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

A farming community in the Tywi Valley has been given a new lease of life - thanks to a new bridge. When a three tonne weight limit had to be imposed on Glandwr Farm Bridge, Cynghordy, residents feared the impact it would have on their daily lives. Carmarthenshire County Council acted swiftly as a major bridge strengthening scheme needed to be carried out due to the severe affect on the community. A scheme was developed to replace the existing two span bridge with a new structure comprising of an in-situ reinforced concrete deck, abutments and central pier. As well as the design of the new structure, land drainage consent had to be approved by the Environment Agency, together with the acquisition of privately owned land from adjoining landowners prior to construction works commencing. The works cost almost £200,000 to carry out and the overall scheme took 13 months to complete, from inception to completion of construction. Gill Wright of Ty Glandwr said: “There are four farms and a bed...

Back at my desk. Lovely break in London - took in Oliver at the Drury Lane theatre. Fab time. Now, back to work!

In London at usual base camp near Post Office BT Tower.

Computer sessions for complete beginners are taking place in libraries across Carmarthenshire next month. The First Click courses start in the week commencing November 8, and last for three weeks. They are taking place at Carmarthen Library on Mondays from 10am to 12noon; at Llwynhendy on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the same times; at Burry Port on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 2pm and 4pm; at Brynamman between 9.30am and 11.30am on Wednesdays; and at Pontyates on Fridays from 10am to 12noon. Anyone interested in attending the sessions should contact their local library for more information.

Anyone who has ever wondered how the first suspension bridges were built can find out at Carmarthenshire County Museum. An exhibition - Web of Iron - Nature, Art and Engineering – is on show at the museum in Abergwili from now until the end of November. It was inspired by pioneering engineers such as Thomas Telford and Captain Samuel Brown, and tells the story of the suspension bridge and the influence of both nature and art on its development. This exhibition looks at the development of the suspension bridge - in particular the chainbridge and the establishment of that form in Great Britain. Thomas Telford, more than any other engineer, is credited for the mainstreaming of its use in Britain and is the reason for presenting the exhibition in the 250th year of his birth. Education executive board member Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge said: “Of all the structural shapes that have appeared in the landscape, the suspension bridge is immediately recognised as one of the most graceful yet economica...

Dyfed-Powys Police in Carmarthenshire are advising organisers planning parades for this year’s Remembrance Sunday (Nov 14) that they will need to get a licence for any road closures. Previously the police have temporarily closed roads to enable Armistice parades to take place county-wide. The police have powers to close roads in an emergency. However, these events are pre-planned in advance, so the use of their "emergency" powers could be called into question. Such powers are more appropriate for genuine emergencies such as a collapsed structure or following a road traffic accident. Carmarthenshire County Council as the highway authority can arrange for temporary road closures, and this is seen by the police as a more appropriate way in dealing with such events. County executive board member for transport services Cllr Philip Hughes said: “We will be having further discussions with the police over this issue. In the meantime we will work with event organisers in relation to t...

Travellers from Carmarthenshire who use the TrawsCambria bus service have had a say in the way their services are delivered. There have been a series of public consultations and X40 passengers had the opportunity to make their views known at Lampeter Post Office. The X40 bus service between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth running via Pencader, Llanybydder, Llandbedr Pont Steffan, Lampeter and Aberaeron carries tens of thousands of passengers annually. Carmarthenshire County Council makes a contribution of more than £76,000 annually to TrawsCambria services. County executive board member for transport services Philip Hughes said this was a vital service helping people in rural communityies link up with hubs of transport. He was delighted they had been empowered to have their say on improving the service. He praised the Assembly for allowing service users to have their say. Cllr Hughes said: “There has been a major consultation process and it was encouraging to see so many Carmarthenshire fol...

