Llanedi Community Council

Every year the Chairman of the council holds an annual dinner, where they invite the full council to reflect on the previous year, before official holding an AGM the following week to hand over the office of Chair to a new member of the council. Last year it was Alun Wynn Richards who was chair of the council and it was his third term as chair for council, to celebrate this achievement Alun made a presentation to the community council, He stated that when Llanelli Borough Council reformed to become Carmarthen County Council a new community area was also formed which became known as the Llanedi Community Council, Alun said he had decided to celebrate his third term as Chair of the council by donating a Past Chairman’s board to them, which would hold the names and years of every councillor who has held the office of chair and all future chairs can be added year on year out,  he had invited all the past chairs of the council to this years chairman’s dinner,. The first clerk of the Llanedi community council Vivian Preece got up and gave a speech followed by Brian Hopkins, the first ever chair of the reformed Llanedi Community Council. The evening was rounded off with Vernon Hicks and Lynne Vonk hosting a number of entertaining fundraising events such as a quiz and a raffle, there was a professional auctioneer present who also held an auction of gifts that had been donated for the dinner. In total more than £1500 was raised on the night for the chairman’s charity which was the Parkinson’s hospital in Gorseinon. During his speech at the dinner Owen Jones the clerk to the council said. With the elections now over he was surprised that the election has seen a big change for the community with several councillors loosing their seats and it will see seven new members join the council, he made a fair well speech to several councillors and stated that he hoped the current councillors re-elected would be looking forward to introducing the new members of the community into the council next week

Pontarddulais Walking Club

Members would like to thank Geraint Owain Price for leading the trek to the border town of Kington; a splendid day was had by all, with the group visiting many places of interest, such as the classic church of St Mary in Kington. The group then progressed to the picturesque hamlet of Huntington which houses the 13^th century church of St Thomas a Becket. Inside the church club members witnessed the 500 years old solid oak pews that still exist today in perfect order. Final part of the trek was on the hillside of Hergest Ridge overlooking the highest golf course in England at over 1200 ft. Stunning views of the surrounding valleys and hills of Radnor were enjoyed by all. Club members are now looking forward to the annual outing to Snowdonia organised by club secretary Mr Alan Richards.

Hendy Pool

The committee met last week to reflect on the final report of the feasibility study, In 1998 the County Council set up the pool committee with a grant of £7,000  per year to run the pool, the committee proved the county wrong by running at a profit, after the county had claimed it would loose as much as £30,000 per year, they run the pool until it was forced to be closed because of a leak and structural damage to the wall of the pool, there has been a very high campaign to keep the county council from bulldozing the pool away which has been ongoing since 2004, the current situation was that the county had clearly stated , that if the committee and local volunteers wanted to save the 75year old historic pool one of the last two oopen air lido's left in Wales, which was built by volunteers of the community, they must buy the pool from the county for £1 and raise the money through grants themselves, The pool committee decided that they would commission a study to help form a business case for any grant application, the report showed that the county would continue its support if the committee chose to buy the pool, however  after meeting with the county the consultants  who conducted the feasibility study showed that the counties grant would remain unchanged at £7,000 a year, a figure fixed and agreed ten years previous, with inflation and everything rising year  on year out the business case presented to the pool committee stated that if the pool was reinstated at today’s prices, it would probably run at a loss. The committee decided given that there has been an election which has seen a big change in new councillors, they would ask the new executive board to reconsider the funding and help that it can offer, Once the new Executive Board has considered this request the pool committee would reflect on the feasibility study and then make a decision about leasing the pool and park and the future of the pool  

Photographic Competition

The local carnival committee is holding its usual annual competitions there’s the photographic competition, photo’s must be unmounted, No more than 3 per person can be entered, entries can be black and white or coloured and digital photos are accepted, printed photos must be no larger than A4 Please send entries to Mrs E Evans, 18 Alltiago Road Pontarddulais closing date is June 14^th