Issue - meetings

·        The Chair extended his congratulations to Côr Merched Sir Gâr on achieving second place in the Eurovision Choir of the Year 2017. He advised that the Choir, which is run by the Carmarthenshire Music Service, comprises 42 secondary pupils from the County represented both Wales, and the United Kingdom, at the international competition held in Riga, Latvia after winning Côr Cymru in April 2017.

Councillor G. Davies, the Executive Board Member for Education and Children expressed the view the whole of the county should be proud of the Choir’s achievements, which both emphasised the importance to the county of retaining its music service for the future, and provided a shop window for the County.

(NOTE: at 11.45 a.m. the Choir attended the Council Meeting and performed a number of their songs.  Following the performance, the Chair of Council presented the choir’s conductor, Mr Islwyn Evans, with the Côr Cymru trophy. The Chief Executive expressed his appreciation to the Choir, and the staff of the music service, for all their hard work leading up to the competition and also, on its performance for the Council that morning. He advised that every member of the Choir would receive a plaque from the Council commemorating their achievement).

·        The Chair extended his congratulations to Harriet Alsop-Bingham, a 16 year old member of the Carmarthenshire Youth Council, on being awarded the Carmarthenshire Radio Child of Courage Award.

·        The Chair referred to a musical evening he’d attended organised by the Syria Sir Gâr Group and reported that the Group had requested him to express its thanks to the Council’s elected members, and staff, for all the support offered to the Syrian families who had been overwhelmed by the levels of kindness afforded to them.

·        The Chair expressed his condolences to the family of former County Councillor Wilf Davies, who represented the Llangeler Ward from 1996-2008 and having also been a Councillor on the former Carmarthen District Council.

·        The Chair expressed his condolences to the family of Janice Dudley, the current Mayor of Neath Port Talbot County Council who had recently passed away in hospital.

·       Councillor S.L. Davies expressed her appreciation to organisations and volunteer workers in the Llwynhendy and Pemberton Wards who, in 7 sessions over a three week period during the recent school summer holidays, provided a total of 319 meals to children and adults in need in the Llwynhendy, Bynea, and Penygraig wards.

·       Councillor G. Thomas reported on the efforts of a Ceri Murphy from Llangennech who would be competing in his first triathlon in Mumbles on the 7^th October in an attempt to raise £2,000 for cancer research in support of a close family member suffering from the illness. She enquired if members present at the meeting could sponsor Ceri in his endeavour.