I know they go the extra mile to make sure that the lights stay on every day through their dedication, and they should all be proud themselves of this recognition.”

This year’s Performance Networks Seminar and Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 December 2025 at the Village Hotel, Blackpool.

Council’s Adult Social Services praised in CIW report

In a recent Performance Evaluation Inspection Report released by the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), Denbighshire County Council’s Adult Social Services was praised for its “positive culture within the service” with an “excellent focus on staff wellbeing”, recognising that “practitioners are skilled, innovative, and committed to people they support.”

The CIW undertook the inspection between the 8^th-12^th of September 2025, to review the local authority’s performance in exercising its social services duties and functions in line with legislation.

The summary of inspection findings praised the Council’s Adult Social Services’ leadership approach, stating that “leaders are experienced, provide stability of leadership and know their service very well” and that “practitioners describe them as visible, approachable, and supportive.”

The inspection focused on four main points, People - voice and control, Prevention, Well-being and Partnerships.

The summary of inspection findings also found that “there is a strong learning culture with opportunities to attend training, and to benefit from reflective practice.”

The services’ focus on staff wellbeing was described as “excellent” with the report stating that “practitioners and leaders are supported through regular formal and informal supervision” and that “necessary adaptations are undertaken to promote personal and professional needs.”

Preventative and safeguarding practices were also highlighted within the report, which said that “the local authority offers a strong range of preventative services” and that “safeguarding practices are robust and follow Wales Safeguarding Procedures.”

The safeguarding team was described as “approachable” and “well-supported” and this included the “dedicated expertise at SPoA (Single Point of Access) to aid front-door decision-making.” The safeguarding team was described to have “clear and robust procedures for considering and responding to safeguarding concerns, working in collaboration with different teams in the service as well as with partner agencies and providers.”

The Services’ collaboration with other key services was also highlighted within the report, which stated that “there is strong operational and strategic collaboration across health, social care, and partner agencies, supported by co-located teams such as Community Resource Teams (CRTs) and the complex disabilities team.”

It also said that the “positive joint working with police and homelessness services contributes to improved outcomes” and that “the local authority plays an active role in regional safeguarding and strategic planning”. Further to this, the report said that “there is good partnership working across teams to promote people’s social care and housing needs.”

The local authority was praised for its exploration of “innovative, cost-effective approaches that improve outcomes for people” and the report highlighted the implementation of the 'Turn Only Once' model as an example of this.

Councillor Elen Heaton, Lead Member for Health and Social Care said:

“It is really positive to see CIW recognise what so many of us already know: our ASCH teams lead with compassion, commitment and a genuine people-first approach. Over the past few years our teams have faced huge pressures, yet they continue to show extraordinary dedication to the people they support.

We know there will always be areas where we want to learn, improve and adapt, which is why it means a great deal to see the hard work to transform these services noticed in this report. I would like to thank our staff and our partners for everything they do each day to support people across Denbighshire.”

Curlew Conservation Sees Signs of Progress in Denbighshire

A collaborative conservation project aimed at protecting one of Wales’ most threatened bird species has brought small but significant signs of progress this season.

For the past two years, Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscapes has been part of “Curlew Connections Wales,” a Curlew Recovery Wales partnership project working alongside Bannau Brycheiniog and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT). This initiative forms part of the wider Gylfinir Cymru programme, an all-Wales partnership dedicated to supporting breeding Curlew populations across the country, including in Denbighshire.

Curlews are currently ‘Red Listed’ on both the Welsh and UK Birds of Conservation Concern (BoCC), reflecting their severe decline. Since the 1990s, Wales has seen an estimated 80% drop in its breeding Curlew population, largely due to habitat loss, disturbance during nesting, and predation.

In response, targeted conservation efforts have been underway across Important Curlew Area 5 (ICA5), which spans large parts of Denbighshire, Flintshire, and Wrexham. This work is supported by Welsh Government funding through the Heritage Lottery Fund.

This season, the project team welcomed a modest but meaningful success: six Curlew chicks successfully fledged in the Denbighshire area, a significant improvement on the previous year.

Local Curlew and People Officer Sam Kenyon, who has led the project for the past two seasons, recognised the practical support that made the season’s success possible

“We recorded approximately 38 breeding pairs this year and were able to install electric fencing around more than 10 nests to reduce the risk of predation, with further protection measures in place around a total of 21 pairs. Thanks to the combined efforts of farmers, volunteers, and a professional protective team, six chicks made it to fledging, a real boost for our local Curlew population.”

