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.

Traditional skill crafts rejuvenate Prestatyn nature space

A Prestatyn based nature space has undergone a traditional land craft this autumn to help support local wildlife.

Denbighshire’s Countryside Service and volunteers have worked to carry out hedgelaying at Parc Bodnant.

The site was developed in 2023 as part of the Council’s Woodland Creation Project to provide stronger support for nature and the surrounding community.

Ffordd Parc Bodnant saw nearly 1,500 trees, including hedgerow trees, planted at the site which included fruit trees, wildlife hedgerow and widely spaced native trees to help provide shade and keep the parkland habitat setting.

A pond was also created to hold a low level of water to provide optimum conditions for many species to thrive and visitors the site will also find an orchard and when in season a large colourful wildflower meadow.

Hedgelaying has now been carried out at the site next to the orchard tree line to help boost biodiversity and the look of the area for people visiting.

Matt Winstanley, Countryside Ranger, explained: “We have worked to relay and rejuvenate this hedgerow, that was first planted in 2019, cutting out old or dead wood to make way for younger stems to be laid. This is usually done around every seven years and will increase keep the hedge manageable and increase its lifespan.

“This technique was used widely by landowners as part of their winter boundary management. Mechanical hedgerow maintenance then took over, but studies carried out have demonstrated how much more effective this older method is for regenerating hedgerows.

He added: “As the hedges become fresher and younger in appearance, the skill also allows the hedgerow base to thicken providing a denser habitat for biodiversity to thrive.“

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, and Biodiversity Champion said: “Hedgerows are essential habitats for wildlife, and this work by the rangers and volunteers at Parc Bodnant will make such a big difference to the role this site carries out for supporting nature. It’s great to see also how this additional work is freshening up the look of the site as well which community members walking past will appreciate.”

Spooky Success for Ruthin Gaol’s Halloween Events

Ruthin Gaol’s half term Halloween celebrations drew a record-breaking number of visitors to experience the historic site in a whole new light.

All throughout the October half term, families enjoyed spooky trails, themed crafts, and ghostly tales within the atmospheric surroundings of the Victorian prison.

The highlight for many were the special ‘After Dark’ late night openings, which saw the gaol’s usual opening hours extended to 8pm, allowing braver visitors to explore the cells by torchlight and uncover some of the site’s eeriest stories.

Philippa Jones, Heritage Site Operations and Development Manager said:

“We were delighted to welcome so many visitors over the Halloween period which really seems to have captured the imagination of visitors as the response has been fantastic. From families taking part in our trails during the day to those who joined our ‘After Dark’ torchlight tours, it has been wonderful to see people experiencing the Gaol in such an engaging and memorable way. We’re already looking forward to planning more events like this in the future.”

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

“It is fantastic to see that so many people have come along and enjoyed the activities that were held at the Gaol this Halloween. Ruthin Gaol is an extremely popular attraction, which we are lucky to have sitting right on our doorstep here in Denbighshire.

“I would like to thank everyone who attended and helped make the Halloween events such a success”.

To keep up to date with future activities and events at Ruthin Gaol, you can request to be added to the service’s monthly newsletter by emailing heritage@denbigshire.gov.uk

Denbigh walking project given seal of approval

A new Denbigh Walk has been given the seal of approval from a local family for its support for wellbeing.

Betty and Len Devine of Denbigh and daughter Heather Devine visited the starting point near Siop y Parc for the new Wellbeing Walking Trail for Lower Denbigh.

Managed by Streetscene, the project took its first steps thanks to the securing of grant funding via the Public Recreational Open Space Commuted Sums.

The trail across Lower and Central Denbigh, takes in six key stopping points where people can take a rest on new Friendship benches which have been made at Meifod wood products based on the Colomendy industrial estate in Denbigh.

Each bench contains an engraved QR code which walkers can scan to go to a web page which gives information on the nature surrounding where they are sitting.

The trail is designed to improve the visitor experience at key locations, central to Denbighshire and encourage people to take pride in their green spaces, improve understanding of the biodiversity and conservation value of these areas and deliver accessibility for all ages.

Betty and Len who like to walk around Denbigh, took an interest in the project after initially contacting the council about replacing an old bench at the location which is new start point for the trail.

They met up with the project lead Neil Jones, Streetscene Area Coordinator, to learn more about the trail and to look at the new bench style created by Meifod, one of which now sits in a favourite location for them.

Neil said: “Their daughter Heather contacted me earlier this year and expressed an interest in replacing the Siop y Parc bench on behalf of her parents as they have sat and enjoyed the old bench for so many years,

“At the time this project was in full swing so I told her about the project, and she was bowled over and couldn’t wait for her parents to enjoy sitting on the new bench.

Betty who likes to walk areas such as near the Brookhouse Mill, gave the project her seal of approval for giving people back a place to stop, meet and take in the sights on the Friendship bench whilst walking around the town.

“It’s surprising how many elderly people like myself get out and use places like this. Its lovely sitting here and watching everything going on, “she said.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Environment and Transport added: “Its lovely to hear such positive support for this brilliant project from the local community and I hope Betty and Len enjoy having a go at the walk to test out all the fantastic Friendship benches built by Meifod.”

To view the route please visit Wellbeing Walk: Lower Denbigh

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.

Parents urged to sign up for Universal Primary Free School Meals

Denbighshire County Council is encouraging parents to make sure their children don’t miss out on healthy, nutritious meals by signing up for the Welsh Government backed Universal Primary Free School Meals.

Across Denbighshire, the Catering Service’s 54 school kitchens work hard every day to create 13,500 freshly prepared meals for pupils — that’s an incredible 67,500 meals served during the school week to help children learn, grow, and thrive.

Free school meals not only ensure that pupils have the energy to thrive in class, but they can also help families manage with the current cost of living. Many families are eligible and may not realise it, so the Council is urging parents and guardians to make sure their children receive the free meals.

All children are asked daily by their school if they would like to have school meals. There is no application process to check if a pupil is eligible for Universal Primary Free School Meals.

You can contact your child's school to find out more about how to get Universal Primary Free School Meals.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead member for Environment and Transport, said: “Our catering teams across Denbighshire are passionate about providing healthy, balanced meals that give our children the best start to their school day. We don’t want any child to miss out on that. Having these free school meals could make a big difference for both families and primary pupils.”

“Denbighshire’s school kitchens are proud to be part of a service that provides thousands of meals made with care, local produce, and nutritional balance every single day.”

More details on the Universal Free Primary School Meals can be found at: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/education-and-schools/grants-and-funding/universal-primary-free-school-meals.aspx

Further information regarding the primary school meals menu can be found at: https://www.denbighshireschoolmeals.co.uk/primary-menus/

New energy-efficient homes in Denbigh nearing completion

A development of 22 energy-efficient homes in Denbigh is close to completion, with the tenants of the new homes moving in soon.

The Llwyn Eirin development is part of the Council’s Affordable Housing Programme, which is helping to deliver new homes across the county. Other recent schemes in the town include the former Pennant Flats site (Grŵp Cynefin), the development at Rhodfa Cae Llewelyn next to Ysgol Pendref (Adra), and the Awel y Dyffryn Extra Care development (Grŵp Cynefin) which, together with Llwyn Eirin will deliver a total of 193 new affordable homes for local people.

The Llwyn Eirin homes have been built to the highly energy-efficient Passivhaus standard. This forms part of the Council’s ongoing commitment to increase the number of council houses available in Denbighshire.

The development is being used as a valuable learning opportunity to shape future new build and retrofit schemes across the county, contributing to our ongoing campaign to achieve affordable warmth within council housing. In addition, we will be engaging with new tenants to ensure they can fully benefit from the building’s design and technology to minimise heating expenses.

Councillor Rhys Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities said: “These homes will help meet the housing needs of local residents by providing high-quality, affordable properties. Built to the highest levels of insulation, they maximise energy efficiency, reduce household bills, and cut carbon emissions - helping protect future generations by lowering reliance on fossil fuels.”

Each property features solar panels and ground-source heat pumps to provide natural warmth without the need for a gas supply.

The Welsh Government’s Innovative Housing Programme has provided funding to enable the Council to work in partnership with Rhyl-based Creating Enterprise on this pioneering approach to use pre-manufactured timber components in housebuilding.

The development has been named Llwyn Eirin (Plum Grove) in honour of the Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum, one of the town’s oldest and most distinctive products. The name reflects Denbigh’s heritage while also highlighting the Council’s commitment to increasing biodiversity across the county.

Hydrotherapy Pool project at Rhyl school reaches final phase

The Hydrotherapy Pool project at Ysgol Tir Morfa in Rhyl has now reached its final stage, with the completion of the main construction phase by the contractor, Bryn Build, and hand over of the building to the school.

Hydrotherapy Pool Building 

A number of key milestones have now been completed.

The pool itself was fitted in October, and the site has now seen specialty windows and doors fitted and the completion of the bathroom and changing facilities. The main interior decorating elements have been completed, with the fitting of the internal doors, and painting of the pool room and hallway sections.

Entrance

Hallway

The building itself has been painted and fitted with decorative wooden cladding. The track which leads from the yard onto the playing fields has also been reinstated, and matches the previous design.

The 19ft specialised Hydrotherapy Pool is situated within the school grounds in a standalone building and is the first of its kind in Denbighshire.

The project has been designed by the council’s in-house architecture team and started earlier in the year.

The fitting of the access platform, which will encompass the pool itself will commence during the Christmas period, with the facility ready for use by the school early next year.

The building features energy efficient insulation helping the facility reduce its carbon footprint and reduce energy costs simultaneously. The building also features underfloor heating.

Hydrotherapy Pool

Susan Roberts, Headteacher at Ysgol Tir Morfa said:

“We’re delighted to see our new Hydrotherapy Pool taking shape and to have reached the final stage of the build here at Ysgol Tir Morfa.

We’re so thankful to our families and the local community for their incredible fundraising and support. This fantastic facility will provide our pupils with invaluable opportunities to enhance their physical development and overall well-being.” 

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

“I am so excited to see this project reach its final phase. The building looks great and I am really pleased with the progress of the work on site.

This project brings a truly unique offer to the school, the first of its kind in our County.

I can’t wait for it to open so that the school can utilise this facility to its full potential.”

This project is being funded by the school through their fundraising activities, in addition to Welsh Government Additional Learning Needs grant funding.

UEFA Men’s U19 Euros test tournament to take place in north Wales

Cymru will host a mini international tournament in November with five of the six matches being held in Denbighshire. This tournament forms part of the build-up to the 2026 UEFA Men’s Under-19s European Championship, which will also be hosted across the region.

The tournament will feature some of the world’s top youth teams which include Germany, USA and Japan. Matches will be played at several venues across the north, including Central Park, Denbigh Town, Belle Vue Stadium, Rhyl and the STōK Cae Ras, home of Wrexham AFC.

Craig Knight will lead Cymru MU19s once again, looking to build on their October international window friendly fixtures against Switzerland, the Netherlands and England.

The tournament will provide another invaluable opportunity for Cymru to develop themselves against elite international opposition, ahead of the UEFA U19 Euro finals next summer.

All three of Cymru’s matches will be live streamed by the FAW on its RedWall+ streaming service and YouTube platform.

The mini tournament fixture schedules are as follows:

For most matches, you can pay on entry, except for the following:

Wales v Japan - https://www.eticketing.co.uk/fawtickets-english/EDP/Event/Index/531

Wales v USA - https://www.eticketing.co.uk/wrexhamafc/EDP/Event/Index/1141?position=1 

Further information about the Welsh team’s preparations is on the FAW’s website.

