DIWEDDARF 509 UPDATE - 2 i lawr 3 i fynd! / 2 down 3 to go!

Wel dyma ni naw wythnos i mewn i’r ymgyrch i geisio colli 5 ston o bwysau, ac dwi yn teimlo’n wych!
Fel mae’r glorian yn dangos bore ‘ma, dwi wedi llwyddo i golli 11lbs dros y mis diwethaf, sydd yn dod a'r cyfanswm dwi wedi colli ers dechrau’r ymgyrch ar Ionawr 1af (roeddwn yn pwyso 20 ston 10lbs pryd hynny) i 29lbs sydd gyfustur a 2 ston a 1lbs.
Dwi'n dal i gerdded hyd at 2.5 milltir bron pob nos gan gerdded ‘chydig mwy ar benwythnosau ac nid wyf yn bwyta dim o’r sothach oeddwn yn arfer ei fwyta ac hyd yma dwi ddim wedi teimlo isio gwneud chwaith (er mi gefais frechdan bacwn bore 'ma i ddathlu!).
Ar yr ochr ariannol y nod ydi codi £5,000 taug at Hospis Plant Ty Gobaith, mae pethau wedi arafu chydig (mae hynny i'w ddisgwyl) er dwi’n hynod o falch a diolchgar i adrodd hyd yma fy mod wedi llwyddo i godi yn agos iawn i £1,400 ar bapur ac ar lein.
Dwi yn ymweld a Thy Gobaith bore Llun er mwyn gweld y gwaith a gofal arbennig sydd yn cael ei gynnig yno.
Felly ymlaen a mi eto tan diwedd Mawrth rwan pan fyddai’n pwyso fy hyn eto yr adeg hynny a byddwn i yn falch iawn os byddai wedi colli 6lbs gan fyddai wedyn wedi cyrraedd hanner ffordd (35lb) o fewn tri mis.
Cofiwch, os hoffech fy noddi mi allwch wneud hynny ar lein drwy ymweld a safle 509 sydd wedi ei nodi ar frig y rhestr doleni ar ochr dde y blog hwn neu ewch i www.justgiving.com/gwilymeurosroberts

Os ydych wed fy noddi neu cefnogi mewn unrhyw ffordd hyd yma – diolch o waelod calon i chi.

Well here I am, nine weeks into my campaign to try to lose 5 stonnes in weight and I am feeling amazing!
As the scales showed this morning, I have succeeded in losing 11lbs over the last month, which brings the total since I began the campaign on January 1st (I weighed in at 20stn 10lbs then)to 29lbs which by my calculation is equal to 2 stonnes and 1lb.
I am still walking up to 2.5 miles nearly every night as well as walking a few more miles at weekends and I’ve completely stopped eating all the junk food that I used to and thankfully, so far I’ve not had any cravings (although I did have a bacon sandwich this morning to celebrate!).
On the financial side, my aim is to raise £5,000 towards the Ty Gobaith Children’s Hospice, things have slowed down a little bit (as expeced)and I am pleased and extremly grateful to report that so far I have raised nearly £1,400 on paper and online.
So on I go now until the end of March when I next weigh myself at which point I hope I will have lost another 6lbs taking me to the halfawy point 35lbs within 3 months which is well ahead of schedule.
Remember, if you’d like to sponsor me, you can do so online by visiting the 509 website which is located at the very top of the links section on the righthand side of this blog or go to www.justgiving.com/gwilymeurosroberts

If you have already sponsored me or supported me in any other way, please accept my heartfelt thanks.

Dim yn difaru? - No regrets?

Y bore wedi'r noson fawr...ddaru'r gan i ysbrodoli weithio ar gyfer dechrau'r gem ond dim am yr 80 munud cyfan!"Gormod o gamgymeriadau ac dim digon o awch" oedd barn yr hyfforddwr Warren Gatland am berfformiad Cymru. Roedd Ffrainc yn haeddu'r fuddigoliaeth ac mae gennym dal gyfle gwirioneddol i enill y Bencampwriaeth a'r goron drifflyg felly peidiwch a gadael i ni ddigaloni'n gyfan gwbwl.

The morning after the big match.....the song from a previous posting certainly inspired the boys for 20 minutes...however the match lasts 80 minutes over which the French were better than us and ran out deserved winners. "Too many mistakes and a lack of passion" was the view of coach Warren Gatland about Wales' performance. Cheer up I say, we can still win the Championship and the triple crown is still up for grabs when Ireland come to Cardiff on March 21st for what could potentially be a Championship decider.

How not to conduct a political interview

I defy you not to laugh at this!...Unbelievable!

Can i ysbrydoli'r hogia cyn y gem fawr heno - A song to inspire the boys before tonights big match

Mewn ychydig dros awr mi fydd tim rygbi Cymru yn camu allan ar y Stade De France i wynebu Ffrainc ym Mhencampwriaeth y Chwe Gwlad mewn gem hanesyddol, gan mai hon yw'r gem gyntaf erioed yn y bencampwriaeth i'w cael ei chwarae ar nos Wener.
Yn sicr dwi yn disgwyl her go iawn gan y Ffrancwyr heno ac os oes angen ysbrydoliaeth ar yr hogia cyn mynd allan, yna efallai byddai'r gan yma yn helpu? Os da chi am ei chwarae, gwnewch hynny yn iawn a trowch y swn reit i fynnu!
C'mon Cymru a phob lwc!

In a little over an hour, the Wales rugby team will run on to the pitch at Stade De France, Paris to face the French team in a historic match in the Six Nations Championship as this will be the first ever match to be played on a Friday night in these Championships.
I expect the French to mount a formidable challenge to our boys, however maybe this song will help raise Welsh testostorone levels to meet that challenge head on? If you are going to play this, do it properly and play it loudly!
C'mon Wales and good luck!

Plaid Cymru yn pleidleisio i gau Bryn Llywelyn - Plaid Cymru vote to close Bryn Llywelyn

Heb unrhyw amheuaeth heddiw yw'r diwrnod gwaethaf erioed i mi fel Cynghorydd. Yn siambr y Cyngor yng Nghaernarfon y prynhawn 'ma gwelsom aelodau o'r Cyngor a Swyddogion yn ymddwyn yn gwbwl drahaus ac amharchus tuag at y rhai mwyaf bregys yn ein cymdeithas.
Penderfynodd mwyafrif llethol o aelodau Plaid Cymru ar y Cyngor bleidleisio yn groes i gynnig un o'u aelodau y Cyng Linda Wyn Jones a chau cartref gofal Bryn Llywelyn yn Llan Ffestiniog.
Cefnogwyd aelodau y Blaid gan rhai aelodau annibynnol a'r 3 Democrat Rhyddfrydol oedd yn bresennol.
Ar ddwiedd y bledlais roedd staff Bryn Llywelyn oedd yn esitedd yn yr oriel gyhoeddus yn ei dagrau. Heno, bum mi heibio i'r cartref ac roedd rhai o'r trigolion yno wedi ei syfrdanu gan y penderfyniad ac roedd un gwraig oedranus yno hefyd yn ei dagrau ac yn poeni ble fydd hi yn cael ei symud i i'r dyfodol.
Erbyn hyn, dwi wedi colli pob ffydd gyda mwyafrif o aelodau y Blaid ar y Cyngor, dyma i chi griw o unigolion anghynes, diegwyddor, diasgwrn cefn a dan din. Mae fwy o ddyfnder mewn "paddling pool" rhad o Argos na sydd yna i rhai o'r cymeriadau yma ac mae'nt yn dangos dirmyg llwyr tuag at y cyhoedd a chymunedau ledled y Sir....peidiwch a chymryd fy ngair i am hynny, siaradwch gyda staff Bryn Llwyelyn, welodd y Cyngor ar ei waethaf heddiw.
Dyma engraifft o gynghorydd yn ymfalchio fod ei Blaid wedi gweithredu mewn math fodd.

