Following a meeting and correspondence with the Welsh Government, Elin Jones AM has welcomed the confirmation of an initial reduction in the speed on the A487 between Bow Street and Aberystwyth.

This stretch of the A487 is particularly dangerous, and there were two fatal accidents there last year.

Ken Skates, the Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport, confirmed to Elin Jones via letter that the route between Waun Fawr to 300m beyond Dorglwyd Junction will be reduced to 50mph, with work taking place in the next financial year.

The reduction to 50mph has been initially welcomed by Elin Jones, however she has called for the speed limit to be reduced further to 40mph.

Elin Jones said:

“The need for a review of the safety on the A487 is clear, particularly following the two tragic accidents that took place last year. I was pleased to be able to discuss the issue directly with the Welsh Government Minister in Bow Street recently, and for him to see for himself why a speed reduction was needed.

“I’m also pleased that this has resulted in the safety and speed limit review concluding that a reduction was necessary.

“However, I and many constituents who regularly use this route feel that the speed limit could be reduced further to 40mph, which I will raise again with the Minister.

“I will also continue to call for upgrading safety at the Dorglwyd junction. There are also many areas on the A487 where safety can be improved, either with a speed limit reduction, or by providing cycle lanes and footpaths to remove pedestrians and cyclists from danger. I have called on the Welsh Government to consider all options.”

A local mental health charity, a swimming club and a good cause engaging people with woodlands and nature, have all benefited from funding totaling £41,553 thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Welcoming the funding news Ceredigion MP Ben Lake said: “This is a fantastic funding boost that will benefit three local charities and good causes, supporting their valuable work.”

Run by locals for locals, Mind Aberystwyth has been providing support and guidance to people with mental health issues in and around the Ceredigion community for 15 years. It received £19,553, from Postcode Local Trust – a grant giving trust, awarding funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery – to expand its weekly woodland wellbeing group to include a gardening group.

Aberystwyth and District Amateur Swimming Club, which provides competitive swimming and lessons to children and young adults from different backgrounds, got a grant of £2,000, from Postcode Community Trust, to help train volunteer coaches and poolside helpers.

Connecting people and woodlands for wellbeing and training, charity Tir Coed, received £20,000, from People’s Postcode Trust, for its training programme, covering land management, carpentry, health and safety, ecology and more.

Mr Lake continued: “From allowing children to continue to enjoy swimming and the benefits of exercise, to supporting physical and mental wellbeing, to enabling skills development, this funding will impact so many different areas of community life in Ceredigion for the better. Thank you to players of People’s Postcode Lottery for making a positive difference on such a large scale.”

Katherine Sellar, Community Programmes Advisor at People’s Postcode Lottery added: “It’s not just players that win with People’s Postcode Lottery – charities do too.

“Thanks to players, more than £40,000 has been given to three local good causes, supporting their work across a number of mental and physical wellbeing projects.”

Last year, more than £8 million raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery was distributed to grassroots projects across Britain.

The next opportunity for local charities and good causes to apply for funding will be in August 2020. Funding is available through three trusts, with each supporting projects focused on different themes. Those interested in local funding opportunities can find out more by visiting the trusts’ websites:

www.postcodetrust.org.uk

www.postcodelocaltrust.org.uk

www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk

A KEY Officer in Ceredigion leads the way in sharing what it’s like to have a career in planning.

Russell Hughes-Pickering is Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Lead Officer for Economy and Regeneration, which involves being the head of planning. He has been part of an informative article in February 2020’s edition of ‘The Planner’, the official magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).

Russell Hughes-Pickering is one of twelve Corporate Lead Officers who sit on the council’s Leadership Group. He says planners need to “be politically astute and look above plans and policies”. This means understanding the organisation, their role in delivering corporate objectives and thinking strategically “so they see how they fit in across the board and in turn help deliver better services and better places for people.”

Russell left Llandovery College in 1985 to start a degree in planning at the University of Westminster. He started work at the London Borough of Hounslow in 1989 as a planner before becoming the lead officer in development plan work in 1997.

The RTPI’s article delves into the careers of a chief planning officer and is campaigning for heads of planning to be incorporated into local authority senior leadership teams. This is amid fears of a declining profile and diminishing corporate presence of spatial planning.

Russell continues, “The more I’ve been involved in preparing corporate plans or the council’s development programme, the easier it is to see, influence and ensure planning is involved at the right time. This has helped avoid issues when major projects go through their planning stage, whether that’s a town centre development, a change to a care home or a new school. Fortunately, I’m involved in an excellent leadership group where the culture focuses on improvement and helping each other to achieve better services.”

He moved back to Aberystwyth in 2000 when taking up the Principal Forward Planner role at Ceredigion, before becoming the Assistant Director for Planning in 2006. This job evolved from a primarily planning remit to one that also included building control and housing matters. In May 2013, he became Head of Performance and Improvement, then became Head of Performance and Economy in 2015. From 01 April 2018, Russell has been the Council’s Corporate Lead Officer for Economy and Regeneration.

When asked what advice Russell would give younger colleagues, he wants to see more authorities improve arrangements on major development projects by setting up corporate development and project management groups and involve planners in them. He also wants to involve the next generation of planners. He said, “Young planners should get involved in these as much as possible so they’re involved in a wide range of service improvements, embrace projects or new development, seek ways to help progress and improve them, and engage in a positive way.”

Councillor Rhodri Evans is the Cabinet Member for Economy and Regeneration, which includes planning. He said, “We are grateful to Russell for his vision and strong voice for planning matters in Ceredigion. A planner has a big part to play in helping to develop and deliver corporate priorities. It shapes the future of our county for future generations.”

The council’s decision to prioritise the planning process shows how the council is working to reach its corporate priorities of boosting the economy and Promoting Environmental and Community Resilience.