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

The taxman at HMRC has announced that they achieved record enforcement results this year, identifying £15.6million of minimum wage underpayments.

The number of workers identified as underpaid was double that in 2016/17 and the highest number since the National Minimum Wage came into force.

The figures reveal:

• a record £15.6 million of underpayment identified for more than 200,000 workers
• employers fined £14 million for not meeting legal obligations
• more than 600 employers named in 2017/18 as part of ‘naming’ rounds.

The Government works hard to identify workers being underpaid since the National Minimum Wage came into force.

In every case, the Government instructs employers to repay their workers and enforces the return of the missing cash.

The rise in cases follows increased efforts by HMRC to promote compliance and improve employer awareness of the minimum wage.

The Government’s Business Minister, Kelly Tolhurst, said:

“We are dedicated to stopping underpayment of the minimum wage. Employers must recognise their responsibilities and pay their workers the money they are entitled to.

“The UK’s lowest paid workers have had the fastest wage growth in 20 years thanks to the National Living Wage and today’s figures serve as a reminder to all employers to check they are getting their workers’ pay right.

“Over the past year, 56 employers took advantage of a HMRC pilot scheme where employers were encouraged to come forward outside of an investigation. This resulted in nearly £250,000 in arrears being declared for just under 700 workers.

“The year also set a new record for penalties issued by the government, with £14 million in fines issued to employers.

‘More than 600 employers who were found to have underpaid their workers the minimum wage were named in 2017/18. This is the largest number in any single year since the scheme began in 2014.

‘This year, the social care, retail, commercial warehousing and gig economy sectors have been prioritised by HMRC for enforcement of the minimum wage. This is alongside employment agencies, apprentices and migrant workers. These sectors are where non-compliance with National Minimum Wage is believed to be more widespread.’

Penny Ciniewicz, HMRC Director General of Customer Compliance, said:

“HMRC is committed to ensuring that workers receive the wages they are legally entitled to, irrespective of their employer’s size or business sector, and today’s figures highlight our success over the last year.

‘If anyone thinks they are not receiving at least the minimum wage, they can contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 in confidence or submit a query online through our complaints form.”

Low Pay Commission Chairman Bryan Sanderson said:

‘All workers are entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage, so it is good to see increased focus on enforcement bearing fruit and securing more arrears for more workers.

‘Awareness of the minimum wage is vital for workers and employers alike, and strong enforcement is critical to its success.”

Funding for minimum wage enforcement has reached record levels, rising to £26.3 million in 2018/19 from £20 million in 2016/17.

For more information about your pay, or if you think you might be being underpaid, get advice and guidance at the following website -www.gov.uk/checkyourpay.

Link to Government website – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-156-million-underpayment-identified-for-workers-on-the-minimum-wage

In other news, Budget Day is here again.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, has announced that the Budget will take place on Monday, October 29.

Breaking with the tradition of a Wednesday in November, perhaps in a bid to avoid the ongoing Brexit negotiations, the Government is expected to set out its plans ‘to build a stronger, more prosperous economy, building on the recent Spring Statement and last year’s Budget’.

The Government announcements are expected to include updates on draft legislation and consultations, and proposed tax rates and reliefs.

As always, the team at Clay Shaw Butler will keep you up-to-date with the Budget news when it happens.

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.

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This Saturday sees two big concerts in Carmarthenshire – one in Carmarthen and one in Llandeilo.

In Carmarthen, it is the annual Royal British Legion Charity Gala Concert at the Lyric Theatre (7pm).

In Llandeilo, it is Côr Meibion Dinefwr Male Voice Choir’s annual concert at Capel Newydd (7.30pm).

Both events are sure to be well supported, with tickets in high demand.

The prestigious annual Royal British Legion Concert in Carmarthen has become one of the landmark events in the calendar of South West Wales, providing a platform for the Royal British Legion to pay tribute to the fallen of current and past conflicts.

The event helps the Royal British Legion launch the Poppy Appeal in South West Wales.

This year, 2018, is a significant year for our Armed Forces, marking the centenary of the end of The Great War (World War One) and also commemorating 100 years of the Royal Air Force. 

