Mae dipyn o amser wedi mynd heibio ers i ni roi’r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwaith sy’n cael ei wneud drwy ein Prosiect Eiddo Gwag sy’n digwydd yng Nghanol Tref Caergybi. Mae’r prosiect wedi’i effeithio gan ffactorau y tu allan i’n rheolaeth, fel costau byw a chwyddiant, sydd wedi achosi oedi annisgwyl i’r gwaith. Fodd bynnag, roeddem yn awyddus i chi gael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y gwaith rydym yn ei wneud yng Nghaergybi, ac i adael i chi wybod fod y cynlluniau’n dal i fynd ymlaen – er eu bod wedi’u dal yn ôl  ychydig o gymharu â’n cynllun gwreiddiol. Yn y post hwn, byddwn yn rhoi crynodeb o amcanion y prosiect, ac yn rhoi diweddariad i chi ar bob adeilad, er mwyn i chi gael y wybodaeth ddiweddaraf am y Gwaith arnynt. Be ydi’r Rhaglen Eiddo Wag? Mae'r prosiect yn ymwneud â phrynu eiddo gwag, a buddsoddi yn eu hadnewyddu, i ddarparu eiddo fforddiadwy i fusnesau a thrigolion lleol fyw neu weithio ynddynt. Ein huchelgais yw creu mannau y mae pobl eisiau ymweld â nhw a gwneud canol y dref yn gyrchfan ar gyfer profiadau a chynyddu nifer yr ymwelwyr i’r dref yn gyffredinol a bod o fudd i bawb yma yn y tymor hir. Mae'r adeiladau'n cynnwys yr hen HSBC, Central Buildings (hen swyddfa Gyrfa Cymru), 9 Stryd Stanley, 14a a 14b Stryd Stanley (hen County Stationers). Diweddariad Adeiladau Môn CF: Hen Adeilad HSBC: Dyma'r mwyaf o'n prosiectau ac mae'n cymryd mwy o amser nag yr oeddem wedi gobeithio wrth gychwyn ar y cynllun. Mae’r cynnydd dramatig mewn costau adeiladu oherwydd chwyddiant wedi golygu na allai ein cyllideb wreiddiol gyflawni’r hyn yr oeddem wedi’i gynllunio’n wreiddiol, felly bu’n rhaid i ni ddiwygio ein cynlluniau i ddod â’r costau adeiladu i lawr. Ni fydd defnydd yr adeilad yn y tymor hir yn newid yn sylfaenol gyda'r llawr gwaelod yn fwyty ac yn ystafell tap cwrw crefft leol ar wahân. Bydd y 2 lawr uchaf yn ystafelloedd llety dros nos. Mae'r tendr diwygiedig yn dal yn fyw am wythnos arall ar wefan felly byddwn yn gwybod cyn diwedd mis Gorffennaf pwy fydd y contractwr llwyddiannus. Ym mis Awst byddwn yn gweld gwaith yn dechrau ar yr adeilad gyda'r holl waith i'w gwblhau erbyn diwedd Awst 2025. Central Buildings (hen swyddfa Gyrfa Cymru): Mae hwn hefyd yn adeilad mawr yng nghanol y dref. Am resymau tebyg i'r HSBC, mae chwyddiant wedi cael effaith andwyol ar ein cynllun gwreiddiol. Rydym wedi cwtogi rhywfaint ar y gwaith ar yr adeilad er mwyn sicrhau ein bod yn cael y prosiect yn ôl o fewn y gyllideb. Bydd defnydd yr adeilad yn aros yr un fath sef caffi ar y llawr gwaelod a stiwdio drama a dawns ar y 2 lawr uchaf. Mae’r tendr ar gyfer y gwaith hwn hefyd ar wefan GwerthwchiGymru a disgwylir iddo gau'r wythnos nesaf, a disgwyliwn benodi contractwr adeiladu ddiwedd mis Gorffennaf 2024. Bydd gwaith ar yr adeilad yn dechrau ym mis Awst 2024 gyda dyddiad cwblhau tua mis Mehefin 2025. 9 Stryd Stanley: Disgwylir i'r adeilad hwn gael ei gwblhau erbyn mis Awst 2024 ac mae'n cael ei adnewyddu ar hyn o bryd gan Adeiladwyr Môn Cyf. Bydd y llawr gwaelod yn siop sy'n gwerthu sebon a wnaed yn lleol ac eitemau eraill wedi'u gwneud â llaw. Fflat 2 ystafell wely newydd fydd y ddau lawr uchaf. Bydd hwn yn cael ei gynnig i'w rentu i deulu lleol yn fuan. 14a a 14b Stryd Stanley (hen County Stationers): Mae'r adeilad hwn yn profi'n eithaf trafferthus. Mae arolwg wedi canfod Trawstiau Dur diffygiol ar lefel y llawr cyntaf. Bydd yn rhaid ailosod y Trawstiau Dur hyn cyn y gellir dechrau unrhyw waith ar yr adeilad. Bydd y gwaith hwn yn cael ei wneud erbyn diwedd 2024, a disgwylir y bydd y gwaith adnewyddu llawn yn dechrau yn gynnar yn 2025 a’i gwblhau yn haf 2025. I gael rhagor o wybodaeth am y prosiect, cysylltwch â Môn CF ar 01407 762 004

It’s been a while since we last provided an update on the work taking place through the Vacant Property Project that is taking place in Holyhead Town Centre. The project has been impacted by factors outside of our control, like the cost of living and inflation, which have caused unforeseen delays to the works. However, we wanted to make this post to keep everyone up to date on what we’re doing in Holyhead, and to let you know that the plans are still going ahead – despite them being slightly delayed compared to our original plan. In this post, we’ll provide a re-cap to the objectives of the project, and give you an update on each property, so you can be up to date on their progress. What is the Vacant Property Programme? The Vacant Property Programme is a project undertaken to help transform and redevelop some of the empty properties in Holyhead Town Centre. The project involves the purchase of prominent empty properties, and investing in their refurbishment, to provide local businesses with affordable premises from which to operate. Our ambition is to create spaces that people want to visit and make the town centre a destination for experiences, increasing overall footfall to the area and benefitting everyone here in the long-term. The buildings include the former HSBC, Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales), 9 Stanley Street, 14a and 14b Stanley Street (Former County Stationers). Môn CF Buildings Update: Former HSBC Building: This is the largest of our projects and is taking longer than we had hoped to get started. The dramatic hike in building costs due to inflation has meant our original budget could not deliver what we had originally planned, thus we have had to amend our plans to bring the building costs down. The use of the building long term will not change fundamentally with the ground floor being a restaurant and a separate local craft beer tap room. The top 2 floors will be overnight accommodation rooms. The revised tender is still live for another week on the Sell2Wales platform so we shall know before the end of July who the successful contractor will be. In August we shall see work starting on the building with all works due to be completed by the end of August 2025. Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales): This is also a large building in the town centre. For similar reasons to the HSBC, inflation has had an adverse effect on our original design. We have scaled back some of the works on the building to ensure we get the project back on budget.  