The quality of the customer service provided by Aberystwyth University’s Information Services (IS) department has been acknowledged by an independent review.

IS, which provides a broad range of library and information technology services across all areas of the University, has been awarded its Customer Service Excellence accreditation for three more years.

The review by Customer Services Excellence assessor Anthony Lishman also concluded that Information Services went beyond what would be expected in eight areas.

As a result, the team has been awarded Compliance Plus status for engaging and consulting with customers; leadership, policy and culture; the quality of information provided; cooperating with other providers, partners and communities; and the professionalism and attitude of staff.

First awarded to IS in 2015, the government-backed Customer Service Excellence accreditation assesses organisations on the basis of delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude.

Considered an indication of quality and excellence in customer service, participating institutions are required to undergo a full review every three years.

Highlighted for praise in the review’s findings are the ‘sophisticated communication channels that [IS] uses to interact with its customers’, including the recently launched ApAber

As part of the two day review, students and staff were consulted on the quality of services provided by IS.

Student feedback included an appreciation of how helpful staff are, with one student remarking that ‘nothing was too much trouble’ for staff, and there is always a ‘willingness to see a solution’.

Nia Ellis and Elizabeth Kensler, Customer Services Managers at IS, said: “We are very proud of all the efforts by our staff and partners at the university for achieving this award, and it reflects Information Services’ continued commitment to putting the customer at the heart of everything we do.”

In January 2018 Information Services completed a £1m refurbishment of the University’ iconic Hugh Owen Library, with its panoramic views over Aberystwyth and Cardigan Bay.

As well as a bright new welcome area, the development has provided significantly more study spaces for students along with more efficient lighting and ventilation systems.

Further information about the Customer Service Excellence award is available here.

Photo: Left to right: Information Services staff Faye Ap Geraint, Joy Cadwallader, Julie Hart, Jamie Harris, Elizabeth Kensler, Sarah Gwenlan and Jan Litton celebrate the renewal of the Customer Service Excellence accreditation for a further three years.

Links:
Customer Service Excellence
http://www.customerserviceexcellence.uk.com/homeCSE.html

Information Services
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/is/

Refurbished Hugh Owen Library opens
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/news/archive/2018/01/title-209127-en.html

Carmarthenshire County Council is starting a £4m programme of major road resurfacing on a number of roads around the county.

Carmarthenshire has the second largest road network in Wales and has secured £2.2m in funding from Welsh Government to add to its own budgets to enable a substantial investment in the county’s roads.

The works being undertaken will repair many existing roads and help sustain the highway network for the future.

Nearly 100 sections of road will be resurfaced in total with some of the routes selected to support the forthcoming 2018 OVO Energy Tour of Britain cycle race in September.

Motorists are urged to exercise patience when works are being undertaken and to be aware of any advance warning signs and diversion routes which are put in place to help motorists.

All of the works should be complete by the end of October and further details of roadworks are available through the County Council’s website.

Executive Board Member with responsibility for environment Cllr Hazel Evans said: “Our road network is of vital importance to Carmarthenshire and we need to keep it fit for purpose. This investment will help ensure good quality road surfaces and maintain road safety. I would like to thank road users for their patience whilst these works are being carried out.”

Latest Carmarthenshire roadworks information on this link –

https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/home/council-services/travel-roads-parking/

Scarlets Team Manager Mark Taylor will leave the region, with immediate effect, for personal reasons.

The 52-times capped centre, and British and Irish Lion, joined the region ahead of the 2016-17 season.

Well-respected by Scarlets colleagues and peers across the rugby fraternity, Taylor was a part of the management team when the Scarlets were crowned Guinness PRO12 champions in May 2017.

A replacement will be recruited in due course to ensure preparations for the forthcoming season are unaffected.

Everyone at the Scarlets wishes Mark all the very best for the future.

Carmarthenshire’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) has been launched today (Monday, June 25)
In accordance with statutory requirements, under the Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, Local Authorities are required to prepare a Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP).

Carmarthenshire’s WESP was approved by Welsh Government in March 2018 following full statutory public consultation.

Carmarthenshire’s WESP aims to ensure that all pupils are given the opportunity to be able to become more fluently bilingual by the end of primary school (Key Stage 2) to their expected levels and then develop this attribute through to secondary school, whilst also ensuring the acquisition of other languages, as set out in the New Curriculum for Wales.

The Plan reflects the Welsh Government’s wider strategy for the Welsh language which is to realise ‘A million Welsh speakers by 2050’. To achieve that, the Welsh Government believes that several things need to happen, one of which includes ‘more children in Welsh-medium education’.

Executive board member responsible for education and children’s services, Cllr Glynog Davies, said: “We are proud that here in Carmarthenshire we are making great strides towards helping the Welsh Government to fulfil its vision for a million Welsh speakers by 2050 by implementing our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan. We intend to move every primary and secondary school along the language continuum, so that each school plays its particular part in realising this ambition. For those schools which are already on the journey the timescale will be comparatively short, for others, it will be a longer term aim.

