Latest news with #WrexhamCouncil
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- General
- Leader Live
Wrexham Council seeking newly qualified social workers
If you've recently graduated with a degree in social work and are looking to take your first steps onto the career ladder, Wrexham Council wants to hear from you. The council has a well-established support programme for newly qualified social workers, called the First Year in Practice Framework. The aim is to make sure social workers get the right level of support during their first 12 months – providing them with lots of training and guidance, and carefully managing the size and complexity of their workloads so they're not overwhelmed. Read more Social worker Wes Griffiths started his career in Wrexham several years ago, and feels it gave him a strong foundation. He said: 'The culture and the learning environment, and the opportunities they provide you with in terms of terms of training and development, did make it attractive for me to apply as a newly qualified social worker, and I did benefit from that throughout the early stages of my career.' So if you're just starting out as a social worker, take a closer look at Wrexham Council's website.
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Notice served on caravans on Wrexham playing field
A number of caravans pitched up on the playing field off Wat's Dyke Way in Garden Village on Wednesday evening. Wrexham Council has issued a legal notice ordering the caravans to leave the playing field. MORE NEWS: Garden Village county councillor Andy Williams said: "They have been served a Section 77 notice and should leave by the weekend. "The council hass acted very fast which means they will be moved on very soon." A Wrexham Council spokesperson said: "We are aware of the situation and have visited the site and served the appropriate notice to leave to those concerned."
Leader Live
2 days ago
- Business
- Leader Live
Wrexham could be set for bin strikes as workers balloted
The union says the dispute comes after Wrexham Council changed the way workers in the Street Scene operation team were given overtime. Street Scene operators include refuse workers as well as those working on parks, gardens and highways. A Unite union spokesperson claims: "Previously, they were given additional days off over Christmas and can volunteer to work overtime. However, the council forced through changes without any consultation with workers or Unite, which means they now have to compulsorily work Saturdays. "This is a choice by the employer to extend the working week without agreement and means every worker would lose half a day's pay." Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary said: "The way Wrexham Council has attempted to force through these changes to working patterns, without any negotiations, is nothing short of a disgrace. "Unite will always fight to protect our members' conditions at work and they will have our full support throughout this dispute." The union claims the changes implemented by Wrexham Council will also see Unite members' pay reduced for overtime without agreement with workers or any negotiations with Unite. The union also claims that affected workers have already endured years of below inflation pay rises as well as this year's below-inflation offer of 3.2 per cent. The ballot closes on August 5 and industrial action could take place in late August. Unite members are also considering any potential strike action to take place over Christmas, when households usually have more rubbish needing to be removed than usual. Simon Ellis, Unite regional officer said: "Any bin strike in Wrexham would be extremely disruptive and we know people living in the city will not be pleased to hear about this potential action. "This is an easy dispute to fix, by maintaining our hardworking members' currently-agreed hours and overtime pay and we urge the council to come back to the negotiating table before it is too late." Alwyn Jones, Wrexham Council's interim chief executive said: "We are extremely disappointed to see Unite the Trade Union take this action especially after the lengthy and prolonged consultation the organisation undertook as part of the annual budget setting process in the 2024/25 financial year. "It is important to note that given the difficult financial position public services find themselves in, the public in Wrexham have and continue to be faced with ever increasing Council Tax bills plugging gaps in finances across the council area and protecting public service delivery. TOP STORIES "The council embarked on an extensive transformation programme in an attempt to negotiate the difficult decisions that are required to ensure we remain financially solvent. All of the recognised trade unions have been party to consultation on the detail of the budget savings proposals. "This particular saving, relating to switching refuse collections to Saturdays rather than Bank holidays brings in over £100k of savings. The proposal has been through all of the council's processes and committee cycles and consultation processes. "The department also undertook extensive consultation with the workforce on the proposals with only 19 individual responses amongst a workforce of 245 employees disagreeing with the plans. "Wrexham County Borough Council has worked hard to save jobs and continue to support in-house delivery of public services especially these frontline services. We remain committed to this principle and are very upset that this trade union has chosen to take this action and potentially put the public in the County Borough through another period of unnecessary service disruption."
North Wales Live
3 days ago
- Business
- North Wales Live
'Extremely disruptive' bin strike looming in Wrexham as staff balloted on action
Union leaders are warning of potential bin strikes in Wrexham in an row about overtime. Unlike Birmingham, where bin collections have been disrupted since January, the Unite union said Wrexham's strikes are likely to be targeted at holiday dates. More than 100 Unite members are being balloted on industrial action. With backing, this could see strike action on dates such as the August bank holiday and the busy Christmas period. According to Sharon Graham, the union's general secretary, the dispute centres on overtime changes implemented by Wrexham Council. As well as refuse workers, this will affect other Street Scene staff working in parks, gardens and highways, she said. Ms Graham said staff were previously given additional days off over Christmas, with overtime offered to plug the gaps. Saturday working has now become compulsory, she said. This change was implemented 'without any consultation' with staff or Unite, said Ms Graham. The loss of overtime will mean every worker losing the equivalent of half a day's pay, she added. The threat of industrial action echoes Wrexham's seven-week bin strike in autumn 2023 in a dispute over pay. This left some communities with rubbish piling up on streets. Ms Graham said: 'The way Wrexham Council has attempted to force through these changes to working patterns, without any negotiations, is nothing short of a disgrace.' Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now The changes will also see staff pay reduced for overtime. Unite said affected workers had already 'endured years of below inflation pay rises'. This year they were offered a below-inflation 3.2% pay rise, said the union. The union has also claimed a 'lack of engagement' from Alywn Jones, the council's new interim chief executive, following an initial meeting to resolve the dispute. The ballot closes on August 5 with Unite threatening industrial action in late August. Unite members are also considering strike action over Christmas. Unite regional officer Simon Ellis said: 'Any bin strike in Wrexham would be extremely disruptive and we know people living in the city will not be pleased to hear about this potential action. 'This is an easy dispute to fix, by maintaining our hardworking members' currently-agreed hours and overtime pay. We urge the council to come back to the negotiating table before it is too late.'
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Wrexham: National Playday to be celebrated in city centre
National Playday will be celebrated in the city on Wednesday, August 6, with free activities taking place from 12pm to 4pm on Queen's Square and Llwyn Isaf. Cllr Phil Wynn, Wrexham Council's lead member for education, said: "The aim of this event is to highlight children's right to play, encouraging people to recognise the value of playing to children, their families and their local communities. READ MORE: Memorial ride to return as Flintshire family honour baby Leo's memory "Wrexham's Playday event is part of the local authority's continued commitment to try and ensure all children across the county borough have enough time, space and permission to play." The event is open to everyone and will include a giant sandpit, junk play, and other playful activities. Organisers recommend wearing clothes that can get messy and wet.
