Education
Rhyl New School
The 13th April was a special day for the pupils at Rhyl High and Ysgol Tir Morfa as the doors to their new school finally opened.
The £25 million brand new high school has been built on Rhyl High’s School playing fields and can accommodate 1,200 pupils as well as providing a base for 45 pupils from the nearby community special school, Ysgol Tir Morfa. The project is being funded by the Council and the Welsh Government through its 21st Century Schools and Education programme.
As well as the usual academic facilities, the school also boasts a café bar, construction yard and hairdressing salon.
Claire Armitstead, Head of Rhyl High School said: ”It’s an end of an era for the old Rhyl High school, but the beginning of a brand new exciting chapter as we look forward to the future in our brand new school.”
“The old high school building has provided an education for generations of pupils and some former pupils took the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and came to see the school before it closed. Many people will have extremely fond memories that they will treasure forever.”
“Our young people can now access the best possible facilities as part of their academic and vocational studies which will provide them with the best possible start for their future education and careers.”
Phil Thomas, Assistant Headteacher of Ysgol Tir Morfa, said: “Those pupils and staff from Tir Morfa moving across from our Ffordd Derwen site are delighted to be moving into the satellite base in the new building, complete with state of the art facilities that will benefit our pupils and future generations. Not many pupils have such a great opportunity to move into a brand new school and our pupils are delighted to be joining their counterparts from Rhyl High for this momentous time in our history.”
The project has also given the local economy a boost with nearly 71% of the expenditure with sub-contractors has been to companies within 30 miles of Rhyl and many of the relationships developed with the local supply chain have been taken forward to the Ysgol Glan Clwyd project.
Job success for Llangollen student Elliot
A group of students from a Denbighshire secondary school were recently put through their paces for an experience of a job interview – with one enterprising student managing to earn himself a real life Saturday morning job as a result.
The Council, through its Economic and Community Ambition Board, commissioned and funded a new project entitled ‘Pathway+’. One of the activities of the project programme was to develop and pilot an interview toolkit, with local employers and schools.
The first pilot was held at Ysgol Dinas Bran, Llangollen when Year 11 students made a choice from six advertisements, applied for the position and were interviewed by one of several local employers present at a special event.
Employers included A.N Richards, Ifor Williams Trailers, Lawson Construction, Xenos, Employability Academy, Denbighshire County Council, Waterco and Mondelez International.
Each employer interviewed several students throughout the day, and Elliot Tudor-Evans was interviewed by Jenni Edwards from Denbighshire County Council. At the interview, Elliot enquired whether there was an opportunity for any Saturday work with any employers present.
Jenni referred Elliot to Johanna Cooke of A. N. Richards (car & commercial recovery and repair service), who spoke informally to Elliot and advised him to send in his CV/application form and they would invite him for interview.
A week later Elliot sent in his CV/application form and attended a formal interview with the company.
Rose Richards, who interviewed Elliot, said: “Elliot arrived on time, well presented and conducted an excellent interview. He showed a genuine interest in our company and asked all the right questions.
“We were so impressed that we offered Elliot a Saturday job. We are hoping that once Elliot has finished his exams he will join us as a full time member of staff and have a successful future with the company.
“Our company would like to continue to be involved in the Pathway+ programme as we believe it is important, as employers we give back to the community and support our young people in local schools.
Elliot said: “I attended the interview at the school, and was unsure what I wanted to do once I had finished my exams. I am so pleased that I have been given this opportunity by A N Richards and intend to prove to them I am worthy of the trust they have placed in me. I am determined not to let either myself or the school down".
Jenni Edwards, Pathway+ Coordinator for the Council, said: “The success of the pilot has shown us that we are on the right track, and that our students are benefitting from working with employers and participating in such important skills development programmes.”
Features
Future’s looking rosy at town centre historic garden
A historic garden at a popular townhouse in Ruthin has been opened to the public after a three year major restoration project.
The project to rejuvenate the Lord’s Garden at Nantclwyd y Dre has cost £220,000 and has been funded by the Council, Heritage Lottery Fund, Ruthin Town Council and the Friends of Nantclwyd y Dre.
The work of renovating the garden was assisted by over 100 volunteers who learned traditional skills such as hazel hurdling and meadow scything along the way.
The garden is a listed landscape, originating from medieval times and has been lovingly restored to reflect several ages of its history. The gardens are open at the same time as the main house, as part of the Nantclwyd y Dre visitor experience.
