Tabernacle severely damaged by fire

The Tabernacle Chapel in Mill Street was severely damaged by fire on Friday night. People living close by had to be evacuated whilst the fire was being fought. The picture shows fire fighters still pumping water into the building on Saturday afternoon.

The chapel, built in 1879 and at one time able to hold 1,500 people, has been disused since 2002 after its congregation dwindled. In 2003 the Mimosa Project was launched, aimed at turning the building into an exhibition centre about migration from and to Wales, but the project never got beyond the planning stage. However, last year, planning permission was granted to Merlin Homes to turn the building into flats, albeit with strict condition to preserve the historic features.

Fire Officers will be assessing the damage in the next few days.

Council acknowledges street rubbish problem

Ceredigion Council has acknowledged that litter from black bags has increased recently in Aberystwyth and says it is actively looking at solutions.

In response to concerns expressed by someone working in the Pier Street area, a senior Environmental Services Officer writes,

"Like you, I am concerned about the problems that appear to have escalated in Aberystwyth in recent weeks. The situation was particularly bad on Tuesday but we haven’t been able to identify the exact cause. It has been suggested that quantities of refuse had been placed out by some landlords cleaning properties earlier vacated by students, although this has not been substantiated.

"There are ongoing discussions with colleagues in the Housing Division and the Highways Property and Works Department to try to identify measures that the County Council can implement that will help to address the problems. However we do need the cooperation of local residents, landlords, property owners, businesses, etc. I’m not convinced that everyone in the town places a sufficiently high priority on civic and community pride. This is a challenge if the ambitions of the Aberystwyth Master Plan are to be realised.

"A programme of activity is being prepared by the County Council for the coming months to raise awareness and focus people’s minds on appropriate ways to store and present their refuse for collection. We are also engaging with various individuals and groups who have an interest in or could offer collaborative and sustainable solutions to a complex issue that does not have a single answer."

[Thanks to Harry James for the picture]

Call for Faster Progress on Fair Trade

Alun Williams has called for Ceredigion Council to speed up its work on becoming a Fair Trade County after Wales was last week declared the world’s first Fair Trade Nation.

“A motion to look at making Ceredigion a Fair Trade County was first agreed by the Council in October 2006 – 20 months ago. Although a Council committee has been working on it, progress has been extremely slow. It clearly hasn’t been prioritised by the Council and Ceredigion has been overtaken by many other counties in Wales.

Eleven Welsh Counties have already achieved Fair Trade status. All the others are working towards it. After all the work put in by local groups in places like Aberystwyth and Lampeter – both Fair Trade towns - we must make sure that Ceredigion doesn’t finish near the end of the list. Now that Wales has been declared the world’s first Fair Trade nation, due to all the support there is for Fair Trade around the country, I want to see Ceredigion catch up and do its bit.”

The qualify as a Fair Trade nation Wales has had to demonstrate to the Fair Trade Foundation that all its counties have achieve, or are working towards, Fair Trade status and that Fair Trade groups are established in 55% of its towns. The Fairtrade Foundation awards Fairtrade status to Nations, Towns, Counties, Schools and Churches that meet five goals developed to raise awareness and support for Fairtrade. Fair Trade supports small farmers in the developing world who produce food we cannot produce at home and who are disadvantaged by international trading conditions that benefit big business. The movement is making a significant impact in helping the developing world and is strongly backed by churches.

Mwy gwybodaeth / More information:
http://www.fairtradewales.com/

Sue Jones-Davies voted Mayor of Aberystwyth

Plaid Cymru's Sue Jones-Davies has been voted the new mayor of Aberystwyth for 2008/09. Sue is a highly respected personality in the town, a former actress who now teaches yoga amongst many other things. She represents the Bronglais area. She was elected unanimously by the Town Council following the recent resignation of Lorrae Jones-Southgate.

Meanwhile, the former Mayor's resignation letter has been released by the Council....