Sam highlighted the vital role of landowners: “It’s been genuinely inspiring to see farmers actively support nesting Curlews on their land. Some went above and beyond to help us locate and protect nests. Their knowledge and willingness to adapt their management temporarily around the birds made a huge difference.”

While the season wasn’t without setbacks, including some eggs which failed to hatched, the project remains focused on learning and improving. A small core of dedicated volunteers were instrumental in monitoring bird behaviour, and their contributions were deeply valued.

To support participating farmers who were able to join the curlew recovery efforts, the project also provided a modest stewardship fund for any delays in nutrient access and harvest due to nest protection measures, funded by the Welsh Government.

Sam added:“This season’s outcome shows what’s possible when we work together. It’s not a dramatic turnaround, but it’s a step in the right direction and a sign that with continued support, we can give this iconic species a fighting chance.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Denbighshire’s Biodiversity Champion, echoed this sentiment: “The Curlew was once a familiar sight across North Wales and the UK. Seeing six fledglings this year is a testament to the commitment and hard work of everyone involved. We’re proud to support this vital project and hopeful for what future seasons may bring.”

Work Works: Supporting Denbighshire residents into supported employment

Working Denbighshire, a service run by the Council, has launched a new campaign - Work Works, to help local residents take their first steps into work or return after time away, with free, tailored support.

Working Denbighshire aims to show how work can transform lives, especially for those who are economically inactive due to long-term health conditions, disabilities or caring responsibilities, by offering personal, social, and emotional benefits.

At the heart of the message is the understanding that employment is a way to boost your health, confidence and wellbeing, and thanks to local employers working with Denbighshire County Council, more supportive and inclusive workplaces are being created to help local residents thrive. The campaign is part of a wider effort to make employment more inclusive and accessible across Denbighshire.

Whether it’s a first job, a temporary role, or a voluntary position, every opportunity contributes to greater stability, wellbeing and personal growth. Employment also sets a positive example within families and communities, reinforcing the wider benefits of being in work.

The Working Denbighshire team signing the word 'connect' [British Sign Language]

Dru, a successful participant from Working Denbighshire says:

“My advisor helped me grow my confidence, and it’s been more helpful now I can put myself out there … In the beginning, I was a nervous wreck and eventually I came out my shell. With Working Denbighshire by my side, I’m ready to go … [work] is just part of my routine now and I can’t wait for it to happen every day.”

Working Denbighshire offers one-to-one support to overcome challenges people may face when entering work. and provides support throughout the entire journey, from job searches and CV writing to interview preparation and in-employment guidance. The focus is on building a future that works for everyone.

Ready to take the next step? We’re here to help you make it happen.

Call us on 01745 331438 / 07342 070635 or visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/working-denbighshire to get started.

Note:

Denbighshire, utilising creative and accessible formats to reach those who may be offline, disengaged, or facing barriers to work. It’s supported by the UK Government’s Trailblazer pilot and brings together council teams and local partners to offer personalised help, from building confidence and skills to finding the right job and staying in it.

About Working Denbighshire:

Working Denbighshire is part funded through the Welsh Government Communities for Work Plus Programme which supports those most disadvantaged in the labour market to overcome the barriers preventing them from gaining employment.

Working Denbighshire is part funded by UK Government.

Council’s ‘free after three’ returns for the festive period

Denbighshire County Council’s ‘free after three’ initiative will be returning once again this year.

Between 24 November and 31 December, council-run town centre car parks will be free to use across Denbighshire every day from 3pm to encourage more people to use their local high street for shopping in the run up to Christmas and New Year.

The ‘free after three’ scheme will be available in the following car parks:

Corwen: Green Lane.

Denbigh: Barkers Well Lane, Crown Lane, Factory Ward, Post Office Lane, Vale Street.

Llangollen:  East Street, Hall Street, Market Street, Mill Street.

Prestatyn: Fern Avenue, Kings Avenue, Lower High Street, Nant Hall Road, Railway Station.

Rhuddlan: Parliament Street.

Rhyl: Library (disabled bays only), Morley Road, Queen Street, Railway Station, Town Hall, Sky Tower, West Kinmel Street.

Ruthin: Crispin Yard, Dog Lane, Market Street, Park Road, Rhos Street, St Peter’s Square, Troed Y Rhiw.

St Asaph: Bowling Green.

Denbighshire County Council have also allocated five free parking days a year to town and city councils. Details of the remaining dates for each town and city councils are below:

Corwen: 03/11, 12/12, 13/12, 20/12.

Denbigh: 30/11.

Llangollen: 29/11, 20/12, 21/12.

Prestatyn: 21/11, 22/11, 24/12.

