Recycling and refuse collections continue throughout Christmas

As Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday this year, most Denbighshire residents will find that their recycling and refuse collection days will change during the festive period. Only residents who normally have a collection on a Monday will be unaffected. 

The changes to the collection schedule over the Christmas period are set out below.

Subscribers to the garden waste collection service are reminded that collections will take place over the holiday period.

Full details of collection days are on the calendars which were delivered during November and are available on our website.

USUAL COLLECTION DAY		ACTUAL COLLECTION DAY
Monday 24 December	remains the same	Monday 24 December
Tuesday 25 December	changes to	Wednesday 26 December
Wednesday 26 December	changes to	Thursday 27 December
Thursday 27 December	changes to	Friday 28 December
Friday 28 December	changes to	Saturday 29 December
Monday 31 December	remains the same	Monday 31 December
Tuesday 1 January 2019	changes to	Wednesday 2 January
Wednesday 2 January	changes to	Thursday 3 January
Thursday 3 January	changes to	Friday 4 January
Friday 4 January	changes to	Saturday 5 January

ENQUIRIES

If you have any queries on the festive collection arrangements, please contact the Customer Contact Centre on 01824 706000.

Christmas and New Year Information

For all the information which you may find helpful over the Christmas and New Year period, please visit our website.

Message from the Chief Executive, Judith Greenhalgh

I’ve now been with you here in Denbighshire, as your Chief Executive, for eight months. The time has really flown by and I feel tremendously lucky and privileged to be working and living in such a beautiful part of Wales and the UK. Denbighshire is geographically quite a small county but we really have everything here – stunning beaches and coastline, historical market towns, thriving village communities and our wonderful countryside – all within a short distance of each other.

Proud of working for Denbighshire

I am very proud of the Council. We have been a consistently high performing Council for a number of years now but in my early months I have been looking at everything we do to examine whether it can be done more efficiently and effectively, as there is always room for improvement. With the continuing budget cuts and growing demands and expectations of our services, we need to make sure we are using all of our resources as well as we can. This will include looking at income generation and at new and innovative ways of delivering our services; recently we have consulted with our residents on changes to our waste model that will increase the number of collections and should increase the amount we recycle. Over the coming months, we will be bringing forward projects to improve our internal efficiency and projects that will change how we deliver our services. I am working with my managers to at look these not just to meet the budget challenges we face but also because I think we can improve our services further.

Working to deliver our Coporate Plan

When I joined Denbighshire, the Council Leader and his cabinet tasked me with delivering their corporate plan, which was put together in 2017 following the extensive ‘County Conversation’, where our residents were asked to express their views on what was important to them. I am happy to say that we are making good progress in delivering these priorities; housing, connected and resilient communities, environment and young people. It is still early days in the delivery of our plan but I am confident that we will be able to make a difference in the areas that you told us mattered to you. Alongside our corporate plan, there are the important services that the Council delivers day to day on your behalf; both at an acute level to our most vulnerable residents and more universally to a wider section of our population. The latter will include things like our libraries and leisure centres, which we know are very important to you and in which the Council has invested a considerable amount of money and are now truly amongst the best in their class. If you haven’t had the chance to visit in a while, please do, I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised.

Looking ahead

The new year, 2019, will bring many challenges and opportunities for us. In the early part of the year, we are hoping to finalise the terms of the North Wales Growth Deal which will, if approved, bring hundreds of millions of pounds of investment in to our region, creating jobs, developing houses and businesses, funding skills development and improving our vital transport and digital infrastructure. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity for North Wales, will be a massive boost to our region and help us to tackle many of the problems and issues that you tell the Council that you face. I will be working hard alongside other leaders and chief executives across the region to make sure that this happens for us.

My best wishes to all of you, your friends and families, for a merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year.

Green light for waste and recycling changes in Denbighshire

Plans to change waste and recycling collections in Denbighshire have been given the go-ahead.  The changes will include:

Hospice to benefit from carol service collection

Thank you to those of you who attended our charity carol service, helping to raise £400 towards St Kentigern’s Hospice.

The service, held at St Asaph Parish Church included performances from Côr Cytgan Clwyd, Côr Sain y Sir (made up of Council staff), soloist Owain John from Ysgol Glan Clwyd, harpist Angharad Huw from Ysgol Brynhyfryd and a rousing performance from the Denbighshire Music Co-operative brass ensemble to end the service.

Chairman, Councillor Peter Scott, said: “Our carol service has long established itself as one of the first services of the carols season.  It was a truly magical evening, made up of traditional and modern performances. Staff and councillors presented the Christmas story through readings and the musical items entertained the congregation and really added something special to the evening.

“I would like to thank everyone for their generous contributions and look forward to passing the collection on to St Kentigern’s Hospice”.

Denbighshire Music Co-operative brass ensemble

 

Funding available to help those in work further their careers

Employees looking to upskill in order to further their careers can get a helping hand, thanks to a Council scheme.

