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."

Young Residents Win Books with Bee Friendly Images

Two young residents have won Denbighshire County Council’s 2025 Wildflower Meadow Photography Competition.

Denbighshire pupils were asked to take a photograph on one of the wildflower meadows, a school meadow, or community nature reserve site. The photo could be of the whole site, a tiny part such as an insect or flower, or whatever they felt made the best photograph.

Elis from Ysgol Esgob Morgan took a photo of a Common Carder Bee on some thistle at Cysgodfa Denbigh. Wynter in Year 5 at Ysgol Bryn Hedydd shows a White Tailed Bumble Bee on yellow flowers.

Elis and Wynter will receive a set of environmental books for their schools along with a small canvas image of their photograph to hang at home or at school.

One of the council’s first actions after declaring a climate and ecological emergency was to start managing grassland for wildflower meadow creation. The aim of the project is to restore and increase the amount of habitat available throughout the county for pollinators and wildlife. The project also brings many benefits or ‘ecosystem services’ to residents in the county, such as reduced flooding, improved air quality, and air cooling.

Lead member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Barry Mellor, said: “We would like to congratulate Elis and Wynter on their lovely images and thank all the pupils who took time to enter the competition. Our wildflower meadow project is increasing insect life across the county while bringing benefits to local people such as reduced flood risk and air cooling.”

Lead Member for Education, Children and Families Councillor Diane King, added: “Being outside in nature is a brilliant way for children and young people to support their physical and mental health while learning about the natural environment”. “Bees play an important role in supporting animal and human life by pollinating food crops and trees. Elis and Wynter have identified 2 different species of bee in these images and with 250 native species of bee in the UK there are lots more for other pupils to spot too.”  

Denbighshire County Council will run the competition again over Spring/Summer 2026.

Success for Denbighshire’s Countryside Team at Awards Night!

The council’s countryside team were presented with the ‘Community Safety Partner Award’ for their Moorland Partnership Project.

Working in collaboration with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on the Moorland Partnership Project, the team were recognised for their dedication and strong partnership in supporting the fire service in tackling dangerous wildfires.

As a part of the project, countryside rangers worked alongside the fire service during a four-day multi-agency operation on the Berwyn range when a wildfire effected nearly 350 hectares of moorland on Moel Fferna earlier in the year.

Collaboration between the countryside rangers and North Wales Fire and Rescue Services are still ongoing, as they hosted essential wildfire fighting training exercises and ran joint campaigns to promote the responsible use of fires and BBQs in the countryside, making sure everyone understands the serious dangers they can pose to our National Landscape.

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

“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the team for achieving this great award. This reflects some of the vital services that the team provide in dangerous situations and it serves as a great example of what an effective collaborative approach can achieve.

“Our countryside rangers work tirelessly to ensure that residents and visitors to the county are able to enjoy our vast landscape and it’s great that their hard work has been recognised with this award”.

Spooky Half-Term Fun Experiences at Ruthin Gaol this Halloween

(Ruthin Gaol)

This October half term, Ruthin Gaol will be opening its historic doors for a week of spooky fun and After Dark adventures, funded in part by the UK Government’s SPF fund.

From Saturday 25 to Friday 31October the Gaol will open daily from 11am – 4pm offering a host of new ghostly Gaol trails and wicked Halloween crafts and activities for all the family, all included in normal admission.

For braver visitors, After Dark late-night opening until 8pm will take place on Wednesday 29^th, Thursday 30 and Friday 31 offering the chance to explore the historic building after the sun has set and join a guided torchlight tour to discover more about the Gaol’s history and the spooky side of its fascinating past (torchlight tours start at 6pm).

Philippa Jones, Heritage Site Operations and Development Manager said:

“Halloween is always an exciting time at Ruthin Gaol – the atmosphere of the building really lends itself well to the spooky season and I think our staff enjoy bringing the mysterious side of its past to life just as much as visitors do discovering it!

“We’re especially excited to be able to offer this year’s After Dark late night opening evenings, giving visitors a rare chance to experience the Gaol once the sun has gone down, and hope it will be an unforgettable Halloween for all who visit.”

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

“It is brilliant news that the Gaol will be opening over the Halloween period, it is a great place to host such an event. They will be hosting plenty of activities, so I encourage families to come along and join in the fun.

“We want every visitor, regardless of age, to be able to experience the Gaol’s history and the Halloween activities will be the perfect opportunity to do just that.”

Normal admission fees apply for both daytime and After Dark visits. Booking is not required but details to help with planning a visit can be found at  www.denbighshire.gov.uk/heritage. For further information, please contact the Denbighshire Heritage Service team via heritage@denbighshire.gov.uk

New-look Denbigh playground reopens

A newly improved Denbigh playground has reopened its gates to the public.

Denbigh youngsters alongside Denbighshire County Council staff and local councillors, are celebrating the reopening of the Lower Park play area today following a period of improvement work at the site.

The council’s Streetscene department managed the project after securing grant funding from the Public Recreational Open Space Commuted Sums.

Improvement work has seen the installation of accessible and sensory play equipment, designed to allow children of all abilities play together.

This development also aims to increase and improve accessibility to existing and new play equipment.

Play opportunities have been increased for youngsters by adding tactile, sensory, low-level play, group rocking, social play, competitive play, solo supported spinning, fully supported swinging, social swinging and interactive play.

Plas Brondyffryn school pupils who are part of the school’s Senedd Squad helped start the reopening celebrations by cutting the ribbon before spending time checking out the new and improved equipment on the play area.

Neil Jones, Streetscene Area Coordinator, said: "We are so pleased with the results of this improvement work for this Denbigh play area, it will help support local children of all ages when it comes to their health and wellbeing. The finished design is great, and the new equipment will really make this park come to life for youngsters."

Work was carried out by KOMPAN UK who have developed play area sites at Rhyl’s Drift Park and Queen’s Market.

A spokesperson for Kompan UK said: “We are extremely pleased with the finished Playground at Lower Park, Denbigh, and hope that all of the local community love it just as much as we do, and will enjoy playing, socialising and getting active together here for years to come.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s lead member for environment and transport, said: "It is great to see this site reopened as this has been a fantastic project to help the wellbeing of all children living around the park and those further afield."

Successful Tourism Forum held in Llangollen

The Denbighshire Tourism Forum took place on Wednesday, 15 October at the The Wild Pheasant Hotel in Llangollen. It provided a great opportunity for over 120 delegates to hear about latest developments and meet other like-minded businesses to share experiences.

Guest speakers included Lucy von Weber, Head of Marketing at Visit Wales, who talked about the current tourism landscape in Wales and provided a valuable insight into where visitors are coming from. Gail Swan, Chair of North East Wales Food and Drink Group gave a presentation outlining the work of the group and what it can offer businesses. Other speakers included Catrin Roberts, Head of Service at Denbighshire County Council and Cllr Alan James Denbighshire’s lead member for tourism. There were also several information stands including a carriage from Llangollen Railway for participants to browse while they were networking.

The Forum concluded with a lively discussion about the proposed Visitor Levy in Wales led by Catrin Roberts. While Denbighshire County Council does not yet have a formal position on the proposed Levy, the Forum provided a valuable opportunity to gauge views and reactions from tourism businesses in the county.

Ian Lebbon, Chair of Denbighshire Destination Management Partnership, said: “Denbighshire is a place of spectacular landscapes, rich heritage, vibrant communities, and warm hospitality — it has so much to offer visitors today and into the future. Revenue from Tourism is also a large part of Denbighshire’s economic growth and it was good to have conversations which will help shape the future of Tourism in Denbighshire.”

Closing the forum, Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning who has overall responsibility for tourism said, “I want to thank everyone who attended for their energy, insight, and passion for the future of tourism in Denbighshire. The conversations and connections we had and the ideas we shared will help shape the future of tourism our county.

“Let us leave here inspired with ideas to grow into real actions that bring sustainable growth, deeper visitor engagement, and joy to both locals and guests.”

