Category: Featured

People who have worked for the UK Government and British Military in Afghanistan and their families are being urgently relocated to UK by the British government due to the risk to their lives following the troop withdrawal from the country.

We have agreed to support this programme and we’ll be coordinating resettlement support for up to 10 families in the Wrexham area.

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Families will be supported with accommodation in the private rented sector when they arrive, integration and employability support will be provided by the Red Cross and other partner organisations.

We are now looking for family accommodation in the private housing sector for these families.

Due to the urgent nature of the resettlement we are taking the unusual step of appealing directly to any landlords with properties that they feel may be suitable for a resettled family to please contact locallettings@wrexham.gov.uk as soon as possible to discuss further.

“Afghan Relocation Scheme received unanimous support”

Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “The proposal to take part in the Afghan Relocation Scheme received unanimous support from members and we know that Wrexham will welcome families who have done so much to support our troops and the British Government whilst they were on active duty overseas. If you have a suitable property please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

Cllr David Griffiths, Armed Forces Champion and Lead Member for Housing, said, “I was proud to support this proposal to offer eligible families much needed support in order to ensure they remain safe following their service to UK troops and the UK Government.

“Without their help and the sacrifice of their own safety the deaths of our armed forces personal would have been much higher. Their lives, and those of their families will be at risk if we are not able to offer refuge and show our gratitude for their service.”

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Above. Completed home at Nant Silyn site

£2.6m development of new council homes gets underway in Wrexham.

The project, to be built by national property services business, Liberty, on behalf of Wrexham County Borough Council, will create 13 new homes in Plas Madoc.

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It will feature homes to meet a range of needs including two five-bedroom bungalows, a mix of four, three and two-bedroom homes and four one-bedroom apartments.

It is the second phase of the council’s new build development plans, building on the success of the Nant Silyn site in Caia Park, which completed in June 2021 and was also delivered by Liberty. The Nant Silyn development was the first new development of council homes to be built in the area for almost 30 years.

All the homes at Plas Madoc will be available for social rent once completed in May 2022.

Wrexham County Borough Council Lead Member for Housing, Cllr David Griffiths said: Having visited the Nant Silyn site I was extremely impressed with the build standards. I’m confident that the Plas Madoc build will be equally impressive. We are committed to providing well managed, lifetime homes for our tenants through our new builds, as well as investing in, and improving our existing stock”

Ray Jones, Managing Director of Liberty, said: “We’re delighted to be taking forward the second phase of the council’s development plans for new council homes in Wrexham. The completion of the Nant Silyn site was a major milestone for the local area, and we want to build on this success with the Plas Madoc site, which will create more, much needed, new affordable homes for local people.”

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The new garden waste collection service kicks in at the end of the month, so if you haven’t already renewed for 2021/22 you’ll need to do it soon to avoid missing out on any collections.

If you need to renew, just pop across to wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste and make your way through the very easy-to-follow instructions to pay for the service. It’s by far the quickest and easiest way, and you get to do it at a time that’s convenient for you.

The charge for 2021/22 is frozen at £25 per green bin per year, and the service runs from Monday, August 30, 2021 until Friday, September 2, 2022.

Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We’re pleased to have frozen the cost of the service at £25 per green bin per year, which remains less than many other authorities in England and Wales.”

Please pay online where possible

Darren Williams, Chief Officer Environment and Technical, said: “Renewals are open and the best and most convenient way to pay for the service is online at www.wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste.”

“If it isn’t possible for you to pay online you can call Streetscene to make a card payment, but you are likely to experience a wait if you do so. We highly recommend paying for the service online where possible.”

UPDATE: Our phone lines remain incredibly busy, so it’s advisable to pay at wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste to avoid a very long wait. Paying online is easy, quick and convenient.

New stickers for 2021/22

Residents who renew the service will be issued with a new sticker, which will need to be displayed clearly on your bin lid to ensure collections from August 30. Please allow at least 10 working days to receive your new sticker pack from the date you sign up.

Renewed but haven’t had your new sticker yet?