Mr Town Clerk and fellow councillors,

It is with great deliberation and sadness that in the light of the outcome of the unfortunate by-election in my Rheidol ward, where I have proudly stood as their Town Councillor these past four years and having served this Town of Aberystwyth with honour and pride. The dedication I have given to my position of Mayor and Deputy, before that as Mayoress goes without saying. I was immensely proud of having a second term of office as Mayor for 2008/2009. Sadly I now find that I do not have the full support of many of my fellow Liberal Democrat Councillors and the members of our Local and Executive branch to stand as their selected candidate for County Council in my ward being Rheidol ward; thus find myself in this impossible situation. Thus it leaves me with no other choice that after much thought and immense sadness I resign from Aberystwyth Town Council, thus relinquishing my Chains of Office.

I wish to express my gratitude to our excellent Town Clerk and Assistant, both Jim Griffiths and Carol Prime, for the great support and hard work during my affiliation with them. I pray you will continue to support and respect them as they very much deserve to be.

I had great vision for our new Town Council and for the future development and betterment of our beautiful Town and my name of Aberystwyth of which I had great pride and even greater pride in my self-respect and good name.

I wish you my fellow councillors well in the future and that my participation and contribution will be remembered with respect. One has to make great personal sacrifices when holding high office and when you stand as a Representative of the people who elect you to do so.

Therefore, I am now going to stand down in order to concentrate on my family life and my University degrees in politics and law, and ensuring that both my children succeed in their University years with my undivided love and support.

My best wishes to you all

and

it is with much regret.

Lorrae Jones-Southgate

Mayor of Aberystwyth Resigns

Lorrae Jones-Southgate has today resigned as both the Mayor of Aberystwyth and Town Councillor after failing in her bid to win the Lib Dem nomination to stand in the Rheidol ward County Council by-election. Lorrae was voted top of the poll in the ward in last month's Town Council elections and followed this by being voted Mayor for the second year running. The resignation will come as a further shock to residents of Rheidol ward who only two weeks ago saw the resignation of their Lib Dem County Councillor Eric Griffiths. The resignation will mean a further by-election in Rheidol ward which is due to elect a new County Councillor on July 10th.

Although Lorrae's style is not to everyone's liking, there is no doubt that her tremendous work-rate and commitment as Mayor in the past year has won her the respect of many in the town, including that of councillors from other political parties.

Aled Davies is Plaid candidate in Rheidol By-election

Aled Davies has been selected as Plaid Cymru's candidate in the forthcoming Rheidol ward County Council by-election. Aled is a former mayor of the town and only narrowly failed to win North ward in the recent Council elections, losing by just 23 votes.

The Rheidol ward by-election has been caused by the resignation of the sitting Lib Dem councillor Eric Griffiths who won the seat by a majority of 293 in May over Plaid Cymru candidate Sue Jones-Davies. However this majority was down by 105 compared to the previous election in 2004 and the momentum in Aberystwyth is with Plaid Cymru who gained 45% of the vote across the town at the recent elections compared to 31% for the Lib Dems.

The by-election will take place on July 10th. The polling station will be the Sea Cadet's Hall in Riverside Terrace from where the result will be announced at around 10.30pm.

Ysbyty Diweddaraf / Hospital Latest

Bronglais Hospital has revealed modifications to their plans for a major new extension. At a recent meeting with local residents, attended by 35 people, the scheme's architect explained that the new block would be set back five metres from Caradog Road compared to the current Biochem Lab and that a small garden would be created between the Ty Geraint palliative care centre and the road. They also intend stripping the white wall in front of the Biochem Lab to reveal the slate underneath.

These adjustments to the plans met with approval from the meeting. However there was dismay that, despite putting an extra layer on the bottom car park, the hospital now intends to provide just 22 extra car parking spaces compared to the present. This figure is a considerable reduction on the originally proposed 70 extra spaces. When questioned about this the hospital cited the contraints of the site and the need to provide large parking spaces for the disabled.

The meeting asked the architect to consider reducing the overhang of the building, painting it a light colour and providing a pathway for people to want to walk from Caradog Road to Penglais.

