Author: Rhys Gregory

The Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cllr Wendy Lewis, was appointed to the role at the Council’s recent Annual General Meeting. Cllr Lewis has chosen four charities for her year in office, and is looking forward to raising awareness and funding for them. Cllr Lewis, Elected Member for Llwynypia Ward, said she is delighted to take on the role previously held by Cllr Wendy Treeby, of Mountain Ash, and is looking forward to her time as Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, a place she has lived all her life. Born and raised in the Rhondda Valley, Cllr Lewis says she…

The much-anticipated Caerphilly Interchange proposal has entered its third and final phase of public consultation and engagement. Drawing upon the success of the previous Stage 2 consultation, which was centred around gathering insights regarding the site’s design and functionality, significant progress has been made in refining the proposal. This progress has been guided by the invaluable feedback provided by residents during the previous engagement process. The latest phase of the consultation is once again asking for resident’s views on the refined proposals for the new interchange. For the duration of this consultation, there will be a model of the proposed…

Householders in Powys are being urged to be on their guard if they are approached by traders offering to install home energy products. A number of companies are operating across the county to install measures to help make homes more energy efficient at reduced or no cost through the availability of funding or grants. These companies often send letters or call households and arrive at homes unannounced. Now Powys County Council’s Trading Standards Team is urging residents to ask questions, check if they qualify for funding before agreeing to have the work carried out and never sign an agreement without…

The Welsh Government will invest £15m to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points across Wales. The funding, confirmed today by Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters, will be used to help local authorities increase the number of charging facilities ahead of fossil fuel vehicles being phased out in 2030. The new funding follows the £26m already invested in charging infrastructure across Wales since 2021 which has created more than 1,600 charging points – enough for one in six battery electric vehicles. Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for transport, Lee Waters said: “Drivers need to have…

A former shopkeeper has been sent to prison for 12 years after being convicted of child sex offences which happened more than a quarter of a century ago. Nazir Ahmed, 73, employed a teenaged girl as an assistant at his shop in Ely, Cardiff. Ahmed has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Showing incredible bravery, over 25 years later, the female contacted South Wales Police to report that she had been subject to repeated sexual abuse. Ahmed used his position of power as the store manager to prey on a young, vulnerable female for an extended period of time.…

The chief executive of regional tourism organisation MWT Cymru has congratulated Ceredigion County Council for having 14 of its beaches recognised in this year’s Wales Coast Awards. Five of Ceredigion’s most popular beaches will be flying Blue Flags once again in 2023, while a further nine in the county have also made a splash in the awards organised by Keep Wales Tidy.  The Blue Flag beaches are Borth, Aberystwyth South, Llangrannog, Tresaith and Aberporth. The four beaches achieving Seaside Award status are Aberystwyth North, New Quay Harbour, Traeth y Dolau, New Quay and Clarach. Completing the accolades are Green Coast…

People could be living at the former Gwalia housing office under plans by Coastal Housing. For well over a decade, 7-13 The Kingsway was known as Ty Gwalia and was home to one of Wales’ largest housing associations. Now there are plans to redevelop it into apartments for social rent by Coastal Housing, which has acquired the building. Located opposite the Potter’s Wheel pub and next door to the Coppergate student apartment block, 7-13 The Kingsway has stood empty since the housing office closed in 2019, when staff were relocated to Swansea Enterprise Park. The building has previously served as…

The Wrexham Enterprise Hub will close its doors after five years of supporting local businesses on 16th June. The Hub was operated by Town Square Spaces Ltd (TownSq) on behalf of Business Wales through the Welsh Government and the European Union Regional Development Fund. This funding and contract ended on 31 May.   While support for physical hubs does not form part of the Business Wales service going forward, advice and support can be accessed through the service for entrepreneurs and businesses based in Wrexham and across Wales. The Hub on Queens Square was officially opened by Ken Skates in May 2018, and…

The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS) has switched to a 100% renewable energy tariff for its electricity supplies. The organisation, which stages the iconic Royal Welsh Show, has signed up with energy supplier EDF in support of the society’s commitment to sustainability. The Renewable for Business scheme uses electricity backed by UK REGOs (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin) or European GoOs (Guarantees of Origins), from a blend of sources including hydro, wind, solar, biomass and landfill gas. EDF’s Renewable for Business has been designed to help businesses and commercial organisations with their greenhouse gas reporting. The Carbon Trust has confirmed…

The new Equity Series will run from 2023-2026 and will involve international events across: Hay Queretaro (Mexico); Hay Arequipa (Peru) and Hay Cartagena (Colombia). Between 25 May and 4 June 2023, the British Council has been supporting a programme of events at the world’s leading festival of ideas across literature, Hay Festival. This year, the British Council programme has been centred around the topic of equity, as well as featuring up-and-coming writers from the UK and across the world. The new Equity Series is aimed at supporting and promoting the contributions to cultural life of historically under-represented groups. It will…