Category: Featured

This morning Wrexham Council’s Executive Board approved substantial changes to the financial support package offered to local authority foster carers.

Foster Wales Wrexham is part of a network of 22 not-for-profit Local Authority fostering services, using a collaborative approach to shape the future of children in Wales.

We’re dedicated to working as one team, relying on each other to actively improve the future for all local children in the Wrexham area.

Our new financial support package is below:

Allowance awarded to all foster carers per child, per week in Wrexham will be:

• Children aged 0-4 = £215 (rising from £200)
• Children aged 5-10 years old – £230 (rising from £183)
• Children aged 11-15 years old = £245 (rising from £183)
• Children and young people aged 16+ = £255 (rising from £228)
• When I’m ready foster carers = £240 (rising from £189)
• Mother & Baby foster carers = £695 (rising from £428)

This increase will take effect from 1^st February 2023 and applies to those who are currently Connected (Kinship) Foster Carers, Local Authority Foster Carers, Local Authority Therapeutic Foster Carers, When I am Ready Foster Carers and Special Guardianship Carers.

Intermediate professional foster carers who have undertaken additional specialised training will receive an additional £190 per child, per week. Experienced specialist professional foster carers who can offer placements for children and young people with complex needs will receive an additional £290 per child, per week.

Alwyn Jones, Chief Officer for Social Care said:

“There are children of all ages across Wrexham who need us, and as a reliable and trusted foster carer, they need you too. From babies, toddlers and teenagers, to siblings and young parents, each of them have a unique story to share. Our mission here at Foster Wales Wrexham is the same; to create a better future for every single child in our care”.

“Foster Wales Wrexham have made these changes as we have listened to our foster carers concerns about increased costs. The increase will be in addition to our current benefits including a 75% reduction in council tax, additional grants for birthdays and festivals. The council hope this offer will encourage more people to foster with Foster Wales Wrexham and help keep children in their local community, close to schools, friends and support networks.”

Other incentives include:

A 75% Reduction on Council Tax for all approved foster carers

A school uniform allowance of £180 for primary school age children and £280 for secondary school age children. This will be paid in August prior to the start of the new school year.

A Referral Payment for foster carers who refer potential carers of £500 for every successful approved applicant.

An Annual Payment in year 1 of £100, year 3 £300 year 5 £500 and for year 10 £500 plus an accolade in recognition of their long term service.

A Training Payment to foster carers who are able to deliver training programmes would receive £50 per half day of training delivered. The carer would need to evidence their professional capability to provide this training.

Cllr Rob Walsh, Lead Member for Children’s Services, said,

“I was very pleased to present the report and that members agreed it is time for change within our foster care system.

“Being a foster carer can be really rewarding and supports the future generations of Wrexham Children. Our new offer values those foster carers, the crucial role they play in improving young people’s lives, and will help us care for the children of Wrexham as close to home as possible”

“By substantially increasing the payments to foster carers it is hoped to bring more into the local authority which will substantially reduce our reliance on the Independent Fostering sector.

“The rise in payments means that Wrexham are leading the way in terms of reforming fostering payments and recognising the fantastic work our foster carers do. I would encourage anyone interested in becoming a foster carer to get in touch with Foster Wales Wrexham.”

Head of Foster Wales, Alastair Cope, said,

“The recent agreement by Wrexham Council to increase their foster care allowances shows their commitment towards recruiting and retaining foster carers and ensuring those foster carers are recognised for the fantastic work they do with our children.

“Foster Wales are actively working towards consistency of support and rewards for all our foster carers and this decision shows local authorities’ willingness to continually improve their offer to foster carers and encourage people to foster, through their local authority, in order to build better futures for local children.”

If you’re interested in learning more about foster care, contact Foster Wales Wrexham and ask to speak to one of our Recruitment Officers: 01978 295 316 or email fostering@wrexham.gov.uk for further details.

Please see below a worked example for your information:

A carer who meets the criteria for the Professional Intermediate Skills payment and has two children placed with them aged 10 years and 14 years. The carer would receive:

• Basic payment for a 10 year old per week =£230
• Basic payment for a 14 year old per week =£245
• Intermediate skill payment = £190 per week x2 = £380 per week
• Total Payment- £855 per week

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Wrexham Library Service is teaming up with national charity The Reading Agency to promote the link between regular reading and improved health outcomes this winter.

Supported by Welsh Government, libraries across Wales will be involved in the public information campaign ‘Dip into Reading’ which aims to promote small amounts of reading each week to support people’s mental health and wellbeing.

