Author: Rhys Gregory

The headline NatWest Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – registered 52.0 in December, up from 49.8 in November. The latest data signalled a modest uptick in business activity across the Welsh private sector at the end of the year. The rise in output was the fastest since June, with companies linking the expansion to greater client demand and a renewed increase in new business. Welsh firms were the best performing of the 12 monitored UK areas and bucked the wider…

Mr Jeremy Miles, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, visited Ysgol Bro Pedr on Thursday, 12 January. The Minister was warmly welcomed by Councillor Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council; Councillor Wyn Thomas, Cabinet Member for Schools, Lifelong Learning and Skills; and Meinir Ebbsworth, Corporate Lead Officer for Schools and Culture. Also present was Ysgol Bro Pedr Head Teacher, Jane Wyn; Llinos Jones, Welsh Language Support Teacher and Llifon Ellis, Strategic Head of E-sgol. During the visit the Minister saw how the Foundation Phase pupils are developing their Welsh language skills. Mr Miles also observed…

Will Hughes is finding growing demand for his energy-efficient, innovative garden studios.  Launched two years ago to cater for the trend towards working from home, Conker Construction of Newport has gone from strength to strength finding customers around the UK.  The eco-studios aim at the highest levels of energy-efficiency, and are bespoke to the client’s requirements designed individually to suit the location and their specific needs.  “People want a space for an office, a gym, workshop or more accommodation, and can have any design and utilities they wish within the permitted development guidelines,” said Will. “The buildings are so well…

Cardiff’s multi-million pound investment in education, including new schools and improvements to existing school buildings, has been outlined in a new report published this week. The Annual Report onInvestment in the Education Estateprovides an update on the progress of investment across the city and next steps of future investment. Since 2012 Cardiff Council and Welsh Government have worked collaboratively to deliver a major, long-term and strategic, capital investment programme with the aim of creating a generation of excellent zero carbon learning facilities at the heart of the community. Band A of the Sustainable Communities for Learning Investment Programme (formerly known…

People are being asked for their views on a proposed Neath Port Talbot Council budget for 2023/24 which is focused on protecting hundreds of vital services and safeguarding jobs. The council’s Cabinet will be asked for permission to consult on the proposals at its meeting on Thursday, January 19th. Although the provisional settlement from the Welsh Government last month was welcomed because it was better than expected, the council is still left with a huge 2023/24 funding gap of £23.867m. The proposed budget has been drawn up against a background of the Ukraine War, the Covid pandemic and Brexit. The…

An update has been provided on the embankment repairs at Ynysybwl Road in Glyn-coch. The newly-appointed contractor will complete a week of works on site from January 16 to inform the final scheme, scheduled for this spring. Major embankment stabilisation is required at this location following several unauthorised and illegal excavations of land, which removed the support to the road above. Traffic lights have remained in place on the southbound lane of B4273 Ynysybwl Road, while the footway closest to the embankment has been brought out of use – to ensure the safety of road users and pedestrians. The scheme…

Caerphilly County Borough Council is beginning preparations to develop a new later living scheme on the site of the former Ty Darran care home in Risca. Work has now begun to prepare the site, including measures to protect trees and clearance of vegetation.  Site investigations are then planned, before demolition of the existing building takes place at the end of January. When completed, the new scheme will be used to relocate existing Council contract holders from sheltered housing schemes in the locality that have been programmed for closure. The building will be designed with high levels of energy efficiency to…

MonLife’s award-winning Youth Service is gearing up for another successful year after recently securing a Bronze Quality Mark for Youth Work in Wales. The Youth Service received the Welsh Government accolade following a week-long assessment of its services in October 2022, with the award officially given on the 17th of November 2022. The Quality Mark is awarded to organisations and service providers who meet a range of criteria as set out by gold, silver and bronze standards and supports the aims and objectives of the ‘Youth Work Strategy for Wales.’ The Quality Mark is regarded as being the only system…

Education Minister Jeremy Miles has announced funding for university mental health and wellbeing services. The funding will help address cost of living crisis facing learners and students of all ages. It will improve and promote money advice services in higher education, including for those moving from college or school to higher education. It will also help support students facing financial pressures by extending hardship funding. The funding has been provided to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) and aims to benefit university students and those moving into higher education. HEFCW will be asking universities and colleges to work…

Run 4 Wales (R4W) and London Marathon Events (LME) have announced an innovative new partnership which brings together the leading mass-participation events organisations in England and Wales, which deliver the most iconic running events in their respective countries, but who also share a common social agenda with an emphasis on inspiring running and activity for adults and children. R4W was set up in 2012 to promote, manage and deliver world class sporting events in Wales with a positive social impact, championing mental health, women’s running, community regeneration, volunteering, fundraising and environmental sustainability. Its profits are passed to its parent charity, the…