Deliveries of blue bags are underway to every household in Carmarthenshire.
Between now and the end of March, every home should receive three rolls of blue bags, which allows for up to six bags to be put out for each recycling collection week – although there is no limit to the amount of blue bags you can put out for recycling.
You can find out when your blue bags are due to be delivered by visiting the recycling, bins and litter pages on Carmarthenshire County Council’s website and using the blue bag delivery tracker.
The tracker allows residents to type in their postcode to find out when their delivery is due. It will also state if the delivery has already taken place.
Refuse/ recycling crews will be delivering these to 87,000 households. They will be in Carmarthenshire County Council marked vans, and deliveries will be made Monday to Saturday up until 5pm. The deliveries will be made separately to the usual refuse/recycling collections.
Large families, that may require additional rolls during the year, can collect from 12 collection points allocated across the county, along with the mobile library service.
The outlets are: Amman Valley Leisure Centre; Ammanford and Carmarthen customer service centres; Carmarthen Leisure Centre; Lampeter library; Llandeilo council offices; Llandovery swimming pool; Llandysul library; Llanelli customer services centre; Llanelli Leisure Centre, Newcastle Emlyn Library and St Clears Leisure Centre.
This is the second year that the council has been delivering three rolls to each household. The decision was made following feedback from residents who asked for blue bags to be more accessible to help them recycle more. It was also implemented to ensure the bags were used solely for their purpose of recycling household items.
The council’s executive board member for environment, Cllr Hazel Evans, said: “Some households may have received their supply of blue bags already.
“We would ask those who haven’t yet received them to be patient as it will take us around three months to deliver to every household in the county.”
For more information, including the blue bag delivery checker and a Frequently Asked Questions section, visit the recycling pages
A series of revised bus routes have been published following a change in contracts covering the north of Carmarthenshire.
Carmarthenshire County Council has completed a tender process following notice from Morris Travel that it intended to hand back the routes it operates around the Llanarthne, Crugybar, Carmel, Llandeilo and Llandovery areas as of January 19.
As a result, the council has confirmed that it has been able to partially replace services in the Llandeilo, Llandovery and Lampeter areas which were under threat.
A new tender has been agreed with Morris Travel for services based around Llandeilo, which will see little change to services 276, 283 and 284 but with services 278 and 279 no longer operating on Mondays, and service 277 no longer operating on Saturdays.
However, services between Llandovery and Lampeter will be affected long-term with no response to the tender for these routes.
Whilst there will be no direct services between Llandovery and Lampeter, the existing Bwcabus service has agreed to extend its area to provide all settlements with a bus service of some sort, albeit on reduced days for some.
The changes come in to effect on January 21, 2019. Timetables will be published on the council’s website and Traveline Cymru and distributed on the buses and via the council’s mobile library service in the coming weeks.
Cllr Hazel Evans, Executive Board Member for Environment, said: “Whilst unfortunately some areas will have a reduced bus service, we have worked hard to rearrange routes so that no settlements are left without access to services at all. We are fortunate to have the Bwcabus service available to help out in those areas most heavily affected by the reductions, and for some users the presence of the Bwcabus will potentially improve and enhance their access to public transport.
“The public transport network in these areas continue to be very heavily subsidised by the County Council and we urge residents of those communities which do not have access to other buses to continue to support these services to ensure their further continuation.”
The services will be reviewed over the next 12 months to monitor usage in more detail.
Anyone wishing to make suggestion which could help to improve the services should contact the council’s Passenger Transport team on 01267 228326.
Revised services, effective January 21, 2019, are:
Service 276, Llandeilo – Llandybie – Maesybont – Carmarthen: The service will continue to operate on Tuesdays but the buses will no longer run via Whitemill.
Service 277, Gelli Aur – Llandeilo – Llanfynydd – Carmarthen: The service will continue to operate on Wednesdays but the buses will no longer run via Whitemill. There will no longer be a Saturday service.
Service 278, Llandeilo – Carmel – Maesybont – Carmarthen: The service will continue to operate on Thursdays but the buses will no longer run via Whitemill. There will no longer be a Monday service.
Service 279, Carmarthen – Botanic Garden – Llanarthhey – Gelli Aur – Llandeilo: The service will continue to operate on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays but the buses will no longer run via Whitemill. There will no longer be a Monday service.
