Latest news with #ConwyCountyBoroughCouncil
Wales Online
6 hours ago
- General
- Wales Online
Residents could finally get better access to train station that's bears village's name
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info While it bears the name of Dolgarrog - the Conwy Valley station has never really been particularly accessible to people in the village. The station is situated on the opposite side of the Afon Conwy from Dolgarrog with a rough and sometimes boggy track also in the way. This contributed to it serving just 612 passengers in 2017/18 - the lowest of any station in Wales that year. The situation was compounded in 2021 when the pipe bridge over the river closed to the public due to concerns over its condition. There were fears it would never reopen. But a campaign was launched, backed by Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders and others, to get a crossing back. This eventually secured funding of £1.2m from Dwr Cymru and a £735,000 Welsh Government grant for Conwy County Borough Council to restore the bridge. This was reopened in 2023 and passenger numbers rose to just over 2,000 in 2023/24. But the paths from the village mean it's still not exactly a convenient option for locals or tourists wanting to use the Conwy Valley Line. Now though Conwy council has secured additional Welsh Government active travel funds for improvements to the existing Public Rights of Way, which connects Dolgarrog Railway Station to the B5106. The works are to be undertaken this financial year. The Local Authority is currently working on access agreements with interested landowners and will be aiming to undertake a public engagement exercise soon. Once the access agreements are in place, they will push forward with a procurement and construction phase programme. This would improve the path that emerges near the former Lord Newborough pub on the B5106. There are hopes that more money in the future could develop a link to Clark Street, which comes out in the centre of the village. MS Janet Finch-Saunders said: "Since the horrendous decision by Welsh Water to permanently close Dolgarrog Bridge, I have been pleased to lead the group of stakeholders who have succeeded to convince the water company to make a massive U-turn, and secure a £1.9m investment. 'As part of that stakeholder group it was a pleasure to work with representatives of both Dolgarrog Community Council and Conwy County Borough Council. By working together we have delivered for our community. "In fact, I have kept up the pressure and am delighted that funding has been secured to build an active travel route between Dolgarrog and the railway station this financial year. A special thanks goes to the Local Authority officials who submitted the application and are working on the plans going forward. 'Whilst my understanding is that this phase of the development will see the route reach Dolgarrog by the old Lord Newborough pub, there remains and ambition to develop a route along Clark Street in the future, but that would require further funding. 'The most import point of all is that the bridge, which following our united community campaign, Welsh Water has thankfully invested significantly in, will now have high standard accessible paths leading to it. This is excellent news." Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Residents could finally get better access to train station that's bears village's name
While it bears the name of Dolgarrog - the Conwy Valley station has never really been particularly accessible to people in the village. The station is situated on the opposite side of the Afon Conwy from Dolgarrog with a rough and sometimes boggy track also in the way. This contributed to it serving just 612 passengers in 2017/18 - the lowest of any station in Wales that year. The situation was compounded in 2021 when the pipe bridge over the river closed to the public due to concerns over its condition. There were fears it would never reopen. But a campaign was launched, backed by Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders and others, to get a crossing back. This eventually secured funding of £1.2m from Dwr Cymru and a £735,000 Welsh Government grant for Conwy County Borough Council to restore the bridge. READ MORE: Desperate attempts were made to save campervan swamped by sea at Gwynedd beach READ MORE: When will A55 Conwy Tunnels reopen after devastating fire This was reopened in 2023 and passenger numbers rose to just over 2,000 in 2023/24. But the paths from the village mean it's still not exactly a convenient option for locals or tourists wanting to use the Conwy Valley Line. Now though Conwy council has secured additional Welsh Government active travel funds for improvements to the existing Public Rights of Way, which connects Dolgarrog Railway Station to the B5106. The works are to be undertaken this financial year. The Local Authority is currently working on access agreements with interested landowners and will be aiming to undertake a public engagement exercise soon. Once the access agreements are in place, they will push forward with a procurement and construction phase programme. This would improve the path that emerges near the former Lord Newborough pub on the B5106. There are hopes that more money in the future could develop a link to Clark Street, which comes out in the centre of the village. MS Janet Finch-Saunders said: "Since the horrendous decision by Welsh Water to permanently close Dolgarrog Bridge, I have been pleased to lead the group of stakeholders who have succeeded to convince the water company to make a massive U-turn, and secure a £1.9m investment. 'As part of that stakeholder group it was a pleasure to work with representatives of both Dolgarrog Community Council and Conwy County Borough Council. By working together we have delivered for our community. "In fact, I have kept up the pressure and am delighted that funding has been secured to build an active travel route between Dolgarrog and the railway station this financial year. A special thanks goes to the Local Authority officials who submitted the application and are working on the plans going forward. 'Whilst my understanding is that this phase of the development will see the route reach Dolgarrog by the old Lord Newborough pub, there remains and ambition to develop a route along Clark Street in the future, but that would require further funding. 'The most import point of all is that the bridge, which following our united community campaign, Welsh Water has thankfully invested significantly in, will now have high standard accessible paths leading to it. This is excellent news." Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone