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Research shows that adults who read for just 30 minutes each week are more likely to report greater life satisfaction, self-esteem and are better able to cope with difficult situations, with library users reporting better overall health than non-users.

There will be six weekly themes all centred on the reading and wellbeing.  Why not join with our campaign and add 30 minutes of reading each week to your new year resolutions!

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During adverse weather such as what we are experiencing this week we have a statutory duty to keep roads safe and in order to do so we have to prioritise certain operations and routes utilising all available resources.

Our first priority is the most heavily trafficked routes and those surrounding important areas such as hospitals and Wrexham Industrial Estate. These areas will be pre-salted and may need re-visiting several times a day depending on the weather.

This week’s weather has meant that the majority of the time we have only been able to work on our first priority routes.

Once works on our first priority routes have been completed our teams are then able to work on other lesser priority problem areas such as footways and cycle routes. Our teams will then return to the priority 1 routes as and when required for pre-salting and gritting.

This continuous cycle of winter treatment continues until freezing conditions are forecast to relent.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Environment said: With cold and freezing temperatures remaining over the next few days our gritting crews will be extremely busy, however some footways, estates and side roads are still extremely difficult to negotiate we ask that everyone remains vigilant and takes every precaution with their travel plans

Warning – We want to issue an important reminder to residents that they should always be extra careful and follow the correct guidelines for disposing of any self-combustible items such as batteries or gas canisters.

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Environment, said: “Hazardous waste items including batteries, gas cylinders, chemicals or other possible sources of heat should never be placed in your general waste. Putting these items in your bin can cause fires to break out at the recycling centres, creating dangerous situations and putting many people at risk.

“There’s also the terrible impact this has on the environment. When the toxic materials within the items get released it’s harmful to the environment and human health. Please be responsible and recycle the items, or where possible return them to the supplier you got them from.”

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What should I do?

Batteries

Lithium batteries are the biggest causes of fires within waste facilities. You can recycle all types of batteries at the three recycling centres in Wrexham – even car batteries!

But if it’s just your everyday household batteries you’re looking to recycle, and if it’s more convenient for you, you should have the option to recycle them at a local shop too.

That’s because since February 2010, shops who sell more than 32kg of batteries a year (approx. 345 x four-packs of AA batteries) have to provide battery recycling facilities in-store…so all the larger supermarkets and retailers provide these.

Gas canisters

Gas canisters are potentially hazardous and should never be put in your rubbish bin. If you have one it’s best to check with the company you bought it from as they should be able to refill or dispose of it for you.

The smaller non-refillable gas bottle canisters (used for small cooking heaters) can be recycled with plastics and cans at kerbside ONLY IF they have no fluid or gas inside. If they do have anything left in them you will need to take them to one of the three recycling centres.

For further information about recycling in Wrexham, please visit wrexham.gov.uk/recycling

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For most of us getting our bins emptied happens fairly smoothly, but there are odd occasions when, despite the best intentions, some properties have missed out on a collection.

When this happens, did you know you can let us know quickly (and easily) by filling out our ‘report a missed waste collection’ form?

There’s just some short, straightforward questions we need you to answer to bring us up to speed on the situation, and within a few clicks you will have reported your missed collection.

Missed bin collection? Let us know.

Before you send your report, there are a few things you might want to consider first.

Some things to bear in mind…

• Please be aware you can only report your last collection as missed as we do not accept reports further back than a week as collections alternate every two weeks.
• Is it after 1.00pm? If it’s your collection day, please wait until after 1.00pm before reporting a missed collection as the crew may still empty the bin on that day.
• Was it your recycling that got missed? The recycling collections are a weekly service, so it may be easier to wait until your next scheduled collection. Running out of room in your recycling boxes? You can order extra recycling boxes for free online.
• Were your bins out for 7.30am? The crews start their work bright and early, so if you didn’t have your bins out ready to be collected in time we will have already been to your street and you will have missed out. Even if you think your collection doesn’t usually come until later in the day, our routes will often vary and change over the course of the day, depending on the conditions we encounter.
• Were there any access issues? Please try to take extra care when parking your vehicles on your collection day. We understand that not everyone has a drive or a garage, and these people rely on street parking. But if you know that your bins are going to be collected, please have a look at your street to check there’s enough room for our large vehicles to safely perform their duties.

Reporting online

It’s not just missed bin collections – there’s a whole host of other things which you can report to us online!

Fly-tipping, potholes, graffiti, tree problems and housing repair are just some of the things that can be reported online. Have a look and see what else you can report.

