Author: Rhys Gregory

The public space CCTV scheme operated by Caerphilly County Borough Council recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 1998, it has expanded from just 11 cameras operating on VHS tapes to over 170 cameras across the county borough, with images relayed back to a central control room, using a digital monitor wall and management system. During the last year alone the control room team has dealt with 901 incidents reported to or by Gwent Police, monitored a further 785 potential incidents, helped deal with 479 incidents post event, including burning 140 DVDs for evidential purposes and 319 digital…

Since the end of December 2022, Blaenau Gwent Council has provided over £150,000 worth of grant funding to new and existing organisations to support residents with emergency food provision. An initial grant of £82,190 was provided in early 2023 from the Discretionary cost of living scheme and a further £89,850 was awarded to original applicants in March 2023 to extend the provision. Organisations were able to apply for a grant of up £5,000 and the emergency food provision provided in a number of different ways. Some provide meals, end of day food and food parcels for residents to pick up…

A new procurement system, making it easier for contractors to apply for building contracts, has now been completed, the county council has said. Powys Council’s new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to take on minor construction projects costing between £50,000 to £500,000, with the aim to provide a more accessible and simplified route to tender for works. So far, 17 contractors have been successful in applying to the DPS, allowing them to receive notifications of exclusive opportunities to bid for works. These may include works within council owned properties including…

A Welsh Government plan to support Wales’ manufacturing sector through a ‘perfect storm’ caused by a turbulent global economy and ensuring it is ready to embrace the fourth industrial revolution, is being unveiled today by Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething. The manufacturing sector in Wales has around 150,000 people, with many thousands more employed in the extended supply chain. It contributes over 16% to Wales’ national economic output, which is significantly higher than the UK average of around 9%. The sector includes food and drink, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), chemicals, electronics, life sciences, construction, metals, energy, automotive, rail, aerospace, defence…

Thousands of people a month are accessing care in the community and away from Emergency Departments thanks to a   programme to reduce pressure on  urgent and emergency care in Wales. One year on from  the launch of the Welsh Government’s Six Goals for Urgent and Emergency Care (‘Six Goals’) Programme, the latest NHS data show that every month 10,000 people are accessing Urgent Primary Care Centres, 4,500 patients are being seen in same day emergency care services, and around 60,000 are using the 111 service for urgent advice. Launched in April 2022, and backed by £25 million of annual funding,…

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language has announced Wales will retain our current fairer and progressive student finance repayment system, despite changes made in England. Wales’s student support repayment system has historically been aligned to England’s, but adopting the new English system would mean Welsh students would repay loans over a longer period of time, with higher earners paying less and middle- and lower-income earners paying back more than at present. Last year the Welsh Government had originally decided to temporarily retain the current student loans system for the academic year to assess the changes being made in England.…

Julie James, Minister for Climate Change in the Welsh Government, has visited Neath to see how regeneration can help support town centres to thrive. It comes as the Welsh Government publishes a Town Centres Position Statement, setting out the key challenges facing town centres across Wales and a series of actions aimed at addressing them. The Minister visited the new leisure centre in Neath which opened earlier this year. The site includes a library and retail space as well as a swimming pool, gym and health suite. The development is an example of the ‘Town Centre First’ policy in action,…

Sir Gary Hickinbottom has been sworn in as President of Welsh Tribunals at a ceremony in Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday. He succeeds Sir Wyn Williams who served as President since 2017, when the role was established. The President of Welsh Tribunals presides over 7 devolved tribunals, covering areas including mental health, agriculture and the Welsh language. He takes up the role as devolved tribunals in Wales are set to be reformed. The Welsh Government will be publishing a White Paper in the coming months which will lay the groundwork for future legislation establishing a single, unified tribunal system for…

Migration law and human trafficking expert, Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz, has been appointed as specialist advisor to the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, to assist with its inquiry into human trafficking. The Home Affairs Committee is a cross-party committee of MPs responsible for scrutinising the work of the Home Office and its associated bodies. In February 2023, the Committee announced a new inquiry into human trafficking, to assess the scale of human trafficking in the UK and the forms it takes. The inquiry will also investigate whether Government policy, legislation and the criminal justice system can be improved to better prevent…

Two exceptionally talented scholars from the Royal Academy of Music are joining in concert at The Neuadd in Christ College Brecon on 15 May for a one-off musical medley combining harp and piano. Old Breconian and exquisite harpist Anna Phillips is returning to her former college this spring along with her pianist peer Konya Kanneh-Mason for an exclusive performance of Two Friends in Concert. Christ College will open its doors to all for the musical extravaganza, sponsored by Effective Communication. Welsh Anna is no stranger to the spotlight having performed in a joint concert with King Charles’ former official harpist…