Nantclwyd y Dre is Wales’ oldest dated timbered town house. The house was first built in 1435 and has been added to, updated and upgraded throughout the centuries. Nantclwyd y Dre has been beautifully restored to demonstrate the changing fashions and the lives of its residents. Visitors can observe a colony of Lesser Horseshoe bats in the attic rooms via ‘bat cam’, participate in a quiz and use interactive media screens to learn more about the house and its inhabitants.
Café R - The Hidden Gem
Café R is situated within Ruthin Craft Centre in Ruthin and is now run by the Council’s Catering Service.
The Café can accommodate up to 80 at any one time in the café itself and 26 within the alfresco dining area in the courtyard which is a designated traditional wooden eating area, complimented by modern, branded barriers.
They have been open now for just over a month and business has been good with the place buzzing with new customers and lots of interest from local people enjoying the pleasant, friendly atmosphere.
Home-made food is the order of the day with Café R offering a wide variety of snacks and main meals to choose from with as much produce locally sourced as possible. Supporting local suppliers is the order of the day which benefits the local economy. You really need to try one of their afternoon teas – they really are a delight. All the cakes are homemade by the team of Chefs and they are delicious.
There is a fine selection of hot and cold drinks on offer.
Some of the local suppliers are Patchwork Pate, Henllan Bread, Welsh Milk and Cream, a local butcher and other suppliers from Denbigh, Mold and Bodelwyddan – all benefiting the local economy.
Local people have been employed at Café R, with most coming from the Ruthin and Denbigh areas. We also have several sixth formers working weekends, helping them gain valuable work experience as well as providing a bit of pocket money!
Whilst there is corporate Wi-Fi for members of staff, the Café is working on securing Wi-Fi for the public which should be available shortly.
Large parties can be catered for but these would need to be booked beforehand. Please note that the café isn’t licensed.
So, please visit the Café where there is a warm welcome for everyone before visiting the renowned Ruthin Craft Centre where you can find lots of ideas to purchase a unique gift, where contemporary work is for sale from some of the country’s leading makers.
The Café is open 7 days a week from 10am – 5.30pm every day (except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day)
Gaol makes the grade for TripAdvisor visitors
Ruthin Gaol has been awarded the Trip Advisor ‘Certificate of Excellence’ for the second year running. This certificate honours select accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently demonstrate a commitment to hospitality excellence.
It takes into account the quality, quantity and latest reviews and opinions submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12 month period.
To qualify for the Certificate, the business must retain an overall TripAdvisor rating of least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.
Here’s what people have been saying:
- "If you want to visit Ruthin Gaol, allow plenty of time, as there are lots of posters to read and interactive videos to watch. It is a very interesting place and well presented."
- "I love this place, interesting and reasonably priced. Located in a lovely area with a park across the street for something for the kids afterwards."
- "What a spot. An absolutely great place to visit, restored brilliantly and a super look into the past so full of history and stories, it's great for a family visit as even the children are intrigued by the things inside. Staff are knowledgeable and would make a great place for a school trip”.
- "Well worth a visit. Well presented with lots of information. The staff were brilliant with the kids and very friendly. Visited with a teenager and a 5 year old who definitely enjoyed the visit. There is a find the inmate hunt which, if completed, successfully is rewarded with a sticker and postcard. Will be back for one of the themed events”.
To learn more about Ruthin Gaol, go to: www.denbighshire.gov.uk
Access our archives at the touch of a button
Information held in Denbighshire’s archives is now only a click away, with a brand new website launched to help you delve into the county’s history.
The new interactive website, one of the first of its kind in Wales, can be found by visiting: archives.denbighshire.gov.uk
The site has been 18 months in the making, developing and enhancing online services for researchers. People can access details of collections held at Denbighshire, selected digital images, order digital copies, book to use the service and make online payments.
Archivist Sarah Roberts, said: “More and more people are using online resources for research to discover who lived in their house or the history behind their local area, church or schools. The new developments is in direct response to the changing needs of our researchers and online audiences.
Councillor Barbara Smith MBE, Cabinet Lead Member for Modernisation, said: “These changes have only been possible because of the dedication of staff and volunteers working with the service. The website looks fantastic and provides users with an interactive platform to engage with the service in new ways”.
The website has been supported by the National Archives and the Museums, Archives and Libraries Division of Welsh Government.
Our archives needs you
Volunteers are playing their part in supporting the work of the Archives service.
