Services

BOWYDD: Eifion Jones, morning.St David’s: Morning service at 11am.St Michael’s: Morning service at 9.30am.St Mary Magdalene: Mass at 11am with Bishop Edwin.Holy Cross: Mass at 6pm on Saturday with Bishop Edwin. Manod Orthodox: Third and Sixth Canonical Hours at 10am and Di-vine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom at 10.30am; service. Bethesda: Rev Dewi T Lewis.

Refugees

THE TOWN council have resolved to support notice of motion by Cllr Bedwyr Gwilym and seconded by Cllr Mandy Williams-Davies which reads: In January 2016, Gwynedd Council will be accepting refugees from Syria (number unknown) and I ask Ffestiniog Town Council to make a public statement saying it welcomes refugees who seek refuge in the town if suitable housing is empty and available.

CCTV

KEVIN Jones gave the council an update on the CCTV cameras, saying that the biggest problem were spiders and webs, which means that some images cannot be used to help police solve crimes.He added that these cameras need to be checked regularly and thoroughly cleaned each quarter. There was a discussion about connecting the cameras to the office and some businesses have given the right to use their personal broadband. The council will consider other businesses to be involved. The town clerk will be responsible for checking the cameras on a weekly basis from the office.

Maenofferen Gallery

THE EXHIBITION by the contemporary photographer Jeremy Dean ends at the Maenofferen Gallery on the 9 January.

On show from 22 January will be a small selection of paintings (1974-2015) by artist Peter McNally, now of London, but born and bred in Blaenau. He has also some prints on show at the Royal Cambrian Academy, Conwy from next week.

Angry Scones lease

THE TOWN council is to defer making a decision on an extension of the Angry Scones lease who have a site by the skateboard park, until answers to the following questions have been received from them. They will be asked if they are complying with current conditions, eg evening use, and confirmation of the land that has been used.This is to comply with the lease and also to seek their views on changing the terms, namely to install a fence, railing or screen to protect users from cars leaving the racetrack.

Advice

THE MACMILLAN support co-ordinator will be at the library on Friday afternoons between 2 and 4pm, and a Citizens Advice Bureau representative will be there on Mondays between 10am and 1pm.Both will be willing and ready to give relevant advice if needed.

Police Forum

THE RECENT account from the police forum meeting, which was attended by councillors Mandy Williams-Davies and Annwen Daniels, is that the latest statistics for each area ward were very satisfactory and the police would call at every pub over the festive period.

Pylons

THE SNOWDONIA National Park Authority has sent a letter to the town council regarding the National Grid Infrastructure Appearance Improvement Plan. Announcements from the National Grid will be made shortly regarding the budget of £24m which will be earmarked to be spent over five years in order to mitigate the effects on the landscape of their pylons within national parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.As the council will be affected by these wires, the Snowdonia National Park wants to hear their ideas about possible projects that are within 3km of pylons and would have a positive impact on the appearance and effect of these structures on the landscape. The town council will discuss this matter further with the local Y Dref Werdd.

RWF Comrades Club

THE RWF Comrades Club held its AGM presided over by David Hatton.Members were thanked for their support over the past year. The following officials were elected: chair, David Hatton; secretary, Michael Jennings; treasurer, Helen Wyn Jones; and two new committee members, Alwen Jones and Michael Hughes.

Sports

BLAENAU Amateurs FC’s first match of the new year ended in a 4-3 home defeat against Mynydd Llandegai with David Copsey (2) and Terry Hughes their scorers.The Reserves were beaten 7-0 at Holyhead Hotspurs. This Saturday, the first team are at Gaerwen and the Reserves home to Meliden. Bro Ffestiniog XV were 29-0 winners at home to Harlech and this Saturday they are at Menai Bridge.

Camera Club

PHIL Chadwick from Llandudno was the adjudicator for the camera club’s John Roberts Trophy competition, where members were asked to submit a set of four landscape images.He placed Iona O’Neill first, Rory Trappe second and John Powell Jones and Ian O’Neill were joint third. The December members evening was organised by John Gareth Roberts who presented a quiz to test members’ photographic knowledge and powers of observation. In the recent inter-club competition, the camera club won both the print and projected images sections against the Deudraeth club with adjudicator Don Langford.

Weather

THERE were no serious reports of any flooding in the area, but travel-ling out of town proved hazardous for many over the festive season. As was expected in such conditions, the Vale of Conwy railway service was unable to ferry passengers towards the Llandudno area due to parts of the rail tracks being washed away, but a bus service was put in its place.