The latest 'Iechyd Da' column by Llandeilo brewer Simon Buckley, as featured in this week's Carmarthen Journal newspaper. All too often I have been heard on the airwaves of Wales damning the supermarkets for their cheap beer offers and their constant threats to our much-loved and highly-prized village pubs. But out there now is a revolution that is giving brewers such as myself a new opportunity. Asda, part of the mighty Walmart group, have launched a new initiative to take beer from small breweries and to localise the sale of the beers to the brewer’s home ground. This means that small brewers who pass the quality threshold, and get the beer properly presented have now got the opportunity to sell beer through the main stream multiples. Margins as ever are tight, but the opportunity to show your beers let alone sell them to such a vast audience is something totally new to the majority of small brewers. At last an opportunity to showcase what we brewers can do. In addition,...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal newspaper. There has been a great response to the new mini-football initiative at Carmarthen Town. St Mary’s and Richmond Park schools kicked off the programme with an entertaining half-time match. Now officials at Carmarthen Town are looking for other primary schools to take part in the initiative. The next game is scheduled to be Johnstown Primary versus Ysgol y Dderwen during half-time at the Carmarthen v Port Talbot Welsh Premier League match on Friday, November 12. Pencilled in are matches between Peniel and Richmond Park and Model and Nantgaredig. “We have been encouraged by the interest in the matches,” said Carmarthen Town AFC vice-chairman Robert Lloyd. “But we are still keen to hear from other schools interested in taking part. “The mini-match is part of a developing programme to help junior football and the youngsters get a great thrill from taking part in a match under floodl...

The fishing season has now closed. Here, Phil Wood, Head Ghillie at the world-famous Talyllyn fishery in the Snowdonia National Park, gives his end-of-term report – Alas the end of the season has arrived and it seems just like last week when the snow was on the hills and we eagerly awaited the season to kick off. Some nice bags of fish were recorded throughout September. Messrs Wilde and Harries took 16 fish up to 1lb 12oz on Hoppers, George Lowe caught seven fish on Half Hogs and Hoppers, while C Lindsey and Jamie Roper caught 14 brownies on Sedges. Mr J Wilde came back and caught another 16 fish on Black Hoppers, J Hughes caught 21 on a Muddle, John Tansey and Ian Monk caught 10 fish up to 1lb 8oz. Bob Hillam and Brad Eley had 19 fish up to 1lb 12oz on Black Dries. Nathen Williams had 19 fish on a Green Peter, Muddler and a Black Dobbler. Resident ghillie Graham Bell caught 28 fish up to 2lb 12oz on an Olive and Jonathan Roberts had 13 fish on Dobbles. Scottish brothers Jim and Will ...

Recycling officers from Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion have been giving Teifi Valley residents some ‘food for thought’! They teamed up for an awareness-raising event at the Pwerdy Powerhouse Community and Arts Centre in Pontweli. Officers were on hand to give residents information on food recycling collections in their area as well as advice on how they could reduce their food waste. Helping them out was local chef Hazel Thomas who cooked up a storm with some recipes for using up leftovers including a quick tomato and lentil soup and sausage special fried rice. Carmarthenshire County Council waste minimisation/recycling officer Karen McNeil said: “A number of residents came along to talk to us about the green bin/blue bag scheme, some had queries about what can be put in the blue bag, others wanted advice on what they could use to line their green food bins, and some just had general questions on recycling. “We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to recycle and we also wa...

Shops are being asked to not sell eggs and flour to young people out to cause mischief, while pupils are being advised to act responsibly and are being given advice on the dangers of bonfires and fireworks, as the police and fire service visit local schools. Posters have also been produced for householders to display in their windows to say whether they welcome trick or treaters. They have been distributed amongst the community and are also available at the council’s customer service centres, police stations and can be downloaded from the council’s website www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk Scarlets star Dafydd Jones said: “We are happy to lend our support to this campaign and we’d urge the youngsters to have a great time but most importantly to make sure they stay safe. “We totally support what the partnership is doing to highlight the importance of playing safe at Halloween and Bonfire Night, while these big events are great fun, it is important everyone enjoys without causing any danger to...

