Author: Rhys Gregory

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council have recently secured funding through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund to implement a grant to support RCT residents in purchasing Solar Panels for their homes. One of the Council’s priorities is to make existing homes more energy efficient through technologies such as solar panels. The Solar Panel Grant will help residents with the cost of purchasing and installing Solar PV Panels on their homes. Residents are able to receive 25% towards the total cost of purchase and installation, up to a maximum of £1,000 contribution to the overall cost. If you are a home-owner in…

Changes to the way a broadband subsidy programme is rolled out could see Powys residents and businesses disadvantaged even further, a senior county councillor has warned. The Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy Programme, part of the UK Government’s £5billion Project Gigabit programme, aims to deliver high-speed broadband to the hardest to reach areas of the UK that might otherwise not be reached by commercial rollouts. However, concerns have been raised that hard-to-reach households and businesses in the county will be negatively impacted if potential changes to the deployment of this broadband programme are given the go-ahead. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media…

The owners of Cwmni Caws Caerffili, Huw Rowlands and Deian Thomas, are bringing back the production of Caerphilly Cheese to Caerphilly Town Centre. Huw and Deian have worked hard over the last 3 years sourcing local ingredients, perfecting their recipes and processes to get to a stage where they can start producing and selling Caerphilly Cheese. They are keen to start supplying local businesses with their authentic product and want to ensure all cheese has the history of Caerphilly running through it. Caerphilly Cheese hasn’t been produced in Caerphilly for over 30 years. This business will most definitely increase local…

Multiply is a new UK Government programme to help transform the lives of adults across the UK, by improving their functional numeracy skills through free personal tutoring, digital training, and flexible courses. The aim of Multiply is for local areas invest in meaningful participation that boosts people’s ability to use maths in their daily life, at home and work – and enable adults to achieve formal qualifications that can open doors for them (such as career progression, or progression to further study). Adults who need to improve their numeracy (up to and including Level 2/SCQF Level 5) will be able…

A significant update has been issued on a series of actions the Welsh Government is taking to tackle building safety issues. The update is part of Welsh Government’s cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru that promises to ‘significantly reform the current system of building safety’ in Wales. Climate Change Minister Julie James described it as an ‘ambitious programme’ that would make residents feel ‘safe and secure in their homes’. The Minister gave the update in the Senedd this afternoon and confirmed that major developers had agreed to sign a legally binding Pact that commits them to carry out fire safety works…

A new chair has been appointed to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan has announced. Former Assembly Member Jonathan Morgan has been selected by the Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan as the preferred candidate following an open and fair competition. He will take up the role from 1 April 2023 for four years, subject to the relevant pre-appointment checks. Mr Morgan has extensive experience working in the housing and social care sector. He has been an independent member on the Board of Health Education and Improvement Wales, since January 2022.…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has said new powers to tackle air and noise pollution will lead to a cleaner, healthier and greener Wales. The Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill was introduced to the Senedd on Monday 20 March, giving the Welsh Government greater ability to tackle air and noise pollution. The new Bill is part of a package of measures to improve the quality of the air environment in Wales. It will give powers to Welsh Government to introduce new long-term targets for air quality under a national framework taking account of the latest scientific knowledge including…

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden has announced the appointment of Maggie Russell as the new Chair of the Council of the Arts Council of Wales. Maggie Russell has over thirty-five years of experience as an arts professional, has occupied several senior roles at BBC Wales and been a constant advocate for the arts in Wales for over four decades. As Chair of Arts Council of Wales, Maggie Russell will be accountable to the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport and is responsible for ensuring the Council’s policies and actions support the Welsh Government’s wider strategic policies. Announcing…

US fried chicken restaurant Popeyes® is opening the doors to its first restaurant in Cardiff on Thursday. This will be the chain’s 14th UK restaurant in less than two years and they have plans to open even more this year. The restaurant will officially open its doors in Cardiff at 11am Thursday 23rd March. Popeyes can be found on Saint John Street, next to the city’s iconic castle. Fried chicken fans are advised to come along early, as queues for the famed chicken-restaurant are expected from the early hours. Early queuers will even have the chance to win a year’s…

Cardiff Council has published its Workforce Strategy for the next five years which details its commitment to employing ‘the right people, with the right skills, in the right place, at the right time and at the right cost’. The strategy, which is closely linked to the Council’s ‘Stronger, Fairer, Greener’ approach to how it delivers services to its residents and communities, covers the period from 2023-2027 and includes a host of initiatives and innovations intended to: Establish a more diverse workforce reflecting the diversity of Cardiff’s communities Identify innovative mechanisms for recruiting and retaining staff in areas of national shortage…