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

An Amman Valley woman has been fined £200 by magistrates after she was caught dropping a cigarette end on the ground. Michaela Jackson Griffiths, aged 39, of Heol Felen, Garnant, was also ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs and a £25 victim surcharge. Griffiths failed to attend Carmarthen Magistrates Court and the offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was proved in her absence. The court heard that on March 5 earlier this year she was caught by council environmental enforcement officers dropping a cigarette end in Lloyd Street, Ammanford. Griffiths was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 for the litter offence but she failed to pay it. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We are determined to clean up the county and will take action against anyone who is caught dropping any type of litter. “Cigarette ends in particular are a nuisance as not only do they look terrible but they are difficult and ...

Work has started on a £25k upgrading of a Zebra Crossing to a controlled Puffin Crossing at the Half Moon, Garnant. Costs of the scheme have been shared between the Carmarthenshire County council’s traffic management revenue budget and Cwmamman Town Council. The scheme would not have been possible so soon without the match funding contribution from the town council. The work involves new traffic signals and traffic and pedestrian detectors and will be completed before the end of March. County executive board member for engineering and transport Cllr Colin Evans said: “ Cwmamman Town Council has been extremely supportive of this scheme which the county would have found difficult to provide from its own budget for several years. “The speed at which this scheme is being delivered shows the benefit of collaborative working between the councils and officers and members on both sides are to be commended for their efforts providing this vitally needed traffic management safety upgrade.”

A Garnant garden is in full bloom, in special memory of a much-loved character who is sorely missed in the community. Bus driver Mark Withers sadly died in May 2013, after a brave fight against cancer. He was known and loved by many, and the whole community got behind him when he starred in the very first series of the popular TV programme The Great British Bake Off. So, when his wife Elaine and son Jethro decided to do something special in his memory, they were not short of helping hands. Their story features on the front cover of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Tenant 2 Tenant magazine , which is written by council tenants. Elaine wanted to talk about her garden project as part of the council’s Pride In Your Patch project, which is part of the council’s £220million Carmarthenshire Homes Standard investment. “My husband was quite a character locally, and people loved him wherever he went - to say it has been hard without him is an understatement, I miss him every day,” said Elain...

Ammanford’s Ysgol Y Bedol is helping the environment by going green and having solar panels. The Welsh medium primary school in Garnant is currently undergoing the installation of a 50kWp solar PV system. Two hundred panels are being installed as part of the Egni solar PV cooperative project. The new system is expected to slash increasing electricity bills with computers and lighting feeding off the natural resource. Children will also benefit by learning about efficiency ideas that can be crucial skills going forward. Carmarthenshire County Council Leader, Cllr Kevin Madge, said: “These panels not only generate clean energy and save money but will also help educate the children on the importance of climate change and sustainability, as well as the impact they have on the environment. The money saved in electricity by installing these panels can be used for other vital resources for the school, such as books and stationery needed to help provide the best possible education for our ch...

Welsh Government funding of £30,000 has been secured to look at future use of the site of a demolished Amman Valley eyesore. Carmarthenshire County Council has secured the money from the Welsh Government under its Western Valleys Regeneration Initiative to look at possible future uses for the land on Cwmamman Road, Garnant, in front of Arcade Terrace. The County Council bought the row of derelict houses in spring 2012 and immediately arranged for contractors TRJ to carry out demolition and leave a level site for sale to a developer when the property market improves. Investigations into traffic/transportation, site accessibility and an assessment of housing needs will be undertaken with designs also to be produced. It is hoped this initial study will be concluded in April 2014. The information from the investigations will be used to provide clear direction for the site’s future use. This project is being advanced as part of the council’s wider regeneration aspirations for Ammanford and ...

A four-mile historic themed “hunting the boar” walk, linking Ammanford and Garnant, is being launched. Cwmaman Town Council is inviting all comers to the launch and walk all or part of the trail on Friday and Saturday October 26-27. The Friday launch event consists of a walk from Ammanford to Garnant along the Riverside Walk and cycleway followed by an opening ceremony and a buffet at Ysgol y Bedol which is located at Folland Road, Garnant. For those persons not interested in the walk, it is possible to come directly to the opening ceremony at the school at 12.30pm. The event begins on Friday October 26th at Ysgol y Bedol, Folland Road Glanamman at 9.30 am with parking arranged in the Bowls Car Park situated directly opposite the school. Walkers will be transported by a bus to the start of the trail in Ammanford or for those not wishing to walk the whole path; it will be possible to be dropped off half way along the route. The route is a tarmac path for approximately four-miles and wi...