“Support will be available to train staff in order to improve their linguistic skills, where required, and also to offer professional development, thus enhancing teaching provision across all age groups. We will be developing the skills and confidence of teachers to teach through the medium of Welsh whilst also upskilling support staff to lend assistance in the classroom.”

Guidance will also be offered to school governors and school leaders.

Leader of the council, Cllr Emlyn Dole said: “I recognise the importance of creating opportunities for the pupils of Carmarthenshire to become confident in Welsh and English.

“All our young people, from all walks of life, should have the opportunity to be bilingual when they emerge from our education system, proud of their identity and able to celebrate both languages.”

By Mark Jones, director of Carmarthen-based Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants.

New company car advisory fuel rates have been published by the taxman at HMRC.

The new rates came into force on June 1.

The guidance states: ‘You can use the previous rates for up to one month from the date the new rates apply’.

The rates only apply to employees using a company car.

The advisory fuel rates for journeys undertaken on or after June 1 are:

Petrol

Engine size

1400cc or less             11p

1401cc – 2000cc          14p

Over 2000cc                22p

LPG

Engine size

1400cc or less            7p

1401cc – 2000cc          9p

Over 2000cc                14p

Diesel

Engine size

1600cc or less            10p

1601cc – 2000cc          11p

Over 2000cc                13p

The guidance states that the rates only apply when you either:

• reimburse employees for business travel in their company cars
• require employees to repay the cost of fuel used for private travel

You must not use these rates in any other circumstances.

If you would like to discuss your company car policy, then please contact the team at Clay Shaw Butler.

Internet link for more information on the Government website –

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advisory-fuel-rates

In other news, here at Clay Shaw Butler we appreciate that keeping up with tax deadlines can be hard work.

We have taken some of the pain out of the problem by working on a handy tax calendar.

Here are some up and coming tax dates for you to note . . .

July 2018

Thursday 5 – Deadline for reaching a PAYE Settlement Agreement for 2017/18.

Friday 6 – Deadline for forms P11D and P11D(b) for 2017/18 to be submitted to HMRC and copies to be issued to employees concerned.

Friday 6 – Deadline for employers to report share incentives for 2017/18.

Thursday 19 – Class 1A NIC due for 2017/18.

Thursday 19 – PAYE Student loan and CIS deductions due for the month to 5th July 2018.

Thursday 19 – PAYE quarterly payments are due for small employers for the pay periods 6th April 2018 to 5th July 2018.

Tuesday 31 – Second payment on account 2017/18 due.

August 2018

Thursday 2 – Deadline for submitting P46 (car) for employees whose car/fuel benefits changed during the quarter to 5th July 2018.

Sunday 19 – PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5th August 2018.

September 2018

Saturday 1 – Advisory Fuel Rates.

Wednesday 19 – PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for month to 5th September 2018.

October 2018

Friday 5 – Deadline for notifying HMRC of new sources of taxable income or gains or liability to the High Income Child Benefit Charge for 2017/18 if no tax return has been issued.

Friday 19 – Tax and NI due under a 2017/18 PAYE Settlement Agreement.

Friday 19 – PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5th October 2018.

Friday 19 – PAYE quarterly payments are due for small employers for the pay periods 6th July 2018 to 5th October 2018.

Wednesday 31 – Deadline for submitting ‘paper’ 2017/18 self assessment returns.

Wednesday 31 – Deadline for submission of 2017/18 self assessment returns if you require HMRC to compute your tax liability and/or if tax underpaid is to be collected by adjustment to your 2019/20 PAYE code.

November 2018

Friday 2 – Deadline for submitting P46(car) for employees whose car/fuel benefits changed during the quarter to 5th October 2018.

Monday 19 – PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5th November 2018.

December 2018

Saturday 1 – Advisory Fuel Rates.

Wednesday 19 – PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5th December 2018.

Sunday 30 – Online filing deadline for submitting 2017/18 self assessment return if you require HMRC to collect any underpaid tax by making an adjustment to your 2019/20 tax code.

You can access the Clay Shaw Butler calendar on our website at – https://www.clayshawbutler.com/resources/tax-calendar

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.

The team at Clay Shaw Butler are on Twitter. Look for @clayshawbutler.

Space scientists at Aberystwyth University working on the European Space Agency/Roscosmos ExoMars mission which is due to land on Mars in 2021 have built a full size replica of the rover.

The size of a small car, the Aberystwyth ExoMars Rover will be unveiled at the Old College on Friday 29 June as part of the University’s celebration of UK Robotics Week.

Built by Stephen Fearn and Dr Matt Gunn from the Department of Physics, the Aberystwyth replica is a full-scale interactive model of the ExoMars rover that will be tasked with finding signs of life on Mars.

Made mostly from plywood, metal and drainage pipes, the Aberystwyth ExoMars Rover will include interactive activities that explain how the actual rover will drive around and take scientific images and analyse rock samples.

The rover has been built with the support of the UK space Agency and the Institute of Maths, Physics and Computer Sciences as part of their work to promote the ESA/Roscosmos mission and to inspire a new generation of space scientists.