Refurbishment work set to begin at Corwen Library

Denbighshire County Council has announced that refurbishment work at Corwen Library will begin this November, following a successful bid for £83,469 from the Welsh Government’s Capital Transformation Programme.

The funding will be used to refurbish the ground floor of the library, modernising the space and improving facilities for the local community.

From 10 November, the library and One Stop Shop services will temporarily relocate to the first floor while work takes place. Although access to computers and printing will be limited during this period, staff will continue to provide a full library and enquiry service.

As there is no lift access to the first floor, customers who may find the stairs difficult are encouraged to borrow additional books before the move or make use of the Home Library Service. A doorbell will also be available at the entrance for anyone requiring staff assistance.

During November and December, the refurbishment will include:

• Creating a dedicated children’s library area to encourage more/or an increase in family visits
• New self-service technology will also be introduced, allowing customers to borrow and return books independently.
• Open+ technology will be installed, enabling registered members to access the library during unstaffed hours
• A complete decoration of the ground floor
• Installing new desks and display shelving
• Refitting the staff kitchen

The investment in the service will modernise it and help to make it more sustainable in the future.

Minister for Culture, Jack Sargeant, said:

"Our libraries play a crucial role in preserving and promoting Welsh culture whilst serving as vital community hubs. This investment in Corwen Library will create a modern, accessible space where families and individuals can come together to learn, read and connect. I'm particularly pleased to see the creation of a dedicated children's area, which will help foster a lifelong love of reading and learning in our youngest community members."

Deborah Owen, Principal Librarian, said:

“We’re delighted to be moving ahead with this project, which will transform Corwen Library into a more welcoming, flexible space for everyone. The new technology and layout will help us provide an even better service to our customers and make the most of this valued community facility.”

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

“Libraries are at the heart of our communities, and this investment will make sure that Corwen Library continues to provide a modern, welcoming space for learning, reading and connection. We look forward to seeing residents enjoying the improved facilities early next year.”

The newly refurbished Corwen Library is expected to reopen in early January 2026, with a community launch event planned for later in the month.

Lease signed and staffing interest for Rhyl cinema

Lease arrangements have been completed to allow Merlin Cinemas to enter the final reel for breathing new life into Rhyl’s Strand Cinema.

Denbighshire County Council and Merlin finalised agreements this week to officially hand over the cinema on the prom.

A recent recruitment day held by Merlin at the Scala Cinema for those interested in careers at the new Strand cinema at Rhyl saw 89 people attend the day, with 28 progressing to one-to-one interviews.

From these 16 candidates, most residing in Rhyl and a few from Prestatyn, St Asaph, and Dyserth, were offered positions, successfully filling all the general assistant roles needed for Strand’s grand opening.

The next step will be to invite those who accept their offers to a training programme at Scala Cinema in Prestatyn, scheduled a couple of weeks before Strand opens.

Strand Cinema Rhyl will operate alongside its sister cinema in Prestatyn, Scala Cinema, which is already part of the Merlin Cinemas group of independent cinemas.

Leader of Denbighshire County Council, Councillor Jason McLellan said, “This is exciting news to hear the lease has been signed and sealed to allow for the curtains to raise on films once again at this important venue for Rhyl.

Hot on the heels of the huge success of the opening of Queen’s Market, this will be another attraction for residents and visitors alike and will be an important part of the catalyst for regeneration in our seaside town.

It’s also fantastic to hear how Merlin and the Strand have helped local people find local work opportunities at the cinema, and I hope they really embrace their roles in this exciting industry.

When Strand Cinema opens, I urge residents to come and check out films on the big screen, as well as supporting other leisure facilities in the town – we need everyone to be backing our businesses to ensure their continued success.”

Merlin Cinemas began its journey 35 years ago with a single screen in Penzance in Cornwall and now operates over 20 cinemas across the UK. Known for saving and restoring historic and modern venues alike, Merlin is committed to keeping cinema-going affordable, accessible, and magical for local communities.

Geoff Greaves Director of Merlin Cinemas said “We’re working with the local authority to get everything in place so that we can begin improvements to the town’s cinema which will be an ongoing process given the size and complexities of the building. We aim to have the cinema open before Christmas with a choice of the latest blockbusters, as well as older titles, with tickets starting from as little as £2.50. 

Seeing a film at the cinema with family or friends is a very different experience to watching the film at home. With the latest digital projection and sound, it is more memorable and offers a sense of occasion. With the additional availability of private hires and school screenings, we are pleased to have the opportunity to re-open this cinema for the people of Rhyl which I believe is a valuable social amenity.” 

Keep an eye on Merlin’s website and social media for updates about the Strand opening merlincinemas.co.uk

Dolwen Care Home welcomes public along to annual Autumn Fair

Dolwen Care Home in Denbigh opened its doors recently to celebrate Autumn.

This year, visitors to the annual Autumn Fair were greeted by pumpkins, scarecrows, garlands and bunting which adorned the home, with a number of fun games and entertainment also available throughout the day.

Games and activities challenged visitors, who were also challenged to guess the weight of a cake and take part in a scavenger hunt around the home.

A fancy dress competition was also held, and tasty refreshments such as hot chocolate and treats were available to buy in the day room.

Bric-a-brac and cake and craft stalls were set up around the home with local artists also invited to display their work.

Proceeds collected from the fair were put towards the residents’ comfort fund and Denbigh defibrillators.

Pamela Pack, Manager at Dolwen Care Home said:

“It was great to welcome the public into the home once again this year to celebrate Autumn and Halloween.

The residents always look forward to this fair, with the home decorated with Autumn decorations and colours to celebrate. We had a great turn out this year, with the proceeds from the day going towards the residents’ comfort fund and also Denbigh defibrillators.

Thank you to all who came along, we had a really great day!”

Fiction Fest at Denbighshire Libraries

This autumn Denbighshire Libraries have a fantastic line up of authors to brighten up the dark days. When it is cold outside what could be better than curling up with a good book but if you need some inspiration for your next read why not join us at our free events.

We are very excited to be joined by two fantastic Welsh authors. Prestatyn based author Rebecca Roberts won a 2021 Tir na n-Og Award and the 2021 Book of the Year with her first Young Adult novel, #Helynt. Rebecca writes adult and young adult books, titles include Mudferwi, Chwerwfelys, Diwedd y gan and Eat Sleep Rage Repeat.

Marlyn Samuel’s novels are full of romance and humour, and her latest book, Yr Ail Briodas, is due to be published in November.

Simon McCleave is a multi-million selling author based in North Wales, author of the brilliant DI Ruth Hunter series, which includes the Denbigh Asylum Killings. Simon also now has a series set in Anglesey, and a new series featuring Marshal of Snowdonia.

If you enjoy cosy crime join us at St Asaph Library when Margaret Holbrook will be introducing us to Jack France, a dashing, young and single motor racing driver, who is also an amateur sleuth.

In contrast there will be 'Murder and Mayhem' at Rhuddlan Library with local author David Ebsworth. The author reveals some of the “stranger than fiction” true stories which helped him find original ways to kill off some of his characters and create the background to his various historical thrillers and crime novels. Not for those of a nervous disposition!

Fans of true crime will enjoy meeting bestselling author Sion Tecwyn, who will be talking about his latest book, Murder on Ynys Môn; The Anglesey Crossbow Killing, in which he explores the events leading up to the brutal murder and the subsequent investigation.

Gene Moran’s book, Running on the Spectrum, is largely autobiographical, drawing on his experiences in special education. Gene will talk about his journey through education, challenges, and personal growth, and also the writing and publishing process.

Although it’s not fiction we are also being joined by local writer Graham Edwards, who will be giving a talk on Richard Jones Berwyn and his remarkable life in Patagonia.

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

“It’s fantastic to see our libraries hosting such a vibrant celebration of reading and creativity. Fiction Fest is a wonderful opportunity for residents to meet talented authors, discover new stories, and be inspired to read and write more. Our libraries play a vital role in bringing communities together, and this festival shows just how much they continue to enrich cultural life here in Denbighshire.”

If you would like to get into writing why not join our writing masterclass at Rhyl Library. Acclaimed children's author and poet, Oliver Sykes will share his top tips and tricks on how to find your writing voice, how to put yourself at the heart of your writing and how to write a stand out story for children, as well as discussing pathways into publishing.

Hopefully there is something everyone can enjoy in this free programme of events – just contact the relevant library to book your place, or book online. 

Information on our libraries can be found on our website.

Stronger connections to tackle climate change

Work is under way to closer support communities take action on carbon reduction and nature recovery work.

During Wales Climate Week 2025 Denbighshire County Council is building stronger connections with communities across the county to better support climate action on a local level.

The Council’s Climate Change Team in collaboration with the Education Service has launched a new school’s resource pack to help schools across the county plan and carry out their own inhouse climate change week work.

The Information pack brings together resources freely available online in one place so that schools can pick out relevant lesson plans, assemblies, school council discussions and other activity ideas. This allows schools to show how climate change and/or nature recovery links to other topics they are covering. This work hopes to help children better understand climate change and nature loss, how it can impact multiple aspects of their lives and how they can contribute to initiatives to tackle and adapt to it.

Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said: “Children will face the worst impacts of climate change in their lifetime and therefore need the space to discuss the issues and how they can be tackled to help them understand. Having this support will help open and honest discussions on this topic, allowing youngsters to voice their own concerns and be educated stronger on how they can play a part in reducing the impact of climate change in a safe and supported environment at school.The Climate Change team are also working more widely and “using influence” across the county to tackle area wide emissions. Support is available to help city, town and community councils understand how to make carbon reduction and adaptation work across their local areas.

Team members have run presentations to bodies across the county to support better understanding of initiatives to cut carbon emissions and the positive impact they have on the local environment.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Biodiversity Champion said: “We know climate change is causing an impact on our lives all the time, you only have to look at the increase of weather events and the man-made loss of nature’s habitats to see this. In Denbighshire we are doing all we can to manage these impacts locally through work including reducing our carbon footprint, bringing back lost habitats to support nature, moving our fleet to non-fossil fuel vehicles where possible and increasing our tree canopies once more.

“However, we know we need to go further by sharing our knowledge and experience. Communities taking action on carbon reduction and nature recovery at a local level can have positive social, health and financial benefits. We hope that this work will inspire and support our communities make positive changes which improve their communities while tackling climate impacts, creating a better future for generations to come.”

Tree planting boost for nature reserve

More roots have been put down to support the unique biodiversity of a new county nature reserve.

During Wales Climate Week, Denbighshire County Council’s Biodiversity team and volunteers from St Asaph business Celtic Financial joined forced to increase the tree canopy at Green Gates Nature Reserve.

Thousands of trees grown from locally sourced seeds at the Council’s Tree Nursery, which is based at the reserve, have already been planted out on the reserve earlier this year.

Celtic Finance staff, who are based at St Asaph Business Park, helped the Biodiversity team plant around 450 trees including a mix of oak, willows, alder, birch, wych elm, black poplar, the cherry and elder around the developed wetlands area which is planned to be home to the Denbighshire Beaver Project.

Wildflower seeding has also been carried out this week at to help provide a stronger biodiversity on the reserve to support wildlife on the reserve. Areas undergoing seeding include the viewing mound and on some of the bunds around site. More wetland and pond margin specific mixes are also going down around the edges of the ponds and the wetland areas to help to create the diversity and suit the conditions of each part of the site.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said, “We are really pleased that a business on the doorstep of this developing site has come and helped us continue to plant the plant the roots of what will be a fantastic asset for local nature.

