Author: Rhys Gregory

A further phase in Bridgend County Borough Council’s £2.7m highway improvement programme is set to get underway in Bridgend town centre this weekend with the resurfacing of Nolton Street. During the works, which are due to take place between 8am and 5pm over two consecutive Sundays – 10 and 17 October – Nolton Street will be closed from its junction with Court Road to the junction with Brackla Street. Alternative routes will be in place along Brackla Street, Tremains Road, Derwen Road and Boulevard De Villenave D’Ornon. The one-way section of Nolton Street between Cowbridge Road and Brackla Street will…

Fifty new HGV drivers have gained their licences thanks to support from the Employability Bridgend team at Bridgend County Borough Council. In recent months, national news headlines have been dominated by the impact of a UK-wide shortage of HGV drivers and the problems this is causing for public transport services, school buses and deliveries of goods and fuel to stores and filling stations. The council is helping to tackle the shortage by supporting 50 new drivers to complete their HGV training and find new jobs within the industry. Set up to support both employed and unemployed residents across the county…

Caerphilly County Borough Council carried a motion to implement a voucher system to encourage families to switch from disposable nappies to reusable nappies. The motion was proposed by Cllr Andrew Farina-Childs at a full council meeting earlier last week on Tuesday, October 5. Single use nappies are made using plastics, elastics, adhesive, paper pulp and chemicals; therefore nappies do not readily degrade and can leach toxins into the ground. Other local authorities in Wales have already adopted cashback incentive schemes to make the switch to reusable nappies, through a simple application process. Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Waste, Public…

Work will shortly begin to clear waste which has been illegally fly-tipped on the former LG access road in Coedkernew. Following a tender process carried out in September, the council has awarded a contract to Newport-based GD Environmental to carry out the work which is expected to begin this month. The move comes after two Cardiff men caught illegally dumping waste on the site were successfully prosecuted and fined at Newport Magistrates’ Court. The council has also issued a further five fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping offences and seized two vehicles involved in offences. Tyres and hazardous materials will be…

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet has supported initial plans to utilise new £85m funding from Welsh Government’s 21stCentury Schools and Colleges Programme – so projects in Llanharry, Cymer, Glyn-coch, Penrhys, Llantwit Fardre and Talbot Green, along with a new special school, will now be developed further. At their meeting on Monday, October 4, Cabinet Members considered a list of proposed investment projects, using additional funding available due to the revised 21st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme. Having been recently approved in principle by Welsh Government, the Council’s allocation has risen significantly from £167m to £252m, making an extra £85m available. The…

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet has agreed for the Council to ensure all of its contracted adult independent social care workers, as well as all direct payment recipients, will be paid at least the Real Living Wage by December this year. At their meeting on Monday, October 4, Cabinet Members agreed with the recommendations of a report, to help independent sector social care providers in Rhondda Cynon Taf access Welsh Government funding that is available to provide the Real Living Wage. This will apply to care workers in older people residential and nursing care, supported living, extra care and home…

A 10-year strategy to boost the number of children and young people learning through the medium of Welsh in Cardiff schools has been revealed by Cardiff Council. The strategy, designed to help Welsh Government realise its target of having one million Welsh speakers in Wales by 2050, will now go to public consultation before being submitted to Welsh Government for approval in January 2022. A key target set by Welsh Government is for Cardiff to ensure that 25-29% of Year 1 learners are educated through the medium of Welsh by 2032. Currently 18% of Year 1 leaners are taught…

Recommendations to progress plans for a new Cathays High School will be put to Cardiff Council’s Cabinet when it meets later this month. A report outlining the proposals, also summarises the findings of consultation that followed the Public Statutory Notice approved by Cabinet in June 2021. If progressed, the new school would be delivered as a priority scheme which looks to address those schools identified as in poor condition, with major defects, suitability issues or nearing the end of their operational life. Representing a significant investment in the local area, the scheme would provide enhanced facilities at the site, available…

Cardiff Riding School has received a boost in funding to provide a new and improved outdoor school for riders. The project will be funded by Cardiff Council and Friends of Cardiff Riding School – who have donated £27,000 to the works, which will begin on Monday, October 11. The outdoor school at Cardiff Riding School, based at Pontcanna Fields, has been fully closed since 2018. Facilities were significantly reduced from 2013 when the school started falling into disrepair. However, outdoor riding options are set to resume before the end of November when improvement works at the school are completed. Set…

People in Wales must show a Covid Pass or demonstrate their Covid status to enter nightclubs and attend large events from today (7am Monday 11thOctober 2021). The introduction of the Covid Pass builds on the measures in place to help to keep Wales safe and open during the pandemic. Cases of coronavirus continue to be high across Wales, especially among younger adults. The law is changing today so all adults over-18 will need to show an NHS Covid Pass or a negative Covid test to enter certain premises: Nightclubs and similar venues; Indoor, non-seated events for more than 500 people;…