Today was the worst day that I have ever had as an elected member of any Council. At today's full Council meeting in Caernarfon we saw some members and officers behaving in such an arrogant and distainful way towards those most vulnerable people within the county, it sickend me!
Gwynedd Council should be ashamed for the way it has treated the residents and staff of Bryn Llywelyn Care Home at Llan Ffestiniog.
Local Plaid Cymru member Linda Wyn Jones has worked tirelessly for the last few months along with myself and Cllr Dafydd Hughes and the staff on a proposition that would make the home more viable for the future. This has been totally disregarded by Council Officers.
At today's Council meeting, the majority of the Plaid group voted against Linda's proposal to keep the home open, only 3 Plaid members (including Linda) supported the motion, 4 abstained and the rest voted to close the home, along with the 3 Lib Dems and a few Independant members. Bryn Llywelyn will now close if the council get their way as the vote went in favour of the officers by 29-28!
The majority of the Plaid Cymru group on Gwynedd Council since the election in May have shown themselves to be nothing but under handed, spinless, nasty and arrogant people who have little or no regard for the people whom they supposedly serve...a cheap paddling pool from Argos has more depth to these political ameobas who now have shown themselves to be politically bankrupt.
I have lost all faith in them and in some of the officers within the Council at the way they deal with matters.
Please do not take my word for this, ask the staff of Bryn Llywelyn who left today's meeting in tears after seeing how this sorry bunch sold them down the river...or ask the elderly lady at Bryn Llywelyn who I saw crying tonight because of what has happened.
Plaid Cymru should be ashamed for what they have done today...but from the smiles that beemed on some faces within their ranks after the vote, I doubt that very much.

Rhwyg arall o fewn Plaid Cymru? - Another split within Plaid Cymru?

Dwi eisioes wedi amlygu rhwygiadau o fewn Plaid Cymru ar Gyngor Gwynedd ar y blog hwn. Yn ol y stori isod gan BBC Cymru, mae'n ymddangos fod rhwygiadau yn bodoloi o fewn Cyngor Cenedlaethol y Blaid hefyd;

Mae BBC Cymru wedi cael ar ddeall bod arweinyddiaeth Plaid Cymru wedi cael ei threchu yng nghyngor cenedlaethol y blaid ddydd Sadwrn.
Ffioedd atodol i fyfyriwr oedd y pwnc dan sylw yn y cyfarfod yn Aberystwyth ddydd Sadwrn.
Deellir fod cynnig wedi ei basio yn atgyfnerthu'r gwrthwynebiad i unrhyw gynllun gan Lywodraeth y Cynulliad i gyflwyno ffioedd atodol.
Mae llywodraeth clymblaid Llafur a Plaid Cymru yn ystyried cael gwared â'r drefn grantiau bresennol.
Fe wnaeth y cyngor benderfynu ail ddatgan polisi'r blaid yn erbyn ffioedd atodol.
Fe wnaethon nhw ofyn a oes modd gohirio cyflwyno'r drefn newydd tan ar ôl yr etholiad nesaf fel bod gan bob plaid gyfle i roi'r polisïau o flaen y bobl.
Un o addewidion Plaid Cymru yn ystod ymgyrch etholiad cynulliad 2007 oedd peidio cyflwyno'r ffioedd atodol.
Ond fe gafodd cais i adolygu'r mater ei drechu.
Dywedodd Cadeirydd Plaid Cymru, John Dixon, wrth BBC Cymru bod arweinydd y blaid, Ieuan Wyn Jones, wedi gwneud datganiad i'r Cyngor Cenedlaethol wedyn yn dweud na fydd modd cyflwyno'r hyn gafodd ei basio.
Ychwanegodd bod Mr Jones wedi gwneud hi'n glir na all berswadio'r cabinet i gefnogi polisi Plaid Cymru.
"Dwi'n deall yn iawn fod gan y gweinidogion nifer o anawsterau...rhaid gwneud cyfaddawd o ddydd i ddydd," meddai Mr Dixon.
"Ar y mater yma, maen nhw wedi gwneud cyfaddawd ar bolisi.
"Yr hyn sydd wedi digwydd ydi bod y blaid wedi dweud nad ydan ni'n hynod o falch gyda'r cyfaddawd yna.
"Ond ma 'na gytundeb i anghytuno ar hyn o bryd."
Dywedodd nad oedd 'na ddim cynnig yn y cyfarfod i newid y polisi ond yn hytrach cynnig i gynnal gweithgor i edrych ar y polisi o'r newydd, gafodd ei wrthod ond fe fydd y blaid o bosib yn gwneud gwaith ymchwil pellach ar y pwnc.
"Dwi'n barod i gyfadde ein bod mewn sefyllfa lle mae'r blaid yn dweud un peth a'r gweinidogion mewn sefyllfa lle maen nhw'n gorfod cefnogi'r llywodraeth.
"Mae'n creu anawsterau ond dwi'n deall bod y gweinidogion mewn lle anodd iawn.
"Mae'n rhaid iddyn nhw wneud cyfaddawd ambell waith ond fydd hyn ddim yn newid polisi'r blaid."
Mae Cytundeb Cymru'n Un, y cytundeb i sefydlu'r glymblaid rhwng Llafur a Phlaid Cymru, yn dweud y bydd y ffioedd presennol yn bodoli tan 2009/10.
O dan gynlluniau ar gyfer cael eu hystyried gan Weinidog Addysg Cymru, Jane Hutt, fe fydd yn cael ei ddileu'r flwyddyn nesaf.
Ar hyn o bryd, mae myfyrwyr o Gymru sy'n astudio yng Nghymru yn derbyn grant o £1,890. Ond o dan gynlluniau'r gweinidog fe ddylai'r arian gael ei roi ar sail profion modd.
Fe fyddai peth o'r arian fydd yn cael ei arbed yn cael ei roi i brifysgolion.

