Don't forget tonight's meeting with DCC to discuss their plans for Maes Emlyn!

 Hello! Many apologies for not having updated this blog, but we have had computer issues with it, which we thank we have now fixed.

Below is a copy of the newsletter that we councillors delivered last month.

If you have any further questions today, please email either Justine or Barry directly, as Keith is working away and won't be able to take your question to the meeting.

Many thanks for your support and comments.

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Dear Resident,                                                                                                                         June 2023

Hello again! It’s your Rhyl Town Council (RTC) and Denbighshire County Council (DCC) Councillors.  Although things may appear to have gone very quiet with Maes Emlyn and the plans for its change of use, there will now be a flurry of activity in the coming weeks.

You will soon receive through the post a further newsletter from DCC informing you of the date, time and location of the promised formal public meeting.

Monday 3 July, 6.30pm, Rhyl Youth Centre

(on East Parade, LL18 3AF, by the bowling greens and opposite Fairfield Avenue)

A reminder that DCC intend to use 24 of the Maes Emlyn flats plus the old community room on a "temporary basis" as accommodation for “people who are looking for homes”. Because this would be a ‘Change of Use’, they have to submit a planning application. They are looking for further thoughts and comments from residents, to help shape their planning application, which, to our understanding, will likely be submitted in July, pending discussion of the plan with the DCC Cabinet.

DCC did hold a consultation meeting back in March, which was well attended by you. Since then we have been made aware by some that you did not feel as if all your questions were answered fully. We urge you to make every effort to attend on the evening of 3 July. However, if you cannot make this evening, DCC have promised to put in place a way to ask a question through the chair on the night. But, please also send us your views by phone or email. We will make your views known on the night. Our details are at the bottom of this letter.

Supporting homeless people in manageable numbers is something we all support. Since March DCC have given some details of how 24 young single (based on the demograph data cited by DCC) homeless people will be supported in a meaningful and coherent way but we still have some issues that we feel need addressing and explaining.

We still believe the standard of the Maes Emlyn accommodation will not match that found elsewhere. DCC have already admitted as much (they used the phrase ‘not fit for purpose’ back in 2020). The layout of the block and the individual rooms is of a poor design and these are factors which can hamper any well meant plans to engage with so many people. In March there had been a suggestion that the group might be smaller, or include couples, but these plans no longer feature.

As a result, we, as your Town and/or County Councillors, are still planning to object to the application, when it is lodged.

We will continue to work together in your best interests and we thank you for taking the time to phone, email, or simply stop us in the street to share your views. We still have an online blog page, which doesn't rely on you being on social media, nor us printing lots of letters each time. The link is www.maesemlynrhyl2022.blogspot.com Please keep an eye on our blog for all updates and if you have any questions, or wish to speak to us regarding the plans, our contact details are below.

Best Regards

Cllr Justine Evans Phone: 07795 649557 Email: justinemarie.evans@denbighshire.gov.uk

Cllr Keith Jones Phone/WhatsApp: 07901 821351 Email: keithrjones01@gmail.com

Cllr Barry Mellor Phone: 01745 350067 Email: barry.mellor@denbighshire.gov.uk

Cllr Stephen Feeney Phone: 07970 270745 Email: brynhedydd2022@aol.com