Columnist JB Evans looks at some of the issues affecting people in the Teifi Valley area...

THE original plans for the development of the Bath House site complied with the suggested model contained in the Unitary Development Plan (UDP).

The initial discussions on the form the new hospital should take included the possibility of beds being included; indeed for a while the only debate appeared to be the numbers involved.

However after carrying out a detailed study of the requirements for the locality, the Health Board determined that no beds should be included. One has to wonder, though it was never brought out, whether finance and the probable inability to provide suitably qualified staff played some part in the decision. This result was not, to put it mildly, well received by us locals.

Doubts have been cast on the suitability of the site for building – tales of springs in the area making it unstable have abounded. One has to assume that the test bores carried out either indicated no problems or that any problems encountered can be overcome.

Unfortunately much of the criticism levelled at the site was, and is misguided, unreasonable or downright malicious. One town councillor used the term “dump” to describe the site, which was hardly edifying. The few alternative sites proposed were unsuitable or out of town.

Unfortunately some of the critics have either short memories or suffer from selective memory loss. A fierce critic, Cllr Adams Lewis, recently had yet another outburst, describing it as “a glorified health centre.” He gives the impression that he has always been against it. This is not so.

When the whole Bath House development first came up for discussion, a committee of which he was a member endorsed the plans, seemingly unanimously. No words of dissent, not a peep. A former town councillor who was also on that committee, later stated that he wasn’t at the meeting when he later became an opponent!

If someone after due consideration decides to change their views this is acceptable if this is made clear, and the reasons for the change of mind are spelled out; indeed this makes the case stronger. But to ignore previous decisions and never to mention them is … unfortunate.

Cllr Adams Lewis’ outburst was countered by a measured letter to the Tivy-Side from Mr Chris Hewitt who was a Non-Executive Director of the former Ceredigion and Mid Wales NHS Trust. His intimate knowledge of the situation and the damage that irresponsible criticism can make should be listened to very carefully.

The description used by the councillor of the new centre shows a lack of understanding of the facts.

The current outdated and poor condition hospital building with its limited space and facilities provides a huge number of out-patient clinics in the most trying of circumstances. The average monthly figures provided by the hospital give a clear picture of its usage; some 800-900 blood tests, 500 physiotherapy visits, 400 X-rays 250 minor injury patients, 200 podiatry visits, plus a host of other less used but vitally important clinics.

With the new Integrated Care Centre the facilities will be vastly improved and the potential for expansion of clinics is already under consideration.

And in addition it will indeed include a health centre as we currently know it when the medical practice that has outgrown its current out-dated building, relocates to the new centre. And let’s not forget there will also be a pharmacy.

So some “glorified health centre” then!!

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We live on the outskirts of Cardigan beyond the reach of the gas supply. So our central heating is by domestic fuel oil.

As basic gas and oil prices have plummeted the gas and electricity giants have been overly reluctant to pass on the savings – generally the percentage decreases have been in low single figures, typically 5%.

However our oil prices have dropped dramatically. Between 2013 and 2014 the price dropped by 28%; between 2014 and 2015 a drop of a further 26%. So over two years a drop of 48%.

Of course if the Saudi sheiks get stroppy we’ll suffer.

But until then, townies eat your hearts out!