Following problems with our sound system in the council chamber we’ve finally been able to order new microphones and from 13 February you should be able to hear us loud and clear during meetings – both in the room and on our webcast.
Council Leader, Cllr Mark Pritchard, said: “We have to be very careful on where we spend money but on this occasion and in the public interest we felt we had no alternative but to buy new microphones.”
Planning the perfect date is stressful enough without having to worry about how clean the kitchen is at the restaurant you’re about to book.
You might’ve read great reviews online or been recommended somewhere by a friend but don’t forget to check the hygiene rating before you book and eat out.
The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme rates food businesses on their hygiene standards, based on inspections carried out by Wrexham Council. Businesses in the area are rated on a scale ranging from 0 which means ‘urgent improvement necessary’ to a top rating of 5 which is ‘very good’.
So, whether you’re going for a grand gesture and reserving a table somewhere special, or planning on ordering a takeaway for a romantic meal in, make sure you know the hygiene rating first.
Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors. If you can’t find the sticker, then ask a member of staff or check online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings. You can also report this to the local authority.
Takeaways must also provide information about their food hygiene rating on their flyers /menus.
Rebecca Pomeroy, Food & Farming Lead at Wrexham Council, said: “Valentine’s Day is a busy time for our local restaurants, takeaways, cafes and pubs. The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme makes it easier for everyone to choose their romantic meal in places where food hygiene is taken seriously. A good food hygiene rating is something to be proud of.”
Richard Bowen, Interim Director of the Food Standards Agency in Wales, said: “You can’t tell a restaurant’s hygiene standards by its website or by how romantic the ambience is. But the Food Hygiene Rating tells you what’s going on behind the scenes, so you should factor that in when deciding where to eat for Valentine’s Day.”
Make sure you’ve thought of every detail this Valentine’s Day, including checking the hygiene rating so that your romantic meal doesn’t make you lose that loving feeling.
Council tenants in Wrexham are set to see another year of huge investment for improving their homes.
A report will go before the Council’s Executive Board on Tuesday asking Members to approve an investment of £50.3m to be spent on improving homes in 2018/19.
A further £103.3m of investment is being proposed for the following 4 years, 2019 to 2023.
The investment will be used to help us achieve the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020.
The report says that, to achieve the standard, local authorities are required to devise detailed programmes of work which will ensure that people have the opportunity to live in homes that are: • In a good state of repair • safe and secure • adequately heated • contain up to date kitchens and bathrooms • well managed • located in attractive and safe environments • as far as possible, suit the specific needs of the household (e.g. specific disabilities)
The report will be accompanied by a Business Plan which outlines how we will achieve and maintain the Welsh Housing Quality Standard and how we intend to use our resources most effectively to deliver a good quality housing service for our tenants.
This Business Plan will be submitted to the Welsh Government as part of our delivery of the programme.
‘Positive times’ ahead for social housing
Lead Member for Housing, Cllr David Griffiths, said: “These are very positive times for council housing in Wrexham. We’ve already had three years of record investment in the Welsh Housing Quality Standard programme and this has allowed us to carry out improvement work on thousands of properties, including new kitchens and bathrooms, new central heating systems, electrical rewires, External Wall Insulation, roofing work and other external work.
“We’ve bringing homes up to a higher standard than ever before and this investment will help continue this work and ensure that all our tenants will be able to live in properties they can be really proud of.”
The £50.3m will be funded by Housing Revenue Account contribution, Capital Receipts from the sale of assets and prudential borrowing.
The Welsh Government also contributes to the fund through the Major Repairs Allowance grant. This is awarded to local authorities to help them achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.
Cllr Griffiths continued: “Carrying out work on this scale can present huge challenges, however we are continuing to make every effort to ensure the work we carry out is of the highest standard possible and I am pleased to say that we are currently on track to achieve the standard by the 2020 deadline.”