The concert features one of our leading sopranos, Shân Cothi, the popular broadcaster.

It also features one of Wales’ premier choirs, Dunvant Male Choir, the highly popular Carmarthen based mixed youth Côr Seingar, the stirring sounds of the City of Swansea Pipe Band and the unforgettable Corps of Drums of the 215 City of Swansea Squadron.

Shân Cothi hardly needs an introduction to a Welsh audience.

She is a versatile performer in both classical and music theatre repertoire and is an experienced actress, television and radio presenter in Wales. She began her career as a music teacher, but winning the Blue Riband for the best classical soloist at the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1995 prompted her to become a professional singer.

Her career as a singer has spanned a range of music styles from opera, oratorio, music theatre, jazz, welsh song to contemporary music. She has performed throughout the world in a variety of venues from the Wales Millennium Centre to Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End, from the Ritz- Carlton Hotel, San Francisco to the Kowloon Shanghai Hotel in Hong Kong.

Shân performed the role of Carlotta in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s West End production of The Phantom of the Opera for 15 months in the West End, London. Her self-titled music television series for S4C won a BAFTA award was nominated for the best music programme in the Montreux Festival.

Following the release of her debut album Passione with the Welsh National Chamber Orchestra on the Sain Label in 2005, a promotional video of one of the tracks was voted ‘Most Watched Video’ on Classic FM television.

Shân made her television acting debut playing the role of Davina Roberts in the highly successful drama series ‘Con Passionate’ for S4C and was nominated in the ‘Best Newcomer’ category at the 2006 BAFTA Cymru awards.

Shân has presented a number of television series for S4C andhas also presented programmes for both Radio Wales and Radio Cymru.

Dunvant Male Choir enjoys the distinction of being the oldest continuously serving choir in Wales.

It was formed in 1895 by a group of miners, steelworkers and quarrymen from the membership of the local Ebenezer Congregational Chapel.

It was initially called the Ebenezer Excelsior Male Voice Party, but as its membership grew, its name was shortened to the current Dunvant Male Choir (Côr Meibion Dyfnant in Welsh).

Acknowledged universally as one of the more accomplished and friendly choirs on the concert circuit, the choir is under the able leadership of Jonathan Rogers.

The choir has made frequent visits to USA, Canada and Europe, including Germany France and Ireland. 

The choir has performed 10 times at the Royal Albert Hall, London, often as the sole male choir, also at the Chapel of Kings College Cambridge, the chapel of Harvard University, the Roy Thompson Hall in Toronto and in the ancient U.K. Cathedrals including Chichester, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, Salisbury and York.

The compére for the Royal British Legion Concert will be Brian Sullivan and the guest accompanist will be Jeffrey Howard. 

The evening ends with the poignant Tribute to the Fallen and a Service of Remembrance. 

Llandeilo’s big concert on Saturday sees Côr Meibion Dinefwr Male Voice Choir holding their annual concert at Capel Newydd, Llandeilo.

The special guests will be Côr Meibion Llandybie Male Voice Choir.

The conductor will be John Williams, the accompanist will be Sara Morgan and the chairman for the evening will be Eifion Davies.

Other special guests include tenor Osian Wyn Bowen, soloist Martha Harries and accompanist Gareth Wyn Thomas.

Welsh tenor Osian Wyn Bowen is from Burry Port.

Currently he is an undergraduate student, studying under English National Opera Tenor Jeff Stewart at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.

Osian has already performed in concert with Sir Bryn Terfel, Soprano Rebecca Evans, Soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, Baritone Gary Griffiths, Tenors Aled Hall and Rhys Meirion.

Venues include the RWCMD Dora Stoutzker Hall, St. David’s Hall, The Principality Stadium, Wales Millennium Centre, Llandaff Cathedral, Venue Cymru, The O2 Arena, The Queen’s Theatre, London, Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Milford Haven Music Festival.

He has worked with some of Wales and the world’s best coaches and accompanists including, Jeff Howard, Simon Lepper, Joseph Middleton, Kathryn Harries and Dr. Laura Osgood Brown.

Choral performances and concerts include ‘Gloria – Vivaldi’, ‘Beethoven’s 9th Symphony’, ‘Mozart’s Requiem’, and ‘Stabat Mater – Szymanowski’.