Service 283, Llandeilo – Crugybar – Brechfa – Carmarthen: The service will continue to operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Service 284, Llandeilo – Crugybar – Pentregwenlais – Ammanford: The service will continue to operate on Fridays.
Services 288 and 289 between Llandovery and Lampeter will no longer operate in their present format, and will be partially replaced by the following services:
Service 289 will run on Mondays only from Llandeilo to Llandovery via Salem, Cwmdu, Talley, Crugybar and Llanwrda. Passengers will be able to change at Crugybar onto Bwcabus service 689 for Lampeter. The inward journey will be diverted to arrive at Llandovery via New Road and Stone Street at the request of existing passengers.
Service 687 will be a new service on Fridays only, starting from Rhydcymerau and running through Llanybydder into Lampeter. Service 687 will be part of the Bwcabus network but passengers will not need to pre-book to travel and will be able to turn up and catch the bus as they would any other bus service.
Service 689 will be a new service on Mondays and Thursdays only, running between Lampeter and Crugybar, Caio, Dolaucothi, Pumsaint, Ffarmers and Cwmann. On Mondays, passengers will be able to change at Crugybar into service 289 for Llandovery. Service 689 will also be part of the Bwcabus network but passengers will not need to pre-book to travel and will be able to turn up and catch the bus as they would any other bus service.
In addition to these services, the areas of Llanybydder, Rhydcymeau, Crugybar, Dolaucothi, Pumsaint, Ffarmers and Cwmann previously served by routes 288 and 289 will now be in the Bwcabus area. This means that, subject to availability, passengers will be able to book a bus on days and at times which were not available previously. This will improve options for journeys not just within the local areas but with connections to other services, particularly the TrawsCymru T1 service to Carmarthen and to Aberystwyth. Further details on the Bwcabus service are available from the Bwcabus call centre on 01239 801 604 or on the website at bwcabus.info
The proposed Wellness and Life Science Village in Llanelli has taken another major step forward following unanimous approval from Carmarthenshire County Council’s Planning Committee.
The £200million complex planned for Delta Lakes on the Llanelli coast is expected to create close to 2,000 jobs and give the local economy a £467million boost.
It is one of 11 projects that make up the £1.3billion Swansea Bay City Deal.
As well as an Institute of Life Science, a Community Health Hub facility at the Village is set to include a Wellness Education Centre and a Clinical Delivery Centre.
A state-of-the-art leisure centre, assisted living accommodation and a wellness hotel are also planned for the Village, along with landscaped outdoor spaces for recreation.
Members of the Planning Committee visited the Delta Lakes site this morning and heard the detailed planning application this afternoon before coming to their unanimous decision.
Committee Chair, Cllr Alun Lenny, said: “This is one of the largest developments ever considered by this council’s Planning Committee. We gave all elements our most careful consideration, having first visited the site this morning and viewed it from all angles.
“Llanelli has been in gradual decline since so many of its traditional industries closed, leaving a legacy of poverty and poor health, which the Wellness development seeks to remedy. It is a truly groundbreaking concept, bringing together health, housing, leisure and medical research on the same site.
“Such a massive development on a post-industrial wasteland would herald an exciting new era in the history of Llanelli. I sincerely hope that the Welsh Government agrees with our decision about this forward looking development which would do so much to regenerate Llanelli, Carmarthenshire and west Wales in general.”
Leader of the Council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “This is a major step forward for this transformational project that will benefit people in Llanelli, Carmarthenshire and South West Wales as a whole.
“This will bring major employment and opportunities for the area, along with world-class leisure and health facilities.
“The people of Llanelli want and deserve this fantastic development, and now is the time to get behind it and make the vision a reality.”
It’s very much a case of ‘Girl Power’ at Gomer Williams Solicitors in Llanelli and Pontarddulais.
The legal firm has announced five new directors for the business – all women!
The exciting move sees the five promoted from their current roles as acting heads of departments.
Juliet Philips-James, senior director and owner of Gomer Williams Solictors, said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to acknowledge the hard work of our senior staff members.
“We have a very healthy gender balance throughout the firm, but it is worth acknowledging the success of our five new women directors.
“There’s no glass ceiling at Gomer Williams solicitors and it is refreshing to see women empowered in this way. The five are all promoted on merit and they will all bring individual skills to the business – talents which will help the firm of Gomer Williams go from strength to strength.