If you’d like to find out more about the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, visit the council website
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If so, be aware that some disruption and delays are expected with roadworks upcoming.
From Monday, February 12, Wrexham Council’s Highways Team will carry out resurfacing work on the roundabout joining Chester Road, Price’s Lane, Rhosnesni Lane and Cilcen Grove.
The work is expected to take seven days to complete, and we’ve decided to carry it out during the half term holidays so we can minimise disruption to school traffic.
Chester Road will also be subject to two-way traffic management during the work, so delays are expected.
Diversions will be in place for access to Prices Lane and Rhosnesni Lane.
We also want to make sure neighbouring residents aren’t disturbed by noise, and with that in mind, works will cease by 7pm each evening.
Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the work.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Resurfacing of the roundabout is badly needed – but we’re aware that this is one of the main routes into the town centre, and hope to keep any disruption caused by this work to a minimum.”
With the February 2018 half term almost upon us the Wrexham Family Information Service (WFIS) has once again put together a booklet of activities that will give you information about the many activities going on in and around Wrexham to keep our young people busy.
From events in our country parks to events at Wrexham County Borough Museum and at our Libraries there’s plenty to do across the county borough and many are free or cost just a small amount.
We’ve received scores of nominations across eight different categories, with nominees representing some of the best sporting groups and clubs across the county borough have to offer.
The nominees in each category are:
Volunteer of the Year (Sponsored by AVOW)
Kimberley Dutton; RCF i Ferched (Clwb Pel Droed Wrecsam/Wrexham Football Club)
Donna Hughes & Team; Wrexham Rugby Union Club
Mark Andrew Jones; North Wales Crusaders
Ben Purcell; Wrexham Tennis Centre
Steve Wilk; Chirk Dragons Swimming Club
Coach of the Year (Sponsored by Charisma Trophies
Ron Coles; Special Olympics Wrexham Athletic Club
Richard Houghton; Wrexham Gymnastics Club
Stephen Jones; North Wales Crusaders and Wales Wheelchair Rugby League
Stephen Parker; Chirk Dragons Swimming Club
Sue Williams; Rhosnesni Netball Club
NERS Champion (Sponsored by the National Exercise on Referral Scheme (NERS))
Jackie Kearsley
Donna Price
Gary Price
Jo Warne
Dave Whiteland
Organisation of the Year (Sponsored by Wrexham Tennis Centre)
Brickfield Rangers Football Club
Rhosnesni Netball Club
Wrexham Gymnastics Club
Wrexham Inclusion Football Club
Wrexham Swimming Club
Disability Sports Personality of the Year (Sponsored by Arriva Trains Wales)
Stephen Davies; Special Olympics Wrexham Multisport
Damon Hughes; Special Olympics Wrexham Multisport
Harry Jones; North Wales Crusaders and Wales Wheelchair Rugby League
Greg Vickers; Special Olympics Wrexham Athletic Club
Megan Weetman; Special Olympics Wrexham Athletic Club
Junior Sports Personality of the Year (Sponsored by Cllr I David Bithell MBE)
Beth Christy; Matrix Taekwando
Jacob Edwards; Olympus Gymnastics Club
Leah Kirby; Wrexham Netball Club/Ysgol y Grango
Elliot Odunaiya; Wrexham Amateur Athletic Club
Steph Phennah; Wrexham Fencing Club
Sports Personality (Sponsored by Freedom Leisure)
Lowri Davies; Canoe Wales and Llangollen Canoe Club
Wrexham Libraries have a new resource, which takes you through making a claim for universal credit as well as how to use the jobs portal.
It is an easy to use step-by-step guide that covers:
Universal Credit – the process and how to apply
Universal Jobmatch – learn basic computer skills, how to search for jobs, create and upload a CV
Employability and Job Skills – interview skills and preparing for a new job
In addition to this, it can also also teach basic computer skills such as using a mouse. The site has some detail about preparing for an interview, CV writing tips and much more. Each section is broken down into modules and you can check to see which modules you have completed. This invaluable resource is available from the library’s web pages (follow the online services link) and can be accessed at home or in the library but you will need a valid library card to use it
Universal credit is a benefit to support you if you are working on a low income or are out of work. It is a monthly benefit to help with your living costs and you need to apply for it online.
