Author: Rhys Gregory

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Planning Committee has approved an application to build a new Welsh medium primary school in Pembroke. The school, named Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro, will provide Welsh-language education for 210 pupils aged 5-11 a 30-place nursery provision and a Cylch Meithrin for children under the age of three. It is planned for the school to open in September 2023 and it will be located on the site of the old Pembroke School at Bush Hill, near Henry Tudor School. Subject to final funding approvals from Welsh Government, construction on the site would commence in May 2022. Pembrokeshire County…

To coincide with the two-year anniversary of Storm Dennis, RCT Council has provided a detailed update on ongoing infrastructure repairs as well as the significant investment in flood alleviation work in communities. Storm Dennis brought unprecedented weather from February 15-16, 2020 – it flooded 1,498 properties and caused severe damage to town centres, rail and road networks, business parks and leisure facilities. The Council’s extensive response included supporting emergency services, setting up rest centres, providing emergency funding to families and coordinating a large food appeal. The Council also began assessing the widespread infrastructure damage. Acknowledging that the repair effort would…

A road closure and free shuttle bus service will be in operation at Cardiff Road, Glyntaff, from Friday evening through half term week – to enable utility diversions in preparation to replace Castle Inn Bridge this summer. The footbridge has remained closed due to the severe structural damage sustained in Storm Dennis. The Council remains committed to maintaining a pedestrian access over the river, and a planning submission has been made for works to replace the existing bridge with a single span structure. The utility work will allow Wales and West Utilities to divert its gas main apparatus, while Openreach,…

Proposals to continue a pioneering private sector leasing scheme have been endorsed by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee. Scrutiny Committee members considered proposals to continue delivering the council’s Caerphilly Keys initiative during a remote meeting held on 9 February, as an alternative to adopting a new Welsh Government leasing scheme. Caerphilly Keys has been successfully delivered by the council’s Housing Solutions team for over three years.  The scheme matches people to suitable properties, then offers free support to both the tenant and landlord to sustain the tenancy. There are currently over 100 properties registered with the…

Monmouthshire’s leisure provider MonLife is gearing up for the exciting February half term, with plenty on offer to keep children and young people active and entertained over the school holidays.  The activities wil kick off on Monday 21st February and run  until Friday 25th. As part of the Winter of Wellbeing funding from Welsh Government, MonLife Learning will be carrying out a number of different sessions across Monmouthshire including making a ‘mindful mosaic’, creating a wellbeing jar as well as mindful colouring inspired by the museum’s collections. MonLife will also be staging a wide range of play events for local…

Monmouthshire County Council has today – Wednesday 16th February – launched a survey seeking views on how residents, business and visitors currently use and would like to use Chepstow High Street and the surrounding shopping area. High Street in Chepstow has been closed to vehicles since March 2020 other than for access to the disabled parking bays on Bank Street and for deliveries between 4pm and 10am.  This change was made to enable shoppers to socially distance, to support outdoor trading and to support walking and cycling. There have been wide ranging opinions on this closure, so now as the council…

A Merthyr Tydfil town centre retailer has been fined £4,000 for selling fake designer label clothes following charges brought by the County Borough Council’s Trading Standards Service. Hardial Singh, Company Director of Pure Image, pleaded guilty at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court to four charges under the Trademarks Act 1994 relating to the sale and possession for sale of counterfeit items. The Court heard that officers carried out a test purchase of two t-shirts on sale at the High Street store bearing the logos ‘Calvin’ and ‘Superdry’. On examination, they were identified as counterfeit. Officers carried out a further inspection of…

Welsh Government funding has helped secure cutting edge automated machinery for Bridgend-based TBD Ltd, securing 20 jobs, improving efficiency and providing new growth opportunities, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced. TBD (Owen Holland) Ltd is a Welsh business founded in 2003 and based in Bridgend. It has become one of the UK’s leading suppliers of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and specialist access solutions, including Specialist Airside vehicles, passenger and crew boarding steps, a wide variety of maintenance access steps for all aircraft types. The £183,267 in funding from the Welsh Government will safeguard those 20 jobs and lead to the…

Hodge has appointed former Ascentric chief executive, Rob Regan as its new chief operating officer. Rob brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously held roles as chief operating officer at Legal & General (L&G) and group operations director at Royal London Group. In his most recent role, Rob was chief executive of digital savings, pensions and investment firm, Ascentric for three years. Cardiff born and bred, Rob is delighted to have role based back in Wales for the first time in almost 30 years. He is excited to start working closely with his new colleagues at Hodge…

The Adventure Bar Group, the company behind venues such as Adventure Bar, Blame Gloria, Bar Elba and The Escapologist, have announced plans to launch their latest Tonight Josephine site in Cardiff. Formerly known as Charleston’s Steakhouse, the Caroline Street location will be receiving a trademark bubble gum pink makeover to welcome the highly-anticipated cocktail bar. The concept and its Instagram-worthy interiors, has three sites in London and one in Birmingham.  Tonight Josephine Cardiff will launch in March, date to be confirmed. The pink emporium cocktail bar will enjoy a capacity of around 290. Revellers can expect a lavish cocktail menu, late-night adventures, and extravagant bottomless…