Missed bin collection? Let us know quickly and easily online.

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As we all know, we are experiencing a cold snap and this is likely to continue at least until the weekend. Despite significant and constant work on our network, road conditions continue to be treacherous in places.

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This is a consequence of the time of year with any sunshine being very weak and the combination of frozen road surfaces and lots of water about, which results in roads being very slippery even when they appear to be clear of snow.

All gritting crews and wagons have been out consistently since early on 14 January.  We have a Duty Engineer dedicated to monitoring the weather situation 24/7 and have more than sufficient salt stocks and staff resources to respond.

After a difficult morning that saw difficult road conditions even on those treated surfaces worked on consistently for a number of days.  Unfortunately, we have had a number of incidents on our network and we urge all travellers to think carefully about their need to travel and drive and walk with the utmost care, mindful of conditions.

https://www.wrecsam.gov.uk/service/graeanu-priffyrdd-llwybrau

In this latest cold spell approximately 650 tonnes of salt has been spread on our roads and this will continue for as long as necessary.  There’s a plentiful stock of salt in our three depots and this is monitored and managed carefully throughout the season.

Please take care and keep safe!

Some top tips for your safety during the winter months:

• Think carefully about your need to travel in poor conditions
• Allow additional time for winter journeys.
• Plan routes along main roads where possible, as these are more likely to be treated.
• Allow time ahead of your journey for de-icing your car (air conditioning will clear your screen faster too)
• Carry some additional warm clothing and a torch in your car.
• Don’t let your fuel run too low.
• Check the weather forecast before starting your journey, and if hazards are predicted, consider whether your journey is necessary.

Councillor Hugh Jones, Lead Member for the Environment said, “I reiterate the need to think about journeys carefully, and can confirm officers and teams are doing everything they can to keep our transport network safe”

When it comes to the cost of living, making sure you claim all the help and support you’re entitled to could make a huge difference.

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Wrexham Council’s Planning Service is highlighting the importance of following planning rules after a local landowner was prosecuted by the council for failing to comply with the terms of an Enforcement Notice.

The Notice required the removal of an outbuilding which had been built on land at Ruabon Road, Ruabon without the benefit of planning permission.

The landowner was found guilty at Wrexham Magistrates Court where he was fined £1,000 plus costs.

Councillor Terry Evans, Lead Member for Planning, said: “This prosecution highlights the importance of following planning rules, and failing to comply with the terms of an Enforcement Notice is something we take very seriously.

“It’s important that landowners follow planning and building regulations when undertaking development, and that they work closely with our planning officers.”

David Fitzsimon, Chief Officer for Planning and Economy at Wrexham Council, said:

“Planning regulations help to protect the environment and our communities. Officers within the Planning Team are very keen to work positively with landowners and provide assistance to ensure that regulations are followed.

“However, breaches are taken seriously and officers will not hesitate to take enforcement action, including prosecution, where it is expedient to do so.

“I would strongly recommend that landowners contact the Planning Service before undertaking any development.”

The council’s Planning Service can provide advice if you’re unsure whether your project will need planning permission.

You can find out more on the council’s website.

A community fruit orchard planting day will take place on Saturday 28 January on Llwyn Onn Estate, off Cefn Road from 10am.

We are committed to protecting trees and woodlands throughout county as part of the Tree and Woodland Strategy and the Wrexham Woodland Pledge. Part of the Strategy is to create a variety of diverse habitats that support an array of wildlife as well as give the residents of Wrexham access to high quality, local green space for health and wellbeing.

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This fruit orchard will provide much needed pollinator rich habitat for birds and insects as well as support our ongoing efforts to future woodland habitats in years to come. We will be sup[ported by Brymbo Heritage Trust throughout the day, whom will be bringing their expert knowledge and experience to help make the day a success.

We have 2 sessions that you can get involved in, the morning session will run 10-12pm and the afternoon session will run 1-3pm so please join us and help plant a tree for a greener future.

Participants are asked to wear warm clothes and wellies, and bring hats, scarves and gloves to keep warm. Please meet on the green space off Kempton Way.

If you would like to comment on any of the proposed areas you can email woodlandpledge@wrexham.gov.uk You can also lend your support for the protection of trees and woodlands within Wrexham through the Wrexham Woodland Pledge on our website Wrexham Woodland Pledge | Wrexham County Borough Council and through facebook and twitter.

When it comes to the cost of living, making sure you claim all the help and support you’re entitled to could make a huge difference.

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