Whether they have personally gained from such diversions remains to be seen, but it is evident that they have been seriously delinquent in their serial activities that have no relevance to that mandate restated above. It appears that there is no interest in getting the project back onto its original concept, therefore these people should be removed from their posts and at earliest possible date held accountable.

At that stage the appropriate bodies can decide whether their conduct merits prosecution under criminal law or some other procedure under civil law. It would probably be foolish to expect any recovery of funds wasted on this folly.

The overall project aim is :

‘to conserve the Castle walls and to restore the complex of buildings and gardens of Cardigan Castle, the stronghold of the Lord Rhys and the Princes of Deheubarth and the site of the first Eisteddfod, to create a significant and sustainable heritage attraction and multi functional cultural, community, tourism, recreational and learning facility which will attract visitors, create jobs, enhance historic building skills through training and bring wider economic benefit to Cardigan and the surrounding area.’

4. Our project objectives, which are needed to achieve our aim, are:

* restore an outstanding cultural heritage asset of international significance and bring it back into meaningful use

* create a multiuse facility which generates 19.5 FTE jobs (sustaining or creating a further 19 FTE jobs) and stimulates over £800,000 per annum into the local community bringing significant economic benefit to Cardigan and South Ceredigion through tourism and community regeneration

* undertake the sensitive restoration of the natural and historic environment reflecting its unique blend of historical, cultural and environmental features

* present the story of the Eisteddfod, the castle, the river and the town through innovative and inspirational bilingual interpretation

* offer unique opportunities to attract visitors who are seeking leisure learning activities related to the Welsh language, culture, crafts, environment and horticulture

* significantly increase visitors to Cardigan from the surrounding area by contributing to the critical mass of tourism facilities in the town including events and activities

* ensure parts of the complex are freely available to the local community involving them in running the site on a voluntary basis

* provide opportunities for heritage skills and conservation management training in close cooperation with Coleg Ceredigion, Ceredigion Training, Canolfan Twyi Centre and other training providers

* use the Welsh language, and the cultural traditions of the Eisteddfodau, as a tool for tourism development and regeneration

* become a ‘hub’ and visitor information point for the Wales Coast Path, a ‘gateway’ for the Cadw Princes of Deheubarth Heritage Tourism Project, a starting point for cycling and walking routes along the Teifi Valley and other environmental, heritage and tourism initiatives developed under past and present EU programmes.

No mention of Highgrove Mansion type soirees and such entertainment enamoured by Jonathan Timms, the Kent based secretary of the Cadwgan Trustees. I focus on the last but one bullet point. O why, o why do they not adopt a thoroughly Welsh creative imagination? What would that entail I hear the cry of a chorus of wailing trustees who denounce Cyfeillion Rhys ap Gruffudd as ‘bigots’..

It would mean organising a Noson Santes Dwynwen (the Welsh equivalent of Saint Valentine). It would mean organising and resurrecting the Mari Lwyd tradition. It would mean organising a Talwrn Mawreddog of local and invited national poets around Christmas time to celebrate the first ever Eisteddfod held at the castle in 1176. An annual celebration would then be forged. It would mean organising a mediaeval banquet with the James Sisters and Friends as entertainers and Dewi Pws as the court jester. There is no end to the creativity once the shawl of colonial mind-set has been shed. S4C could be taken on board.

It isn’t as if there is a shortage of talent. The language has survived in the area. The Eisteddfod tradition is strong. It appears that Cadwgan Trustees have no intention of harnessing such qualities though they are the prime heritage reasons for the castle £12m project. O why, o why, o why?

The YouTube satirical song ‘English Heritage Castle’ appears more apt than ever on considering the January 30 event. Satire often reaches parts of the brain that pertinent criticism finds impenetrable.

R.F you said ……”So really it’s win/win. Cheaper rents for the locals, cheaper houses for the locals, more spending power for the students ”

I seriously hope you are right, but I suspect that the outcome will be more arrivals in the form of displaced dysfunctionals from the far end of A55, A5 and beyond. Landlords will either sell to 3rd sector operators or will be subcontracted by them to house the newcomers. Then the fun really starts, if you are living there get your siege mentality into gear !

Absolutely, the exploitation of incomer students by largely Welsh landlords is appalling, the best thing is to take away that income into the Welsh economy and channel it away again. Which of course is way off base but the issue is to me the sheer amount of students most of which will drop out and a large percentage of the rest unable to exploit their new 2.2 degree because there’s no work out there. In my mind it would be better to restrict the uptake of new students to the more academically capable and create more vocational training in Wales. At least new English or Chinese businesses setting up shop here could make use of the local pool of trained labour force.

The thing about the massive expansion of student ha;;s in Bangor is that they intention is that they will accommodate the students right through their 3 years. This in turn then ‘frees up’ the huge amounts of local housing currently being used by private landlords to charge students stupid money. This housing will have to be rented to locals at local rents (around £400pcm for a two bed house as opposed to around £1,000 for students to share). It will also reduce the amount of properties would-be landlords are buying (in fact it will lead to them off-loading) thus leading to houses dropping in price and becoming affordable again to the local people.

Bizarrely, it also reduces the amount the students will be paying in rent as the Halls charge less and include utilities. That means the students will have more disposable income to spend in the local area.

So really iot’s win/win. Cheaper rents for the locals, cheaper houses for the locals, more spending power for the students.

Indeed.

Horizon Nuclear up on Ynys Mon (Anglesey) are likewise openly discriminating against Welsh companies from bidding for contracts through a policy of making them to big for Welsh companies to bid for, refusing to break the contracts into smaller chunks and using a ‘national pricing’ policy including their other site in Oldbury in Gloucestershire.

Because it is classed as ‘UK Strategic’ and as such beyond even the interference of Parliament, the Welsh government is powerless to intervene (not that Labour’s branch office in Wales would go against London anyway, and Plaid for all it’s protestations over contracts is routinely ignored by Horizon anyway)

Never mind though, I’m sure they will use a local contractor to do the work! Sorry did I hear someone call me an idiot for thinking that? Christ, they’ve made that castle more of an English stronghold than any of Longshanks’s ever were!

I take your point, but if the political will had been there, then I’m sure Wales could have benefited more from all the money dished out on ‘Green’ energy.

That’s appalling! I would never have suspected that Freemasons operate in such a fashion.