Redeveloped Prestatyn playground opens with seaside theme

Central Beach play area has reopened this week following a period of redevelopment by Denbighshire County Council.

The Council’s Streetscene department managed the project after securing grant funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Transitional Fund.

Work has seen a new seaside theme roll into the site that is near Prestatyn beach, alongside the installation of accessible and sensory play equipment that is designed to allow children of all abilities play together.

The new look play area is designed to provide a modern update with dynamic, exciting and varied play. It provides physical and cognitive play types and a lot of variety to ensure children learn and grow as well as explore different types of physical activity.

KOMPAN carried out the redevelopment of the play area after being briefed by Council officers who were keen to acknowledge the seaside surroundings at the site.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “It’s fantastic to see this play area back open for children to enjoy and I would encourage local and visiting families to stop by and take in the new amazing seaside themed site that sits next to Prestatyn’s beach.”

Working Denbighshire’s Jobs Fair comes to Rhyl in February

Jobseekers across Denbighshire are invited to join the Working Denbighshire Jobs Fair on Wednesday, 25 February, from 10am to 2pm at the 1891 Bar & Restaurant, Rhyl Pavilion.

Held in partnership with Job Centre Plus, this free event will bring together a diverse mix of local and national employers who are actively recruiting for a wide range of roles across multiple sectors.

Building on the success of previous fairs — which have welcomed over 40–50 employers and attracted hundreds of attendees — this February’s accessible event continues Working Denbighshire’s commitment to breaking down barriers to employment and connecting people with real opportunities close to home.

Attendees can expect to meet employers representing sectors such as hospitality and leisure, health and social care, armed forces, manufacturing and more, reflecting the varied workforce needs across the region. Organisations such as the Royal Navy, North Wales Police, Haven, and a wide mix of local employers offering both entry‑level and experienced career pathways will be in attendance.

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation said:

“Our Jobs Fair is all about creating access to opportunities for local people.

“We’re delighted to welcome a range of employers who are actively looking for candidates, and we encourage residents to come along, explore what’s available, and chat directly with organisations ready to hire.”

Melanie Evans, Principal Manager, Strategic Employment, said:

“Our job fair is a fantastic chance for residents to meet employers face-to-face and discover what’s happening across key sectors in Denbighshire. It gives them the opportunity to spark future-changing conversations, build their confidence, and show people the variety of careers available right here in our county.”

The event is free and open to everyone, including jobseekers, career changers, young people exploring options, and anyone interested in training or employment support available through Working Denbighshire.

For more information and updates, visit working.denbighshire.gov.uk or follow Working Denbighshire on social media.

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.

‘Treeific’ pupils plant hope for local nature

Pupils at Ysgol y Faenol in Bodelwyddan have put in a ‘treeific’ effort to provide new habitats for local nature at their school ground.

Pupils have joined together with Denbighshire County Council’s Biodiversity and Countryside Service team members to plant over 1,000 trees of varied species at the school.

This work is funded by the UK Government through the 2025/26 UK Shared Prosperity Fund which has granted Denbighshire County Council £278,600 for nature recovery works across the county.

Rolling up their sleeves, pupils have been busy planting hedgerows and standard trees at Ysgol y Faenol.

Standard size trees planted include alder, sessile oak, rowan, hazel, silver birch, bird cherry, guelder rose and elder.

The children also planted wayfaring trees, which have an interesting history for the pupils to learn along with facts about the other species. Wayfaring trees were named in the 1500s after been noticed on the routes between Wiltshire and London. If you see a wayfaring tree, you are said to be on or near a path.

Over 1,100 smaller trees of different varieties planted at the school will also create hedgerows and woodland that will help pupils learn more about the habitat benefits to local nature as they develop and mature.

The trees planted to create these areas included wild pear that will provide a food source for birds and mammals and its flowers a haven for local pollinators. Also planted by the pupils is dogwood, the leaves of which are eaten by the caterpillars of some moths, including the case-bearer moth.

