Professor Mike Christe of Aberystwyth University has been appointed co-chair of a global assessment on the value and sustainable use of wild species.

A Professor of Environmental and Ecological Economics at Aberystwyth Business School, Mike Christie is one of four international experts who will lead the assessment on behalf of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

The study will focus on the diverse conceptualisations of multiple values of nature and is one of two major assessments by the IPBES starting this year.

Professor Christie will co-chair the assessment with Professor Patricia Balvanera (Institute for Ecosystem and Sustainability Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico); Brigitte Baptiste (General Director, Alexander von Humboldt Institute, Colombia), and Professor Unai Pascual (Ikerbasque Research Professor at the Basque Centre for Climate Change (BC3), Spain, and Associated Senior Research Scientist at the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE), University of Bern, Switzerland).

Speaking after the appointment was announced at the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), in Frankfurt Germany, Professor Christie said: “The Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services aims to generate evidence to help protect the World’s natural resources. As one of the co-chairs of the ‘Values’ assessment, I will be leading a team of international experts to explore the multiple ways in which people enjoy and benefit from nature and, importantly, how people’s values for nature can be incorporated into policy decisions. It is thus a great honour to have been selected to chair this assessment and thus play a critical role in developing evidence that will support biodiversity conservation policies.”

The technical support unit, which will coordinate the production of the assessment, will be based in Morelia, Mexico, and hosted by the Institute for Research on Ecosystems and Sustainability (IIES-UNAM), the Secretariat of Institutional Development (SDI-UNAM), and the University Seminar on Society, Environment and Institutions (SUSMAI-UNAM) all within the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the Mexican Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO).

Professor Christie has also co-led an international study for the IPBES on biodiversity loss in Europe and Central Asia, and the findings were published at a conference in Colombia in March 2018.

IPBES was established in 2012 as an independent body, comprising 130 United Nations Member States, along with numerous NGOs and civil society groups.

It aims to provide a robust evidence base for better policy through science, for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.

Photo: Professor Mike Christie

Links:

IBPES www.ipbes.net

Study at Aberystwyth Business School
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/abs

An illegal dog breeder in Carmarthenshire has been ordered to pay £13,500 for continuing to breed and sell puppies despite being refused a licence by the local authority.

Sylvia Griffiths, the owner of Glenview Kennels in Llandyfaelog, was prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council after animal health officers found she had ignored warnings that she could no longer breed dogs because her premises did not meet licence conditions.

Griffiths has held a breeding licence for Glenview since 1998, originally granted for up to 23 adult dogs.

However, when she applied to renew her licence in July 2016, animal health officers visited and found 74 adult dogs on the premises in overcrowded conditions with no free access to exercise areas.

Griffiths was given time to address conditions and warned that her failure to do so would result in her application being refused.

Officers made an unannounced return visit in December 2016 and found conditions had not been satisfactorily improved.

As a result, her licence renewal was refused, and she was told she could no longer breed and sell dogs.

However, after a concerned customer contacted the council in May 2017 it was discovered she was still breeding puppies and advertising them for sale on Gumtree.

Griffiths was invited for interview by animal health officers where, in a prepared statement, she stated that her dogs were well looked after and was committed to engaging with the authority in respect of the regulatory issues.

However, the council proceeded with a prosecution to prevent further illegal breeding.

The case was heard at Llanelli Magistrates Court. Griffiths was sentenced in her absence due to ill health, but was fined £3,500, ordered to pay costs of £10,000 and a victim surcharge of £120.

Cllr Philip Hughes, executive board member for enforcement, said: “We were pleased with the outcome of this case which demonstrates how seriously we take illegal breeding.

“We were not satisfied with conditions at Glenview Kennels and refused the licence renewal, however the owner ignored this and continued to trade.

“Taking a case to court is always a last resort, as we would prefer that breeders heeded our advice and acted within the law.”

Anyone who breeds or supplies dogs, including at home, requires a licence.

Anyone who is concerned that someone is breeding dogs illegally should contact the council on 01267 234567.

Householders in Llanybydder and the surrounding areas are being urged to have a clear out.

A waste and tyre amnesty is being held at the car park on Saturday, August 11 from 8am-12pm.

Most household waste can be taken along including, unwanted furniture, carpets and mattresses, electrical items such as fridge-freezers and televisions, as well as black bags.

A maximum of four domestic tyres can also be disposed of; however, tractor or lorry tyres will not be accepted.

The following hazardous waste items will not be accepted e.g. paint (only empty paint tins accepted), fluorescent tubes, batteries, chemicals, gas bottles, asbestos, garden waste, trade waste, construction waste, agricultural waste, glass e.g. panes of glass or furniture containing glass.

Residents are advised to please separate their waste and to bring proof of address or they will be refused entry.

The latest podcast from Phil Evans and Robert Lloyd.

The Big Cwtsh (Episode 25) is now on Soundcloud.

Scarlets Academy’s class of 2018-19 is now complete with Morgan MacRae the latest to join the West Wales region.

Sixteen-year-old hooker MacRae is an exciting prospect for the future having joined Scarlets Academy through WRU’s Exiles programme.

MacRae started playing rugby at a very young age impressing at school, club (Henley) and county (Oxfordshire) level before going on to continue his development with Wasps Academy.

