Author: Rhys Gregory

A food business operator has been fined following a successful prosecution by the Vale of Glamorgan Council for serious and repeated food hygiene breaches at a mobile food premises at Barry Island Pleasure Park. The case was brought by Shared Regulatory Services, which also carries out trading standards, licensing, health and safety, animal welfare and other work for the Cardiff, Bridgend and Vale Local Authority areas. Mr Jamil Ur Rehman, a sole trader operating Fish, Chips and Burgers, pleaded guilty to 11 out of 14 food hygiene offences relating to the operation of the mobile food concession. Council officers first…

Neath Port Talbot Council is warning residents to beware of traders “cold calling” at their homes. The warning comes after the Council’s Trading Standards team received reports of cold callers operating across the county, approaching residents to carry out work on their property. Consumers have more rights when purchasing over the doorstep. For work carried out at a resident’s home that is more than £42 in value, traders are required by law to provide cancellation rights. This gives 14 days for contracts to be cancelled. Trading Standards are also urging family and neighbours to look out for the more vulnerable…

Views are now wanted on a new long-term plan that will guide where homes, jobs, infrastructure and major investment should be located across Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea over the next 25 to 30 years. This follows the Corporate Joint Committee for South West Wales approving consultation on a Draft Delivery Agreement for a Strategic Development Plan, which also covers the area of the Brecon Beacons National Park that falls within the region. Giving residents, communities and organisations the opportunity to help shape how the region grows and develops in future, people can head here to submit feedback by 5pm…

Residents in Mountain Ash may soon see early site works getting underway on land off Darran Road, as final preparations are made for the construction of a new, modern care development for older people. The main phase of construction is expected to begin in February 2026. The scheme is a joint project between the council and Codi Group, formerly Linc Cymru, and has already been granted planning permission. It will deliver 25 extra care apartments, 15 dementia residential care beds and eight later living bungalows, providing a range of high quality accommodation to support older residents in the area. The…

Newport saw increasing footfall in the city centre during 2025 as it appeared to continue to buck Welsh and UK trends. Known as the “golden quarter” for the retail sector, the last three months of the year saw an average footfall in the city centre of around 1.85 million people a month. December’s footfall was up on November’s, bucking a Wales-wide decrease between the two months. Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, leader of Newport City Council, said: “We remain optimistic that our plan for the city centre is working, as we collaborate with traders, venues and our night-time businesses to develop a…

Schools across Newport are benefiting from major investment in greener energy and energy efficiency upgrades, helping to cut carbon emissions while saving hundreds of thousands of pounds in running costs. Newport City Council has carried out more than 70 major upgrades across over 33 school buildings since 2020, installing a range of low carbon technologies designed to reduce energy use and improve sustainability. The work includes the installation of solar panels on school roofs, air source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging points, draught proofing, LED lighting upgrades, battery storage systems and other energy efficiency measures. Solar panels are now a…

Welsh Government funding is helping an award-winning logistics company to establish a modern, technology-led logistics hub, supporting Welsh businesses and creating highly skilled new jobs. Pontypool-based Freight Logistics Solutions (FLS) is expanding its operations to meet growing demand for digitally-enabled, locally-delivered logistics services across Wales and the wider UK. Founded in 2016, FLS has grown into one of the UK’s leading digital freight providers, working with more than 16,000 hauliers across the UK and Europe. Its proprietary technology connects clients with nearby transport providers using real-time data to optimise routing, reduce inefficiencies and support more carbon-efficient transport solutions. Welsh Government…

A dead nest of the yellow-legged hornet has been found near Wrexham, in the first confirmed discovery of the insect in Wales. The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax also known as Asian hornet) is not native to the UK. It comes from Asia and was first seen in France in 2004. Since then, it has spread and has been found in many European countries like Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. The yellow-legged hornet poses a risk to honey bees and pollinating insects, which is why them public has been asked for vigilance around sightings of them in Wales, and…

The Final Budget 2026-27 will provide £1.2bn more for people, public services and businesses across Wales than in this financial year. It makes £400m of new allocations since the Draft Budget was published in October. This includes £300m of revenue funding for local government and the NHS, secured through the budget agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. And a further £100m of revenue and capital funding, which will support Welsh Government priorities, including bus services, apprenticeships, further education, flood prevention, and the maintenance of school buildings. Every Welsh Government department will have at least the same level of…

Nathaniel Cars, a well-established, family-run automotive business founded and based in Bridgend, is set to significantly expand its operations with the support of a £1.5m funding package from NatWest and the remaining provided by Lombard. The funding from NatWest has facilitated the creation of a fifth site for Nathaniel Cars, the largest for the business, which will replace six previously rented storage facilities. The new 8-acre preparation site based just 2 miles away from the business’ headquarters in Bridgend will serve as the hub for all of Nathaniel Cars vehicles before being transported across the UK. This expansion includes plans…