“It’s also great that the trees grown in our tree nursery at St Asaph are able to be used at this reserve. Our volunteers and Biodiversity Team have worked hard to source and grow these trees at the nursery, and this will be a massive help with reducing carbon across the county to tackle the climate emergency and help support nature’s recovery.”

The 70-acre nature reserve development is part of the Council’s response to protect and restore local nature habitats to contribute to the nature recovery goal.

The Green Gates Nature Reserve Project has received funding from the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund. Additional funding has also been provided from Denbighshire’s Climate and Nature Recovery Programme. Work at the tree nursery is supported by the Welsh Government, through the Local Nature Partnerships Cymru ENRaW project.

Ysgol y Castell extension project sees progress

Work on the Ysgol y Castell classroom extension project has seen a step forward with the installation of the attenuation tank now complete. The first two classrooms which are to be extended have also had temporary props installed in preparation for removing the external walls.

Work on site

Brynbuild, the project contractor, are now expected to progress with further drainage work, along with commencing with the first phase of LED lighting upgrades throughout the site.

During the course of the project, Ysgol y Castell in Rhuddlan will receive extra space upgrades in four of its existing classrooms as well as energy improvement works.

The first phase of the project commenced this summer with further energy reduction works pencilled in for the second phase of work.

The extension will provide 16 square metres of addition classroom space in all 4 of the classrooms, producing a total extension of 64 square metres for pupil use and will see updated learning facilities added at the same time.

The first phase is set to be completed in Winter 2026.

The first phase of this project is 65% match funded by the Welsh Government, through its Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme.

The remaining 35% of funding has primarily come from a developer’s contribution provided by the Tirionfa housing development in Rhuddlan.

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

“I am glad to see that this project is seeing the next step in the process.

This is a long-awaited scheme, which will bring updated facilities and crucially much needed additional space to the school.

Ysgol y Castell is a very interesting and historic site, and I am glad to see that it is receiving the upgrades it deserves.”

Remember, remember to recycle this 5th November

Residents are urged to spark up their recycling while coming together to celebrate this year’s Bonfire Night.

As families, friends and communities celebrate November 5, Denbighshire County Council is calling on them to light up efforts to recycle following festivities.

If anyone has decided to host a private or community Bonfire Night Party, waste can be reduced by using real or reusable plates, cups and cutlery instead of disposable ones.

Make sure drink cans, beer and wine bottles and plastic drink bottles are gathered up at the end of the party and placed in appropriate recycling containers or taken to the nearest recycling centre.

Another idea to cut down on waste is to swap plastic straws for children’s drinks to paper ones for the event.

Most importantly, food waste can be recycled by placing in the recycling food caddies, or relevant items can be used for composting in gardens.

Leftovers can also be shared with guests before leaving to stop them going to waste or packed up for reuse the next day, instead of ending up in the bin.

Don’t forget, to dispose of fireworks safely, soak any ‘dead’ fireworks and sparklers in water for 48 hours to make sure they’re not flammable before disposing of them.

These even though they’re often made from cardboard, and plastic cannot be recycled due to the residual chemicals that can contaminate the rest of recycling items. Instead, they need to be put carefully in the non-recycling waste bin.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “We know that every year a lot of traditional celebrations take place regarding Bonfire Night. Please remember to try and recycle properly and reduce waste during this period to help your local environment. We have many forms of recycling support to help everyone put a spark into recycling during celebrations.”

Solar power boost for Ruthin primary schools

Additional solar power infrastructure is improving energy efficiency at a Ruthin primary school education site.

Work has finished at the Rhos Street School and Ysgol Pen Barras site which has seen extra PV panels installed on the building’s roof to help reduce reliance from national grid energy, reduce long term costs and reduce carbon emissions from the building.

It’s all part of Denbighshire County Council’s drive to reduce energy use and costs at buildings run by the local authority.

The Council’s Energy team has managed projects across Council owned buildings including schools, to help improve building energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and also usage costs over the longer term.

They assisted the Councils Education department in assessing how to improve the building’s energy efficiency.

The work saw the existing 16.80kWp solar PV system on the roof of the school increased to a 56.85kWp solar PV system.

The new PV panels alongside the existing ones will help harness energy from the sun to power the site, taking pressure off the local grid system and improving the reduction of carbon emissions on site.

Every Kilowatt generated by the PV panels and used by the schools will save around 22 pence.

The additional solar PV array will save the site an estimated 43,000kWh, and reduce carbon emissions by over eight tonnes of carbon emissions. 

Councillor Diane King, Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said: “This work will help both school’s overall energy usage and is a step forward in increasing the renewable energy capacity in our educational buildings. This installation is a collaborative effort between our Education and Energy team, who are working in tandem to help reduce long term energy costs and emissions simultaneously.”

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, added: “Our Energy team is extremely grateful to the staff at the site for allowing us to carry out this additional work to help the school lower energy usage and reduce long term costs and at the same time create a more pleasant environment for learning and wellbeing to support both pupils and staff.

“This is an important piece of work that supports our continuing drive to lower energy usage and costs and reduce carbon footprints across our building estate and it’s fantastic to see the schools and our Energy Team working together to achieve this.”

Update on St Peter’s Square public realm improvements

(St Peter's Square, Ruthin)

Denbighshire County Council share an update on the public realm improvements to St Peter’s Square in Ruthin.

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.

The proposed works will look to widen the scope for hosting events and revitalising historical buildings and landmarks to support local identity, whilst also promoting pride of place and boosting the image of the town.

With the project progressing, Denbighshire County Council are now able to begin consulting on three traffic regulation orders (TRO).

Traffic regulation orders (TROs) are legal documents which are necessary for making changes to traffic and parking restrictions such as double yellow lines and one-way streets.

The consultation will be open between 3 - 30 November and will seek the public’s thoughts on the introduction of a one-way system, new parking restrictions and proposals to introduce free parking on the top of the square.

Residents are also invited to an information session which will be held at the Old Court house in Ruthin on the 17 November between 12pm-6pm.

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, we are aware that residents and business owners will be affected whilst the work is carried out.

“As a result, business owners on and around the square as well as homeowners on streets affected by the works, will have received a letter and a short survey from our officers recently, which will inform how the works are managed to minimise disruption to businesses and residents.

“I would like to encourage residents to share their thoughts on the TRO proposals through either attending the in-person information event that will be held on 17 November at the Old Court House in Ruthin or by filling out the online consultation on our website”.

To share your thoughts on the consultation you can click here. For more information on the project visit our website.

Working Denbighshire offers support for young people

Working Denbighshire is reaching out to young people across the county who may have started college, sixth form, or university this September but have since decided it’s not the right path for them.

If you’ve recently left education and are unsure what to do next, Working Denbighshire can help. The service offers a range of free support to help individuals explore their options, build confidence, and take positive steps toward employment, training, or further education.

Please note, support is only available to individuals who are no longer in education.

Weekly Job Clubs
Working Denbighshire hosts regular job club sessions in libraries across Denbighshire. These informal drop-ins offer help with CV writing, job searching, interview preparation, and more.

One-to-One Guidance
Young people can also access tailored one-to-one support from experienced mentors who will work with them to understand their goals and help them plan their next steps.

Wellbeing Support
Recognising that career decisions can impact mental health and wellbeing; Working Denbighshire also offers wellbeing support as part of its service. This includes access to confidence-building group activities and signposting to specialist services where needed, all designed to help young people feel more positive and supported as they move forward.

Upcoming Events
A series of events are planned over the coming weeks to connect young people with local opportunities, employers, and support services. These include career taster sessions, wellbeing workshops, and meet-the-employer events.

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

“Working Denbighshire is a vital service that reflects our commitment to supporting young people across the County.

"We understand that changing direction can be daunting, but no one should feel alone in that process.

"The free service provides meaningful, personalised support to help young people feel seen, valued, and ready to take their next steps."

Ruth Hanson, Working Denbighshire Principal Manager, said:

"We know that not every young person’s journey is straightforward. If you’ve started a course and it’s not working out, or you’re unsure what to do next, we’re here to help. Our team offers friendly, practical support to help you move forward with confidence."

To find out more about the support available or to speak to a member of the team, visit 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.

Energy efficient council homes recognised at awards

(Llys Elizabeth)

An energy efficient Rhyl council housing development has been recognised in the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Awards for Wales.

Llys Elizabeth took home the winning award in the Best Small Social Housing Development category.

The project team who breathed new life into what was once the former town tax office for the Council consisted of Denbighshire Building Control, Denbighshire Design & Construction, Denbighshire County Council Housing & Community Service, Pave Aways Ltd, and Cadarn BRP, Hydroc/Stantec.

Designed to support living accommodation for people aged 55 and over, Llys Elizabeth saw the creation inside the building of a total of 12 new homes comprising 8 two-bedroom apartments and 4 one-bedroom apartments.

Each home was designed to offer high levels of energy efficiency to support the new tenants with the cost of living and help Denbighshire County Council and Wales achieve its targets of lowering carbon emissions.

Air source heat pumps were installed to help heat the water at lower costs and drive down the building’s carbon emissions. Solar panels were also installed on the outside car port to help generate energy and a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system was fitted to help reduce the heating and cooling demands of each of the homes.

These new Rhyl homes are part of Denbighshire County Council’s continuing commitment to tackling accommodation waiting times by addressing the need for more local housing provision.

Working in conjunction with their partners, the council’s building control team were successfully recognised for a further two projects in the Local Authority Building Control Awards for Wales, with Llys Awelon winning ‘Best Large Social Housing Development’ and Llysfasi College winning ‘Best Public or Community Building’ respectively.

Llys Elizabeth was one of three projects that the council’s building control team worked in conjunction with partners that successfully won regional awards for their specific category. Throughout the project, partners had a strong working relationship with the building control team to overcome any issues that arose on site, obtaining all necessary certification to allow final certification and the subsequent award nomination.  

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said:

“This nomination is a great reflection of the building control team and the service they provide in a competitive market. The success of these projects is largely based on great collaborative work between different council teams, under our one council approach and a strong working relationship with our external partners.

“We’re very proud to have received this reward and hope that these three sites will become real assets to our communities”.

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

“We are really pleased to receive this award, and I want to highlight the hard work of all the Council staff and partners for breathing life into this old tax building and making it a wonderful energy efficient home for all of our residents living there, which exemplifies our one council approach.

“We continue to work to make sure homes are available in Denbighshire to meet the needs of our residents. Llys Elizabeth met these needs by giving good accommodation that is affordable as well as offering the highest levels of build quality to support the lowering of energy use and reduce carbon emissions that will result in lower household bills.”

Llys Elizabeth will now go onto the UK LABC Awards in January.

DVSC Key Fund helps to strengthen Denbighshire’s third sector

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) Key Fund helped increase the sustainability and resilience of third sector organisations across Denbighshire.

The initiative is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), which supports the government’s five national missions, including empowering local communities, kickstarting economic growth, and promoting opportunities in all parts of the UK.

Supported by Denbighshire County Council, this year’s Key Fund has seen strong demand, with 99 applications submitted from a diverse range of organisations and community groups across the county.

Following a rigorous assessment process, 45 applicants were successful, securing vital funding to strengthen their operations. In total, DVSC’s 2025 Key Fund has awarded £212,114 in Capital grants and a further £633,906 in Revenue grants.

These grants are designed to help ensure the resilience and long-term sustainability of Denbighshire’s third sector organisations, many of which deliver essential services to local people.