North Wales Live
12 hours ago
- General
- North Wales Live
Residents could finally get better access to train station that's bears village's name
While it bears the name of Dolgarrog - the Conwy Valley station has never really been particularly accessible to people in the village. The station is situated on the opposite side of the Afon Conwy from Dolgarrog with a rough and sometimes boggy track also in the way. This contributed to it serving just 612 passengers in 2017/18 - the lowest of any station in Wales that year. The situation was compounded in 2021 when the pipe bridge over the river closed to the public due to concerns over its condition. There were fears it would never reopen. But a campaign was launched, backed by Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders and others, to get a crossing back. This eventually secured funding of £1.2m from Dwr Cymru and a £735,000 Welsh Government grant for Conwy County Borough Council to restore the bridge. This was reopened in 2023 and passenger numbers rose to just over 2,000 in 2023/24. But the paths from the village mean it's still not exactly a convenient option for locals or tourists wanting to use the Conwy Valley Line. Now though Conwy council has secured additional Welsh Government active travel funds for improvements to the existing Public Rights of Way, which connects Dolgarrog Railway Station to the B5106. The works are to be undertaken this financial year. The Local Authority is currently working on access agreements with interested landowners and will be aiming to undertake a public engagement exercise soon. Once the access agreements are in place, they will push forward with a procurement and construction phase programme. This would improve the path that emerges near the former Lord Newborough pub on the B5106. There are hopes that more money in the future could develop a link to Clark Street, which comes out in the centre of the village. MS Janet Finch-Saunders said: "Since the horrendous decision by Welsh Water to permanently close Dolgarrog Bridge, I have been pleased to lead the group of stakeholders who have succeeded to convince the water company to make a massive U-turn, and secure a £1.9m investment. 'As part of that stakeholder group it was a pleasure to work with representatives of both Dolgarrog Community Council and Conwy County Borough Council. By working together we have delivered for our community. "In fact, I have kept up the pressure and am delighted that funding has been secured to build an active travel route between Dolgarrog and the railway station this financial year. A special thanks goes to the Local Authority officials who submitted the application and are working on the plans going forward. 'Whilst my understanding is that this phase of the development will see the route reach Dolgarrog by the old Lord Newborough pub, there remains and ambition to develop a route along Clark Street in the future, but that would require further funding. 'The most import point of all is that the bridge, which following our united community campaign, Welsh Water has thankfully invested significantly in, will now have high standard accessible paths leading to it. This is excellent news."
Rhyl Journal
04-06-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Families angry over £7k a year cross-border care funding gap
Relatives spoke out after learning Denbighshire County Council pays £7,000 a year less per person towards providing care in a care home than their counterparts a short hop across the water in Conwy. One elderly couple caught up in the postcode lottery of funding are Leslie and Megan Smallwood. Leslie, 90, a retired quantity surveyor, and Megan, 86, a former maths teacher, live at The Old Deanery Care Home in St Asaph. They moved there in February last year from their family home at Caerwys in Flintshire, with that property now up for sale. Their daughter Yvonne Harding, a community nurse who lives in Heswall on the Wirral, said: 'Having this difference in fees from one council to another is fundamentally unfair. MORE NEWS: 'It seems to me Conwy are valuing the care sector, and I applaud that. 'We can't fault the home in its care, but it's about meeting the true cost of that care.' Rosemary Holland's brother Andrew Truelove, 61, is a resident at St David's Residential Home in Rhyl. Her father John Truelove had been a resident at the home until his death in September last year. Rosemary, who lives in Conwy, used to work in the care sector and said she has huge concerns about the financial challenges the industry was facing. She urged Denbighshire County Council to at least match the fees paid by Conwy County Borough Council. She said that would ensure all care home residents received an equal level of care – and would stop staff leaving homes in Denbighshire for better pay at care homes across the river in Conwy. Rosemary said: 'I just feel that Denbighshire needs to sort themselves out and pay the extra. 'They need to, because what Denbighshire is doing is affecting the residents. 