The use of the building will remain the same which is a cafe on the ground floor and a drama and dance studio on the top 2 floors. The tender for this work is also on the Sell2Wales platform and is scheduled to close next week, and we expect to appoint a building contractor end of July 2024. Work on the building will start in August 2024 with a completion date of June 2025.  9 Stanley Street: This building is due to be completed by August 2024 and is currently being refurbished by Anglesey Builders. The ground floor will be a shop selling locally made soap and other handcrafted items. The top two floors will be a new 2-bedroom flat. This will be offered for rent to a local family shortly. 14a and 14b Stanley Street (Former County Stationers): This building is proving quite problematic. A survey has found defective Steel Beams on the first-floor level. These Steel Beams will have to be replaced before any work can be started on the building. This work will be done by the end of 2024, and it is expected that the full refurbishment works will commence in early 2025 with completion in the Summer of 2025.   For more information on the project, please contact Môn CF on 01407 762 004

The cost of living impacts many people across the UK, who, despite working full-time, can still struggle to make ends meet. The national minimum wage is still a relatively new concept in the UK, being introduced as recently as 1999. Despite having a minimum wage, however, the current rate does not always match the current cost of living. Individuals living on a minimum wage salary can find it extremely difficult to afford the costs of everyday life without extra support. This extra support can come in the form of Government assistance, or from an employer, who opts to pay a real living wage.  In this post, we will look at what it means to be a living wage employer and see how more employers can sign up to make a difference to their employees.  What is the Real Living Wage? The real living wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is a voluntary payment scheme used by over 14,000 UK businesses. The aim is to pay people a wage they deserve, one that meets their everyday needs – like paying for the weekly shop – and giving people the ability to save for a rainy day. The living wage can be applied by any business from any sector wanting to make a change. If the business can demonstrate that they can pay a living wage, they can apply. By increasing the real living wage, you create more value for your employees. In April 2024 the UK National Minimum Wage rose to meet the National Living Wage. This increase is great for workers but is still lower than the Real Living Wage. So, how does this compare to the Real Living Wage? National Minimum Wage (NMW) Real Living Wage £11.44 £12 (Across UK) £13.15 (In London) The monetary difference doesn't seem much at first glance; however, the Real Living Wage is the only UK rate of pay calculated according to the cost of living, based on a basket of household goods and services.    The Living Wage Foundation was founded with the belief that employees are deserving of a fair pay for their hard work.   The rate is completely voluntary, and there is no legal requirement for businesses to pay their employees a real living wage, however, each year more businesses are signing up for the scheme to support their employees. Why is the Real Living Wage important? The cost of living in the UK can fluctuate greatly. Political and economic factors can influence the cost of everyday goods. Even today, the impact of events like the COVID-19 pandemic and BREXIT can still be felt in the price of the things we buy every day. While prices can go up, they can also come down. Fuel prices are constantly changing up and down depending on external factors that impact the supply. But more often than not, when prices go up, they rarely come down again. Minimum wage was not introduced specifically for improvements with cost of living. And though the government makes efforts to increase the National Minimum Wage regularly, it’s typically just below what would be considered as a fair living wage. Businesses that pay the real living wage see several benefits. There’s usually an improvement in workplace efficiency and morale. According to the Living Wage Foundation, businesses that show this level of commitment to their employees help them feel valued, and as a result, they’re more committed to their work. How to calculate the Real Living Wage The minimum wage is not calculated based on the cost-of-living standards, so using it as a basis for how much income a household needs is difficult. The Real Living Wage, however, works off the cost of a typical expense of household goods and services. Based on those calculations the current real living wage in Wales and the rest of the UK is £12.  The rates are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence about living standards in London and the UK.  The basket of goods draws on the Minimum Income Standard to identify everyday living costs through public consensus.   Before 2016 the London Living Wage was calculated by the Greater London Authority and the UK rate was calculated by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University.  As a community-driven charity that supports people into employment, Môn CF has committed to becoming a Real Living Wage employer. Môn CF is built around pushing communities forward, this accreditation has further illustrated our main belief in supporting the local communities to allow them to prosper. We hope to be a catalyst for change on Anglesey, and hope other local employers join us as organisations paying the Real Living Wage.  How to become a Living Wage employer? Any organisation, no matter how many employees they have can become a Real Living Wage employer. If you’re a business owner and you’d like to make a difference to the lives of your employees in a way that shows you’re committed to them, contact the Living Wage Foundation today!  For the real cost of living | Living Wage Foundation