Social networking sites are helping to shape a new vision for how council houses are let in Carmarthenshire. Housing chiefs are changing the way that homes are allocated in the county. They want to improve the current points system and make it fairer for people who need a home. A major consultation programme has been carried out on how people access council housing in the county. In a bid to reach as many people as possible, they have turned to sites like Facebook, and used digital television and text messages to gain people’s views. Online surveys, focus groups and roadshows have also been held and consultation was carried out at a recent tenant’s fun day. Carmarthenshire County Council is behind the move as part of a review into its Access to Social Housing Policy. Officers want to develop a simpler allocation process, reduce anti-social behaviour and prevent homelessness. They want to ensure that the county’s 9,200 homes and sheltered housing are appropriately let. The aim is to com...

A demolition order has been placed on an Amman Valley eyesore. A formal enforcement notice has been served on the owners of 178-194 Cwmamman Road in Garnant. It gives the owners six months to carry out renovation works or demolish the buildings. The derelict row of houses has been a blight on the area for many years. Carmarthenshire County Council is behind the move, aimed at making the area safe and improving the visual impact on the community. The enforcement notice has been served under the Building Act 1984. The council can step in and complete the work if the owner fails to meet the deadline. The council’s Empty Property Adviser Stefan Nurse said: “We want to work with the owners to either renovate or demolish the properties. “The owner has six months to complete the required works, namely demolish the properties and make the site safe or renovate them to a safe and habitable standard. “The authority is happy to provide the owners with advice, guidance and technical support to sat...

Cutting-edge space technology is being used to bring maps of all Wales’s wildlife habitats right up to date. Once completed, by the end of March 2012, Wales will be the first country in Europe to have produced a national map of habitats using satellite technology. Led by the Countryside Council for Wales, in partnership with Aberystwyth University and Environment Systems, the project will be unveiled to future users at a special event in the National Museum, Cardiff, on Tuesday 2 November 2010. The original survey of all Wales’ wildlife habitats – from grassland and woodland to coastal heath, upland bogs and moors - was conducted over many decades and completed in 1997 by a team of CCW biologists roaming the length and breadth of Wales. Now, by using images from satellites that have passed over Wales, the maps are being updated at a fraction of the cost and time, reflecting the advancement in technology over the last decade. Remarkably, the satellite images provide even more detail th...

Amman Valley tenants are being asked to give their views on housing issues. They are being invited to a meeting of the Tenants Network next week. Carmarthenshire County Council is behind the Network, as part of its commitment to working closely with its tenants and ensuring their views are represented. Talks will be held on the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard works, and the new housing allocation policy. Officers also hope to gather feedback on issues including repairs, rent levels, improvement schemes and anti-social behaviour. The meeting will be held in Ammanford Town Hall at 6pm on Tuesday 2 November. Tenant Participation Officer Janet Griffiths said: “This meeting will give tenants the opportunity to have their say on how we deliver the housing service, to put forward suggestions for improvements to their environment and also to raise any concerns they may have. “We encourage everyone to come along and have their say.” Housing Executive Board Member cllr Hugh Evans said: “The counc...

Two people have been fined for littering during high-visibility patrols by the council’s environmental enforcement officers in Ammanford. The officers issued fixed penalty notices of £75 to two people for dropping cigarette ends in the town centre. Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of £2,500. Officers were also deployed at Shands Road and worked with the police to carry out checks on vehicles carrying scrap and other materials to ensure that they were registered waste carriers and had the correct documentation. The aim was to raise awareness amongst the public about the work they do as well as prosecute those that break the law. Director of Technical Services Richard Workman “There is no excuse for littering our streets. Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but they are. They make an area look unsightly and they are difficult and very expensive to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement. “Hopefully...

A Burry Port woman has been fined after dumping a black bag at the town’s recycling site. Lauren Gaynor Mills, aged 20, of Dandorlan Road, pleaded guilty by post to an offence under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978 at Ammanford Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were inspecting the 'bring' site in Burry Port and discovered a number of black bags containing household waste. The officers examined the bags and discovered documents and paperwork relating to Mills in one of them. The officers contacted Mills who admitted leaving a black bag of waste at the site after cleaning out her car. She said she did not realise she was committing an offence and did not see the signage there. Mills was given the option of a fixed penalty notice, which she accepted. However, no payment was received. As a result, Mills was fined £90 by magistrates and ordered to pay £50 towar...