The Council’s young person employment bursary is open to employed people aged 18-35 in Denbighshire and funding is available to pay for training courses to help progress within a current workplace or gain a higher paid position with a new Denbighshire employer. 

The Council has the potential to help up to 80 individuals a year with funding of between £250 and £2,000 per person as part of its work to ensure younger people want to live and work in the county and have the skills to do so.

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of the Council, said: “This innovative approach by the Council aims to help young employed people develop their careers and create new opportunities for them.

“We want to encourage younger people working in the county to develop and progress their careers and earn higher salaries, which will benefit the county’s businesses by keeping hold of talented and skilled individuals.”

Funding can be used for further education courses as well as professional skills and training. 

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, lead member for Education, Children and Young People and the Welsh Language, said: “A small investment in a young person, by paying for a training course, can make a big difference by helping them apply for higher paid jobs, which will increase their earning potential throughout their careers.

“As a Council we are committed to giving better opportunities for young people and this bursary helps us achieve this.”

To be eligible you must be aged between 18-35, living in Denbighshire, earning below the county median salary of £20,326, currently be in employment (minimum 16 hours) and can clearly demonstrate availability of suitable positions with a Denbighshire-based company, once upskilled.

For further details including eligibility and how to apply go to our website www.denbighshire.gov.uk/skills-bursary

 

Denbighshire’s Corporate Plan improving the lives of residents

A five-year plan to improve the lives of Denbighshire residents is already having an impact.

The Council’s Corporate Plan will see £135million of investment in key areas aimed at benefitting the county.

Projects include building new council houses, investing in transport and digital infrastructure, protecting and enhancing the environment and supporting young people to achieve their potential.

So far more than 3,000 pupils have benefited from new school buildings, while thousands of trees have been planted as part of a plan to create green-havens in the county’s towns.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Lead Member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets, said: “Our plan is to deliver changes in our communities that will put foundations in place for them to thrive and prosper in the long term.

“The plan focuses on five key areas; the environment, young people, housing as well as resilient and connected communities.

“We’ve already started building new council homes – all of which will be energy efficient - and we’re committed to working with communities and providers to improve our digital infrastructure.

“So far things are developing at a good pace and to a good standard, and we’re embracing the challenging goals that have been set for us by our residents. This first 18 months of the plan has laid a strong foundation for the ongoing work of the Corporate Plan.

“We’ll also be working closely with our residents to make it easier for them to deal with challenges in their lives, both by improving support and by listening more closely to our communities and helping them achieve their goals.”

As part of the Corporate Plan, which will run until 2022, other projects underway include flood defence work in Rhyl and extra support for those looking to find work or progress their careers.

30 Hour Childcare Offer for Wales

It has been confirmed that the Council’s roll-out of the Welsh Government’s 30 hours a week funded education and childcare in Wales will be introduced in the county in January 2019, with the whole county benefitting from the roll-out at the same time.

Children will be eligible to access the offer from the beginning of the term following their third birthday until the September following their fourth birthday.

Eligible children will be entitled to up to 30 free hours of childcare and early years education for up to 48 weeks of the year with parents being able to choose any registered childcare setting that suits their personal and family circumstance.

To be eligible for free childcare, parents/ guardians must meet a set of criteria: their child must be aged 3 or 4; parents/ guardians work and earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours at national living wage or national minimum wage, or are in receipt of specific caring benefits and they must live in Denbighshire.

Information about how to register for the offer and general information on childcare can be found on our website www.denbighshire.gov.uk/childcare or through the Family Information Service on 01745 815891.

New affordable homes register to help people secure their dream home

Would-be homeowners are being urged to join a new online affordable housing register to increase their chances of securing their dream home.

The Tai Teg register has been launched in a partnership between the region’s housing associations, local authorities, and the National Park Authority to simplify how people apply for an affordable home.

A number of schemes are available for those in employment and earning between £16,000 and £45,000, with some options catering for those earning up to £60,000.

Grŵp Cynefin is leading the project. In addition to Grŵp Cynefin, partners include Snowdonia National Park Authority, as well as seven local authorities: Conwy County Borough Council, Denbighshire County Council, Flintshire County Council, Gwynedd Council, Powys County Council, Wrexham County Council, and Isle of Anglesey County Council.

The other associations involved are Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd, Pennaf Housing Group, North Wales Housing, Wales & West Housing, and Cartrefi Conwy.

An affordable home is one that is provided at less than market value, either for rent or purchase. Tai Teg does not include social housing, with people advised to continue to access the relevant council housing register in their area.

The register will be used to comment on planning applications and support local authorities and housing associations to plan for future developments.

To find out more and register interest in a home, visit the website:  www.taiteg.org.uk

Brand new video debuts to promote safeguarding

A hard hitting video which raises awareness of the need to report concerns of abuse of any kind has been launched by the North Wales Safeguarding Board.

The Launch of ‘Gweld Rhywbeth, Dywedwch Rhywbeth’ / ‘See Something, Say Something’ focusses on two real life scenarios which illustrate a number of different kinds of abuse taking place and how individuals are in a quandary over whether or not to intervene.