Tourism plays a vital part in Denbighshire’s economy, with a total economic impact in 2024 of £767 million, up 4.2% on 2023. Visitor numbers are at 6.35 million and continue to be a vital part of  Denbighshire's economy, employing over 6,000 full time employees.

If you would like to be notified of any future events or receive newsletters regarding the latest tourism developments. Please email tourism@denbighshire.gov.uk

Rhuddlan reserve awarded for nature support

A community partnership has received a national highlight for its continuing support for nature at a popular Rhuddlan site.

Rhuddlan Nature Reserve was honoured at the recent Wales in Bloom 2025 awards ceremony at Wrexham.

Denbighshire Countryside Services have worked side by side with the Rhuddlan Reserve Management Advisory Group since 2011 to co-manage the site to help nature flourish and provide a great place for community well-being.

Thanks to the vision of the group and the skills of the countryside rangers working on site, Rhuddlan Nature Reserve has grown and developed over the years with the introduction of initiatives including two wildflower meadows, three wildlife ponds, 300 metres of hedgerow, wildflower seeded verges, planting of 6,000 trees, a heritage species orchard, two picnic areas and a pond dipping platform.

The site has also seen a Dementia friendly space created on the site with sensory, trees, wildflowers and historic landscape features such as dry-stone walls and laid hedges complete with traditional Welsh oak timber seating.

Local wildlife is thriving on the reserve, iconic species such as otters and water voles have been spotted at the site which happen to be some of the more rapidly declining mammals in the UK.

Wales in Bloom awarded the partnership a Level 5 ‘Outstanding’ in the It’s Your Neighbourhood Category which is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area.

Anita Fagan, Chair of the Rhuddlan Reserve Management Advisory Group said: “I want to convey my heartfelt thanks to all committee members for their positive, proactive work for the reserve. I believe all committee members go ‘above and beyond’ their required commitment.

“I want to also praise Denbighshire Countryside Services and their team of rangers supported by fantastic volunteers for their total dedication to maintaining the reserve while juggling all their other nature reserve commitments in North Denbighshire.”

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “This is such a great collaboration that Countryside Services are a part of and it has produced a wealth of support for local nature and the community who come to enjoy this site on a regular basis.

“It is great to see this work by all recognised on a national level  and I look forward to seeing this important community site continue to flourish and grow into the future.”

Notes for Editors:

Rhuddlan Nature Reserve is fully accessible for all. The site has been transformed into an ideal location for wildlife to thrive and a recreational area for local people and visitors.

The short route takes you around ponds, where birds nest every year and meadows, which have been recently improved in partnership with the local community and schools.

More information on entering the Wales in Bloom ‘It’s your Neighbourhood’ competition can be found by clicking this link https://www.walesinbloom.org/neighbourhood.html

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.”  

Wales award honour for Ruthin nature space

A national awards scheme has highlighted the growth of a Ruthin nature space.

Llanrhydd Woodland Creation was honoured at the recent Wales in Bloom 2025 awards ceremony held at Wrexham.

Denbighshire Countryside Services alongside Denbighshire County Council’s Climate Change Team and volunteers originally breathed life into the old school field next to Ruthin Hospital in 2022, both for local nature and for the enjoyment of surrounding residents.

Local school pupils dug deep to help plant nearly 800 trees on the site as part of the Council’s continuing work to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity in the county.

In keeping with the school theme, an outdoor classroom area was constructed to not only to help the children learn about biodiversity but also give a helping hand to local nocturnal residents.

Built out of wood by local craftsperson Huw Noble, the structure incorporated a ‘Bat Roof’ which was specially designed to provide the features bats need to roost during the day.

Paths were also created through wildflower meadows on the site, a pond developed to support nature and picnic benches added for community use.

The site has since been managed by Countryside Rangers with the support of volunteers backed by Nature for Health.

Last year the site was entered into the awards for the first time and was classed as Level 4 ‘Thriving’ under the Royal Horticulture Society and Wales in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards 2024. This area of Wales in Bloom is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area.

In 2025 the site has now gone one better to the top level, picking up a Level 5 Outstanding award in this category.

Senior Countryside Ranger Jim Kilpatrick said:” We are really pleased to receive this award. It shows that since last year, the work of all volunteers young and old alongside our rangers has helped this fantastic site for nature and the Ruthin community really grow and improve. It continues to develop really well since its first roots started in 2022, the meadows are thriving and improving in season and the trees planted are really coming on strong.”

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Council Biodiversity Champion, said: “This group of volunteers and staff have made a real massive difference to what was once an old school field at Ruthin thanks to their dedicated work to improving biodiversity and the surroundings for the community. It’s brilliant that they have received this recognition for the sites continued improvement which is a testament to all their hard work.”

Llanrhydd was a CaN Woodland Creation project and funded by TWIG (the Welsh Government Woodland Investment Grant).

Road improvements finish ahead of schedule at Abergele Straights

Denbighshire County Council Highways has completed ahead of schedule a major Welsh Government funded road maintenance scheme on the A547 Abergele Straights between Rhuddlan and Borth roundabout.

Resurfacing work which started on October 6 was to be completed by October 31. However, the work has now been completed this week, delivering an improved road surface for drivers who use the route.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are really grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to complete this major piece of work ahead of schedule to deliver a better driving experience for those using this road.

“I’d also like to thank our residents for their patience whilst this Welsh Government funded work was ongoing to improve the Abergele Straights.”

Denbighshire County Council has earmarked 57 locations in the county within a two-year road maintenance programme produced to benefit from a Welsh Government Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI). The aim of the funding (£4.780m over 2025/26 and 2026/27) is to improve the carriageway surface condition on sections of the county’s road network.

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

Over 600 Counterfeit Goods Successfully Seized in County Crackdown

Following several visits across the county, Denbighshire’s Trading Standards team has successfully seized over 600 counterfeit goods from the shelves of local traders.

Over the 5 visits that took place throughout the county, officers seized a number of items bearing the Labubu, Coca Cola and Disney trademarks amongst other well-known brands.

These counterfeit goods are often the result of social media trends that lead to the demand of the product outweighing the manufacture’s ability to supply them and are usually cheaper to buy than the genuine product.

Upon further investigation, it was clear to see that the seized items posed a major risk for young children as they included small detachable parts that were easily broken.

Denbighshire County Council’s trading standards team will continue their crackdown of counterfeit goods across the county and help educate local traders on the dangers of selling these illegal goods.

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

“Having come across a number of social media posts advertising the sale of Labubu dolls within stores across the county, our trading standards team wrote to all the traders concerned with general advice about counterfeit goods, specifically the Labubu brand.

“Due to the recent increase in demand of these Labubu dolls, our officers were concerned about possible rise in counterfeit products that were being presented as the genuine article when being sold in the county.

“The seizure of these illegal goods is a great result for the team and highlights the important work that our officers do in ensuring the safety of our residents when it comes to buying these goods that they believe to be a genuine product.

“It is important to remember that many of these products are only available on ‘official’ sites, and potential buyers should refrain from purchasing these items if they doubt that they are a genuine product”.

Businesses can get in touch with Denbighshire’s Trading Standards Team for advice on counterfeit products on Denbighshire’s website

Rhyl nature reserve progress highlighted at national awards

A Rhyl nature reserve has been recognised for its growing support for local nature.

Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve was honoured at the recent Wales in Bloom 2025 awards ceremony at Wrexham.

Denbighshire Countryside Service rangers and volunteers supported by Nature for Health have worked to improve the site both for nature and for the enjoyment of the local community.

Continued development work has seen the regeneration of an old community orchard and pond opened up, improvements to the walkways, removal of dead trees and the tidying up of the viewpoints around the main waters to improve visitor experience.

Work has also taken place to improve the small woodland next to the reserve car park and new wildflower meadows have also been sown on the site

Rangers and volunteers work together regularly to learn countryside crafts such as traditional hedge laying on the site to help also improve habits for nature.

Coleg Rhyl students joined rangers at Brickfield Pond for a session on how to carry out ‘Hazel Hurdling’ and their efforts have helped improve the opened viewpoints around the water.

Areas around the nature reserve have also been improved around to encourage more water voles to make their home at the site.