The guide is a useful, free resource that can aid people when trying to apply for universal credit. It can be accessed at home or in the library and takes you through the application process step-by-step. If you are struggling to make a universal credit application this online resource is definitely worth a look.
To access the guide you will need to be a library member. Membership of Wrexham’s libraries is free. You can join online HERE or you can pop into your local library. Please remember to take proof of your name and address.
We want to make sure the our local economy and community is able to benefit as much as possible from this huge investment.
We do this in a number of ways, such as taking on local contractors to carry out the work where possible and encouraging them to take on local modern apprentices.
Helping to modernise Plas Madoc
One of the recent schemes where this has happened is in Plas Madoc.
Hundreds of houses on houses on the estate are going to be modernised and work is already well underway.
Two apprentices from Wrexham’s Coleg Cambria have been able to get valuable on site experience on the site.
Kieron Yardley and Morgan Jones, both from Wrexham, are currently in their first year of an NVQ qualification in bricklaying.
As part of this course, they are completing apprenticeship schemes with Sustainable Building, one of the contractors working in partnership with us on the Plas Madoc project.
Morgan Jones
Kieron Yardley
Real experience with the professionals
Kieran said: “We study two days in Bersham Road at college and spend three days on site per week. We need to do the college work obviously but it’s a massive help being able to get experience on a real work site, working on real houses with professionals.
“We get to do a mix of jobs, working on roofing and helping to install external insulation on the houses. It’s all great experience and it will be massive help with our careers.”
Morgan added: “It’s a good career to get into because there is so much construction work around at the moment and new houses being built everywhere. It’s getting busier all the time so that’s great for us!”
Another successful partnership
Paul Sinclair, Site Manager for Sustainable Building, said: “We’ve been proud to work alongside Wrexham Council on their housing improvements project and have developed a very successful partnership over the last few years.
“As well as the roofing and external wall insulation work on properties in Plas Madoc, we’ve also worked on council properties in areas including Llay and Coedpoeth.
“We are fully committed to delivering community benefits in the areas we work and we’re delighted to have been able to recruit two very promising local apprentices who will no doubt benefit greatly from the ambitious work being carried out on the Plas Madoc estate.”
Investment to benefit our communities
Local Member for Plas Madoc, Cllr Paul Blackwell, said: “This is an exciting time for Plas Madoc. It’s great to see that work has now started and we’re already starting to see the benefits it’s having on some of the properties where work has been completed.
We are now putting much needed investment into this community and I’m delighted we’ve been able to recruit two modern apprentices as part of this project.”
A record £56.4m has been invested in the housing improvements programme in 2017/18. The funding includes a £7.5m Major Repairs Allowance which the Welsh Government awards to local authorities to help them achieve the standard.
This has resulted in many succesful communtiy benefit schemes accross the county borough. As well as employment and training, community benefit schemes can also include contractors donating improvement work to local facilities and making contributions to local community groups.
Lead Member for Housing, Cllr David Griffiths said: “We’ve carried out improvement work all over the county borough, and as a result, our contractors have been able to give support to a number of community groups. We’ve seen local facilities receive refurbishment work and other support, contractors purchasing supplies from local business, as well as a boost in local employment.
“There is still some work to do to achieve the Welsh Housing Quality Standard but we are on track to meet the Welsh Government’s deadline and we will continue to work hard to ensure that as much of this investment as possible is pumped back into our local economy.”
