Llandovery Council backs Repair Café with £180 three‑month grant
Llandovery Town Council allocates £180 to sustain the Repair Café, covering hall rent and supporting community sustainability efforts.
Llandovery Town Council has approved a £180 grant to fund a three‑month trial of the town’s Repair Café.
The money will cover hall and kitchen rent at Rhys Pritchard Memorial Hall for November, December and February, with the café closing in January for a progress review.
Council members expect the service to repair between twelve and twenty items each month, using locally sourced parts wherever possible.
Donations will help meet the costs of electrical testing, insurance and a safe power supply for the volunteers.
The decision was taken at the council’s ordinary meeting on 21 September, held at Llandovery Town Hall.
Councillors present included J Brown, H Thomas, Morgan, L Brown, Davies, Perry, Wride, Osborne, D Burgess, N Burgess and D Thomas, with Wride and Osborne joining online.
Four members of the public and Town Clerk Tina Roberts also attended, while Councillors Graham‑Paul and Peel sent apologies due to prior commitments.
In a separate motion, the council authorised the community group Parklife to replace the lock on the storage area beneath the arches at its own expense.
New keys will be issued to current Parklife volunteers, maintenance worker Greg Bassett and the council, with one key retained for council use.
Councillors also endorsed a plan to boost publicity for Parklife events via the council and Llandovery websites.
The meeting continued with discussion of a possible community asset transfer of the former Ysgol Rhys Prichard school building.
While no formal decision was taken, the council will keep examining the prospect of developing the site as a community hub.
Safeguarding and whistle‑blowing policies were approved, and Councillor Osborne was appointed as the council’s safeguarding lead.
Osborne is due to complete certified training provided by Carmarthenshire County Council.
Plans for the town’s fireworks event were also given the green light.
The display will run from 5 pm to 7 pm on the scheduled evening, with a 26‑minute fireworks show commencing at 6 pm.
Live music, food and drinks will be available for attendees.
A first‑aid service costing £425 was approved to support the event.
In addition, a lighting tower, priced at around £170, will be installed to enhance safety and visibility.
The Repair Café, a volunteer‑run initiative, aims to extend the life of household items and reduce waste in the community.
Organisers hope the trial will demonstrate the café’s value and secure longer‑term funding beyond the initial three‑month period.
Local residents have welcomed the council’s support, noting the potential for skill‑sharing and cost savings for families.
Volunteers will continue to rely on donated parts and community contributions to keep the service affordable.
The council’s decision reflects a broader commitment to sustainability and community‑led projects across Carmarthenshire.
Further updates on the café’s progress are expected when the service reconvenes with the council in February.
Meanwhile, the council will monitor the outcomes of the fireworks event, the lock replacement for Parklife and the ongoing review of the former school building.
All decisions were recorded in the official minutes of the 21 September meeting.