Brickfield Pond Nature Reserve was classed as ‘Thriving’ under the Wales in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards 2024. This area of Wales in Bloom is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area. 

This year the reserve has gone one better by receiving a Level 5 ‘Outstanding’ award at the 2025 ceremony.

Countryside Ranger Vitor Evora who manages the site, said: “We have a great team of rangers and volunteers who really get stuck in at the reserve and this award which shows improvement at the site since last year is a testament to everyone’s commitment to making this a great place for nature and the surrounding community.

“We will be continuing to develop the nature reserve with a focus to improve further into the future to enhance visitor experience and the support for our animals, plants and trees at the site.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Council Biodiversity Champion, said: “The volunteers and staff have made a real positive difference to Brickfield Pond thanks to their dedicated work to improving biodiversity and the surroundings for the community. It’s fantastic that they have received this recognition for improvement at the site due to all their hard work.”

Telecare service showcased at upcoming community event

Residents are being invited to learn more about the vital Telecare service at a special Open Day on which will be held on Tuesday 21st October.

Fully furnished demonstration room designed to look like a home

The Open Day will run from 10am to 4pm at the Denbighshire Telecare Showroom, Unit A4 Pinfold Industrial estate, Rhyl Ll18 2YR.

Telecare provides technology and 24/7 monitoring to help people remain safe and independent in their own homes. The service is particularly valuable for older people, those with disabilities, or individuals living with health conditions.

With the use of specialist equipment such as fall detectors, personal alarms, and smoke or carbon monoxide sensors, the technology is linked directly to a monitoring centre, where trained staff are actively available to assist.

If an alert is raised, the team can contact family members, dispatch support, or call the emergency services.

The Open Day will feature a fully furnished demonstration room designed to look just like a home.

Visitors will be able to see how equipment can be discreetly installed and used day-to-day, from fall detectors to activity sensors that support people living with dementia.

Telecare is available for £17.50 per month, offering affordable reassurance for both users and their families.

Technician, Terry Davies said:

“My job satisfaction comes with knowing service users are and feel more safe and secure in their homes after I have installed careline/telecare.”

Tracey Hargreaves-Jones, Operations Manager said:

“We want individuals and families to see first-hand how Telecare can support people to live more independently and securely.

The Open Day is a chance to ask questions and explore how we can provide peace of mind that help is always available.”

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

“Telecare provides valuable support to Residents in Denbighshire, allowing them to live safer and more secure in their own homes.

This open day is a unique opportunity for residents to come and discover more about this brilliant service.”

Road improvements set for Pendyffryn Road

Denbighshire County Council Highways will carry out road maintenance on Pendyffryn Road, Rhyl, this month.

Resurfacing work is due to take place from October 25 to November 2.

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.

For the first two days a convoy system will be in place on Pendyffryn Road. Following this the road will be closed for the remainder of the work. 

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 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

Denbighshire's Mental Health team take cold dip challenge to mark Mental Health Day

To mark Mental Health Day, which is held each year on October 10^th, the Council’s Mental Health Team braved the Rhyl waves by taking a cold dip challenge on Rhyl Beach.

Denbighshire's Mental Health Team

Members of Denbighshire County Council’s Mental Health team took the cold dip challenge in a bid to mark awareness of the day.

World Mental Health Day is an International Day of Awareness which was first celebrated in 1992, focusing on mental health, mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma.

As well as braving the cold dip, the team held a bake sale throughout the day, with the proceeds going towards charity.

Cake Sale

Hayley Adams, Mental Health Team Manager said:

“World Mental Health Day (10th October) is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. On this day, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on people's lives worldwide.

Denbighshire’s Mental Health and AMHP Team marked the day by taking part in a Cold-Water Sea Dip and holding a cake sale, where all proceeds will go to a local Mental Health Charity.”

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

“World Mental Health Day is vitally important in raising awareness and understanding, and in guiding people to the right support. Mental health affects everybody in some way, and it’s an opportunity to pause and check in with ourselves and with those around us.

The team’s cold dip challenge is such a thoughtful and brave way to mark the day, a great way to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health!”

Learners encouraged to practice their ‘Welsh in the Woods’

The Council’s countryside rangers are continuing their successful ‘Welsh in the Woods’ guided walks later this month.

Funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, further walks have been scheduled following the success of previous guided walks around some of the County’s other iconic locations.

Organised in partnership with Menter Iaith with a view of offering more Welsh language opportunities within Denbighshire, the walk will offer a unique opportunity for Welsh learners to test out their skills in the great outdoors, during a short amble through the ancient semi-natural woodland of Loggerheads.

This free event will be held at Loggerheads on 16 October and will begin at 10:00am, with Welsh learners of all levels welcome to attend.

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

“These walks are a fantastic way to support the Welsh language and have proven very popular in the past.

“We have some fantastic locations in the National Landscapes area to explore and learners are once again encouraged to come along to learn and build their confidence in speaking the Welsh language.

For more information and to book please visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/clwydian-range-and-dee-valley-national-landscape-13973346491

Young Rangers Learn the Ropes Alongside North East Wales Search and Rescue

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley young rangers were recently invited to learn more about the vital work that the North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) team do in the community.

Established in 2012, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley young rangers are a group of young people aged between 11-18 who meet up monthly to learn more about the landscape on their doorstep, get involved in practical conservation work or wildlife surveying, and experience fun recreational activities in the outdoors.

In their most recent gathering, the group visited the local mountain rescue base in Mold, where the young rangers were shown around the base and taught about the vital work of Mountain Rescue in the community.

Founded originally in 1981 as Clwyd Rescue Team, before changing to North East Wales Search and Rescue in 1994, the registered charity is made up of a group of volunteers who provide support to the police and ambulance services in search and rescue situations.

Whilst at the base, the young rangers participated in a search and rescue workshop and learnt some rope techniques, whist a St John’s ambulance volunteer was also in attendance to talk about their work in the community and help deliver vital CPR training to the group.

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

“This was a fantastic opportunity for those who attended to learn more about the important work that the North East Wales Search and Rescue team do in our community.

“Since starting in 2012, our countryside team have done a fantastic job in promoting nature and the outdoors to the younger generation through the young rangers group and were fortunate enough to host the EUROPARK International Junior Ranger Camp in 2024.

“It’s clear that the young ranger group creates a lasting impression on those who are members, as many of our past young rangers have continued to volunteer and work with the Countryside Service as young adults”.

For more information on the young rangers group and how to join, contact Imogen Hammond at imogen.hammond@denbighshire.gov.uk

For more information about the work that NEWSAR do visit: https://www.newsar.org.uk/

Wellbeing Trail takes first steps

Walkers have put their best foot forward to help launch a new Denbigh wellbeing initiative.

A new Wellbeing Walking Trail has been launched in Lower Denbigh this week.

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 Wellbeing Walking 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.

To celebrate the launch Streetscene was joined by representatives from Meifod, and local members.

Street Scene Area Coordinator Neil Jones said: “It’s been fantastic to get this project up and running as looking after your wellbeing is so important in this day and age. Anyone can have a go around the route which you can find online, you can start at any of the six locations or even use part of it, its entirely up to each person.

“Meifod have done a great job in integrating the QR codes on the benches to the online information and I’m grateful also for the council’s webteam in helping host this project for what I hope will be the first of many wellbeing walks."

Cllr Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Environment and Transport added: “This is a brilliant project for Denbigh and the surrounding area and great for supporting the health of residents of all ages alongside highlighting the amazing biodiversity that surrounds these local communities.”

To view the route please visit Wellbeing Walk: Lower Denbigh

Children across Denbighshire celebrate Summer Reading Challenge success

As another Summer Reading Challenge ends, Denbighshire Libraries are celebrating another successful year.

The Summer Reading Challenge has a different theme every year and it encourages children to keep reading during the summer holidays, ensuring they are ready for a great start to the new term in the autumn.

This year 1479 children took part in the Story Garden themed Challenge in Denbighshire, borrowing books to read and collecting rewards along the way.

