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

Forty five per cent of Carmarthenshire County Council’s housing stock has achieved the Carmarthenshire Homes Standard, years before the end of the authority’s ambitious £203million improvement programme. By 2015, all of the council’s homes will achieve the standard, with many of the work programmes – including loft and cavity insulation - already completed ahead of schedule. The Carmarthenshire Homes Standard was launched in 2005 as a 10-year programme to improve the council’s 9,000 homes, as well as improving tenants’ communities and general health and wellbeing. Last year alone, £26million was invested with 959 new kitchens and 853 new bathrooms installed; 871 efficient heating systems; 575 hard wired smoke detectors and 878 carbon monoxide detectors. Executive Board Member for Housing, Cllr Tegwen Devichand, said: “The Carmarthenshire Homes Standard has made a significant improvement – not only to the standard of our tenants’ homes but also to their quality of life. Perhaps the most...

Cllr Tegwen Devichand is Carmarthenshire’s new 50+ Champion with responsibility for promoting the interests of older people in the county. She has taken over the role from new Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge who had been Champion since the 50+ Forum was established five years ago. During that time the Forum has steadily grown and now has a membership of 1,350. Cllr Devichand said: “I am looking forward to working with the Forum. I think it is a very worthwhile project.” 50+ policy officer Dr Kevin Pett said: “The 50+ Forum is going from strength to strength with new members joining all the time.” Contact the 50+ Forum to join – it’s completely free. As well as exclusive offers, you get copies of Carmarthenshire Community Life, plus a chance to have your say on public services. The 50+ Forum can be contacted on 01267 234567 or on email at 50+Forum@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Three School Councils visited last year’s chair of Carmarthenshire County Council towards the end of her term in office. Cllr Tegwen Devichand welcomed members of the School Councils of St Mary’s, Halfway and Dafen Schools to Llanelli Town Hall.

Last year’s chair of Carmarthenshire County Council has raised more than £12,500 for her chosen charities. Cllr Tegwen Devichand had picked Ty Bryngwyn Hospice Trust Fundraising Committee, the Carmarthenshire Special Olympics Team, and the Help for Heroes/Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal as the Chair’s Charities for her year in office. She presented cheques to representatives of the good causes at a ceremony in the Chairman’s Room at Llanelli Town Hall. Cllr Devichand held a range of fundraising events over the year including a Chairman's Charity Evening and Raffle at Calsonic Kansei Club, Felinfoel; Chairman's Charity Curry Evening, at the Verandah, Llanelli; and an Easter Raffle. The highlight was the Chairman's Charity Ball in March which was attended by Councillor Peter Roberts and Mrs Helen Roberts from Wootton Bassett. This was an opportunity to thank the town of Wootton Bassett for all they do when soldiers are repatriated, as Help for Heroes is one of the Chairman...

Pupils from Abergwili School have visited County Hall as guests of the chair of Carmarthenshire County Council. The children are pictured in the Council Chamber with chair Cllr Tegwen Devichand and local member Cllr Pam Palmer. Pic Jeff Connell

The chair of Carmarthenshire County Council has met Special Olympians who have represented the county this year. Cllr Tegwen Devichand invited the sportspeople to the Chairman’s Room at Llanelli Town Hall. She congratulated Llinos Gilmore Jones who won two bronze medals ten pin bowling for Great Britain at the European Special Olympics Summer Games, as the only competitor from Carmarthenshire. Cllr Devichand also congratulated the Carmarthenshire Special Olympics Golf Team who competed in a Four Nations tournament in Dundee in September. She said: “I was pleased to have the chance to congratulate the Special Olympians for their efforts. “Llinos had a very successful Summer Games, winning two bronze medals in her sport.” The chair of Carmarthenshire County Council Cllr Tegwen Devichand congratulates Llinos Gilmore Jones for winning two bronze medals watched by golfer Edward McVicar, golf head coach Brian Hughes, golfers Roger Thomas, Lewis Jones, James Hope and Gary Pugh and David Edwar...

The chair of Carmarthenshire County Council has organised a Charity Night at the Calsonic Kansei Club in Felinfoel later this month. The event is in aid of chair Cllr Tegwen Devichand’s chosen charities, the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice, Llanelli, the Special Olympics Team and Help the Heroes – Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal. There will be a performance by one of Wales’ top comedy vocal entertainers Gary Le Vell. The Charity Night is on Friday October 22 starting at 7pm and tickets costing £7.50 are available from Eira Evans on 01267 224060 or Cllr Tegwen Devichand on 01554 751243.

The new chair of Carmarthenshire County Council has taken up office. Cllr Tegwen Devichand was unanimously elected as the chair for 2010-11 at the annual meeting of the county council. She replaces outgoing chair Cllr Tyssul Evans. Cllr Devichand lives in and represents Dafen in Llanelli, and originally comes from Porth, Rhondda. She is a Governor of Halfway CP School and Bryngwyn Comprehensive School, and represents the county on the area management committee for Community Education Centres in Felinfoel/ Llwynhendy/Pembrey, and is on the Community Health Council. Cllr Devichand is President of the Co-operative Women’s Guild, an Area Committee Member of the Co-operative Group, Llanelli Labour Party Women’s Officer, and Appeals Manager under the Mental Health Act for the Hywel Dda NHS Trust. Cllr Ivor Jackson of Llandovery was unanimously elected as vice chair. Cllr Jackson, who has lived all his life in Llandovery, represents the county on the Consortium of Local Authorities in Wales, ...