The Key Fund is a central part of DVSC’s wider work under the UKSPF programme, which runs until 31 March 2026. Alongside grant funding, DVSC is delivering a broad package of support including:

• Free training sessions, masterclasses, and workshops
• A GROW support programme to strengthen governance and strategic planning
• An exciting mentoring programme, matching senior professionals from the corporate and public sectors with third sector groups seeking targeted support

Speaking on the impact of the Key Fund, Tom Barham, Chief Officer of the Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) said:

 “We are delighted to relaunch the Key Fund and to see such strong interest from organisations across Denbighshire. The funding and support available through this programme will help strengthen the resilience of our third sector, enabling groups to grow, adapt, and continue providing vital services for our communities.”

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

“It’s fantastic that so many third sector organisations who deliver such vital services to the County can be supported through the relaunch of the Key Fund as well as other services that the DVSC provide. This is a great example of the strong partnership working that exists between the Council and the voluntary sector, through DVSC”.

The Key Fund represents DVSC’s commitment to empowering local organisations, building stronger communities, and ensuring that the third sector in Denbighshire is equipped to thrive in the years ahead.

Road improvements set for main Denbigh route

Denbighshire County Council Highways will carry out road maintenance on the Vale Street traffic lights junction next month.

Resurfacing work is due to take place from November 2 to November 18.

The work is part of the council’s ongoing road maintenance programme to improve the driving experience for residents and visitors across the county road network.

Traffic during the work will be managed by a mixture of both stop/ go convoy and traffic lights system.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The council is fully aware that the state of Denbighshire’s Road Network is a regular topic from residents. We are working hard to address the state of our roads across the county for the benefit of those who use these routes.

“I would like to also thank our Denbigh residents living in this area and drivers who use this route for their patience while we carry out this important work.”

Further information regarding Highways work is available on our website www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Chairman’s Charity Concert at St Asaph Cathedral

An evening of outstanding Welsh choral music will take place at St Asaph Cathedral on Friday, 21 November at 7.30pm, as part of the Chairman’s Charity Concert.

The concert will feature performances from two renowned local choirs: Meibion Marchan and Côr Rhuthun. Together, they will create a memorable evening in the stunning setting of the Cathedral, one of North Wales’ most iconic landmarks.

The concert has been organised to raise funds for the Chairman’s chosen charities, with all proceeds going to support important causes within the community, namely St Kentigern Hospice and Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

Councillor Arwel Roberts, Chairman of the Council said: “Music has always brought our communities together, and I am delighted that this concert will not only showcase exceptional Welsh talent but also support vital local charities. I look forward to welcoming everyone to what promises to be a wonderful evening.”

Tickets are £12 each and available now from:

• Siop Elfair: Ruthin (01824 702575)
• Siop Clwyd: Denbigh (01745 813431)
• WISH: Rhuddlan (01745 591264)
• Tudor House: Prestatyn (01745 859528)
• Eleri Woolford: 01824 706196 (eleri.woolford@denbighshire.gov.uk)

Denbighshire celebrates Age Friendly status with visit from Older People's Commissioner for Wales

At a celebratory event held at Eirianfa Community Centre in Denbigh on Friday 24^th October, the Ageing Well in Denbighshire team were joined by special guest Rhian Bowen-Davies, Older People's Commissioner for Wales to celebrate Denbighshire becoming a member of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

Event held at Eirianfa Community Centre in Denbigh.

During the event, attendees received talks from former and current chairs of the Ageing Well in Denbighshire network, who plotted their journey so far, and how the World Health Organisation Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities membership was achieved.

Commissioner with Youth Club Members and Alison Price, Chief Executive, Age Connects North Wales Central.

An interactive session named ‘Ways to age well’ saw a panel of younger people pose insightful, thoughtful and intriguing questions to a similar sized panel of older citizens, a fun and interesting way to bridge the gap between the older and younger generation.

Question and Answer session.

Older People’s Commissioner Rhian Bowen-Davies led a talk explaining her role and the importance of ageing well, where attendees also had the chance to ask questions.

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

“It was fantastic to be joined in our celebration of becoming of a member of the World Health Organisation’s Network by Rhian Bowen-Davies, Older People's Commissioner for Wales.

Celebrating this success would not have been possible without the hard work of dedicated Ageing Well in Denbighshire partners.

It’s a fantastic achievement, but only marks the beginning of our journey to continue to make Denbighshire a great place to grow older.”

Rhian Bowen-Davies, Older People's Commissioner for Wales said:

“It was great to be back in North Wales to celebrate Denbighshire joining the WHO’s Global Network, recognising all of the hard work being delivered across the county to make communities age-friendly and support people to age well.

It was also really interesting to learn more about Denbighshire’s Ageing Well journey so far, and the ways in which the team have worked with older people and other partners to achieve so much, overcoming a range of challenges along the way.

As always, I really enjoyed talking with older people about my role, answering their questions and hearing directly about the change and improvements they’d like to see, which is always hugely valuable.

Thanks to everyone involved for giving me such a warm welcome, and a huge well done for having your achievements recognised on the world stage!” 

Don’t Let Halloween go to waste

Denbighshire County Council is reminding residents that they can recycle their spooky items during this year’s Halloween period.

Preparations are underway for spooky pumpkin face carvings to light up the scares at homes across the county on all Hallow’s Eve.

Once finished with, pumpkins need to go in the orange food waste caddy and not the general waste bin. All decorations will also have to be taken off pumpkins before they can be recycled. Pumpkins can be harmful for animals such as Hedgehogs, so it is not advised to leave them out in the garden or outside homes after October 31.

Halloween decorations can be reused each year which will save material use and costs for families. If they are no longer needed they can also be donated to local charity shops for other households to enjoy them.

If residents need to dispose of decorations that are not fit for reuse, remember to use the appropriate container at home or at a recycling and waste park.

Halloween costumes can be reused year on year, and if no longer needed, can also donated to a local charity shop.

As trick or treating takes place it is important to also remember that chocolate, confectionary and sweet wrappers cannot be recycled.

However, batteries used within decorations can be recycled in the appropriate container for the recycling and waste collections service or at a Recycling and Waste Park. It is advised to try to use rechargeable batteries where possible.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “We know that every year Halloween is an exciting time for many residents of all ages, with costumes and decorations being proudly displayed across homes and events. Please don’t forget to try and recycle properly during the Halloween period, as we have many forms of recycling help that will support a spooky and greener all Hallow’s Eve.”

New Chief Executive appointed for Denbighshire County Council

Denbighshire County Council has today (Friday, 24 October) announced the appointment of its new Chief Executive.

Helen White, who joins Denbighshire from Taff Housing Association, has been appointed to the role.

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council said: “This is an excellent appointment for Denbighshire and I would like to congratulate and welcome Helen to this new role on behalf of our staff, elected members and residents throughout the county.

“The selection process has been very rigorous and we had a number of strong contenders in the running who all performed to an extremely high standard.

“As a top performing council in Wales which was praised as ‘well-run’ in its Panel Performance Assessment at the end of 2024, Denbighshire has a strong senior team in place and we are now looking forward to working with our new Chief Executive to lead this team and continue that success into the future.”

A Welsh speaker who was raised in Henllan, Helen has been Chief Executive Officer with Taff Housing since 2019.  Having started her career in housing and community development, Helen has over 20 years’ experience working across the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Following her appointment, Helen said, "I'm honoured to be taking on the role of Chief Executive. I know it is a challenging time for so many in our communities, I am looking forward to working alongside dedicated colleagues to help make a positive impact in the county I was born and raised in.

"I want to thank the Leader of the Council and all of the other Elected Members for putting their faith in me as a new Chief Executive."

Team gets set to tackle winter weather

Preparations for the forthcoming Winter Maintenance season are currently underway in Denbighshire.

The Council’s Streetscene are preparing for the onset of potential wintry weather across the county which may cause disruption to the region’s road network.

Current Gritting vehicles are undergoing the pre-season servicing and operatives have completed training where required. New drivers have been added to the existing Winter Maintenance rota alongside new relief drivers to the existing pool.

The Council will also begin to phase out the existing fleet of gritters this year with eight new vehicles on order to help support the future of the service.

Denbighshire’s road network covers little used rural roads to the highest A Class Road in Wales. It also extends to crucial regional strategic routes such as the A55 to narrow tracks serving very isolated properties.

The gritted network is currently split into nine Priority Gritting Routes: four covering the North of the county, three covering the middle of the county with two covering the south of the county.

These nine routes cover approximately 950km and actually treat 605km of the total Denbighshire network which is 1418km.

The nine gritting routes are designed where the following is considered: Roads classed as First Priority Routes to be gritted when conditions dictate are as follows: - A55, A5, A494 Trunk Roads’ All Class 1 and Class 2 Roads i.e. the A and B road network.

Other important County Roads which are through routes with high volumes of traffic; or provide at least one access to centres which respond to emergencies or receive emergency admissions; County Class 2 or 3 Roads, which provide at least one access to towns and villages.

Further assistance is provided by external agricultural contractors during periods of adverse weather and snow conditions, with the network divided into 31 additional routes.

Denbighshire has over 1500 grit bins throughout the county which have been were replenished following the last period of adverse weather the county faced.

The bins will be refilled as needed this winter and those running low can be reported via Denbighshire County Council Website.

Gritting of footways will generally not be carried out.  However, any ice and/or snow on footways in urban areas will receive attention as soon as possible subject to the availability of resources, bearing in mind the high labour intensity of the operation.  Priority will be given to shopping areas, hospital approaches, the vicinity of schools, colleges, health centres, and establishments caring for the elderly.

Each Council depot at Corwen, Ruthin and Bodelwyddan has a minimum and maximum stock level of salt which is maintained, and orders are in place to achieve these levels prior to the start of the season.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “I know last winter this team worked hard across the county to keep our road networks open and safe to use and we are grateful they are gearing up again to support our residents with winter around the corner.

“The work the staff do, who are often on-call throughout the night, to ensure that the roads are safe to use means that residents can continue with minimal disruptions to their day and essential amenities are accessible despite the adverse weather.”  

Advice for residents – what to do before, during and after flooding

Denbighshire County Council is reminding residents to stay alert and take practical steps to protect themselves, their homes, and their communities in the event of flooding during the winter season.

County Voice has prepared a rundown of advice to help residents be on the front foot against the impact of any flooding across Denbighshire.

As we see more storms hit the county, flooding can happen quickly and with little warning. Being prepared before, during and after a flood can make a significant difference to safety and recovery after the event.

To prepare for potential flooding you can:

• Check your flood risk: Visit the Natural Resources Wales long-term flood risk maps to see if your property is in a flood risk area.
• Sign up for warnings: If you are at risk, sign up for automated flood warnings to get alerts as soon as possible.
• Review your insurance: Ensure your home and contents insurance includes flood cover. The Government and insurers’ initiative Flood Re can help make flood insurance more affordable.
• Make a personal flood plan: Include key contact details, insurance information, and a checklist of emergency actions. Store it safely in a waterproof folder.
• Prepare a flood kit: Include warm, waterproof clothing, medication, a torch, important documents, and essential supplies in case you need to evacuate.
• Consider protection products: Purchase sandbags or flood boards to block doorways and airbricks.

If flooding does happen following adverse weather and there is a flooded road or a blocked ditch in your area, let the Council know and we will take action to bring the problem under control.

Natural Resources Wales are responsible for issues involving coasts and major rivers. Welsh Water are responsible for sewers. Denbighshire County Council are responsible for surface water and small water courses.
For issues involving major rivers, please contact Natural Resources Wales on 0300 065 3000.
Please see this link below for details of major rivers
For flooding affecting sewers, including combined foul and surface water sewers , please contact Welsh Water on 0800 085 3968 or
For flooding to property or highways, contact Denbighshire County Council on 01824 706000.