“The promotions recognise the hard work of individuals and also act as a benchmark for the rapid growth of the business over the last 18 months – a testament to the hard work of all our employees.”
The five new directors are –
Sarah Lewis – Head of Conveyancing
Trina Wilkins – Head of Civil Litigation
Kate Clarke – Head of Wills and Probate
Laura Sherwood – Head of Crime
Lucy Williams – Head of Family
Gareth Gwyndaf Jones, senior director and owner, at Gomer Williams Solicitors, said:
“2019 marks the 100th year of Gomer Williams and we are excited for the year ahead.
“We pride ourselves on the development of our staff members and the announcement of five new directors comes with a great sense of achievement.
“As one of the longest-established continually-trading companies in the area, we offer traditional values with a fresh approach.
“It’s been a delight to see the fresh-thinking applied to the business by our staff. Congratulations – Llongyfarchiadau – goes to all staff members and good luck wishes go to our new directors.”
About the new directors:
Sarah Lewisjoined the practice in 2017, bringing valuable expertise and extensive experience in the field of conveyancing and property law. Having built an admiral reputation, Sarah continues to receive referrals and recommendations from clients across the UK, which is testimony to the quality and efficiency of her service.
Trina Wilkinshas a particular interest in contentious probate. She is a member of the Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists (ACTAPS). She is experienced in dealing with Inheritance Act Claims, Will challenges, estate administration disputes, trust claims and disputed Court of Protection matters.
Kate Clarkehas vast experience in wills and probate and residential conveyancing. She specialises in elderly client work and is particularly sensitive to their needs. She has worked in a variety of small local practices and larger international firms and has a wealth of experience in her field.
Laura Sherwoodjoined Gomer Williams in 2013 and is very popular with clients. She is a proven strong advocate both at the police station and in court. Laura’s knowledge of the law and approachable personality is such that she is regarded as one of the ‘go-to’ criminal lawyers in the South Wales.
Lucy Williamsis a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and practices within our busy Family Law Team. She works with individuals and families across the region to provide compassionate, clear and confident legal solutions to a variety of family and childcare law issues. Lucy is a real success story for Gomer Williams. She started with the firm as a legal assistant and has flourished through the ranks to now become a director.
About the Gomer Williams centenary:
Gareth Gwyndaf Jones, senior director and owner, at Gomer Williams Solicitors, said:
“We are very much focused on the future development of Gomer Williams and looking forward to some special celebrations for our centenary year.
“We take pride in the fact that Gomer Williams is widely-regarded as a fresh-thinking problem-solving law firm which can combine traditional values with a fresh approach.”
Gomer Williams Solicitors plan to support various causes within the local community during the firm’s centenary year
The firm sponsors Welsh Premier League football side Llanelli Town AFC (The Reds), Garden Village AFC. The business also works with the Maggie’s cancer care unit in Swansea.
Juliet Philips-James is on the board of Threshold, the domestic abuse charity in Llanelli, and is the legal columnist for the Llanelli Star and Llanelli Online.
Photos:
Group of five (left to right) – Laura Sherwood, Kate Clarke, Lucy Williams, Trina Wilkins and Sarah Williams.
Group of seven (left to right) – Juliet Phillips-James, co-owner, Laura Sherwood, Kate Clarke, Lucy Williams, Trina Wilkins, Sarah Williams and Gareth Gwyndaf Jones, co-owner.
About Gomer Williams:
The firm of Gomer Williams was established in Llanelli in 1919, making it one of the oldest continually-trading companies in the area. The firm celebrates its centenary in 2019.
In 2017, Gomer Williams Solicitors acquired Randell Lloyd and Martin Solicitors (also known as RLJM). The acquisition made Gomer Williams one of the largest firms in Llanelli, with offices in John Street (the historic home office) and Murray Street (the former RLJM office).
The company mission is to provide the people and businesses of Llanelli and West Wales with competitive, high quality legal services.
In 2018, Gomer Williams Solicitors opened an office in Teilo Street in Pontarddulais.
The firm employs 32 people and operates across the full range of legal services in both English and Welsh. The firm is accredited to the Lexcel legal practice quality mark.
