Author: Rhys Gregory

Demolition work is underway at Western Quayside in Haverfordwest (the former Ocky White building) as part of a major construction project to redevelop the site. Commenced earlier this year, the project will provide a modern and stylish three-storey development, including a food emporium, bar and roof-top terrace. The Pembrokeshire County Council scheme incorporates public realm improvements including an attractive waterfront square with space for events which could extend its use into the early evening. The demolition is due to be finished by mid-December, when works will move on to the installation of the substructure foundations and then onto the steel…

Councillors in Neath Port Talbot have agreed to reinvest more than £4m back into local services from a projected budget underspend to underpin the process of recovery from the pandemic. At a meeting of Cabinet on 24 November, members were presented with a budget monitoring report which outlined the current position and set out a number of proposals for reallocating £4m from the predicted end-of-year surplus. Half of the money will go into creating a £2m “service resilience reserve”. This will help restore services affected by the pandemic, enable the council to meet the additional service demands that it is…

Members of the public are set to have their say on plans for an all-new primary school and nursery in Kenfig Hill. Bridgend County Borough Council wants to deliver a £10.2m two-form entry school and a 75-place nursery on the site of the former Mynydd Cynffig junior school by 2025. The school will be net zero carbon on operation, producing zero or negative carbon emissions as part of its operational energy. It is envisaged that the school will benefit from a central ‘street’ which can be used for independent learning, dedicated groups rooms, classrooms conducive to 21st Century teaching and…

RCT Council is progressing plans for the redevelopment of a vacant building in Porth town centre, removing a notable eyesore and providing crucial opportunities for local businesses. The premises, 38 Hannah Street, Porth, has been vacant for a number of years. Its dilapidated and uninhabitable condition has meant that it has been a notable eyesore on the street and requires complete refurbishment to enable occupation and use. The project of circa £200,000, part-funded by the Welsh Government’s Placemaking Grant – which is managed by the Council, will involve a complete refurbishment of the premises to enable it to be used…

A special memorial has been unveiled today at Cathays Cemetery to honour John Henry Harding of the 13thLight Dragoons who took part in, and survived, the Charge of the Light Brigade. The existence of the grave has been known for some time but was marked only by a small wooden cross that had deteriorated over time. The Friends of Cathays Cemetery were approached by Martin Berkeley, a retired officer of The Light Dragoons, to see if it would be possible to provide a more fitting memorial. Harding, a native of Glastonbury, enlisted at Bath in 1850 aged 19 and served…

The Chief Veterinary Officers for Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have agreed to bring in new housing measures to protect poultry and captive birds from avian influenza following a number of confirmed cases across Great Britain in recent weeks. The new housing measures, which will come into force on Monday 29 November, mean that it will be a legal requirement for all bird keepers across the UK to keep their birds indoors and to follow strict biosecurity measures in order to limit the spread of and eradicate the disease. Wild birds migrating to the UK from mainland Europe during…

First Minister Mark Drakeford joined police officers on the beat in Wrexham this week [Wednesday, 24 November] to listen to their experiences and also to see how the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) funded by the Welsh Government can help keep communities safe The First Minister had been invited to join officers on the beat by Wrexham Police Station. Earlier this year the Welsh Government announced an extra £3.7m to fund an additional 100 PCSOs across Wales to tackle crime and support communities. The additional 100 PCSOs brings the total funded by the Welsh Government to 600, with 121 in…

First Minister Mark Drakeford had the opportunity to meet some of the electric car mechanics of the future on a visit to Coleg Cambria in Wrexham. The students are currently enrolled on a Level 3 Motor Vehicle course which will enable them to access Hybrid/Electric Vehicle Technology. The learners will then be given the opportunity to enrol on a Level 3 City and Guilds qualification for the Repair and Servicing of Hybrid/Electric Vehicles. They are able to do this at the Bersham site which is a cutting-edge facility combining the latest technology and equipment with interactive learning. The course has…

On Carers’ Rights Day Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan has outlined how £7m Welsh Government funding will support unpaid carers in recognition of the vital support they provide to the people they care for. The support package will allocate £5.5 million to local authorities to provide targeted support to unpaid carers; £1.25m for the Carers Support Fund – last year, this fund successfully helped almost 6500 unpaid carers to cope with the financial impact of Covid 19; £20,000 to fund online mental wellbeing support sessions; and £230,000 for the Family Fund to support over 600 further low-income families…

A high-tech robotics workshop is to be established in Wales’ Tech Valleys to help inspire local students to become the next generation of engineers, helping to provide a pipeline of talented new recruits for local advanced manufacturing businesses, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced. The workshop will be set up at Coleg Gwent with a pilot hub at Tredegar Comprehensive School, thanks to a £600,000 investment by the Welsh Government. The initiative is part of the Welsh Government’s £100m Tech Valleys programme, which aims to establish the South Wales Valleys and Blaenau Gwent in particular as a globally recognised centre…