Concerns over flooding in your area can also be made to Floodline on 0345 988 1188

If you live in a flood risk area and feel you would like to have a few sandbags at home to keep as a precaution to use in the event of a flood, you can buy sandbags from hardware or DIY stores. There are also other bespoke systems available to protect doorways and air bricks.

The Council does not provide sandbags to individual properties when there is a flood. Instead, we use sandbags mainly to protect groups of residents, for example by diverting the path of flowing water, and directing it towards gullies and manholes. This enables us to protect whole streets, whereas giving out sandbags to individual householders in a street would be a far less effective use of resources.

Communities can also work together to help local residents become more resilient to flooding.

Dyserth Flood Support Community Group was set up after historic flooding on Waterfall Road. The Council provided flood barriers through help from a Welsh Government grant, the funding criteria of which being they could only provide to a community group. Denbighshire County Council provided additional barriers in 2025.

Advice in setting up a local community flood action group is available from The National Flood Forum or contact Paul Owen on 01824 706872 / paul.owen@denbighshire.gov.uk

When a flood happens don't try to walk or drive through flood water. Six inches of fast flowing water can knock you off your feet, and two feet of water will float your car. There are a number of practical things you can do to help prevent damage to your home, including:

• Turn off your gas, electricity and water supplies
• Put plugs in sinks and weigh them down with heavy objects; plug water inlet pipes with towels or cloths, and disconnect any equipment that uses water, such as your washing machine. These steps will help to stop water from coming into the property
• Try to avoid contact with flood water if possible, because it may be contaminated
• Do not leave your home or enter flood water unless you are directly instructed to do so by the emergency services

Councillor Barry Mellor, Cabinet Lead Member for Highways and the Environment, said: “We will always work very closely with our partner agencies to do all we can to minimise the impact of any flooding events that occur across the county. We want our residents to stay safe and I would ask them to follow this important advice to prepare for potential flooding and if it does flood in your area please follow any information issued by us, Natural Resources Wales or the emergency services and also ask people to keep an eye on the weather forecasts, the media and social media for the latest advice and information”.

You can follow us on Facebook  to get updates during a flood event

For further information visit our flood advice web page.

Career changing accident energises career pathway

Matt Jones 

A life changing accident has mapped out a journey for one Ruthin man for helping to learn how to improve energy consumption, lower costs and give back to support to the environment.

Carbon Reduction Project Officer Matt Jones’ career pathway was destined to develop in the world of joinery until one fateful day pushed him onto a different road which is ultimately benefiting Denbighshire residents.

County Voice sat down with Matt to find out how he reached the step to his current role

Matt, a keen mountain biker, went from Ysgol Brynyhyfryd to Coleg Llandrillo in Rhyl and then onto Rhos-on-Sea to do a Building Craft Foundation course, incorporating several hands-on skills.

He explained: “So we did a little bit of plumbing, electrical, joinery, plastering. Then I went on to do joinery, started doing wood occupations…then I broke my ankle. That’s when everything started changing.

I was out biking, I was going over a jump and my foot came off the pedal, I landed foot first before the bike and thanks when my ankle broke…

“I went back and finished the course, got an apprenticeship, and got a job with the same company. But because of the troubles I got with my ankle, I got osteoarthritis, I had a few operations and had to leave joinery and site work in 2015. I suppose it was life-changing,”

“Because I broke my ankle halfway through the year, I went back and finished the year and received an outstanding achievement award from the college.”

Matt had worked on heritage joinery projects including at Conwy Castle, Beaumaris Castle and Denbigh Castle.

“I did quite a lot of interesting stuff, I enjoyed it. But because of the roofing work involving scaffolding and ladders with my ankle I couldn’t keep doing it.”

Following this I then received further operations with ankle arthrodesis (ankle fusion) being the last one almost 10 years ago.

After this a part time job at Cysgod y Gaer residential home run by Denbighshire County Council came up and Matt decided to apply.

“It was a handyman/gardener’ job, that was part time which was perfect for getting back into work as I didn’t know how my ankle would perform. After a few years there I took on a second cleaning role at County Hall.” 

From there another Matt took on another post with the Facilities team at County Hall and then a job came up for an Energy Officer and he embarked on a HNC supported by the Council at Coleg Cambria in Wrexham.

Denbighshire’s Energy Team has managed projects across all Council buildings, to improve building energy efficiency and reduce emissions and usage costs over the longer term.

This ongoing work is part of the Council’s drive to address the climate and nature emergency declared in 2019 and reduce its own carbon footprint.

Matt added: “Then my current role came up, Carbon Reduction Project Officer and the low carbon energy degree apprenticeship and that’s where I am now. So, there’s been quite a lot of steps in my career. People have always supported me here in Denbighshire with career progression, they funded the HNC to help me progress and the degree apprenticeship in Wrexham university is funded by the Welsh Government.

His role is termed as a career grade role, enabling people to jump on to a career that was otherwise exclusively for those already qualified. Career wise, Matt’s role is designed to break the barriers to entry and enable career progression. In the Energy team the Energy Officer role is now also career grade.

“The degree I am doing now, which I have just started my second year, is a Low Carbon Energy Efficiency and Sustainability degree, so it wraps around perfectly what I’m doing here in this role with the projects we are working on.”

Working on projects including installing solar panels to improve energy efficiency at Rhyl High School, Dolwen care home and even working at Cysgod Y Gaer where it all started, sustainability had always been in the back of his mind.

“I’ve always loved been outside and loving nature and having been cycling and mountain biking around Ruthin and the Vale of Clwyd. I suppose I’ve always had that awareness of sustainability.”

“When you start to see the data coming through and monitoring that… its good. I think that’s why am so passionate about it now because I enjoy it. This is now the career I am focused on improving in, whilst one I enjoy at the same time. Every job I’ve had, especially for the Council, I’ve always enjoyed doing it. I’ve only taken that step as a career progression.”

And Matt’s advice to anyone facing a life changing career moment as he did?

“Don’t give up I suppose, just keep going and keep working hard, I think that’s the one thing I’ve always done. I knew I couldn’t be running around sites, I couldn’t be labouring and really enjoying it. I had to work out where I was going to go academically, and I’ve found that place.”

County EV charging network sparks millions of greener miles

Millions of greener miles of support have been provided by Denbighshire County Council’s Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Network since the first chargers came online.

This Wales Climate Week we take a look back at the impact the growth of the council’s charging network has had on providing a greener public mode of transport for residents and visitors.

The county network sparked into life in June 2021 with rapid chargers at Prestatyn and has since grown with more charging facilities provided at Rhyl, St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin, Corwen and Llangollen.

Bringing the network online is part of the council’s continuing work to reduce the county’s carbon footprint and support those drivers who want to transition to electric vehicles but may not have the facilities to charge at home.

Other electric fleet vehicle initiatives are also involved in the council’s goal to reduce carbon emissions, such as the electric powered Ruthin and Denbigh Flecsi bus services.

Since coming online in 2021, the chargers have supported EV drivers by providing 46,200 individual charging sessions to support lower emission public traveling.

That’s the equivalent of 1,100,000 kilowatt hours consumed which would keep 367 Tesla Model 3 cars doing an average of 12,000 miles a year, charged up for the full 12 months. The amount of delivered kilowatt hours would also keep your local supermarket powered up for a full year.

Converting the charging into miles, the EV charging network across Denbighshire has delivered over three million miles for electric powered driving. That’s over 130 trips right around the earth and 950 times hopping on a flight from London to New York. And for a single EV owner, that number of miles generated by the network would keep you driving for well over 250 years.

The UK Government’s 99 percent uptime mandate for public EV charging ports was also introduced last year to make sure EV chargers are constantly working well for drivers who use them. The council’s network is currently running above this target at 99.95 percent.

Work on the additional charging network for a few sites has been supported by grant funding via the UK Government’s Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). Chargers at Corwen’s Green Lane were funded by the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The creation of this charging network was an important step in our commitment to help our residents who want to move over to electric vehicles but don’t have the facility or off-road parking to do so. The provision of this network will help more to do so.

“We know also that it is helping local businesses as well who have electric vehicles in their fleet and also those with town premises as more EV users are discovering these locations and visiting local establishments and attractions while charging their vehicles along our network locations.

“With a continuing increase in electric vehicle use it has been important to get this infrastructure in place, not only for the users but also to support tackling climate change impact on our county by helping to reduce carbon emissions on the regions roads.”

Lost habitats are back to breathe life into nature

Nature’s been given a helping hand in Denbighshire for the last six years thanks to a project working to restore lost habitats.

Our Wildflower Meadows Project which started in 2019, aims to restore and increase this habitat in the county as since the 1930s. The UK has lost 97% of its meadow land, with Wales in particular having less than 1% left. This loss has impacted heavily on nature and communities.

The project is also part of our wider Bee Friendly campaign aimed at supporting the recovery of bees and other pollinators across the county

Our meadows are usually left uncut between March and August, except a small border mown around each site, allowing the flowers to set seed, and ensures that the meadow provides the greatest benefit to wildlife.

Cut and collect is carried out at the sites to help to lower the richness of the soil, and create the low-nutrient ground that our native wildflowers and grasses need to thrive.

Grass and wildflower seeds collected from areas around the county have been used to enhance our meadows. Some of the seeds have also been grown on at our tree nursery to produce plug plants. Only using local seeds ensure the plants which then grow are genetically suited to Denbighshire and will be the most beneficial to biodiversity in the area.

Here County Voice takes a look back at some of the project highlights that have benefitted both plant and wildlife across Denbighshire.

During 2021 the Biodiversity team recorded a nationally declining species on the Prestatyn Beach Road West site.

Hound’s tongue (Cynoglossum officinale) and was previously only recorded in Denbighshire 18 times within the last 116 years.

Seeds were taken from the site to the Council’s tree nursery and thanks to the effort of the staff, new plants germinated for planting on other coastal meadow sites to help expand its range in Denbighshire.

In 2021 Bithynian Vetch, a species of flowering plant in the bean family Fabaceae grew on a single project site managed by the Biodiversity team. Since 2019, this was the only place in Wales it was recorded growing in the wild.

During June staff collected a small number of seeds from the Bithynian Vetch. These were taken back to the Council’s tree nursery at St Asaph to be grown on site to help boost the plants dwindling numbers.

An innovative organic method was carried out as well in 2021 to help control the length of grass in a Denbigh meadow.

The site was treated with locally sourced Yellow Rattle seeds. Yellow rattle is a parasitic plant, tapping in to the roots of grasses and other neighbouring plants and stealing their nutrients. This reduces the dominance of grasses within a meadow, allowing more native wildflowers to take hold.

During the 2022 season the Biodiversity team inspected the site and found a reduction in grass length and an increase in wildflowers.  The successful trial meant more food for pollinating insects and their predators

‘Bee Friendly’ really came into its own in 2023 after the Biodiversity team found a new resident at a Ruthin meadow.

A female Tawny mining bee was found resting in a nest on the site. The spring flying bee with dense orange and red hair feed from a variety of flowers which make wildflower meadows the perfect area to locate to.

Tawny mining bees are usually seen from March to June and are common throughout south and central Britain. This showed how designated sites are providing support for local nature to flourish as well by providing plants for pollinators and grass for insect food.

The team also discovered during this season pyramidal orchids at two coastal sites at Prestatyn which was recorded as a first.

And last year a pyramidal orchid was discovered inland at a meadow in Ruthin indicating the network of meadows were really starting to help nature fightback.

This year extra bee orchids were discovered at a meadow in Denbigh which shows the meadows  are working as a combined highway for plants, insects and animals to move across the county, increasing biodiversity as they go.