Carmarthen Town AFC fixtures for November 2010 Saturday, November 6 – away at Goytre United, Welsh Cup Round Three, kick-off 2pm Friday, November 12 - home to Port Talbot Town, 7.30pm. Saturday, November 20 – away at Bangor City, 2.30pm. Saturday, November 27 – home to The New Saints, 2.30pm.

The Terry Griffiths Matchroom in Llanelli will be holding the annual Lads and Dads snooker tournament on Sunday, December 19. The entry fee is £4 per pair. You must be paid-up Matchroom members to enter. The loser pays for the table, There is a Plate tournament (with prizes) for first round losers. Lads or dads can be joined by mothers and daughters, uncles and nephews, grandfathers and grandmothers. The rule is you must be related and from different generations! The closing date for entries is Thursday, December 16.

The new Honorary President of the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Gareth Edwards, conducted a 'cut-the-tape' ceremony at a new section of the attraction. Gareth, watched by a party of 40 invited guests, was at Pont Felin Gât, a beautiful wooded valley on the northside of the Garden which was opened to visitors for the first time. The rugby and broadcasting legend described the location as "magical". Gareth is pictured in front of the Pont Felin Gat’s jewel in the crown, a stunningly lovely waterfall. This, like many of the evocative historic relics dotted around the wood, dates back more than 200 years ago when the area was part of the Middleton Hall Regency Water Park. If you’d like to have a walk around this wonderful new attraction, its pathways are marked on the Botanic's Waun Las NNR map, available on-site or from the Gatehouse. The walk will take you between 60-90 minutes.

Llanelli Rotary Club is staging a charity fund-raising amateur boxing dinner show at Parc y Scarlets on Friday, November 5. Trostre Boxing Club are staging the show on behalf of Llanelli Rotary’s HARK (Hearing Assessment Research Klinic) Appeal for Ghana in Africa. The evening will feature eight bouts of amateur boxing with boxers drawn from various clubs in Wales. Also included is a three course dinner in the Canolfan Delme Thomas (Delme Thomas centre) at Parc-y-Scarlets. Rotary Club president Melanie Carroll-Cliffe said a previous boxing dinner show organised in conjunction with the Trostre club had been a huge success. She added: “We have a wonderful venue for the event at Parc y Scarlets and it promises to be an excellent evening, with plenty of sporting action, good food and good company. And it is all in aid of a worthy cause – an international project being organised by Llanelli Rotary Club to help a deprived area of Africa. “Also, ladies take note. Don’t let the guys fool you i...

Llanelli schoolchildren have been helping the town’s Rotary Club with an ambitious project which will literally spring into life next February. ‘Focus on the Crocus’ is the name of an innovative Rotary project which is seeing thousands of crocus bulbs being planted in prominent locations. The mass-planting is part of a national campaign to publicise the international Rotary movement’s campaign to eradicate polio. “It is a massive project,” said Llanelli Rotary President Melanie Carroll-Cliffe. “In Llanelli, we are delighted the project has something of a prime spot in the gardens at the front of Llanelli Town Hall.” President Melanie was accompanied by 10 children from Pentip Church in Wales Primary school to plant the purple crocus bulbs in Town Hall Square. The gardener attached to the Town Hall, Tony Evans, has assured the Rotarians that when the crocus flowers bloom (hopefully in February) they will be a truly magnificent display. Rotary in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) is worki...

Hasan Ahmet Sari scored the winner in Uefa Under-19 Championship match between Turkey (2) and Iceland (1) at Richmond Park, Carmarthen.

The Llanelli Choral Society has announced its “Artistic Director’s Circle” – a group of nine eminent individuals and leaders from the field of music, arts, media and public life – all with strong associations to the town of Llanelli. The Artistic Director’s Circle plays a key role in supporting the charitable activities of the Llanelli Choral Society both at performances and beyond. It’s a group of dedicated individuals who share the Founder and the Society’s vision and passion in making the community richer through musical endeavour and the power of music, song and friendship. The Artistic Director’s Circle brings together Joining the Founder and Artistic Director of the Llanelli Choral Society are: • John Hywel Williams MBE – a leading exponent of Welsh choral music and a pioneer exporter of Welsh choral music throughout Europe, North America and the former Iron Curtain with broadcasts spanning 160 countries worldwide. • Dr Stuart Burrows OBE – one of the world’s greatest operatic te...