The latest announcement from the Health Minister is here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7438377.stm

LLwyddiant Castell Rock Success

The Castell Rock festival in the castle grounds was once again a big success this year with a record attendance of all ages. The Castle is a fantastic venue for festivals of this kind and everyone involved deserves credit for putting on such a well-run event.

You can see my pictures of the day at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24136983@N07/
or
http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/mid/sites/aberystwyth/pages/castellrock_2008_pics.shtml

Election Winners Denied Governing Role

Despite Plaid Cymru winning the County Council in Ceredigion elections with 19 seats against 12 for the Independents and 10 for the Lib Dems, the latter two have, once again, formed a coalition to deny the winners the opportunity to govern the County.

The decision was taken this morning at a meeting of the full Council in which the existing Council leader, Keith Evans, was voted back in by 23 votes to 19 against Plaid Cymru's Ellen ap Gwynn. Labour's lone councillor, Hag Harris, also joined the coalition, giving them a majority of four.

The coalition's previous majority was a much more comfortable 26 - 16. The next four years is likely to be tougher for the ruling group with the prospect of losing controversial votes unless all their members are present.

Election Reflections

The major shock of the County Council elections in the five Aberystwyth wards was the election of Plaid Cymru's Rob Gorman as County Councillor for Penparcau. Goronwy Edwards, last time's runaway winner, scraped into second place in the two-seat ward by just 14 votes over Plaid's other candidate Steve Davies, narrowly avoiding a double shock in a ward which was regarded as a safe seat for Independents. Owen Jones, the previous holder of the second Penparcau seat finished fourth.

The other four County Councillors in Aberystwyth were all re-elected, although, in North Ward, not without a struggle. Aled Davies, Plaid Cymru's widely-fancied candidate finished just 23 votes behind the sitting councillor and Cabinet Member Carl Williams. At the last election the margin between the same two candidates was 26 so little has changed and the ward remains on a political knife-edge.

In Bronglais ward I was delighted to win the largest majority in Aberystwyth in finishing 300 votes ahead of the Lib Dem candidate. The Bronglais turnout, at 46.22% was also the highest in the town.

In Central ward, Mark Strong pushed the Plaid Cymru vote up to 30% from the previous 22% but, despite working extraordinariliy hard, still finished 154 votes short of sitting councillor Ceredig Davies.

In Rheidol ward, Plaid Cymru's Sue Jones-Davies knocked 105 off the majority of Eric Griffiths, the sitting councillor, but still finished some way behind.

Aberystwyth now has two Plaid Cymru councillors, three Lib Dems and one Independent. However Plaid Cymru increased it's vote in all five wards of the town and missed two more seats by just 14 and 23 votes respectively. They won 45% of all votes cast across the town compared to 33% at the last local elections. By contrast the Lib Dem vote went down from 37% to 31%.

Similarly, in the Town Council elections, where 35 candidates stood for 19 seats, the Plaid Cymru vote went up from 40% to 46% whilst the Lib Dems went down from 36% to 32%. These figures may well have implications for the next general election where the Lib Dems will be defending a slim majority.

The Town Council now has nine Plaid Cymru councillors, six Lib Dems, two Independents, one Green and one Labour. The total turnout across the town went up from 3608 in 2004 to 3890 this time, showing that democracy is alive and well in Aberystywth.

See the full results below.

Canlyniad Etholiad Cyngor / Council Election Results

1 Mai 2008 / 1st May 2008

ABERYSTWYTH BRONGLAIS

CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL
(1 seat)
Alun Williams (Plaid Cymru) 376 (77.5% - up 6%)
Trevor Shaftoe (Lib Dem) 76 (15.6% - down by 12%)
Robert Schofield (Conservative) 33 (6.8%)

Majority of 300 (up by 73)
The turnout was 46.2% - up by 4.7%

CYNGOR TREF ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL (4 seats)
Alun Williams (Plaid Cymru) 387
Sue Jones-Davies (Plaid Cymru) 347
Aled Davies (Plaid Cymru) 337
Ann-Marie Hinde (Plaid Cymru) 311
Michelle Shaftoe (Lib Dem) 104
Gerard Thompson (Lib Dem) 98
Matthew King (Lib Dem) 95
John Thornton (Lib Dem) 74

