NEWTOWN and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council has won a couple of prestigious awards at the annual One Voice Wales Innovative Practice Awards Conference held in Builth Wells

The Heritage Initiative award was for the Newtown council’s Celebrating John Roberts project from 2017 which was concluded with a plaque being placed in Frolic Street to mark the legendary triple harpist’s life.

Mayor of Newtown, Cllr Sue Newham, said: “It was very encouraging that Newtown received two awards at the One Voice Wales awards event.

“There are town and community councils across Wales doing a tremendous job of supporting their local communities.

“I am delighted that Newtown can hold its head up amongst stiff competition as a forward thinking and innovative council.”

The second award came for Newtown Town Council’s community engagement using Facebook Live, the council holds a monthly Facebook Live session giving residents a chance to get involved and ask questions on the topics being discussed.

Town clerk Ed Humphreys said: “The councillors and staff are working hard to meet the ambitions of the town, so national recognition at the One Voice Wales Awards is encouraging. However, the important thing is not the awards themselves, but the work behind them to provide better service to the town and to strengthen the council to go about it in a better way.”

One Voice Wales is the principal organisation that represents and supports community and town councils and provides a strong voice for councils in Wales. The national awards are held annually.

The council goes live at 7pm on the third Wednesday of the month and the next session is on April 18.

To view the live stream like their Facebook page.

n John Roberts, the Romani Gypsy harpist was born in 1816. He was the country’s leading performer on the Welsh triple harp, an instrument popular with Welsh musicians in the 17th and 18th centuries. He was given the title Telynor Cymru or Harpist of Wales by Gwilym Cowlyd during the bardic festival in 1886.