I have previously highlighted the split within the Plaid Cymru group on Gwynedd Council on this blog. According to the story below that appeared on BBC Wales it appears that there is now a split within Plaid's National Council;

Plaid Cymru's leadership has been defeated for the first time at a meeting of the party's national council over student top-up fees.
A motion was passed reaffirming the party's opposition to the fees in light of assembly government plans to abolish the current student subsidy.
Plaid fought the 2007 assembly election promising not to introduce top-up fees.
A motion to review this, put forward by the party's ministers in the coalition government with Labour, was defeated.
The party also used Saturday's meeting in Aberystwyth to call for any decision on a change of policy to be deferred until after the next assembly election so that all parties could put their views to the electorate.
Speaking to BBC Wales' Politics Show, Plaid chairman John Dixon confirmed that the party's leader Ieuan Wyn Jones had subsequently made a statement to the party's national council saying he would not be able to deliver the motion that was passed.
He said Mr Jones, who is deputy first minister in the Labour-Plaid government, made it clear he would not be able to persuade the cabinet to back Plaid policy.
Mr Dixon said the issue was still up for discussion and denied that the position taken by the party's government ministers went against Plaid Cymru's constitution.
"There was a suggestion that we should look again at the policy concerned and I think we need to understand our ministers are in a very difficult position here," he said.
"There's a very tight financial settlement. They are between a rock and a hard place.
"But on this particular issue, what the party is saying is we understand the position you're in but the party wishes to continue to oppose tuition fees."
The One Wales agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru says that current fee levels will be maintained until 2009/10.
Under proposals put out for consultation by Education Minister Jane Hutt, the current non-means tested student subsidy would be abolished the following year.
Currently, Welsh students who go to university in Wales receive a non-means tested grant of £1,890.
But under the minister's proposals this would be replaced by new means-tested grants.
Some of the money saved would be given to universities to help plug the £61m funding gap with England.
Mr Dixon attributed the differences of opinion within the party to the realities of coalition government.
He said that although this was the first time Plaid ministers found themselves at odds with party policy, it would not be the last.
Writing on his blog ahead of Saturday's meeting, Plaid MP Adam Price said: "The Labour party is entitled to their policy but they have no right to impose it unilaterally on us as this was not envisaged in One Wales.
"Plaid Cymru's national council... needs no reminding that it voted through One Wales to create the One Wales government. But this policy was never part of the deal."

Dorwch y gwpan i Man Utd a Blaenau - Give Man Utd and Blaenau the pot now

Ar frig Uwch Gynghrair Lloegr mae Man Utd 7 pwynt ar y blaen i Lerpwl ac a'r frig Cynghraiar Gwynedd mae Blaenau Ffestiniog ar y blaen i Caergybi o 11 pwynt.
A ninnau ddim ond yn mis Chwefror fentrai ddweud rwan mae'r ddau dim yma fydd ar y brig y ddwy gynghrair ar diwedd y tymor felly dorwch y cwpan pencampwyr iddynt rwan..oherwydd mae'r ddau dim yn eu haeddu. Da Iawn nhw!

Man United are top of the Barclay's Premier League and 7 points clear of Liverpool, Blaenau Ffestiniog are 11 points clear of Holyhead at the top of the Gwynedd League. We are not even into March yet however I cannot envisage either team being caught by any of their rivals now so why not give them both the pot now...cos they both deserve it. Well done!

5 milltir bore 'ma efo ffrindiau - 5 miles this morning with friends

Cychwyn o'r ty 'cw i lawr i Danygrisiau, hebio Llyn Ystradau, lawr i'r Dduallt, drwy Coed Dol Moch ac allan wrth yr Oakeley Arms yn Maentwrog. Bore bendigedig a codi awydd am blatiad da o ginio dydd Sul!

Set off from home, down to Tanygrisiau, past Llyn Ystradau, down to Dduallt, through Dol Moch Woods and out by the Oakeley Arms in Maentwrog. A lovely morning that built up the appatite for Sunday lunch!

Mwy am wobrau y BRITS - More about the BRIT Awards

Gan fy mod yn Llundain nos Fercher ac wedi recordio'r seremoni wobrwyo dyma gael cyfle neithiwr i gael cip ar y sioe. Heb os ac onid bai, y ddau berfformiad isod oedd fy hoff rai i o'r noson.

As I was in London on Wednesday night and I'd recorded the awards ceremony, I finally got 'round to watching it last night. Without a shadow of a doubt, the two performances below were my favourite from the night.

Llongyfarchiadau Duffy! - Congratulations Duffy!

Er fy mod yn ysgrifennu hwn yn Llundain, es i dim i'r parti mawr yn y ddinas neithiwr sef gwobrau'r Brits. Serch hynny fel cymro cymraeg o Wynedd mi allai ymfalchio a brolio yn y cyfarfodydd y byddai yn mynychu yma heddiw am Duffy a'r ffaith fod y Gymraes ifanc o Nefyn wedi enill 3 gwobr yn y Brits neithiwr.
Llongyfarchiadau mawr iddi ar ei llwyddiant.

Although I am writing this in London, I did'nt go anywhere near the biggest party in town last night, The Brit Awards at Earls Court.However as a welsh speaking welshman from Gwynedd I can be very proud and wax lyrical during the meetings I have during the day about the success that Gwynedd girl Duffy had last night at the Brits by winning 3 awards.
Heartfelt Congratulations go out to the girl from Nefyn on her tremendous success.

Plaid Cymru.. y blaid annifyr? - Plaid Cymru...the nasty party?

Mi roedd yna amser pan oedd y Toriaid yn cael eu galw'n y Blaid annifyr. Tybed o be welais i yng nghyfarfod Bwrdd Cyngor Gwynedd y prynhawn yma fod cynrychiolwyr Plaid Cymru ar Fwrdd y Cyngor yn ceisio dwyn mantell y Toriaid.
Gwrandwch ar hyn fel rhestr o doriadau neu cynydd mewn cost ddaru'r criw yma bleidleiso drostynt p'nanwn 'ma heb hyd yn oed sychu eu ceg!
1. Cefnogi codiad yn ffi gofal cartref i'r henoed o 50%!..Ia 50%! o £8 yr awr i £12 yr awr...er i mi gynnig gwelliant chydig llai o 25% (ac doedd hynny ddim yn brofiad pleserus).
2. Pleidleisio i gau Canolfan Erw Aur yn Botwnnog ar gyfer oedolion gyda anabledd dysgu a hynny yn groes i ddymuniad yr aelod lleol a chynnig oedd yn gofyn am gyfle i lunio cynllun busnes er mwyn datblygu y Ganolfan yn ystod y 6 mis nesaf.
3.Pleidleisio i gau Cartref Bryn Llywelyn, Llan Ffestiniog sydd yn gartref i 13 o drigolion allai gael ei ddatblygu i gartrefu oleiaf 23 a hynny yn dilyn cyfnod ymgynghorol welwyd dim ond 4 ymatebiad allan o 40 yn cefnogi'r bwriad i gau!

Heb os ac onid bai credaf bod rhwyg amlwg yn ymddangos o fewn grwp y Blaid gan fod y 7 aelod sydd ganddynt ar y Bwrdd yn ymddwyn yn gwbwl groes i werthoedd y mwyafrif ac i werthoedd oedd yn gonglfaen i'r Blaid ar un amser.
Bydd rhai o'r materion yma yn cael eu cyfeirio i'r Cyngor llawn dybiwn i ac adeg hynny cawn weld yn glir os yw mwyafrif grwp y Blaid am ddilyn esiampl y 7 sydd ar y Bwrdd ta ydynt am ddangos fod gwerthoedd a chyfiawnder cymdeithasol dal yn bodoli o fewn Plaid Cymru? Amser a ddengys ond allai fentro dweud fod heno yn noson dywull i'r Blaid ac i'r rhai llai ffodus yn ein cymdeithas y mae'nt wedi eu bradychu yng nghyfarfod y Bwrdd y prynhawn 'ma.

