Author: Rhys Gregory

Pembrokeshire County Council seeks community engagement specialists to work closely with stakeholders and community groups in Haverfordwest to explore the significance of Castle Square in advance of its redevelopment in 2024-25. The project forms part of a wider regeneration drive within the county, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Fund and Transforming Towns Fund to encourage vibrant town centres, maintain and increase footfall to support shops, decrease vacant buildings, create jobs and promote town centre living. Additionally, the development seeks to increase a sense of pride in place within the county town. Castle Square is historically significant,…

For the second year running, South Wales Police have teamed up with 29 pubs and restaurants to launch their designated driver scheme. Ahead of the busy Christmas period, the thirteen licensed premises will offer free draught soft drinks to designated drivers. A designated driver is someone who abstains from drinking alcohol to act as the responsible driver. The aim of the scheme is to promote responsible drinking with road safety in mind. The Holiday Inn Hotel Cardiff (pictured) was one of the first premises to sign up to the new scheme, which included The Philharmonic, Brewhouse and Revolution among many…

Merthyr Tydfil Council’s Licensing Department have become aware of concerns raised on social media in relation to licensed taxis overcharging passengers. Councillor Michelle Symonds, portfolio member for Regeneration, Housing and Public Protection, said: “The majority of our taxi drivers deliver a high-quality service, but we need the public’s help to stop the minority who breach the taxi licence conditions. “We often receive reports of taxi drivers breaching conditions, but not always with sufficient information to gather satisfactory evidence for formal action. I’d encourage all passengers to make a note of the licence number or vehicle registration before entering the vehicle and…

Four more Powys communities are to get fast electric vehicle charging points, after the county council secured additional funding from the Welsh Government. Work to upgrade power supplies and install the chargers in Llanfair Caereinion, Llanwrtyd Wells, Carno and Llanfyllin will take place in the first three months of 2024. It will bring the number of Powys County Council sites, where residents and visitors can charge their vehicles, up to 17. The new chargers will be installed at: Watergate Street car park, Llanfair Caereinion Zion Street car park, Llanwrtyd Wells Carno car park (next to Spar), old village hall site…

Social prescribing of things like exercise classes, gardening and arts groups is growing in Wales and helping to reduce the burden on GPs by connecting people with their community to better manage their health and wellbeing. The latest data shows there has been a clear year on year increase in referrals and use of social prescribing from around 10,000 in 2018/19 to just over 25,000 in 2020/21*. Through its early preventative approach, social prescribing could help ease the burden on front-line specialist services. Evidence suggests it reduces the footfall to GP surgeries by 15% to 28%, and around 20% of…

WELSH fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium is returning to Milton Park in Oxfordshire as it secures another innovative project. The fabricator has previously worked on the MEPC building at the science and technology park which is home to around 250 businesses. For its newest project, Dudley’s will work with Barnwood Ltd on the Nebula scheme which consists of seven new research and development units across three buildings. The scheme is being built to meet BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability standards and is targeting an A-rating Energy Performance Certificate. Visible sustainably sourced glue-laminated timber will feature in each building, which will also have vaulted ceilings…

In partnership with Cardiff Council’s Youth Services, Sky has opened its first digital Hub for Wales, at Eastmoors Youth Centre in Splott. The Hub provides access to 27 new digital devices, free Sky WiFi connection and regular digital skills workshops, run by volunteers.  The new Digital Hub at Eastmoors Youth Centre will provide young people with access to a free Sky WiFi connectionand a range of new technology devices including Sky Glass TV, tablets, laptops and more. Volunteers from Cardiff Council’s Youth Services and Sky will run regulardigital upskilling programmes. Sky’s Digital Hubs roll-out sees up to £100,000 invested in…

Cardiff is facing an emergency housing situation, with exceptional pressures and unabating demand for homelessness services. Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, told a recent meeting of Full Council that the city was experiencing an ‘incredibly challenging’ time, but the Welsh capital was not alone with other major cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh also declaring a housing emergency. “Cardiff is at the eye of the storm of this issue in Wales,” Cllr Thorne said. “It’s the most challenging time for housing in decades. “We’re doing everything in our power to find a solution and a range of…

Cardiff Council in partnership with the Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB), is proposing to build a new £14.5m Independent Living Wellbeing Centre to help more people to be cared for in their own homes and ease the pressure on hospitals and care facilities. A new report, to be discussed by Cardiff Council’s Cabinet on Thursday (Dec 14), outlines the need to support independent living, as set out in the Council’s Ageing Well Strategy. Included in this support are plans to build a new centre in Grangetown(see illustration below)featuring: A warehouse for equipment…

A consultation on proposals to strengthen how animal activities are regulated in Wales, which will improve animal welfare has been published today. A number of animal activities are currently not regulated, or regulations are no longer fit for purpose. Strengthening such licensing would enhance and protect animal welfare, with a statutory licensing scheme setting minimum standards which all licence holders would need to comply with, underpinned by an inspection regime The Licensing of Animal Welfare Establishments, Activities and Exhibits consultation marks the first phase of the development of a National Model to improve welfare standards and is a Programme for…