A survey has been launched to ask the public of their experiences of accessing a range of public services from housing to health. The survey has been created by public sector partners across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys. Feedback will inform work around equality from 2024 until 2028 and how people with protected characteristics are affected or treated when accessing services provided by the sector. The survey focuses on key areas like education, housing, health, crime, leisure and access to the coast and countryside. It asks people to rate their own experiences of these services and their perceptions of the experience that other people in our society may have. All public bodies have to produce a Strategic Equality Plan setting out how they will ensure services they provide are accessible to…
Author: Rhys Gregory
Editor of Wales247.co.uk
Cabinet has considered proposals to develop the Rock Grounds buildings in Aberdare into a quality hotel, restaurant, bar and spa – and agreed the Council will start a formal process to secure a development partner. At their meeting on Monday, July 17, Cabinet discussed the proposals to renovate and redevelop the current site, retain its buildings, and preserve the historic Rock Grounds building and features. The development would maintain an appropriate level of public car parking and also retain the Keir Hardie bust. The facilities complementing the new hotel would be available for community use as well as for tourists.…
Creatives in three local authorities are to benefit from funding which aims to nurture local talent and extend the benefits of Cardiff’s creative cluster across the region. Cardiff University’s Centre for the Creative Economy is working in partnership with Newport, Monmouthshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf councils on a new Creative Industries Cluster Hubs project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). It is hoped the three pilot hubs will drive investment and extend the benefits of Cardiff’s thriving creative industries across the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR). While specific plans are…
A new primary school that will open in south Powys next year has reached a significant milestone with the appointment of a headteacher, it has been announced. Sarah Court has been appointed as Headteacher for the new primary school in Brecon following an extensive recruitment process overseen by the school’s Temporary Governing Body. The new school will open in September 2024 following the merger of Mount Street Infants School, Mount Street Junior School and Cradoc C.P. school as part of Transforming Education plans by Powys County Council. Mrs Court, who lives near Brecon, started her teaching career 30 years…
One of Wales’ most popular spirits, the Single Malt Welsh Whisky, is now officially protected after it secured PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) UK GI status. This is the first new UK spirit to achieve GI status since the UKGI was launched and also becomes Wales’s first GI spirit. Single Malt Welsh Whisky is now the 20th member of the Welsh GI family of products, joining the likes of other great produce such as Anglesey Sea Salt PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), PGI Welsh Lamb, PGI Welsh Beef and Welsh Leeks PGI. The UK GI scheme was established at the beginning…
An agri-environment scheme to support protection of habitats on agricultural land is to be introduced from 1 January 2024 until the beginning of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025, the Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced. As the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme ends, this will provide alternative support for all eligible farmers, including Glastir Advanced, Commons and Organic farmers when their contracts expire on 31 December 2023 The application window for the scheme will open later this year, with contracts commencing in January 2024 to ensure a seamless transition as Glastir closes in December 2023.…
2023 marks a unique juncture for global economics due to strategic decisions taken by central banks. Their choices are leading investments into uncharted waters; interest rates, specifically within the UK, serve as an anchor that unifies various investment choices. Let us embark upon an adventure together to discover just how these vital pulses of finance shape investment landscapes. Current climate: an overview of UK interest rates in perspective The Bank of England has recently attempted to achieve an optimal balance by adjusting interest rates to foster economic expansion while counteracting inflation. An increase in interest rates can have various ramifications…
Solar power is on trend as a free and sustainable energy source. You may have already installed a solar system on your roof and are benefiting from it. But merely a solar system isn’t a sure card. What if there’s a long power outage occurring just on rainy days? Invest in a battery, all is settled. Why You Need a Battery for Your Solar System Without an efficient battery, excess solar power is wasted. And you don’t have enough power when the sun isn’t shining. Storing extra solar energy in batteries, however, allows you to use it later at any…
In recent years, the rise of online gambling has led to the proliferation of online casinos, offering a convenient and accessible platform for gamblers. However, concerns have been raised regarding the withdrawal process in some no verification casinos. This article aims to examine the claims surrounding unverified withdrawals from these casinos. Understanding No Verification Casinos No verification casinos, also known as anonymous casinos, are platforms that allow players to gamble without the need for extensive identity verification procedures. Traditional online casinos require players to provide personal information and undergo a thorough verification process, but no verification casinos often require only…
Virgin Money regularly reviews the ways customers use its stores, as well as its online, mobile and telephone channels, so that it can adapt its services to meet changing customer demand. The number of customers using bank branches for day-to-day transactions has been on a downward trajectory for a number of years. The stores which are closing have seen an average reduction in customer transactions of 43% since March 2020 and 96% of customers in these stores are transacting less than once a month on average. The decision to close a store is based on a number of factors, including…