Aberystwyth Football Club new pitch and housing development

These are photos from the recent exhibition at Aberystwyth Town Football Club of the club's planned joint development with Tai Ceredigion.

The plans include:

48 two-bedroom apartments 

32 one-bedroom apartments 

A 3G football pitch  to replace the current grass

Bar, cafe & youth centre

A new main spectator stand

The key aspect from the club's point of view is the 3G artificial pitch which will be able to cope with more or less continuous use, enabling the club to provide for a lot more groups and activities and to earn more money which can then be re-invested. The housing will help to fund the pitch along with a grant from the Football Association of Wales who are promoting these pitches around Wales.

The exhibition was the first showing of the plans and planning permission has not yet been applied for. The images are a bit of a shock for anyone who knows this section of the Rheidol riverbank. I'm providing them here to allow people to give informed comments. Questions or comments can be sent to Tai Ceredigion at post@taiceredigion.org.uk

Sunday buses returning between Aberystwyth & Carmarthen

Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire Councils have announced the awarding of the new contract for the 40 bus service - between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen via Lampeter - to First Cymru. 

The new contract will commence in the first week of August, and will be a significant improvement upon the current service:

* There will be four new return services on Sundays and Bank Holidays. 

* A brand new late-night return service will be launched between Aberystwyth and Lampeter. 

* There will be a new early-morning service leaving Aberystwyth at 7.40am, arriving in Lampeter by 9am. 

* In addition, the 5.07pm service from Carmarthen, which currently stops at Lampeter, will now travel all the way through to Aberystwyth.

The changes have all been agreed in response to requests at public consultation events and they represent a significant improvement to the service. 

Since the Arriva pull-out in December last year, the two Councils have been negotiating with more sympathetic suppliers and, despite the ongoing funding challenges to the whole of local government, Ceredigion’s bus services are now better than for several years. 

Mid Wales Healthcare Study - Gathering the evidence

Below is an announcement just released about two evidence gathering sessions to inform the future provision of health care in Central Wales. Click to enlarge. I haven't printed the terms of reference referred to for space reasons but they can be accessed through the links. The sessions are an important opportunity to influence future provision at a time when Health Board leadership is changing. 

Ceredigion's contribution

As the European election results are being absorbed, it's worth mentioning the decisive result in Ceredigion which contributed significantly to the re-election of Plaid Cymru's Jill Evans to the European Parliament: Plaid Cymru   7,139  (34.8%) UKIP   4,138  (20.2%) Conservatives   2,698  (13.1%) Lib Dems   2,332  (11.3%) Labour   2,110  (10.3%) Greens   1,646  (8%) BNP   126  (0.6%) Socialist Labour Party    96  (0.4%) Britain First   86  (0.4%) NO2EU   56 (0.2%) Socialist Party of Great Britain    48   (0.2%) The Ceredigion turnout was 37% - the joint second highest in Wales. The result also gives food for thought for next year's  Westminster election where the Lib Dems currently hold the seat but will face a strong challenge from Plaid Cymru's Mike Parker. Jill Evans sits in the Green / European Free Alliance group in Brussels. Following the election, this alliance looks like becoming the fourth largest grouping in the parliament and has now overtaken the Conservative group, which includes the British Conservative Party.

Vote for Jill Evans in the European Elections on Thursday if you care about climate change

Anyone reading this blog will know that, as well as being a Plaid Cymru councillor, I'm also a keen environmentalist. So I was  delighted to see the graphic below, on the Climate Action Network Europe website, which shows that Plaid's sole Member of the European Parliament, Jill Evans, has the best voting record of all the UK's MEPs on climate and energy policies. 

Full details of all Jill's work can be found here and Plaid's manifesto for the European Elections is here.

The latest opinion poll shows that the race to fill Wales's four seats in the European Elections on Thursday is neck and neck. Jill is top of Plaid Cymru's list in these elections and will be re-elected again if enough people vote Plaid. 