There was a time when the Tories were seen as being the nasty party. I wonder if the 7 Plaid Cymru members on the Board of Gwynedd Council are doing their best to replace the Tories and become the nasty party?They certainly gave it a good go at this afternoon's Board meeting, listen to this for a series of cuts and price hikes that they voted for this afternoon with gustto and pride;
1. A 50% increase in the charge for day care for the elderly, from £8 per hour to £12 per hour...although (aginst my instincts) I had offered an amendment of a 25% increase to £10.
2. Voted to close the Erw Aur Centre for Adults with Learning Disabilites in Botwnnog on the Llyn Peninsular against the local members wishes and despite there being a propsal to hold on for 6 months whilst a business plan and development programme was put together to increase the use and improve facilities at the Centre.
3. Voted to close the Bryn Llywelyn Care Home for the elderly in Llan Ffestiniog despite only receiving 4 responses out of a consultation response of 40 stating that that was the preferred option! Myself and other local members had also shown how the home could be more viable financiallly and that the bed spaces available could be increased from the current 13 to 23.

Without doubt, I am even more convinced after today that the 7 members of Plaid who are on the Board are not only out of tune with the communities in Gwynedd but also with the other ordinary members in their group and that a rift is growing within the group. The 7 members on the Board have either forgotten what Plaid's core values are or were or are just dancing merrily to the officers tune without thinking one bit about the effect that today's decisions will have on the most vulnerable people within Gwynedd.
Time will tell what impact today's decisions will have within the group and on those that they will hit directly, all I know that tonight is a dark night in Plaid Cymru's history and an even darker one for those who they forgot and let down so, so dramatically at today's Board meeting.

Cyfraniadau di-enw i'r blog hwn - Anonymous contributions to this blog

Yn ystod y bore 'ma dwi wedi derbyn dau gyfraniad di-enw i'r blog hwn sydd yn gwneud cyhuddiadau yn erbyn aelod o deulu Cai Larsen yn sgil edefyn dwi wedi ysgrifennu neithiwr.
Dwi ddim yn gwybod os yw'r honiadau yma'n wir ac i fod yn gwbwl onest tydi o fawr o ots gen i chwaith.
Serch hynny hoffwn nodi yn glir nad wyf am rhoi sylwadau di-enw ar y blog hwn yn enwedig rheini sydd yn honi rhywbeth mae unigolyn arall i fod wedi ei wneud neu ddweud. Felly o hyn ymlaen polisi y blog hwn fydd dim cyfraniadau di-enw.

During this morning I have received two anonymous contributions to this blog which have made accusations against a member of Cai Larsen's family following a posting I made last night.
I don't know if the accusations are true or not, to be perfectly honest I don't really care either.
However I would like to clearly point out that I am not going to include anonymous comments on this blog, particularly if they make accusations about what another individual has done or said.
From now on the policy for this blog is no anonymous contributions.

Cymru ac Arian Ewrop - Wales and European Funding

Heddiw, fe fydd y Comisiwn Ewropeaidd yn cael clywed sut y mae Cymru yn ymateb i'r sefyllfa economaidd bresennol.
Fe fydd Ieuan Wyn Jones, Dirprwy Brif Weinidog Cymru a Gweinidog Economaidd Cymru, yn cyfarfod prif swyddogion i drafod Cynllun Adfywio Economaidd yr Undeb Ewropeaidd.
Mae'r cynllun yn cynnwys y £3.3bn o raglen Gydgyfeirio Gorllewin Cymru a'r Cymoedd - olynydd cynllun Amcan Un.
Yn syml iawn dwi a llawer un arall yn temimlo fod gormod o lawer o fiwrocratiaeth di-angen ynghlwm a'r holl broses o ddiogelu arian Ewropeaidd.
Nid oes digon o'r arian yma yn mynd i fusnesau bach a chanolig sef asgwrn cefn yr economi wledig ac mae gormod o'r arain yn mynd tuag at cyllido swyddi yn y sector gyhoeddus...llawer ohonynt ym Mae Caerdydd sydd digwydd bod tu allan i'r Ardal Cydgyfeiriant sgwn i pam?

Today, The European Commission is to be told how Wales is responding to the current economic downturn at a meeting with the deputy first minister.
Ieuan Wyn Jones is to meet senior officials to discuss the EU's Economic Recovery Plan.
The plan includes the £3.3bn West Wales & the Valleys Convergence programmes -the successor scheme to Objective 1.
Quite simply, I and many others feel that there is far too much un-needed buracracy connected to the process of securing European funding.
Very little of this funding finds it's way to small and medium sized businesses which are the back bone of he rural economy and far too much of the funding finds it's way into the financing jobs in the public sector......many of them in Cardiff Bay, which happens to be outside the Convergence Area, I wonder why?

Cwyn i'r Ombwdsmon - Complaint to the Ombudsman

Yn dilyn nodyn gan Cai Larsen, Pennaeth Ysgol yr Eifl,Trefor ac Aelod o Bwyllgor Rhanbarth Plaid Cymru Arfon ar ei flog Blogmenai yn gofyn cwestiwn ynglyn a pham nad oeddwn wedi nodi ar y blog hwn fod cwyn wedi gwneud yn fy erbyn i'r Ombwdsmon Llywodraeth Leol ar gyfer Cymru, teimlaf mai teg fyddai egluro'r sefyllfa.
Mae Cai yn gywir i nodi fod cwyn wedi wneud yn fy erbyn, yn wir, mae dau gwyn wedi cael ei wneud yn fy erbyn ar Ionawr 19eg 2009 ac mae'nt yn ymwneud a'r hyn sydd wedi bod yn digwydd ar Gyngor Tref Ffestiniog.
Pan dderbyniais lythyr gan yr Ombwdsmon yn nodi y cwynion yn fy erbyn, mi ddaru mi ymateb yn syth drwy lythyr i ddatgan y byddwn yn cydweithio'n llwyr gyda a hwy yn eu ymchwiliad, nid wyf wedi clywed dim ganddynt ers hynny.
Yn y llythyr hwnnw, gofynais hefyd i'r Ombwdsmon wrando ar dapiau o gyfarfodydd y Cyngor ers Mai 2008, darllen cofnodion y Cyngor a'i Is-Bwyllgorau dros yr un cyfnod a chyfweld aelodau eraill o'r Cyngor er mwyn dod at gasgliad os oes unrhyw sail i'r cwynion.
Gall darllenwyr ddeallt yn iawn pam nad wyf wedi gwneud unrhyw sylwadau am y materion yma oherwydd fod yr ymchwyliad yn dal i fynd yn ei flaen er fy mod yn sicir nad oes sail i'r cwynion yma ac mi fyddai yn gwneud sylw ynglyn a hynny unwaith fydd yr Ombwdsmon wedi cwblhau eu gwaith.
Be sydd yn tristhau rhywun o gofio fod cwynion wedi eu gwneud i'r Ombwdsmon am 103 o Gynghorwyr Plaid Cymru dros y degawd diwethaf, fod aelod o'r Blaid, sydd hefyd yn dal swydd gyfrifol fel mae Cai Larsen yn ei wneud yn ceisio sgorio pwyntiau gwledyddol yn y fan yma.
Fel dwi eisioes wedi dweud dwi yn sicir nad oes sail i'r cwynion yma ac gan eu bod yn ymwnud a phobol eraill byddai gwneud unrhyw sylw pellach ar hyn o bryd nes mae'r ymchwiliad wedi ei gwblhau yn annoeth ac anghyfrifol...dwi'n siwr bydd hyd yn oed Cai Larsen yn deallt hynny.