ABERYSTWYTH GOGLEDD / NORTH

CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL (1 seat)

Carl Williams (Lib Dem) 275
Aled Davies (Plaid Cymru) 252
Antony Pickles (Conservative) 40

CYNGOR TREF ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL (3 seats)
Chris Simpson (Green) 292
Mark Strong (Plaid Cymru) 271
Wyn Thomas (Plaid Cymru) 236
Terry Lynch (Lib Dems) 176
Christopher Chaudhuri (Lib Dems) 175
Richard Morgan-Ash (Lib Dems) 159
Anthony Pickles (Conservative) 116

ABERYSTWYTH GANOL / CENTRAL

CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL (1 seat)

Ceredig Davies (Lib Dem) 296
Mark Strong (Plaid Cymru) 142
Emily Dale (Conservative) 24

CYNGOR TREF ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL (3 seats)

Alec Dauncey (Lib Dems) 215
Lyn Lewis Dafis (Plaid Cymru) 193
Trevor Shaftoe (Lib Dems) 191
Michael Woods (Lib Dem) 184

Samantha Mackenzie-Grieve (Plaid Cymru) 179
Mark Mainwaring (Conservative) 80

ABERYSTWYTH RHEIDOL

CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL (1 seat)

Eric Griffiths (Lib Dem) 490
Sue Jones-Davies (Plaid Cymru) 197
Jason Edwards (Conservative) 38

CYNGOR TREF ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL (4 seats)

Lorrae Jones-Southgate (Lib Dem) 412
Sam Hearne (Lib Dem) 378
Mair Benjamin (Lib Dem) 362
Ceri Meehan (Lib Dem) 273
Sandra Oliver (Plaid Cymru) 247
Catherine Trim (Plaid Cymru) 231
Oli Morys (Plaid Cymru) 230

ABERYSTWYTH PENPARCAU

CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL (2 seats)

Rob Gorman (Plaid Cymru) 419
Goronwy Edwards (Independent) 391
Steve Davies (Plaid Cymru) 377
Owen Jones (Independent) 195
Michael Jones (Lib Dem) 97
Richard Boudier (Labour) 95
David Cogdell (Conservative) 46
Graeme Smith (Conservative) 31

CYNGOR TREF ABERYSTWYTH TOWN COUNCIL (5 seats)
Rob Gorman (Plaid Cymru) 609
Goronwy Edwards (Independent) 557
Steve Davies (Plaid Cymru) 541
Owen Jones (Independent) 413
Richard Boudier (Labour) 224
David Cogdell (Conservative) 121
Graeme Smith (Conservative) 121

Full results for Ceredigion can be found here: http//www.ceredigion.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=4295&splashpage=false

Mae Etholiadau Yma / Elections are here

Mae'r etholiadau lleol ar 1 Mai bellach ar y gorwel ac mae'n siwr y bydd llu o barnffledi'n dechrau ymddangos drwy flwch y post. Yr etholiadau yma fydd yn penderfynu ar y hyn sy'n digwydd i wasanaethau yng Ngheredigion yn ystod y pedair blynedd nesaf.

It's time to batten down the hatches and prepare for all those leaflets through the door as we approach the County and Town Council elections on May 1st. The elections will shape public services in Ceredigion for the next four years.

Plaid Cymru's candidates in the elections across Aberystwyth's five wards are as follows:

Bronglais

Sir / County - Alun Williams

Tref / Town - Aled Davies, Ann-Marie-Hinde, Sue Jones-Davies, Alun Williams

Gogledd / North

Sir / County - Aled Davies
Tref / Town - Mark Strong, Wyn Thomas

Canol / Central

Sir / County - Mark Strong
Tref / Town - Lyn Lewis Dafis, Sam Mackenzie-Grieve

Rheidol

Sir / County - Sue Jones-Davies
Tref / Town - Oli Morys, Sandra Oliver, Catherine Trim

Penparcau

Sir / County - Steve Davies, Rob Gorman
Tref / Town - Steve Davies, Rob Gorman

Call for Environmental Audit of Council Building Materials

Alun Williams, has called for an environmental audit of all products and materials used in the renovation and maintenance of the Council's housing stock.

