Author: Rhys Gregory

Cllr Jamie Pritchard is the new Deputy Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council. Jamie, who represents the Morgan Jones ward in Caerphilly, has been elected to serve on the council’s Cabinet alongside the Leader of Council, Cllr Philippa Marsden. “I am pleased to announce that Cllr. Jamie Pritchard has been elected to the position of Deputy Leader and I would like to take the opportunity to welcome him aboard,” said Cllr Marsden. “I look forward to working with him and the Cabinet to continue to drive through our ambitious plans for recovery and build upon our Team Caerphilly ethos and…

Work will soon begin to build a new car park as part of the recent 21st Century Schools investment for Hirwaun Primary School – to complement the Council’s safe routes in communities work within the local area. Hirwaun Primary has benefitted from a £10.2m investment delivered jointly with Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme. Contractor Morgan Sindall delivered a brand new school building in November 2020 while external work – including two Multi Use Games Areas, a woodland learning area and a grass sports field – were completed recently. Local school catchment changes will also come into effect…

Day trippers have been welcomed back to Flat Holm, following its reopening on Saturday when the island re-opened to the public for the first time since the start of the pandemic. After arriving by high speed RIB boat, visitors will be able to enjoy a three hour island escape, featuring a welcome talk from the warden; plenty of free time to explore Flat Holm’s fascinating history and wildlife; and a visit to the Gull and Leek, Wales’ most southerly pub. Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Peter Bradbury, said: “After more than a year without any visitors, this is…

The NHS in Wales has been honoured with The George Cross in recognition of the incredible effort of all those working in the NHS during the pandemic. The award, which is rarely given to organisations, recognises extraordinary acts of bravery in trying to save the lives of other people. The award, which comes as the NHS marks its 73rd birthday today (July 5) represents the work of the NHS not just over the last few extremely challenging months, but every day since its creation in 1948. The George Cross Committee recently provided advice to the Prime Minister that the NHS…

Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd, Lesley Griffiths has visited Rhual Dairy Farm near Mold to see how Welsh Government supported projects are helping strengthen the business. The farm, which is run by John and Anna Booth, was the first of five strategic dairy farms to be launched in Wales and is also involved in Herd Advance. Both projects are part of the Welsh Government’s £6.5m Dairy Improvement Programme which is funded through the Rural Development Programme and delivered by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Herd Advance helps around 500 Welsh dairy farmers to improve…

The winter is gone. The new baseball season is back. There is a lot of action to look forward to. Plus, basketball fans have a lot to expect. For instance, MLB betting looks set to change your baseball experience. So, if you want to make the baseball season exciting, indulge in MLB betting. Have the right strategy and you will be on your way to stardom. The following guide contains everything about basketball betting, including the tips, strategies, and tactics to make your betting profitable. How to Place Bets Basketball is dominated by the point spread, money line, etc. Here,…

A South Wales local authority was a winner at the prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru 2021 after impressing judges with its Apprenticeship Programme launched nine years ago. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, which has achieved an apprenticeship completion rate of 94%, was named Macro Employer of the Year at the virtual awards ceremony on June 17. It is the second time in four years that the council has won this award.  Despite the challenges caused by a global pandemic and Storm Dennis, which affected 1,500 homes and businesses across the region, the council’s Apprenticeship Programme has continued to thrive. The council’s 80…

The Team at Focus Newtown Enterprise Hub are holding a virtual conference with a difference next week (Thursday 8th July), in partnership with the Wales Co-operative Centre. Focusing on balancing profit with purpose, ‘The Only Way is Ethics’ aims to encourage businesses to think about implementing a culture shift to create positive change for their employees, communities and the planet. Running on Thursday 8th July 2021 from 12:00 – 15:00, the conference will feature award-winning speakers including Rifhat Qureshi, founder of Modest Trends London, Andy Middleton, Chief Exploration Officer at TYF Group, and finally Dai Hankey, one of the founding…

In April this year, Ceredigion County Council received an application for a Dangerous Wild Animal Licence from Mr and Mrs Tweedy, the owners of a new business known as the ‘Animalarium’ at Borth. Mr and Mrs Tweedy`s previous company, Borth Wild Animal Kingdom Ltd, had been wound up by the Courts earlier this year and consequently they no longer hold a zoo licence or any other similar licence. The Council arranged an inspection on 12 May 2021 as part of their Dangerous Wild Animal Licence application. Following the inspection, the Local Authority decided not to grant a Dangerous Wild Animal…

Two former directors of a not-for-profit business in Aberystwyth have been found in “breach of their duties” and to have acted “unreasonably” by transferring ownership of the store’s grant-funded premises into a pension scheme to benefit themselves. The CRAFT premises at Aberystwyth Railway Station was transformed in 2006 using funding from public bodies, such as the Welsh European Funding Office (WEFO) and the local authority. The shop sells second-hand furniture and other domestic items and donates goods to charities to help furnish homes for vulnerable people. A court heard how, in 2012, the two sole directors at the time, Derek…