Not even the weather could dampen the mood at the official opening of a new community garden at Garnant Family Centre on the weekend. Rugby hero Shane Williams, recently appointed MBE, was the star attraction on the day which was also attended by dignitaries and many local families. Family Centre staff pulled out all the stops to make it a day to remember, with a barbecue and refreshments as well as activities and face painting for the children. The garden, which will be used by the whole community for enjoyment and education, has been made possible through grant funding. The Environmental Works Project - part of the county council’s Carmarthenshire Homes Standard programme to update council homes and benefit communities – contributed £56,500. A further £50,000 came from the Landfill Communities Fund of Waste Recycling Group (WRG) administered by the Environmental body WREN. The County Collaboration Fund and Cwmamman Town Council also provided support. Council Leader and local me...

Carmarthenshire’s County Council could bring criminal proceedings against the owner of a derelict Amman Valley eyesore if the owner doesn’t carry out urgent improvements. The owner of the Workingmen’s Hall on Cwmamman Road, Garnant, has been served with a Section 215 enforcement notice after failing to respond to repeated requests from council planning enforcement officers to improve the condition of the property. The Hall originally opened in 1927, is now in a dilapidated state after years of neglect with the decline of the property having a severe visual impact on the area. The lack of maintenance has also resulted in masonry falling onto the pavement that has had to be fenced off in the interest of public safety. Planning enforcement and Building Regulation officers from the council have made several attempts to engage with owner Mr Singh, of London-based Inca Estates, to clean up and repair the exterior of the building. Officers had warned that if the appearance of the building ...

Hywel Dda Health Board is providing more care in the community, rather than in the traditional hospital settings. This is one patient’s experience… A retired Llanelli steelworker has praised the work of the Hywel Dda Health Board Acute Response Team (ART) for not just treating his condition but becoming life-long friends as well. Leighton Hawker, 67,  from Garnant, Llanelli, has been living with diabetes since the 1980s. In 2003 he lost his leg to the condition and a few years ago an ulcer on his heel meant he had to battle to save the other leg as well. As the ulcer had penetrated the bone, Leighton needed a course of intravenous antibiotics (through a needle) to treat it but was otherwise healthy. Since he was well enough to be treated at home, the Carmarthenshire ART service were able to come out and care for him everyday for six weeks. A nurse from the team administered the antibiotics four times a day, starting first thing in the morning and sometimes not fin...

The owner of a prominent Amman Valley building has been served with a Section 215 enforcement notice after failing to respond to repeated requests from council planning enforcement officers to improve the condition of the property. The Workingmen’s Hall on Cwmamman Road, Garnant, originally opened in 1927, is now in a dilapidated state after years of neglect with the decline of the property having a severe visual impact on the area. The lack of maintenance has also resulted in masonry falling onto the pavement that has had to be fenced off in the interest of public safety. Planning enforcement and Building Regulation officers from the council have made several attempts to engage with owner Mr Singh, of London-based Inca Estates, to clean up and repair the exterior of the building. Officers had warned that if the appearance of the building was not significantly improved then the council would have no alternative but to take formal action. The owner has six months from November 10 to...

Volunteers and families on an Amman Valley estate are being given the chance to transform an area of waste ground into a community garden. Garnant Family Centre, which is a registered charity based on the Maes y Bedol estate in Garnant, will run the garden on waste housing land provided by Carmarthenshire County Council. The garden will be a fenced area with a vegetable and flower planting area, a fruit garden and lawn. Produce will be used in the Family Centre and sold to the community. There will be an Eco Lodge for outdoor educational use, classes and play sessions. The project will also include a new play area to replace the current play area. Families from Garnant Family Centre have been consulted and involved in the design, layout and choice of equipment. This is an exciting community project resulting from excellent partnership working between the Family Centre and Town Council. They have secured the funding from the County Council through the Environmental Works Project as part...

A new luncheon club got underway in Garnant last week with 17 new members turning up for its first day. The club is run by volunteers, and is held every Thursday at the Garnant Club, Cwmamman Road. It is one of the latest to be launched by the independent sector since Carmarthenshire County Council handed over responsibility for such clubs in order to allow them to become more flexible. The club provides an opportunity for older members of the community to meet and socialise over a freshly cooked hot meal. Entertainment, including bingo, is also provided. Local member, Cllr Kevin Madge, has worked closely with the community to get the new club up and running. He said: “We were thrilled to welcome 17 new members on the first day of the club, and hope that this will grow over time. This new club provides a great sociable activity for older members of the community, and the volunteers that have taken it on deserve all the support and praise they can get. Well done to everyone involved.” F...

Carmarthenshire County Council has bought an Amman Valley eyesore building in order to demolish it. The local authority’s physical regeneration department has bought the former Palais de Danse site in Garnant from the Royal British Legion for £30,000 with funding from the Welsh Government’s Western Valleys Regeneration Area scheme. The dilapidated building, also known as Haig Hall, will be demolished in order to remove an eyesore from the area. The county council proposes to create a low key environmental enhancement of the site including recreational amenities as the second phase of the project. Cwmaman Town Council recently completed a community consultation exercise and this building was highlighted as a problem property which has a detrimental effect on the amenity of the neighbourhood. Upon inviting suggestions from members of the public there was a unanimous view that the building should be demolished and the site cleared. Carmarthenshire County Council is looking to work in part...