The habitat creation at Ysgol y Faenol will not only give the pupils an area to learn about local nature but will also contribute locally to the absorption of carbon emissions thanks to extra trees in the ground.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Biodiversity Champion, said: “We are really grateful to all the Ysgol y Faenol pupils for their brilliant help towards shaping this great new area to support local nature to and to also benefit the wellbeing and learning of all pupils current and future.”

Company and conversation sessions to be held in collaboration with talking points

Three of Denbighshire’s Libraries are set to host a set of 'Company and Conversation' sessions in conjunction with the Talking Points service.

The free sessions will be held at Corwen, Rhyl and Ruthin libraries throughout February and March, alongside the regular talking points sessions, which are held in a different Denbighshire library each day of the week.

The sessions are facilitated by Making Sense.

As well as offering the regular advice and guidance information, these special talking points sessions will offer the chance for citizens to take a stroll down memory lane and allow interaction with ‘reminiscence boxes’.

The boxes feature a collection of memory boxes and bags, which hold nostalgic items that residents can interact with. Most of the items are from the 1950’s era.

Reminiscence box contents (Image credit, Making Sense)

Alongside the boxes, tea and cake will be supplied, as well as the opportunity to create through a number of arts and craft mediums.

Arts and crafts (Image credit, Making Sense)

The sessions will be held in:

• Rhyl library - February 10^th, 17^th and March 10^th, 24^th.
• Corwen library – February 18^th, 25^th and March 4^th, 11^th,18^th
• Ruthin library – February 10^th, 17^th and March 3^rd, 10^th, 17^th

All sessions will run from 10am – 12pm.

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

“These sessions are a brilliant opportunity for residents to pop down to the library, have a chat, enjoy a cup of tea and possibly take a trip down memory lane.

They’re creative and fun, and I’m sure they will bring real value to everyone who takes part. I’d like to thank all of the partners involved, including our Library Service, for hosting these sessions and creating welcoming, enjoyable opportunities that bring people in our communities together.”

Tenants move into new energy-efficient homes in Denbigh

Tenants have now moved into their new homes at the Llwyn Eirin development in Denbigh, following the completion of 22 high-quality, energy-efficient council houses.

All 22 homes have been successfully allocated, with a strong emphasis on supporting local people, helping to ensure affordable housing is provided for local communities.

New tenants have praised both the homes and the support they received during the allocation process.

One resident said: “The housing officer has been very supportive in helping us. These properties are amazing and are beautiful inside.”

Another added: “Thank you for our beautiful new home. We are going to benefit so much. The long wait was worth it and being kept informed along the way as well.”

A community event is currently being planned to give new residents the opportunity to meet one another and begin building connections.

The Llwyn Eirin homes have been built to the highly energy-efficient Passivhaus standard, offering excellent insulation and significantly reduced energy use. The properties are fitted with solar panels and ground-source heat pumps, meaning they do not require a gas supply. This will help lower household energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and support the Council’s commitment to tackling climate change.

The development has been supported by Welsh Government funding through its Innovative Housing Programme, enabling Denbighshire County Council to work with Creating Enterprise on this modern and sustainable approach to housebuilding.

Councillor Rhys Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said:

“It’s fantastic to see tenants moving into these new homes at Llwyn Eirin. This development shows our commitment to providing high-quality, affordable housing for local people while also delivering homes that are fit for the future. These energy-efficient properties will help residents keep energy costs down while supporting our wider environmental ambitions.”

The Llwyn Eirin development forms part of Denbighshire County Council’s Affordable Housing Programme, which is delivering new council homes across the county to meet local need.

Contractors appointed for Ruthin projects

The council have successfully appointed a contractor for the impending public realm improvement works to Ruthin town.

In 2023, the UK Government confirmed their intention to provide £10.95 million of grant funding for 10 capital projects aimed at protecting Ruthin’s unique heritage, wellbeing, and rural communities.

This funding has been awarded exclusively for successful projects included in Clwyd West and cannot be directed to other projects.

Undertaken by OBR Construction, the proposed works to St Peter’s Square and Cae Ddol will look to widen the scope for hosting events, revitalise historical buildings and landmarks to support local identity, and promote pride of place by boosting the image of the town.