Commenting on the Council's Draft Local Housing Strategy at a meeting of the Ceredigion County Council's Environmental Services and Housing Committee, Cllr Alun Williams said:
"The section on sustainable development is far too woolly. It has good intentions but doesn ' t seem to know quite what to do about them. As a specific suggestion, I'd like the Council to conduct an environmental audit of all products and materials it uses in the maintenance of council housing stock and then look at what it can do to improve them.

"All materials, from windows to roofs, have an environmental impact but some are much better than others. I recognise that in most cases it's not possible for councils to afford the very best in environmental practices but there are many steps on the ladder.

"The Council needs to take a step up in its environmental practice. The best way to start is with the materials it uses on a large scale in its renovation and maintenance work. Because the Council works on a county-wide scale it can have a much bigger effect than individuals so it's important that the Council is seen to adopt the best practice it can".

Ceredigion Council's Draft Local Housing Strategy is now out for consultation.

Diweddariad Bronglais Update

Bronglais Hospital have talked more about their latest planning application to build a five-storey extension to the current Accident & Emergency department and an extra layer on the bottom car park. The outline application is for the principle of development on the site of the Pathology Lab (the old maternity unit) with the result expected towards the end of May. If successful the hospital intend submitting a further application for the detail of the development.

Below is a summary of issues raised at a recent meeting with hospital representatives and a small group of residents living immediately opposite the site. The hospital has announced a further public meeting for all local residents at 7.30pm on May 12th in the hospital dining room.

The notes below should not be taken as an endorsement of any particular view.

Introduction
The proposal is to build a five-storey extension to the current A&E department by demolishing the Pathology Lab (once the maternity unit) and to build an extra layer on the bottom car park.

The reason given was that the current operating theatres fall well short of modern standards and the A&E department is far too small. Health and Safety legislation and modern technology is increasingly requiring more space to run these services. Bronglais Hospital’s future is as an emergency care unit for it’s catchment area. If it cannot develop this work to modern standards then it will be downgraded.

Why is the application for five storeys when the meeting in September said there would only be four? It also looks as if the ‘ground floor’ of the new block would, due to the slope of the road, be several feet above road level, making the building look even taller.
Response: The fifth storey is smaller than the others and is for the machinery (‘plant’) necessary to run the theatres etc. rather than a floor of the hospital in the same sense as the others. It will include air conditioning for the theatres, lift mechanisms etc. This storey won’t cover the whole of the top layer.

Couldn’t the hospital go lower, by digging into the ground, instead of being so high?
Response: This would be much more difficult and expensive and is not considered feasible.

Why does the new development have to be alongside Caradog Road? Why can’t it be on another part of the hospital grounds, for example by using the grounds of the houses it owns on Penglais Hill or even demolishing them?
Response: It is essential for the transport of patients between the new theatres and the wards that there is a direct corridor running all the way from the main hospital to the new unit. Having the new unit at the end of the current hospital is the only way to do this because of the grounds levels on the sloping site. The corridor link will be on the third floor. One of the houses in the middle of the row on Penglais Hill is owned privately so is not available to the hospital anyway. The intended placement of the new unit has been identified by a series of options appraisals.

Why can’t the hospital move somewhere else more suitable?
Response: A new site at Lovesgrove has been explored but is not possible in the foreseeable future. Securing the land and everything entailed would take nine years. This is far too long and, without improvements, the hospital would have been downgraded by the time it was built.