'I have real concerns about the way social services in Denbighshire is working with residents, because it feels like they are not working for the residents, they are working to try to keep costs down.' The span of the Grade II listed Foryd Bridge can mean a huge difference in funding for care homes on opposite banks of the mouth of the River Clwyd. Care Forum Wales also hit out describing the funding gap as a 'shameful disparity is grossly unjust because it discriminates against older vulnerable people.' Thea Brain, North Wales Policy Advisor for CFW, said: 'This is about the entitlement of the individual. Why is someone who lives in Conwy worth more than someone who lives in Denbighshire? 'When you press this issue with the people at Denbighshire County Council they give very vague answers pointing to the differences in settlement for each local authority but that doesn't account for these huge differences in the figures. 'When you look into this you are left with the unacceptable conclusion that this is just a matter of political priority.' CFW Chair Mario Kreft said: 'It's astonishing that a Labour-controlled council like Denbighshire is ignoring Welsh Labour Government advice and is promoting such inequality in Wales. 'Those making these decisions should consider positions.' Denbighshire County Council funds about 382 placements across 85 care homes. The total projected cost for older people's residential and nursing care during 2025/26 is £15.2 million. A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: "In setting its 2025/2026 care fees, Denbighshire County Council consulted with care providers across the county and took into consideration the main concerns raised, which were the increase in Real Living Wage and the impact of the changes to National Insurance. Each Local Authority has a different funding settlement and therefore has to strike a very delicate balance of navigating challenging financial constraints and ensuring that we are maintaining a sustainable future for the care sector in Denbighshire. "Denbighshire currently funds approximately 382 placements across 85 care homes. The total projected cost for older people's residential and nursing care during 2025/26 is £15.2 million. "With social care making up nearly a third of the average Council Tax bill in Denbighshire, it is vital that we take a fair and sustainable approach to funding care within Denbighshire."
Rhyl Journal
02-06-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Conwy Council hands over historic building to new owners
Conwy County Borough Council handed over the keys on May 30 after nearly three decades. This completes the council's programme to reduce the number of its office buildings from 18 to just one, and bring all its office services and democratic functions under one roof. Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, Council Leader, said: 'It gives me great pleasure to hand over the keys to this beautiful building. We've been able to make the decision to move to one office knowing that there is a sustainable and exciting future for the Bodlondeb building - providing economic development opportunities for the town of Conwy and wider area. 'I wish Quidos Investments Limited and Ideas Forum every success.' Quidos Investments Limited have signed a 250-year lease on the historic building. Bodlondeb in under new ownership (Image: Suzanne Kendrick / Newsquest) Nick Pritchard, Director of Quidos Investments Limited and Ideas Forums, said: 'I can't say I'm not nervous taking on such a huge and magnificent building, but as the next custodian of such great heritage, I will do everything in my power to maintain its magnificence and make it a vibrant and exciting workplace. 'Bodlondeb in the future will bring many employment opportunities to the Conwy economy and I look forward to meeting and speaking to local budding entrepreneurs who look to take up space in the building - we could just find our next Welsh 'Alun' Sugar.' Professor Dylan Jones-Evans, Co-founder, Ideas Forums, said: 'Along with fellow directors Fran James and Nick Pritchard, I'm proud to be taking on this challenge to boost entrepreneurship in the region of my birth. Through this initiative, we'll be providing office and co-working spaces, offering free desk space for young entrepreneurs, and delivering the support and funding access that new start-ups need to succeed. 'This is more than just a new business centre, it's a significant investment in the future of North Wales, designed to retain local talent, spark innovation, and build a more sustainable and dynamic regional economy.' Anyone wanting to discuss potential ideas or interested in making Bodlondeb their business home, can click here. Bodlondeb Hall, described as "one of the most beautiful buildings in Wales", was the house seat of the Wood family, built by industrialist and Mayor of Conwy Albert Wood in 1877. It came into municipal ownership in 1937, its family rooms becoming the offices first of all of Conway Borough Council [Conwy was formerly known as Conway] and later, in 1974, of Aberconwy Borough Council. Conwy County Borough Council have been based in the building since its inception in 1996. The Pioneer was given a tour of the characteristical building earlier in May. The council's asset manager Bleddyn Evans, who has been Project Manager for reducing the council's office portfolio and has been overseeing the sale of Bodlondeb (method of disposal, choosing preferred bidder, instructing solicitors) and the re-modelling of Coed Pella [so staff and functions from Bodlondeb can relocate there], said: "With the post pandemic world and technology, we are a lot more agile and don't need as much floor space. "Like all organisations, we have funding challenges and are looking at way where we can be more efficient; reducing our building footprint also supports reducing our carbon emissions."
