Author: Rhys Gregory

Neath Port Talbot Council is seeking residents’ views on whether or not it should impose higher Council Tax charges on owners of second homes and long-term empty properties. Due to a change in legislation, councils are now able to charge a premium of up to 300% on second homes and long-term empty properties. Each Council can choose how it acts when considering the level of charge to apply to empty properties. Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Social Justice, Cllr Simon Knoyle, said: “We want to hear your views on how we should respond to the…

Work will soon get underway to repair a section of the retaining wall at Berw Road in Pontypridd – with the vast majority of the scheme causing minimal disruption. RCT Council has appointed Hammonds Ltd as the contractor for the work, which will take place over six weeks from Thursday, August 17. The scheme will include clearing vegetation growing behind the wall and from the wall face, reconstructing sections of the structure, and repointing work. The work activity will not require any traffic management, while pedestrian access will be maintained via the adjacent pavement. However, Stop/Go traffic boards will be…

Parents can now register their children to start nursery from September 2024. Parents must complete the application process by 15th September. Applications are open for children born between 1st September 2020 and 31st August 2021. The new Welsh-medium school that is opening in Monmouth in 2024 on Rockfield Road – Ysgol Gymraeg Trefynwy – will have a nursery on site and parents in the area now have that nursery as an option to choose from. Cllr. Martyn Groucutt, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “We look forward to welcoming the newest students to our schools across Monmouthshire. It’s with great excitement…

More than £1m worth of new business has been secured by the Welsh delegation to the Paris Air Show in June with over £3.6m in further opportunities also identified, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has revealed today. The Paris Air Show is the largest aerospace event in the world, attracting over 2,400 exhibitors from 49 countries and 139,000 trade visitors from 185 countries. Wales is a centre of excellence for aerospace manufacturing and MRO (maintenance, repair, and overhaul) related activities, with more than 160 companies employing more than 23,000 people across the country, accounting for 10% of the UK’s aerospace industry.…

Upcoming agricultural shows this summer will provide more opportunities for discussion and to see the best of rural Wales, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales Lesley Griffiths has said. The Minister will be visiting both the Anglesey and Pembrokeshire shows this week, and will be joined by the First Minister Mark Drakeford at Mona for Sioe Mon   The Welsh Government has a presence at both shows where farmers will be able to find out more about the proposals for the Sustainable Farming Scheme. The Minister for Rural Affairs said: “I’m looking forward to visiting both shows this week.  Sioe…

A scheme to support local projects in coastal areas of Wales in tackling the climate emergency will benefit from funding from the Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said the Coastal Capacity Building Fund will be important in helping coastal communities improve environmental outcomes. The fund aims to build capacity, helping communities to deliver sustainable action which supports growth and recovery in local marine and coastal areas. The types of projects the fund could support varies from developing skills, knowledge and networks to engage with marine and coastal issues to carrying out scoping exercises to look at reducing carbon…

Bingo is a splendid game, which provides a social outlet and a sense of community. Many seniors enjoy the opportunity to gather with friends and acquaintances to play bingo, chat and catch up. A game to enjoy Bingo offers a chance for social interaction and can help combat feelings of loneliness or isolation. It is a relatively simple and easy game to play. It doesn’t require any special skills or physical exertion, making it accessible to people of all abilities. Accessibility makes bingo an appealing game to seniors who may have limited mobility or cognitive abilities. It can also be…

If you own a power station, you’re probably familiar with expansion batteries. Many brands today offer modular power storage solutions, which usually include power generators and additional battery packs for flexible capacities. These battery modules, known as “expansion batteries”, allow you to expand the capacity of your power station to your needs. In this article, we will delve into the world of expansion batteries from BLUETTI, one of the top players in this field. BLUETTI provides diverse extra battery models with capacities ranging from 806 Wh to 3,072 Wh. What sets BLUETTI apart from its competitors is that its battery…

Technical outdoor clothing brand, Jöttnar, has completed its latest investment round, raising over £1m through a mix of re-investment and crowdfunding, in a deal advised on by expert dealmaking firm, GS Verde Group. The raise will support the business in accelerating the expansion of its product range, team, and customer base. Jöttnar was conceived in Arctic Norway by founders Tommy Kelly and Steve Howarth. As two former Royal Marine commandos, they honed their skills as the world’s elite specialists in extreme cold weather, mountain warfare, and survival by exposing themselves to Norway’s extraordinarily demanding environmental conditions. These experiences inspired them…

The Maindee on Chepstow Road re-opened on the 9th August following a major investment of £215,000. The pub is part of the Proper Pubs division at Admiral Taverns and has undergone a complete interior transformation which includes a brand-new bar area, furniture, wooden flooring, soft furnishings, fixtures and fittings throughout. Thanks to the investment, the Maindee boasts a new look and fresh decor giving a warmer, more welcoming feel to appeal to all the local community. Operator of the Maindee, Emma Lewis, said: “Opening night was fantastic, it was amazing to see all our customers, old and new, coming to…