Author: Rhys Gregory

Blaenau Gwent Council’s Cabinet has adopted a scheme which will see eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses receive a 75% discount on their business rates for this financial year. All councils are provided with funding from Welsh Government to decide if they wish to offer the scheme in their areas. Blaenau Gwent has been allocated £1.8million to be able to offer the scheme this year. Leader of Blaenau Gwent Council, Cllr Steve Thomas says: “This scheme has had a positive impact in Blaenau Gwent over the past few years, and this year sees a generous offering with a reduction of…

On Friday 14th April, Monmouthshire County Council opened its doors to its first ever Ramadan Iftar event at County Hall in Usk. The event was attended by the Monmouthshire Muslim Community Association, the Muslim community, the Leader, Councillors, members of cabinet and other officials. The community came together to listen, open their Ramadan fasts with foods from three countries and pray together. An eloquent presentation by a respected Imam Ustad Faisal Khajjou and the Muslim community led to an informative Q&A session. Iftar is an important event for the Muslim community. After evening prayer and sunset, Muslims break their fast with…

Siarter Iaith is a Welsh Government initiative that encourages schools to promote the use of Welsh language, improving skills and inspiring children to use Welsh in all aspects of their lives. The Charter provides a framework for schools to follow in order to achieve the award at three possible levels; Bronze, Silver or Gold. Everyone at Coed-y-Dderwen Primary School worked together as a team; teachers, support staff, governors, and pupils, to smash the targets set for the Silver Award. The Central South Consortium conducted an assessment and presented the school with Silver, making history by becoming the first English Medium Primary…

A third case of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza H5N1, otherwise known as bird flu, has been confirmed at a premises near Newtown, the county council has said. A 3km Protection Zone (Avian Influenza), or PZ (AI), has been declared around the infected premises, to limit the risk of disease spread. Within this zone, bird movements and gatherings are restricted and all holdings that keep birds must be declared. Bird owners within the 3km Protection Zone and the wider 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ) are required to comply with the measures set out in the Appendices to the Declaratory Order. Bird owners…

First Minister Mark Drakeford will visit Milford Haven as Wales gears up for another busy summer tourist season. The First Minister will visit Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront to hear about the preparation work that is underway for the summer. Celebrating its first anniversary in April, the 100 bedroom hotel is a venture between Celtic Collection and the Port of Milford Haven that employs over 60 people. Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront has exceeded expectations through its first year of trading, successfully attracting a mix of visitors and corporate travellers. With three Bank Holidays and a half term on the horizon, there…

The completion of the safety and improvement work on the Aber Tai’r Meibion section of the A55, which includes a new active travel route, has been officially marked by the Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths. The £30m scheme, which includes £20.7m EU funding, addresses the increased risk of flooding due to climate change and also improves safety on the section which was over 50 years old.  Work included removing eight gaps in the central reservation where agricultural vehicles used to cross. It has also delivered over four kilometres of a new and improved active travel route linking Abergwyngregyn with…

The work of staff within NHS Wales has been recognised at UK-wide Advancing Healthcare Awards 2023.  The Advancing Healthcare Awards have been running for 17 years and recognise and celebrate the work of allied health professionals, healthcare scientists and other colleagues who have implemented innovative healthcare practices. The Welsh nominees for this year’s awards include. Claire Madsen from Powys Teaching Health Board who has been nominated for the Leadership Award for her work on an all-Wales basis to develop Long COVID services. Joseph Cox from Powys Teaching Health Board who has been nominated for the Rising Star award for his work…

The United Kingdom is a sovereign state made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Each country has its own unique culture, history, and legal system. However, they are all governed by the UK government, which has the power to make laws and regulations that apply across the entire country. Despite the fact that the UK government has the ultimate authority over all four countries, there are certain areas where each country has some autonomy, including in the area of regulation. This means that each country can set its own laws and regulations in certain areas, while…

Choosing the right mirror material  If you’re looking to invest in a new mirror, whether it be for the bathroom, living room, hallway, or maybe even a shed conversion, there are many exciting styles to choose from.  While the mirror’s design has many options, most don’t realise they have an alternative option to glass as well in the mirror itself – acrylic mirrors are increasing in popularity, and when you look at the benefits it’s easy to see why. Not only are they strong, light, and affordable – they’re also ecologically sound.  So, why does an acrylic mirror make for…

In truth, the internet has been a revolutionary tool in almost all aspects of life. One of the ways in which this is evident is the fact that online connectivity has remolded conventional ways of making money to the extent of creating a digital economy. For millions across the globe, making money online is a reality that would not have been possible several decades ago. And guess what? You could well be on your way to joining them! Admittedly, there are countless ways to make money online, but the focus here is on making that extra buck by sharing your…