Road maintenance update for August

Our Highways department undertake maintenance schemes across the county.

We are responsible for the maintenance and repair of 1,400 kilometres of Denbighshire roads. Our teams carry out a regular programme of works to maintain and improve our roads, which ranges from the repair of potholes right up to resurfacing schemes.

Roads may need to be closed for us to carry out the patching, drainage and other supporting works.

August’s strategic Highways work is listed below:

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Our Highways teams are regularly working all year around to support and maintain the routes we have across the county. We would like to thank our residents for their patience and support this month as we carry out this important work.”

Dates of work may be subject to change due to the weather or other external factors.

For all roadwork information across Denbighshire roads including other Council services and utility companies please visit this link for further information.

More areas to receive Flying Start assistance in Denbighshire

Further areas within Denbighshire are now set to receive assistance through the Flying Start childcare scheme.

The expanded areas now cover Rhyl, Prestatyn, Meliden, Rhuddlan, Dyserth, Denbigh, Corwen, Llangollen, Llandrillo, Llanfair DC and are applicable to families who have a child who turned 2 years old between 1^st September 2024 and 31st August 2025.

This expansion means that families in the new areas will be eligible for up to 12 ½ hours of funded childcare per week during term time. With more settings offering funded Flying Start Childcare, and new postcodes being added regularly, families are encouraged to check their postcode using the postcode checker on the website.

Denbighshire Flying Start is a Welsh Government funded programme. The aim of the programme is to help children to have the best possible start in life for their future growth and development.

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

“This latest expansion of the Flying Start scheme will mean that more Denbighshire families can now get access to the free childcare provision. This assistance is a massive help for parents and families.

Residents in the newly expanded areas can check if their postcode is eligible through the postcode checker.”

For more information please visit: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/childcare-and-parenting/families-first-and-flying-start/flying-start.aspx

Artist Matthew Wood Gifts Dedicated Painting to Nantclwyd y Dre

Following on from his recent exhibition, artist Matthew Wood has generously gifted a painting to the historic house to mark the conclusion of his 2025 artist residency.

The artwork, a smaller version of Wood’s popular oil lamp painting, depicts the evocative 1940s hallway at Nantclwyd y Dre. Featuring soft light falling across the antique oil lamp through the intricate stained glass in the background, the composition captures a beautiful moment in the house’s layered history.

The painting has become the centrepiece of Wood’s recent exhibition of over 20 site-specific works created during his time in residence.

Site Manager Kate Thomson accepted the painting on behalf of the popular heritage attraction, saying:

“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this gift from Matthew. His painting captures the spirit of the house so beautifully; the light, the colours, and the carefully captured details of the stained-glass window and hallway which is the view that visitors first encounter when they visit. It will be a lasting memento of his time here that future visitors can enjoy for years to come.”

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

“It’s wonderful to receive this painting following Matthew’s residence at Nantclwyd y Dre. The workshops and exhibition held were a great success and it’s been fantastic to host events such as these at one of our heritage sites”.

Wood’s residency included a successful solo exhibition (April–June 2025), which showcased this new collection inspired by the house’s architecture and atmosphere, as well as a series of public and student workshops. The gifted painting will now become part of the permanent collection at Nantclwyd y Dre.

Help shape Rhyl’s future – Have your say

Big changes are coming to Rhyl, with £20 million of regeneration funding set to be invested over the next 10 years.

The Rhyl Neighbourhood Board has been set up to lead this exciting work, bringing together local residents, businesses, visitors, voluntary groups and community voices to shape a bold new vision for the town.

They would be grateful to receive your views.

Click on the link to complete a short survey >>> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ourRhyl

Elder provides younger growth support for nature

A stalwart of the summer is growing a protective arm over a site committed to preserving trees and wildflowers.

Over 1,000 Elder trees are growing strong this season at Denbighshire County Council’s Tree Nursery, laying the foundations to ward off negativity across local land.

Myths surrounding the Elder say planting one near your home is enough to ward off the devil and a solitary elder on the nursery’s boundary at St Asaph is providing a lot of protection through its new offspring.

Historically, Elder which provided a source for coloured dyes, was also made to make the patterned Harris Tweed.

The Council’s Biodiversity Team took cuttings from the tree, got to work at the nursery and the results have preserved the lineage of the older elder watching over the site.

Many of the new Elders will be planted out on the Green Gates Nature Reserve next to the Tree Nursery. The flowers on the trees will help provide up to 60 years’ worth of nectar for insects and the berries food for birds and mammals.

A variety of moth caterpillars can also feed on the tree foliage including the swallowtail, dot moth, white-spotted pug, and buff ermine.

Sam Brown Tree Nursery Assistant said: “Elder is steeped in rich history for both nature and humans and it’s been great to grow this many trees off the tree we have on site here at the nursery. The tree is such a great support for a wide range of nature and it’s nice to think the older one at our site has helped supply us with so many next generation trees to help bring positivity to nature making its home at the Green Gates Reserve and other sites in the county.”