The scenes show two individuals who come across some evidence of physical, emotional and financial abuse which is confirmed as the storyline develops.

Jenny Williams, who is the Chair of the North Wales Safeguarding Board, said: "This is a hard hitting video and that is for a reason. We really want it to make people think and we have brought the issue to life through telling compelling stories based upon real life events, it can help professionals from many walks of life understand these complex issues. Understanding and relating to these stories is the first step towards individuals and organisations being better able to support those at risk.

“We want this video to be shared far and wide so that we can make a difference, make people think and more importantly make people act if they have any kinds of concern”. 

Co-operative makes sweet music success in Denbighshire

A ground-breaking music co-operative set up in Denbighshire is continuing to go from strength to strength, doubling in size since its inception in 2015 and has also extended into a neighbouring county.

The Denbighshire Music Co-operative is a not for profit organisation that provides music tuition to schools across Denbighshire and, most recently, Wrexham. The Co-operative was set in response to cuts in the Council’s budget.  Tutors that were previously employed by the William Mathias Music Service worked with the Council to progress with the alternative co-operative model that would allow the music service to continue.

In the last three years, the co-operative has grown with over 4,000 youngsters accessing music lessons - double the number on the books at the start and there are over 50 expert tutors now sharing their experience to benefit current generations of young musicians.

Heather Powell, Head of Service for the Denbighshire Music Co-operative, said: “After the budget cut was announced, the tutors got together and looked at the co-operative model for music services and thought it was a really good model.  It was then presented to the Council who supported us with instruments and some finances to start the service and that’s where it all began.

“It’s been a challenge but over the three years we’ve grown, we’ve got more pupils accessing lessons, we’ve got a lot more tutors now and our pool of tutors in Denbighshire is now up to 50.  We’ve also been able to alter what we offer to schools, providing bilingual supply teachers with music specialisms, performing arts, we’ve got special education needs and more able and talented programmes on offer to schools.

“We’ve also won lots of awards. In the last 12 months we won the Daily Post Judges Choice Award, the Wales Co-operative One to Watch Award and more recently we won the Observer newspaper Top 50 Radical Businesses in the UK honour, so it’s a pretty exciting time for all of us.

“We cover every Denbighshire school with specialist vocal and instrumental tuition, so that ranges from your singing lessons to harp lessons. We also run theory and oral music lessons which is on offer to all of our pupils and we support lessons for GCSE and A Level music as well. We also run a range of after school ensembles- we’ve got choirs, brass bands, jazz band, guitar and percussion groups. At the moment we have 4,000 pupils a week accessing the service. This is double the size to when the service started.

“We’ve started running the service in Wrexham, supporting them and we know that a number of other local authorities are looking into the model – which is really exciting. We hope to keep expanding, keep improving what’s on offer to schools and keep engaging more pupils across Denbighshire.

Councillor Huw-Hilditch Roberts, Cabinet Lead Member for Children, Young People, Education and the Welsh Language,  said: “The budget pressures on the service provided an opportunity to find an alternative solution that would allow the music service to continue, but in a different way.

“We looked at the Co-operative idea with the tutors and thought that it was a practical and viable solution. With practical and financial support from the Council and a lot of commitment and enthusiasm from tutors, ably led Heather and the team, the Co-operative was born.

“It has gone from strength to strength and we are delighted that new generations of pupils are able to access music lessons and meeting a clear demand out there.

 

Nature for Health

Are you looking to get active and learn new skills in 2019?  Would you like to meet new people and explore your local area?  Then why not take part in our free weekly walking or countryside volunteering sessions?  They run in Rhyl, Prestatyn, Llangollen and Corwen, so there’s lots to choose from!  Find your local session below, we look forward to meeting you in January.

Weekly walking sessions:
Where?                       Meeting Point                                When?
Llangollen	Llangollen Pavilion	Tuesday	1pm – 3pm
Corwen	Corwen Leisure Centre	Tuesday	10am – 12pm
Prestatyn	Morfa Gateway	Thursday	1pm – 3pm
Rhyl	Glan Morfa, Marsh Tracks	Thursday	10am – 1pm

Weekly volunteering sessions:
Where?                     Meeting Point                                  When?
Llangollen	Pengwern Community Centre	Tuesday	10am – 1pm
Corwen	Corwen Leisure Centre	Wednesday	1pm – 3pm
Prestatyn	Morfa Gateway	Thursday	10am – 1pm
Rhyl	Glan Morfa, Marsh Tracks	Thursday	10am – 1pm

These sessions form part of the Nature for Health project, with the aim to help improve people’s lives through health and wellbeing activities. We want to help individuals and communities in Denbighshire connect with the countryside and adopt healthy habits for life. 

Denbighshire Housing is working in partnership with Denbighshire Countryside service to deliver the project with support from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Bangor University This 18-month pilot project will run in Rhyl, Prestatyn, Llangollen and Corwen.