Don’t worry. Everyone already signed up should receive their sticker pack in August, before the service starts at the end of the month.

If your sticker doesn’t arrive in time for your first collection, please still put your bin out on your collection day as our crews can use the in-cab technology in the recycling wagon to check whether you’ve paid, so that your garden waste can be collected.

You can help us to make sure you get your sticker in time for your first 2021/22 collection by paying for the service in plenty of time.

No cash or cheque payments

Last year, we had a number of customers who attempted to pay for the service by sending cash and cheques to us. We must reiterate that we are unable to accept these payments.

When does the 2020/21 service end?

As you may recall, the service start date was delayed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and consequently all subscriptions were extended until August 31, 2021.

If you are signed up for this service, but don’t renew for 2021/22 we won’t collect your green bin(s) from August 31.

I don’t want to renew the service – will you remove my garden waste bin?

Any unwanted garden waste bins can be removed on request. You can request removal of a garden waste bin online through our ‘new and replacement bin or boxes’ form.

Once requested it may take a number of weeks for the bin to be collected. In the meantime, make sure your bin remains empty, accessible, but not left out causing an obstruction.

It may be worth keeping hold of your old garden waste bin for now because, if your garden waste bin has been removed and you change your mind in future, there is a charge for a new one.

What can I do with my garden waste if I do not want to pay for the collection service?

You can take your garden waste to one of our household waste recycling centres (free of charge). Alternatively, you could compost garden waste at home.

For more information, please visit www.wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste

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We’d like to pass on our warm congratulations to all our students who received their GCSE results today.

Cllr Phil Wynn, Lead Member for Education said, “It’s been a difficult year for all our GCSE students who have had more than a year of disruption to their studies.

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“They’ve all done extremely well and are to be congratulated for their achievements.

“Teachers and parents have also played a huge part in ensuring this milestone was reached successfully and I pass on my thanks to them all.

“I wish you all well as you go on to further education, work or training.

“Well done everyone.”

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We’re calling on everyone to take responsibility for their own rubbish as they make the most of the county’s parks and beauty spots during the summer holidays.

Across Wales, rates of litter have increased as Covid restrictions continue to ease, and the weather improving.  The actions of a small minority have had a negative impact on everyone’s enjoyment of nature. They have also put more strain on council workers who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to keep open spaces clean and safe while maintaining other essential services.

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We’ve joined forces with Keep Wales Tidy and all other local authorities in Wales to encourage people to do the right thing while they make the most of the summer. To stop bins filling up and overflowing, everyone is being urged to take their litter home and dispose of it there.

Lead Member for Environment and Transport, Cllr David A Bithell, said. “We have some beautiful places throughout the county borough but they are sadly blighted by selfish people who do not take their litter home.

“Not only is it making these areas look untidy and unkempt it’s also dangerous to wildlife. Please, if you take it with you take it home if there isn’t a litter bin available. There’s no excuse and we all have a responsibility to look after our surroundings.”

The campaign is being run as part of Caru Cymru (a Welsh phrase meaning ‘Love Wales’) – an inclusive movement led by Keep Wales Tidy and local authorities to inspire people to take action and care for the environment.

Caru Cymru has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

Litter has a significant and far-reaching impact on our communities. Keep Wales Tidy has identified that when areas are uncared for it makes people feel unsafe, it affects social cohesion, the sense of pride in communities, stifles economic growth and tourism.

Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive Lesley Jones said, “We’ve all missed our favourite places and it is essential that our precious parks, green spaces and beaches are kept clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

“Every person has a part to play. It is not acceptable to expect somebody else to pick up the rubbish that you create.

“When you’re out, make memories, not mess – if bins are full, take your rubbish home.”

To find out more visit Keep Wales Tidy’s website www.keepwalestidy.cymru/caru-cymru

Booking a Covid-19 vaccine appointment is now easier than ever.

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We’ve had some new reports of people receiving text messages or phone calls which offer them a refund on their Council Tax.

They’re scams!