Following a posting by Cai Larsen, Headmaster of Ysgol yr Eifl,Trefor and Member of the Arfon Constiuancy Committee of Plaid Cymru on his blog, Blogmenai on which he asks why I have'nt posted on this blog the fact that a complaint has been made about me to the Local Government Ombudsman for Wales, I feel that it's only fair that I respond.
Cai is correct to note that a complaint has been made to the Ombudsman about me, in fact two complaints were made on January 19th 2009 and they both relate to matters that are to do with Ffestiniog Town Council.
When the Ombudsman informed me of the complaints made against me, I immediately sent them a letter stating that I would assist them fully in their enquiry and I have not heard anything since then.
In that letter I also asked the Ombudsman to listen to tape recordings of Council Meetings since May 2008, read minutes for all Council Meetings and any Sub-Committees for the same period and to interview other members of the Council before deciding whether or not the complaints made against me are valid.
Now I am sure that readers can fully understand why I have'nt commented on these matters as the enquiry into the compalints is still ongoing, although I am certain that there are no grounds to the complaints and I will only comment on these matters once the Ombudsman's enquiry has been concluded.
What saddens me somewhat, given the fact that the Ombudsman in Wales has received 103 complaints about Plaid Cymru councillors in the last decade is the fact that a member of Plaid as well as someone who is in a position of responsibilty such as Cai Larsen would want to score some cheap political points out of the situation.
Like I have already stated, I am certain that there are no grounds for these complaints and given the fact that they relate to other people it would be unfair, inappropriate and unwise to make any further comment on the matter until the Ombudsman has completed their enquiry in full...I am sure that even Cai Larsen can understand that.

Da Iawn Cymru! - Well Done Wales!

Buddigoliaeth wych arall o 23-15 yn erbyn Lloegr, ymlaen nesa' i Ffrainc ar nos Wener, 27ain o Chwefror lle byddai buddigoliaeth yn sicir o'n gwneud ni'n ffefrynau am Gamp Lawn arall.
Amser a ddengys ond yn sicir mae'r hogia yn chwarae'n dda ac fe awn nhw i Baris yn llawn hyder mewn chydig llai na pythefnos.

Another fantastic victory for Wales by 23-15 against England. Onwards now to Paris on Friday night, 27th of February, where a victory against the French would make us firm favourites for another Grand Slam.
Time will tell, however with the boys playing well as a unit and high in confidence after two victories, they will certainly be going to Paris brimming and ready to give the French a hard game in litle under a fortnight.

Parti Eurgain yn TTA - Eurgain's Party at TTA

P'nawn 'ma aethom i Betws y Coed i Tree Top Adventure ger Betws y Coed efo Eurgain a 6 o'i ffrindiau i ddathlu ei phenblwydd yn 13eg, cyn dychwelyd yn ol i ty ni am barti (sydd yn dal i fynd yn ei flaen) ac mae pedair o'i ffrindiau yn aros yma am y noson (nodwch nid wyf wedi defynddio y term cysgu!!).
Ta waeth cawsom brynhawn bendigedig o dan ofalaeth perchnog TTA, Sean Taylor a'i staff ac yn wir wedi iddi hi gwbwlhau y cwrs ar y gwifrau uchel, bu i Catrin, y wraig ddringo i ben polyn 110 o droedfeddi cyn neidio oddi arno ar y Powerfan...profiad gwefreiddiol meddai hi...mi wnai gadw'n nhraed ar y ddear diolch yn fawr!

This afternoon we went to Tree Top Adventure near Betws y Coed with Eurgain and 6 of her friends to celebrate her 13th birthday, before returning back home for a party (which is still going on) and four of her friends are staying over tonight (notice I didn't use the term sleeping!!).
We had a fantastic afternoon under the watchful eye of TTA owner, Sean Taylor and his staff, in fact after she had completed the high ropes course, my wife Catrin, climbed to the top of a 110ft pole and jumped off on the Powefran that they have installed there. A brilliant experience she tells me....I'll keep my feet firmly on the ground thanks!

Gobeithio am ddiwrnod perffaith arall yfory - Hoping for another perfect day tomorrow

Taflwch eich meddwl yn ol pedair mlynedd i Stadiwm y Mileniwm, Cymru v Lloegr....dwi'n mawr obeithio y cawn ddiwrnod perffaith arall tebyg i'r diwrnod hwnnw yfory.
Pob Lwc Cymru!

Cast your minds back four years to the Millenium Stadium, Wales v England....I sincerely hope we have another perfect day similar to that day tomorrow.
Good Luck Wales!

Penblwydd Hapus Eurgain! 13 heddiw

Aghhhh....mae na ferch yn ei harddegau yn y ty!!...Mae Eurgain fy merch hynnaf yn 13 heddiw. Lle aeth y blynyddoedd 'dwch!? Ta waeth, penblwydd hapus iawn i ti cariad a dwi'n edrych ymlaen i ddathlu efo Mam, Morgan, ti a dy ffrindiau i gyd dros y penwythnos yn Treetops, Betws y Coed (A peidiwch a chwerthin arnai pan fyddaf yn crynu fel deilen ar y gwifrau uchel uwchben y coed!).

Marley for sale as family cash in

That was the headline I read on the BBC News website for an article written by Ian Youngs.
Now Bob Marley is one of my heroes so it was with some trepidation that I read the article below.....I'm not quite sure what to make of it all....any comments?

