Author: Rhys Gregory

Ben Jeffreys has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Torfaen Leisure Trust.  Formerly CEO of Pontypool RFC, Ben will start his new role at Torfaen Leisure Trust in January 2023 where he will be instrumental in deploying the company’s ambitious strategy.  Ben spent over 10 years at Pontypool RFC, initially as Commercial Director and then CEO from 2014. Torfaen Leisure Trust is the only charity focusing on the generational health, fitness, and well-being of the people of Torfaen. Its mission is to deliver world class fitness and well-being activities from its five leisure centres – Cwmbran Stadium, Pontypool Active Living…

Plans setting out how the Council intends to deliver the next phase of its ambitious housing development programme, creating another 1,700 new homes for the city have been unveiled. Against a backdrop of extreme pressures on housing availability in Cardiff, the Council is proposing to seek a new housing partnership scheme arrangement to ensure more high quality, energy efficient homes can be built at volume and pace. The partnership scheme would be the second of its type the Council has embarked on, following the success of the award-winning Cardiff Living partnership with national developer, Wates Residential. That £320m 10-year programme…

Plans are progressing for the delivery of three new Cardiff schools which will share the same campus in the Fairwater area but, costs have increased largely due to rising inflation, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet will hear. The Fairwater Community Campus is a pioneering project for Cardiff which, when completed, will see Cantonian High School, Riverbank School, and Woodlands School all located in new buildings on one dedicated site. The joint campus will also boast a range of comprehensive facilities which will be available for community and public use outside of school hours. Plans for the scheme are well underway, but at its…

Cwm Taf People First is celebrating 25 years of work to support people with learning disabilities! As part of their anniversary celebrations, they kindly ask for donations to continue their invaluable work in our communities. Based at the Arts Factory in Ferndale, the organisation has 120 hard-working members who aim to promote the voices of people with learning disabilities. Among the charity’s goals are promoting the rights of people with learning disabilities, ensuring services they use reflect their needs, and raising awareness about disabilities. Challenging prejudices is another vital aspect of their work. The ‘Be My Voice’ campaign was set…

The challenges being faced by residents, businesses and individuals will be at the forefront of the council’s considerations as it plans its 2023/24 budget. Work is currently underway to plan how the most important services will be delivered with Newport City Council facing a budget gap of £33 million. Councillor Jane Mudd, Leader of the council, said: “There is absolutely no doubt that the coming year is going to be challenging. “Our main aim in setting next year’s budget will be to ensure that the core of our most fundamental services are maintained for residents, but it is unlikely that…

More than 1,100 unemployed people facing hidden barriers to entering the labour market have been helped to start their own business thanks to a Welsh Government grant scheme, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced. They include unemployed single mum Sami Gibson, who was determined to build a better life for herself and her child. Sami had dreams of setting up her own business but faced several barriers – she had no laptop or internet connectivity and was living in a remote rural location. Thanks to support from the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service, Sami has set up a new business…

The UK Government has been urged to increase the amount of funding available for NHS pay. Ahead of the Autumn statement, Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and Welsh Health Minister Eluned Morgan have written to UK Health Secretary Steve Barclay to ask for additional funding to help avert strike action this winter in the NHS. The letter reads: “We wanted to write to you in advance of the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement on 17th November to once again make the case for additional funding for our hardworking NHS staff. “In recent weeks the Deputy First Minister of Scotland and the Welsh…

The Welsh Government has proposed that more categories of properties will be excepted from paying the council tax premium on second homes, managing the impact of new local tax rules to distinguish between second homes and self-catering accommodation. There will also be additional guidance on the discretion local authorities will have in the application of the premiums. It follows ongoing discussion and engagement with councils, communities and the tourism industry. The tax changes, which will be in place from 1 April 2023, are intended to develop a fairer housing market and ensure owners make a fair contribution to the communities…

Gardening is fun and relaxing, and there is nothing more satisfying than seeing your garden flourish. However, winter can make it challenging to keep your garden looking fresh. Because of the cold, you may not dedicate as much time to your garden as required. The weather may also cause the plant or flower species to struggle immensely and get destroyed. But worry not. There are several tricks and solutions to keeping your garden looking lively and well-maintained. To save garden from the harsh winter weather, one-stop shop has been Aston Sheds. They can hook you up with garden supplies like…

With the 2022 World Cup kicking off in Qatar in just a couple of weeks’ time, all eyes will be on the Middle East as they play host to football’s greatest tournament for the first ever time. The group stage is often littered with one-sided games, so read on as we take a look at some of the early mismatches in this year’s competition. Argentina v Saudi Arabia One of the first one-sided games of the tournament will see the number three-ranked team in the world go up against the 51st, with Argentina opening their account in Group C against…