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Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation in the County Borough of Wrexham Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation in the County Borough of Wrexham Wrexham County Borough Council 10 May 2021 18 Jul 2021
Why are we doing this?

Housing Act 2004  Part 2 enables Local Authorities to designate additional licensing schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation. Prior to doing so, the Authority must determine if the statutory conditions for introducing such a scheme are met and also undertake a public consultation with relevant stakeholders including Landlords, HMO Licensees, Managing Agents, Residential letting Associations.

What we found out

The findings and impact of this consultation were included in a report taken to a meeting of the council's Executive Board on 21st September 2021.  Please follow the link Agenda for Executive Board on Tuesday, 21st September, 2021, 10.00 am | Wrexham County Borough Council to read the full report.

What difference has it made?

The findings and impact of this consultation were included in a report taken to a meeting of the council's Executive Board on 21st September 2021.  Please follow the link Agenda for Executive Board on Tuesday, 21st September, 2021, 10.00 am | Wrexham County Borough Council to read the full report.

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Participation in Wrexham Participation in Wrexham Wrexham County Borough Council 13 May 2021 31 May 2021
Why are we doing this?

Participation means listening to children and young people and taking their views meaningfully into account. All children and young people should be supported to freely express their opinion; they should be both heard and listened to. Their views should be taken seriously when decisions or actions are taken that affect their lives directly or indirectly (as guaranteed by Article 12 of the UNCRC).

To make sure that we have an excellent standard of participation in Wrexham, we need a plan (strategy) of how we are going to achieve this.

At the moment we have 2 plans one made by Children's Social Care and one made by the Youth Service. We would like to come up with a new plan, one that will really work!!

 

What we found out

We only had 8 young people show an interest in this consultation.

We found out what name preferences young people wanted and what they might like in the Participation Vision.

What difference has it made?

We will use the results to inform the work of Wrexham’s next Participation Strategy

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Wrexham's Last Trams Wrexham's Last Trams Wrexham County Borough Council 22 Mar 2021 16 Apr 2021
Why are we doing this?

Wrexham Heritage Service is investigating the future of its two historic tramcars and would like to know your views.

These trams are the only known survivors of Wrexham’s fleet of 10 trams purchased from Brush Electrical Engineering Company. Built in 1903, they ran between Wrexham town centre and Rhosllanerchrugog until 1927, when they were replaced by buses and the tram fleet was sold.  

The trams are currently in open storage at Bersham Colliery.  They are in poor condition, and the Heritage Service has therefore appointed consultants to advise on their future preservation. 

A draft document has been produced which investigates the history of the trams, the impact they had on Wrexham and their historical significance, before describing their current condition.

The document has highlighted a number of different possibilities for the preservation and future display of the tramcars, as well as how these can be achieved.   

For further details of the options for preservation and future display of the tramcars, please see the attached document below.

A zoom seminar will be held on Wednesday 31st March, 7.00pm - 8.30pm where the consultants and museum officers will provide further information about the feasibility study and its findings, and the different options being investigated. To book a place please click on the link here:  http://www.yourvoicewrexham.net/survey/1238

 

 

What we found out

The consultants for the project have carried out in-depth analysis of the consultation results. A summary of their main findings are below.

  1. There is a lot of local interest in the trams and Wrexham’s heritage. 385 surveys were completed in total. This was a much higher number than anticipated by both staff and the consultants and shows strong interest and engagement with Wrexham’s heritage and the two trams.
  2. There was a diverse response to the consultation.
  3. There is a strong desire to keep the trams in Wrexham.  76% of respondents wanted the trams to remain in Wrexham.
  4. The preferred option is to restore the trams as a static display.  
  5. Respondents felt that professional restoration was the best option for how their preferred option could be achieved.
  6. There is local enthusiasm to volunteer to support the work involved in restoring the trams. Whilst we received fewer responses to the second part of the questionnaire, there was strong enthusiasm to support the project through volunteering.
What difference has it made?

The consultants will be producing a feasibility study for the trams. The results from the consultation has been analysed by them and this data will be used to inform their recommendations for the future of the two trams.  

Depending on these recommendations, if appropriate, we will use the consultation data as vital evidence to show local support and engagement as part of future funding bids for the restoration of the trams.

 

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation COVID 19 effects on Mental Health and Wellbeing: children and young people in Wrexham and Flintshire COVID 19 effects on Mental Health and Wellbeing: children and young people in Wrexham and Flintshire Wrexham County Borough Council 05 Mar 2021 19 Mar 2021
Why are we doing this?

