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

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a peaceful and happy time.

Carmarthenshire’s Landlords Conference will be held in Carmarthen early in the New Year. The conference has been organised in association with Davies Parsons Allchurch Solicitors and will be held in the Ivy Bush Hotel on Thursday January 21 from 4-7pm with doors opening at 3pm. There will be guest speakers, information stalls and refreshments. A special feature, Question Time, has been organised with an expert panel answering questions. Please email any questions to SCHBSULlanelli@carmarthenshire.gov.uk There is free entry. The Booking Hotline is 01554 742300, e-mail: SCHBSULlanelli@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Last year’s chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council has raised more than £15,000 for his chosen charity. Former chairman Cllr Hugh Richards has presented a cheque for £15,105.95 to representatives of the Llanelli Branch of Cancer Research UK. Fundraising efforts during the chairman’s year in office included more than £5,000 from the Charity Ball in March, £3,540 proceeds from Sunday Lunch at the chairman’s home, almost £3,000 from Sunday Lunch at Stradey Castle, and £1,860 sponsorship money from those who took part in the Walrus Dip.

"Everything I am I owe to spaghetti" - Actress Sophia Loren.

A man caught with 15 live lizards strapped to his chest at Los Angeles airport has pleaded not guilty to smuggling. Michael Plank was returning from Australia when customs agents found two geckos, two monitor lizards and 11 smaller lizards fastened to his body. All are strictly regulated, and authorities say Plank had no permit for them.

A leading Carmarthenshire councillor has called in to visit the staff who are the first point of contact with county residents. Executive board member for customer care Cllr Kevin Madge called in at the Customer Service Centre in Ty Elwyn, Llanelli, this morning to wish staff a happy Christmas and to thank them for their efforts. Councillor Madge said: “I am delighted once again to be visiting staff who are the first point of contact between residents and the council. “It is important to actually see for myself the excellent services we deliver and to thank the staff personally.” Carmarthenshire Direct will be open for business as usual between Christmas and New Year. The contact centre and Customer Service Centres at Ty Elwyn, Spilman Street and Ammanford Town Hall will open on Wednesday December 30 and Thursday 31. CSCs will open from 8.45am to 5pm, and the contact centre from 8.30am to 6pm on December 30 and 8.30am to 5pm on December 31.

Members of Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Team have been at the Carmarthen Indoor Market to promote the Registered Traders Scheme which is five years old. Trading Standards established the scheme in 2004 in an attempt to combat the rising level of complaints about home repair and domestic improvements. The service believed the public was being let down by cowboy builders and that reputable businesses were fed up with the image that all builders are incompetent or worse. The traders on the scheme have signed to say that they agree to run their business in accordance with certain terms and conditions, as laid down by Trading Standards. Since its implementation, the scheme has grown to include all the main sectors of the building trade, as well as general builders. There is also a separate list of Gardeners and Handypersons and there are plans to include Pest Control companies in the near future. Viv Jones, Scheme Coordinator said “I am conscious of the fact that many residents are st

Pupils at Llanelli’s Ysgol y Strade have been put in the driving seat when it comes to their school dinners. Pupils have been taking part in a questionnaire so that Carmarthenshire’s Catering Service can gain a better insight in to what they like and dislike about school meals. In return, pupils were entered in to a prize draw to win a signed Scarlets rugby shirt or a month’s worth of swimming vouchers for two. Year 11 pupil Dyfan Watkins, and year eight pupil Dion Jenkins, won the swimming vouchers, and year nine pupil Alex Stewart picked up the signed Scarlets rugby shirt. Helen Bailey, marketing and project officer for Carmarthenshire County Council, said it was all about giving pupils more control over what they eat during school hours. “We wanted to pilot a questionnaire in comprehensive schools to see if we could have a better insight into what the pupils like,” she said. “Information gained from the questionnaires will be relayed back to the catering team to try and target any p

A new bus service has been launched in the Glanymor and Tyisha area of Llanelli giving residents greater access to the nearby retail parks. Carmarthenshire County Council’s transport department, Communities First team and local residents groups have worked with First Cymru to initiate a new service which will stop at Seaside, Tyisha and Morfa en route to Parc Trostre and Parc Pemberton. The service is running for a trial period to ascertain the viability of the service before anything permanent is put in place, and runs in addition to the Bws Bach service. Local residents groups in Morfa, Tyisha and Seaside have worked hard to represent their community’s needs, and have been supported by Communities First Glanymor and Tyisha link officer Faye Davies. She said: “This new bus service is a result of what can be achieved when communities work together. There was a huge need for this service as no service previously existed for local residents. I hope that the trial period will prove the ne