Storm damage response ‘was less than acceptable’
The report said people with a smartphone can download an app which records nuisance noise. The recording can then be sent to officers.
Meanwhile, more and more planning applications require noise assessments to be carried out, and department chiefs are looking into creating a paid-for service for developers.
The environmental protection service also inspects and reviews licences for sports grounds, and will have to ensure tattooists and body piercers are registered and licensed following the introduction of the Public Health (Wales) Act.
The legislation also requires councils to enforce no smoking in more areas than is currently the case.
Carmarthenshire officers also monitor and report air pollution levels at a designated air quality management area at Llandeilo, and more recent ones at Carmarthen and Llanelli.
Actions plans have been produced for all three areas.
The service also samples water quality in North Dock, Llanelli, while Natural Resources Wales does the same for beaches at Pembrey and Pendine.
Carmarthenshire officers received more than 2,500 nuisance and antisocial behaviour service requests last year, and ended up issuing 83 statutory notices.
The report said the 556 fly-tipping reports it received often took a lot of time to investigate.
One area which has seen a demand reduction is stray dogs – down from over 1,000 five years ago to 634 last year – possibly because of the introduction of micro-chipping.
But requests for help with pests climbed to 701 last year, and the council is looking into the idea of expanding its pest control service for commercial and private treatments.
Carmarthenshire’s executive board has approved the environmental protection service’s 2018-19 plan.
Speaking at the meeting, councillor Peter Hughes Griffiths said he now realised how much work went on.
“It’s something that we can be very proud of,” he said.
Find out more online at... walesonline.co.uk/ llanelli CARWYN Jones’s response to the damage caused by Storm Callum “was less than acceptable”, the leader of Carmarthenshire Council has said.
Councillor Emlyn Dole said the First Minister visited the worst-affected areas following last month’s storm, which led to widespread flooding in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
A spokesman for Mr Jones said the Welsh Government was working with councils to assess the full extent of damage “as was made clear” on his visit.
The council rapidly set up flood relief funds for householders and businesses whose properties were damaged, and has estimated that repairing roads and other infrastructure in Carmarthenshire will cost £3 million.
“The First Minister came down to see for himself what had happened, and, to be honest, his response was less than acceptable,” said Mr Dole, addressing a meeting of full council.
“I made an appeal for the financial support that we will need for the infrastructure, but his response was not one I expected from somebody in his position.
“Basically he criticised what we were doing and our efforts to look after the interests of Carmarthenshire people. As a leader my main priority was to ensure our people were okay and that they were safe, and that’s what we did do.”
The Plaid Cymru leader praised council officers for “going beyond what was required of them” in the aftermath of the storm.
Officers collected damaged furniture, tested electrics, deployed dehumidifiers and advised householders how to submit a claim for the £200 flood relief grants.
Mr Dole said the council was still helping 67 businesses, which are able to claim 50% of clean-up and damage-related costs, although conditions apply.He said: “I really want to praise our teams across the departments who have responded so well to this emergency.”
Mr Dole said the storm caused £3 million to £4 million of damage to businesses in the county.
He again sent his condolences to the family of 21-year-old Corey Sharpling, of Newcastle Emlyn, who died as a result of a landslide on the A484 during the storm on October 13.
A spokesman for Mr Jones said: “As the First Minister made clear during his visit, we are working with local government to assess the damage caused and how much assistance is required.”