Introduction

Thank you for finding the time to complete this consultation, your answers are important to us, they are confidential and will inform the work of Wrexham and Flintshire’s Public Service Boards.

Public Service Boards are a partnership of organisations that help provide public services.  They include the Council, the Health Board, the Fire and Rescue Service, Natural Resources Wales, the Police, The National Probation Service and Community Rehabilitation Company, Public Health Wales, Coleg Cambria, A.V.O.W, and Welsh Government. 

What we found out

Young people across Wrexham and Flintshire have expressed concerns about the toll on their mental health, education, employment, and income during coronavirus restrictions. The Coronavirus pandemic has negatively affected social relationship for some young people with their friends and families. Young people feel the pandemic has affected their mental health greatly. This joint consultation indicates a general worsening for some young people’s mental health and wellbeing especially anxiety, loneliness and depression.depression. Bereavement and traumatic experiences have been mentioned, with young people experiencing feelings of isolation, boredom and uncertainty.  A couple of young people mentioning feeling suicidal and a lack of control has been a huge issue for many young people. Some have had concerns over whether their friendships would recover and a lot of young people are worried about the loss of education or their prospects of finding work and fears about the future. Members of young people’s family have lost their jobs or been furloughed and this has created long-term economic and social consequences for them all.   Young people are worried about a third wave of the pandemic or future lockdowns having an effect on their education, grades, always having to play catch-up with their education and businesses and organisations shutting down. 91 young people feel it will affect their future because of their education, mounting pressure relating to school along with a lot of anxiety around taking exams and what will happen with their course work, GCSEs and A-Levels.

Young people are worried about how are they going to catch up on missed work and what impact will it have on their grades. Young people attending university have concerns about finances and what lies ahead for their future, jobs and careers and not being able to achieve their dreams or goals. It’s important to point out that throughout the last 12 months, education, teachers and school staff have gone above and beyond to keep schools open for young people of key workers and deliver online teaching for young people. There are worries that the third wave could be more than covid but actually in respect of mental health as young people describe their mental health getting as worsening and with increased levels of anxiety. Due to services already being oversubscribed and waiting lists becoming longer, the challenge will be how to ensure young people are protected from a further decline in their health. 

What difference has it made?

The results from these findings are being used to inform the recovery and future work of Wrexham and Flintshire’s Public Service Board. They will be shared with organisations across Wrexham and Flintshire to support their recovery and work with Young People. If there is a need the consultation will be run again in 2022.

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Queensway Alley Gating Public Space Protection Order 2021 Queensway Alley Gating Public Space Protection Order 2021 Wrexham County Borough Council 01 Feb 2021 01 Mar 2021
Why are we doing this?

Queensway Alley Gating Public Space Protection Order 2021

The Safer Streets Fund is a £25m fund, available to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) in England and Wales in 2020/21.

PCCs were asked to work with partners, to design and deliver local crime prevention plans with the outcome of reducing acquisitive (theft, burglary or similar) crimes through prevention, therefore making residents feel safer.

Why the Queensway Ward?

When we looked at how we could bid for this funding to benefit residents in Wrexham it was noted there was a higher level of crime such as burglaries in this area when compared to the figures for the rest of the county borough.

Whilst action has previously been taken with police and other partners to reduce crime levels in the area the results have been mixed and are not sustainable in the long term.

In order to come up with a more sustainable approach to improve the lives of residents we took a closer look at what could be done to reduce the higher crime levels. We found that one factor we could do something about was the network of alleys in the area. These alleys are attractive to criminals who use them to enter and leave areas without bringing any undue attention to themselves or their intentions.

WCBC in exercise of its powers under Sections 59, 64 and 72 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, seeks to make a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in order to close the footpaths. Residents directly affected by the closures will be provided with keys if they wish to ensure they can continue to have access.     

Footpaths Proposed to be Gated

next to 85/86 Bryn Hafod

next to 94/95 Bryn Hafod

next to 82 Cefndre.

next to 89 Cefndre.

next to 126 Cefndre

next to 59 Gwenfro to 66 Gwenfro

next to 155 Gwenfro

next to 37/38 Y Wern

Attached is a Notice of the proposed PSPO.  Please view the Order and any comments can be made via the enclosed survey.

What we found out

A smaller number of residents replied to the consultation than the one previously. As a response to some of the comments received some mitigating factors have been made.  The comments made by residents were reported in a report to the Wrexham Executive Board with proposals which were agreed on the 9th March 2021.

What difference has it made?

The findings of the consultation were reported to Wrexham Council's Executive board who on the 9th March made a decision to make the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) at all 8 locations proposed.