Grandparental links to Newcastle Emlyn and Criccieth forged a path for MacRae to join the WRU Exiles programme before leading him to West Wales and the Scarlets.

Joining MacRae in the under 18s category within the Scarlets Academy are five equally talented players from within the region, all handed regional contracts after impressing for Scarlets Under 16s East.

Joe Roberts (Coedcae), Dafydd Land, Iestyn Rees (both Ysgol Bro Dinefwr), Osian Knott and Jac Price (both Ysgol Bro Myrddin) complete the Academy’s intake for the forthcoming season.

Roberts and Knott have both this week been named in Wales Under 18s squad for the tour to South Africa, taking on South Africa Schools, France and England.

The under 16s and under 18s programmes are an important part of region’s development pathway with players introduced to a professional training regime, the use of performance analysis and gain experience of being involved in a professional rugby environment.

The WRU Exiles programme sets out to identify, monitor and develop a network of young, Welsh-qualified boys and girls based outside Wales.

The Academy newcomers will continue with full time education whilst also training with Scarlets Academy and receiving expert coaching and guidance from the region’s Academy and development staff.

Scarlets General Manager of Rugby Jon Daniels said; “Young players like this group here are the lifeblood and future of the region and we’re delighted to be welcoming them in to the Academy.

“We have a very experienced team of staff running our Academy and age grade programmes doing excellent work unearthing and nurturing the region’s next generation of talent. We have seen a number of players from within the Scarlets wider community go on to become senior Scarlets as well as internationals.

“We’re also working closely with the WRU and their Exiles programme to identify Welsh qualified players who are currently residing and are educated outside of Wales.”

By Mark Jones, director of Carmarthen-based Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants. This column appears in the Pembrokeshire Herald, Carmarthen Herald and Llanelli Herald.

The taxman at HMRC has issued a warning to taxpayers regarding the latest tax refund scams.

These scams are targeting individuals via email and SMS messages.

HMRC is currently processing genuine tax refunds for the 2017/18 tax year and the fraudsters are sending scam messages which claim that taxpayers are entitled to a rebate.

These messages go on to request that they provide their personal and account details in order to make their claim.

HMRC is keen to stress that it will only ever inform individuals of a tax refund by post or through their employer, and never via email, text messaging or voicemail.

Commenting on the issue, Treasury Minister Mel Stride said

“We know that criminals will try and use events like the end of the financial year, the self assessment deadline, and the issuing of tax refunds to target the public and attempt to get them to reveal their personal data.”

HMRC is advising taxpayers not to click on any links, download any attachments or provide any personal information, and to forward any suspect messages to HMRC.

HMRC advises customers to:

• recognise the signs – genuine organisations like banks and HMRC will never contact you out of the blue to ask for your PIN, password or bank details
• stay safe – do not give out private information, reply to text messages, download attachments or click on links in emails you weren’t expecting
• take action – forward suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC to phishing@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk and texts to 60599, or contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 to report any suspicious calls or use its online fraud reporting tool
• check GOV.UK for information on how to avoid and report scams and recognise genuine HMRC contact
• if you think you have received an HMRC-related phishing/bogus email or text message, you can check it against the examples shown in this guide

HMRC has taken a range of action to protect the public from scams, including:

• from April 2017 to March 2018, reported 14,631 malicious websites for takedown
• from April 2017 to March 2018, received 771,227 customer phishing email/SMS referrals
• from April 2017 to March 2018, received 1.1 million direct visits to HMRC security pages on GOV.UK
• implemented SMS firewalling – working with industry to deliver a pilot to reduce SMS abuse, resulting in a 90% decrease in reported abuse of protected HMRC SMS tags

Internet link –

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/hmrc-warns-on-tax-refund-scams

In other news, it has previously been reported that the Enterprise Management Incentive scheme State Aid approval lapsed on 6 April 2018.

HMRC had previously warned that EMI share options granted in the period from 7 April 2018 until EU State Aid approval was received may not be eligible for the tax advantages afforded to option holders but have now confirmed the scheme will operate as before.

On 15 May EU approval was granted and HMRC has now confirmed that the Enterprise Management Incentives scheme will continue to operate as before and no changes have therefore been made to the scheme.

The Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) allows selected employees (often key to the employer) to be given the opportunity to acquire a significant number of shares in their employer through the issue of options.

An EMI can offer significant tax advantages as the scheme allows options to be granted to employees which then allows shares to be acquired without any tax bill arising until the shares are sold.

For more on EMI, see this internet link –

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/employment-related-securities-bulletin/employment-related-securities-bulletin-28-may-2018

You can find out more about money matters on the Clay Shaw Butler website (under our news for business section) –

http://www.clayshawbutler.com/news/latest-news-for-business

We have a strong and experienced team with great local knowledge all geared-up to helping you get the very best from your finances – whether that is as an individual or as a business.

We stay ahead of the game by putting great store by continual professional development for our staff.

With Investors In People status at Clay Shaw Butler, we care passionately about making sure our staff have all the tools they need to serve you, our customers.

Weblink – http://www.clayshawbutler.com

The team at Clay Shaw Butler can be contacted on 01267 228500.

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