Lots of fun events were held in libraries to encourage families to visit and borrow books – young readers in Rhyl, Prestatyn and Rhuddlan enjoyed meeting local author Damian Harvey, there were story times, craft sessions and even animal handling sessions, where children got to meet a gecko, a giant millipede and even a snake!

Our Countryside Rangers also joined in, with nature themed crafts in Llangollen and a story in the community garden in Corwen.

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage at Denbighshire County Council, said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many children and families across Denbighshire getting involved in this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.

“Reading for pleasure not only supports children’s learning and confidence, but also sparks their imagination and love of stories that will stay with them for life.

“I’d like to thank our library staff, volunteers and partners who have worked so hard to make this year’s Challenge such a success, and of course the children themselves for taking part with such enthusiasm."

Thank you to everyone who was involved this year, and we look forward to doing it all again next year!

Hydrotherapy pool installed at Rhyl School

The Hydrotherapy pool project at Ysgol Tir Morfa in Rhyl recently saw a major step towards completion, with the installation of the pool unit at the facility now complete. The 19ft specialised Hydrotherapy Pool is situated within the school grounds in a standalone building.

The project, which has been designed by the Council’s in-house architecture team, started earlier in the year. The new facility will bring a state-of-the-art Hydrotherapy provision to the school, the first of its kind in Denbighshire.

The main core structure is now complete, with work on the roof completed in August. 

The pool itself has now been installed, with testing to commence at the facility.

Once completed, the building will feature energy efficient insulation and solar panels, helping the facility reduce its carbon footprint and reduce energy costs simultaneously. The building will also be heated through underfloor heating. 

Susan Roberts, Headteacher at Ysgol Tir Morfa said:

"We are thrilled to see the main structure of our new Hydrotherapy Pool nearing completion.

This fantastic facility will provide our pupils with invaluable opportunities to support both their physical development and overall well-being.

We can’t wait to see the positive impact it will have across our school community."

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

“This project brings a unique and valued provision to the school, which is the first of its kind in Denbighshire.

The work has progressed well over the summer.

I am really excited to see this facility open, it is an extremely exciting and important project for Ysgol Tir Morfa, which has been years in the making.”

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

Construction finishes on Queen’s Market play area project

The play area project at Queen’s Market in Rhyl has now been completed, with the park expected to open next week.

The inclusive play area includes more than 20 play features, and can accommodate over 40 users at any given time. Designed for the ages of 0-10+, the play area features interactive, sensory and tactile play boards.

Given its location, the play area features food and drink themes, with a ‘café’ and ‘ice cream’ theme incorporated into some of the play equipment.

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

“This new play area is a real asset, and enhances the already brilliant family offering at the Queen’s Market venue.

Inclusive and packed with fun play features, the new play area is directly outside the venue, and adds to the play area offering in the area, with two now situated along the reopened and reimagined prom in Rhyl.

The Queen’s Market is a brilliant venue for families, and it is brilliant to see that the construction on this latest addition to the venue is now complete.”

A spokesperson for KOMPAN UK said:

“KOMPAN UK are pleased to say that the equipment installation phase is now complete, as is the new safety surfacing laid for the equipment and the new fencing to surround and define the play area. We are extremely happy with how the installation phase has gone.

We hope that the public enjoy the playground and see it as a fantastic new asset to Queens Market!”

Road improvements to begin at Abergele Straights

Denbighshire County Council Highways are set to begin works on a major Welsh Government funded road maintenance scheme on the A547 Abergele Road between Rhuddlan and Borth roundabout. 

Denbighshire County Council has earmarked 57 locations in the county within a two-year road maintenance programme produced to benefit from a Welsh Government Local Government Borrowing Initiative (LGBI). The aim of the funding (£4.780m over 2025/26 and 2026/27) is to improve the carriageway surface condition on sections of the county’s road network.

Resurfacing work is due to take place from 6 to 31 October. To undertake the works safely, the road will be closed between 7pm and 6am each evening.

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 very grateful for the Welsh Government funding which will along with the Abergele Straights, will allow us to tackle a large section of our network which needs improving”.

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

Ysgol Carrog achieves Siarter Iaith Award

Ysgol Carrog in Carrog has been awarded with the Gold Cymraeg Campus Siarter Iaith Award, the first Welsh second language school in Denbighshire to be awarded this award.

The initiative aims to inspire children and young people to use Welsh in all aspects of their lives, increasing the social use of Welsh within the school and its wider community.

The Cymraeg Campus Siarter Iaith provides schools with a framework to promote the Welsh language and a Welsh ethos across all areas of the school.

Katie and Esme, members of the Criw Cymraeg said:

"The Criw Cymraeg have had a very busy year. We have been promoting the Welsh language and culture around the school and encouraging everyone to speak Welsh whenever we can.

After lots of hard work, the school has been awarded the Cymraeg Campus Aur (gold) Award and we are so happy."

Headteacher at Ysgol Carrog, Jayne Davies said:

“The whole school have worked extremely hard to enhance and further develop the Welsh language skills of all and celebrate our Welsh culture.

Achieving the gold Cymraeg Campus award is testament to this and will only strengthen our commitment to proving a high standard of Welsh throughout the school.

I am very proud of everyone's efforts and commitment.”

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

“I’d like to congratulate Ysgol Carrog on winning this award. The hard work from both pupils and staff has now been rewarded, with Ysgol Carrog becoming the first Welsh second language school in Denbighshire to be awarded with the Gold Cymraeg Campus Siarter Iaith Award.”

Artist Paints Trig Point to Celebrate AONB Anniversary

(Moel Famau trig)

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley is celebrating 40 years since becoming an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) this year.

To celebrate this milestone, the trig point at the summit of Moel Famau has been painted.

Completed by David Setter (@doodleplanet), who has previously designed murals and ran workshops in Loggerheads, the artwork depicts a black grouse, curlew and skylark, which are all ground nesting birds that make up some of the soundscape that you will hear throughout the spring in the Clwydian Range.

Originally erected by Ordnance Survey from 1935, trig points are concrete pillars that were strategically placed to help accurately retriangulate Great Britain, forming the backbone of modern map-making.

Designated in 1985 by the Secretary of State for Wales under the National Parks and Access to Countryside Act 1949, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB spans over 390 square kilometres of some of the UK’s most wonderful landscapes.

From the coastal slopes of Prestatyn hillside in the north to the remote Berwyn mountains and the Pontcysyllte aqueduct and canal in the south, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB is a landscape of contrasts waiting to be discovered.

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

“The natural beauty of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley is truly astonishing. Thousands of visitors come to gain a sense of peace and tranquillity while enjoying the scenery and its sheer beauty, and as residents of Denbighshire we are very lucky to be able to have such scenery on our doorstep”.

For more information on the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley click here.

New look Drift Park officially opened

The Drift Park on Rhyl’s Prom was officially opened on 30^th of September, with the help of a local school who helped inform the new design of the play area.

Councillors Alan James and Barry Mellor, officers from Denbighshire County Council, and Balfour Beatty and Kompan UK.

The new play area, which has been reinstated and reimagined as part of the nearby Sea Defence Work features a brand new community-chosen design, and sports a new ‘Nautical’ theme, in line with its proximity to Rhyl’s famous beach.

In attendance at the opening ceremony were Councillors for the Rhyl area, officers from Denbighshire County Council, and students from Ysgol Tir Morfa as well as representatives from Balfour Beatty and Kompan UK.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport officially opening the new Drift Park.

The new play area has been built with accessibility and inclusivity in mind and features an inclusive wheelchair roundabout, a range of nautical themed inclusive play panels, ocean themed seesaw, and large pirate ship themed slide with accessible stairs. The new park features over 55 play features and can accommodate 170 users.

The space opened to the public in September, and saw a very busy opening weekend as local children tested their new play area.

Drift Park from above.

Outdoor gym and exercise equipment for adults have also been installed, next to the park, which have been built as part of the larger sea defence work project, along with the new Drift Park Play Area.

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

“To see this play area now officially open brings me great joy.

The new space is built with all abilities in mind, and the new ‘Nautical’ theme fits in so well given its location.