We all have one vote on Thursday. If you believe that Wales should continue to have a progressive voice in the European Parliament, make sure you use yours to vote for Jill Evans. 

Aberystwyth Bandstand - let's try again

This is the latest plan for a renewed Bandstand on Aberystwyth Promenade. It's probably fair to say that the previous, fairly radical idea didn't enjoy universal popularity in the town. Ceredigion Council has now launched a public consultation on this new, more modest and traditional, design. It includes: 

• Reinforcement and extension of the base to include a walkway around the building and 

improved sea defence 

• Keeping the perimeter wall of the original Bandstand as a feature enhanced by subtle 

lighting 

• A glass front that makes the building look more inviting 

• Internal units that can be adapted for storage/toilets or for commercial use 

• Internal space that can be used for events or performances 

All the information, and how to contribute to the consultation, can be found by clicking here for the Welsh version and here for the English.

De-trunking

There have been claims recently that the frequently requested de-trunking* of the A487 through Aberystwyth would increase traffic through the village of Llanbadarn Fawr on the outskirts of the town. It’s been said that this is a reason not to proceed with the idea. 

*De-trunking means that a main ‘A-road’, currently administered by the Trunk Road Agency NMWTRA on behalf of the Welsh Government to very stringent standards, is instead transferred to the more flexible County Council to run.

Many years ago the road signs on both the north & south sides of Aberystwyth directed through-traffic via the centre of town. Although this made no sense in terms of distance or time, it obviously influenced many people unfamiliar with the area. 

That is no longer the case and hasn’t been for many years. Road signage from both north and south now directs people to bypass Aberystwyth and all the major routefinders - AA, RAC, Green Flag & Googlemaps - now send people through Llanbadarn.

So the argument that de-trunking would result in more traffic through Llanbadarn is based on the situation as it used to be.  The many lorries which head into town are all making deliveries there and would not be re-routed by de-trunking. Without denying that Llanbadarn residents living on the main road suffer from traffic through their village, it’s very hard to see where any additional traffic would come from. And, with traffic levels in general currently on a plateau and not increasing, their situation is likely to stay the same regardless.

It’s worth considering for a moment what the lack of de-trunking could be costing Aberystwyth. For example: 

• Mill Street - if this had been de-trunked the developer would have had more flexibility with the scheme there and very possibly wouldn’t have felt the need to demolish Glyndwr Road.
• Owain Glyndwr Square - Proposals are often heard for paving the whole of the square so it can be used as a community space at the centre of town. That cannot happen without de-trunking.
• North Parade - The strange junction half-way along the street that confuses many people won’t be changed without de-trunking
• Capel Seilo - proposals have often been heard for a roundabout at this five-road junction at the north end of North Parade. Again, nothing can change here without de-trunking.
• Cwps Corner - This very difficult junction can’t be changed without de-trunking.

Although the above are all debates in themselves, these, and numerous smaller examples, are the kinds of issues that cannot be progressed without de-trunking. It’s not just the people of Aberystwyth this costs, it’s everyone who uses Aberystwyth. And that includes the people of Llanbadarn Fawr.

Peak hourly rail service announced for the Cambrian Line

Rail campaigners throughout Central Wales are celebrating after being told the campaign for an hourly train service has succeeded in bringing about substantial improvements on the line. 

A major campaign started in October of distributing and collecting survey forms brought 6,700 responses throughout the region - far more than was envisaged - and has convinced the Transport Minister to provide the funding needed. 

Students, like some of those pictured here with Elin Jones AM and myself after hearing about the announcement, are key users of the service to Aberystwyth.

The Welsh Government's press release reads as follows:

"New peak hourly trains between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury will be among extra services to be funded by the Welsh Government on the Cambrian and Heart of Wales rail lines, Transport Minister Edwina Hart is announcing today (Tuesday, 8 April).

