Author: Rhys Gregory

More than 50 drug dealers have been arrested and are serving custodial sentences amounting to more than 165 years, as part of Operation Talon – a huge crackdown on Class A drug supply in Cardiff.During an eight-month covert operation, undercover officers were deployed to the streets of Adamsdown, Butetown, Cathays, Canton, Grangetown, Splott and the city centre in response to concerns about visible drug dealing. Up to 300 drug deals were seized along with £53k cash, 125 mobile phones, and a range of weapons. Three men were yesterday (Thursday, September 21) sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court, bringing the total number of people…

By any standards, the year Cllr Graham Hinchey spent as Cardiff’s Lord Mayor could be classed as truly remarkable. His 12-month tenure as the city’s 117th First Citizen included both the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and her death, as well as the 40th anniversary of the Falkland’s Conflict, several royal visits and the proclamation of the new King. Yet for Graham and the Lady Mayoress – his wife Anne – it was the 300-plus other duties he performed, visiting community, military and charity events, schools, care homes and faith groups, and raising more than £85,000 for Guide Dogs Cymru, that they…

Led by Swansea Council, the #EnjoyYourCityCentre campaign is aimed at encouraging  more people to visit the city centre’s shops, restaurants, cafes, pubs, cultural venues, activity providers and other businesses. Traders, shoppers and workers are at the heart of the campaign, with regular posts, photos and videos now being included every week on the council’s Facebook and Instagram social media pages to help raise awareness of everything the city centre offers. Videos forming part of the campaign have already attracted close to 25,000 online views since the campaign launched just over a week ago. As well as a campaign launch video…

Opening just last month, Saltlake Seafood Co. is one of the five local, independent businesses to occupy a prime spot in the newly developed area at Cosy Corner, Porthcawl. The £3.8m Cosy Corner development, which has just completed its first phase, has been made possible by funding from the council and Welsh Government, which includes £1m of EU funding from the Visit Wales Tourism Attractor Destination Programme (TAD). Housed in the new stone and glass building with panoramic views over the channel, the restaurant widens the choice of high-quality eateries available in the area, as well as provides work for…

It’s time to reveal the most magical news of the year! Santa’s Toy Mine returns to A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum from 25th November and tickets will go on sale from Tuesday 26th September. Santa’s Toy Miners are already at work planning for this year’s event (and making toys of course) so here’s all you need to know: What’s Santa up to this year? Of course every toy mine ticket includes a guided tour through the toy mine to find Santa in his gorgeous grotto.  The toy miners will take you on a journey all…

Important flood alleviation work will begin next week along the length of Park Street in Tylorstown, requiring a local road closure. This is the first of two significant flood alleviation schemes planned to protect the community. The first scheme will begin from Monday, September 25, to upgrade the infrastructure along Park Street and improve the network’s capacity to cope with heavy rainfall. It is intended to reduce surface water flooding at Park Street, and deliver a knock-on improvement for nearby streets including Arfryn Terrace and Brynheulog Terrace, which contain residential properties. The Council has appointed Peter Simmons Contractors to carry…

Paul Taylor the proprietor of the Rock Pub and Bed and Breakfast, Tredegar Road, Blackwood, Gwent NP12 1DD has been prosecuted for failing to provide allergen information contrary to the Food Information (Wales) Regulations 2014. The sentencing follows an investigation by Caerphilly Council Trading Standards Service who were alerted to an incident that took place at the Rock Public House in August 22, where Taylor refused to provide allergen information to a milk hypersensitive member of the public who lives with a severe food allergy. Trading Standards Officers inspected the business and gave Taylor, the Designated Premises Supervisor and Premises…

The Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership (RSP) is interested in what you have to say about the challenges you face as a business and is currently running a short, 5-minute survey to find out more about these challenges, especially around the recruitment of skills, now and in the future. Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council and Councillor James Gibson-Watt, Leader of Powys County Council, jointly said: “The Mid Wales Regional Skills Partnership reports back to Welsh Government on the skills landscape for Mid Wales – by answering these few questions (they) the Partnership can gather important data which…

First Minister Mark Drakeford has signed the new Corporate Parenting Charter, committing the Welsh Government to nine promises when working with care-experienced children and young people. The Charter sets out principles that all public bodies and their leaders should follow in the design and delivery of services, such as eradicating stigma, providing a stable home and good health and education. ‘Corporate parenting’ is defined as promoting the collective responsibility of the whole public sector to safeguard and promote the rights and life chances of care-experienced children and young people. Any public body, third sector organisation or business can sign up…

With financial support from the Cardiff and Vale Public Health Team and Sport Wales, the Golden Pass programme aims to increase physical activity levels and access to sport and social opportunities, encouraging a behavioural change towards a more active lifestyle and enhancing the physical and mental wellbeing of participants. Eligible participants can choose from a variety of activity sessions, ranging from badminton and paddle-ball, to Zumba and walking netball. Upon successful signup to the scheme, participants will receive a golden pass in the post that can be exchanged for free access to eight activity sessions at a variety of community…