Author: Rhys Gregory

Leading independent insurance brokers Towergate Insurance Brokers has expanded its Welsh team with a significant new appointment. Stuart Daviss joins Towergate Insurance Brokers as an account executive, bringing a wealth of industry experience from his time spent working as an account director at Creative Risk Solutions Ltd. In his new role, he will be engaging with clients directly, growing relationships to provide them with sound insurance and risk management advice. He will predominantly focus on the commercial and corporate sectors, in South and West Wales, with some clients in North Wales and Bristol. Discussing his new role, Stuart said: “This…

A Professor in Conservation Science at Bangor University has been appointed to a prestigious Chair at Utrecht University in The Netherlands. Julia Jones is to be the holder of the Prince Bernhard Chair for International Nature Conservation, for a period of five years. “This appointment is a huge honour,” said Julia. “Scientists who have held this chair before are absolute giants of conservation science and all have made huge contributions in their fields. I’m delighted to be following in their footsteps. During my tenure as chair, I particularly hope to bring more recognition for the social aspects of conservation into…

Ambitious plans to bring new life to Aberystwyth University’s iconic Old College have taken a major step forward, with the announcement of the project’s principal building contractor. Port Talbot based Andrew Scott Ltd will take on the challenge of transforming one of Wales’s outstanding Grade 1 listed buildings, and home to Wales’ first University College, into a major centre for learning, heritage, culture and enterprise. The company will take over the site immediately and begin work on the project as soon as all necessary preparatory steps are completed. The appointment of Andrew Scott Ltd marks the beginning of the construction…

A pioneering council-led project, designed to encourage greater use of Welsh timber in the construction industry, has won three prestigious awards. Home-Grown Homes was launched to identify and test interventions that could have a transformative impact on the Welsh timber construction supply chain and on the delivery of low carbon social housing in Wales. Led by Powys County and funded by the Welsh Government and the EU Rural Development Programme. The research project was delivered by Woodknowledge Wales with project partners Cardiff Metropolitan University, Coed Cymru and BM TRADA. The project picked up the Innovation and Value awards at the…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has unanimously endorsed ambitious regeneration proposals for the Lower Ebbw and Sirhowy Valleys area, subject to public consultation. A 6 week consultation process will be carried out, between 19 January and  March 2022, where members of the public will be asked to give their views on the draft Lower Ebbw and Sirhowy Valleys Masterplan.  The draft plan focusses on the corridor between the centres of Newbridge and Risca. As well as building upon the existing employment and tourist strengths in this locality, the Masterplan aims to further promote the area as a major base for…

A 120-year-old crocodile has been put on display at a Rhondda primary school for everyone to enjoy – having been meticulously conserved after it was remarkably discovered underneath the floorboards of a classroom. Pupils at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bodringallt in Pentre arrived at school on Wednesday to see the giant saltwater crocodile, which was discovered by workmen in June 2019 when delivering a series of school improvements. The Council has worked with Pure Conservation, a Welsh company with expertise in conservation for heritage collections, to help safely restore the crocodile. There was no information accompanying the workmen’s finding, but a…

The next phase of the Tylorstown Landslip project proposes to remediate the remaining tip on the hillside – and residents can now access more details and have their say on this upcoming work in a public consultation. The landslip occurred on the Llanwonno hillside during the unprecedented weather of Storm Dennis in February 2020. Around 60,000 cubic metres of spoil material slipped – blocking the river valley, damaging a foul sewer, covering a strategic water main and covering a shared footpath/cycle path. Current progress towards Remediation Plan Significant progress has since been made towards a four-phase Remediation Plan, including initial emergency drainage and clearance work (Phase One), embankment scour repairs (Phase…

A new strategy, which aims for Cardiff to be the ‘best physically active city in the UK’, will be discussed as part of a plan to help citizens improve their health. The intention is to make it easier for Cardiff residents to take part in regular physical activity and sport and to help all sectors of the community improve their health. Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said: “Cardiff is recognised worldwide for sport. We have excellent sporting facilities, state-of-the-art stadiums and have played host to major international sporting eventssuch as the UEFA Champions League Finals, Heineken…

Installing CCTV, looking at opportunities for improving lighting,locking certain park gates at night, and offering rewards to help catch vandals will all be discussed as part of plans being drawn up to improve safety in Cardiff’s parks. Cardiff Council is looking at a series of measures to improve safety in the city’s much-loved parks following a-number-of incidents, including one which saw several thousands of pounds worth of damage caused to trees, planters, stonework, manhole covers and fibre optic cables in Bute Park in September last year. The report, which will be presented on Thursday, January 20, recommends Cabinet consider the…

“The way we rent in Wales will become simpler and more transparent this year.” That was the promise from Climate Change Minister Julie James as she announced her intention to implement the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 on Friday, July 15. Some of the main changes brought in by the Act will include: All landlords being required to provide a written copy of the occupation contract to the tenant (called the ‘contract-holder’ in the legislation). This  sets out the rights and responsibilities of both parties. ‘No-fault’ notice periods increasing from two months to six months. It will no longer be…