"Four additional return services will operate between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury, Mondays - Saturdays, with hourly services for peak morning and afternoon times. There will also be two new return Sunday services, and an improvement to evening services on the Cambrian Coast between Barmouth and Pwllheli.

"On the Heart of Wales line, there will be extra  journeys between Llandovery and Gowerton/Swansea and between Llandrindod and Shrewsbury/Crewe offering good morning commuting opportunities on Mondays – Fridays. Other return services will become more conveniently timed and the Heart of Wales Line Forum gets funding to explore the possibility of further improvements to the line.

"The new services will create 20 new train crew and depot jobs. The changes, which will be on an initial three-year trial basis, will come into place from May 2015.

"The additional services on both railways are designated for a three year trial under Section 36 of the Railways Act 2005 “experimental services” designation. The services will be reviewed after the first year and annually.

Cambrian Railway

"The trial will provide 4 additional return services, in each direction, between Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury Mondays - Saturdays, including hourly peak services for morning and afternoon, plus two new return Sunday services, and an improvement to evening services on the Cambrian Coast between Barmouth and Pwllheli.

Heart of Wales Line

"The trial will provide additional morning journeys Mondays - Fridays between Carmarthen and Llandovery, returning to Swansea for an arrival at 8.16, and from Shrewsbury to Llandrindod returning to Shrewsbury with a 7.58 arrival and continuing to Crewe arriving at 8.50. These services are additional to the current four return journeys along the line and provide improved commuting opportunities, and later services will become more conveniently timed with some journeys being extended to start from/terminate at Crewe.

The lead time for the recruitment and training of staff means that the additional services will commence at the earliest possible timetable change date in May 2015. "

The announcement doesn't give the full hourly service campaigned for but does provide substantial improvements at peak times and will give a solid base from which to campaign for further improvements when the franchise on the line is renewed 2018.

Pantycelyn to continue

Here's the very welcome letter received today by students campaigning for the retention of Pantycelyn as a Welsh-speaking student hall at Aberystwyth University (scroll down for English version):

Annwyl Fyfyriwr,

Heddiw bu Rebecca Davies, John Grattan a minnau yn cyfarfod â chynrychiolwyr o Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Aberystwyth UMCA i drafod dyfodol Pantycelyn.

Yn ystod y cyfarfod, cyflwynwyd cynnig gennym a fyddai’n golygu ein bod yn cydweithio gydag UMCA i ddatblygu cynllun busnes ar ddefnydd Neuadd Pantycelyn i’r dyfodol fel Canolfan Gymraeg a Diwylliant. Rwy’n falch iawn gallu dweud fod y cynnig hwn ei dderbyn gan UMCA.

Mae’r cynnig yn cynnwys datblygu opsiynau manwl ar gyfer parhad Pantycelyn fel llety arlwyo ar gyfer myfyrwyr sy’n siaradwyr Cymraeg ac yn ddysgwyr y Gymraeg.

Rydym yn gobeithio y bydd y Ganolfan Gymraeg a Diwylliant yn gweithredu fel canolbwynt i’n cymuned Gymraeg gyfan, gan gynnwys myfyrwyr a staff ynghyd â’r gymuned ehangach a phawb sydd â diddordeb yn y diwylliant Cymraeg a Chymreig yn gyffredinol.

Rydym yn ymrwymedig i ddenu myfyrwyr Cymraeg i Aberystwyth ac i hybu’r modd y maent yn cael mynediad at ddarpariaeth cyfrwng Cymraeg sy’n ehangu ynghyd ag ystod mor eang â phosib o gyfleoedd cymdeithasol a diwylliannol Cymraeg.

Nid yw’r cynnig hwn a gytunwyd heddiw yn effeithio ar ein cynlluniau ar gyfer llety cyfrwng Cymraeg ar Fferm Penglais.

O fis Medi 2014, bydd myfyrwyr sy’n siarad Cymraeg a’r rhai sy’n ei dysgu, yn medru dewis rhwng llety arlwyo ym Mhantycelyn, a llety hunan arlwyo ar Fferm Penglais.

