Author: Rhys Gregory

Significant action is needed to upgrade and improve commercial real estate in the next 10 years to help Cardiff achieve the government’s net zero targets, according to new analysis by leading property consultancy JLL. A new report, Sustainability and Value in the Regions, concludes that 75% of the office stock in Cardiff is at risk of not meeting the UK government’s target for all non-domestic properties to have an EPC B rating by 2030. However, Cardiff is ahead of many other leading regional centres in England and Wales, with the national figure standing at 90%. Cardiff has committed to achieving…

Councillor Huw David, Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, has confirmed that changes are being made to the local authority’s Cabinet structure. Councillor Nicole Burnett is stepping down from the role of Cabinet Member for Social Services and Early Help, and the portfolio is being taken on by Councillor Jane Gebbie. Councillor Burnett, who represents the Morfa ward, joined the Cabinet in September 2020. A councillor for Bridgend County Borough since 2017, she has acted as the council’s official champion for safeguarding, carers, older people, and children and young people. Councillor Jane Gebbie, who represents Pyle, has also been a…

Bridgend County Borough Council has confirmed that its free parking offer at several council-maintained town centre car parks will be extended. The offer which was due to end after Christmas will now run until the end of January 2022 – it means that drivers can park for free for up to three hours at the Rhiw multi-storey car park in Bridgend town centre, and between noon and 3pm at the John Street car park in Porthcawl. Free parking remains available at the Llynfi Road multi-storey in Maesteg and at the Penprysg Road car park in Pencoed. In addition, the Pencoed…

Work to begin the first phase of the active travel route between Llandrindod Wells and Crossgates will begin on 14 January 2022. Identified following previous consultations on the county’s Active Travel Network Maps, the route will ultimately improve walking and cycling facilities all the way between Llandrindod Wells and Crossgates, with work taking place in several phases. The first phase of the project will run from Waterloo Road behind Tesco, along Cadwallader Way and Ddole Road until the A483 roundabout and will include work to widen and improve pavement surfaces and upgrades to junctions ensuring greater visibility and increased safety…

Six new public space CCTV cameras have been installed at Six new public space CCTV cameras have been installed at key locations in Rhymney to help tackle neighbourhood crime. The cameras, which are currently situated on Lady Tyler Terrace, Church Street, Hill Street, the junction at Merthyr Road, Dan Y Graig and the A465 viaduct junction in Pontlottyn, are complemented by adjoining lights and will help officers tackle vehicle crime and fuel theft in the area. With the ability to be moved to a further nine locations, the CCTV forms part of the force’s Safer Streets project in Rhymney – helping…

Newport residents, community groups and projects are being encouraged to take part in the latest round of Newport’s participatory budgeting scheme, Our Voice, Our Choice, Our Port. The scheme launched earlier this year and saw 24 community groups and projects receive a share of the £103,000 available in the initial round. Applications for the second round of the scheme are now open. The council has allocated £250,000 from our Covid-19 recovery fund for this round of the scheme. This allocation is for community groups to develop community-based Covid recovery projects. A further £165,000 has been made available by Aneurin Bevan…

To mark the Urdd’s centenary celebrations, the Welsh Government will provide funding so entry into next year’s Urdd Eisteddfod is free, with the aim of making the eisteddfod accessible to all. Education and Welsh Language Minister Jeremy Miles has announced that Urdd Gobaith Cymru will receive £527k of government funding to continue with plans for next year’s festival, which celebrates its centenary year in 2022.  The announcement supports the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government commitment to provide free access to the 2022 Urdd Eisteddfod. The Urdd Eisteddfod is due to take place in Denbigh between 30 May – 4 June…

Welsh Government Finance and Local Government Minister Rebecca Evans has announced plans for a consultation next year on an ambitious package of council tax reforms. The move is the first step in progressing the Programme for Government and Plaid Cymru Co-operation Agreement commitments to make Council Tax fairer. Options being considered this term include revaluation, a review of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, and an evaluation of discounts, disregards, exemptions and premiums – with options for more fundamental reform in the longer term. Reforms to council tax would be designed to ensure contributions from households are made as fairly as…

The Health Minister will today (7 December) confirm all eligible adults will be offered the booster Covid-19 vaccination by the end of January. NHS Wales has already started to ramp up the booster programme and is currently administering more than 19,000 vaccinations a day. Over the coming weeks, we aim to give more than 200,000 vaccines a week. Health boards will do this by providing more vaccination centres in easy-to-access locations, including walk-in and drive-through clinics with longer opening hours. GPs and community pharmacies will continue to deliver the vaccine and local government, fire services and students will provide other…

A Bridgnorth woman has been sent to jail for 20 weeks and banned from keeping animals for life, after failing to investigate her horse’s poor bodily condition and weight loss before the animal’s death from suspected hypothermia. Victoria Young, 42, of Oak Bank, Alveley, pleaded guilty to an Animal Welfare Act offence and was sentenced at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on 25 November. The RSPCA was contacted in late December last year after the dead body of a chestnut mare, named Diamond, was found at a site on an unnamed lane in the Alveley area of Bridgnorth. Diamond had been kept…