Latest news with #WrexhamCouncil
Leader Live
12-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Wrexham's new museum will celebrate Welsh football
One of the city's landmark buildings, the County Buildings, formerly the home of Wrexham Museum, is being transformed into a new 'Museum of Two Halves'. Set to open in 2026, the 'two halves' of the new museum will include an enhanced and expanded museum for Wrexham, alongside a new football museum for Wales. New galleries are being created to display the Wrexham Museum collections, which means an enhanced experience for visitors and a first-class, modern venue for discovering the fascinating and eventful story of our region of North East Wales. Artist impression of the atrium at the new museum. Image courtesy of Haley Sharpe Wrexham is often referred to as 'the spiritual home of Welsh football'. As well as being home to the now world-famous Wrexham AFC, it's also the birthplace of the Football Association of Wales (FAW). The museum is custodian to the Welsh Football Collection - the largest collection of Welsh football memorabilia held in public ownership in Wales. The new football museum will celebrate Welsh football, past and present, in all its diversity, from grassroots clubs to the national teams, as well as highlighting Wrexham's historic achievements in the sport. Read more: The museum is being developed by Wrexham Council's museum team in association with museum designers, Haley Sharpe Design, architects Purcell and contractors SWG Construction, The Hub Consulting Limited, Goppion and Heritage Interactive. Funding support for the museum is provided by Wrexham Council, Welsh Government, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, UK Government and the Wolfson Foundation. To create a state-of-the-art museum of requires a significant redevelopment of the existing building - inside and out. As well as developing a fantastic new museum, this is also very much a conservation project that will see the 167-year-old, Grade II listed building restored to its former glory. A wall under repair at the building during when it served as a police station, Regent Street, July 1965. Great care is being taken to unveil the most significant features of the building, while ensuring public access and enhancing accessibility, wellbeing and learning opportunities: • All the stonework on the outside of the building (including the iconic turrets and chimneys) is being thoroughly cleaned, and repaired where necessary. Repairs have also taken place to the roof where required. • The inner courtyard is being transformed into a new, two-storey atrium with a brand new roof and new walkways. The steelwork is now in place, concrete has been poured and access has been developed from the atrium to the new galleries. • New internal walls and ceilings are now being installed - a new look and an expanded layout for the new museum. • The cafe and shop space on the front courtyard are also being totally revamped - new steelwork for these areas has now been put in place and a new zinc roof replacing the glass roof which will enhance the café area. • A new electrical infrastructure has been installed including more efficient heating systems and the installation of PV panels to improve energy efficiency. • Where possible original features have been retained and original bricks reused to retain and enhance the historical features of the building. • A new lift shaft is in place, ready for the installation of the new lift car. • New lifts and fully accessible toilets have been included and the spaces have been created ready for fitting out, improving accessibility around the building. • New windows have been installed, where original windows couldn't be retained in keeping with the building, where possible original windows and doors have been retained. Contractors are working closely with the project team to design, develop and construct the interior spaces of the museum, including the new galleries, the shop, and the impressive atrium space in the centre of the building which has been opened up to its full size for the first time since the 1970's. Work underway at Wrexham's 'Museum of Two Halves'. Image by Craig Colville for WCBC Development of the audio and visual parts of the galleries is now taking place, including the production of new film footage. Wrexham's new museum is being specifically designed to be a welcoming, accessible, community-focused space where everyone will be welcome. Developing the museum will be an opportunity to create new ways to celebrate and explore the history of