Pob hwyl,

Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan
Dirprwy Is-Ganghellor

Dear Student,

Today, Rebecca Davies, John Grattan and I met with representatives from UMCA, the Aberystwyth Welsh-speaking Students’ Union and representatives of the University’s branch of the Coleg Cymraeg, to discuss the future of Pantycelyn.

During the meeting we tabled a proposal that would see us working with UMCA on the development of a business plan for the future use of Pantycelyn as a Welsh Language and Cultural Centre. I am very pleased to report that this proposal has been accepted by UMCA.

The proposal includes providing detailed options for the continuation of Pantycelyn as catered accommodation for students that are Welsh speakers and Welsh learners.

We hope that a Welsh Language and Cultural Centre at Pantycelyn will act as a hub for our entire Welsh-speaking community, including students, staff as well as the wider community and all those interested in Welsh culture generally.

We are committed as a university to attracting Welsh-speaking students and to promote access to the expanding Welsh medium provision, together with widest possible range of Welsh-medium social and cultural opportunities.

The agreed proposal does not affect the current plans for the new Welsh medium accommodation at Fferm Penglais.

From September 2014, Welsh speaking students and those learning Welsh will be able to choose between catered accommodation in Pantycelyn, and self-catering accommodation on Fferm Penglais.

Regards,

Dr Rhodri Llwyd Morgan
Pro Vice-Chancellor

The campaign has seen a number of demonstrations, including this one in October, in which university offices were occupied.

Earth Hour in Ceredigion

Earth Hour is taking place again this year between 8.30 - 9.30pm on Saturday 29th March. The global event is aimed at showing support for action on climate change. Ceredigion Council always takes part and this year is extending its support for the event to embrace the following locations:

•           Canolfan Alun R Edwards (Aberystwyth Town Library)

•           Castle Grounds, Aberystwyth

•           Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth

•           Penmorfa Car Park, Aberaeron

•           Canolfan Rheidol Car Park

•           Theatr Felin-fach Car Park

•           Minaeron, Aberaeron

These places will all have they lights off for the whole weekend which, incidentally, is the weekend all the clocks go forward one hour.

The National Library in Aberystwyth is also taking part. Large organisations have a much bigger effect on carbon usage than individuals alone and so it's particularly important that we show leadership and demonstrate that we take carbon management and climate change seriously. 

A civilised way to do politics

Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood in an open conversation last night with Mike Parker, Plaid's Westminster candidate for Ceredigion, in front of an audience at MG's cafe in Aberystwyth. A civilised way to do politics.

Whole lotta digging going on

There’s a lot of digging up of pavements going on in Aberystwyth at the moment:

Dig No 1

Superfast broadband
Most of the narrow trenches being dug in pavements around the town relate to the installation of Superfast Broadband. This is due to come on stream in Aberystwyth by the Summer and most of the rest of Ceredigion by the end of the year. It should significantly enhance the speed of internet downloads. The whole process is explained on this link. 

Dig No 2
Coed Aber

This is the second phase of the Coed Aber tree planting programme aimed at creating a tree-lined avenue on the main approach road into the town. It's being funded by the Welsh Government after the scheme was put together by the Greener Aberystwyth Group working together with Ceredigion Council and the (then) Forestry Commission. The spade work is being done by Ceredigion Council.

Dig No 3
Llanbadarn-Aberystwyth shared use path

This is is the final phase of footway widening between Llanbadarn Fawr level crossing and Plas Crug bridge which will enable the whole length to become a dual pedestrian/cycle path.

So, a lot of digging going on around the town. And all of it good in my view. And I haven’t even mentioned Alexandra Road...

Stormydd Aber - perfformiad a sgwrs

Aberstorms - a performance and a conversation

St David's Day in Aberystwyth

After the phenomenal success of last year's St David's Day Parade in Aberystwyth, the calendar dictates that this year's event will be on a Saturday, giving a different feel. The parade will leave from the Clock Tower at the top of Great Darkgate Street at 1pm. Should be good.