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Budget Consultation 2021/22 Budget Consultation 2021/22 Wrexham County Borough Council 30 Nov 2020 05 Feb 2021
Why are we doing this?

Consulting on our plans to reshape Council services to meet the financial challenge and the budget proposals for 2021/22.

What we found out

In accordance with our consultation principles, we are feeding back to participants who’ve taken part in this budget consultation, so that they can understand the final decisions that were taken, and the impact that their involvement has made.  A report has been prepared in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team and Lead Members.  The ‘You Said, We Did’ report and summary of consultation findings presented at Council on 24th February 2021 have been uploaded to this consultation project and can be downloaded here.

 

What difference has it made?

In accordance with our consultation principles, we are feeding back to participants who’ve taken part in this budget consultation, so that they can understand the final decisions that were taken, and the impact that their involvement has made.  A report has been prepared in conjunction with the Senior Leadership Team and Lead Members.  The ‘You Said, We Did’ report and summary of consultation findings presented at Council on 24th February 2021 have been uploaded to this consultation project and can be downloaded here.

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Closure of Alleyways (Queensway) Closure of Alleyways (Queensway) Wrexham County Borough Council 01 Dec 2020 31 Dec 2020
Why are we doing this?

The Safer Streets Fund is a £25m fund, available to Police and Crime Commissioners (PCC) in England and Wales in 2020/21.

PCCs were asked to work with partners, to design and deliver local crime prevention plans with the outcome of reducing acquisitive crimes through prevention, therefore making residents feel safer.

North Wales Bids

Following analysis of the areas in North Wales that met the criteria of being particularly affected by acquisitive crime, two bids were submitted to the fund, one being Queensway in Wrexham.

In July 2020 the Home Office announced that the North Wales bids were both successful, together with another 50 across England and Wales. The project for Queensway was awarded £550,000.

Queensway Allocation

 The funding will be used to include the following:       

 

  • Increase CCTV and ANPR coverage
  • Improve natural surveillance within the area through the provision of new lighting and upgrade of existing lighting.
  • Provide alley gating to control access to identified alleys.
  • Demolition of garage blocks, and replacing with car parking area (subject to planning permission).
  • Provide additional fencing outside of those currently being funded by the Borough Council.
  • Delivery and installation of 870 burglary crime prevention packs to those residents whose property is vulnerable to rear entry.
  • Training for community wardens and volunteers to allow the residents to take action themselves to prevent crime.
  • An Environmental Fund.

This consultation concentrates on Wrexham County Borugh Council's action to stop up the following highways with gates in the Queensway ward of Caia Park.

Alley gate 2 footpaths next to 85/86 and 94/95 Bryn Hafod

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 82 Cefndre.

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 89 Cefndre.

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 126 Cefndre

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 59 Gwenfro to 66 Gwenfro

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 155 Gwenfro (previously gated in the past)

Alley gate 1 footpath next to 37/38 Y Wern

What we found out

The majority of residents who returned their views supported the proposals.  Some mitigation would need to be found to some of the issues raised and alternative routes highlighted.

What difference has it made?

Following the consultation and discussions with legal, advice received was to seek a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to Alleygate the proposed areas. So another round of consultation will follow on the proposals,  it was decided however to keep all proposed areas within the second consultation.

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation CAMHS CONSULTATION: SETTINGS AND LOCATIONS OF CAMHS APPOINTMENTS & CAMHS WEBSITE CAMHS CONSULTATION: SETTINGS AND LOCATIONS OF CAMHS APPOINTMENTS & CAMHS WEBSITE Wrexham County Borough Council 01 Oct 2020 30 Dec 2020
Why are we doing this?

We are members of the ‘Senedd yr Ifanc’ Wrexham Youth Parliament. The Senedd yr Ifanc is a group of young people aged 11-25 with a connection to Wrexham.  We work on improving issues that matter to young people while giving them a voice. We as a focus group have come together to work on a project with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) in Wrexham.

CAMHS is a child and adolescent mental health service, they support children and young people who have difficulties with their emotional or behavioural wellbeing including eating disorders, autistic spectrum disorder, attention deficit hypersensitive disorder (ADHD), depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and psychosis.

What we found out

The aim of this consultation was to find out what would help young people and children feel more comfortable attending meetings and appointments in CAMHS.

Our findings found that there was quite an even split of respondents that had and had not heard of CAMHS and 21 % of respondents had used their services. Of those who have responded to this consultation 16 – 18 years had used the CAMHS services the most.

Natural lighting and blues were the most popular to have in rooms, with posters on the walls. We found that fidget toys and art supplies were popular for all age groups on the trollies and items in the rooms to make them more homely such as throws and cushions which would make them feel more comfortable. Drinks, food and music were also popular.