Won’t the machinery on the top floor make a noise?
Response: It won’t be heard.
It was then pointed out by residents that the existing machinery floor at the top end of the hospital opposite the Post Grad can be heard at the moment. The reply was that the new machinery floor would be much better than the current one due to modern machinery and soundproofing techniques. The current machinery is 25 years old. However the hospital said they would ask the engineers to quantify what kind of noise the new floor would produce.

How many additional car parking spaces will there be compared to the present.?
Response: 40 are planned at present.
It was then pointed out that the original plan was for 70 and that, at the meeting in September, it was 50. The hospital responded that, since then, they have been informed that there has to be a space between the hospital wall and the lower car park, thereby reducing capacity. The reduction may once have had an effect on parking income but hospitals are no longer allowed to charge for car parking.

What effect would the proposals have on traffic in the area?
Response: The front access of the A & E department would be moved from the Caradog Road side to the Penglais side. Although some lorries etc would still need to access the hospital via the top of Caradog Road, as they do now, the main access to A & E for ambulances, cars and pedestrians will effectively be turned around to face the other direction. This will have the effect of greatly reducing traffic in Caradog Road. The Trunk Road Agency is a statutory consultee but has not yet submitted its comments on the plans to the Planning Authority.

Why is it necessary to have a gymnasium in the plans? Is this for staff?
Response: No, it’s a specialist gym for physiotherapy patients

What would happen to the old theatres and the old A & E?
Response: Not yet sure. Pathology may move there, although Histopathology (20% of pathology work) may go to Carmarthen. Bronglais have also asked the Welsh government for money to modernise the current renal dialysis unit. This could go into the old theatres.

How long would it take to build and what would this entail?
Response: It would take two and a half years to put up the main structure including demolishing the old building. During that time the bottom car park would act as the builders yard, meaning that there would be no parking there. The hospital is currently working out how to manage this very difficult situation. To begin with, it is clear that the builders would have to be bussed into the site every day from a site out of town.

How would residents manage whilst its being built?
Response: There’s no doubt it’ll be very disruptive. However modern building standards would help to minimise this. Residents would be fully covered by the builders insurance. The company have been responsible for building a prestigious building in a built-up area of Dubai so are used to working in this kind of space. The route for heavy lorries during the building period would be from Penglais Hill.

How advanced are the financial plans?
Response: The proposal is a £33 million capital project to be funded by the Welsh government. This is part of a £300 million capital investment in the new Hywel Dda Trust. The hospital wanted to get this proposal in now because they were concerned that, with the Trust merger, they could otherwise lose out to larger proposals for Carmarthen and Haverfordwest.

They have not yet received approval from the Assembly for the Outline Business Case, although they expect to received this towards the end of April. They are then hoping to submit the Full Business Case in December. They hope to start building next year.

What is the timetable with the planning application?
Response: This current application is for Outline Planning Permission, that is, permission for the principle of the development. A decision by the Planning Authority is expected in May. A Full Planning Application (for the detail) is due to be submitted in July.

What are the plans for further public liaison?
Response: The hospital recognised that they promised to continue liaising with local residents at the September meeting and that they should probably have held a further meeting since then. The next public information session is planned for 12/5/08. Venue to be confirmed

Other points made
These points were noted by the hospital who said that they could perhaps be addressed in the next, detailed, planning application.

Colour - The colour on the plans looks terrible. Can the colour be in keeping with the rest of the hospital and the street and not too dark? The hospital said that this was simply the colour used on the outline plans drawn up by the architect and they had not thought about a colour at all yet.

Fifth storey – given that it’s not going to cover the same footprint as the lower floors, can the fifth storey be moved to the back of the hospital so that the building doesn’t look so tall from Caradog Road?

Monolithic – On the plans it looks like one huge block. Can it be designed so that it doesn’t look so monolithic?

Windows and lighting - Will lights be blazing from the building 24 hours a day? Can it be designed to minimise this? Also, what can be done to prevent people in the hospital being able to overlook homes on the other side of Caradog Road?

View from above – it was pointed out that the hospital can be seen from houses overlooking it, especially on the other side of Penglais. Would it be possible to design the roof so that it looks better from above?

