Author: Rhys Gregory

Residents included in a trial soft plastic kerbside recycling scheme in Swansea can continue using the service in 2026. Swansea Council has been trialling the soft plastic collections scheme since April 2025, offering 20,000 households across the city. A decision has now been made to extend the trial until June 2026. So far, the council has collected over 70 tonnes of soft plastic from residents, which may otherwise have ended up in black bags. Data on the trial is being collated by Welsh Government and will help inform their decisions on how best to roll out similar schemes across other…

Flood Assistance Centre Neath Port Talbot Council has set up an assistance centre for people in Briton Ferry affected by flooding at: ‘The Lodge’ Community Hall, Ynysmaerdy Road, Briton Ferry, SA11 2NS Council staff will be on hand from 10am – 3pm Friday 19th December 2025 and Monday 22nd December 2025. Staff from Social Services, Housing, Welfare Rights, and Local Area Co-ordination will be there to provide information, assistance and signposting. Waste collections  NPT Council will be providing special collections for flood damaged items removed from properties. However, it is vital to follow your insurer’s advice before items are presented for collection, as this could affect your claim. Companies may want photographic evidence, or…

Significant work to Westfield Pill Bridge is planned affecting traffic on the A477. The essential work to maintain and repair the busy bridge over Westfield Pill, between Neyland and Pembroke Dock, is due to start on Monday, 19th January. Following a Principal Inspection in 2022, a programme of essential works were identified to maintain the durability of the structure. Significant work was last carried out on Westfield Pill Bridge in 1998 which required a full closure of the structure, however it is planned for the works in 2026 to be managed through traffic management systems to avoid closure of the…

Cabinet Members have approved the proposed names put forward for newly-forming schools in Clydach Vale and Glyn-coch – following recommendations made by the temporary governing bodies of the two respective schools. At the Cabinet meeting on Monday, December 15, an officer report informed Members of the consultation processes undertaken by the headteachers and governing bodies of the new schools, which will open in time for the 2026/27 academic year. They have followed the protocol for setting and changing school names under the Council’s policy, that has been in place since 2012. Both consultations saw the headteachers meet with pupils to…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has confirmed that remediation and groundworks at the former Windsor Colliery site have now been completed, paving the way for the second phase of construction to begin on a major 152-home development delivered by United Welsh. The mixed-tenure scheme will provide 70% affordable housing, including general needs homes and properties for intermediate rent, alongside high-quality accommodation for single residents. The remaining homes will be delivered as open market sale through United Welsh’s sales brand, Harmoni Homes. Supported by Welsh Government through the Social Housing Grant and Housing Viability Gap Funding (HVGF) from the Cardiff Capital Region,…

Powys County Council has welcomed the news that Ysgol Bro Caereinion has been removed from Estyn’s list of schools requiring review. Estyn, the education and training inspectorate for Wales, has judged the school to have made appropriate progress in respect of the key issues for action, and in developing the capacity to continue to bring about improvements. Cllr James Gibson-Watt, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “This is very positive news for Ysgol Bro Caereinion and reflects the commitment and hard work of the headteacher, staff, governors, learners and the wider school community. Their determination to make improvements has…

More than £10 million in funding will support organisations delivering essential social care services across Wales, the Welsh Government announced today. The investment for 2026-27 will help the wide range of people and families who rely on vital support services every day. From young people in crisis to older people living alone, the funding ensures that help will continue to be available when and where it’s needed most. Services to benefit from the funding include ChildLine Cymru to keep its free 24-hour helpline open for young people under 19 who need someone to talk to, in English or Welsh. The…

A £5m investment announced today [Friday 19 November] will save Gwersyll yr Urdd’s Llangrannog swimming pool and boost women’s grassroots sport. Half the money will be used to secure the future of the Urdd swimming pool, another £1.45m to support women’s football and golf and the rest on a variety of sports across Wales. Over the course of this Senedd term, the Welsh Government has provided Sport Wales with £59million to enhance both community and elite sports facilities throughout the country. Minister for Sport, Jack Sargeant, who visited Gwersyll Llangrannog said yesterday, said: “The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring…

Almost 100,000 extra outpatient appointments will have been delivered across Wales by the end of December. In June, Health Secretary Jeremy Miles announced £120m to help tackle waiting times. This has seen tens of thousands of extra appointments delivered – including weekend slots – for patients throughout the country. The funding is also helping provide 20,000 more cataract operations by March 2026. Today’s NHS performance figures show that in October, six health boards saw the total number of people waiting for treatment go down. Swansea Bay has no patients waiting a year or more for their first outpatient appointment, while…

More than £19.6 million in Welsh Government funding is set to revitalise town centres across Wales, delivering transformative regeneration projects that will create thriving spaces for communities to live, work and enjoy.  More than £19.6 million in Welsh Government funding is set to revitalise town centres across Wales, delivering transformative regeneration projects that will create thriving spaces for communities to live, work and enjoy. Local authorities right across Wales will receive grant funding through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns and Placemaking programmes to tackle empty properties, enhance public spaces and drive economic growth in communities that need it most. Among the projects receiving support, Ceredigion…