NEWS

SENIOR OPEN SET TO RETURN TO PORTHCAWL

‘Early Bird’ tickets are now on sale for the 2023 Senior Open Presented by Rolex tournament, which will take place between July 27-30 at the Royal Porthcawl golf club. As Europe’s only senior major championship tournament, the event will mark the third time in a decade that Porthcawl will have hosted the Senior Open. Featuring top names and past champions such as Stephen Dodd, Darren Clarke, Bernhard Langer, Tom Watson and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, golf fans can take advantage of Early Bird ticket prices such as £15 for adults, £10 for juniors aged 12-17 and free access for the under-12s. With its stunning views across Swansea Bay to the Gower Peninsula, the Royal Porthcawl has hosted numerous championships including The Amateur and the Walker Cup. When the Senior Open was first held here in 2014, more than 43,000 visitors travelled into the area, and the return of this prestigious event will offer another fantastic boost for tourism and the local economy while showcasing Porthcawl to the world once more as a prime visitor destination. I hope people will take advantage of this offer – you can purchase Early Bird tickets and find out more by visiting https://tickets.legendstour.com/ or following this link.

COUNCILLOR NEELO FARR Cabinet Member for Regeneration Bridgend County Borough Council Tel: 01656 643643

RESIDENTS CALL FOR ACTION TO STOP SPEEDING

I have contacted police about complaints I am getting from residents in South Road, Porthcawl. They are worried about speeding traffic along the dual carriageway that runs parallel to their street from the Nottage roundabout up to The Port way. Residents complain of traffic travelling at speeds far in excess of the 50mph speed limit in force on this road. Apart from the dangers involved, residents are also subjected to high levels of traffic noise as a result. Air pollution is also increased from the exhaust fumes especially if the vehicles have been “souped up”. I have written to Chief Supt Stephen Jones asking him for details of the results from speed checks that police have already carried out on this road. I will also be contacting BCBC’s highways department. Some solutions to the problem spring to mind including traffic calming to slow vehicles down as well as more frequent visits from the camera speeding vans. I have also asked Ch Supt Jones if he will send a representative to a meeting to discuss this problem. Once I have had all the responses, I will decide what further action needs to be taken.

JAMIE WALLIS MP for Bridgend

GETTING OUT AND ABOUT FOR 2023

If your New Year resolutions include getting out and about for more exercise, you won’t have to travel far to discover the stunning parks and areas of natural beauty that are on your doorstep. Frog Pond Wood, a wonderful local nature reserve based near the Village Farm Industrial Estate in Pyle, was recently extended to include an unused plot that, over the course of 30 years, has developed naturally to become a mixed woodland of oak and ash. This organic process has given the land significant ecological value, and it is perfect for short walks and more. Meanwhile, the Nature Keeper project has introduced interactive oak statues to beauty spots all around the county borough, each with a story to tell. You can search for them at Wilderness Lake in Porthcawl, Tremains Wood Local Nature Reserve, Parc Calon Lan, Bryngarw Country Park, Aber Fields in the Ogmore Valley and Bedford Park in Cefn Cribwr. If your New Year resolutions involve hitting the gym more frequently, why not see what Halo Leisure can offer? As the council’s official leisure partners, Halo manage eight different facilities on the authority’s behalf, including swimming pools, gyms and sports centres. To find out more, visit www.haloleisure.org.uk

COUNCILLOR HUW DAVID Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council Tel: 01656 643643

COST-OF-LIVING SUPPORT AVAILABLE

The cost-of-living crisis continues to impact many. For some, it may be about being extra careful with budgets, for others, it is about whether they put food on the table. Christmas can add to this financial strain. Trussell Trust figures show 1/5 referrals to centres are from working households. Working families are struggling to cover basic costs of living. At the same time, UK Government has made changes to universal credit leaving three-quarters of households worse off than the year before. Welsh Government continues to do what it can to support people during this crisis. The Winter Fuel Support Scheme has been extended to support more than 400,000 low-income homes, provided £150 payments for those in Council Tax bands A-D, the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, as well as £1m funding for Warm Hubs. My plea to our community is that we access all support available. There is often shame associated with reaching out, which is why it’s heartening to see how our community has responded to this crisis, setting up Warm Hubs, Community Pantries and other support groups. If you are struggling, there is support available. You can also email me, and I can do what I can to help.