Meals on Wheels to continue for most

Only 18 out of 130 elderly people in North Ceredigion receiving Meals on Wheels have been assessed as capable of managing the Council's controversial new frozen meals service.

That shock finding has demonstrated just how mistaken the whole idea of abandoning the popular Meals on Wheels service was in the first place.

After a heated debate when the issue was discussed by the full Council last year, the opposition Plaid Cymru group of councillors, along with sympathetic others from the ruling Lib Dem/Independent group, succeeded in forcing a compromise that those not capable of storing and cooking the frozen foods would be allowed to continue with their daily delivery of hot Meals on Wheels. That will now be the case for the vast majority.

Bowling Green Plans

Aberystwyth Town Council recently held a consultation meeting with residents living around North Road Bowling Club to decide how they would like spare land on the site used. The Bowling Club have decided not to continue with a second green on the site and to allow it to be leased to the Town Council who are hoping to find a sympathetic use.

The majority of people at the meeting wanted the land to be mainly used as a simple grassy play area for children. However other ideas, like the Celtic maze proposed by councillor Aled Davies, and the placing of sculptures around the site also had support. It was recognised that these ideas weren't mutually exclusive so the Town Council agreed to draw up plans incorporating options for all of them and to bring them back to a future meeting.

Achub Coed y Fynwent

SCROLL DOWN FOR ENGLISH

Mae cynllun i dorri coed ar hyd y llwybr ger mynedfa Mynwent Aberystwyth ar Ffordd Llanbadarn wedi cael ei rwystro. Roeddwn yn digwydd cerdded heibio wrth i’r goeden gyntaf cael ei thorri ac fe lwyddais i atal unrhyw waith pellach ar y coed sy’n creu effaith twnnel wrth gerdded ar hyd y llwybr.

Nid oedd y mwyafrif o’r trigolion lleol a ymgynghorwyd am weld y coed yn cael eu diddymu ac, yn dilyn trafodaethau pellach, fe gytunwyd i atal y gwaith am y tro ac i docio’r coed ychydig yn y dyfodol.

Yn y misoedd nesaf bydd y Cyngor yn adnewyddu’r gatiau, waliau a llwybrau o amgylch y fynwent er mwyn gwella ei golwg a chynnig mynediad haws i’r nifer o bobl sy’n cerdded trwyddi.

Mae’r Cyngor yn awr wedi cytuno i gydweithio â Grŵp Aberystwyth Gwyrddach (GAG) i gynhyrchu cynllun rheoli hirdymor ar gyfer y fynwent. Gall trigolion gysylltu â GAG naill ai drwy e-bostio post@lauriewright.plus.com

Cemetery Trees Saved

A plan to drastically cut back trees along the pathway at the Llanbadarn Road entrance to Aberystwyth Cemetery has been halted. I happened to be walking by as the first tree was being cut down and succeeded in stopping any further work on the trees which create a tunnel effect along the pathway.

The majority of local residents consulted did not want to see the trees removed and, after further discussions, it was agreed not to continue with the work for the time being and to trim the trees much less drastically at a future date.

In the next few months the Council will be renewing gates, walls and pathways around the cemetery to enhance its appearance and improve access for the many people who walk through it.

The Council is now working with the Greener Aberystwyth Group (GAG) to produce a management plan for the long-term future of the cemetery. GAG can be contacted by e-mail at post@lauriewright.plus.com

New Money for Bronglais

Plaid Cymru's AM for Ceredigion, Elin Jones recently joined the One Wales Government's Minister for Health and Social Services, Edwina Hart AM, on a visit to Aberystwyth's Bronglais Hospital . During the visit, the Minister announced immediate funding totalling nearly £33 million to be divided among hospitals in Wales in order to buy new hospital equipment and carry out minor alterations to existing hospital buildings in order to improve facilities for patients. Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust will be receiving a share of over £626,000 of this announced funding.
Following the visit to Bronglais Hospital with the Minister for Health and Social Services, Ceredigion's Elin Jones AM said:

"I was very glad to have been invited by the Minister to join her during her visit to Bronglais Hospital . During our visit we were shown the benefits of using the latest developments in telemedicine to provide links between hospitals. This is a very welcome innovation -especially for a rural area like Ceredigion because it can help to reduce the distance a patient must travel in order to be seen by a specialist - and the funding will partly be used to develop this service further. The nature of this funding announced by the Minister also means that Ceredigion residents will start to see its benefit in the immediate future".