Osian is also a popular soloist for various concerts and oratorios under the baton of Edward Rhys Harry, the most recent being Saint Sëan Christmas Oratorio, Handel’s Messiah and Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes De Confessore.

Television appearances include S4C’s ‘Heno’,‘Les Mis – Y Daith’, Cyngerdd y 10 Tenor, Noson Lawen and BBC’s Songs of Praise.

Recent highlights include performing as part of trio in a live broadcast on BBC1 to mark the Passchendaele Centenary at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium. The tribute to Welsh poet Hedd Wyn was performed in the presence of members Royal Family and European Ministers.

Other highlights include playing the lead role of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables as part of the Urdd’s National Theatre company’s 10 Year Anniversary production at the WMC, Cardiff.

In addition to his busy schedule, Osian is a patron of the charity Welsh Hearts and is an active volunteer crew member of Burry Port Lifeboat Station.

His list of awards includes – 2017 and 2018 – Minnie Morgan Scholarship Recipient. 2018 – Douglas Rees Young Opera Singer of the Year – Finalist.

Admission is £8 and £3 for children and students. Proceeds will go towards the choir’s funds.

In other news, there’s a concert with a difference coming up in the Gwendraeth Valley next month (November).

It will manage to combine the launch of a book about a modern-day Welsh hero with a musical evening showcasing some of our finest singers.

A new book, called ‘The Stories of Grav’ and compiled and edited by the celebrated tenor Rhys Meirion, is to be launched on Friday, November 9, in Pontyberem Hall.

After the book launch, Rhys Meirion will be the star player in a concert at Pontberem Hall, starting at 7pm.

The concert will also feature Elin Fflur, Aled Wyn Davies and Theatr Ieuenctid Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli.

The Pontyberem concert is being sponsored by Castell Howell, the Carmarthen and Cross Hands-based food business.

Tickets for the concert are £15 and £5 for children.

Ticket outlets include:

Neuadd Pontyberem 01269871075

Menter Cwm Gwendraeth Elli 01269871600

Swyddfa Llyfrau Llafar Cymru 01267238225

Siop y Pentan Caerfyrddin 01267235044

Back in Llanelli, this year’s Night with the Stars event in Llanelli celebrates the fifth anniversary of LARS – Loud Applause Rising Stars.

The evening features 10 talented singers from the Loud Applause stable and top choirs The Richard Williams Singers from Tonyrefail, Côr Y Cwm from the Rhondda, Callum Howells and Friends from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, trombonist Rhodri Thomas from Llanelli and compère Garry Owen.

The Rising Stars performing will include: Callum Howells, Stephen Davies, Nia Rees, Osian Clarke, Lauren Fisher, Keely Morgan, Neve Summers, Jack Owens, Daisy Owens and Sydney Richards.

The concert is at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli, on November 10 (7pm).

There was disappointment last week for fans of Russell Watson, who was scheduled to bring his new show called Canzoni d’Amore at the Lyric on October 19.

Russell suffered a throat infection and was forced to postpone his Carmarthen appearance under doctor’s orders.

The concert has now been re-scheduled to Tuesday November 27 at the Lyric.

Finally, Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir members are looking forward to Christmas.

‘Christmas With The Choir’ will be held at 7pm on Saturday, December 1, at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

The choir’s special guests will be Burry Port Town Band and the St John Lloyd School Choir.

The West End at Christmas

Also in December, The West End At Christmas returns to The Lyric theatre with their brand new concert for 2018!

Stars from the West End present a magical evening of entertainment featuring hits from the musicals and the best of Christmas songs. The talented cast have starred in many West End productions and national tours including Les Miserables, We Will Rock You, South Pacific, Singing in the Rain, Starlight Express, Phantom Of The Opera, Wicked, Godspell, Joseph and Cats . . . to name but a few!

The West End At Christmas will at The Lyric on December 18.

The Kidwelly Festival Ladies Choir will be performing at a Grand Christmas Concert and Vintage Fashion Show at Carmarthen Museum, Abergwili, on December15 (6pm). Tickets are £10 adults and £5 children. It promises to be a fun night.

