Author: Rhys Gregory

Young people from across Pembrokeshire teamed up with local councillors, service leads, and community representatives for the seventh annual Great Council Bake Off recently. Held at Milford Haven Youth Centre on Thursday 28th August 2025, and organised by Milford Haven Youth Council, the event brought together seven teams, each made up of a young person and a local decision-maker. Together, they took on the challenge of creating their best bake before presenting it to a panel of judges — all in the name of fun, collaboration, and meaningful youth engagement. Judging the event were: Cllr Maureen Bowen, Chair of Pembrokeshire…

More than 400 private long-term empty homes have been transformed back into use thanks to Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Empty Property Team. Since launching in 2021, the team has worked with landlords, homeowners, and developers to tackle problem properties; boosting housing supply, improving neighbourhoods, and removing eyesores from local communities. One of the team’s biggest success stories is a Nelson property left empty for over a decade. Once plagued by fly-tipping, pests, and constant complaints, it’s now a fully renovated rental home. After persistent support from the team, and the looming introduction of an Empty Property Council Tax Premium, the…

Transformational change has helped council services be more efficient, saving costs of over £10m and having a positive impact for Powys residents, the county council has said. From improving care for vulnerable families and expanding housing options, to modernising schools and tackling climate change, Powys County Council’s Transformation Portfolio is reshaping how services are delivered. Through targeted investment, innovation, and collaboration, the council has made services more efficient, more responsive, and less costly. This week, the council’s Finance Panel will consider the End of Year Transformation Portfolio Report for 2024/25, which confirms the council saved a net total of £10.8m…

£481,000 of Welsh Government funding will upgrade Withybush General Hospital’s gamma camera system to boost diagnostics. Gamma cameras play a crucial role in detecting and diagnosing various diseases through gamma rays and advanced imaging technology that provide detailed pictures of organs and tissues. The upgrade will extend the life of the existing gamma camera serving the West Wales region, allowing for state-of-the-art advanced imaging and 3D information. The enhanced camera will help to ensure that doctors can continue diagnosing a wide range of conditions and plan effective treatments without disruption to diagnostic services. Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care,…

Residents who live near historic buildings and heritage sites in Wales are being urged to report suspicious behaviour following a recent spate of vandalism and heritage crime incidents. Wales’s ancient monuments, castles and listed buildings are increasingly at risk from a range of unlawful activities collectively known as heritage crime. It is a criminal offence to damage or destroy a scheduled monument or use metal detectors on protected sites without consent. These crimes not only damage irreplaceable heritage but also affect local communities, tourism and the economy. Culture Minister, Jack Sargeant, said: “Heritage crime is more than vandalism — it’s a…

A leading organisation for business professionals is offering its members exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the North Wales Police operations centre this month. The Institute of Directors (IoD) North Wales branch is delivering an event on Wednesday 17 September between 5:30pm and 7:30pm which will see attendees tour the police’s main control room and call centre located in St Asaph Business Park. Hosted by deputy call centre manager Peris Hatton, participants will also gain valuable insights into a range of key topics including crisis management, operational leadership, and public service communications all delivered via a presentation. Chair of North Wales IoD…

Quick reactions aren’t only about strength and speed. They’re also about how fast your brain perceives a cue and tells your body to move. Here are five ways to keep that system sharp—anywhere, anytime. 1) Play reflex-based online games Modern gaming can double as brain training. Reflex-based online games challenge reaction time, hand-eye coordination, and selective attention—exactly the mental skills athletes rely on during competition. They force split-second decisions, rapid error correction, and anticipatory timing under light pressure. For a quick session, try simple, fast-paced options like chicky run. Short “micro-workouts” of a few minutes help reinforce quick visual processing and…

Wales’s economy will be boosted by a pioneering defence programme – backed as part of a £250 million UK-wide investment – to improve collaboration, foster innovation and create jobs. Defence Growth Deals are being created as part of a bold initiative to support the growth potential of the defence industry, underpinned by the historic increase in defence spending to 2.6% of GDP by 2027 and the ambition to hit 3% in the next Parliament. Utilising a share of a £250 million of money for UK Defence Growth Deals, Wales will forge a long-term partnership between the UK and Welsh Government,…

Cardiff and south Wales turned out in force to wave goodbye to cycling legend Geraint Thomas, and the final stage of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men did not disappoint, with an exciting finish in the Welsh capital as Olav Kooij (Visma-Lease a Bike) burst from the bunch to secure his third stage victory of this year’s race, after the day’s main break was caught less than 100m from the line. Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ) held his nerve despite facing an onslaught of attacks on Caerphilly Mountain to win the overall by just two seconds from Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), while…

It was the biggest ever Brecon Carreg CDF 10K event, with thousands of runners and spectators taking over the Welsh capitol on Sunday (7th September). More than 7800 runners were registered to take part in the 10K and supporting 2K race, and despite the rain spirits remained high as they took in all of Cardiff’s iconic landmarks including the Principality Stadium, Cardiff Castle as well as the city’s beautiful parklands. It was Omar Ahmed who took first prize in the men’s race with a time of 29:27 and in the women’s race, Natasha Wilson claimed the top spot and a…