Following their visit to Bronglais Hospital , Elin Jones AM and the Minister for Health and Social Services met with representatives from Ceredigion's Beacon of Hope, including its founder Elizabeth Murphy. Elin Jones AM later added:

"This is the Minister's second visit to Ceredigion in as many months. During her previous visit where she met with representatives from local organisations to discuss the future of healthcare in Ceredigion, the Minister showed a great interest in the work of the Beacon of Hope and therefore took the opportunity to visit the charity's Aberystwyth office today. The Beacon of Hope provides an invaluable service to local residents, and I was especially pleased that the Minister recognised the importance of the work carried out by Elizabeth Murphy and her staff".

Cynllunio Diweddaraf / Planning Latest

Bryn Penglais / Penglais Hill A080067

Erection of Doctor's Surgery and Creche

Diweddaraf / Latest - Outline planning approval has already been granted. This latest application is for the detail of what could go on the site. The application is now in the consultation period which ends on March 6th although comments arriving after that time may still be considered. Will go to Development Control Committee but not before May 14th at the earliest.

Tanybryn, Ffordd Llanbadarn / Llanbadarn Road A071386

Newidiadau ac estyniad

Alterations and extensions

Diweddaraf / Latest - Approved subject to conditions

Geryllan, Ffordd y Drindod / Trinity Road A071305

Newidiadau er mwyn trosi ystafelloedd gwely a chysgu HMO i 3 fflat

Alteration to turn HMO bedsit into 3 flats

(Reduces the current 9 bedrooms down to 5)

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved

Llys Ardwyn, Ffordd Ddewi / St David's Road

(Hen Safle Penweddig / Old Penweddig site) A071351

Conversion of former school building (the old school ‘C Block’) to accommodate 17 apartments, including 3 affordable units.This represents an increase of six units compared to the existing permission for Phase 3 (see below).

Diweddaraf / Latest – In the consultation period. Likely to go to the Development Control Committee. Will not be decided before 12th March 2008 at the earliest.

A070866

Variation of Condition No 2 attached to planning permission A050289 to allow the development of 17 units within Phase 3.

Diweddaraf / Latest – Withdrawn in favour of the application above

Other applications so far approved at Llys Ardwyn are:

Phase 1 - 9 flats

Phase 2 - 18 flats

Phase 3 - 11 flats

4 apartments in the 'Undercroft' (3 as affordable housing)

Houses on plots 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5

Glanaber, Heol y Buarth / Buarth Road A071120

Erection of wall & alteration to access

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved

Havelock Villa, Ffordd Penglais / Penglais Road A071037

Dymchwel rhan o'r adeilad cyn codi estyniad newydd yn y cefn

Demolition of part of building before erecting a new extension to the rear

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved

Hergest, Cae'r Gog A071023

Codi llawr cyntaf dros y byngalo a newidiadau

Erection of first floor over bungalow & alterations

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved

Infirmary Road (Hen Safle Ysbyty Ffordd y Gogledd / Old North Road Hospital site) A070617

Demolition of dwelling (Garn Wen), road widening & provision of public footpaths

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved

Arfron, Cae'r Gog A070631

Alterations & extension

Diweddaraf / Latest – Approved subject to conditions

Pencarreg, Ffordd Llanbadarn / Llanbadarn Road A070476

Codi 3 annedd / Erection of 3 dwellings

Diweddaraf / Latest – Refused

Dylid danfon sylwadau at yr Adran Cynllunio, Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron, Ceredigion, SA46 0PA

Comments can be sent to the Planning Department, Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa Aberaeron, Ceredigion, SA46 0PA