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We know anything telling you that you might have paid too much Council Tax might seem very attractive, and it can be very tempting to follow such messages up or give information over the telephone and see where they lead.

Simply put – we don’t send text messages about Council Tax refunds or make phone calls to residents about their Council Tax.

So you can be assured that any text message or telephone call telling you you’ve paid too much in Council Tax is dodgy.

As with any scam, bear in mind some simple rules…

Don’t click on any links, never give any details – such as passwords or bank account numbers – and remember that you’re within your rights to ignore any suspicious messages. If you are contacted by telephone do not give or confirm any details. Instead, tell them you’ll call the helpline number below to check out the details.

But what if I think I am in credit?

If you think you might be in credit on your Council Tax account, there’s a very simple way to find out.

Just call up our finance helpline on 01978 298992 or e-mail counciltax@wrexham.gov.uk

They’ll be very happy to check your account and give you any help you need.

Stay safe and please stay scam aware.

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As we approach the weekend there’s some really good news as we complete the move to Alert Level Zero effective from 6am tomorrow morning (07.08.21). This means:

• The removal of legal restrictions on the number of people who can meet indoors, including in private homes, public places or at events
• All businesses and premises can open, including nightclubs
• People should still work from home wherever possible
• Face coverings will remain a legal requirement indoors, with the exception of hospitality premises. This will be kept under review.
• Fully vaccinated adults, under 18’s and vaccine trial participants will not need to self-isolate if they are a close contact of someone with coronavirus.

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Some important restrictions remain in place and we all need to remember that although the number of positive cases, hospitalisation and deaths appears to be falling or levelling out Covid-19 is present in every community here in Wrexham and we still need to be cautious.

• There will be flexibility around social distancing and businesses and organisations must continue to have in place appropriate Risk Assessments
• Face masks remain a requirement if you are using public transport using – taxis, buses or trains so don’t forget to take one with you whenever you are out and about.

Libraries and Community Resource Centres

For now the current Covid-19 measures will stay in place at all our libraries and community resource centres to allow staff to take a look at the new guidance and see how they can be unlocked safely for customer and community use.

Vaccines

Thanks to everyone who has come forward and accepted the vaccinate we’ve made huge progress in Wrexham and the number of people receiving their first and second doses continues to rise along with numbers across North Wales.

If you haven’t had your first or second dose please make an appointment as soon as possible so make sure you can have the booster in time for the winter months.

You can book an appointment here or just drop into the Catrin Finch Centre at Glyndŵr University.

Latest on vaccinations for 16 and 17 year olds

In line with the other national administrations in the UK, the Welsh Government has welcomed the latest JCVI advice and thanked them for their expertise and considered judgement on such important issues.

We will will support the NHS with any arrangements needed to offer the vaccination to all 16 and 17 year olds as soon as possible in line with the JCVI advice.

Advice for those who are undecided about the COVID-19 vaccine

If you have any concerns about receiving the vaccine, please book an appointment online, or attend one of the vaccination walk in sessions. Staff will take the time to discuss any concerns you have, so you can make an informed decision about whether to go ahead.

You can also find trusted, up-to-date information on the COVID-19 vaccine on the Public Health Wales website.

If you have symptoms you must still isolate

In order to ensure we keep our communities safe it’s still important to self-isolate if you have symptoms and to book a PCR test. You can do this online.

“Huge thank you to everyone who has had the vaccine”

Cllr David A Bithell, Deputy Leader, said: “We’ve made a lot of progress in the past few months and the moving to Alert Level Zero would not have happened without the tremendous support of everyone in Wales and of course here in Wrexham.

“The vaccine programme continues to be a success and without everyone’s cooperation we could be in a very different situation now so a huge thank you to everyone who has had the vaccine.

“The journey has not been without its losses though and we must all remember that there many whose lives were lost to Covid-19 and their families and friends still mourn their loss.

“We should all remain cautious as we go about our daily lives to ensure we remain in the position we now find ourselves in.”

Booking a Covid-19 vaccine appointment is now easier than ever.

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