I’d like to thank both officers and our partners on their work on this project, as well as the local community for their suggestions and ideas. It is great to officially open this new and improved space.”

A spokesperson for Kompan UK said:

“We are extremely pleased with the finished Playground and Outdoor Fitness area at Drift Park, and hope that all of the local community love it just as much as we do, and will enjoy playing, socialising and getting active together here for years to come.”

Andrew Carson, Portfolio Director at Balfour Beatty said:

“We are proud to have been part of the team delivering the new Drift Park, creating a space that is not only fun but accessible and safe for all children and families.

Working closely with Denbighshire County Council, local schools, and the community to bring their ideas to life has been incredibly rewarding.”

Wendy Williams, Class teacher at Ysgol Tir morfa said:

“The pupils love the park and I love the park! The main thing that I like is that the community’s been involved – they’ve been asked what they want in the park and it’s very inclusive.”

Historic oak tree handed second chance at life

A historic oak tree in Ruthin is set to have a second chance at life after it was brought down by Storm Darragh.

The veteran tree, believed to be over 500 years old, was widely admired by locals and visitors of Cae Ddôl and was a staple at the park for generations.   

Since then, Denbighshire County Council’s tree team working with Streetscene, have finished works to clear the site of brash and damaged timber and are now in the position to begin the final stage of processing the oak tree.

The fallen tree trunk will remain in its historic position at the heart of Cae Ddôl and will be sculpted into a seating nook for passers-by to admire its impressive size and stature, whilst its large limbs will be crafted into unique benches arranged around the trunk to create a new seating area.

As the oak was protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), a replacement oak will be planted in the centre of the new seating area, signifying a new beginning at the park.

During this time, a local wood-turner will also be commissioned to craft some small items such as spoons and bowls out of the smaller timber.

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

“We would like to thank Jones Bros of Ruthin who kindly supplied and installed the protective fencing around the fallen oak to allow the ground to dry out while the team put plans in place for the oak’s future.

“We understand how significant the old oak tree was to Cae Ddôl, and hope that by using the former oak’s timber to create an area on the same site, that it will allow visitors to maintain a connection with the old tree.

“It is hoped that the space and sculpture will evolve over time, both with the involvement of local community groups and as the replacement oak tree grows into the space”.

Upgrades at Loggerheads Country Park

Work has officially commenced on a major upgrade of the Loggerheads Country Park visitor facilities.

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

This funding, known as the Local Regeneration Fund (LRF), has been awarded exclusively for successful projects included in Clwyd West and cannot be directed to other projects.

The first phase includes a full refurbishment of the public toilets, to be followed by improvements to the on-site café and meeting room and finally the visitor centre and external family friendly landscaping.

Local contractors Park City of St Asaph have been appointed to carry out the works, in partnership with design architects TACP based in Wrexham.

Despite the ongoing construction works, Loggerheads Country Park will remain open to visitors, with temporary toilet facilities and a covered seating area available to ensure a comfortable experience.

In the meantime, a new pop-up catering facility, Tŷ’r Felin / Mill House, has opened next to the historic mill. Operated by local producer Chilly Cow, the pop-up offers a selection of locally sourced hot drinks, ice cream, snacks, and cakes. It will be open seven days a week, from 10am to 4pm, until the newly refurbished café reopens in March 2026.

These upgrades are part of ongoing efforts to enhance the visitor experience at one of North Wales’s most popular country parks, which welcomes over 250,000 visitors every year.

Councillor Jason McLellan, Council Leader and Lead member for Economic Growth and Tackling Deprivation, said:

“We have seen an increase in visitor numbers at Loggerheads Country Park in recent years and projects such as these, once completed, will help future proof the park and meet the ever-increasing expectations of visitors.

“The upgrades to Loggerheads will play a vital role in future proofing the park for the increasing number of visitors that we are seeing year upon year. It is important to maintain and develop much loved national landscape areas such as Loggerheads as their popularity grows to ensure that they can continue to be enjoyed by all who visit.”

Plans for the Loggerheads improvement can be accessed on the Denbighshire County Council website.

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.”

£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.

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.

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.

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.

The school that does Sports Day differently

Nestled up on a hill, sitting just beneath a Medieval castle in Llangollen, Ysgol Dinas Brân’s Sports Day, which this year falls on the last day of term, is a little different than what is traditionally offered.

Arial view of part of the field on Sports Day

An assembly kicks off the day, with a presentation of the year’s achievements displayed on the Sports Hall wall, supported by a soundtrack provided by a pupil-formed band, who impressively cover a number of Oasis’ greatest hits. The presentation also included teacher’s stories of their sporting pasts, signifying the importance of sport throughout school.

Once the presentation is over, the Sports Day (which has also formerly been referred to as ‘The Dinas Brân Olympics’) commences.

Pupil-formed band playing at presentation

Setting up the day is a big task, and starts early in the day, with the Head of Department for P.E., Neil Garvey, and other staff arriving at 6am to prepare.

By 9am, set up in the middle of the school field are a number a 5-a side pitches, a mini golf course with multiple holes, and an inflatable obstacle course. Further along the field sits a massive inflatable dart board for ‘foot darts’ (played with footballs in place of the more traditional darts), a tall climbing wall, and both football and rugby target practice, respectively. Also on offer is a Tug of War contest, canoeing at the nearby canal, Just Dance sessions, and more traditional events such as running races (100m, 400m) and shotput.

Climbing Wall

An Ice Cream Van and a snack stall are the menu of the day with teachers getting to choose the soundtrack to the events. Although an element of competitiveness will always be the case with some events, this day is ultimately set up to have fun and try new experiences.

Once on the field, some pupils rush to get all geared-up to scale the climbing wall, others grasp tightly onto their putters as they traverse the mini-golf section of the field. The variety on offer means that a whole host of hobbies and activities are represented on this Sports Day.

There are no leaderboards, charts or placements for a vast majority of the activities on offer today, as participation is the aim for this sports day, with the idea being that the wide array of activities will help with pupil participation and engagement.

Year groups all take their turn throughout the day taking part in the numerous activities spread across two school fields (and part of Llangollen’s famous Canal) as they run, climb, kick, putt, paddle and jump in the name of a tweaked and different Sports Day, which feels more of a celebration than a competition.

In the afternoon, staff take their turn, with staff sack races set up, where teachers hop head-to-head to reach the finish line first, with pupils cheering them on.

Neil Garvey, Head of Department for P.E. explained:

“Our Sports Day is a little different than your traditional Sports Day. We changed our approach to Sports Day around 12 years ago to try and increase the number of pupils participating in the events.

The previous Head of Department, Helen Davies, set this up, we sat down as a team to come up with ideas to help change the whole idea of a ‘Sports Day’ to get more pupils involved. This was her idea, and is something that we have built on year on year. Each year we have added new events, and partnered up with local businesses in the area to get things such as a big inflatable obstacle course and the climbing wall.

Since we made the tweaks, the number of pupils participating have gone through the roof. You can see on their faces, the pupils really enjoy this approach to Sports Day.”

Jimi, pupil at Ysgol Dinas Brân said:

“I think Dinas Brân’s sports day is actually the best sports day you could ever have! You have all sorts of events like rock climbing and football, anything you’d want to do really.

This year I’ve most enjoyed the climbing wall, as I’d never really done it before and some of the athletics.”

Pupil tries Foot Darts

Maggie, another pupil at Ysgol Dinas Brân said:

“Ysgol Dinas Brân does an excellent Sports Day as it gives a chance to pupils who don’t usually do sports a chance to try new activities.

I’ve really enjoyed the inflatable obstacle course with my friends and the races.”

Mark Hatch, Head Teacher at Ysgol Dinas Brân said:

“The whole purpose of this format is for health and wellbeing, and getting out there. It’s an inclusive day which has everyone trying something new, being active and enjoying themselves.

It’s all about getting the pupils out there, enjoying something different and giving them a whole new set of experiences, and to create a really fun day too.”