Robert Lloyd works as a media consultant – www.rlloydpr.co.uk

If you have any news about the choral scene in Llanelli, the please contact him on 07777 683637 or email rlloydpr@btinternet.com

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Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. This column appears in the South Wales Evening Post, Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star. Website – www.philevans.co.uk

You know when you read a newspaper headline and it takes a moment for it to register?

Well, I read one the other day that took a full minute to sink in.

And this is it…

“Since 2011, 259 people have died while taking selfies!”

According to the American Journal Of Family Medicine, 159 of these selfie deaths occurred in India, followed by the United States (14 deaths) and Pakistan (11 deaths).

The most common selfie-induced death was from drowning and the second was . . . wait for it . . . while trying a take a selfie in front of a moving train!

Let me clarify for any of you in doubt.

The trains in question weren’t moving away from them; they were moving towardsthem!

The researchers admit the figure is probably much higher than 259 because many deaths aren’t linked to selfies.

For example, if someone falls from a great height or is swept out to sea by huge waves, their smart phones tend to go missing.

In our narcissistic selfie society everyone with a smart phone thinks they’re a star (It’s partly your faultMister Cowell!). Selfie-takers think the world hungers to know where they are andwhatthey’re doing 24/7.

Over a year ago I wrote an article about how a theatrical performance I attended was spoiled by a self-obsessed couple (don’t write and tell me a couplecan’t be self-obsessed because they definitely were).

They were sat in the row immediately in front of me. Before the show (and all through the intermission) they took selfie after selfie of themselves, in basically the same pose. 

No. I don’t know why, either.

Had they been upstairs in the balcony and stepped back a little too far in their eagerness to photograph themselves, there might have been two more added to the 259 in the headline.

But, at least, I would have enjoyed the show in peace.

The world has gone mad for sure. 

………………….

Questions:

I’m often asked, “How long does it take you to write these columns and where do the ideas come from?”

So, it’s about time I shared the secret, despite the fact that it’s not a secret. 

There are always ideas floating around in my head.

Sometimes I overhear a conversation and I instantly see this as an idea that can be expanded upon or developed into an article.

There are also other voices floating around my head, but I’m having therapy for those. 

Newspapers, magazines, radio and TV can and often be a source of material and inspiration. 

Often, my close friends share ideas with me and encourage me to write about certain topics. Most are thought-provoking and topical. Some I couldn’t possibly publish!

These ideas are scribbled down as rough notes in the first instance.

Sometimes, the notes remain there for months until the opportunity arises to turn them into a story good enough for you, the reader. 

After all, my main aim is to inform, entertain and sometimes stimulate or challenge your thinking. Yes, there is method in the madness. 

So, in general, the collation of ideas is an ongoing process. However, pulling it all together is where the hard work comes in. 

Like most things in life, perseverance through the doubts and insecurities is the key to success.

Not everything works all of the time. But, from the fantastic feedback I get, I think we might be getting it right most of the time.

—————-

You can follow Phil Evans on Twitter @philevanswales and www.philevans.co.uk

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From 31st October 2018 patients living across the Hywel Dda University Health Board region will be able to dial 111 to access their GP Out of Hours service and NHS Direct Wales – making it easy to get the advice, support or treatment that is right for them all in one place.

The free-to-call phone number, which was launched as a pilot in Carmarthenshire last year, will make it easy for Hywel Dda patients to get urgent healthcare support if they are feeling unwell or if their own surgery is closed.

The scheme, which is being run in partnership between the health board, Welsh Ambulance Service and Welsh Government, is aimed at bringing the NHS Direct Wales and GP Out of Hours services together under one number and recruiting additional clinical and non-clinical staff.

People calling 111 will firstly speak to a specially-trained call handler who will ask a series of questions.

This will allow the service’s experienced healthcare professionals – nurses and, during evenings, weekends and bank holidays, GPs and pharmacists – to prioritise calls so the most seriously ill are treated first.

Depending on the urgency of their condition, callers will get a call back from a nurse, doctor or pharmacist advising them what to do.

If they need to see a GP out of hours, they will be asked to attend one of the primary care centres within Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire, depending on where they live.

