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

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. Anyone who has had to deal with putting a child through university will understand that student loans can be complicated. It’s a bit of a test for mums and dads, but the end results are so worth it. But what happens when student life is over and everyone has to put thoughts to repaying loans? Well, the tax guys at HMRC have issued updated guidance to employers on how to deal with student loan deductions via the PAYE system. Employers should familiarise themselves with the guidance which has been updated to reflect the introduction of plan 2 loans which are repayable from a different threshold but at the same nine percent basis. With effect from the 2016/17 tax year there are two plan types for student loan repayments: plan 1 with a threshold of £17,495 (£1,457 a month or £336 per week)  pla...

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 -------------------- Happiness! Happiness! The greatest gift that I possess. I thank the Lord that I possess, more than my share of happiness! So sang Ken Dodd back in 1964. And after making people laugh for more than 60 years, Doddy has learned that if you bring happiness to other people, it’ll make you happy too. Why else would he still be taking his “Happiness” tour around packed theatres at the age of 88? It’s not as if he needs the money . . . as some of us remember! Four years after Doddy’s song reached Number 14 in the charts, The Beatles suggested that “Happiness Is A Warm Gun”. I don’t suppose a song with that title would get much radio airplay in 2016 and as I’m partial to the occasional pastry, taken fresh from the oven, I prefer to think that happiness is a warm bun. It’s not easy to c...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star and the Carmarthen Journal - The busy ladies of Côr Curiad are planning Christmas already. A special Christmas-themed evening at Stradey Castle is already a sell-out. So, the ladies are staging a second performance on Thursday, December 1. Côr Curiad, along with accompanist Craig Oldham, will be staging a festive evening of Christmas songs, Carols, Mulled Wine and mince pies set in the beautiful surroundings of Stradey Castle. Guest performers include Sarah Lewis-Meredith, Steffi Lewis-Meredith and Rhiannon Taylor-Searle. All proceeds from the event are in aid of Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli. Meanwhile, Llanelli Choral Society members are looking forward to performing at St David’s Cathedral in Pembrokeshire on Saturday, October 15. The event is being billed as a Journey of World Music. It will also feature the Hywel Girls Choir and the Hywel Boy Singers, the Angelicus Choral a...