Author: Rhys Gregory

Cabinet Members have agreed to implement the important proposals for the Council to build a state-of-the-art new Special School for Rhondda Cynon Taf by 2026 – which will deliver first-class facilities and meet all pupils’ needs. At their meeting in October 2023, Cabinet agreed to progress the exciting proposals having considered the positive feedback received in a public consultation exercise. Statutory Notices to open a new 3-19 special school, and introduce catchment areas for all special schools in Rhondda Cynon Taf, were published on November 10, triggering a 28-day period for objections. The Council has proposed the investment in response…

Newport City Council, the Newport Chinese Community Centre and the Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre are delighted to be working in partnership to bring a spectacular Lunar New Year Celebration to Newport city centre on Saturday 10 February. This celebratory day of events marks the first time these Newport groups have come together to mark this important day in the lunar calendar and hope the day of activity will bring many members of the Newport community together in celebration. Titled ‘The Dragons Are Coming!’, the event on Saturday 10 February will be filled with performances, workshops and activities all celebrating…

Residents in Powys are being urged to have their say on proposals by the Welsh Government to reform council tax. Council tax helps to fund the everyday essential services provided by local councils that we all rely on, including schools, local libraries, social care and street cleaning, and pays for around a fifth of spending by councils. The consultation by the Welsh Government, which closes on Tuesday, February 6, is asking residents what they think of different potential approaches designed to make the tax fairer, including adding new council tax bands, changing the tax-rates charges for each band, and reviewing…

A CYNON Valley mother has had an emotional reunion with the ambulance crew who supported the birth of her premature twins. Catherine Johnson was 29 weeks pregnant when she went into labour unexpectedly at her Mountain Ash home in November. Ambulance crews arrived to take the 36-year-old to hospital, but twins Carreg and Aneira had other plans which forced Catherine to give birth in her bedroom. A team of 12 paramedics and technicians used specialist training they had undertaken just weeks prior to care for and safely transport the newborns to hospital. Catherine said: “I can’t thank them enough for…

The last two men convicted for drugs offences as part of Operation Bluebell have been sent to prison. Mirsad Nerguti, 21, Qazim Hodollari, 38, both from the London area, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, January 29, where they were sentenced to six years and six months and seven years and eight months respectively. The men will join seven others in prison who were sentenced earlier this month to more than 82 years behind bars for similar offences. During the investigation by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales cash, drugs and suspected drug dealing paraphernalia was…

BlasCymru/TasteWales 2023 saw a record high for Welsh food and drink businesses as confirmed and potential sales reached £38 million, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced. The biennial event, which took place over two full days at the International Convention Centre (ICCW) in Newport, saw companies in the sector showcase their high-quality products to buyers and industry professionals from home and abroad. In total, 122 Welsh food and drink businesses took part in the event, accompanied by 15 Rising Stars. These are new business start-ups in Wales who have developed their business in the last 12 months. Wales welcomed…

Two of the best known companies in North Wales have joined forces in a new partnership. Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT) has taken on Mona Tractor Co as a distributor for Gwynedd, Anglesey and down into West Wales as far as Tregaron, south of Aberystwyth. Mona are the latest to sign up as part of the trailer maker’s 50-strong network of distributors across the UK. IWT also has global reach with their market-leading products – made in their six factories in Denbighshire and Flintshire – being sold in outlets across Europe and as far afield as Australia and New Zealand. According…

Recent storms have damaged Haverfordwest Castle’s two flagpoles leading to their temporary removal. Due to the imminent start date for conservation works at the Castle, replacement flagpoles will not be erected until the Castle development project is complete. The site will be closed off for safety reasons during the regeneration project work. Works at Haverfordwest Castle will include a new flagpole solution, which will be more durable and easier to replace when needed. A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesman said: “We will continue to fly flags at County Hall, marking all official dates, but look forward to the completion of the…

Hospitality businesses across Wales are losing sales and customers if they don’t use Welsh food and drink products on their menu. That’s the wake-up call from Arwyn Watkins, OBE, president of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW), an organisation representing chefs and butchers across Wales. He highlights market research undertaken by the Welsh Government Food and Drink Insight Programme, which has been exploring the attitudes of customers towards Welshness since 2017. “The pivotal question asked is: Does Welshness matter? The answer is a resounding ‘yes’,” Mr Watkins told the Welsh International Culinary Championships Awards Dinner at the International Convention Centre…

Scent training could make pet dogs better behaved, a new study by Aberystwyth University academics suggests. The research suggests that pet dogs trained to detect smells have improved mental ability and capacity to carry out certain tasks. Training is known to improve dogs’ ability to solve cognitive tasks, but previous research has focused on comparing highly trained working dogs, like those trained in search and rescue or assistance dogs, with untrained pets. The study by researchers from Aberystwyth University, in collaboration with Emma Stoker, owner of Puppy Plus in Newtown, suggests that even pet dog training can alter how our…