Orchid produce seeds which are incredibly small (also known as dust seeds). These seeds must come in contact with a special type of mycorrhizal fungi that will help the orchid seed germinate and aid it in its early growth. Each orchid tends to have a particular mycorrhizal fungi that it partners with, so unless the soil conditions are right for the fungi, orchids won’t grow. The resurgence of orchid shows the project in 2025 is heading in the right direction, and the meadows are continuing their journey to recovery.

Working Denbighshire helps residents overcome barriers to employment

Working Denbighshire provides tailored support to residents across the county who are facing barriers to employment, including low confidence, anxiety, and limited work experience. Through mentoring, volunteering opportunities, and skills development, the service helps individuals build confidence and move closer to their goals.

One example of this support is Derek, who was referred to Working Denbighshire through the Job Centre a few years ago. At the time, Derek was experiencing low confidence, anxiety, and lacked the skills and experience needed to enter the workforce.

With guidance from the Working Denbighshire team and through a volunteering placement at St Kentigern’s Warehouse, Derek has made significant progress. He’s now actively working towards a career in IT support or administration.

Derek, Working Denbighshire participant said:

“At one point I was extremely shy, with bad anxiety and no confidence.

“I never thought I’d get to where I am now, but with support from Working Denbighshire and through volunteering, I’ve overcome so many barriers.

“I know the younger me would be proud of how far I’ve come.”

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

“Derek’s journey is a brilliant example of the positive impact Working Denbighshire can have on people’s lives.

“It’s about more than just finding a job, it’s about helping people unlock their potential, overcome personal barriers, and feel confident in their future.

“We’re proud to support residents like Derek on their journey towards employment.”

Derek continues to build his skills and experience through volunteering and is determined to secure a full-time role in the near future.

His journey forms part of the Working Denbighshire Complex Disabilities and Mental Health Team’s wider “Work Works” campaign, which highlights the positive impact that working, or taking steps towards work can have on people’s lives. Whether it’s improving wellbeing, gaining confidence, meeting new people, or learning new skills, the campaign shares real stories from across Denbighshire to inspire others.

Working Denbighshire is a free service that helps residents access training, find employment, and build confidence in their job search. Anyone looking for support can get in touch by visiting our website.

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.

Save time, save money and power Wales to No.1 in the world for recycling this autumn!

Autumn is here, the holidays are behind us, and routines are back in full swing. Whether you’re juggling work, studies, or family life, autumn is the perfect time to reset habits – especially in the kitchen. That’s why Denbighshire County Council has partnered with Wales Recycles to show how cooking smart can help you save time and money, reduce waste, and make it easier than ever to enjoy your 5-a-day …all while helping Wales on its journey to becoming the world’s number one recycling nation.

We’re already proud to be second in the global recycling league – just behind Austria – but food waste is where we can make the biggest impact. A quarter of the average rubbish bin in Wales is still made up of food, and over 80% of that could have been eaten. That wasted food costs the average household of four around £84 every month. That’s money (and meals) straight in the bin!

By getting smarter with your meals and recycling what you can’t eat, you’ll cut down on waste, save money, and easily pack in more of your 5-a-day – all while helping Wales reach the top spot. And we’re going to show you how simple it can be.

Cook once, serve multiple times: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it!

With the evenings getting darker and time often in short supply, autumn is the season for easy, no-fuss comfort food. The idea is simple: Prep it. Flex it. Recycle it.

Cook up a simple base dish with everyday ingredients, then add a few extras to keep it fresh and tasty. Serve it up in different ways over the week so you spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying your meals.

And don’t forget – the bits you can’t eat, like peelings, stalks, bones or eggshells, should go straight into your food caddy. Food waste in Wales is turned into renewable energy. Just one caddy full can power a typical home for an hour! Here are 3 easy, simple recipes to get you started.

Jazzed-up stew – hearty, simple & flexible

This anything-goes stew is made for autumn evenings when you want something warming without too much effort. Start with a simple base of onion, garlic, tinned tomatoes, stock and your choice of protein - leftover meat, beans or lentils. Then add in whatever veg you’ve got to hand and let it simmer into something rich and hearty.

The beauty of this dish is how it can change through the week: enjoy it first with crusty bread, then ladle it over mashed potato the next night, and later in the week top it with pastry or mash to turn it into a pie. And remember, any onion skins, carrot tops, pepper stalks or bones go in your food caddy to be turned into green energy.

Mix ’n’ Match Curry – big flavour, minimal effort

Begin by frying onion, garlic and ginger, then stir through curry spices or paste. Add your choice of protein, whether that’s chicken, lentils or tofu, before pouring in tinned tomatoes or coconut milk. Bulk it out with whatever’s in season - pumpkin, peppers, mushrooms, spinach or beans all work brilliantly.

Once cooked, you can enjoy it with rice for a classic dinner, wrap it up in a flatbread for a quick lunch, or spoon it over a baked potato when you need something speedy. Don’t to recycle what you can’t eat to power Wales to No.1.

Healthy Fruit Crumble – simple, warming & versatile

When it comes to autumn comfort, nothing beats a fruit crumble. It’s simple to make and surprisingly versatile too. Just mix oats, flour and a little honey or syrup with butter to create a golden crumble topping, then bake it over soft seasonal fruit like apples, pears, plums or blackberries, with a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg for extra warmth.

Once baked, you can enjoy it hot from the oven with custard or ice cream, serve it cold with yoghurt for a wholesome breakfast, or even use it as a crunchy topping on toast spread with nut butter. As for the apple cores, pear stalks and plum stones - they all belong in your food caddy, ready to be recycled into clean, green energy.

Take the Smart Food Challenge and win a delicious Welsh prize

Head over to Wales Recycles to take the Smart Food Challenge, discover more smart recipes that will save you time and money, and be in with a chance of winning a delicious Welsh prize.

£66m scheme protects hundreds of properties in Rhyl from flooding

The largest project within the Welsh Government’s Coastal Risk Management Programme officially opened on Thursday 9 October.

Rhyl Coast (Picture: Balfour Beatty)

The £66m Central Rhyl Coastal Defences Scheme will protect almost 600 properties in Rhyl from flooding and coastal erosion for decades to come.

85% of the construction costs have been funded by the Welsh Government, with the Deputy First Minister labelling the project a ‘significant milestone’ in efforts to protect Welsh communities from the growing threats of climate change. Denbighshire County Council contributed the remaining 15%.

The project has also supported the local economy by employing 34 local people, creating six new jobs and supporting 132 weeks of apprenticeships, building skills and careers in crucial industries. Hundreds of students were also engaged throughout thanks to curricular activities and work experience.

The scheme will protect 548 residential and 44 non-residential properties in Rhyl, safeguarding homes, businesses and the vital tourist economy that supports the local community.

Cllr Arwel Roberts, Chair of Denbighshire County Council, Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister, and Cllr Jason McLellan Leader of Denbighshire County Council 

Attending the official opening, the Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies, said:

“This investment demonstrates our unwavering commitment to keeping families and businesses safe from coastal flooding whilst supporting the local economy that so many depend upon.

“The completion of this project underlines the Welsh Government's recognition that investing in coastal protection is not just about infrastructure but also protecting livelihoods, preserving communities, and ensuring Wales is resilient in the face of our changing climate.

“The people of Rhyl can now face the future with greater confidence, knowing their community is better protected against the forces of nature.”

The Central Rhyl Coastal Defences Scheme forms part of the Welsh Government's £291m Coastal Risk Management Programme, which is responding directly to the challenges posed by climate change.

Over five years, the programme will fund 15 schemes across Wales, benefitting almost 14,000 properties and providing thousands of families and businesses with enhanced protection from coastal flooding.

The Welsh Government's annual Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Programme will invest £300m over the course of this government term, including additional schemes benefitting coastal communities across Wales.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport at Denbighshire County Council, said: “Having witnessed the devastating effects of the coastal flooding which hit Rhyl on December 5, 2013, this work is particularly close to my heart.

“The Council opened Rhyl Leisure Centre at that time as an evacuation centre due to the severe flooding, and the sight of my residents coming in soaking wet clinging to their loved animals will never leave me.

“I still have residents coming up to me to this day saying how grateful they are as they now can sleep at night without having to worry about their homes flooding, so I’m so pleased to see the completion of this part of the project which will now give peace of mind to residents and business owners in Rhyl.

“The completion of the coastal defence schemes in Prestatyn, East Rhyl and now Central Rhyl is testament to the excellent working partnerships developed during these three projects and on behalf of the Council I must extend my gratitude to Balfour Beatty who have done a fantastic job of delivering these three schemes ahead of schedule and under budget.”

Kay Slade, Area Director at Balfour Beatty, said: "We are proud to have delivered this vital scheme which will protect hundreds of homes and businesses in Rhyl and stands as a reminder of the positive impact that well-planned, sustainable infrastructure can have on local communities.

“Beyond enhancing coastal resilience, this project has supported local jobs, created new opportunities, and helped to build critical skills that will serve the region well into the future."

The scheme’s opening comes as Natural Resources Wales holds its annual ‘Be Flood Ready’ week, encouraging people to check their flood risk online, sign up for free flood warnings and know what to do if flooding is forecast in their area this winter. Find out more here.

Ever wondered where your Council tax goes?

Many people think that Council tax pays for everything that a local authority delivers, however, the money collected from residents annually only accounts for 26% of total Council spending.

The majority of funding (62%) comes in the form of a ‘Revenue Support Grant’ from Welsh Government, while the remaining 12% comes from business rates which is a property tax that businesses pay to help fund local services. You can find out more about how the Council is funded on our website.

So where does your Council tax actually go? We’ve produced an infographic based on a Band D property council tax bill to help give a clear explanation of how council tax payments are used to fund the range of services for residents in the county. While this infographic gives a picture of how the money is shared between different services, understanding what residents gets for that money is really important.

As you can see, the majority of council tax spending goes towards protecting the most vulnerable in our society, with 66% spent on schools and education and adult and children’s social care.

With Education accounting for 36.7%, it means that Denbighshire can educate approximately 16,500 pupils in 44 primary schools, 2 all-through schools, 2 special schools, 6 secondary schools and 1 pupil referral unit across the county, with approximately 780 teachers delivering this education

Still in the field of education, school transport accounts for 2.9% for which the Council transports approximately 2,871 learners safely to schools throughout the county. In total, there are 650 school bus and taxi trips every school day.

Meanwhile, adult and children’s social care accounts for 29.8% of Council tax spending. For this, in 2024-2025, an average of 668 members of staff had over 25,000 contacts with the most vulnerable children and adults and provided a package of care and support where necessary giving these residents the opportunity to exercise choice, voice and control over their lives.

In other service areas, 1.9% goes towards public protection and environmental health and the Council’s teams inspects approximately 720 restaurants, cafes and take aways every year to ensure they’re operating safely for the residents of Denbighshire.

Emptying bins and recycling accounts for 1.8% of your council tax bill, which equates to £32.89 per year (based on a Band D property). That involves collecting around 73,000 containers from over 47,000 households every week across the county.

For 1.8% of council tax, we maintain 1,419km of carriageways (excluding trunk roads), 601 highway bridges and culverts, 302 retaining walls and 26,000 gullies. And for 0.8%, we maintain 11,763 street lights and 1,547 illuminated signs and bollards throughout the county.

Other services residents may not be aware that are delivered by the Council are the Countryside and Heritage Services. With 1.1% of council tax going to the countryside service, the teams manage over 80 sites and more than 1,200 hectares of public green for both recreation and conservation. These range from the Country Parks of Loggerheads and Moel Famau, the county tree nursery at St. Asaph, Brickfield Pond in Rhyl, Prestatyn Dyserth Way, Llantysilio Green in the Dee Valley and numerous smaller amenity community spaces across the county.

