Denbighshire County Council is highlighting the availability of the Mortgage Rescue scheme, in an attempt to assist people in the county who may be having difficulty in meeting their mortgage payments.
The Mortgage Rescue Scheme is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government in partnership with Denbighshire County Council and Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd. Its intention is to help homeowners avoid mortgage repossession where this will result in homelessness.
Councillor Christine Evans, Denbighshire County Council’s Homelessness Champion, said:“This is an important scheme that aims to support and assist those who are experiencing difficulties with their mortgages to remain in their homes and avoid homelessness as a result of the current economic downturn.
“I am pleased to see the Welsh Assembly Government and the Council take such active steps to try and assist any residents who may be in danger of homelessness because of difficulty in meeting mortgage payments”.
Gwenan Jones, Senior Affordable Housing Officer at Cymdeithas Tai Clwyd said:“A number of home owners have been assisted to date. The scheme is excellent ways of assisting homeowners to remain in their homes, and as a result, the family is able to remain close to family and friends, and the children can remain at their school.”
The Mortgage Rescue Scheme will not be the best option for everyone. It may be possible for people to get back on track with their mortgage payments without having to sell their home. If people are having difficulty paying your mortgage you must talk to your lender and take independent advice to find out what options are available to you as soon as you think there may a problem
The scheme is open to people who would be a priority for re-housing with a local council or housing association. Denbighshire County Council can tell you if this applies to you but in the first instance you must be able to answer yes to all of the following:
· Your home is in danger of being repossessed. That is, your lender has indicated the intention to repossess your home.
· You will be homeless if the property is repossessed.
· The property is your only or main residence.
· The property is clear of any legal reasons that would prevent it being sold.
· You are unable to sell and buy a cheaper home locally.
If you are eligible, the housing association will look at the level of your debts, the cost of buying your home and any repairs or other works that are necessary. In some cases, it will not be possible to go ahead with your application if the costs are too high to make it practical.
If you think that the Mortgage Rescue Scheme could help you, you should contact:
Denbighshire County Council’s Homelessness Team on 01824 706100 (Welsh Language) and 01824 70 6101 (English Language)
Before applying for the Mortgage Rescue Scheme we recommend you firstly seek independent advice. Contact details can be found below
Housing Debt Helpline Wales: 0800 107 1340 or visit
www.housing-debt-helpline-wales.org/
Shelter Cymru 0845 075 5005 or visit www.sheltercymru.org.uk/shelter/home
Citizens Advice Bureau: Local office numbers in the phone book or online: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Belly dancing, nordic walking and confidence workshops will be some of the activities on the agenda at a day of activities being staged by the Denbighshire Over 50s Forum.
The Celebration of Age Festival is being staged at the Rugby Club, Vale Road, Rhyl on Thursday, October 1st from 10am – 4pm, to celebrate the United Nations’ Day of Older People.
Participants will also be able to get the grey matter going in a prize quiz, experience Nordic walking, take part in happiness and confidence workshops and get advice on looking after older skin.
The pensions bus will also be available to provide advice and information.
Anyone wishing to attend should contact Paula Stubbs at Denbighshire County Council, on 01824 712970.
The event is funded by Denbighshire County Council’s Older People’s Strategy.
The Denbighshire Family Information Service will be at this year’s Denbigh and Flint Show on Thursday, 20 August.
Flying Start, TWF, Menter Iaith, Tegan, Margaret Morris Centre and the National Childminding Association will be in the same marquee.
There will be craft activities for children running throughout the day including t-shirt printing, making fruit kebabs, story and sing song and tiny tums. Families are very welcome to visit the marquee.
For more information, please contact the Family Information Service on 01824 708220 and email fis@denbighshire.gov.uk.
Over 60 Swimmers from Denbighshire, Conwy and Wrexham aged between 8 and 16 took part in the first North Wales Water Polo Showcase held at Llandudno Swimming Pool recently.
A team of players from Manchester Aquatic Centre provided a demonstration, showing the keen future water polo players from North Wales how it was done.
Then the Manchester squad and their coaches delivered a comprehensive skills based coaching session.
Denbighshire’s swimming development officer and one of the event organisers, Lucy Jones, says, “It was such an enjoyable day that it is now hoped that this will become an annual event.”
Anyone interested in joining a water polo session can contact Lucy on lucy.elizabeth.jones@denbighshire.gov.uk or 01824 712714. Sessions are available for 8 – 11 years, 12 – 16 years and 17 years and over.
Fun activities for the whole family have been arranged in Denbighshire over the coming weeks.
