Local Children Get Messy to Tidy Local Eyesore

A group of children have helped tidy up the appearance of a local construction site.

Youngsters in Llay recently got together to paint and decorate boards which will be used to hide a skip site on Shones Lane.

The site is currently being used by Novus Property Solutions, a contractor currently carrying out housing improvement work on council properties in the Llay area.

Novus Property Solutions, who also organised the event, are installing kitchens and bathrooms in properties in Llay as part of Wrexham Council’s extensive project to bring all its homes up to the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard by 2020.

They invited local children to come along to Llay Resource Centre on a warm summer’s day to help decorate the boards and help improve the view of the skip site for local residents.

Local Member for Llay, Cllr Robert Walsh, said: “I’d like to thank Novus for arranging the event and for inviting local children to help out with something which will benefit everyone living locally.

“This is a massive project for Llay and will see hundreds of homes receiving improvement work.

“The weather was fabulous this morning and I saw plenty of children with paint all over their hands and huge smiles on their faces.

“They’ve all done a wonderful job and their work will now be visible for everyone to see on the site.”

Ffion Smith, Novus Property Solutions’ Social & Community Officer, added: “Skip sites are a necessary part of the extensive improvement work we are doing for Wrexham Council but, unfortunately, they are not very attractive as landmarks.

“Seeing as this one is on such a prominent site in the local community, we thought it would be great to get the local children involved to help improve it.

“Everyone had a great time this morning and we’d like to thank the children and the parents for coming along to help.”

Wrexham Council are offering new kitchens and bathrooms to all council properties in the County Borough, if they are required to meet the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

The Council is investing £52m in the work in 2016/17. This includes a £7.5m Major Repairs Allowance grant which the Welsh Government awards to local authorities to support them achieving the Welsh Housing Quality Standard.

Other internal and external improvements such as new central heating systems, electrical rewiring and External Wall Insulation are also being carried out on properties where required.

Work on all properties is due to be complete by 2020, when all homes are required to have met to the new standard.

Lead Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Roberts, said: “With such extensive improvement work being carried out in so many areas around Wrexham, it is important that our contractors are able to engage and work together with local communities.

“Community Benefit schemes are now part of all the contracts for housing improvement work and we’ve seen a boost in employment, apprenticeships and local spending as a result.”

More information on the improvement work being carried out, including a timetable of works for each community ward in Wrexham, can be found on the council’s website.