Nurture of nature experience brings all-round help for biodiversity

Across Denbighshire’s land and waters, work is ongoing to help nature recovery in the face of the ever-increasing pressures from man-made and climate change impacts.

County Voice sits down with Biodiversity Officer Evie Challinor to find out what has fuelled the steps to the post she holds today to support the nature we have across our county.

Evie spent the first part of her life exploring what Mid Wales outdoors had to offer for a young adventurous spirit.

She said: “Mid Wales is very agricultural; it was a bit different from up here in that way. There are conservation sites there, but not many that were local to me. However, I spent many hours of my early life adventuring, wading in ponds, climbing trees, and following rivers; wherever I could find to explore.”

Pondering her A-Levels, the prospect of taking on an outdoor career inspired by early outdoor adventuring began to form in Evie’s mind.

“I’d always loved Biology and the natural world, especially studying ecosystems and the connectivity of the natural world. I had always been academically minded up until then and the natural progression from here was to pursue Biology in some form, as a career.  

“After a bit of research, I found Zoology and decided that was the course for me. I went to Bangor University where I spent 3 years studying Zoology. It was fantastic having Eryri and Anglesey right on the doorstep for both learning and recreation… it was a brilliant Uni.”

People who love animals often tend to take on Zoology to keep their passion for conservation alight.

Evie explained: “I think it’s quite common when you get there to realise that can’t study animals in isolation. You also need to know your plants and that’s very true of what I am doing now in this role I am in. Plants underpin everything.”

“During my undergraduate, I was fascinated by comparative zoology, the study of animal’s unique adaptions, and with animal behaviour. These led me quite far down the anthropology and evolution route, including looking at how animals and plants are adapted to their surroundings. Slowly that came round to conservation, ending with my decision to stay on and do a Masters in Conservation and Land Management.”

Building up her experience while at Bangor, Evie also spent some time volunteering with the North Wales Wildlife Trust and the Snowdonia Society.

“The Snowdonia Society were quite active in the area and were a really good organisation for a student to get involved with. They provided transport which was a massive help to a student without a car. I went and did a lot of practical habitat management with them as a result.

“I also had friends who were quite heavily involved in the Amphibian Reptile Conservation Trust across that way, so I did some habitat management for them on Anglesey. The other organisation I spent time with was North Wales Wildlife Trust, who I was fortunate to do some water vole survey training with. I really started leaning into the volunteering more towards the end of my Masters.”

Just before graduating with her Masters, Evie secured an all-Wales role with the National Trust.

“It was based on a strategic level; they were trying to bring together the management plans they had for all their different portfolios and begin to make the practical conservation a reality by starting to match up projects up with funding.”

“I was brought into that team to help with the co-ordination. It was a fantastic role to have, especially straight out of university - some really valuable experience.”

Unfortunately for Evie, like many thousands of people, the Covid Pandemic put an end to this part of her career after she took voluntary redundancy due to the huge impact of the time across many organisations in the UK.

However, she soon picked herself back up and joined Cheshire Wildlife Trust, working in the membership department, simultaneously picking up a role as a forest ranger with another company at the time.

Evie’s first steps into Denbighshire came shortly after when she moved into the Clwydian Range & Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as a ranger down in the Dee Valley.

After a summer in the Dee Valley team, she spent the next nine months at Loggerheads, before moving on to working for the Canal and River Trust.

She explained: “I loved the ranger role in many ways but felt it didn’t give me enough time to dedicate to developing some of the skills that I felt I was missing. The role change to ecological advisor for the Canal and River Trust allowed me to gain some of this experience whilst supporting the restoration of the Montgomery Canal.”

Evie admits after a year with the Canal and River Trust, her ‘dream role’ appeared in the form of the job she holds now.

She said: “I had the practical habitat management experience and plenty of advisory experience, but one of the things I really wanted to get to grips with was the species and habitat surveys, which are a really rewarding part of the sector. 

“I feel like my surveying expertise has come on leaps and bounds by just spending that time out and about. You just feel so good; you come back at the end of the day and you are happy. I feel with the projects we are doing that I’m actually making a difference. I think job satisfaction wise you can’t really get much better than that.”

Highlights working as a Biodiversity officer so far for Evie include finding her first great crested newt on one of the sites she works on, and her first dormouse encounter.

“I’m also loving doing the dormouse surveys. We’ve been doing box checks, bringing all the sites up to scratch… you are just lifting the lids and peaking in, waiting to see if there’s anything there! It’s just a really nice thing to do. Especially when you get the tell-tale signs of occupation by seeing a little nose poke out”.

For the many nature supporters out there, Evie’s advice about following in her footsteps is to start ‘getting out there and volunteering’.

She explained: “That foot in the door also shows that you’ve got a passion. Building those connections with the right people will teach you a lot.”

And her ambitions whilst taking on this role?

“I’m currently working hard to get my first license in the form of a great crested newt licence. Getting my first licence under my belt will be a very big milestone for me, with hopefully more to follow in the future.

“I’m also looking to do a ponds project; I’ve got many aspirations for this one. Creating new ponds and a network of people to share knowledge with across Denbighshire and creating a propagation wing for it.

She added: “So I’m currently out doing lots of surveys, and a little digging around sites, trying to find plants to be able to bring back to the tree nursery to propagate to give us a local seed source. It’s great fun!”

A new mural on its way to Rhyl

Artists are putting the final touches to a striking new mural along Rhyl’s coastal defences – a powerful visual tribute to the town’s ongoing regeneration.

Led by artist and facilitator Ffion Pritchard, the project invited creatives from across Denbighshire to contribute to the Ein Rhyl/Our Rhyl campaign.

Supported by Rhyl Neighbourhood Board – an independent collective made up of residents, business owners, politicians, council officers and grassroots organisations - and Balfour Beatty, the mural aims to showcase the heart and heritage of the beloved seaside resort, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.

“The response has been incredible,” said Ffion, from Bangor.

“We’ve worked with a wide range of amazing community groups and seen just how much creativity and pride exists here.

“From young people to older residents, everyone has had something valuable to share. This project has brought people together in a powerful way, allowing them to express their vision of Rhyl - what it means to them, where it’s been, and where it’s going. It’s been a joy to help guide that process.”

The mural will span up to 60 pre-cast units and be printed on durable materials such as aluminium.

Alongside the main installation, workshops with local schools, youth groups and families have helped shape a vibrant mural trail reflecting Rhyl’s past, present and future.

Craig Sparrow, Chair of Rhyl Neighbourhood Board, added: “We’re incredibly grateful for the dedication and creativity that’s gone into this project. It’s been fantastic to see the community come together, from third sector groups to individual artists, everyone has played a part.

“Projects like this show just how much talent there is in Rhyl, and how art can help tell our story in such a meaningful and lasting way. I’m really looking forward to seeing the completed mural.

“It’s going to be something we can all be proud of and will showcase the very best of Rhyl, both for residents and visitors.”

Participants have included Ysgol Tir Morfa, West Rhyl Young People’s Project, Viva LGBT Youth Cymru, Brighter Futures, Willow Collective, Ysgol Bryn Hedydd, and families through workshops at the town library. The project is on course to be completed in August.

Working on behalf of Denbighshire County Council, Balfour Beatty’s redevelopment of the East Parade included removing the old promenade and sea walls, widening and raising the new promenade for improved pedestrian and cyclist access, and constructing a concrete-stepped revetment to reduce flooding risk — protecting over 600 properties in Central Rhyl.

Nursery nurtures strong future for local nature

A tree with a history of an old pub tipple of yesteryear and a plant so rare in Wales are elements of Denbighshire’s own nature finding new life thanks to a blossoming site.

Since 2021, roots have been put in the ground for the Council’s local provenance tree nursery at Green Gates Farm, St Asaph.

Dedicated members of the Council’s Biodiversity team alongside committed volunteers have helped produce a number of highlights at the nursery which is producing thousands of tree and wildflowers from locally sourced seeds to go back out to protect and boost county nature.

Here’s some of the successful projects the hands-on team at the site have grown to fruition.