Wrexham, Wales and Welsh football. The aim will be to appeal to brand new audiences who may not have visited the museum previously, alongside loyal existing visitors. Read more: This work to reach these new audiences has already started. While the building work continues to progress on site, the team have been busy organising learning and engagement activities in Wrexham and across the country to help spread the word about the new museum. The Football Museum Wales Roadshow has been touring regions of Wales over the last few weeks and have had a terrific response, including Porthmadog, Mold, Chirk, Oswestry (well, it's nearly Wales), Bangor, Caernarfon - and Wrexham of course. The team has also been engaging with local schools - Bronington VAP School and Rhosddu Primary School were among the first to visit the new Wrexham Museum Collections Store. Here they planned their own museums, made Roman mosaics, played football, listened to a professional storyteller, did yoga, got up close and personal with Paul Mullin and Gareth Bale's football shirts, and even helped to choose a brand new mascot for the museum. Read more: Cllr Paul Roberts, Wrexham Council's Lead Member for Partnerships, said: "In what is shaping up to be a fantastic year for culture in Wrexham, it's a tremendously exciting time for the city to see such great progress being made to transform one of our most iconic buildings into a state of the art visitor attraction. "The new museum will be a hub for our entire community, a place where residents and thousands of new visitors can come together to learn and explore - a fantastic new resource for everyone who lives here and another boost to the city's flourishing national and international profile. "As well as the great building progress on site, the museum team have also been busy organising engagement events across the country as part of the vital work to reach new audiences and ensure that everyone will be encouraged to visit when the museum opens next year. This work will include a significant presence on the Maes of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham this August." To find out more: • Visit the Museum Pop-Up space on Queen's Square (just behind the benches opposite Caffè Nero) to view the design plans for the museum and speak to the museum team. We also have a range of unique gifts, books, cards and more for sale, all inspired by our exhibitions and Wrexham's local history. • The Museum Courtyard Cafe has relocated to a temporary location at Tŷ Pawb's Food Court, while the museum building is closed for redevelopment. The menu still includes the usual range of delicious home-made light meals, coffees, sandwiches, soups, cakes and irresistible desserts! Wrexham Archives has now relocated to a new, permanent home at Wrexham Library.
Leader Live
11-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Wrexham council agrees transfer of Historic Nant Mill to Trust
The Trust applied for a Community Asset Transfer to take responsibility for the repair, maintenance and operation of the early 19th century mill building and associated buildings. Its goal is to re-open the Victorian corn mill as a heritage attraction celebrating the industrial past of the site and applied for the transfer in order to unlock a £1.5 million National Lottery Heritage grant. The transfer came to public prominence in March this year when Coedpoeth Cllrs Anthony Wedlake and Krista Childs expressed frustration at ongoing delays around the decision to transfer Nant Mill - which were closed in 2019 - to the Trust. Read more: Wrexham Council hold-up puts £1.5m Nant Mill heritage grant at risk But Wrexham Council has now voted in favour of awarding a lease of a minimum of 25 years to the Trust to operate the main buildings. Officers stated this was to ensure the Trust could maximise its eligibility for grants and other funding to restore and reopen the mill as an historic visitor attraction. The car park and woodland will continue to be managed by Wrexham Council as part of the country park with rangers working in partnership with the Trust. The site is also part of the Clywedog Valley Partnership which crosses into Denbighshire, however the terms of the transfer state specifically that revenue generated by Nant Mill must be reinvested into the Wrexham County Borough. "I'm very pleased that this is before us eventually," said Cllr Childs at Executive Board on Tuesday. "I thank Groundworks, the Clywedog Valley Partnership, Richard Aram in particular and Nant Mill Community Trust for really shouldering behind this proposal."