The St. Peter’s Square public realm improvement works are scheduled to start on site from mid-March 2026, and will be carried out through a phased approach, with the project temporarily paused in July to allow Gwŷl Rhuthun to take place safely and without disruption.

All construction activity will stop for the duration of the festival, and the site will be secured throughout this period. Once the festival concludes, construction works will resume as planned.

Work at Cae Ddol to introduce an active travel route and pump track will begin at a later date once the rugby season finishes in April, minimising disruption to regular users of the grounds.

As a part of the agreement, OBR Construction will provide a business liaison officer to support businesses with any porterage services required during the project.

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation said:

“Whilst this project is an exciting development to Ruthin that will look to revitalise the square and Cae Ddol, we are aware that residents and business owners will be affected whilst the work is carried out.

“Throughout both projects, OBR Construction and the council will work closely with the community, providing regular updates on progress and notify of any temporary impacts. Advance notices will be issued to ensure residents, businesses, and visitors are aware of temporary changes to access and traffic management during the construction phase.

"As we prepare for upcoming works in the area, we are asking all businesses and residents that have not completed an Access Needs Survey, to do so. Responses are essential in helping us understand what access businesses and residents will need once the works begin.

“By completing the survey, you will help us to ensure maintained access to properties and premises, allow us to plan and support appropriate routes and minimise disruption during construction”.

If you have not completed the survey yet or if you require further information about the schemes, please contact the project team: corporateprogramme@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Turf-cutting ceremony marks start of works on new community hub

A turf-cutting ceremony was recently held to mark the start of works to construct a new community hub and extension at Ysgol Bro Elwern.

The £2.7 million project is partly funded by the Welsh Government through its Welsh ;Language Capital and Universal Primary Free School Meals grant to provide a new classroom and state of the art kitchen for the primary school, whilst the community hub is funded by the UK Government as part of grant funding for 10 capital projects aimed at protecting Ruthin’s unique heritage, wellbeing and rural communities.

Attending the ceremony were representatives from Denbighshire County Council, pupils and staff from Ysgol Bro Elwern, local members and representatives of the Community Council alongside staff from SWG Construction who are undertaking the works.

The project is set to benefit the pupils at Ysgol Bro Elwern as it will deliver a new classroom, kitchen and ancillary spaces and access to an onsite hall space.

The Community hub itself will include a large hall and meeting space to provide improved facilities for social engagements for the local community and will be managed by the Community Council.  Cylch Meithrin will be relocated into the Community Hub.  The facility will also be used by the school, local community groups and the Post Office.

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

“The turf-cutting ceremony is a significant milestone to an important project that will make a real difference to the pupils of Ysgol Bro Elwern as well as the community in Gwyddelwern. The project will not only provide new state of the art facilities for one of our schools, but it will also provide a vital community hub for the community.

“I would like to thank the local member, Councillor Hugh Evans, and the Community Council for their commitment throughout this process and Denbighshire County Council are excited to support the project as it progresses”.

Riverside Park development begins

Work is set to commence to help improve and develop health and wellbeing along Llangollen’s Riverside Park.

Funded by Shared Prosperity Transitional Year Funding the work starting Monday February 2, will be coordinated by Denbighshire County Council’s Streetscene department.

The development of the area follows previous improvement work at the park during the last few years which has seen initiatives including a 9-hole bespoke mini golf and play equipment added to the site.

Streetscene is working to further enhance the park for local residents and visitors to enjoy.

The project will see the replacement of an existing ramp from Aldi Car Park to the Skatepark/MUGA area to improve the accessibility of this area to wheelchair users and others with greater accessibility needs, and the installation of two further ramped paths to improve accessibility around the park.

Fencing will be added next to the old children’s play area to make this section more secure, and an additional access gate will be installed on the river side of the park.

An outdoor gym will also be installed which will include seven items of equipment to enable users to exercise with a view over the river. In addition to this, two accessible picnic benches will be installed in this area with concrete bases to enable easy access by wheelchair.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “We are pleased to be able to continue making improvements along this great area at Llangollen through this funding Streetscene has been able to access. This work will enhance other areas that have already been improved at Riverside Park to further raise the profile of this important part of the town for both the enjoyment of residents and those visiting Llangollen."