SARAH MURPHY MS Member of the Senedd for Bridgend

NEW HOUSES NEEDED IN VALLEYS NOT PORTHCAWL

HEARINGS are taking place soon with the planning inspector appointed to examine the objections to the replacement Local Development Plan. My main concern when this was being drawn up was the proposal to build 1100 homes in Porthcawl – on Sandy Bay and Salt Lake. The opposition to this plan was led by Porthcawl Civic Trust, which submitted detailed objections. I shared their fears that boosting the population of Porthcawl by up to 4,000 people would have drastic implications for all public services including health. The Porthcawl Health Centre is already struggling to cope with demand before a single extra home has been built. But there is another important issue. The LDP concentrates 80 per cent of all future house building south of the M4. This leaves just 20 per cent of new homes to be provided in the communities to the north. This is not a good for anyone. The valley areas will be denuded of the young families they need to keep their communities vibrant. People will be driven away from their home areas by a lack of suitable housing. This exodus of younger people in particular will impact the viability of shops, pubs and other businesses in their home communities.

DR ALTAF HUSSAIN Regional Senedd Member

START THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW CAREER

If you are looking to find work or change your job in 2023, why not consider joining the social care teams of Bridgend County Borough Council? With vacancies available for care home staff, reablement workers who go out to care for people in their own homes, advanced mental health practitioners, social workers, occupational therapists and more, social care offers a wide range of fantastic career opportunities. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t done it before or have specific qualifications – your experience could come from similar roles, volunteer positions, work placements, part of a training programme or even your personal life. Having the right values and being positive, caring and motivated are the most important qualities that we look for. Full training and support is provided, and social care can offer you a job for life as well as the satisfaction of making a positive difference to someone else’s life, too. We also offer a social work apprentice scheme and opportunities for gaining new skills, including a funded degree course. If you would like to find out more, our social care vacancy pages at www.bridgend.gov.uk feature a wealth of information, including answers to frequently asked questions, testimonials from existing staff and more.

COUNCILLOR JANE GEBBIE Deputy Leader Bridgend County Borough Council 01656 643643

PORTHCAWL MAYOR’S MESSAGE

I hope that you have all had a very good Christmas and a Happy New Year. In the first instance I would very much like to thank all those members of the Community who attended the Porthcawl Town Council Christmas Switch On at Griffin Park. This was the first of its kind for many years and we know that there were one or two hiccups that need to be addressed for next year. However, it is a start and was generally well received and many people have shown their appreciation for the lights especially the Christmas Tree! Christmas lights are never easy and the Town Council want to achieve the most attractive display alongside best value and within a limited budget for the Town. There is also the added complication of ensuring that the infrastructure can accommodate decorative lighting. Council takes on board concerns about the roundabouts and provision of lights in the peripheries of Porthcawl to include Newton and Nottage. It is the ambition of the Council to try to improve upon what has been achieved this year however as a Council we must always be mindful of our budget. Another positive for this year has been the Warm Spaces project at Griffin Park which has been achieved by working with the Porthcawl Community Support Group . Finally, the Town Council have agreed this year to introduce the People’s Budget as part of their precept. This will give residents, a meaningful choice of how a proportion of the Council’s budget is spent whilst also gaining the positive effect of a well engaged community. Further details to follow, so please keep an eye on the Town Council Website and in the Seaside News regarding this. Fingers crossed for a positive 2023.

CLLR MARK CHEGWEN, MAYOR Porthcawl Town Council

Deadline date for the February issue is: SUNDAY 15TH JANUARY