A prominent eyesore property in Ammanford is due to go under the hammer. Providing bids reach the reserve at a property auction on July 8th, 221 Cwmamman Road, Garnant, will be sold to the highest bidder. If the property is sold, it will mark a significant step forward in a long-running saga over derelict properties in the area. This particular property has been vacant for the past 15 years, and has been left in a state of extensive disrepair, causing concern to local residents. Carmarthenshire County Council used their Compulsory Purchase Powers to acquire the property, and is now selling the property through auction. The new owner will be required to completely renovate the property as part of the sale agreement. The council’s Deputy Leader and member for Garnant, Cllr Kevin Madge, said: “It is good news that we are finally seeing a positive move forward, and I’m delighted that at long last we may soon have a solution. “Garnant residents have put up with this eyesore for far too long...

A special school holiday event is taking place in Ammanford during the Whitsun holiday. Stay Play and Plan your Way is an all day event being held at Ysgol Y Bedol, Garnant, on Tuesday, May 31, during the half-term holidays. Families are being invited along to enjoy free opportunities for play supported by the Carmarthenshire Children’s Partnership. Entertainment and refreshments funded by Genesis Sir Gar, a European Social Funded project through the Welsh Assembly Government, which aims to improve life for local families. Genesis co-ordinator Estelle Etheridge-Lawrence: “Children will be able to enjoy free face painting and glitter tattoos, try their hands at balloon modelling, wear themselves out on a bouncy castle and have fun and games with Theeko the Clown. “Meanwhile, parents and guardians will be able to get information and support on planning a brighter future with guidance on entering a supported career pathway of training, education, volunteering and employment.” The event fo...

Members of Carmarthenshire’s 50+ Forum steering group held their monthly meeting at Ysgol y Bedol, Garnant, and were welcomed by staff and pupils. Following a tour of the school – which includes classrooms, space for meetings, a gym and a recreational garden – steering group members sat down to discuss the development of a new healthy ageing action plan for the County. The plan will say what public sector organisations will be doing to encourage people to stay well and looking after themselves. Other hot topics included the developing role of steering group members as ambassadors for the Forum, and the role the group could play in encouraging older people to use modern technology. 50+ strategy and development officer Kevin Pett said: “The meeting was productive and there was healthy discussion on a number of topics. “Older people are the most likely group to be ‘digitally excluded’, meaning they are less likely to use things like mobile phones or the Internet. The steering group recogn...

Residents in Garnant are being urged to have a good clear out before Christmas and get rid of any rubbish they have lying around the home. A waste amnesty is being held on Saturday, October 22 where householders will be able to take advantage of a one-off chance to dispose of any large items of rubbish for free. A collection point will be set up at the car park in the bowls club between 8am and 10.30am. Most household waste can be taken along including bulky waste items such as furniture and electrical goods. However, asbestos, tyres, paint, garden chemicals, batteries, gas bottles, construction waste and trade waste will not be accepted. Operatives will also be on hand to help residents dispose of any bulky items. The amnesty has been organised by Carmarthenshire County Council and the aim is to encourage residents to dispose of waste that may otherwise be fly-tipped. It is also hoped the amnesty will encourage householders to recycle and/or reuse as much of their rubbish as possible....

Easter holidays went down a treat for young people in the Amman and Gwendraeth areas thanks to Carmarthenshire Council’s Youth Service. A range of activities were held throughout the break, and the It’s a Knockout event, held at Parc Golwg yr Aman, was a blast at the end of the holidays. Young people from across the two areas and beyond got together to enjoy a day of fun inflatables and obstacle courses. Rhys Jones, Senior Youth Worker for the Amman and Gwendraeth Areas said:“We had a fantastic turn out over the holidays and I’m so glad we can offer these activities to young people free of charge. “Our aim as a service is to put on a range of activities for young people during and out of term time in order to help develop their skills and to tackle mischief on the streets. “The team has plenty to offer and all young people are welcome to attend any of our clubs and initiatives.” To get involved in activities in the Amman and Gwendraeth areas, please contact the Glanaman Youth Resource ...

Plans to lease a parcel of county council land to Garnant’s Tot’s Ty Ni Family Centre on a peppercorn rent have been approved. The Family Centre, situated within the Maes Y Bedol estate, wants to take control of the land in order to create a community garden. Tots Ty Ni will be leased the land for 21 years on a peppercorn rent equivalent to the cost of setting up the lease agreement. The parcel of land is currently overgrown. The family centre proposes to cultivate the land, create raised beds and storage facilities for gardening equipment, and eventually erect a greenhouse. They will invite residents from the estate’s 60 dwellings and the local school’s gardening club. Once established, it is hoped that produce grown on the land can be sold to the local community, generating income which would be ploughed back in to the scheme. Local member, and deputy council leader, Cllr Kevin Madge, said: “This sounds like an excellent proposal which will be of huge benefit to the community. “I am ...