The New Life Church in Quay Street which runs the foodbank is making an application to take over the building in the Mwldan which has housed several food shops, the last being Budgens. All failed nationally to a greater or lesser degree.

My first reaction was pleasure that this large building was to be occupied. The foodbank needs much more space to store its goods.

But having read its proposals this is not all.

There will be a community/social meeting area, a coffee bar and a soft play area for young children, and refreshments at low or no cost.

It has also proposed to have rooms for crafts, Welsh language classes, youth meetings, Kidz Club, counselling rooms, offices, etc. All in all a very comprehensive package.

Surely there can be no doubt that planning permission will be forthcoming. But all the initial work in the building will certainly be expensive. Obviously the church will have considered this, but I imagine that the county council will not be able to go deep into their pockets due to the financial crises that they and most other local authorities are facing.

So will there be grants from various sources, and will the local populace be invited to help? If we know what’s needed no doubt the usual Cardi generosity will kick in.

Perhaps the church would like to enlighten us?

My second reaction to the news was disappointment that a scheme to greatly increase the storage capacity of the foodbank was necessary.

The storage capacity is driven by the demand for help from those making use of it. It speaks volumes that the demand is not only there, but increasing.

Just what kind of a society do we live in?

I remember writing quite some while ago that with the setting up of the foodbank, and an increase in the number of charity shops, all we needed was a soup kitchen.

Well, now with this scheme we will have something similar but up-market.

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Not only is the Integrated Care Centre going ahead, but we now have both starting dates for the beginning of construction (March 19) and an opening date (December 2019).

But still the opponents find things to moan about. In fact feel I should ask if they would like some cheese and biscuits with their whine.

The cost of the setting up the building is under attack, especially in these times of financial restraint.

Yet the Welsh government has approved it and they are providing the money, and I cannot see them being over-generous,

It seems that local “experts” know better than those who have taken measurements, designed and approved the scheme and its financing.

Alternative sites mentioned include the existing hospital site – far too small for present and future use, and Parc Teifi which is further out of town and on the wrong side of the by-pass, making it virtually impossible to reach on foot.

Look how people moaned when the police station went there.

I don’t recall if it was amongst the multiple sites considered at the beginning of the exercise, but I bet it was.

Then there’s the existing hospital site and building. The a-ha and what’s going happen to that then? This has been answered by Hywel Dda saying that it and the existing health centre will be sold off but the community should be given the first opportunity to purchase them.

Now there’s a challenge to us all to come up with practical, financially viable schemes for them both. We have up to eighteen months to mull-over these problems, so come on put on your thinking caps.

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A few columns ago I wrote about the council’s private car park in Pendre, noting that those shop owners who pay over £300 a year for a parking space are wasting their money. Why? Because it is used as a general car park by all and sundry, and for free.

The council have now suggested that it should be made into a short stay parking area.

Cardigan Traders have opposed the plan stating it would make the parking situation worse; quite how I fail to see. I’m pretty sure that well under half the spaces are paid for.

So grant the faithful special rates elsewhere and make the change as suggested by the council.