Bob Marley drinks, luggage, stationery, hotels and video games could soon appear after the late reggae star's family struck a merchandise deal.
"We're open to licensing just about anything," said the late reggae icon's daughter Cedella. But she added: "If it is not right, we will not do it."
The family has teamed up with private equity firm Hilco to capitalise on his name and songs and to stop bootleggers.
A Bob Marley lager and coffee will be among the first items on the market.
Headphones, snowboards, shoes, musical instruments and electronics are on a list of other products that will be developed in a major expansion of Marley's official merchandise range.
Some will bear the music legend's name and image, while others will be tied in to song titles or lyrics from his best-known tunes.
Cedella Marley, the singer's eldest child, has already published a children's book called Three Little Birds, based on the anthem of the same name, known for its refrain of: "Don't worry about a thing, 'cause every little thing's gonna be all right."
Three Little Birds could be expanded into a range of children's clothes, shoes and toys, she suggested.
Another plan is to open a global chain of One Love cafes where people can "come, eat good Jamaican food, talk about the music, listen to the music, live bands".
"That's something that we've always wanted to explore," Ms Marley told BBC News. "We're talking [about] all over the world - one in London, one in Asia, one in Amsterdam."
There is already a Bob Marley Resort & Spa in the Bahamas, which could be the springboard for a string of Marley hotels.
Ms Marley said interest in her father was growing, almost 30 years after his death. "The things that dad spoke about are still the things that we all need to fix and work on," she said.
"Sometimes when you put on his records it's like he's talking about today, right now.
"The message is still about hope and peace and all of us coming together. That's what makes him special. All of us can relate to him."
The family say they hope to avoid over-commercialising the image and music of Marley, an artist with one of the most cherished and enduring legacies in music.
But they want to feed the demand that has spawned a counterfeit merchandise industry worth an estimated $600m (£415m), and keep control of the star's persona.
"This is a big business for bootleggers," said Ms Marley. "We want to stop some of the nonsense, and make sure the great stuff upholds our standards. We're in control."
Asked whether the family had effectively sold a slice of Marley to the private equity firm, his daughter insisted Hilco had become the family's partners to develop and manage the merchandise.
"Nothing has been sold", she said.
By Ian Youngs, BBC NEWS Music Reporter

509 ar WEDI 3,S4C yfory.

Bydd ymgyrch 509 yn cael sylw yfory ar raglen WEDI 3, S4C am 3 o'r gloch....cofiwch os ydych yn dal yn awyddus i fy noddi, fe allwch wneud hynny drwy fynd i'r dolen 509 ar y dde ar y blog hwn.

The 509 Campaign will be highlighted on the S4C TV programme WEDI 3, tommorrow afternoon at 3pm.
Remember if you still like the opportunity to sponsor me, you can do so by clicking on the link to the 509 website at the top of the links list on the right hand side of this blog.

Canolfan Croeso Blaenau wedi ei hachub am eleni - Blaenau Ffestiniog Tourist Information Centre saved for this year.

Yn dilyn cyfarfod Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri heddiw, yr wyf yn falch o gadarnhau fod yr Awdurdod wedi penderfynu agor y Ganolfan hyd at yr Hydref eleni. Ni fydd yr Awdurdod yn agor y Ganolfan o dymor 2010-2011 ymlaen.
I'r perwyl hynny dwi eisioes wedi gwahodd cynrychiolwyr o wahnol fudiadau yma'n lleol i ddod ynghyd er mwyn sefydlu gweithgor ar gyfer cynllunio a datblygu gwasanaeth croeso newydd a chyffroes i'r dref o 2010 ymlaen.

Following the meeting of the Snowdonia National Park Authority today I am pleased to confirm that the Authority has resolved to keep the Centre open until the end of October this year. The Authority will not be opening the Centre as from the 2010-2011 season onwards.
For that reason, I have already contacted representetives from various organisations locally so that we can come together to establish a working group with the aim of planning and developing a new Tourist Information and welcoming service in the twon from 2010 onwards.

Meri go rownd y rheolwyr - Managers Merry Go Round

Wel myn diwal i mae nhw wrthi eto, rheolwyr pel-droed yr Uwch Gynghrair yn cael y sac!
Chelsea yn diswyddo Scolari(Be ar y ddear mae Abramovich yn ei wneud!?) - fy hyn, does genai ddim cydymdeimlad efo fo nai glwb am y modd mae nhw wedi trin eu rheolwyr yn y gorffenol. Mi roedd Ranieri, Murhenio, Grant ac yn wir Scolari i weld yn ddynion da pob un ohonynt ac mae modd mae Abramovich a'i "sidekick" Peter Kenyon yn trin pobol yn warthus.
Yna yn Portsmouth wedi dim ond 16 gem mae Tony Adams wedi cael ei gardiau hefyd.
Yr unig beth dwi yn gobeithio yw na ddaw ry'n o'r clybiau yma i mewn am rheolwr tim Blaenau Ffestiniog, Brian Vaughan gan fod y Blaenau ar frig Cynghrair Gwynedd ac yn edrych fe y byddent yn enill dyrchafiad eleni. Felly i neges yn glir heno i Abramovich a'i debyg ydi, cadwa dy ddwylo oddi ar Brian...mae o yn perthyn i Blaenau!

Well I never! They are at it again, Premier League football managers are given the sack!
Chelsea have sacked Scolari (What on earth is Abramovich doing!?) - Personally, I have no sympathy for him or his football club due to the way that they have treated their manager's in the past. Ranieri, Mourhenio,Grant and indeed Scolari all seemed like decent men and the way that Abramovich and his "sidekick" Peter Kenyon have treated them is scandalous.
Then at Portsmouth, Tony Adams gets his cards after just 16 games in charge.
The only thing that I hope is that neither of these clubs will come in for Blaenau Ffestiniog's Manager, Brian Vaughan who has guided Blaenau to the top of the Gwynedd League this season and by all accounts could be set for promotion at the end of the season. Therefore the message is clear to Abramovich and his likes... Hands off Brian!..He belongs to Blaenau!

Casglu Spwriel pob pythefnos ym Meirionnydd - Fortnightly bin collections for Meirionnydd

Es i i'r Pwyllgor Ardal heddiw yn llawn amheuon am y cynlluniau arfaethedig Cyngor Gwynedd i gasglu spwriel pob pythefnos yma ym Meirionnydd.
Fodd bynnag yn dilyn cyflwyniad gan Pennaeth Priffyrdd a Bwrdeistrefol, rwyf bellach o'r farn fod hwn yn syniad hyfyw sydd yn gwenud synwyr yn amgylcheddol ac yn economaidd, nid yn unig i'r Cyngor ond i ni drethdalwyr Gwynedd.
Be dwi'n gobeithio fydd yn digwydd nesaf yw y bydd y Cyngor yn sicrhau fod gan pob cartref yn yr ardal y binau cywir ar gyfer y gwahnol deunyddiau ac bod digon o wybodaeth yn cael ei ddosbarthu i eglyro y drefn newydd yn ogysatl ac egluro'r manteision mawr all ail-gylchu ei wneud i'n hinsawdd ni.

I went to today's Meirionnydd Area Committee feeling very sceptical about Gwynedd Council's proposals to collect litter once a fortnight in Meirionnydd.
However following a presentation that was given by the Head of Highways and Municipal Services, I am no of the opinion that this decision make's environmental and economic sense, not only to the Council, but to us the taxpayer's of Gwynedd.
What I hope will happen now is that every household in the area will be given the right bins for the right materials/waste and that plenty of publicity will be given to the new arrangements as well as information educating people why this is happening and the benefits of recycling to the environment.

Pob lwc i Gymru! - Good Luck Wales!

Wel dyma ni, mewn 'chydig dros awr mi fydd Cymru yn dechrau ar yr ymgyrch i geisio amddiffyn ei statws fel Pencampwyr Cystadleuaeth y Chwe Gwlad pan fyddent yn chwarae yr Alban yn Murrayfield.
Mai rhai yn darogan y bydd tim Warren Gatland yn gwnued y Gamp Lawn unwaith eto, dwi ddim mor siwr am hynny fy hyn ond fe gawn weld - swn i wrth fy modd oes neith nhw hynny felly mae buddigolaeth y prynhawn yma'n anorfod.
Pob lwc hogia', C'MON CYMRU!!