Denbighshire’s Council agrees extension to Corporate Plan

Denbighshire's full Council today (Tuesday, 27 January) agreed the proposal for its current Corporate Plan, The Denbighshire We Want, to be extended by one year to 2028.

This change will allow the next elected Cabinet and Council, following the May 2027 local government elections, the opportunity to develop their own five-year Corporate Plan for the period 2028–2033.

This has been done by the Council to strengthen the ability for the new Council to shape a plan that reflects its priorities and vision, strengthening councillor ownership of the Corporate Plan and its delivery.

The Corporate Plan is a key strategic document that enables the Council to meet its statutory duties under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the Equalities Act 2010.

The change agreed today is supported by the ongoing delivery of detailed strategies such as the Climate and Nature Strategy, Digital Strategy, Economic Strategy, and Workforce Strategy.

Cllr Julie Matthews, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Corporate Strategy, Policy, Equalities and Strategic Assets said, “This proposal gives the next Cabinet and Council the time and space to develop a Corporate Plan that truly reflects their priorities, while ensuring continuity and stability for our residents.”

Garden subscription renewal goes live

Denbighshire gardeners who use the garden waste subscription service can renew their collection from today (January 12)

Renewal for 2026 to 2027 is now open to make sure there is time for everyone to sign up before the new service period starts from April 1.

The Council is encouraging residents who are subscribing for the first time also take advantage of this sign-up period from today (April 1) to take full advantage of the 12-month service.

Residents are encouraged to renew their collection service online using the link below:

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/bins-and-recycling/garden-waste.aspx

The two weekly garden waste service offers residents a convenient, cost-effective means of dealing with their garden waste and makes a significant contribution towards meeting statutory recycling targets.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “Today’s the day to renew or sign up for the 12 months garden waste collection service. I would urge residents to do this at their earliest convenience to account for the delivery time of any new containers and to and to take advantage of the full 12-month service.

Residents can check whether they have a live subscription on the bin collection dates page of the website or find out further information on the service here

Applications for commuted sums are now open!

Applications are now open for funding to help improve open spaces and play areas across Denbighshire.

Funding totalling £101,064.42 is available to support local projects.

The funding comes from commuted sums, which are payments made by developers when it is not possible to provide outdoor open space as part of a new development. These funds are set aside to enhance parks, play areas and other open spaces, usually within the same town or community where the development took place. In some cases, the money can also be used to benefit nearby communities within Denbighshire.

A range of organisations can apply for funding, including:

• City, town and community councils
• Community and voluntary groups
• Charities
• Public sector organisations
• Amateur sports clubs
• Denbighshire County Council

Councillor Rhys Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities said:

“Commuted sums funding plays an important role in helping us protect and enhance open spaces and play areas across Denbighshire. This investment helps ensure that local communities continue to benefit from safe, welcoming and well-maintained spaces that support wellbeing, play and community life. I would encourage eligible organisations to consider applying and to take advantage of this opportunity to make a positive difference in their local area.”

The funding closes for applications on 20 April 2026. Further information and application forms is available online here: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/commutedsums.

The amount of funding available, and in which areas is listed below:

Garden waste subscription renewal now live

Denbighshire gardeners who use the garden waste service can now renew their subscription.

Renewal for 2026 to 2027 is now open to make sure there is time for everyone to sign up before the new service period starts from April 1.

The Council is encouraging residents who are subscribing for the first time also take advantage of this sign-up period to take full advantage of the 12-month service.

Residents are encouraged to renew their collection service online using the link below:

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/bins-and-recycling/garden-waste.aspx

The two weekly garden waste service offers residents a convenient, cost-effective means of dealing with their garden waste and makes a significant contribution towards meeting statutory recycling targets.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “Today’s the day to renew or sign up for the 12 months garden waste collection service. I would urge residents to do this at their earliest convenience to account for the delivery time of any new containers and to and to take advantage of the full 12-month service.

Residents can check whether they have a live subscription on the bin collection dates page of the website or find out further information on the service here