Author: Rhys Gregory

THE £10m redevelopment of a leading land-based college is set for completion this autumn. Backed with more than £5.9m from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, Coleg Cambria is transforming its land-based campus at Llysfasi, near Ruthin. Following the opening of its £1.2m rural education centre three years ago, a new state-of-the-art, 1095 square metre carbon-neutral education complex is currently being built by Wrexham-based Read Construction. Modern facilities will include classroom and meeting spaces, a coffee shop, HE centre, wellbeing hub and more. Head of Llysfasi Elin Roberts said: “Everything is on track for the buildings to be…

Record numbers of solar panels and heat pumps were installed in Welsh homes and businesses last year.  2023 saw more than double the amount of certified renewable installations in Wales than the previous year, bringing the total number of Welsh homes and businesses with renewable energy to over 100,000.  2023 was also the first year that installations rose above 20,000 in a single year, according to the MCS database of certified installations.  Solar panels made up the majority of the new renewable energy, with 14,730 MCS-certified installations across Wales. This represents a twelve-year high and is the highest level since…

A Birmingham man who made plans to rape the children of a parent he had been messaging online was arrested and investigated as a result of partnership work between Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, and West Midlands Police. In June 2023, 62-year-old Christopher Brand, from Thatchway Gardens, Birmingham, started a conversation with an adult over the internet. He believed the adult had two very young children. Brand ultimately made plans to attend a location outside of Birmingham on a weekend with the intention of raping both children. Unbeknownst to Brand, the adult he was communicating with…

Senior men’s head coach Warren Gatland has named the Wales side to face England at Twickenham Stadium in the second round of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations on Saturday 10 February (KO 4.45pm live on ITV and S4C). George North returns to the Wales starting XV in what will be his 50th Six Nations appearance. He partners Nick Tompkins in the midfield. Following his try scoring debut last weekend, Alex Mann will make his first senior international start having been named at blind-side flanker. Tommy Reffell (open-side flanker) and Aaron Wainwright (No. 8) complete the Wales back row. Tomos Williams…

People with creative hobbies are being urged to get in touch with Swansea Council’s Glynn Vivian Art Gallery as part of a UK wide art project. Inspiring information about their favourite pastimes will help celebrate the city’s creativity. Some treasured hand-crafted artefacts will be exhibited in the city centre gallery or even further afield around the UK. Items on display as part of The Hobby Cave project could range from costumes to crochet or from wood carvings to ceramics, robotics and origami. It has been commissioned by arts organisation Artangel which is working on the scheme with arts locations across…

Swansea Council is planning to invest record levels of funding in schools and social services despite facing huge financial pressures. Like other councils across the UK, Swansea is facing unprecedented budget pressures due to higher costs and increasing demands from residents whilst having a real terms cut in funding from the Government. The council’s strong track record on financial management and its prudent use of resources means it has sufficient funds to protect front-line services next year. It is also proposing a council tax increase of £1.40 per week for Band B homes which will be used to fund services.…

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles MS enjoyed visits to two Haverfordwest schools on Friday, February 2nd. Mr Miles visited Haverfordwest High VC School and Portfield School, taking in tours of both school sites and meeting pupils, staff and local education leaders. Haverfordwest High VC School was officially opened by HRH The Princess Royal in October 2022. The school was jointly funded by Pembrokeshire County Council and Welsh Government under its Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The school caters for 1500 pupils aged 11-16 and 250 Sixth Form students. At Haverfordwest High, Mr Miles was welcomed by…

Two-way traffic lights are required to carry out culvert strengthening work near Ynyshir Primary School, using the school half term break to minimise disruption. The Resilient Roads scheme will start after the school day on Friday, February 9 – and is scheduled for completion before children return to school after half term. The scheme, at Llanwonno Road, will install a new culvert liner to improve the infrastructure’s integrity and reduce the likelihood of future flooding at this location. The Council has appointed Arch Services to carry out the work, and the contractor requires temporary traffic lights to make safe progress.…

Five town centre liaison officers, paid for by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (Levelling Up), are now in post and supporting economic development across Powys. Each has been assigned to towns in either northwest, northeast, central, southwest or southeast Powys and have been tasked with advising and helping town councils, businesses, charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups with the planning, delivery and monitoring of economic development projects. The town centre liaison officers (TCLOs) are part of Powys County Council’s Economic Development and Regeneration Team and were welcomed into their roles by Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys, Cllr David…

A new primary school that will open in south Powys later this year has been named, the county council has said. Ysgol Golwg Pen y Fan will be the name of the new school that will open in Brecon this September. The new school will be established following the merger of Mount Street Infants School, Mount Street Junior School and Cradoc C.P. School as part of exciting Transforming Education plans by Powys County Council for the Brecon catchment area. The new school will initially operate on the three existing sites before eventually moving to a brand-new building in Brecon, which…