Dr Helen Miles from the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University has been instrumental in designing many of Aberystwyth’s ExoMars outreach activities.

Dr Miles has also created a virtual reality version of the ExoMars rover that is being used by scientists involved with building the mission’s actual rover.

Dr Miles said: “At Aberystwyth University, we have a passion for science and we love to talk about the exciting things we are involved with. It’s difficult to explain to people what the ExoMars rover will look like and how it will work, especially since there isn’t a complete version ready yet. To help us show everyone what we are part of, we have built a full-scale interactive model so that people will be able to learn about what the rover will see and do, and how it will explore Mars.”

The ExoMars work at Aberystwyth University is led by Dr Matt Gunn from the Department of Physics.

Dr Gunn is a member of three international instrument teams on the ExoMars mission; PanCam, a system of three scientific cameras for digital terrain mapping and is led by the Mullard Space Science Laboratory at University College London; ISEM, the mission’s infrared spectrometer that will assess mineralogy of targets and is led byRussian Academy of Science Space Research Institute; and CLUPI, a high-resolution camera designed for close-up images which is led by the Swiss based Space Exploration Institute.

The team at Aberystwyth University have built hardware for the ExoMars Rover, including a colour swatch inspired by medieval stained glass.

Designed to withstand the very high levels of ultraviolet light on Mars which causes colours to fade quickly, the swatch will be used to calibrate the mission’s camera and spectrometer systems to ensure colours are recorded accurately.

The Aberystwyth team have also been involved with field testing of prototype instruments and developing the pipeline for processing images sent back to Earth from Mars.

Dr Gunn and colleagues have been testing the mission’s camera system, PanCam, in remote desert like locations around the world, including Iceland, Utah in the USA and the Atacama Desert in South America.

Dr Gunn said: “The camera systems on this mission are highly sensitive as the scientists who work with these images will be looking for very subtle changes in colour. These images are not ordinary colour photographs; they will be used to work out the different types of rocks on Mars. It is known that some rocks form in wet environments, so accurately interpreting the images may help mission scientists to pinpoint where to look for possible signs of life.”

The Aberystwyth ExoMars model will be on view for the first time at An Evening of Space Robotics,an event to celebrate Aberystwyth University’s pioneering work in solar system physics and space robotics on Friday 29 June from 4pm until 9pm.

Featuring a presentation by Sue Horne MBE, UKSA Head of Space Exploration, tickets for the event are free and can be booked online here.

Aberystwyth Robotics Week

Hosted by the departments of Physics and Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth Robotics Week (25-30 June 2018)offers a host of events for budding robot engineers and space scientists of all ages and forms part of UK Robotics Week. The programme is also supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Aberystwyth Robotics Week 2018 Programme:

• Monday 25 until Friday 29 June, 10:00am–4:00pm, Old College
  Robotics Exhibition
  There will be a growing exhibition featuring the robotics and space science research, robot crafts and a selection of the competition entries.
• Monday 25 June, 1:00-3:00pm, Old College
  The Robot Olympics
  A competition for teams from local primary schools to engineer a robot to take part in a series of robotics challenges.
• Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28 June, 4:00-6:00pm, Old College
  Robot Craft
  An opportunity to craft your own robot from whatever parts you can find in our scrapheap of paper, pens, and craft supplies. Robots can be displayed as part of the exhibition. Price: £1 per robot.
• Wednesday 27 June, 4:00-9:00pm, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  From Fiction to Reality: a special screening of sci-fi feature film Ex_Machinafollowed by a round table discussion about the latest developments in artificial intelligence and robotics. An exhibition and free pizza will be provided. Tickets available from Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
• Friday 29 June, 4:00-9:00pm, Old College
  An Evening of Space Robotics
  Researchers at Aberystwyth University have a long and distinguished involvement with space exploration. Aberystwyth scientists played a leading role in Beagle2 and feature prominently in the development of the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars Rovermission which is due to launch in 2020. The evening will feature a presentation by Sue Horne MBE, UKSA Head of Space Exploration and the unveiling of a life size model of the ExoMars Rover for outreach. Tickets are free and can be booked online here.
• Saturday 30 June, 10:00am-4:00pm, Aberystwyth Bandstand
  Beach Lab
  The highly popular Beach Lab returns offering a day at the beach with robots and humans from the Aberystwyth Robotics Club.

Photo: Wheels of steel: Dr Helen Miles and Stephen Fearn holding the wheels of the ExoMars Rover model and Dr Matt Gunn showing the mission’s colour swatch that has been inspired by medieval stained glass.

Links:
ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars
http://exploration.esa.int/mars/

Aberystwyth Robotics Week 2018
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/outreach/uk-robotics-week/#overview

Department of Computer Science
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/

Department of Physics

https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/phys/

Intelligent Robotics at Aberystwyth University
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/cs/research/ir/

Study Solar System Physics at Aberystwyth University
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/phys/research/solar/

My website link –

Aberystwyth University celebrates UK Robotics Week