Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea Council has signed two additional open access agreements with leading UK digital infrastructure providers Ontix and Cellnex. These non-exclusive agreements allow the companies to use council-owned assets such as street lighting to deploy small cell infrastructure to help boost mobile network capacity across the city during busy periods. Having this option available means that businesses and residents are less likely to have signal dropouts during peak usage times, providing a strengthened overall infrastructure in the city. These agreements are a demonstration that Swansea is a city ready and willing to work with mobile network operators to better its connectivity.…

Croeso Pubs is celebrating a major milestone after serving its one millionth pint of the year – that’s enough to fill the equivalent of approximately 3,800 bathtubs. To put the scale into perspective, one million pints is such a vast amount that, if poured into beer kegs and laid end-to-end, they would stretch the equivalent of around three and a half journeys between Croeso’s The Bear’s Head in Penarth and The Discovery in Lakeside. The South Wales pub company, which operates nine venues across the region, reached the landmark at the start of December, rounding off what has been a…

Pobl Group, which will become Codi Group from January 2026, alongside development partner Hacer, welcomed Julie James MS, Counsel General and Minister for Delivery, and Councillor Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, to Biome this week for a tour of the landmark regeneration project. Set to complete in spring 2026, Biome is fast emerging as one of Wales’s most forward thinking developments, focused on sustainable, nature rich living in the heart of Swansea city centre. During the visit, guests were able to see first-hand the impressive progress on site. The 4-storey glasshouse is now fully constructed, offering panoramic views across…

Thomas Griffiths, 34, of Riverside Close, Ynyshir, Porth, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for the manslaughter of Christian Dean. Griffiths pleaded guilty to the charge at Cardiff Crown Court on November 17, 2025, following a tragic incident that unfolded on June 26, 2025. On that fateful day, shortly before 1pm, South Wales Police received a 999 call reporting that Christian had been injured at a property on Graig Road, Porth. Emergency services were swiftly dispatched, and upon arrival, they discovered Christian lying unresponsive on the kitchen floor. Initial information provided by witnesses at the scene indicated that…

A Cardiff man has been jailed for running a cryptocurrency investment scam on social media, defrauding 17 known victims of more than £124,000. Haroon Zaman, from Grangetown, was sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, following close investigative work between South Wales Police and the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU). Zaman, 23, of Holmesdale Street, was sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment for 17 counts of fraud by false representation. Between January 2021 and June 2023, Zaman hacked into victims’ social media accounts and impersonated them online. He then used these compromised accounts to promote fraudulent…

A 37-year-old man from Llandudno Junction has been jailed for multiple drug offences. John Michael Smith, of Kimberley Road, Llandudno Junction, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday, 12 December. He was charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B substances, namely cocaine and cannabis. His charges related to offences committed between August 2024 and June of this year. Smith was arrested at his home on 5 June and subsequently charged by investigating officers. At court, Smith pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced to a total of three-and-a-half years in prison. PC Kimberley…

Councillor John Spanswick, Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, has confirmed that changes have been made to the local authority’s Cabinet structure. Announcing the amendments at a meeting of Cabinet held on Tuesday 16 December, he confirmed that Councillor Paul Davies has stepped down from the role of Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment. In future, the portfolio will be jointly shared between Councillor Eugene Caparros and Councillor Gary Haines. The Leader also confirmed that Councillor Melanie Evans will be taking on the role of Cabinet Member for Resources, a post that she previously shared with Councillor Caparros.…

Scott Harbour flats in Cardiff Bay have become the first residential building in Cardiff to receive heat and hot water from Cardiff Council’s pioneering low-carbon district heat network. The former office block was recently converted into 78 council-owned apartments and now provides much-needed social housing in the city. As well as modern new accommodation, residents are now also enjoying sustainable heat and hot water. Cardiff Heat Network captures heat from steam already produced as a by-product of the process that powers electricity-generating turbines at Viridor’s Trident Park Energy Recovery Facility. The heat is then transported through a network of highly…

Residents included in a trial soft plastic kerbside recycling scheme in Swansea can continue using the service in 2026. Swansea Council has been trialling the soft plastic collections scheme since April 2025, offering 20,000 households across the city. A decision has now been made to extend the trial until June 2026. So far, the council has collected over 70 tonnes of soft plastic from residents, which may otherwise have ended up in black bags. Data on the trial is being collated by Welsh Government and will help inform their decisions on how best to roll out similar schemes across other…

Flood Assistance Centre Neath Port Talbot Council has set up an assistance centre for people in Briton Ferry affected by flooding at: ‘The Lodge’ Community Hall, Ynysmaerdy Road, Briton Ferry, SA11 2NS Council staff will be on hand from 10am – 3pm Friday 19th December 2025 and Monday 22nd December 2025. Staff from Social Services, Housing, Welfare Rights, and Local Area Co-ordination will be there to provide information, assistance and signposting. Waste collections  NPT Council will be providing special collections for flood damaged items removed from properties. However, it is vital to follow your insurer’s advice before items are presented for collection, as this could affect your claim. Companies may want photographic evidence, or…