Llanelli Rotary Club president Melanie Carroll-Cliffe, pictured above and below, took part in the Marie Curie cancer charity Ladies Driving Challenge at the Pembrey Racing Circuit at the weekend. Lady drivers took on a selection of driving tasks in challenging vehicles – all in the name of charity. Melanie raised £450 in sponsorship from Llanelli Rotary Club for the Marie Curie charity. Pics: Jeff Wheeler.

Iceland v Turkey Under 19 Uefa championship at Richmond Park, Carmarthen, kick-off 5pm. Nice evening to watch soccer.

Cor Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice) had a VIP visitor to one of their rehearsal sessions at Furnace Community Hall, Llanelli. Joanne Pijuan, a publisher, editor and columnist from Iloilo City in the Philippines, was visiting Llanelli as part of a Rotary international vocational exchange. Joanne, 37, said: “Listening to a traditional Welsh male voice choir was a very moving experience. I am now a fan of the choir and will follow their journey with interest from the other side of the world.” Choir chairman Mel Harries welcomed Joanne to the rehearsals (held every Monday and Thursday at Furnace, 7pm). He said: “It is good to know that the choir’s fame spreads far and wide and that a visiting journalist was so interested that she made a special effort to drop in on our rehearsals.” Visitors and potential new members are welcome at Cor Meibion Llanelli rehearsals. If you would like further information about the choir, then contact secretary Fred Elias on 01554 741027 or email llanell...

A multi-million pound scheme to improve council houses in Carmarthenshire has been given the thumbs up by tenants. Residents across the county say they are happy with refurbishment works at their homes. New kitchens and bathrooms are being installed for thousands of tenants, along with windows and doors and garden improvements. Painting and rendering works are being carried out along with cavity and wall insulation programmes. Carmarthenshire County Council is behind the work as part of the £200 million Homes Standards programme. The aim is to improve the condition of the authority’s 9,200 homes and regenerate housing estates across the county. A survey of tenants shows that a huge 89 per cent are happy with the service they have received during the past year. Questionnaires were sent out to hundreds of tenants whose homes have been improved. The results show that of 224 tenants, 83 per cent were happy that work had started at the specified time, and 78 per cent said all works were com...

Bed and breakfast costs for homeless people in Carmarthenshire have been slashed by a huge 98 per cent. A major drive is underway to ensure that people needing emergency accommodation do not have to be placed in B&Bs. Instead housing officers are finding them high quality rental properties in the county. Carmarthenshire County Council is behind the move as part of a drive to improve housing standards. Figures show the council has spent just £2,297 on housing people in B&Bs this year. It is down by 98.9 per cent on 2005-06 when the cost was £397,059 for 187 households, 84 of which had children. This year only four households have been placed into B&Bs and none with children. Head of Housing Services Robin Staines said: “We have carried out a great deal of work to reduce the use of B&B accommodation for homeless households, particularly those with children. “We have worked with private landlords and Housing Associations to provide very good quality self-contained temporar...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' column from the Carmarthen Journal - Richmond Park plays host to two matches in the 10th UEFA Under-19 Men’s Championship 2010 – 2011. There is free admission for the matches. Kick-off times have now been changed from those originally advertised. The matches at Richmond Park are – Wednesday, October 20, 5 pm, Turkey v Wales. Monday, October 25, 5 pm, Iceland v Turkey. ……………………… For the away match against Airbus UK on Saturday, October 30 (kick-off 2.30pm), the supporters bus will leave the clubhouse at 8.45am. ……………………… Town will travel to Glanhafod Park to take on Welsh League outfit Goytre United in the third round of the Welsh Cup. Goytre went into the hat for Third Round draw following a convincing 3 -0 win over Fleur de Lys, with Jason Thorn, Mark Pritchard and Richard French the scorers. Goytre are currently fourth in Division 1, one point behind leaders Bridgend Town, and will prove formidable opposition for Town. Ties to be played on...