The Archives currently have around 35 volunteers, some local, others from different parts of the world working virtually through technology.
Traditionally, volunteers have worked on-site at the Archives Office in Ruthin, but we can now offer virtual volunteering, so you can help to support our service from home.
We are looking for new volunteers from a range of backgrounds. You can be any age and looking to learn a new skill or expand your CV, get some work experience or gain some local knowledge.
Volunteers make a valuable contribution to our work, and they help to support our aims and objectives. So far, volunteers have helped us to preserve and clean the records in our care, add information and improve our archives catalogue, create databases to increase access to some of the records we hold, including the North Wales Hospital Index.
Interested in supporting the service through volunteering? Please complete an application form by following this link and return it to searchroom@denbighshire.gov.uk
Armed forces day spectacular in Denbighshire deemed a success
An estimated 10,000 people visited this year’s North Wales Armed Forces Day extravaganza held in Bodelwyddan Castle today (Saturday), with organisers hailing the event “a major success”.
The Council worked closely with the armed forces organisations to put on a programme of activities, which included a parachute display from the RAF Falcons and fly-pasts from the Spitfire and the Griffin.
There were also displays from the East Coast FMX Bike team, the Rockwood Display team, Anglesey Hussars re-enactment team, as well as parades and performances from the Royal Welsh Band and the Army Cadet Corps of Drums and Prestatyn Squadron ATC Band.
Councillor Hugh Irving, Denbighshire’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “ The Council has been extremely honoured to co-ordinate this year’s activities, in conjunction with the armed forces organisations and the Welsh Government.
“The free annual event has been set up to recognise the commitment and dedication of all of the armed forces organisations.
“We are delighted with the response. The large crowds took advantage of the warm, sunny weather and the glorious setting to come and see the various demonstrations, exhibitions and displays. Many people also took the opportunity to visit the Castle and its exhibitions during the day”.
“The main car park filled early on and an overspill car park was also filled very quickly, with visitor numbers exceeding our expectations.
The mantle has now been passed to representatives of Cyngor Gwynedd who will co-ordinate the 2017 event on behalf of the North Wales authorities.
The Flying Scotsman steams through Denbighshire
Rail enthusiasts in Denbighshire were given a unique opportunity last month to see the Flying Scotsman, dubbed a ‘national treasure’ as it steamed through the county as part of its UK tour.
The train travelled across the UK passing through Prestatyn and Rhyl as it travelled from Crewe to Holyhead.
To learn more about the Flying Scotsman, please visit their website.
Denbighshire Community Sport Award 2016 Nominations now open!
The Denbighshire Community Sport Awards 2016 are now open for nominations. Our Sports Awards recognise achievements and contributions in all sports from both teams and individuals.
Nominees must reside in Denbighshire or be affiliated to a Denbighshire club relevant to their nomination and achieved their success in the last 12 months up to the application closing date which is Sunday 31st July 2016.
For more information on the award, the categories and details on how to nominate or sponsor this year's event, please contact Matt Hilliker on 07798 742290 or matthew.hilliker@Denbighshire.gov.uk or visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk/sportsawards.
An individual or team will also be chosen from all the previous category winners for their outstanding achievements/contributions to sport and will represent Denbighshire for the next year as Denbighshire's Community Sport Ambassador 2016.
The 2016 Sports Awards ceremony will be held on 3rd November 2016 at Llangollen Pavilion.
The closing date for nominations is 31st July 2016.
Last year's winners
Why not follow us on social media
Don’t forget that you can access the latest news, views, jobs, events and council information 24 hours a day by visiting the Council’s website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk
You can follow us on Twitter@denbighshirecc: www.twitter.com/denbighshirecc
Or you can follow the Council’s account on Facebook: www.facebook.com/denbighshirecountycouncil
News
Council frustrated at lack of Superfast broadband information
Denbighshire County Council has expressed concern about a lack of information from Welsh Government about the Superfast Cymru broadband roll-out in the county.
During a meeting of Denbighshire’s Performance Scrutiny Committee in April, the Council was assured by BT that the Welsh Government had a ‘not-spot’ map in place that the Council could access. This map would identify the areas and residents that will not be able to access superfast broadband after the roll-out.
Despite requests to Welsh Government, the Council has yet to receive the information requested. The Council had invited Welsh Government to attend the Scrutiny Committee in April, to provide a full picture, but they declined. If they had attended, the Council believes it would be in possession of better information by now.
