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

Schoolgirls Lia Davies and Lucy Johnson will see their winning festive designs lighting up Llanelli town centre. Every year – as part of the Christmas celebrations - a competition is held in local primary schools to design Christmas lights. Lucy, aged seven, from Ysgol Y Felin, won the infants category with her Christmas Angel, and Lia, from Ysgol Ffwrnes, wrapped up the junior category with her Christmas present design. The competition was held back in the summer, and the winners chosen, so there was enough time for the lights to be manufactured. The pair were invited along to see the lights going up as part of the festive decorations throughout the town centre. Lucy’s mum Clare said: “She has been super excited about it. Ever since she heard she had won, she hasn’t stopped talking about it.” Both girls will also be invited onto the main stage in Spring Gardens on carnival night - Friday, November, 18 - to help switch on the lights with Heart FM’s Jason Harrold and the town’s civic

The latest Clay Shaw Butler Money Matters column from the Carmarthenshire Herald. By Mark Jones, director of Carmarthen-based Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants. The Office for National Statistics has announced that the UK tax gap fell in 2014/15 to its lowest ever level of 6.5%. The press release confirms that the UK tax gap (the difference between the amount of tax due and the amount collected) is one of the lowest in the world. HMRC have reduced the tax gap from 8.3% in 2005/06. If the tax gap had remained at the 2005 to 2006 level of 8.3%, it would have grown to £47 billion and the country would have been £11 billion a year poorer. HMRC believe that the tax gap has fallen, in part, due to digital reporting. In particular Real Time Information reporting for the PAYE system has led to more accurate recording of information on payroll taxes, and the shift to VAT online has helped bring the VAT gap in 2014/15 to its lowest level of 10.3% (£12.7 billion).

More than a hundred foster children and their carers have created their own 'crowd of golden daffodils' at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne. A daffodil bulb has been planted for each of the foster children in the county. There are more than 200. The Botanic Gardens designated a special grassy area on one of their main walks in which a daffodil bulb was planted. The children joined with staff digging, planting and stamping down the clods of grass over their buried treasure of bulbs. They can’t wait to see the results of their labours in the spring. Carmarthenshire County Council's executive board member for education children’s services Cllr Gareth Jones, enjoying the Botanical fun day with his wife Meinir, said: “It’s encouraging to see one of the county’s major year round attractions, the Botanical Gardens, supporting our hard working fostering team and see everyone having so much fun. It was a really valuable exercise to boost the recruitment of foster c

With air raid sirens wailing, mixed up with sound effects of bombs dropping, wartime London was brought to Llanelli's Antioch Centre courtesy of Ty Golau. The realism was brought into sharp focus with a fabulous effort by more than 60 schoolchildren from Penygaer CP School who dressed as evacuees, complete with their suitcases and luggage label name tags. They mingled at the war year’s re-enactment of the really professional Ty Golau team dressed as munition workers and Land Girls with even Winston Churchill putting in an appearance. The voluntary group of Janet Lewis and her friends organise different themes for the weekly Ty Golau health and wellbeing sessions for people aged 50+ in homes all over Llanelli, Pembrey, Burry Port and Kidwelly. Carmarthenshire County Council's executive board member for social care and health, Cllr Jane Tremlett, said: “The Ty Golau team excelled themselves. It was really moving to see the children interacting with the dementia clients as air r

A 16-year-old Pembrey girl is to represent the county in a national debate at the House of Commons later this week. Gwen Griffiths, a member of Carmarthenshire Youth Council, will take part in the UK Youth Parliament debate on Friday, November 11. Gwen, who was elected by other youth councillors to represent Carmarthenshire, will join 300 Members of the UK Youth Parliament aged between 11 and 18. Speaker of The House, the Right Hon John Bercow MP will be welcoming the Youth Parliament for their annual sitting. Over the summer Carmarthenshire Youth Council (CYC) backed the UK's largest youth consultation, as the UK Youth Parliament tried to give one million young people across the UK a voice. CYC returned over 600 ballot papers for the event where they will be debating the top five issues chosen. Each debate topic will be introduced with speeches from regionally elected members, who will put forward arguments for and against the issue, before opening up to the floor. Following the

Roger Hunt of Cymru Christmas Trees was interviewed by Swansea Bay TV about the Welsh Christmas Tree Cooperative.