Forest Fun – Monday, August 10- 1.30pm-3.30pm
Enjoy forest craft activities with the Forest Education team at Loggerheads Country Park. Age 5+
(This event is repeated on Monday, August 17 and Monday, August 24- same time and location).
Countryside Chaos- Tuesday, August 11 – 1pm-4pm
Drop-in craft activity for all the family. Meet at the Tea Garden, Loggerheads Country Park.
(This event is repeated on Thursday, August 13, Wednesday, August 19 and Wednesday, August 26 – same time and location).
Volcanic Eruption – Tuesday, August 18 – 1.30pm-3.30pm
Become a genius geologist. Meet at Corwen Leisure Centre car park. For ages 8+
Magical Moorland – Tuesday, August 25 – 11am-3pm
A day of activities and talks about our magical moorland including a guided walk in the purple clad Clwydian Range. Meet at Loggerheads Country Park.
Volcanic Eruption – Thursday, August 27 – 1.30pm-3.30pm
Become a genius geologist . Meet at Brickfields Pond, Rhyl. For ages 8+
To book a place at any of these events, please phone 01352 810614.
These events have been arranged by Denbighshire Countryside Service and funded by the Countryside Council for Wales.
A series of events have been organised to get people out and about in Denbighshire during August to enjoy some breath-taking scenery and learn about the county’s special landscapes and wildlife.
Geodiversity of the Clwydian Range: Thursday, August 13 – 10am-4pm
A nine mile hike to discover the geodiversity of Moel Arthur and Penycloddiau. Meet at Moel Arthur car park. Please book.
Bat Bonanza -Thursday, August 13 – 8pm-10pm
A two mile walk to explore the bat life in Coed Moel Famau using bat detectors. Meet at Coed Moel Famau car park.
In the Footsteps of Darwin – Thursday, August 20 – 10am – 5pm
Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth with a 10 mile hike to visit some of the sites he visited in 1831. Meet at Llantysilio Green car park near Llangollen. Please book.
Bilberry Picking – Thursday, August 20 – 10am-3pm
A gentle three mile stroll up Moel Famau to pick juicy berries. Bring a container for your berries. Meet at Moel Famau top car park. Please book
Magical Moorland – Tuesday, August 25 – 11am-3pm
A day of activities and talks about the magical moorland including a guided walk in the purple-clad Clwydian Range. Meet at Loggerheads Country Park.
Extraordinary Eglwyseg and Offa’s Dyke Path – Wednesday, August 26 – 10am-5pm
A 10 mile hike with narrow paths and steep drops to discover the wonder of Eglwyseg and World’s End. Meet at Panorama Road lay-by near Trevor Quarry.
Bat Bonanza – Thursday, August 27 – 8pm-10pm
Explore the nightlife of Loggerheads Country Park. Use the bat detectors on this gentle one mile stroll and learn about how these fascinating creatures live.
For those events that you need to pre-book, please phone 01352 810614.
These events have been arranged by Denbighshire Countryside Service and funded by the Countryside Council for Wales.
Partnership working in north east Wales has resulted in the warning, fining and prosecution of illegal off-road users along with the confiscation and potential disposal of a vehicle on the Llantysilio Mountains – a designated Special Area of Conservation.
Operations by North Wales Police, Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside Service, Countryside Council for Wales and the Forestry Commission, are arranged throughout the year to catch, educate and prosecute offenders.
The upland moorlands of the Llantysilio and Berwyn Mountains are of international importance, containing a patchwork of heather, bilberry and gorse. Heather moorland is associated with a number of animals and plants of high conservation value, which include Blanket Bog a very fragile peatland habitat; and birds such as hen harrier, merlin and black grouse. It is also a valuable agricultural resource used by many graziers. Many acres of this habitat have been completely destroyed, along with damage to the Iron Age hillfort of Moel y Gaer and the Bronze Age burial mound of Moel Gamelin- around 5000 years old.
There is a network of roads suitable for road-legal off-road capable vehicles. Following the most recent operation involving the Police helicopter, which resulted in the arrest of an offender and the seizure of the bike, authorities are encouraging other off-road users to check that they remain on legal routes. This information can be found on Ordnance Survey maps and through local authorities.
Un-road registered bike users are encouraged to join clubs and enter organised events or use their nearest official practice track.
Driving or riding on the open moorland is a criminal offence and the North Wales Police are actively pursuing offenders. A Police Officer, with reasonable grounds to believe that bikes are or have been ridden elsewhere than on a road, may stop the rider and following the issue of a warning, seize and remove the vehicle.