Rhuddlan: 08/11, 09/11, 07/12, 13/12.

Rhyl: 20/12, 21/12, 22/12, 23/12, 24/12.

St Asaph: 09/11, 28/11, 25/12, 26/12, 31/12.

Ruthin: Dates to be confirmed.

The car parks listed under the ‘free after three’ initiative will also be included within the free parking days.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said:

“The ‘free after three’ initiative has proved popular in previous years because it is a great scheme that enables residents to support their local communities.

“We hope that everyone supports our local high streets and back our businesses, especially in the run-up to Christmas and take full advantage of the benefits of the scheme by using the county’s town centre car parks free of charge.”

Catering Services shortlisted for national award

Denbighshire County Council’s Catering Services has been nationally recognised for its delivery of frontline services.

The Catering Services team has been shortlisted in the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Performance Networks 2025 Awards.

Across Denbighshire, the Catering Service runs 54 school kitchens daily to produce 13,500 freshly prepared meals for pupils. That’s 67,500 meals served during the school week to help children learn, grow, and thrive.

APSE is one of the UK’s top benchmarking agencies who work with over 200 councils across the UK. The catering service submits service data annually which is then measured against other entries from across the UK which includes paid and free meal uptakes, staff training, development and attendance, service performance, financial standing and service value for money and general service delivery and Management of the service.

They are committed to promoting excellence in the delivery of frontline services to local communities around the UK. They have shortlisted the Council’s Catering Services in the APSE Performance Networks Awards for Best Performer and Most Improved Education Catering service.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are really pleased that our fantastic Catering Service has been recognised for their work to provide healthy, balanced meals that give our children the best start to their school day.

“Catering staff continue to go the extra mile every day to provide thousands of meals made with care, local produce, and nutritional balance every single day and they should all be proud of what they achieve.”

New childcare facility opens at Ysgol Twm o’r Nant

Ysgol Twm o’r Nant’s new childcare facility building was officially opened by the Chair of the Council, Councillor Arwel Roberts last week, on Thursday, 13^th of November.

Councillor Arwel Roberts (Chairman of the Council) with Councillor Diane King (Lead Member for Education, Children and Families), Dafydd Davies (Headteacher at Ysgol Twm o'r Nant) and Nicola Stubbins (Corporate Director, Social Services & Education).

Ribbon cutting

The project, which began in March of 2024, and was completed in the Summer of 2025, was funded through the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All commitment to introduce Community Learning Centres which provide extended services with childcare, parenting support, family learning and community access to facilities built around the school day.

The new facility, which sits next to the school building, provides improved facilities for Welsh Medium childcare provision for local families in the Denbigh area, adding to the council’s overall offer within Denbighshire.

Main entrance of the new building

The new building has been designed to fit in with the colour scheme and architecture of the main school building and is approximately 230 square metres and features two classrooms and an outdoor learning area. This project has been designed by the council’s in-house architecture team.

New building with school to the right hand side

Dafydd Davies, Headteacher at Ysgol Twm o’r Nant said:

“Our fantastic new nursery building is more than a space - it’s a place where young learners will grow, play, and thrive in the Welsh language.

This development reflects the growing demand for Welsh-medium education and the need for high-quality Welsh provisions in our area, ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn and flourish in Welsh”

Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said:

“This new facility means that families in the Denbigh area have access to brilliant, high quality childcare provision.

This facility affirms our commitment as a council to expand our high-quality childcare provision within our County, with this new facility a fantastic addition within the Denbigh Area.

It is great to see that this building is now officially open, which will be a benefit to the community for generations to come.”

Cabinet agrees proposals for future public toilets provision

Denbighshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed proposals that will keep most public toilets in the county open, with the support of city, town and community councils.

At today’s Cabinet meeting, lead members acknowledged the operational costs of each public convenience in the county and considered the proposal for each facility in line with the confirmed position of each city, town and community council.

Since May this year the Council has undertaken further work with city, town and community councils to try and keep as many public toilets open as possible beyond 31st March 2026.

Although the Council recognises their importance, public toilets are a non-statutory service, and local authorities have no legal obligation to provide them. 

The money received by the council has not kept up with financial pressures and the increasing cost of delivering services, especially statutory services like social care and education.  There is therefore less money to spend on “Place-Making” services, like public toilets.

The Council has worked with city, town and community councils to find a sustainable model to fund and protect as many facilities as possible and cabinet members today acknowledged proposals for keeping most public toilets open thanks to this collaborative approach.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said, “We know and recognise that public toilets are a valued facility by our residents in Denbighshire. Since May we have gone back out to talk to all relevant city, town and community councils in an open and transparent way to find a collaborative way to keep these facilities open.