So here we are, in a little over an hour, Wales will run out at Murrayfield to face Scotland in the first match of their campaign to retain the 6 Nations Championship.
Some pundits believe that Wales can do the Garnd Slam again, I'm not sure about that myself, however I'd love them to do just that. For that reason alone, a victory is imperative this afternoon.
Good luck boys, C'MON WALES!!

Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (to Wear Sunscreen)

As part of the 509 campaign as you may already know if you've been following this blog, I try to walk about 2.5 miles per day, every day or a slightly more at weekends, hence the trek up to Stwlan earlier today.
I love listening to my i-pod as I walk and I have hundreds of songs on it, one of them is this gem that always brings a smile to my face whenever I hear it.
The lyrics are copied below for your enjoyment too;

Baz Luhrmann Lyrics - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now. Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing everyday that scares you Sing Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours. Floss Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself. Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how. Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. Stretch Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t. Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone. Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own.. Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them. Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good. Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future. Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young. Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel. Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders. Respect your elders. Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out. Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85. Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth. But trust me on the sunscreen…

Stwlan yn yr eira - Stwlan in the snow

A minnau ddim wedi cerdded fawr ddoe, dyma fentro yn yr eira y bore 'ma i fynnu i argae Stwlan unwaith eto.
Roedd o werth yr ymdrech gan fod y Moelwyn a'r tiroedd o'i gwmpas yn edrych yn hydolus yn yr eira, a rwan fyddai ddim yn teimlo mor euog wrth eistedd i lawr prynhawn 'ma i wylio'r gem fawr rhwng yr Alban a Chymru ar y teledu.


As I had'nt walked a lot yesterday, I ventured up to the Stwlan Dam this morning once again.
It was well worth the effort as it the Moelwyn and the surrounding area looked quite magical in the snow.
After a nice long walk like this, I won't feel so guilty this afternoon when I sit down to enjoy the big match, Scotland v Wales on the telly.

Sioe Glybiau Theatr Bara Caws - "Dal i Bwmpio"

Es i draw i Glwb Rygbi Bro Ffestiniog i weld y sioe hon neithiwr,ac mi roedd hi'n noson wych, llawn hwyl a digon o chwerthin.

Pob lwc Joe! -Good Luck Joe!

A fynta' wedi penderfynu rhoi'r gorau i focsio yr wythnos yma, hoffwn ddymuno pob lwc a llwyddiant i Joe Calzaghe ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Heb os ac onid bai ef yw'r bocsiwr gorau o Gymru erioed (yn fy marn i) ac wnai byth anghofio y noson pan es i weld ei ornest yn erbyn Jeff Lacey yn Manceinion 'chydig o flynyddoedd yn ol.
Diolch am yr atgofion ac am y wefr o gael ei weld yn y sgwar.

After his decision to retire from boxing earlier this week, I'd like to take the opportunity to wish Joe Calzaghe all the best for the future.
Without doubt he is the best boxer ever to come out of Wales (in my opinion) and I will never forget the night I watched him fight Jeff Lacey at the MEN Arena where he showed to the world and the cocky American just how good a boxer he was.
Thanks for the memories and the thrill of seeing him in the ring.

Casglu spwriel pob pythefnos - Fortnightly rubbish collections

Bore 'ma derbyniais lythyr gan swyddog o Gyngor Gwynedd yn fy hysbusu i ac aelodau eraill Pwyllgor Ardal Meirionnydd od y Cyngor yn bwriadu dechrau casglu spwriel ym Meirionnydd pob pythefnos o mis Ebrill ymlaen.
Nid oes gen i unrhyw gof na chofnod ein bod ni fel Pwyllgor wedi trafod y mater nac wedi awdurdodi symudiad o'r fath ac o gofio y problemau sydd wedi codi efo trefniant o'r fath yn Dwyfor credaf bydd rhai o'r aelodau yn gwbwl anfodolon a hyn ac yn awyddus i sicrhau nad oes symudiad i'r cyfeiriad yma ym Meirion.
Cawn weld be fydd yr ymateb dydd Llun.

This morning I and other members of the Meirionnydd Area Committee received a letter from an officer from Gwynedd Council telling us that bin collections will only be made on a fortnightly basis from April onwards.
I have no recollection or record that we as elected members in this area have discussed the matter, let alone approve such a move. And having been made aware of the problems that have arisen in Dwyfor after adopting this policy, I imagine that a number of members will be less than happy with such an arrangement and they will be insisting that the status quo provails.
We'll see what the reaction will be like at Monday's committee meeting

Carchar i Gaernarfon - Prison for Caernarfon

Mae'n ymddangos y bydd hwb i economi Wynedd hwyrach ymlaen p'nawn 'ma gyda'r cyhoeddiad y bydd carchar newydd yn cael ei adeiladu ar lan yr Afon Fenai, ar hen safle Ferrodo ger Caernarfon.
Dwi'n mawr obeithio bydd rhaglen hyfforddi enfawr yn dechrau ar unwaith fel mai pobol o Wynedd fydd yn cael eu cyflogi yn y carchar yma ac nid pobol o rhannau eraill o Brydain.

It appears that there will be a tremendous boost to the economy of Gwynedd later this afternoon with the announcement that a new prison will be built on the outskirts of Caernarfon.
I genuinely hope that a massive training programme will begin immediately so that the jobs created at the new prison will go to Gwynedd residents and that little or no work will go to people from outside the County.

Swyddfa Cofrestrydd Blaenau Ffestiniog Registery Office

Mae'n ymddangos fod rhai pobol yn y dref o dan cam argraff fod Cyngor Gwynedd yn cau y Swyddfa Gofrestru yma yn y Blaenau.
Yn gryno, nid yw hynny yn gywir er fod y ffordd mae'r gwasanaeth yn cael ei ddarparu yma yn mynd i newid.
Dyma nhw y ffeithiau fel dwi wedi eu drebyn o'r Adran Cofrestru yng Nghaernarfon;
1. Mae'r adeilad presennol, sydd ddim yn eiddo i'r Cyngor ar werth felly mae'n rhaid symud.
2. Bydd y gwasaneth o gofrestru genedigaeth neu marwolaeth yn cael ei gynnig yn rhan-amser 2 ddiwrnod o'r wythnos o'r Ganolfan Dysgu Gydol oes. Bydd modd neud apwyntiad i weld y cofrestrydd drwy ffonio rhif ffon y Cyngor 01286 672255
3. Ni fydd modd priodi mewn swyddfa gofrestru yn y Blaenau ddim mwyach gan na fydd y ddarpariaeth hynny yn cael ei gynnig yma mwyach gan nad oes cyfiawnhad o'r gost ar gyfer darparu ystafell am 15 priodas y flwyddyn.

Felly gallwch gysgu'n dawel yn gwybod nad yw'r gwasanaeth pwysig hwn yn diflannu o'r dref yn gyfan gwbwl.Gallaf hefyd eich sicrhau os byddai unrhyw symudiad i dynur ddarpariaeth o'r dref, byddwn yn gwrthwynebu bwriad o'r fath yn chwyrn!