Ceredigion's Excellent Estyn report

On Tuesday Ceredigion Council received a superb Estyn report. 

Estyn is the Welsh Government-funded education inspectorate. It’s been very critical recently of the education service run by many councils but the report published this week gave Ceredigion’s schools an official ‘Excellent’ mark in nine out of twelve categories, and a 'Good' in the other three, making it the best education authority in Wales by some distance. Amongst other things, this is a big boost for bilingualism. Our schools scored particularly highly in things like promoting social inclusion and support for vulnerable pupils.

Below are the judgements against each category. Read the report to understand what’s behind them.

Overall judgement: Excellent

Capacity to Improve: Excellent

Standards: Good

Well-being: Excellent

Support for school improvement: Excellent

Support for additional learning needs: Excellent

Promoting social inclusion and well-being: Excellent

Access & school places: Good

Leadership: Excellent

Quality Improvement: Excellent

Partnership working: Excellent

Resource management: Good

Batten down the hatches

High tides on Saturday, coupled with strong winds, could potentially bring about the kind of problems we saw on the Ceredigion coast during the first weekend in January. People living right on the seafront are being advised to be alert and ready to leave their properties for around an hour either side of high tide if that seems necessary. 

High tides on Saturday will be at 8.41am and 9.02pm in Aberystwyth and about 20 minutes later in Cardigan.     

The specific areas thought to be at risk are:

Aberystwyth Promenade

Cardigan - Strand, St Mary Street & Gloster Row

Aberaeron - Quay Parade

Advisory notices have been distributed in these areas.

Sandbags will be available on request by phoning the emergency numbers at the foot of this piece.

There is currently less concern about Sunday and Monday as, although the tides will still be high, the overall weather looks to be more settled then.

If anyone does need to leave their home and they’ve got nowhere else to go then there will be support available from 7am at Aberystwyth and Cardigan Leisure Centres and at Borth Youth Centre.

Aberystwyth University have taken a precautionary approach and have asked their students (about 600 of them) to leave their seafront properties tonight. They will be put up on campus or given assistance to travel home for the weekend.

Council crews are on patrol tonight and from around 6am in the morning.

High Tides - Aberystwyth

Saturday 8.41am & 9.02pm

Sunday 9.23am & 9.44pm

Monday 10.05am & 10.25pm

20 minutes later in Cardigan

Emergency numbers

North - 01970-625277

South - 01239-851604

Wales needs a Middle

Local government watchers in the Aberystwyth area are viewing with some trepidation an expected announcement in the next month of major changes to local government boundaries in Wales as a result of the review by the Welsh Government's Commission on Public Service Governance headed by Sir Paul Williams. A planned reduction in county councils from the current 22 to a drastically smaller number, leading to the loss of Ceredigion as an authority in the longer term, is widely expected. 

The period between 1974 and 1996, when there were only eight county councils in Wales, and Ceredigion was a part of Dyfed, now seems to be viewed as a more efficient model by central government. However it should be remembered that during this period there was also a layer of 37 District Councils beneath the counties, ensuring a local feel to government. 

That was prior to the creation of the National Assembly and no-one would want to go back to two layers of councils now. But, because we’ve been there in the past, there’s an assumption amongst many people that Dyfed is where we’re going to end up again.

Whilst the idea of re-creating the pre ’96 county with its HQ in Carmarthen probably wouldn’t bother the people of, say, Cardigan in South Ceredigion too much, the idea appals people in Aberystwyth who would be relegated once again to the outer northern periphery of the new county and would have to travel 50 miles to the county’s capital. 

Resources of any government structure inevitably shift towards the centre and, in a Dyfed scenario, it would seem unavoidable that Aberystwyth would diminish in importance both culturally and economically.