Crucially, call takers are trained to recognise when there is a threat to life. So people who dial 111 but really need an ambulance will be put straight through to the emergency ambulance service.

The 999 number should only be called in the event of a life-threatening emergency. If it isn’t an emergency but is nevertheless urgent, then patients will be able to call 111 instead.

Project director Richard Bowen said: “Currently within the NHS, access to urgent care services is really quite confusing.

“You don’t know what services are open when and, depending on your condition, you don’t know which healthcare professional would be the best person for you.

“What we want to do within Hywel Dda is to simplify all of that. So from now on you only have to dial 111 and you will be signposted to one of a range of different options.”

The 111 service has been operating successfully in Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board (ABMU) since October 2016, in Powys since October 3^rd 2018 and the Hywel Dda launch is the next stage of what is planned to eventually be an all-Wales service.

Dr Richard Archer, Hywel Dda’s GP Out of Hours Lead for 111, said the out-of-hours service had traditionally not just been led, but also delivered by enthusiastic and committed local GPs.

He added: “In a time of increasing workload that is becoming challenging, it’s fantastic to be able to work with a wider group of professional colleagues including nurses and pharmacists. This will ensure our patients get the help they need as effectively and efficiently as possible.”

Chris Powell, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Area Manager for 111/NHS Direct Wales, added: “We’re so pleased that patients in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire will soon have access to this service, which residents in Carmarthenshire, Powys and the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg area are already benefitting from. This is another step towards a more modern approach to delivering urgent care and we look forward to building on the success of 111 and providing this service for everyone in Wales.”

For more information about NHS 111 visit: www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/OutofHours

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The Hywel Dda University Health Board is adding to the ways that we communicate by introducing new SMS text messaging services to improve the patient experience and reduce the chances of you missing a scheduled appointment.

We are constantly working to reduce waiting times for our patients and have this week launched a text messaging service for anyone who has registered their mobile phone with us and who is currently on a waiting list, to ask whether they wish to remain on it or not.  Patients are able to opt-out of text messaging at any time. 

The health board will also be launching a new Outpatients SMS Reminder service soon to ensure that patients are aware of any pending appointments, and to cut down on the number of missed appointments which currently cost the health board around £4 million a year.

Anthony Tracey, Assistant Director of Informatics said “We recognise that in the digital age a large number of our population will benefit from receiving text messages if they are on a waiting list for an appointment, particularly if they no longer need to be, as this will help us to free up space in the system and ensure that we can run our services much more effectively.”

Stephanie Hire, General Manager Scheduled Care said “While demand for hospital outpatient services are high, we know that every year 30,000 appointments are missed in Hywel Dda which comes at a high cost to the health board and has a significant impact not just on the person missing that appointment, on waiting times, other patients and our clinicians too.   Therefore we are pleased to be able to introduce these new services for the benefit of all.”

More information on text messaging can be found on our website:  www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/text

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Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth hosted a successful Genomics Partnership Wales event.

More than 70 people attended the event, including biomedical scientists from Public Health Wales, diabetes clinical nurse specialists, radiographers, nursing staff, as well as a representative from Aberystwyth University and a number of A-Level biology and science students from Penglais Secondary School.

Dr Mark Rogers, Macmillan Consultant Clinical Geneticist and Honorary Senior Research Fellow, All Wales Medical Genetics Service, together with Angela Burgess, Education & Engagement Project Manager and Rhian Morgan, Education and Engagement Officer, both from Wales Gene Park, presented an overview of genomics and the potential it has to transform medicine and public health in Wales.

Genomics Partnership Wales was established to ensure a united approach to genomics in Wales across several disciplines including medicine and public health, to deliver a programme of work that will enable the ambition and commitment laid out in the Welsh Government’s Genomics for Precision Medicine Strategy to be realised.

Peter Skitt, Hywel Dda University Health Board’s County Director for Ceredigion said: “Thank you to everyone who came together for this important event. To ensure success in the future, it’s vital that we engage with health professionals and the public about genomics and the potential benefits it can bring for many Welsh patients and clinical services. We look forward to hosting future events about this exciting and fast-moving area of science with Genomics Partnerships Wales at Bronglais Hospital.”

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