Poll backs Yes vote by more than 2:1

An opinion poll published today by Yougov into the referendum on giving the National Assembly more law making powers shows people in Mid & West Wales backing a Yes vote by a majority of more than two to one, the largest majority of any Welsh region.

Yes 56%

No 25%

Don’t know 11%
Not voting 7%

The figures for the whole of Wales show Yes voters leading by 49% - 26%. The referendum will be held on March 3rd.

When asked how they were planning to vote in the Assembly elections on May 5th the figures for Mid & West Wales gave Plaid Cymru a clear lead:

Plaid Cymru 34%
Labour 28%
Conservative 26%
Lib Dems 6%
Greens 2%
UKIP 2%

The figures were adjusted to take into account likelihood to vote
Full details of the opinion poll are here

Conservatives out on the streets of Aberystwyth backing the Yes for Wales campaign

As part of the spirit of harmony and co-operation pervading politics in Ceredigion in the Assembly Referendum campaign, here's a photo of Nick Bourne, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, out campaigning with all the other parties on the streets of Aberystwyth this morning for a Yes vote on March 3rd. Next to him is Lisa Francis, former Conservative Assembly Member.

This is a vivid illustration of how far Welsh politics has come since the vote to establish the Assembly in 1997 when the Conservatives backed the No campaign.

Similar Yes for Wales street campaigns were held in Aberaeron, Llandysul, Lampeter and Cardigan this morning.

Aberystwyth Renewal Area

A proposed Aberystwyth Renewal Area will be the subject of Open Days on Monday and Tuesday 24th and 25th January.

Aberystwyth’s designation as a 'Renewal Area' is part of the Welsh Assembly Government's Strategic Regeneration Area funding and follows the success of the Cardigan Renewal Area, which has been on-going for the past seven years and has revolutionised the look of the town. Another Renewal Area has recently been declared for Tregaron and Neighbouring Villages.

The Aberystwyth Scheme will concentrate on housing issues and aims to upgrade the town’s dilapidated properties and public areas, improve energy efficiency in the town’s oldest houses, reduce the number of vacant properties and improve access for the disabled.

The open days are an opportunity for people to find out about the scheme and put their views about exactly what’s needed. They'll be held at Canolfan Morlan in Queens Road on:

Monday 24th Jan 10am – 8pm

Tuesday 25th January 10am – 4pm

Aberystwyth builders fined over unsafe cliff

Aberystwyth developer Merlin Homes was today fined £10,000 with £7,000 costs over the controversial Infirmary Road cliff (story last covered on this blog here).  The fine was for contravening a Prohibition Notice by the Health & Safety Executive supposed to prevent further work on the area to the rear of the new flats at the foot of the hill whilst the cliff behind remains unstable.  The cliff is part of Parc Natur Penglais, a local nature reserve owned by Ceredigion Council and run by local people.

The cliff developed major cracks in 2009 after local residents reported it being eaten into by JCBs and is thought to be in danger of collapse. The developer will need to agree a solution to the problem with the Council before work can continue.

Photo by David Kirby

Ysbyty Bronglais - old maternity wing demolished

The old Maternity Block at Ysbyty Bronglais in Aberystwyth has been in the process of being demolished over the past couple of days. The work is being viewed with some sadness by the many people in the area who were born in the building in Caradog Road. However, over the next couple of years, in its place will be built an Assembly-funded three-storey extension to the hospital incorporating a much-needed new Accident & Emergency department, a 14-bed clinical decisions unit and a day surgery unit.

On the same site, a new layer on the car park is due for completion by the end of February. The overall work at Bronglais represents the largest Assembly health investment in the whole Hywel Dda Health Board area.