In 2022 Hound’s tongue, a nationally declining species was found on the Prestatyn Beach Road West meadow. It was previously only recorded in Denbighshire 18 times within the last 116 years.

Seeds were taken from the site to the nursery and thanks to the effort of the onsite team, new plants germinated to go out to other coastal meadow sites to expand its range in Denbighshire.

During 2023 work was carried out to protect and support the future of a wise old tree in Denbighshire.

Over 15,000 acorns were gathered by the team and volunteers and planted at the tree nursery.

Oaks have an important impact on biodiversity by giving support to more life forms than any other native trees. Hundreds of insects can be hosted by the tree providing birds a rich source of food. Across autumn, squirrels, badgers and deer will also feed on acorns.

In 2024 the tree nursery turned its attention to a rare shrub in Denbighshire.

Juniper is rare in Denbighshire, known only at a location on Prestatyn hillside. The shrub is also a priority species for protection in the UK after a dramatic decline due to over grazing and loss of suitable grazing areas.

Efforts were made to protect a solitary juniper in Denbighshire in 2008 when the Council worked with Chester Zoo to put in young plants at Prestatyn hillside to encourage the existing juniper to grow.

Members of the Biodiversity Team  visited the site and harvested seeds to be taken back to the tree nursery for growing the shrub as Juniper provides valuable habitat and food for a diverse range of species, including insects, birds, and mammals.

During this year the tree nursery also raised a toast to support a rare historic tree in Denbighshire

The team at the tree nursery provided a boost for the Wild Service Tree. Over 300 out of 500 seeds collected by the team the previous year germinated at the nursery.

The wild service tree is rare across the county and historically known as the chequers tree due to the fruits that are said to taste similar to dates and given to children in the past as sweets.

Fruit from the tree was also traditionally made into a fermented beer like alcoholic drink and it is believed that this beverage influenced the naming of many ‘Chequers’ pubs and inns across the UK.

Projects this year at the nursery included producing over 1,000 elder trees from an actual elder growing on the site through cuttings. Historically, Elder which provided a source for coloured dyes, was also made to make the patterned Harris Tweed.

And a new generation of an under-threat tree is getting ready to help support a rare butterfly.

The nursery nurtured a large crop of wych elms to help the species which is under threat from Dutch elms disease. Many of the mature trees cut down due to its impact, reducing the growth and spread of younger trees.

Over 1,800 wych elm trees have been grown from seeds collected at Loggerheads Country Park last year to help the tree resurge in Denbighshire. They will be eventually planted out at the Green Gates Nature Reserve development next to the tree nursery.

Wych elms are an important larval food-plant of the rare White-Letter Hairstreak Butterfly, which was recorded at Loggerheads some years back but has since remained scarce across Denbighshire.

A tree written into Shakespeare’s musing on love is also enjoying a new chapter in Denbighshire.

Nearly 2,500 crab apple trees are telling a new story in 2025 thanks to the support of the tree nursery.

Crab apples have long had a link with love and marriage throughout history. The apple pips were thrown into fires while saying the name of your true love, if they exploded that love was true. Celts burned the tree wood during festivals and fertility rites.

And William Shakespeare continued the crab apple’s theme of love by mentioning the tree in both A Midsummers Night Dream and Love Labours Lost.

Growing up to 10metres and lasting around 100 years the crab apple leaves provide a source of food for moths including pal tussock, gen pug and the eyed hawk moth.

The tree is a massive source of food love for nature, birds love the fruits and mice, voles and badgers are also known to enjoy feasting on the apples.

Nature nurtures determination for countryside career

A long-standing love of nature has helped drive one man forward into protecting and nurturing Denbighshire’s local trees and plants.

County Voice sits down with our Tree Nursery Assistant Sam Brown to learn how since an early age, protecting nature has fashioned his outdoor career.

Born at Wrexham Maleor hospital, Sam grew up in Acrefair, a little village halfway between Llangollen and Wrexham.

Early memories include a helping hand from his parents for learning about the importance of the outdoors.

He said: “Mum and Dad brought me up to love nature, we used to go to National Trust properties, RSPB reserves, we have Erddig on the doorstep, Chirk Castle, Ty Mawr Country Park. Basically, they brought me up stomping and walking around in wellies most weekends and outside of school…loving nature was instilled in me at an early age.

“I was a junior ranger at Ty Mawr Country Park with Wrexham Council, they basically ran it as a club, I was eight when I started and around 15 when I finished. They ran it after school, so you would get changed from your school uniform, you would get down there in your wellies for four o’clock and they would run activities for you for an hour.”

Sam honed his countryside skills as a junior ranger by tackling mucking out the animals, to pond dipping to surveying butterflies at the park.

“I really got stuck into it, they instilled quite professional values into us, like how to look after the animals, being friendly chatting to people and training as well, such as a river safety course.”

At school Sam coped with a diagnosis of Dyspraxia while studying but his love for nature helped him through.

He explained: “I liked school, but I didn’t get on with the academics, I was always looking out of the window watching the sparrows and the whitetails and the pigeons outside. I was far more interested in that than the lessons.

“But a few teachers, one of them Miss Mills, my science teacher tapped into that once. When everybody else was doing another science practical she sent me and my friends out to do a bird survey on the school fields. She also ran an after-school gardening club where I got to do all sorts of things.”

Options weighed on Sam’s mind following school after he pondered the choice of a career in Mechanics or Marine Biology which had always been on his mind since a youngster, but the love of nature and the countryside always remained a driving force in the background.

“I was also a bit of a petrol head, really into engineering and cars but I couldn’t do maths very well and that took me off the engineering track because I knew I found it difficult.”

However, nature remained by his side and Sam admits the steps into the career he enjoys today happened quickly.

He explained: “We were just flicking through courses at Coleg Cambria and found a course at Llysfasi College which was Countryside Management and Conservation and Forestry was another option for me as well.”

Sam took part in an open day at the college doing some work and found he loved the activity involved. Joining the Level 2 stage of the course he spent three years at the college working through to achieve Level 3.

“I met some really good people that I'm still in touch with now. Even now sometimes I work with some of them as well. And yes I really, really enjoyed my time at the college. My tutors were really inspiring, really helpful.

One of his tutors was a botanist and helped Sam develop his knowledge of plants and another gave him the skills to work practically out in the countryside.

“When I finished College, I was in two minds as to whether to go to university, I felt I was too young even though most people went at my age… I didn’t feel very ready to move away from home.”

Sam admits he tussled with the idea of going to Aberystwyth University or Liverpool John Moores to study Marine Biology but the continuing call of the nature of the countryside gave him an opportunity that he has never looked back from.

“I ended up going to a job interview for a countryside ranger in the Dee Valley team, I didn’t get that job, but they put me on the relief ranger list. I’d do a day with them here and there, the busy seasons, tree planting, things like that, so I got a good bit of experience with them.

“I know my love was the land, the people on the land and the things on the land. I discovered I loved trees; with my Dyspraxia you do sometimes get fixated with things. I was able to memorise all the native tree species straight away and I got really good at wildflowers as well. From a young age it’s always been there in the back of my head what I really wanted to do.”

Faith is also important to Sam who is a Christian and to him, nature together with his beliefs is a big driver for his commitment and work.

“I’m really passionate about nature…I’m a Christian, I believe God created nature and it deserve respect, the animals…the plants. It’s an amazing resource for our spiritual health, our actual health, we need to recognise that and that the Earth is a precious resource, and I want to look after it.”

Becoming a passionate gardener since leaving college growing plants at home, Sam admits his happy place is in his garden.

Sam also experienced time caring for an under-threat bird at the Little Terns colony at Gronant Dunes as a warden.

“I enjoyed my time with the Little Terns. I loved looking after them, they were lovely animals.”

Following his warden duties, Sam got his current Tree Nursery Assistant role in September 2023 and has been using his skills to boost the county’s local plant and tree population ever since.

“I've been absolutely loving it. Having the opportunity to put all my skills to use here and enjoy making a positive difference to something so close to my heart is so worth it.”

And his tips for anyone wishing to follow in his footsteps?