It appears that some people in the town are under the wrong impression that the Registery Office is being closed by Gwynedd Council.
In short, this is factualy incorrect, however there will be a change in how the service will be provided in the town.
Here are the facts that I have been given by the Registerars Department in Caernarfon;
1.The current Registery Office building in Blaenau is not owned by Gwynedd Council and is currently up for sale, so the service will have to be moved.
2.The service to register a birth or death locally will be provided on a part-time basis for two days a week at the Life Long Learning Centre in Blaenau and people wishing to register a birth or death will be able to make an appointment to see the registerar on either of the two day's by calling the main Gwynedd Council telephone number 01286 672255
3. People wishing to get married at the Register Office in Blaenau will no longer be able to do so as the demand for such a provision is so low, that the cost of providing a wedding room in town is no longer viable for as little as 15 weddings a year.

So, rest assured there is no plan to withdraw this important service from Blaenau and if there was, I would be one of the first to oppose such a move!

Canolfan Groeso Blaenau Ffestiniog Tourist Information Centre

Fel dwi eisioes wedi postio ar y blog hwn, mae symudiad ar droed gan Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri i gau y Ganolfan Groeso yma yn y Blaenau.
I'r perwyl hynny bydd cyfarfod yn cael ei gynnal bore dydd Mawrth i drafod y sefyllfa ac dwi wedi gyrru'r llythyr isod at yr Awdurdod, sydd yn amlinellu barn mudiadau lleol yma yn y Blaenau......

Annwyl Syr,

Yn dilyn cyfarfod rhwng cynrychiolwyr o Blaenau Ymlaen, Antur Stiniog, Cymunedau'n Gyntaf, Siambr Fasnach y Blaenau ac aelodau etholedig o'r Cyngor Tref a Chyngor Gwynedd yn y Blaenau, gofynnwn i chi ystyried y canlynol fel man cychwyn ar gyfer trafodaethau bore Dydd Mawrth nesaf;
1. Fod Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri yn parhau i redeg y Ganolfan Groeso yma, am un tymor arall hyd at ganol mis Hydref. O gofio mai dim ond 6 wythnos (mwy neu lai) sydd hyd at ddechrau y tymor twristiaeth, nid yw hi'n rhesymol nac yn deg i ddisgwyl i'r grwpiau lleol allu cynllunio a gweithredu er mwyn ymateb i'r penderfyniad mewn cyn lleiad o amser.
2. Fod grwp gwaith yn cael ei sefydlu i gynnwys cynrychiolwyr o Parc Cenedalethol Eryri, Cyngor Gwynedd, Partneriaeth Twristiaeth y Canolbarth, Cyngor Tref Ffestiniog, Antur Stiniog, Blaenau Ymlaen, Cymunedau'n Gyntaf, Rheilffordd Ffestiniog a Siambr Fasnach Blaenau gyda'r bwriad o lunio cynllun er mwyn darparu canolfan groeso fydd yn cynnig gwasnaeth o safon i ymwelwyr a thrigolion lleol yn y dref o fis Mawrth 2010 ymlaen.
Mae'r grwpiau lleol yn deallt ac i raddau yn derbyn rhesymau'r Parc Cenedlaethol i dynnu allan - fodd bynnag er mwyn gwynebu'r her hon, mae angen amser a chefnogaeth er mwyn cynllunio unrhyw ddatblygiad yn gywir.
3. Fod yr holl bartion a enwi'r yn paragraff 2 (uchod) yn dod ynghyd hefyd er mwyn sicrhau fod Arddangosfa Jeremy Moore yn cael ei chynnal yn y Ganolfan Groeso yr Haf yma fel oedd eisioes wedi ei threfnu.

I gloi, mae cyhoeddiad y Parc Cenedlaethol eu bod am gau y Ganolfan Groeso yma yn y Blaenau yn mynd yn gwbwl groes i gynlluniau a strategaethau y Cynulliad, Cyngor Gwynedd ac amryw o fudiadau eraill ar gyfer y Blaenau, sydd yn cael eu gweld fel cyrchfan bwysig ar gyfer twristiaeth ar gyfer y dyfodol.
Tra rydym yn cydymdeimlo a sefyllfa'r Parc, credwn ei fod yn holl bwysig eu bod yn cefnogi y tri pwynt uchod er mwyn sicrhau olyniaeth teg a chyfiawn i'w penderfyniad.

Yn gywir iawn,

Cyng.Gwilym Euros Roberts


As I have previously posted on this blog, there are moves afoot by the Snowdonia National Park Authority to close the TIC here in Blaenau.
For that reason I have called a meeting of all parties for Tuesday morning next week and below is a copy of a letter that I have sent to the Snowdonia National Park Authority which represents the views of a number of local organisations......

Dear Sir,

Following a meeting between representatives from Blaenau Ymlaen, Antur Stiniog, Communities First, Blaenau Chamber of Commerce and elected representatives from both the Town and Gwynedd Councils, we would ask you to consider the following as a starting point for deliberations next Tuesday morning;
1. That the Snowdonia National Park Authority continues to run this Tourist Information Centre for one more season up to mid October. Given that there is only 6 weeks (more or less) until the new tourist season begins, it is both unreasonable and unfair to excpect the local groups to be able to plan and implement a suitable solution to replace the current provision in such a timescale.
2. That a working group is established that will consist of members from, Snowdonia National Park Authority, Gwynedd Council,Tourism Partnership Mid Wales, Ffestiniog Town Council, Antur Stiniog, Blaenau Ymlaen, Communities First, Ffestiniog Railway and Blaenau Chamber of Commerce, with the specific aim of drwaing up a plan for providing a tourist information centre that will provide a high quality service to visitors and local residents alike from March 2010.
The local groups understand and up to a point accept the National Park's reasons for pulling out - however in order to face this challenge, the community needs time and support so that a new service is planned properly.
3. That all parties named in paragraph 2 (above) come together to ensure that the Jeremy Moore Exhibition is held at the Tourist Information Centre this Summer as originally intended.

To close, the announcement by the National Park that they want to close the TIC here in Blaenau goes completely against the startegies and plans of the Welsh Assembly, Gwynedd Council and a number of other organisations for Blaenau, which is seen as an important tourist destination for the future.
Whilst we may sympathise somewhat with the National Park's decision we feel that it is imperative that they support the three points above in order to ensure a fair and proper legacy to their decision.

Kind Regards,

Councillor Gwilym Euros Roberts

Cymorthfa Dydd Sadwrn yma - Saturday's Monthly Surgery

Bydd Cymorthfa misol y Cyng Dafydd Lloyd Hughes a mi yn cael ei gynnal bore dydd Sadwrn yma rhwng 9.30am a 11.30am yn swyddfa'r Cyngor Tref.
Fel arfer does dim angen apwyntiad - Croeso cynnes i bawb.

The monthly surgery that I hold every first Saturday of the month alongside Cllr. Dafydd Lloyd Hughes will be held at the Town Council Office's between 9.30am and 11.30am this Saturday morning.
As usual, no appointment is neccessary and a warm welcome is extended to all.