Flintshire

An open Doors event will offer visitors a chance to see what lies inside Flintshire’s ‘hidden gem’ library.

Gladstone’s Library in Hawarden is taking part in Open Doors 2024, which takes place on September 14.

Visitors are invited to explore the history, collections and architecture of the UK’s only Prime Ministerial Library. It is also a rare example of a residential Library, having 26 bedrooms on site.

Alexandra Foulds, Archivist at Gladstone’s Library, said: “This is an opportunity to see some of the highlights of Gladstone’s Library’s printed collections and archives, have a tour of our Reading Rooms, and go behind the scenes in our strongrooms.

“This year’s event will focus on the early years of Gladstone’s Library. We’ll explore the foundation of the Library by William Gladstone in 1894 and what it looked like during his lifetime, the construction of our current building as the national monument to Gladstone after his death, and early visitors to the Library. We’ll discuss Gladstone as a lifelong reader and book-lover, his vision for the Library, and how this is implemented today.”

The Open Doors scheme is Wales’ annual contribution to the European Heritage Days initiative. It is organised country-wide by CADW.

[Flintshire] council is poised to introduce monthly black bin collections in a bid to improve its recycling rates.

Flintshire Council is currently facing the threat of fines of more than £1m after missing the Welsh Government target of recycling 64 per cent of the rubbish it collects for the last four financial years.

With the goal set to increase to 70 per cent in 2024/25, the local authority is now planning to only pick up general waste from residents once every four weeks.

Politicians have previously resisted switching from the present fortnightly arrangement due to concerns over how it will impact residents.

However, senior officials have warned change is necessary to avoid further financial penalties.

The councillors whose shock decision to leave Labour and form their own new party – Flintshire People’s Voice – at Flintshire County Council’s AGM have spoken out about what drove them – and their hopes for the future.

The shock move was led by Penyffordd councillor Alasdair Ibbotson during last weeks AGM of Flintshire Council at County Hall in Mold.

Their decision took the council by surprise – and saw Labour lose a number of key positions, while clinging onto the leadership by a single vote.

In his speech in the chamber, Cllr Ibbotson referenced disagreements with a cabinet member over the accuracy of information provided to a committee, describing it as “a matter of honour”.

Cllr Ibbotson said “this took place in a secret section of the meeting of the environment committee in January, relating to the council’s fleet contract, which has been in the news again recently after the provider entered administration.”

“Council rules prevent disclosure of discussions relating to contracts from being made public, so frustratingly, residents of Flintshire are prevented from knowing the exact details.”

“These contracts involve millions of pounds of public funds. It’s the bare minimum to expect cabinet members to know what’s in them, and to be able to give truthful and accurate responses to basic questions.”

Emergency services are tackling a fire after what is thought to have been an explosion at a chemical factory.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said it was called to a fire in the production area of the Synthite factory on Denbigh Road, Mold, Flintshire, at about 14:05 BST.

About 20 workers and contractors were evacuated to a police cordon in the town.

It is believed one man was injured and has been taken to hospital.

Councils need to achieve 70 per cent recycling by 2024-25, which Flintshire was close to hitting in 2019 but there has been a decline since, with the authority achieving just 60 per cent in 2021.

A six-figure fine believed to be in excess of £600,000 is the penalty for missing the target and Flintshire Council chiefs have previously been hauled in front of the Welsh Government’s Minister for Climate Change Julie James to explain the shortfall.

New information boards at one of Flintshire’s most historic sites have been vandalised and stolen in what has been described as an “attack on the community”.

Caergwrle Cllr Dave Healey, a historian and Flintshire Council’s cabinet member for the environment reported the damage at the village’s castle remains on Wednesday (July 19).

Two panels have been removed, and the whole supporting structure for one of them has been pulled out of the ground.

Steven Wilkinson was 23 when he was chased through the streets of Buckley, Flintshire, and stabbed by a man who used to be his friend.

Yn Gymraeg: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cymrufyw/erthyglau/cv2n1krnykpo