Biodiversity event grows interest in nature

Our recent Wildflower Week 2025 campaign saw over 150 people joining events to learn about how our Wildflower Meadows Project is helping halt the decline in these habitats and providing more support for local flower species, insects and mammals who need them for food.
Thank you to all the residents who came out to the events and we hope you also learned how these meadows help you, through cooling the ground, providing natural flood defences and supporting the pollinators who help bring food to everyone’s tables.

Denbighshire Heritage Service newsletter

Find out what’s coming up in June, including our special Dads Go Free promotion across our heritage sites over Father’s Day weekend!

NEWSLETTER | June (click to read)

Nantclwyd y Dre Gardens

Fancy learning something new?

The Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador scheme is a free, online training course to enhance your knowledge and deepen your understanding of the Denbighshire tourism offer.

There are 14 modules to choose from on a variety of themes including walking, cycling, food, arts, coast, history and sustainable tourism.

Watch our short film highlighting the course.

Visit www.ambassador.wales and get started today!

Discovering Denbighshire...

Looking to discover more of Denbighshire?

Why not take inspiration from our walking and cycling maps for new ideas of places to visit.

For more inspiration on activities in and around Denbighshire visit - https://www.northeastwales.wales/  

Otter sightings at St Asaph river

A water loving animal has been tracked down at one of Denbighshire’s Rivers.

Our Biodiversity team has launched a series of surveys to find out how Otters are faring across the county.

Otters are a protected species in the UK and a priority for support in Denbighshire. They are known to like water systems like rivers, ditches, streams, ponds, and even estuaries and coastal areas.

The animals are known to hunt prey underwater, and their diet primarily consists of fish.

Surveying the Afon Elwy near St Asaph, on land owned by farmer Samantha Kendrick, the Biodiversity Team has now found signs of Otter life alongside its banks.

Senior Biodiversity Officer Liam Blazey explained: “We found signs, spraints and footprints) of otter using this section of the Afon Elwy which was really positive.

“The data and findings we gather as a team will be added to the national Otter Survey and we will be carrying on with this work to find the animal across a number of other county sites to get a picture of how it is faring in Denbighshire.”

In the coming months the Biodiversity Team will link up with their equivalents over in Flintshire County Council to undertake more Otter surveys together to get an idea of how the animal populations are using waterways across both counties.

Notice of Election

Elections will be held for one county councillor and one town councillor for the Prestatyn Central Ward on Thursday, 17 July.

Full details are available on the website.

Pride of Place and Natural Environment Newsletter

We are pleased to have secured £19.97m from Round 3 of the UK Government’s former Levelling Up Funding Programme to support the development of 7 projects which are intended to increase pride of place and improve the environment. The funds secured have been awarded for these 7 successful projects only and are non-transferrable to alternative projects or services.

There are 3 main strands to this UK Government funded programme. The first will focus on enhancing Rhyl town centre via public realm improvements and increase the sense of place and security. The second strand is focused on readying the former North Wales Hospital site for future phases of the development project. Finally, the third strand will improve the public realm in Prestatyn town centre and involves repurposing the nature walk.

To keep up with the projects and to sign up to the newsletter visit our website.

Help shape Rhyl’s future

Big changes are coming to Rhyl, with £20 million of regeneration funding set to be invested over the next 10 years.

The Rhyl Neighbourhood Board has been set up to lead this exciting work, bringing together local residents, businesses, visitors, voluntary groups and community voices to shape a bold new vision for the town.

They would be grateful to receive your views.

Click on the link to complete a short survey >>> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ourRhyl

You can find out more about the work of the Rhyl Neighbourhood Board and read their latest news on the Council's website.

Have Your Say in the Future of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley

Residents, workers and visitors to the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley are being invited to play a vital role in shaping the future of one of the UK’s most beautiful and distinctive landscapes in North Wales.

To begin with, members of the public can add their voice to what they think makes the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley special. That information will be used to decide which parts of that nationally recognised landscape gets extra special attention and care.

Added to that, a limited number of people will be selected to take part in a Citizen’s Panel – made up of ordinary people who live, work and visit the landscape – to give focus for the National Landscape’s team and partners focus for the next five years.

The Panel will discuss these three main themes:

• Nature and Land Use– including nature recovery, climate change and land management.
• Communities and Resilience– looking at services, housing, employment, and transport.
• Enjoyment and Wellbeing– including tourism, recreation and what kind of visitor economy best suits the area.

David Shiel, Area Manager Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape said:

“This is such an exciting project.  We’re looking to get people involved to help shape how this treasured landscape is cared for and enhanced for future generations.

 “The purpose of a National Landscape is to conserve and enhance natural beauty of the landscape.  But that’s not the full story. It must also support thriving communities, resilient nature, and sustainable tourism. To do that well, we need to hear directly from the people who know and love the area best.

“Whether you live in the area, work here, or are a visitor. Your voice matters.”

To sign up click on the following link: https://forms.office.com/e/ai86gmyJKv 

The deadline to sign up is the 31 July 2025. For more information contact David Shiel on david.shiel@denbighshire.gov.uk or call 07774 841939

Recycling and Waste Parks

Recycling and Waste Parks are available for Denbighshire residents to dispose of their domestic waste. For information on how to find and visit the nearest facility to you, visit this link