The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post. Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. www.philevans.co.uk ------------------------------------------ Get ready: So, after a relatively mild Autumn, the Meteorological Office have (rather too enthusiastically, it seems to me) predicted that the whole of the United Kingdom will be hit by blinding blizzards, ferocious snow storms and 25ft deep drifts from mid-November in our worst winter for five years. But, as Jimmy Cricket says, “Ladies and gentlemen . . . there’s more!” It might keep snowing for 120 days, so there’s every chance we’ll all be buried under the white stuff until February. Jimmy Cricket didn’t say that. The Met Office did. So, if the milk in your fridge is running low and your bread bin is looking depleted, pre-empt the rush. The minute you finish reading this newspaper, nip down to your local shop and buy a small brown loaf, a pound of butter, some t

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around West Wales) from the Carmarthen Journal and the Llanelli Star newspapers -  Burry Port Male Choir members are getting ready for their annual Christmas Concert. It is being held at the Memorial Hall in Burry Port on December 9. It’s been a busy year for the choir. Recently, they performed at a packed Pontyberem Memorial Hall as part of the celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of Mynydd Mawr Male Choir. The choir’s ‘annual concert’ at the Memorial Hall was also a huge success and featured a performance from Welsh Singers competition winner, the mezzo-soprano Sioned Gwen Davies. The choir took its present shape way back in September 1962, when a meeting was called at the Memorial Hall inviting along any persons interested in reforming the choir to attend – some 30 people turned up. The meeting concluded with Mr. Raymond Morris being appointed the new choir’s first conductor. Mr. Ryan Lee, the present conduct

Hywel Dda University Health Board is calling on members of the public to think twice before asking for antibiotics to treat illnesses such as colds and flu, in a bid to tackle growing resistance to antibiotics. As part of European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD) on 18 November, doctors and non-medical prescribers are being asked to only prescribe antibiotics when needed, in order to raise awareness of global antibiotic resistance and encourage best practice among the general public, health workers and policy makers. The campaign is also aimed at raising awareness about how to use antibiotics in a responsible way that will help keep them effective for the future. Jenny Pugh Jones, Head of Medicines Management for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: "Inappropriate antibiotic prescribing drives antibiotic resistance. This is a global threat to public health and both healthcare professionals and the general public need to take this issue very seriously. “We are encouraging prescri

Several patients are currently experiencing symptoms associated with Gastroenteritis and the Teifi Ward at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen, has been temporarily closed to visitors as a result. Infection control measures are in place to reduce the risk of infection and visitors are requested not to visit patients at this time. Sharon Daniel, Assistant Director of Nursing (Infection Prevention & Control) in Hywel Dda University Health Board said: "Illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting can pass from one person to another very easily and we have been informed that Gastroenteritis is also circulating in the community. “I would urge people who are feeling unwell or have been in contact with someone who has these symptoms NOT to visit patients in hospital at this time as viruses can be serious for sick and vulnerable patients.” Symptoms of Gastroenteritis include nausea (feeling queasy) diarrhoea and vomiting. If you are experiencing these symptoms it is important to wash and dry y

Children across Carmarthenshire are being promised that their rights will be honoured and considered in decision making. Senior councillors and officers have signed a pledge that will ensure the council meets minimum standards when making decisions that affect the lives of children and young people. It also means that decisions will be scrutinised by trained young people on an annual basis. Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole, Education Executive Board Member Cllr Gareth Jones, Chief Executive Mark James, Director for Education and Children’s Services Rob Sully, and Carmarthenshire Youth Council Chair Brittany Alsop-Bingham all signed the promise in advance of Children’s Rights Day, November 20. It was adopted by the county council last year and has been a strategic priority since, with a three-year strategy and action plan being developed. It included establishing a new Participation and Children’s Rights team, a growing Carmarthenshire Youth Council and more opportunities for young people to be

Businesses are being offered the opportunity to move into a hi-tech facility in a prime location. The Beacon Centre for Enterprise in Dafen has now been bought by Carmarthenshire County Council to help provide more opportunities for businesses. The Beacon, originally built by the Welsh Government as a technium centre in 2007, has been managed by the council since 2011, when it had just three tenants. Since then, the council has attracted a number of private sector businesses to the building and the lettable floor space of just under 12,500 sq. ft. is almost fully occupied. Resources executive board member Cllr David Jenkins said: “This success provided the council with the confidence to purchase the building to be able to further enhance its offering to the economy of Carmarthenshire, particularly in supporting younger businesses, growth sectors and strengthening links with the private sector. “The council has been able to offer flexible lease terms to allow companies to grow or move

Young people across Carmarthenshire gave their views on what was important to them to help shape the future of the county. This year’s Youth Conference gave them the opportunity to share their views on health and well-being, which will be fed into Carmarthenshire’s Wellbeing plan, being produced by the new Public Services Board. Well-being covers topics such as education, the environment, safety, health, jobs, the economy and all matters young people need to be happy, healthy and successful. A number of workshops took place at the conference and members of the Public Services Board (PSB) were in attendance to give advice and receive feedback. Youth Council Chair Brittany Bingham, aged19, said: “I hope the Future Generations Act will have an impact on not just Wales today but on our future in Carmarthenshire, for every generation to come after us. “It was a really good day to see so many young people discussing and giving their opinions on their well-being and of their community. “It’