“I want to thank the town and community councils for their positive energy and collaboration that has helped us reach the position where we can now keep most of our public toilets open”.

Full details of the proposals put before Cabinet are available here 

Christmas Waste Collection Dates

Denbighshire County Council are advising residents to be aware of temporary collection days changes to Waste and recycling over the festive holidays.

Over the Christmas and New Year period, the following changes will be made to household waste collections, some collection days have changed, these are:

• Monday 22 December 2025 will be collected on Saturday 20 December 2025.
• Tuesday 23 December 2025 will be collected on Monday 22 December 2025.
• Wednesday 24 December 2025 will be collected on Tuesday 23 December 2025.
• Thursday 25 December 2025 will be collected on Wednesday 24 December 2025.
• Friday 26 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Monday 29 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Tuesday 30 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Wednesday 31 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Thursday 1 January 2026 will be collected on Saturday 3 January 2026.
• Friday 2 January 2026 no change (normal collection day).

Commercial waste and recycling collections

The following changes will be made to commercial waste collections over the Christmas and New Year period:

• Monday 22 December 2025 will be collected on Saturday 20 December 2025.
• Tuesday 23 December 2025 will be collected on Monday 22 December 2025.
• Wednesday 24 December 2025 will be collected on Tuesday 23 December 2025.
• Thursday 25 December 2025 will be collected on Wednesday 24 December 2025.
• Friday 26 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Monday 29 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Tuesday 30 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Wednesday 31 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Thursday 1 January 2026 will be collected on Saturday 3 January 2026.
• Friday 2 January 2026 no change (normal collection day).

Garden Waste Collection

Over the Christmas and New Year period, the following changes will be made to garden waste collections:

• Monday 22 December 2025 will be collected on Saturday 20 December 2025.
• Tuesday 23 December 2025 will be collected on Monday 22 December 2025.
• Wednesday 24 December 2025 will be collected on Tuesday 23 December 2025.
• Thursday 25 December 2025 will be collected on Wednesday 24 December 2025.
• Friday 26 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Monday 29 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Tuesday 30 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Wednesday 31 December 2025 no change (normal collection day).
• Thursday 1 January 2026 will be collected on Saturday 3 January 2026.
• Friday 2 January 2026 no change (normal collection day).

During this time, residents can book to visit our waste and recycling parks. Details of what is accepted in our waste and recycling parks are available on the website. 

Normal collections will resume from Monday, 5 January, 2026.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “The Christmas and New Year period can produce a lot of recycling and waste as it is a celebratory time for all. From wrapping paper to bottles, there are lots of extra items that our brilliant waste teams work to collect over the holiday period. We want to thank all our residents for understanding these changes and also thank them for their cooperation during the festive period.”

Full details about Christmas and New Year information is on the Council’s website.

Residents can check how to recycle items on the Council’s A-Z recycling guide online.

Free digital connectivity drop-in sessions

Denbighshire residents and businesses are being invited to attend free digital connectivity drop-in sessions this November and December at Llangollen and Corwen Libraries.

The sessions, run by the Council’s Digital Officer Philip Burrows, will offer tailored advice and support for anyone struggling with their internet connection. Philip can help investigate issues, contact Openreach on your behalf, and provide a detailed report on your connection and available solutions.

As part of the sessions, residents and businesses can also learn more about the new LoRaWan network being installed across Denbighshire with funding from Ambition North Wales. This long-range network will provide open access to businesses and residents, allowing them to connect smart sensors to the internet.

LoRaWan sensors can save time and money by monitoring situations remotely - for example, farmers can track livestock health, monitor gate access, or check water and fuel tank levels, all from a distance.

Session details:

Llangollen Library

• Thursday 20 November (9am – 12pm)
• Friday, 5 December (9am – 12pm)

Corwen Library

• Monday, 24 November (9am – 12pm)
• Tuesday, 9 December (9am – 12pm)

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for the Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage, said:

“This is a fantastic opportunity for residents and businesses to get expert help with improving their digital connections.

“Reliable internet access is vital for our communities, and the new LoRaWan network will open up exciting possibilities for innovation - from farming and tourism to small business operations.

“I would encourage anyone who has experienced connectivity issues or wants to learn about the benefits of sensor technology to come along to these free sessions.”

The service is fully funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) and is available free of charge to all businesses and residents in Denbighshire.

To find out more or to access support, contact Philip Burrows at philip.burrows@denbighshire.gov.uk

Information on Llangollen and Corwen libraries can be found on our website.