Author: Rhys Gregory

The Welsh Government will today announce an additional £40m for universities to support students facing financial hardship, helping the students most affected by the pandemic with expenses such as accommodation costs. Universities will be asked to prioritise funding towards the most vulnerable students, as well as strengthening advice and support services for students. With most students currently being asked to study at home, the funding will also be used to address ‘digital poverty’ among students, to enable better access to online learning, and costs incurred due to the need to self-isolate. The funding is in addition to over £40 million…

More than 35,000 additional laptops will be provided to learners over the next few weeks bringing the total provided by the Welsh Government since the start of the coronavirus pandemic to over 133,000. At the very beginning of the pandemic education Minister Kirsty Williams made a pledge that ‘no child or family would be left behind during this crisis’ and that ‘all children will have the opportunity to continue learning’. The Welsh Government made this a priority and its response was praised in a recent independent report that said Wales had ‘led the way’ in providing IT and online learning…

Work to create a new 1.6 kilometre hybrid cycle lane is underway in Swansea following a £5m investment by the Welsh Government. The new route, which is being developed along Mayals Road, will provide a vital cycle link between Swansea Bay seafront and Gower – where Swansea Council also intend to create a further link along Clyne Common. The latest scheme is part of the Welsh Government Active Travel scheme which aims to encourage more people to swap the car for a bike and help improve the local environment. Swansea received more than £5.1 million in 2020 to create nine…

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet has given the go ahead for the council’s budget proposals for 2021/22 to go out to public consultation. Among the proposals are plans for no cuts to services for next year and an increase in just over 3.5% in money going to local schools. The council published its draft budget proposals for 2021/22 in a report that went to Cabinet on January 13th   where the public consultation exercise – which goes on until February 12th this year – was approved. The report outlined an anticipated £3.235m shortfall for the coming financial year, together with draft…

Public Health Wales (PHW) has issued important information for employers regarding staff who test positive for coronavirus. It follows reports that a high number of employers are requesting a negative test result before staff – who have completed their self-isolation period after testing positive for Covid-19 – return to the workplace. Public Health Wales states: “If an employee tests positive for Covid-19 they are required to self-isolate for 10 days from the date they developed symptoms (or from the date of their test if they have no symptoms). “The employee is able to return to the workplace on the 11th…

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is supporting the national roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine, and in partnership with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, is establishing a Covid-19 Community Vaccination Centre at Rhondda Sports Centre, Ystrad. The Council-owned Rhondda Sports Centre will be remodelled to safely provide life-saving vaccines to those who need them the most. People are reminded that they must be invited to have a vaccination and have an appointment to attend. No one should visit the venue unless they already have a vaccination appointment. This is because the Covid-19 vaccine is currently being rolled out in priority order…

Care home residents have celebrated getting their Covid vaccinations with a sherry and a sing song. So thrilled were the residents at Swansea’s Newton Court with the visit from vaccinators from West Cross and St Thomas Surgery that the gathering for jabs turned into an impromptu party. Care home worker Jake Jefferies jumped on the piano in the lounge while his colleagues rolled out the drinks trolley. “One hundred per cent of our residents at Newton Court choose to receive the vaccine. We were able to talk to them about it in the weeks before and all residents felt it…

South Wales Police are appealing for information following a fatal road traffic collision which occurred in Aberdare at approximately 10:50pm on Saturday (16 January, 2021). A 43 year-old local male pedestrian and a black coloured Ford Transit Custom van were in collision along the A4059, between the Trecynon Roundabout which is known locally as the ‘chicken factory’ roundabout, and the Robertstown roundabout. The van was travelling southbound at the time of the incident. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, the man was pronounced deceased at the scene – his next of kin is aware and is being supported by…

The family of a man who died following a road traffic collision on the A465 on Monday evening (January 11) have paid tribute to him. Jac Williams, from Treherbert, died after the white Ford Fiesta he was driving left the carriageway as he headed northbound between Glynneath and Hirwaun at approximately 4.50pm. Paying tribute to the 19-year-old, his family said: “There are no words to describe how much Jac meant to us as a family, and the past few days have shown that he touched the lives of all who knew him far more than we ever realised. “Jac was…

Businesses in Wales will have to carry out a specific coronavirus risk assessment under new Welsh Government legislation. These risk assessments will be the starting point for implementing the reasonable measures that are required to be taken to minimise exposure to the coronavirus on premises open to the public and in workplaces. This involves considering issues such as: whether ventilation is adequate; hygiene; ensuring physical distancing is taking place; use of PPE and face coverings. It will also include considering how employers maximise the number of people who can work from home. The highly contagious new strain of the virus…