Leader Live
11-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Plans for new Wrexham Industrial Estate HQ for crane firm
A planning application has been lodged with Wrexham Council for permission to build a 77,276sqft unit at land known as Oak Road on the southern edge of the industrial estate. The unit would comprise warehouse and office space, car and HGV parking and servicing and storage. It is proposed that the facility would become the new headquarters for Swedish company HIAB - a crane manufacturer. Its current headquarters is in Ellesmere, Shropshire - but the firm is looking for a new HQ as it has outgrown its Ellesmere facility. Where the site is located, (Image: Planning documents) A planning statement submitted with the application says: "The proposed development would deliver a high-quality headquarters development for an internationally renowned industrial company. "The business wishes to relocate its UK headquarters to Wrexham/WIE, specifically The Oaks site. In arriving at its decision, working alongside FIREM (a real estate firm which owns the site) and its team, the planned occupier has investigated, assessed but discounted a number of other industrial locations/sites/development opportunities in and around the wider Wrexham area, including WIE. "As far as the planned occupier is concerned, the Oaks site is the optimum location for its new UK headquarters." The proposed development site. (Image: Planning documents) It adds: "The development would deliver a high-quality headquarters facility plus a unique high-quality ecology and heritage zone which represents a significant benefit of the overall proposal. MORE NEWS: "The development would deliver a wider range of important and relevant benefits including profile benefits (for the city of Wrexham), socio-economic benefits, social value benefits and valuable ecology and heritage related benefits." A planning application submitted in 2019 for 21,000 sqm of "light industrial and B2/B8 industrial units" on the site was refused due to concerns over the impact on local nature, and that part of the proposed site lay outside the WIE Settlement Limit. The planning application will be decided on by Wrexham Council's planning officials at a later date.
Leader Live
10-06-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Wrexham Council rejects call to change hybrid working policy
The decision to implement the new policy from September 1 this year was made at Executive Board in May. But the decision was called-in by members of the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee who felt their concerns, plus the views of staff who were consulted, were not fairly reflected. Wrexham Council has refused to change its proposed hybrid working model - sticking to offering workers one day of home working per week despite staff overwhelmingly supporting a three-two split. The decision to implement the new policy from September 1 this year was made at Executive Board in May. But the decision was called-in by members of the Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee who felt their concerns, plus the views of staff who were consulted, were not fairly reflected. The original consultation saw 90.7% of staff support the model that most of the council's 1,589 hybrid workers currently work - three days in the office, two from home. It was also noted that a significant number of employees used free-text boxes to call for a 50/50 average split for the working week. A majority of respondents - 78.8% - said an increase in office time would negatively impact recruitment and retention of staff. Staff also highlighted that flexible working arrangements had improved their health and wellbeing at work. Presenting its findings to the Executive Board on Tuesday, Customers, Performance, Resources and Governance Scrutiny Committee chair Cllr Peter Howell said: "An extensive discussion took place at the scrutiny meeting on the matters outlined in the Call-In of Decision Notice. "Significant impacts were noted as workforce retention and morale, equality and legal risks, recruitment and retention, operational infrastructure, environmental consequences and service delivery risks. "Of national importance were the divergence from national public sector best practices in other Welsh councils, implications for Wrexham's reputation as an employer, conflict with national equality and employment guidance, the autonomy of middle-management and the alignment with Welsh Government objectives. "The controversy around the overwhelming staff opposition and the fact scrutiny had recommended office ratios be guidelines, not mandated were also noted. "There was no evidence-based justification for the 4:1 model and it contradicted staff consultation data, benchmarking result and external research." Following the call-in the committee presented two options to the council - to reconsider the proposal after 'recognising the policy justification is weak, conflicts with a number of existing strategic plans, undermines organisational culture, has numerous unidentified and unmitigated impact risks and is entirely un-costed' or to go with its original decision. Wrexham County Borough Council's Executive Board rejected the chance to amend the hybrid working policy, sticking to its plan to implement a 4:1 model from September this year. Lead member for Corporate and Customer Services Cllr Beverley Parry-Jones said all consultation feedback had been carefully considered. "While responses indicated a preference for home working, this was balanced against operational requirements, service needs and organisational priorities. "Our decision reflects a considered approach based on all factors. The consultation was however only focused on a small group and weighted towards existing home working staff. "Most of our staff do not have the opportunity to work remotely. "We acknowledge the concerns raised around staff retention and morale. While change can be challenging we believe a clear, consistent approach to workplace expectation helps provide clarity and support to all staff. "We recognise that workspace availability is key to ensuring an effective return to office-based work. The senior leadership team will be tasked with ensuring all staff have access to suitable working environments. "We remain committed to maintaining high standards of service delivery. Managers have been asked to continually review any potential risks arising from revised working practices." Read more: Wrexham council staff return to office for four days from September Wrexham hybrid working plans must be fair warns councillor Cllr Parry-Jones also said the board acknowledged the increased carbon impact that moving to a 4:1 working model would cause, suggesting that promoting car sharing and active travel routes would mitigate the effect. She dismissed claims of any legal or equality issues posed by the council's decision and said the board did not recognise sickness absence had improved over the last three years when hybrid working has been in place. The most recent available data shows that between since 2021/22 and 2023/24 on average council employees have reduced sickness absence by one day per person. "We reaffirm the decision made on the 13th of May 2025," said Cllr Parry-Jones. "We appreciate the engagement of all parties in this process and remain committed to ensuring a supportive and effective working environment for all staff. We are also committed to review the policy after 12 months." The recommendation not to change the original decision was voted through by the Executive Board with council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard exercising his power as chair to prevent any further debate on the item.