While the heritage service accounts for 0.9% of Council tax spending and for this, the service preserves and promotes the county’s unique history, caring for important historic sites including Ruthin Gaol, Plas Newydd, Nantclwyd Y Dre, Rhyl Museum (based in the library) and a large collection store. This work ensures Denbighshire’s rich history remains accessible for education, wellbeing, and enjoyment.

Planning and economic development accounts for 0.7% of Council tax spending and for that the Local Planning Authority processes around 1,000 planning applications each year alongside 10-20 appeals and 50-100 pre-application enquiries. We also respond to over 500 planning compliance cases.

Libraries account for 0.5% of Council tax spending and in 24-25, Libraries delivered 514 Bookstart sessions to nearly 6,500 children for this money. It also lent  2,869 audiobooks to 1,028 library members on Borrowbox (part of the Digital Offer) and printed over 56,000 pages on public access printers.

Not all Council tax collected pays for council services, 2.5% goes towards the Fire service to contribute to the funding of fire protection and prevention across the county.

Councillor Delyth Jones, Lead Member for Finance at Denbighshire County Council said, “I am pleased to see the production and release of this infographic information. It will, I hope, provide residents with the context they need in order to understand how their council tax payments are used to support the breadth of services delivered by the Council.

“In what is a continuing financially challenging climate, I think it’s important to be open and clear about the costs and the pressures. It’s also important to emphasise that many of the aspects of expenditure are, quite rightly, aimed towards the legal requirement to provide Adult Social Care, Children’s Services, and Education etc. These are the areas that support the most vulnerable in our society.”

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A well-run, high performing Council

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes. 

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A greener Denbighshire

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes.

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A learning and growing Denbighshire

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes.

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A healthier and happier, caring Denbighshire

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes.

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A prosperous Denbighshire

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes.

Corporate Plan Highlights April 2024 to March 2025: A Denbighshire of quality housing that meets people's needs

Every year, the Council reviews its performance in delivering the Corporate Plan 2022 to 2027: The Denbighshire We Want. Our Corporate Plan sets out what we want to achieve for the people and communities of Denbighshire over the next 5 years. The Plan consists of six themes:

Christmas Waste and Recycling Collection Week Commencing Dec 22

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:

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

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.

Avian Influenza update from Denbighshire County Council

Denbighshire County Council is advising poultry and game birds owners to be aware of the potential risk of avian influenza (bird flu).

The risk of the avian influenza virus increases during the winter due to migration of waterfowl and gulls and is a highly contagious viral transmitted from bird to bird or through the environment.

The disease can affect the respiratory, digestive or nervous system of many species of birds, and common signs include a loss of appetite, swollen heads and respiratory problems which can lead to death.

Following an increased number of reported cases in Wales, from today (Thursday November 13), it will be a legal requirement for all keepers of 50 or more birds of any species to house them to reduce the spread and stop the virus.

Mandatory housing will also apply to flocks of less than 50 birds of any species if eggs or poultry products are sold or given away, due to the increased risk of disease transmission associated with trading or giving away poultry products.

The new compulsory housing measures will be incorporated into the existing Wales Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) introduced in January. 

Denbighshire County Council would like to remind anyone who keeps poultry or game birds, including those with fewer than 50 birds, that it is a requirement to provide details of their flocks to the Poultry Register.

This will ensure that they can be contacted immediately in an avian disease outbreak so that they can take action to protect their birds at the earliest opportunity.

Poultry keepers should inspect their birds regularly for signs of the disease and separate birds that are showing signs of being affected. Any suspected cases of avian influenza should be reported immediately to the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

To report and dispose of dead birds, please call DEFRA on 03459 335577 or to register your poultry  click here  or call the GB Poultry Register Helpline, on 0800 634 1112.

For more information, please visit the link below:

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/licences-permits-and-trading-standards/trading-standards/bird-flu-hpai-virus.aspx

Walking group given insight into council path network

A Vale of Clwyd group were recently given a special exploration of Denbighshire’s footpaths to mark a milestone anniversary.

The Vale of Clwyd Group of Ramblers Cymru recently celebrated 30 years of its existence, delivering regular walks across the area and further afield for hikers, with a ramble around the paths of Denbigh and a lunch and presentation at the Eirianfa Centre in Denbigh.

Adrian Walls, Rights of Way Officer for Denbighshire County Council, gave the group a presentation on the length and breadth of the council’s path network across the county.

He helped provided ideas for the group’s future planned walks and thanked them also for their assistance in helping manage the network through their walking excursions.

Gritting fleet test run

Denbighshire County Council winter maintenance crews will be completing a test run of our gritter fleet on Wednesday 12th November in readiness for the impending winter season. In recent weeks the team has been replenishing road salt stocks and calibrating the spreaders on our gritter fleet and the test run is essential to ensure that our vehicles are functioning correctly ahead of our first spell of sub-zero temperatures across the county.

Trading Standards team to host free electric blanket testing sessions

Denbighshire County Council’s Trading Standards team are set to host free Electric Blanket testing sessions at Prestatyn Library on the 25 November.

The Trading Standards Team will be screen testing the blankets and will test any double or single electric blanket as long as all leads, controls and plugs associated with the electric blankets are brought along for testing.

No appointments are necessary, and the drop-in session will run from 10.00am until 4.00pm. If electric blankets are found to have failed the safety test, a new one will be provided free of charge (subject to availability). Any blankets over 10 years old will automatically fail.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said:

“Electric blankets have become more and more popular as the colder weather has increased. Whilst they are great for keeping warm, it is important that they are maintained properly to ensure that they are safe.

“I would encourage Denbighshire residents to pop into one of the drop-in sessions to learn more about these blankets.”

For more information about Denbighshire County Council’s Trading Standards Team, please visit our website. 

For more information about this event please contact 01824 706057.

Road maintenance update for November

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.

November’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.

Over 100 attendees at successful caravan weighing sessions

Denbighshire and Conwy trading standard teams saw over 100 attendees at their free caravan weighing and advice sessions over the summer.

Held over four different sessions between June and August at the weighbridge on the A525 between Rhuddlan and St Asaph, the sessions offered an opportunity for residents and visitors to learn more about the dangerous of overloading caravans to themselves and other road users.

Following a trend of increasing road traffic incidents involving touring and motor caravans on the A55, the project started over six years ago and has seen an increase in people attending the sessions year upon year.

Not only have these sessions been used to warn and inform residents, but they have also been used to train Denbighshire and Conwy trading standards officers.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said:

“Following the success of similar public sessions held in the past, it was decided that it would be useful to conduct these sessions once again.

“The feedback from residents and visitors that attended the free sessions was positive and it’s important that the public are aware of the potential dangerous when overloading their caravans or campervans”.

For more information on the council’s trading standards team or to get in contact visit our website.

Young people urged to claim their savings

Many young adults in Denbighshire could have an average of £2,200 waiting for them in their unclaimed Child Trust Fund account.

Child Trust Funds were introduced by the UK Government in 2005. Accounts were opened for almost 6 million children born in the UK between 1st September 2002 and 2nd January 2011.

Nearly half of Child Trust Funds in Wales remain unclaimed. According to the Share Foundation, around 1240 accounts are still unclaimed in Denbighshire.

Young people aged 16 or over can take control of their own Child Trust Fund, although the funds can only be withdrawn once they turn 18. Families can continue to pay up to £9,000 a year tax-free into a Child Trust Fund until the account matures. The money stays in the account until the child withdraws or reinvests it into another account. If a parent or guardian could not set up an account for their child, the government opened a savings account on the child’s behalf.

Every 16-year-old is sent information about finding their Child Trust Fund from HMRC with their National Insurance letter. Anyone unsure about their situation should check with their bank or building society. Alternatively, young adults and parents can also search on www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds to find out where their Child Trust Fund account is held.

Councillor Delyth Jones, Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets said:

“I strongly encourage all eligible young people to check their accounts and claim what is rightfully theirs. The investment could be placed into an adult ISA or put towards their education, housing or driving lessons.

I would urge young people to use the online tool to track it down or, for parents of teenagers, to speak to them to ensure they’re aware of their Child Trust Fund. It could make a real difference to their future particularly at a time when finances are tight.”

The Child Trust Fund scheme closed in January 2011 and was replaced with Junior Individual Savings Accounts (ISA).

For more information on Child Trust Funds, visit www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds. Alternatively, visit https://www.meiccymru.org/do-you-have-money-hiding-in-a-child-trust-fund/, text 07943 114449 or call 080880 23456.

Pension Credit Week of Action: The Credit that keeps giving

Pension Credit does more than provide direct financial help – it unlocks a range of support* that could save eligible pensioners hundreds of pounds each year.  

Four ways Pension Credit helps pensioners save: 

1. Housing costs: Pension Credit could help reduce your housing expenses. Eligible pensioners might also qualify for Council Tax Reduction to lower their council tax bill, Housing Benefit if they're renting, or Support for Mortgage Interest if they own their home. 

1. Energy bills:  Pension Credit can open access to additional energy support. Eligible pensioners could receive the Warm Home Discount to reduce electricity costs and Cold Weather Payments during particularly cold spells.  

1. Health and wellbeing: Pension Credit may provide access to essential free NHS services. This includes dental treatment and help with transport costs for hospital appointments. 

1. TV Licence: Pensioners aged 75 or over who are eligible for Pension Credit qualify for a free TV licence.  

If you’re aware of pensioners who could benefit or who may be eligible for Pension Credit, but unaware of the extra support it could provide for them, please share these messages with them.

To find out more visit the gov.uk website for full details and to apply.

 *Eligibility criteria apply. Pension Credit has two parts – Guarantee Pension Credit and Savings Pension Credit. You may be able to get one or both parts depending on your circumstances. The type of Pension Credit you get may affect which passported benefits you automatically get.  

Road maintenance update for October

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.

October’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.

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/  

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!

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 our website. 

Highlighting Denbighshire's main towns

Our Tourism Team have been highlighting each of our main towns in their North-East Wales blog.

You can find out more in their blog

Did you know you can watch live and recorded video webcasts of Council committee meetings?

You can watch live and recorded video webcasts of Council committee meetings at any time.

All the related papers are also available for you to see.

If you want to know more about what’s happening in the Council, look at the calendar of meetings to find out what’s going on.

Did you know that 1.8% of Council Tax spending goes on emptying bins and recycling?

Emptying bins and recycling accounts for 1.8% of your Council Tax bill, which equates to £32.89 per year (based on a Band D property).

For that, the Council collects approximately 73,000 containers from over 47,000 households every week across the county.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know that roads and infrastructure accounts for 1.8% of Council Tax spending?

Roads and infrastructure accounts for 1.8% of Council Tax spending.

Within that, the service is responsible for 1,419km of carriageways (excluding trunk roads), 601 highway bridges and culverts, 302 retaining walls and 26,000 gullies.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Part of Council Tax spending goes towards the Fire Service?

Part of Council Tax spending goes towards the Fire Service.

Not all Council Tax collected pays for council services, 2.5% goes towards the Fire service. To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website.

Working Denbighshire has its own section on our website?

Working Denbighshire has a section on the Council's website. Working Denbighshire is here to help residents aged 16 and over who might be struggling or worrying about money. Whether you’re looking for work or need support to get back on your feet, we’re here to guide you towards a better future. Why not have a look on our website.

Did you know?

Schools and education accounts for 36.7% of Council Tax spending, and social care accounts for 29.8% which means that over 66% of your Council Tax goes towards protecting the most vulnerable in society.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website.