The difference between then and now is that Aberystwyth, and transport links to it, has developed considerably in the past twenty years, partly with the assistance of Welsh Government money, and it is now without question the most vibrant and economically healthy town in Mid Wales.

Going back to the old Dyfed isn’t the only idea that’s been mentioned during the course of the review. I’ve no idea how seriously the others are taken - some of them have probably been laughed at - but these are a few ideas I’ve seen or heard being promoted involving Ceredigion and at least they get us thinking outside the Dyfed box:

• A huge Dyfed-Powys authority - this would leave Aberystwyth still reasonably central. 
• Splitting Powys and Gwynedd up to create a new Ceredigion/Montgomeryshire/Meirionydd authority. 
• Ceredigion to merge with Powys to form a central Wales authority - this would fit in with various collaborations Ceredigion Council have already developed with Powys in response to urgings from the Welsh Government for local authorities to make savings through co-operation.
• Ceredigion to merge with Pembrokeshire to create a South-west coastal authority
• A huge West Wales coastal authority covering everything from Ynys Mon down to Pembroke.

Whatever emerges from the Review, the point is that what happens to Aberystwyth is not just a concern for Aberystwyth – the prospect should be a concern for everyone in Wales. Mid Wales – I’m going to call it Central Wales from now on – is not just the green desert between the populous belts of north and south Wales. Nations need a middle. If we have a governmental structure that essentially pulls everything south of the Dyfi to Carmarthen and everything north of the Dyfi to Caernarfon/Bangor, that effectively drags the nation apart and concentrates power and resources at each end, leaving the geographic centre - which is crucial to any nation’s cohesion - ignored. You don’t have to be a Welsh nationalist to see this as a problem. Anyone who supports a Wales level of government should be able to see that we need a strong middle that can pull the whole thing together. 

At the demonstration in 2012 outside the National Assembly in support of Aberystwyth’s Bronglais Hospital, the most powerful image (above) was on a banner showing a map of major hospitals in Wales, with Bronglais being the only one between Carmarthen and Bangor. It brought home the geographic importance of the place. The last thing Wales needs is to diminish Aberystwyth.

It was therefore very encouraging to see the recent report from a Welsh Government Task & Finish group into the future of the Welsh language which has recommended the setting up of ‘city regions’ based around Aberystwyth, Bangor and Carmarthen.

If Wales is to develop in a balanced way into the future we need to be thinking outside of the old traditional boundaries, useful though they may have been once. Although the Task & Finish group may not have had overall national cohesion in mind, not for the first time it could be that the needs of the Welsh language are pointing us towards the most progressive future for everyone in Wales.

Nadolig Llawen

A packed Owain Glyndwr Square for the switching on of Aberystwyth's Christmas lights.

Nadolig Llawen i bawb
A Merry Christmas to all

Aberystwyth honours Mandela

The flags of South Africa and Wales have been flying at half-mast over Aberystwyth Town Hall this weekend to mark the passing of Nelson Mandela.

The flag was raised during a ceremony attended by, amongst others, Ceredigion Council Leader Ellen ap Gwynn and Alec Dauncey, the last secretary of the town's anti-apartheid group. 

Aberystwyth had an active anti-apartheid campaign throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. In 1989 they organised two demonstrations in the town against sportsmen breaking the widely accepted boycott of South Africa. The first was against a 'rebel' Welsh rugby team training in the town and the second against a boycott-breaking cricketer.

The day Mandela was released, in February 1990, dozens of people gathered on the steps above and sang 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica', the anthem of the African National Congress which uses the tune 'Aberystwyth' by Joseph Parry and which has, since 1997, become part of the new South African national anthem.

Meanwhile, to complete the Aberystwyth anti-apartheid links, at the other end of town, on the wall of the old Unitarian Chapel in New Street,  is the plaque below:

Although David Ivon Jones died only six years after Mandela was born, he was an important figure in the gestation of the African National Congress, Mandela's party which ultimately triumphed in South Africa's 1994 General Election.