Thursday 3 February 2011

Huw Lewis AM Advice Surgeries February 2011

Huw Lewis AM will be holding advice surgeries at the following venues in February. To make an appointment for advice surgery and details of the time please contact 01443 692299 or email huw.lewis@wales.gov.uk

Friday 4th February - Tredegar Arms, Dowlais Top
Friday 11th February - Social Club Phillipstown and Council Offices Castle Street
Thursday 17th February - Rugby and Football Club, Garth Terrace, Bedlinog

Grants and Funding Fair

Are you struggling to find funding?
Are you tired of looking in the wrong places?

Merthyr Tydfil CBC is holding a funding fair in Merthyr Tydfil leisure Centre on Thursday 24th March 2011 from 10am to 3pm. There will be a range of advisors from a range of funding organisations available to help you.

So if you are a voluntary sector/community group, social enterprise or small business then please come along and visit the funding fair. For more information please contact Suzanne Lewis on 01685 725309

History of Trefechan




Interested in the history of Trefechan and Surrounding Area?

Trefechan Communities First are looking for local residents to help
develop a local information board to promote our local history.

If you would like to get involved, please contact the team on 01685 383758 or call into the Communities First Office at The Green, Trefechan, Merthyr Tydfil for more information.

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Wanted your views on the Children and Young People's Plan for Merthyr Tydfil

The Children and Young People's Partnership are currently consulting on their new strategy for children and Young People in the borough.

Volunaty Action Merthyr Tydfil will be holding a consultation session on Wednesday 16th Feb 2011 10am – 12pm at the Voluntary Action Centre, 89-90 High Street, Pontmorlais where you will be able to feed your views into a collective response.

For more information and copies of the plan and questionnaire, please go to

http://www.vamt.net/draft_cyp_plan2011to2014.html

Referendum on Law Making Powers of the Welsh Assembly

On 3 March 2011 a referendum will be held in Wales about the law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales. For more information on what the referendum is about and to find out whether you are eligible to vote and how to register to vote please go to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Have your say on Health, Social Care and Wellbeing in Merthyr Tydfil.

The Health, Social Care and Well-being (HSCWB) Partnership in Merthyr Tydfil (which involves Cwm Taf Health Board, Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and representatives of the Third Sector and community groups) is consulting on a new HSCWB Strategy. They want to know what you think about it. Have they identified the right things to focus on or are there any issues you feel they have overlooked?

The Health, Social Care & Well-being Strategy is a three year plan for Merthyr Tydfil. It will cover the period 2011-2014 and will show how they will drive forward improvements in the health and well-being of our local population. This is the third strategy and builds on the achievements they have made together since 2005.

The Strategy is not just about treating and caring for people who are ill, although that is an important element, it is also about keeping everyone fit and independent, helping people to participate fully in life. It addresses a broad range of factors that influence health and wellbeing including employment, housing and transport as well as considering the specific needs of groups such as older people and people with mental health problems.

The draft Strategy document is available in English or Welsh and is available on line for you to read, together with a questionnaire for you to complete to give them your views and comments. You can submit your response in the following ways:

Through the Local Health Board website www.cwmtaflhb.wales.nhs.uk or the Local Authority website www.merthyr.gov.uk

Email your comments to Jayne.Komor@wales.nhs.uk

Request a hard copy with a Freepost envelope by contacting 01685 724693 or 01685 724602

Post your response to:
Cwm Taf Health Board
Ynysmeurig House
Navigation Park
Abercynon
CF45 4SN

The consultation on the new Strategy will run from 4 January 2011 to 29 March 2011. There will be a range of public meetings and events over the coming months for you to find out more.

Have your say on the Council's budget!

Following a previous public budget consultation exercise within the town centre, the Council are offering residents another opportunity to have a say in how the Council’s budget is spent.

If you would like to be involved, why not come along to visit the Council Leader, Councillor Jeff Edwards and his Cabinet members this Tuesday 1st February, 2011 in Merthyr Town Centre between 9.00 a.m. - 3 p.m.(situated at the bottom of the escalator in St Tydfil’s Shopping Centre), where you will have the opportunity to be involved in setting the Council’s budget.

Over the past few months, you will have seen in the media, coverage of the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review and the Welsh Assembly Government’s provisional settlement and how both of these will affect public services, communities and individuals in Wales.

As a County Borough, we face challenging times ahead, with a provisional settlement of 1.7% we face a cut in resources of £1.5 million in providing services to the community.

It is appreciated, that you will be concerned about what affect this will have on the services that we deliver to you and we recognise how important it is to communicate and consult with you, and to enable the local authority to identify their service priorities and continue to provide an effective service delivery.

So why not come along and get involved in the process of developing the Council’s budget for the forthcoming year by telling us, what you think the priority areas for expenditure should be.

Alternatively, should you not be able to attend this public consultation event, please visit the Council’s website on www.merthyr.gov.uk, where you can access an online budget consultation questionnaire, giving you the opportunity to make a difference!