Superfast Cymru is a project between Welsh Government and BT to deliver fibre broadband to parts of the country not covered by a commercial roll-out of broadband. The project aims to ensure 96% of premises have access to broadband with speeds upwards of 30 mbps. The most recent figures for Denbighshire from Welsh Government show that the roll-out in the county is 69% complete, with take up at 25.4%.
Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, who is also Cabinet Lead Member for the Economy, said: ”Improving broadband connectivity is an important strand of our corporate priority to developing the local economy.
“It’s an issue that’s raised by businesses and residents on a regular basis, particularly in rural areas. Broadband access is critical to the success of local businesses, providing them with an opportunity to be competitive in the customer market. It is also vital for residents from a social and wellbeing aspect.
"Despite the requests to Welsh Government, the information on the ‘not-spots’ is not forth-coming. We feel that we are being repeatedly ignored.
“All we want is information that we can share with residents and businesses who may need to think about alternative means of getting reliable broadband. The fact that the information is not being provided makes it difficult for residents to make those alternative arrangements.
"I am now urging the Minister to work with us to make sure we are not left behind in the digital backwaters”.
Get behind the #LoveLiveLocal campaign
We are urging you to get behind our new campaign to support local businesses in the county and to get more people shopping locally!
We want your support for the #LoveLiveLocal campaign! We are inviting residents to show their support for local businesses by using the hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to promote good experiences they’ve had and promote products and services locally that they have ‘loved’ across our county.
We also want Denbighshire businesses to engage with the campaign and use the hashtag to promote their fantastic goods and services and to help spread the word about the diverse range of products and services that are available in our local towns and villages.
Leader of the Council, Hugh Evans OBE who is also Cabinet Lead Member for the Economy said: “We are calling on the people of Denbighshire to show support for local businesses.
“There are so many fantastic businesses here in Denbighshire in all sorts of areas from food and hotels, to shops selling uniquely made crafts and providers of unique services and experiences. We need to get the word out and make sure people use them.
"They also help create a thriving local economy and support our communities by providing jobs for local people. We really want the people of Denbighshire to share their positive experiences of engaging with local businesses by shopping in them and taking the pledge to love shopping locally.”
Chairman of the Clwydian Range Food Trail and one of Denbighshire’s Tourism Ambassadors, Dave Jones said: “I think this is a really positive campaign from the Council. Local businesses need to support each other, build networks and promote each other. Engaging with social media is a great way to do this.
“It’s also really important that communities get behind their local businesses and support them too. We have a wealth of fantastic businesses in this county and we need to get the message out that buying locally is good for everyone in so many ways.”
Check out the hashtag and follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more information and the chance to win excellent prizes!
Gearing up for the Tour of Britain
Denbighshire is gearing up for the excitement of the Tour of Britain as the race returns to the county again this September.
The fourth stage of the event will be the longest day for the riders but will also see them tackle the most climbing, with a total ascent of 4,133m, as they feel the force of the Welsh mountains with the stage heading through the Clwydian Range and Cambrian Mountains. Starting in Denbigh the race will head first into Flintshire and Mold before heading south to Corwen and crossing into Powys, running along the outskirts of Snowdonia National Park. The peloton will then continue south, passing through Rhayader, before the fast run in to Builth Wells and the finish on the Royal Welsh Showground in a day that will surely prove crucial to the destination of the leader's yellow jersey.
Denbighshire is putting plans in place to celebrate the event, in partnership with Flintshire County Council.
Councillor Huw Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Tourism, Leisure and Youth, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have secured the start of the North Wales stage this year, as we feel it will have great benefits to the tourism industry here in Denbighshire, as well as showcasing what the region has to offer.
“North Wales is fast earning itself a reputation for hosting and staging major events, with the Tour of Britain a prime example of how councils and event organisers work closely together to deliver these spectacular events. The support shown by our communities in recent years has well and truly added to the event’s success and we look forward to welcoming the sights and sounds of the event to Denbighshire and Flintshire in September”.
For further information, please visit: www.thetour.co.uk
A festival of cycling is also being arranged. Watch this space for further details.
RNLI lifeguard bosses and councillors issue safety advice as peak summer season kicks off
Denbighshire and RNLI lifeguard bosses are urging summer beach-goers in the county to stay safe as the charity’s peak lifeguard season kicks off this weekend. 
From Saturday (2 July) the lifeguard service on beaches in Rhyl and Prestatyn will increase from a weekend only to a seven-days-a-week service ready for the busy summer school holiday period.
RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor for Denbighshire Matt Jessop, who is predicting a busy summer season, is urging beach visitors to Respect the Water and always visit a lifeguarded beach.
It is the first season RNLI lifeguards have been on the beaches of Denbighshire in a new seasonal service run in partnership between the charity that saves lives at sea and Denbighshire County Council. Since May the lifeguards have been providing safety advice and assistance on Rhyl and Prestatyn beaches on weekends and have been involved in a number of incidents, including a joint rescue with Rhyl RNLI lifeboat volunteers earlier this month of a swimmer who had drifted about 700m offshore. From Saturday (2 July) lifeguards will be on the two beaches daily between 10am and 6pm until the end of the season on 4 September.
Matt said: ‘We’re really pleased to be working with Denbighshire County Council and it was great that Cllr Simmons and Cllr Mellor came and met our team today.
‘We are coming towards the busiest period of the year on the beaches and our lifeguards will be on hand every day throughout the summer to provide information and advice on safety to visitors.
‘We advise people to choose a lifeguarded beach and to always swim between the red and yellow flags. We’ll also be working closely with the RNLI’s volunteer crew at Rhyl lifeboat station and other agencies to keep people safe.’
Councillor Huw Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Community Development, added: ‘Both Rhyl and Prestatyn’s coastal resorts get extremely busy during the summer months, and we are pleased to be working in partnership with the RNLI to ensure that visitors have a fun and safe environment in order to enjoy our beaches.’
The RNLI operates a lifeguard service on 39 beaches across Wales and more than 220 across the UK. In 2015 the charity’s lifeguards responded to 815 incidents and assisted 901 people on Welsh beaches.
For more information and advice on all aspects of beach and coastal safety visit the RNLI’s Respect the Water campaign website at rnli.org/RespectTheWater.
Illegal Tobacco
Trading Standards have launched a campaign to encourage residents to report sales of illegal tobacco.
Sales of illegal tobacco are often seen as a victimless crime, however, there are proven links to organised crime which, in turn, impacts on people’s lives and the local community.
Illegal tobacco sales are made at lower prices therefore making it easier for children to start smoking, resulting in addiction.
Common brands of illegal tobacco to look out for are Jin Ling, Raquel, and Richman, which cannot legitimately be bought in the UK. Products displaying foreign health warnings and not displaying English health warnings are also illegal and cannot be sold in the UK.
Examples of illegal tobacco seized by Trading Standards
Current controls in relation to tobacco sales are undermined by illegal sellers. The availability of illegal tobacco bears no restrictions therefore it is accessible to children, there will be no taxation paid and sales will not conform to the point of sale display bans.
Trading Standards are working hard to keep illegal tobacco off the streets and it’s important that we gather as much information as possible.
Reports of illegal tobacco can be made by in confidence by contacting Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 04 05 06. The service is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Alternatively reports can be submitted on their website.
This service works in partnership with Trading Standards. Reports can be made anonymously, this will then be sent to the relevant Trading Standards department for consideration and possible further investigation.
County Conversations
Denbighshire is currently embarking on the early stages of developing a new Well-being Plan for the term of the next Council (which begins in May 2017).
A series of discussions have been organised with different groups of people in the county, and three public discussions are also planned.
The discussion will be around aspirations for the future in terms of your community, yourself, your families, and what can be done now to help us achieve these aspirations.
These sessions will be really important for helping not only the new Council agree its next set of priorities and Corporate Plan, but also the newly established statutory Public Services Board (PSB), so your attendance and participation is valuable. It’s likely that PSB colleagues from Natural Resources Wales, Fire and Rescue, and Health will also be in attendance to share in the learning (this will be confirmed nearer the time).
The sessions will be held in the evening. Refreshments available from 6pm for a 6.15pm start and are planned as follows:
- Thursday 7 July, Trefnant Village Hall
- Tuesday 12 July, Carrog Village Hall
- Wednesday 27 July, St Melyd Golf Club, Prestatyn
If you’d like to attend, please register your interest by emailing strategicplanningteam@denbighshire.gov.uk, or calling on 01824 706291. This helps us greatly with planning the sessions.
If the dates above aren’t suitable for you, you’ll also be able to fill in a survey online at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/consultations, on paper at any Denbighshire library.
To stay up-to-date with progress and news you could follow Denbighshire at www.facebook.com/denbighshirecountycouncil or www.twitter.com/denbighshirecc