Delighted to hear that 'Gilmore' Jones won the Community Champion award at the Llanelli Star community awards night at Parc y Scarlets last night. Doubly delighted as I was one of the people who nominated him. Here's what I said in the nomination - Community champion Thomas Henry Gilmore-Jones. Thomas Henry Gilmore-Jones is better known to one and all in Llanelli as ‘Gilmore’. If you’ve shopped in Llanelli for the last 30-plus years, then you will recognise Gilmore as a familiar face. He managed the old Cooperative store when it straddled the old town centre precinct and Murray Street (anyone remember the famous pedestrian footbridge which spanned Murray Street?) When the store closed to make way for town centre redevelopment, ‘Gilmore’ could have found himself redundant and consigned to the history books in Llanelli. But Gilmore is as tough as Llanelli steel and tinplate and bounced back to manage the new St Elli Shopping Centre. The success of the shopping centre is there...

Carmarthenshire audiences will have the opportunity of welcoming the Christmas season in true musical spirit at the popular “The Magic of Christmas” concert. The musical baton of conductor John Hywel Williams MBE (pictured above) will bring together the massed voices of the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, Llanelli Choral Society, tenor Joshua Mills, soprano Rhiannon Herridge, organist Huw Tregelles Williams and accompanist Jean Hywel for an exciting and mixed evening of classical music, Christmas carols and Christmas readings. The evening, with popular Christmas music and carols blended with hearty congregational massed singing, promises to greet the Christmas season with a resounding welcome. Programme highlights will include popular Once in Royal David’s City, O Holy Night, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Adestes Fideles to name but a few and will also feature a selection of organ classics by Huw Tregelles Williams and Christmas readings by Jeremy Hywel Wlliams. “There is no o...

Pembrokeshire trainer Peter Bowen sends out four runners today. Ballyvesey probably the best, but I still think Markington might prove a surprise. 14:55 Wincanton Ballyvesey (IRE) A Coleman 15:20 Aintree Markington T J O'Brien 16:05 Wincanton Strumble Head (IRE) Donal Devereux 17:05 Aintree Royal Scoundrel (IRE) T J O'Brien Corso Palladio won yesterday at 6-1.

Dr Kay Swinburne MEP will deliver a guest lecture on “Evolving Financial Architecture and the Impact of Financial Crisis on the EU” at Aberystwyth University on 1st November 2010 at 2pm. Dr Swinburne is the guest of the Aberystwyth School of Management and Business. She will deliver her lecture in main lecture theatre at the University’s Department of International Politics. Educated at Llandysul Grammar School, Dr Swinburne went on to study Biochemistry and Microbiology at King's College London, followed by a PhD in medical research and an MBA from the University of Surrey. She was elected as the Conservative MEP for Wales in June 2009. Dr Swinburne is currently the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group's Co-ordinator on the Economics and Monetary Committee in the European Parliament (ECON); and the ECR Group's Co-ordinator on the Special Committee on the Financial, Economic and Social Crisis (CRIS). She is also a member of the EuroMed Parliamentary Assembly ...

Have you ever noticed colourful mushrooms and toadstools in your local churchyard? If so, the National Botanic Garden of Wales would like to hear from you. Carmarthenshire is one of the best places in the Britain to find a group of wild fungi known as waxcaps, fairy clubs, spindles and earth-tongues. These bizarre and beautiful mushrooms come in a variety of strange shapes and vivid colours – reds, yellows, orange, green, purples and pinks – which can stand out in short mown churchyards. The Botanic Garden is helping to conserve these wonderful fungi because they are fast disappearing from farmland which is being treated with chemical fertiliser or ploughed up. Luckily, some churchyards are providing a refuge for these delicate life-forms. Their cemeteries tend to be well drained, well mown, have the grass cuttings removed and don’t have fertiliser spread on them. We want to find out where these are and contact the churches to let them know what a valuable piece of biodiversity they ...

Pictures from British Christmas Tree Growers Conference - http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/robertapvincent/BritishChristmasTreeGrowersConference#