Author: Rhys Gregory

The Cabinet of Bridgend County Borough Council has agreed its final budget proposals for 2026-27. Developed following the analysis of feedback from a thorough public consultation and scrutiny process, the proposals will now go forward for final approval at a meeting of Council on 25 February 2026. If approved by Council and after taking into account budget pressures of £13.6m as well as necessary reductions totalling just over £2.3m, the net revenue budget for providing local communities with more than 800 services during 2026-27 will be £408m. Of this figure, at least £164m will be invested into services provided by…

Businesses in Port Talbot and the surrounding area can now apply to a new £11.78 million fund to create high-quality jobs and attract long-term investment. The newly-opened Economic Growth and Investment Fund is designed to support companies that offer skilled, well-paid employment opportunities and help them grow. The fund is made up of £6.78 million from the UK Government and £5 million from Tata Steel UK and will complement the work of the Welsh Government and Neath Port Talbot Council to strengthen the local economy. The funding is the latest from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board, chaired…

Cardiff Council and national developer Wates Residential have celebrated the topping out of Block A at Channel View, marking another milestone in the transformation of the Grangetown estate. Block A – or Tŷ y Dorlân – comprises 102 Community Living apartments over 15 storeys designed to support older residents, alongside extensive communal facilities, a rooftop terrace and a community café. The apartments have been designed to Happi standards (Housing our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation), focussing on generous open plan space, natural light, outdoor areas including balconies for all apartments, adaptable layouts for future care needs and community-focused spaces. Block…

Swansea Council has formally asked the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate the proposed takeover of Cardiff Rugby which could lead to the loss of professional men’s rugby in Swansea. Y11, the owners of Swansea-based Ospreys, are currently in discussions with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to acquire Cardiff Rugby. The Council’s concerns focus on the proposed reduction of professional teams from four to three, the process for allocating licences, and the potential for one ownership group to control two Welsh clubs. It believes the proposals risk unfairly restricting competition, reducing choice for supporters, and damaging Swansea’s economy. The…

Every Neath Port Talbot Council ward is now eligible for up to £25,000 of funding for projects that boost pride in the community. The Pride in Place Impact Fund (PiPIF) is a £1.5 million UK Government programme designed to help local authorities across Wales to make visible improvements’ to high streets, local facilities and public spaces. The long-term aim of PiPP investment is to increase the prosperity of the area by reducing poverty and improving long-term wellbeing in a community. How will the money be distributed? Each elected member will receive an allocation of £25,000. If a project will benefit…

Citizens Assembly members met for the final time last weekend to help shape the principles behind the new Blaenau Gwent Deal. The Deal is a new way of working between the council, communities and partner organisations, with the aim of building a fairer, more resilient county borough, improving health and well‑being, and reducing inequalities. The residents, selected at random, have given their time to participate in three sessions where they have heard how the Blaenau Gwent Deal could look and work in practice, and about the five main missions of the Council: Early Years: Building a Brighter Future Lifelong Learning,…

Funding for new surveillance cameras and a review into fixed penalties for fly-tipping are part of a tougher stance being taken by the Welsh Government to tackle illegal dumping. There were 42,171 fly-tipping incidents reported in Wales between April 2023 and March 2024, with 71% involving household waste. Now, thanks to Welsh Government funding, Fly-tipping Action Wales is providing local authorities with 150 new trail cameras to target hotspots and help clean up communities. Grants have been also awarded to Denbighshire, Flintshire, Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire councils for enforcement and camera-based projects, with lessons to be shared with others.…

One of the UK’s largest independent tyre wholesalers is expanding into Wales after acquiring a warehouse, formally utilised as a TV studio for £7.75m, in a deal supported by global real estate firm JLL. Oak Group Holdings supplies over 6,000 tyre fitters and retailers with tyres, consumables and accessories from a portfolio that includes established brands such as Davanti, Landsail, and Envoy. With seven warehouses across the UK, it is able to hold over 900,000 tyres in stock for its customers. It has now acquired a new 155,150 sq ft logistics site on the Queensway Meadows industrial estate in Newport.…

An established estate and lettings agency in Ruthin is celebrating a major milestone as it marks 25 years of serving the local property market. Cavendish Estate & Lettings Agents, based on St Peter’s Square, has been a familiar presence in the town since opening its Ruthin office a quarter of a century ago. Over the past 25 years, the team has supported hundreds of buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants across Ruthin and the wider Denbighshire area. The anniversary comes at a time of continued change in the housing market, something the firm says has made local knowledge and long-term relationships…

Hollywood actor Michael Sheen has taken a striking step to support people struggling with unsecured debt by buying and forgiving around £1 million of their loans, using more than £100,000 of his own money to clear what they owed.  Sheen said he wanted to ease the pressure on people dealing with financial stress and to shine a light on the hardships many face with mounting bills and credit obligations. How did Michael Sheen cancel people’s debt? Sheen partnered with a charity that specialises in buying unsecured personal debt. These organisations typically purchase debt for much less than the original amount…