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

A set of 'smart' traffic lights are being installed at a busy Carmarthen junction to overcome delays and build up of traffic. Temporary traffic lights have been in operation while the work is carried outon the busy junctions serving Llanstephan Road, Johnstown and on to Job's Well Road. The temporary lights have caused some delays, but the inconvenience will be worth when the new £60,000 MOVA (Microprocessor Optimised Vehicle Actuation) lights have been installed, acclimatise and become responsive to traffic conditions. Carmarthenshire County Council’s traffic manager John McEvoy said it was a large investment but an important one as it will be more responsive to traffic conditions and will lead to a significant increase in capacity at the junctions. “In free flowing mode the aim of MOVA is to disperse any queues which have built up on a red signal,” he said. “It then assesses the traffic flows approaching on each arm of the junction and calculates if extending the curre...

Six colleagues from the Pobl Bach Nurseries in Llangunnor and Johnstown in Carmarthen jumped out of a plane to raise money for charity. The group, jumped from a plane at 12,000 feet, did the jump in aid of cancer charities as manager Annie Morgans lost her husband Gary to chronic myeloid leukaemia in November 1999 when he was just 29. She was joined by Kay Richards, Emma Cooper, Amy Richmond, Annie Morgans and Claire Holt and raised £1,870.17. They have donated £600 to Cancer Research Wales and £1,270.17 to the Chemotherapy Day Unit at Glangwili Hospital. Annie, from Llansawel, said “Cancer is something that unfortunately touches everyone’s lives and we felt that it would be good to support such worthwhile local causes helping to fight cancer. “Gary was cared for by staff at the Chemotherapy Day Unit at Glangwili Hospital and it is nice to give something back for the fantastic care that he received. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us in raising this fantastic sum ...

Plans to deliver a 10-pin bowling alley and other community facilities in Carmarthen are gathering pace. On target to open next summer, the Towy Community Church Xcel project at Johnstown will deliver a 12-lane 10-pin bowling alley and family play area. Included in the first phase of the scheme in the rapidly transforming former St Ivel’s factory is a food bank and furniture recycling project. The community church has attracted significant funding through fundraising, securing grants and a commercial mortgage and loan from Carmarthenshire County Council to cover the first phase of this major regeneration scheme. Checking on the progress of the project, county leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “With all the bleak news of threats on leisure centres and leisure services generally in these financially constrained times, it is wonderful to see an exciting project like this being delivered that is going to be so popular with families and young people. “I can see Johnstown is going to be a M...

Newsjiffy: Abuse of disabled people at Carmarthen day centre reported on in Private Eye 1307 On Page 30 of Private Eye 1307, on sale until 23rd February 2012, Private Eye reports on the abuse of vulnerable users of the Social Activity Centre in Johnstown, Carmarthen. The story mentions: *Concerns were not taken seriously for over a year despite an administrative worker raising the alarm. *A culture of intimidation in the centre led to a fear of repercussions if staff "made a fuss". *Of the 14 staff and managers found to be at fault, only one is known to have faced any disciplinary action. *One other member of staff resigned after admitting striking a service user. *Some of those who failed to follow basic procedures, to protect service users from abuse, or to investigate allegations of abuse remain in their posts or have been promoted.

I am grateful to Phil Grice for the following junior football news - Johnstown United were declared Carmarthenshire Division 3 champions with still one match to play following a scintillation 8-3 win over Pembrey at United's Llangain pitch. This was an easy stroll for Johnstown with Steff Phillips and Nicky Thomas each netting two, and Rhodri Morgan Jason King, Adam Thomas, and Shariff Ahmed claiming one apiece. United's forwards were rampant in slicing through the Pembrey defence, with striker Jason King laying off ball after ball, and constantly one-twoing with Steff Phillips often leaving Pembrey stranded. The first goal came after two minutes, and at half-time it was 4-1. By then however, Pembrey had twigged the United tactics, and their offside trap caught out United time after time – otherwise Johnstown might well have had a dozen. Manager Reg Upton and Club Chair Wyn Evans can be justly proud of their young team - made up of former schoolboys from QE High and Bro Myrddin...

Carmarthen has scored a full strike after landing close to £800,000 to develop a bowling alley and community centre at the former St Ivel factory in Johnstown. The Towy Community Church, supported by Carmarthenshire County Council, has been successful in its bid for funding from the Community Asset Transfer Programme (CAT) – a partnership between the Big Lottery Fund and Welsh Assembly Government. It means the ambitious Xcel Bowl project can now get underway, providing yet another first-class leisure facility for Carmarthen. Alongside the 12-lane bowling alley, the first phase of the development will also include a food bank and a furniture recycling facility to benefit local families experiencing hardship, projects that will be funded by the profits from the bowling business. Towy Community Church leader Mark Bennett said: “We are thrilled to be able to go ahead with a project that will bring sustainable long term benefits to local people.” The second phase of the project will includ...