Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Residents are being misinformed on new Dog Control Orders proposed for Carmarthenshire. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, local authorities now have greater powers to control dogs in public places. As a result, the county council is looking at proposals for Carmarthenshire. A report has gone before the council’s executive board and an extensive consultation exercise will get underway in the autumn before any final decision is reached. However, the council is aware that there is a lot of misinformation amongst the public which is creating much unnecessary animosity. In particular, the council has received a petition with 1,550 names on it which does not accurately reflect what the council is proposing. The petition states that ‘dogs must be kept on leads at all times on all cycleways, private roads and footpaths to which the public has access’ which is incorrect. Residents are now being urged to make sure they check any facts before signing anything. They are also

With only weeks to go to switchover, Carmarthenshire County Council is urging residents across the area to help someone else to switch to digital. The council is backing the Switchover Help Scheme’s ‘Pass it On’ campaign to make sure every eligible older and disabled person in the area knows about the help they can get to keep their TV working when switchover starts in August 2009. The Carmel Cross transmitter group mostly serving parts of south and central Wales starts on August 26 2009, and is preceded by the Kilvey Hill transmitter group covering Swansea beginning to switch on August 12, and Preseli transmitter group serving south west Wales starting to switch on August 19. In the lead up to switchover, the BBC-run Switchover Help Scheme is offering practical help to eligible older and disabled people to make the change to digital on one of their TV sets. Watching TV without digital equipment will not be possible after switchover so even if you have already converted a TV set yourse

A new DVD and resource pack is helping to deliver the ‘Think Safe, Drink Safe‘ message to hundreds of young people across Carmarthenshire. The Community Safety Partnership, together with the Carmarthenshire School Improvement Service and Healthy Schools scheme, has produced the educational pack to use with Year Eight secondary school pupils which directly links risky behaviour and the effects of alcohol. The DVD was produced by students at Coleg Sir Gar’s Graig Campus in Llanelli who both starred in and directed it. The pack includes lesson plans, question sheets and suggestions for individual and group exercises. Community Safety Partnership chairman Mark James said: “Alcohol-related crime is a key priority for the partnership. “A number of initiatives are underway in Carmarthenshire to raise awareness of the harmful effects of drinking, in particular amongst young people. “We hope this resource pack will encourage young people to think about the dangers associated with drinking from

A free take-away is being offered to residents in Carmarthenshire with old bangers to get rid of. The county council is running a vehicle amnesty in conjunction with the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Launched on July 1, the amnesty is open to owners of cars, vans, motorbikes and trucks up to 7.5 tonnes. So far 16 vehicles have been collected. Funding has been secured through the Welsh Assembly Government’s arson grants scheme with match funding from Carmarthenshire County Council. The amnesty is limited to 100 vehicles. The aim is to help reduce the problem of abandoned vehicles in the county and improve residents’ safety and quality of life. The scheme is also good for the environment as it will make sure all hazardous fluids and materials are removed from the vehicle and that as much recycling as possible takes place. Executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones said: “Abandoned vehicles have a negative impact on the environment. They look unsightly

Carmarthenshire’s Modified Car Show is back - and it promises to be bigger and better with high octane fun for all the family. The action-packed day out is being held at Pembrey Race Circuit on Sunday, August 16, between 10am and 4pm and there will be thrills and spills galore with track action, skid car and sound off, as well as trade stands, fun fair and DJ. The show is being organised by the Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership in association with Pembrey Circuit and G-Tec Garage Services and will showcase some of the top performance and modified cars around. Also attending are Dyfed-Powys Police who will have a number of police cars and motorbikes on display; Carmarthenshire County Council’s Road Safety Unit with lots of information and advice; the Fire and Rescue Service’s with its car crash trailer; the Safety Camera Partnership, and the British Army. This year’s event also incorporates the Gwendraeth Valley Classic Car Show for the first time. As well as being a fun day

Carmarthenshire council’s executive board has backed new measures for greater control of dogs in public places. A report on new Dog Control Orders proposed for Carmarthenshire went before members for their approval before going out for public consultation. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, local authorities now have greater powers to control dogs in public places. A working group was set up involving various council departments such as street scene, education, leisure with representatives from the country parks and Millennium Coastal Park, housing and public protection to help decide the way forward. The group also consulted with town and community councils as well as residents via the council website and through advertising in the local press. The executive board is supporting the proposals which include banning dogs from certain areas such as schools, play areas and sports pitches; limiting the number of dogs that a person can walk in public places; and keeping

Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board has welcomed the news that Welsh medium education in the county is on the increase. At its most recent meeting the board heard that the growth has been most dramatic in the Llanelli area. Despite a significant increase in the number of parents opting for places in Welsh medium schools this year, every child in Llanelli who wants to be educated through the medium of Welsh has been given the opportunity. In time, an additional 340 Welsh medium places will be created in Llanelli schools through the council’s Modernising Education Provision programme. A second form has been added at the Furnace school to help accommodate the increased demand. Looking further ahead there are major investment plans for the three Welsh medium primary schools in the town. The council plans to build a new school to replace the existing Brynsierfel School. Work is due to start in September on a £5.1million facility which will cater for 210 pupils. The plans also a

Millions of pounds are to be pumped in to the Amman and Gwendraeth valleys as part of a major investment programme. The regeneration scheme will improve several areas stretching from Brynamman to Penygroes, as part of the Welsh Assembly Government’s Western Valleys Strategic Regeneration Area (SRA) programme. Plans include a Piazza scheme in Ammanford town centre, and preliminary works on a 31-hectare strategic business park in Cross Hands. As part of the first round of project approvals Carmarthenshire County Council’s economic development division has been successful in bidding for in excess of £1million from the Assembly Government’s SRA fund. Carmarthenshire County Council director of regeneration Dave Gilbert said: ”Our teams have worked hard to secure this money, and are eager to start implementing their plans for regenerating the Amman and Gwendraeth Valleys. “This round of works will further enhance the area, and will set the wheels in motion for future development.” The Wester