Did you know that single use vapes are being banned in Wales from 1 June?

Single use vapes have been banned in Wales since 1 June.

The ban includes vapes containing nicotine, non-nicotine, CBD and other health/vitamin devices, and the Council’s Trading Standards team is encouraging Denbighshire businesses to switch to reusable products before the ban comes into place.

You can find out more on our website.

Did you know that all primary

All primary aged children are eligible for free school meals through the Universal Primary Free School Meals scheme? This is a Welsh Government initiative which has been set up to help with the rising costs-of-living. You can find out more information on the Council's website.

Council Tax only accounts for 25% of total Council funding

Council Tax only accounts for 25% of total Council funding. When you pay your annual Council Tax bill, 1.8% of that pays for waste and recycling collections - the equivalent of £32.89 per year (based on a Band D property council tax of £1,799.48 per year). Most of Council Tax spending goes towards the most vulnerable in society - schools and education is the biggest expenditure accounting for 36.7% while adult and social care accounts for 29.8%. Find out more on our website

Denbighshire Youth Service

That Denbighshire Youth Service is open to everyone aged 11 to 25 years. They offer social activities and opportunities to develop interests as well as help and support for anyone that needs it. To find a youth club near you or for help and support for children and young people, please visit our website.

Did you know that street lighting accounts for 0.8% of Council Tax spending?

Street lighting accounts for 0.8% of Council Tax spending.

For that, the Council maintains 11,763 street lights and 1,547 illuminated signs and bollards throughout the county.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know that 1.1% of Council Tax spending goes towards Countryside Services?

1.1% of Council Tax spending goes towards Countryside Services and for that, the service manages over 80 countryside sites and over 1,200 hectares of public green, for both recreation and conservation.

These range from the Country Parks of Loggerheads and Moel Famau, the County Tree Nursery at St. Asaph, Brickfields Pond in Rhyl, Prestatyn Dyserth Way, Llantysilio Green in the Dee Valley and numerous smaller amenity community spaces across the County.

The Service has specialist team covering Ecology and Trees throughout the County, the National Landscape designation, recreation and rights of way, organises nature for health walks and events and manages the Countryside Centre at Loggerheads and catering at Plas Newydd.   

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know that Planning and economic development accounts for 0.7% of Council Tax spending?

Planning and economic development accounts for 0.7% of Council Tax spending.

The Local Planning Authority processes around 1,000 planning applications per year alongside 10-20 appeals and 50-100 pre-application enquiries.

The Authority also respond to over 500 planning compliance cases.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know that Denbighshire Heritage Service accounts for 0.9% of Council Tax spending?

Denbighshire Heritage Service accounts for 0.9% of Council Tax spending. For that it preserves and promotes the county’s unique history, caring for important historic sites, including Ruthin Gaol, Plas Newydd, Nantclwyd Y Dre, Rhyl Museum (based in the library) and a large collection store.

This ensures Denbighshire’s rich history remains accessible for education, wellbeing, and enjoyment.

Through our attractions, events, and learning programmes, we support local pride, cultural tourism, and the economy while protecting heritage for future generations.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Downloading eBooks, audiobooks, newspapers etc

You can download eBooks, audiobooks, digital magazines and newspapers for free using the Borrowbox app? All you need is your library card and PIN. Not a library member? It’s free to join online www.denbighshire.gov.uk/libraries

Did you know that school transport accounts for 2.9% of Council Tax spending?

School transport accounts for 2.9% of Council Tax spending and for that the Council transports approximately 2,871 learners safely to 75 schools throughout the county.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Working Denbighshire offers free, weekly wellbeing sessions

Working Denbighshire offers free, weekly wellbeing sessions across the county - from drop-ins and wellness walks to youth support and confidence-building activities. They're open to all Denbighshire residents aged 16+, and they’re completely free! Check out the latest timetable and events here. 

Did you know that 1.9% of Council Tax spending goes towards public protection and environmental health?

1.9% of Council Tax spending goes towards public protection and environmental health and as part of this, the Council inspects approximately 720 restaurants, cafes and take aways every year to ensure that these premises are operating safely for the residents of Denbighshire.

In addition, the Council responds to over 1,200 requests a year relating for housing and pollution.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know that 29.8% of Council Tax spending goes towards adult and children’s social care?

29.8% of Council Tax spending goes towards adult and children’s social care. And with 36.7% going to schools and education, this means that over 66% of your Council Tax goes towards protecting the most vulnerable in society.

To find out more about how your Council Tax is spent visit our website

Did you know the Council’s Licensing Team have launched their new service standards.

The Council’s Licensing Team have launched their new service standards. It explains what you can expect when applying for licences, during inspections and enforcement, and how to get in contact or provide feedback. For more information visit our website.

Major road maintenance programme

Denbighshire County Council has announced which road areas will benefit from a major Welsh Government funded road maintenance programme. More here

White Ribbon Day

Denbighshire County Council and Denbighshire Leisure Ltd is proudly supporting White Ribbon Day 2025, the global movement encouraging men and boys to take a stand against violence towards women and girls.

This year’s theme ‘We Speak Up for Change’ focuses on promoting healthy relationships, challenging harmful behaviours, and empowering men to speak up when they see or hear something that isn’t right. The Council is reaffirming its commitment to creating safer communities and fostering a culture of respect across Denbighshire.

We encourage everyone to wear white ribbons and make the White Ribbon Promise - to never use, excuse, or remain silent about violence against women and girls.

White Ribbon Day is held on Tuesday 25 November, and Denbighshire Leisure Ltd will be lighting up their buildings and landmarks to raise awareness.   

Photos taken in previous years courtesy of DLL

Jamie Groves, Managing, Director of Denbighshire Leisure, said: “We are proud to light up our buildings for White Ribbon Day.

“Speaking out, challenging language or behaviour, and being an active ally can make a real difference.

“Here in Denbighshire, we are committed to supporting all those affected and working with partners to make our communities safer for everyone.”

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

“As a Council we’re proud to support White Ribbon Day and the message it carries and working towards ending domestic abuse will always be high on our agenda.

“We will continue to work alongside North Wales Police and our partners to ensure we do all we can to protect our residents from having to live in fear of violence.

“It’s also important to remember that men can also experience domestic abuse and I encourage everyone to join us in making the White Ribbon Promise and standing up for respect, equality, and safety.”

How to get help:

• If you, your child or anyone in your family is at immediate risk of harm you should contact the police urgently - call 999
• If you’re the victim of domestic abuse, you can ring the Live Fear Free Helpline on 0808 8010 800 now or visit the website https://gov.wales/live-fear-free.
• Help is available 24/7

#WhiteRibbonDay #MakeThePromise #NoExcuseForAbuse #WeSpeakUp

A Christmas Celebration

The annual carol service ‘A Christmas Celebration’ hosted by Denbighshire County Council is being held in Rhyl next month.

The service will be taking place on Wednesday evening 3 December at 7pm at St Thomas’ Church, Rhyl.

During the service, a collection will be made towards St Kentigern Hospice, St Asaph and Urdd Gobaith Cymru, which are the Chairman’s chosen charities this year. 

Taking part, this year are:

• Ysgol Brynhyfryd
• Four Counties Fusion Band
• Côr NantClwyd

Councillor Arwel Roberts, Chairman of the Council, said: “I’m delighted to invite everyone to join us for this year’s Carol Concert.

It’s always a special occasion that brings our community together, and it’s wonderful to see local schoolchildren sharing their talents and festive spirit.

I hope as many people as possible will come along to enjoy an evening of music and celebration.”

We would like to thank Denbighshire Music Co-operative, who once again this year are overseeing the musical arrangements/direction for the evening.

Fiction Fest at Denbighshire Libraries

This autumn Denbighshire Libraries have a fantastic line up of authors to brighten up the dark days. When it is cold outside what could be better than curling up with a good book but if you need some inspiration for your next read why not join us at our free events.

We are very excited to be joined by two fantastic Welsh authors. Prestatyn based author Rebecca Roberts won a 2021 Tir na n-Og Award and the 2021 Book of the Year with her first Young Adult novel, #Helynt. Rebecca writes adult and young adult books, titles include Mudferwi, Chwerwfelys, Diwedd y gan and Eat Sleep Rage Repeat.

Marlyn Samuel’s novels are full of romance and humour, and her latest book, Yr Ail Briodas, is due to be published in November.

Simon McCleave is a multi-million selling author based in North Wales, author of the brilliant DI Ruth Hunter series, which includes the Denbigh Asylum Killings. Simon also now has a series set in Anglesey, and a new series featuring Marshal of Snowdonia.

If you enjoy cosy crime join us at St Asaph Library when Margaret Holbrook will be introducing us to Jack France, a dashing, young and single motor racing driver, who is also an amateur sleuth.

In contrast there will be 'Murder and Mayhem' at Rhuddlan Library with local author David Ebsworth. The author reveals some of the “stranger than fiction” true stories which helped him find original ways to kill off some of his characters and create the background to his various historical thrillers and crime novels. Not for those of a nervous disposition!

Fans of true crime will enjoy meeting bestselling author Sion Tecwyn, who will be talking about his latest book, Murder on Ynys Môn; The Anglesey Crossbow Killing, in which he explores the events leading up to the brutal murder and the subsequent investigation.

Gene Moran’s book, Running on the Spectrum, is largely autobiographical, drawing on his experiences in special education. Gene will talk about his journey through education, challenges, and personal growth, and also the writing and publishing process.

Although it’s not fiction we are also being joined by local writer Graham Edwards, who will be giving a talk on Richard Jones Berwyn and his remarkable life in Patagonia.

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

“It’s fantastic to see our libraries hosting such a vibrant celebration of reading and creativity. Fiction Fest is a wonderful opportunity for residents to meet talented authors, discover new stories, and be inspired to read and write more. Our libraries play a vital role in bringing communities together, and this festival shows just how much they continue to enrich cultural life here in Denbighshire.”

If you would like to get into writing why not join our writing masterclass at Rhyl Library. Acclaimed children's author and poet, Oliver Sykes will share his top tips and tricks on how to find your writing voice, how to put yourself at the heart of your writing and how to write a stand out story for children, as well as discussing pathways into publishing.

Hopefully there is something everyone can enjoy in this free programme of events – just contact the relevant library to book your place, or book online https://denbighshire.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spydus.exe/MSGTRNGEN/OPAC/EVENTS

Information on our libraries can be found on our website.

Wales Ambassador Week

Celebrate Wales Ambassador Week by becoming a Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador.

Why become a Tourism Ambassador? 

• Discover in-depth facts about the area
• Free online courses
• Share your knowledge with others
• Receive a certificate to showcase your new skills!

For more information about the Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador scheme click here.

Chairman's Charity Concert at St Asaph Cathedral

Councillor Arwel Roberts, Chairman of the Council invites you to his charity concert in the company of two renowned local choirs: Meibion Marchan and Côr Rhuthun.

Concert details:

      📅 Friday, 21 November

      🕢 7.30pm

      📍 St Asaph Cathedral

Tickets for the concert are £12 and are available from:

• Siop Elfair: Rhuthun/Ruthin (01824 702575)
• Siop Clwyd: Dinbych/Denbigh (01745 813431)
• WISH: Rhuddlan (01745 591264)
• Tudor House: Prestatyn (01745 859528)
• Eleri Woolford: 01824 706196 (eleri.woolford@sirddinbych.gov.uk)

All proceeds from the concert will go the Chairman’s chosen charities namely St Kentigern Hospice and Urdd Gobaith Cymru.