THE new Mayor of Ruthin says she that taking steps to avoid flooding ‘affecting the lives of residents’ again will be one of her top priorities in the role.

Councillor Heather Williams replaces Cllr Gavin Harris who steps down from the role of the Mayor of Ruthin after two years in office.

Back in January, Ruthin suffered severe flooding as a result of Storm Christophe, with homes evacuated and businesses hit hard.

Cllr Williams says that, in her role as Mayor, she will be undertaking a project with the aim of reducing the risk of this happening again in future.

She said: “The main project which I want to initiate is the planting of more trees in the town. One of the reasons for this is because at the beginning of 2021 Ruthin was affected by flooding again. I want the community to be involved in trying to stop this happening again in our lovely town and affecting the lives of its residents.

“It it recognised that not only can tree planting help to reduce flooding, but trees also help to absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere and help clean the air we breathe. Trees can also help feed us as well as animals so another aspect would be create areas, such as a community orchard.

“I aim to create partnerships and involve local people in planting trees in appropriate areas and already I’ve had some contact with groups which are interested in being involved.”

Speaking of further plans for Ruthin Cllr Williams added: “I am very keen to continue to develop the activities which had just started at The Old Courthouse/Yr Hen Lys before coronavirus affected the opening of this newly restored historic building.

"People will be able to enter the building free of charge to discover the fascinating history of the building itself and the heritage of the town and the immediate surroundings. There will be displays of different artists’ work which will be for sale and also a showcase of products which can bought in some local businesses. I really want to encourage its use as a meeting place - both formally and informally."

Cllr Williams moved to Ruthin in 1988 and has actively participated in community life ever since. Soon after moving there, she joined the Ruthin and District Civic Association and became Chair for a period of eight years.

She also helped initiate the Open Doors Heritage weekends in Ruthin which are still organised by the Association. During the mid-1990s, she was involved in the campaign to get Nantclwyd y Dre open as a visitor attraction.

In addition, Cllr Williams has volunteered for the likes of Ruthin Citizens Advice Bureau and was also a Magistrate for almost 20 years.

She originally qualified as a professional Town Planner and worked in various Planning Departments for ten years, including Wrexham Maelor and the former Glyndŵr District Councils.

After the birth of her daughter, she had various jobs in the North East Wales area including working as a Development Officer for voluntary organisations such as the Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC).

As a self-employed tourist guide in recent years, Cllr Williams has been involved with the tourism sector. She is on the Destination Denbighshire Partnership and is a Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador, promoting the area particularly with ‘Royalty and Rogues’ tours in Ruthin.

Cllr Williams has been a Town Councillor in Ruthin since 2015. She says her background as a Town Planner has been useful in her role as Chair of the Planning and Development Committee of the Council for the last two years.