Leader Live
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham: Road closures confirmed for HMS Dragon parade
Watched by local dignitaries – and hopefully many local residents – the crew of the Type 45 destroyer will march through the heart of the city centre before being hosted at an official reception to cement the bond. Ahead of the parade the ranks will be inspected by Wrexham's Mayor Councillor Tina Mannering, who will also take the salute of the marching sailors at Queens Square alongside Commanding Officer Commander Iain Giffin. Commander Iain Giffin said: 'There is no greater honour that a city can bestow than the Freedom of the City and I humbled that Wrexham has extended this privilege to HMS Dragon. HMS Dragon Ship (Image: Wrexham Council) 'Today is a proud moment for HMS Dragon and a fitting opportunity to demonstrate the professionalism of our sailors, marching in full ceremonial dress, with drums beating, flags flying and bayonets fixed, as a mark of respect and gratitude to the people of Wrexham.' Cllr Mannering, said: 'It will be a tremendous honour to take the salute of the sailors as they march through the city, and I hope as many people as possible will turn out to support the parade. 'This will be a fantastic occasion, as we celebrate our wonderful partnership with HMS Dragon.' Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Beverley Parry-Jones, added: 'Wrexham has always been proud of its links with the armed services and it will be wonderful to welcome the crew to the county borough, so they can celebrate the Freedom of the City. 'HMS Dragon is the first ship affiliated with Wrexham since the Second World War, and we are tremendously proud of this very special relationship.' The sailors will march onto Llwyn Isaf green (outside the Guildhall) at 10.40am, before marching through the city centre. In being named Freemen of Wrexham, the sailors are in select company including Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. There will be some temporary road closures and access restrictions in place from 10.55am on the day (Friday June 13), including… Chester Street closure There will be a full road closure on Chester Street until 11.15am. During this time, there will be no vehicle access to the following locations via Chester Street: Guildhall Waterworld Memorial Hall Wellbeing Hub Crown Buildings Library Courts Additionally, no vehicles will be able to exit the Guildhall or Library car parks during this period. The remainder of the parade route will be managed via rolling road closures, meaning traffic will be temporarily stopped as the parade passes. This disruption should last approximately 10 to 15 minutes per location. MOST READ During this time, there will be no vehicle access through the city centre bollards – this includes taxis, church access and other usual exceptions. The ship was adopted by Wrexham last summer and civic leaders promptly bestowed their highest honour upon the Portsmouth-based warship and her ship's company. Their hectic schedule – which included a milestone first takedown of a supersonic missile by the Royal Navy during NATO exercises off the coast of northwest Scotland in May – has prevented the ship's company from exercising their right until now. Since then, when Dragon's demanding programme has allowed, the 200-strong ship's company have been preparing for the hometown visit, including undertaking specific drill training to reach the highest standards required for the march.