The Ospreys team to play Worcester Warriors at Liberty Stadium on Saturday 12th January 2019, KO 3.00pm, is as follows:
Ospreys
15 Dan Evans 14 George North 13 Cory Allen 12 Scott Williams 11 Keelan Giles 10 Luke Price 9 Aled Davies 1 Gareth Thomas 2 Scott Baldwin 3 Alex Jeffries 4 Lloyd Ashley 5 James King 6 Olly Cracknell 7 Justin Tipuric (Capt) 8 Sam Cross
REPLACEMENTS – 16 Scott Otten 17 Rowan Jenkins 18 Gheorge Gajion 19 Will Griffiths 20 Rob McCusker 21 Tom Habberfield 22 Sam Davies 23 Owen Watkin
Alex Jeffries makes his European debut
The following players were unavailable for selection due to injury:
Dan Baker – Knee; Adam Beard – HIA; Tom Botha – Stinger; Bradley Davies – Knee; Ma’afu Fia – Achilles; Rhodri Jones – Shoulder; Lesley Klim – Hamstring; Dan Lydiate – Elbow; Nicky Smith – Ankle; Kieran Williams – Groin
Ospreys Head Coach, Allen Clarke, said:
“After the Pro14 derbies our attention now turns to the Challenge Cup against the team who sit top of our group, two points above us.
“As ever, the theme of the week has been to concentrate on ourselves, striving to improve as individuals and as a team. There were many positives in the win over Cardiff and we were satisfied with the performance; However, we know there are areas of the game were we can become even better.
“We’re working hard to deliver consistent team performances and Saturday is another opportunity to deliver in front of our home support.”
Forthcoming Fixtures
Sat 19 Jan – 2.00pm (Local) – Pau v Ospreys – Stade Municipal de Hameau
Fri 24 Jan – 7.35pm – Glasgow v Ospreys – Scotstoun
Fri 15 Feb – 7.35pm – Ospreys v Ulster – Morganstone Brewery Field
Fri 22 Feb – 7.35pm – Ospreys v Munster – Liberty Stadium
Scarlets head coach Wayne Pivac has called on his players to express themselves to keep their winning start to 2019 going in Saturday’s Champions Cup clash against Leicester Tigers at Parc y Scarlets.
Gareth Davies is back in at scrum-half after a rest, forming a half-back partnership with Dan Jones. Johnny McNicholl stays at full-back, with Paul Asquith and a recalled Steff Evans completing the back-three. With Jon Davies rested after playing 11 of the last 12 games, Kieron Fonotia comes into the midfield alongside Hadleigh Parkes.
After appearing for the first time at the back of the scrum last weekend, captain Ken Owens sticks at number eight, as the whole pack remains unchanged from last week’s victory against Dragons. Josh Macleod returns to take a place in the 23.
Commenting ahead of Saturday’s game head coach Wayne Pivac said: “We’ve turned over a new calendar year with a much-needed win on the weekend. What we’ve talked about during the week is putting on a performance at home that we’ll be proud of. We’ve got a pretty good home record over the last couple of years and we’d like to maintain that. They’re a great side with a great record in this competition so there’s a lot to play for. If we look back at the first fixture we played at their place, we gave them a 10 point start in both halves. We were able to claw that back, but we weren’t able to finish the game off. There’s no pressure on us for points to qualify, so it’s really about guys going out there to express themselves. Personally, I hate losing, and so does everyone in this squad, and we’ll be doing everything we can to get a result.”
Turning his attention to the Guinness PRO14, Pivac gave hope of a successful end to the season for Scarlets: “We’re looking at that competition now, the PRO14, and looking at Edinburgh’s run-in, Treviso’s run-in and Ulster’s run-in, and we’ve got a reasonable run-in. We know we’re going to have some players coming back off the injured list so we’re pretty excited about that and pretty upbeat. We were really happy to get that win on the weekend which keeps us alive in the PRO14 and it’s about working hard together.”
Speaking of captain Ken Owens’ performances this season following his recent move to number eight, Pivac said: “Ken has been a top performer. Every week his stats, his work rate, the enthusiasm he brings to the game, the physicality he brings, is top drawer and we can’t fault his work. He’s leading from the front whatever jersey you put on his back and he’s a true warrior and this club is very, very proud of him and what’s he’s achieved. He’s carrying niggles but he’s putting the team first, which is what we’re about.”
Scarlets team to take on Leicester Tigers at Parc y Scarlets, Saturday 12th January, kick-off 17:30;
