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

The Welsh Government has turned down the opportunity to protect communities from the threat of fracking, and will instead follow the pro-fracking lead from Westminster. The Minister for Planning Carl Sargeant could introduce stricter planning controls on drilling for shale gas, but in a letter to Friends of the Earth Cymru [1] has said he would only act to protect communities in Wales if legislation is changed to do so in England. Fracking can pollute groundwater, has already caused earthquakes in England, and can potentially have even higher climate emissions than coal. Gareth Clubb, Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, said: “Communities right across Wales are crying out for the Welsh Government to stand up and do something to protect them from fracking. Instead it’s decided to wait for changes to be made in England - if they happen at all. “This makes a mockery of devolution. Instead of considering the particular circumstances in Wales and protecting Welsh communities, our govern...

Carmarthenshire has been awarded £1.9million by the Welsh Government for achieving improvements to services. They include the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard programme; public rights of way; Llanelli Library refurbishment; and the Healthy Schools initiative. The money is given through the Outcome Agreements between the Welsh Government and all councils in Wales. They focus on local government service improvement and are designed to link in with the Welsh Government’s priorities, using a grant as a central lever for improvement. The grant, known as the Outcome Agreement Grant (OAG), is paid to the council according to the level of improvement they achieve and the outcomes they deliver. Carmarthenshire County Council was one of the first in Wales to be awarded the maximum grant of £1.923million for its performance. Local Government and Communities Minister Carl Sargeant said “I congratulate Carmarthenshire on their improvement performance. This demonstrates their strong commitment t...

Bwcabus is reaching even more highways, byways and farmsteads in remotest Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion than ever before. Welsh Minister with responsibility for Transport, Carl Sargeant, launched the extended Bwcabus service for Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion at Lampeter University. The innovative and popular transport service in West Wales has transformed lives, allowing passengers especially the elderly a degree of independence to organise their lives. And it has been expanded with additional financial support from the Welsh Government which is in addition to the £1.8 million which has been committed to the project through the European Regional Development Fund. New additional areas served by the extended service are in North Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion including Lampeter, Llanybydder, Felinfach and Llangeithio. Mr Sargeant said: “Bwcabus is a pioneering demand responsive service that is transforming transport in rural West Wales.” “Bwcabus is playing a crucial role in helping pe...