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

The consultation on Carmarthenshire County Council’s proposed Focused Changes to the Local Development Plan is being extended - to give residents more time to make their views known. The consultation period was originally due to run from July 31 to September 13 but the council has made a cross-party decision to extend the deadline by four weeks to Friday October 11. This gives more time for residents who may be going away on holiday in August, or town and community councils that do not have a meeting this month, and provides a clear six weeks beyond the August holiday period and the council recess .to discuss the issues and prepare a response. Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “The original consultation period was set in accordance with statutory guidelines and the Delivery Agreement as approved by council and subsequently by the Welsh Government. “However since it falls within a holiday period all parties have agreed that the deadline should be extended to give everyone a better o...

Do you like talking to people? If the answer is yes and you have a just a few hours a week to spare then you could be just the person Cardigan Hospital is looking for. Hywel Dda Health Board’s Volunteering for Health Service is recruiting activity and befriending volunteers for the hospital and has a recruitment information day arranged for you to find out more. As an activity assistant you will encourage patients to participate in a variety of stimulating and ‘therapeutic’ activities and work with staff to produce innovative and stimulating activities aimed at the rehabilitation of patients prior to discharging them home. Befrienders help patients to read and enjoy such things as crossword puzzles and jigsaws. Volunteers will also assist in distributing meals and encouraging patients to eat and drink regularly helping to maintain their nutrition and hydration needs whilst with us, as well as providing an opportunity for the patient to chat. Lesley Oldale, of Volunteering for Healt...

A community netball club started on the school yard has received a glowing endorsement from the sport’s governing body. The Llanelli Blues Netball Club has come runner-up in the Community Club of the Year category at the recent Welsh Netball awards night in Cardiff. It has been an amazing rise for the club, which only started when a group of pupils formed a netball section in their 5x60 sport sessions at St John Lloyd Catholic Comprehensive School. Linking with Carmarthenshire Sports Development’s 5x60 scheme, the club began taster sessions on the outdoor court at Parc Y Scarlets to give the community element a try. In September 2012, with Sport Wales national lottery community chest funding, the club started up under 13 and under 15 sections. But with mentoring from Carmarthenshire's Welsh Netball community coach, demand quickly grew to such an extent that they added a under 11 age group section. Gracielle Fontarum, Year 9 pupil at St John Lloyd’s said: “We decided to take o...

Motorists and farmers are being reminded to make sure their vehicles, caravans and trailers are roadworthy before they take to the road. Carmarthenshire council road safety manager Keith Griffiths said trailers not in use all the year round can fail with disastrous consequences when taken out on to the road after a long lay up. He urges motorists and farmers to ensure their vehicles and trailers are road worthy before they hit the road. The warning comes as figures from the Highways Agency show that between April and June 2013 alone, there have been 1,408 towing incidents on the UK’s roads, 246 in the south west with 43 in Carmarthenshire. The Carmarthenshire Road Safety Action Group have encouraged random roadside checks following an increase of incidents with towed vehicles being involved in accidents many of which have been caravans being towed to holiday campsites through or into the county from elsewhere. The Highways Agency has warned that towing incidents are often caused by ove...

An empty house in Burry Port has become the first in Carmarthenshire to be renovated and offered as social housing. The property was derelict and dilapidated for some time, however under the Welsh Government’s new Houses into Homes empty property initiative, it is now undergoing a major investment. Upon completion, it will be offered as an affordable rented home with the county council’s in-house social lettings team managing it on behalf of the private owner. The scheme involves offering interest free loans to owners of properties which have been empty for six months or longer, with the intention of bringing them back into use. Carmarthenshire’s housing executive board member Cllr Tegwen Devichand said: “We have a lot of empty properties in the county which are a wasted resource, considering the high housing demand. “The Welsh Government launched the Houses into Homes scheme last year, and has now invested £20 million throughout Wales. “Carmarthenshire has approved its first loan...

Visitors to a Carmarthenshire bunkhouse and bistro are being offered the chance to get behind the wheel of eco-friendly vehicles. Throughout August, The Level Crossing in Llandovery will be home to a Twizy electric car and two eBicycles. Both the part car/part scooter, which is powered using solar, hydro and wind energy, and bicycles are available to hire. The idea is to promote sustainable travel and reduce carbon footprint. The venture is primarily aimed at walkers and cyclists with secure storage and washing facilities for mountain bikes available. Open since May and located near to Llandovery Station, The Level Crossing bunkhouse is a community interest company that offers modern accommodation, food and a friendly bar. On the doorstep of the western Brecon Beacons and the Cambrian Mountains, there is something for everyone to enjoy here - mountains, lakes, castles, gardens and market towns. The area can satisfy the most energetic mountain biker to the more relaxed walker or keen ...

Supermarkets in Carmarthenshire have been charged a total of £8,200 for the recovery, storage and return of abandoned shopping trolleys since February 2011. The council introduced a policy to charge shops and supermarkets to try and reduce the problem of abandoned shopping trolleys, which have a negative impact on the environment, can cause injury to people and damage to property and vehicles. Shops are charged £10 per trolley for recovery, £10 per trolley per week for storage and £10 per trolley for return plus a £20 admin fee per batch released. In total 206 trolleys have been collected since the policy was launched – 145 have been returned, 40 have been scrapped (because they were unclaimed or untraceable) with the remainder currently in storage. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “The aim of the policy was to encourage supermarkets to have better control and management of their trolleys. “When abandoned, these trolleys have a negativ...