In the main picture: Morgan Jones (Modern Apprentice, Sustainable Building), Paul Sinclair (Site Manager, Sustainable Building), Kieron Yardley (Modern Apprentice, Sustainable Building), Ceri Postle (Plas Madoc Estate Re-modelling Project Manager, WCBC
If you’d like to find out more about Community Benefits and the Welsh Housing Quality Standard, visit the council website
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We know how important Wrexham Bus Station is to the image of Wrexham as a town.
As well as being a key part of transport routes across North Wales, the bus station is also the first image of Wrexham that many people will have when travelling to the town.
Recent years have seen us and partners – including North Wales Police – spend large amounts of time improving the environment around the bus station, with the goal of improving the experience of bus station users and the general public.
Users of the bus station will have already seen some improvement works taking place in the bus station over the last couple of weeks including pest control measures, LED lighting upgrades, painting of the concourse area and upgrades to existing electronic information boards.
These works have been afforded through a successful £73,000 grant funding application by Wrexham Council to the Welsh Government, who recognise the importance of the bus station as an important local/regional transport interchange and gateway to the town centre.
The works taking place form part of a wider programme of works to improve the passenger experience at the bus station with further planned investment later in the year, including CCTV upgrades, improved seating, non-slip flooring, refurbishment of existing toilets and information office, cycle storage facilities and rebranding of the bus station.
Information Office to re-open
And the really good news is that the work will include the re-opening and staffing of the Information Office at the Bus Station.
The office will be open from Monday to Saturday, and members of staff will be able to provide information on public transport services; arrivals and departures to the station and directing the public to other council services in the town centre.
Members of the Council’s Executive Board will discuss plans for the Bus Station at their monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 13.
Members will also discuss proposed increases to departure charges and lay-over charges for transport providers at the Bus Station.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We know the Bus Station is an incredibly important part of the Town Centre, and I’m very pleased to be able to announce the new contract which will see the Information Office re-opened and staffed
“We know that’s been a focal point of interest for Bus Station users for some time, and staff will be on hand to provide key information on bus and other transport services.
“The council’s Administration is keen to improve the town centre, and the bus station is one of the key parts to improving the area and encouraging more people into Wrexham Town Centre.
“I look forward to presenting this report to the Executive Board.”
A famed symbol from Wrexham’s history is up for an award after being dubbed a good boy by fans across the globe.
The Acton Dog is a symbol closely tied to Wrexham’s history, inspired by the four greyhound statues which stand guard on the Acton Gate, which formerly gave way to the Acton Estate.
In December last year, staff and students at Glyndwr University used pioneering 3D technology to scan a replica of one of the Acton Dog statues, allowing a scale model to be reproduced. This was then used to create a mould, and replica dogs were produced in four different colours.
The little models have proven a big hit with Wrexham people, both at home and further afield.
The replica statues sold well at the Museum, but have also been requested by expats from Wrexham living in places such as Canada and Australia – some of whom have reported not having been home for more than 40 years.
The 3D printed dogs are now up for a national award, after being picked as finalists in the Best Product Awards by the Association for Cultural Enterprises (ACE).These annual awards are widely regarded as a badge of excellence in the cultural sector, rewarding the very best of innovation from small and large museums and historic places nationwide.
Only three products are nominated, and the winner will be announced on March 1.
“Very happy memories conjured up by Acton Dog”
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “The Acton Dog has proven very popular with residents keen to commemorate historic Wrexham in some way, and it is an instantly recognisable symbol of Wrexham.
“We also know that people originally from Wrexham now living elsewhere in the world have had some very happy memories conjured up of their childhood playing near the Acton Gates after buying one of the Acton Dog models for themselves.
“As such, I’m very hopeful that the Acton Dog goes on to win the ACE award, which will bring it some much-deserved recognition in the culture and heritage sectors.”
Models of The Acton Dog are now available at Wrexham Museum at £14.99 each.
For a full list of entrants, visit the ACE website.
For more information, contact the Museum on 01978 297460 or e-mail museum@wrexham.gov.uk.