Nick Critchley, Moorland Field Officer for the Heather and Hillforts Project in north east Wales, commented “Heather moorland is a fragile habitat and very susceptible to damage by off road vehicles. Visitors to the area are encouraged to take the police incident number with them in their mobile phones and report illegal activity to the police.”
Arfon Hughes, Berwyn team leader for the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) commented “The Internationally important Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains Special Area of conservation (SAC) receives significant amounts of public finance through CCW’s management agreements and the Welsh Assembly Government’s Tir Gofal agri-environment agreements to ensure long term sustainable management of the habitats and associated species. Damage from illegal trespassing can prevent the recovery of the moorland, and in the worst cases, can even destroy it. We would ask Motorbike and 4×4 vehicle owners to undertake their activities responsibly.”
Insp Dewi Roberts of North Wales Police said: “North Wales Police have worked in partnership with the other agencies as this activity is detrimental not only to the environment but to the peaceful enjoyment by others of our countryside. We will be carrying on with our enforcement campaign and welcome any assistance and information from the community to bring this illegal activity to an end”.
Anyone witnessing illegal activity in north Wales should report it to the police on 0845 6071002 (welsh language: 0845 6071001).
The three year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. A major aspect of the project is to repair damage made by off-road trespass. The cost of this repair runs into thousands of pounds and the work will begin this autumn. For more information please visit heatherandhillforts.co.uk.
Councillors in Denbighshire have approved plans to consult on the next stage of the Local Development Plan (LDP), a blueprint which guides development in the county over a 15 year period.
The eight week consultation will begin in October and will take the form of public meetings, advertising in the press and radio, as well as consulting online on Denbighshire County Council’s website.
Following the last consultation, work has been undertaken to determine which of the three potential Key Strategic Sites (Rhyl Bodelwyddan and St Asaph) should go forward into the deposit LDP. A working Group has recommended that the site at Bodelwyddan goes forward as a mixed use site for consultation.
The Lower Growth Areas are recommended to be Rhyl, Prestatyn, St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen.
Graham Boase, Head of Planning and Public Protection, said: “The council has already consulted widely every step of the way on the development of the LDP and this decision today signals another opportunity in the autumn for communities to have their say on the revised document
“The Local Development Plan takes into account a number of factors, including projected housing needs, well-planned employment sites, providing job opportunities, re-establishing Rhyl as a more attractive shopping centre, better use of the transport links, impact of developments on the Welsh language and culture, protecting existing open space, enhancing and sustaining tourism in the rural and coastal areas of the county.
“Residents in some communities have already had an input into the creation of the plan and the council is promising to consider all feedback received during the next round of consultation before the Plan is submitted to the Welsh Assembly Government.”
Details of consultation events will be announced later in the summer.
Denbighshire Countryside Service is arranging a walk to see an excavation being carried out by archaeologists on the Clwydian Range.
Over the coming weeks, the experts from Bangor University will be carrying out on Moel y Gaer above Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd, to see if an archaeological survey which suggested that there may have been an earlier blocked entranceway is correct.
Moel y Gaer is a hillfort dating back to the Iron Age, 2,500 years ago and has commanding views over the Vale of Clwyd.
A walk to view the excavation and learn more about the magnificent string of hillforts that crown the hills of the Clwydian Range will take place on Monday 10th August.
The walk begins at Bwlch Pen Barras car park at the foot of Moel Famau at 10am. Please bring lunch with you, waterproof clothing and suitable footwear. The walk is 5 miles in length and is strenuous.
For further information or to book a place please call Denbighshire Countryside Service on 01824 708232 or e-mail samantha.williams@denbighshire.gov.uk.
The three year Heather and Hillforts Project is developing a £2.3 million initiative for upland conservation work and has received a grant of £1.5 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information please visit heatherandhillforts.co.uk.
Flintshire County Council and Denbighshire County Council will have a joint exhibition stand promoting various council services at the Denbighshire and Flintshire Show at The Green, Denbigh on Thursday, 20 August.
Information and advice will be available on a range of services including animal health, benefits advice, the Family Information Service, recycling, rural development and places to visit in the two counties.
A prominent feature of the exhibition will be an interactive displayhighlighting the Heather and Hill-forts project, an important environmental and archaeological initiative being undertaken jointly by the two councils.
Outside the exhibition tent, Denbighshire and Flintshire Countryside Services will be demonstrating ancient skills such as willow weaving.
Plants and garden furniture provided by two sheltered workshops, Tri Ffordd Nurseries based in Flintshire and Meifod Wood Products based in Denbighshire will also feature in the exhibition.
The councils’ tent is located at plot E – 11 – 20 overlooking the main ring.