Sam added: “What you need to do is you just need to volunteer wherever you can. No matter where you are in the country, you're going to have a local Wildlife Trust, you'll have a National Trust property nearby and you'll have a local council countryside service which may do volunteering.

“Also, when you volunteer…its showing a willingness to volunteer. I learnt a lot from volunteering. I'd say more so than any other part of my education. So volunteering is important and of course… just having that determination to keep going.”  

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.  

Volunteer support recognised nationally for historic gardens

A national awards scheme has recognised volunteer efforts to support an historic Rhyl site.

Rhyl South West Central Residents' Association’s (RSWCRS) work to support Rhyl Botanical Gardens was recently highlighted at the 2025 Wales in Bloom Awards.

The volunteer group works to support the continued flourishing and growth of the historic town site which is owned by Denbighshire County Council and supported by the Council’s Streetscene team.

Rhyl's Botanical Gardens took root in 1878 when the grounds were first sold, showcasing an area full of different tree and plant species alongside a lily pond. In 1928 the addition of new facilities such as the tennis courts were opened to the public.

Volunteers were recognised for their support to the gardens in 2008 when they received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2008 for their work in reinstating and managing the gardens.

In 2017 the Earl and Countess of Wessex also visited the Botanical Gardens to meet the people working to protect and grow the site and planted a Monkey Puzzle Tree in the grounds.

The Rhyl Botanical Gardens Volunteers were entered into the Royal Horticulture Society and Wales in Bloom It’s Your Neighbourhood awards 2025. This area of Wales in Bloom is a scheme for volunteer-led community gardening groups which are focused on cleaning up and greening up their local area.

Wales in Bloom judges awarded the team a Level 2 ‘Improving’ classification for 2025.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Denbighshire County Council’s lead member for environment and transport, said: “It’s fantastic to see these volunteers recognised by Wales in Bloom for the hard work they put into such an important site for Rhyl, year on year. Their commitment and dedication at the Botanical Gardens is keeping a vital piece of the town’s history flourishing into the future and they deserve this recognition for their efforts."

Preparing for Storm Amy

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings as Storm Amy is expected to bring strong wind and heavy rain to parts of Scotland, northwest England and north Wales until Saturday (4 October).

Extreme weather can impact the electricity network, here's how you can prepare for a potential power cut:

1. Have the national 105 emergency helpline on hand – it’s best to keep this on the fridge or saved in the contacts on your mobile phone. Report any power cuts immediately and we will keep you updated by text or voice alert messaging whilst our engineers are working to restore your power. 

2. Store a battery or wind-up torch – leave this somewhere you can access easily so you can use the torch to check on the fuse box and make your way around the house safely. 

3. Beware of fallen power lines – power lines may have fallen so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live and report them right away by calling 105. 

4. Keep your mobile charged – having your mobile phone charged means you can call for support if needed. It’s also worth having an analogue phone as this doesn’t run off the main electricity supply. 

5. Keep the heat in – if your power does go out, your heating might not work so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds, or curtains to help keep the heat in. 

A Priority Services Register is also available for customers who may need extra support in a power cut. Find out more here.

Click here for the latest information and updates about known power cuts in your area or visit our X/Twitter channel @spenergynetwork. 

St Asaph pupils learn about once widespread animal

Primary school pupils are continuing to learn about a once widespread native animal in Wales.

Denbighshire County Councils Biodiversity team alongside the North Wales Wildlife Trust are hosting a number of engagement roadshows at schools to help youngsters find out more about beavers and their natural habitats.

These sessions, which are underway at a number of schools, are part of the Biodiversity team’s current overall project to house a family group of Eurasian beavers within a secure 24-acre enclosure at the Green Gates Nature Reserve as part of a 5-year trial.  These plans are subject to the granting of a licence from Natural Resources Wales and would be the first enclosed beaver project in North Wales.

They recently visited St Asaph VP Infant School where the team held a presentation on beavers and their ecology, before heading outside to tackle lodge building, finishing off with looking at  beaver masks and colouring sheet tasks.

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.

The Young Ranger programme

This summer, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley ranger team has expanded the Young Ranger programme to include a Youth+ group for young adults aged 18-25.

This new group of Youth + Rangers will be trained to help the ranger team carry out surveys around the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley. Volunteer sessions will include 4 training sessions a year, learning specialist skills to carry out ecological surveys. Participants will then be encouraged to carry out independent surveys throughout the year to feed back data to the ranger team.

Anyone interested in joining in should contact Imogen Hammond at imogen.hammond@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Road maintenance update for September

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.

September’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.

Help shape Rhyl’s future

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

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

They would be grateful to receive your views.

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

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

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: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/childcare-and-parenting/families-first-and-flying-start/flying-start.aspx

Merchant Navy Day

Denbighshire County Council pays tribute to those who have served in the merchant navy on Merchant Navy Day.

Celebrated annually on September 3, Merchant Navy Day honours the sacrifices of past and present seafarers.

In commemoration, the Red Ensign flag will fly outside of County Hall to mark the occasion.

A525 & A547 Cyclic Maintenance Works

Denbighshire County Council will undertake cyclic maintenance works on the A525 Dual Carriageway between the Talardy Roundabout and Bryn Cwybyr roundabout and on the A547 Abergele Road on the dates provided below. The works will be carried out between 7pm and 6am and take 3 evenings/nights to complete. The works shall comprise of grass cutting, Strimming, litter picking and sweeping.

To ensure that the works are carried out safely, the A525 and A547 will be closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic on the dates stated below:

• Monday & Tuesday 15^th and 16^th September - Road Closure – A525 Talardy - KFC
• Wednesday & Thursday 17^th and 18^th September - A525 Rhuddlan Bypass
• Monday 22^nd September -A547 –Abergele Road - Borth Roundabout to Area Boundary

The Alternative diversion route for each section of road closure will be signed accordingly.

Denbighshire County Council apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and would be grateful for your cooperation and patience during this time.

Willow weaves growth at nature reserve.

A natural symbol of renewal is helping the growth of a new nature reserve.

Willow trees grown from seed at Denbighshire County Council’s local provenance tree nursery, at St Asaph, have made their way to a new outdoor home.

Over 500 willow trees will be planted in willow pits and around the wetland land areas, at the Green Gates Nature Reserve.

Willows are one of the quickest growing trees and can symbolise renewal, immortality and vitality. The bark was also chewed on in the past by people to help treat fevers.

The tree is best known for its use in making wicker items such as baskets through weaving.

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 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.

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 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

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 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

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 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

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 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 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

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

Dogs on Lead Campaign

We're asking dog owners to be mindful of keeping their dogs on a lead while walking through the countryside. Watch the video below to hear from a local farmer on the work they've been undertaking to keep their livestock safe.

Planning Enforcement in Llandegla

Denbighshire County Council recently undertook work in connection to a planning enforcement notice in the County.

For more information on the Council’s planning procedures 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

Glyndŵr National Park Consultation Event

Natural Resource Wales are inviting local businesses and organisations to attend a consultation event on the proposed Glyndŵr National Park. 

The online event held on Microsoft teams will take place on Wednesday 8 October between 6pm - 7:30pm. 

If you would like to sign up to this event please email: designated.landscapes.programme@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk

What’s On in Prestatyn

(Prestatyn High Street)

Prestatyn High Street Initial Concept Design Public Consultation

To hear people’s views of what they would like to see in the central area of the High Street as part of this scheme, a public consultation will be held between 15 September – 31 October 2025.

For more information and to see the designs visit our website.

The consultation will be available until 31 October at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/consultations

Designs will also be on display at Prestatyn Library from Monday 15 September for the duration of the consultation and paper copies of the consultation can be collected and submitted there too.

Feedback received during the consultation will be shared with the public later in the year and will help inform the final design.

Information Event

If you have any questions after seeing the designs, please come along to the drop-in session to speak to the Project Team which will be held on Thursday 18 September 2025.

The event will be held at Scala cinema, Prestatyn between 1pm – 7pm.

For more information and to see the designs visit our website.

Information about the Prestatyn Nature Park project will also be available on the day.

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.