The preferred place to have meetings was the CAMHS building with schools coming next. Over half (61.9%) of the respondents would feel comfortable attending a drop in session and 55.5% would use a website if they had one. 77% of respondents said they would like the use of the outdoor space. 

947 respondents supported the consultation, we had the most responses from 10-15 years old, and we feel that the present circumstances of Covid 19 prevented us from visiting clubs and organisations which in turn restricted the age groups. Schools supported us really well.

We feel that some people may have misunderstood the question ‘what colours would you like to see on a feature wall’ and that we should have worded the question differently, in addition, the question ‘would you use a CAMHS website?’ we should have specified if you were CAMHS service user.  The question asking what you would like to see on the trollies was under represented for the older age groups and this should be taken into consideration.

The focus group have made some recommendations based on their findings and some through discussions with young people, some who have been CAMHS service users.

What difference has it made?

Recommendations from the data received

  • To have colourful mood lamps in the rooms, then the young people can be given the option of which lighting they prefer, natural main light or colourful mood lamps.
  • The focus group have recommended having portable trollies carrying age appropriate Items to be used in appointment rooms. These trollies could include grounding and mindfulness objects for the correct age group and can be moved between rooms as and when needed.
  • To have comforting and homely accessories in the rooms, such as cushions and throws.
  • To have fidget and stress toys accessible in all rooms.
  • To have drinks and biscuits available during meetings. 
  • To have background music available if they would like it.
  • To have a fun modern easy accessible website.
  • To have an accessible out door space to include shelters and seating areas for service users to use.

Other recommendations from the focus group  

  • In the initial letters offering appointments mention/offer other locations to have the appointment, especially for the first appointment
  • The group felt that further research into suitable / age appropriate posters would be recommended.
  • To ask the service users if they wanted a family member or friend in the appointments after the initial assessment or would they rather go in alone.
  • To ask the service users if there was anything that would make them feel more comfortable in their first meeting and keep this on file for further meetings.
  • Develop an Information booklet or leaflet to include links and a QR code to the website for first time users, sent in the referral letter so people know what and who to expect.
Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Tenant's Survey 2020 - Covid-19 Tenant's Survey 2020 - Covid-19 Wrexham County Borough Council 16 Nov 2020 28 Dec 2020
Why are we doing this?

This survey will provide us with valuable information, which will be used to evaluate our services during the Covid-19 lockdown.

What we found out

89% of people found the welfare calls they received from their local estate office to be either helpful, informative or reassuring.

The main reason people wanted estate offices to remain open, even if it was reduced opening hours, was so that they could pay their rent.

 

What difference has it made?

We are going to review all our procedures to include more support and welfare calls for tenants.

 

We have updated our system with current contact details following the welfare calls.

 

We are reviewing re-opening our Estate Offices.

 

Title Department/ service area Start date End date     
View more details for consultation Wrexham Council's Decarbonisation Plan Wrexham Council's Decarbonisation Plan Wrexham County Borough Council 06 Nov 2020 13 Dec 2020
Why are we doing this?

The Climate Emergency is one of the most important topics of our time and one which we must address quickly. The Welsh Government declared a Climate Emergency in Wales, thereby setting ambitious plans for the public sector to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The Council has also declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency which will target the decarbonisation of Council operations and promote the protection and enhancement of its natural environment.  Full Council approved a motion to develop a clear Decarbonisation Plan for the authority. The Plan will set an agenda and programme of works for creating a ‘carbon positive’ organisation.

We are asking you the community, for your feedback, ideas, discussion points that will ultimately feed into the creation and establishment of our Decarbonisation plan. We know that our work will centre on the 4 main categories highlighted, and we will give you a bit of background to each one. However;  we welcome your thoughts and ideas for each topic, and how we can create exciting and innovative projects,  that will not only support the aims and objectives of our plan, but also support the protection and enhancement of our natural environment for future generations.  

 

What we found out

The consultation showed us that in general people were supportive of the actions and activities that we were proposing to undertake as part of the plan.  We received a handful of comments from people who expressed concern about the amount of money that would be required in order to implement all of the actions, and questioning whether this work should be a priority in the current pandemic emergency.  However, on the whole respondents were supportive and felt that some ideas could be taken even further to ensure a real difference can be made to carbon emissions and the climate emergency.

What difference has it made?

The views that people expressed in the consultation were shared with Elected Members and officers, and were used to shape the final version of WCBC’s decarbonisation plan.  This plan was approved by full Council in May 2021 (see attached plan).