Author: Rhys Gregory

This convicted drug dealer / money launderer has been ordered to pay back more than £110K of ill-gotten gains. Jacqueline Davies, from Trealaw, Tonypandy, was handed a two-year jail term in July 2024, after she was found guilty of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and being concerned in an arrangement to facilitate acquisition or control of criminal property Jacqueline and Byron Davies from Caerphilly helped in laundering large amounts of criminal money for their sons. But our financial investigators told a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing this week that the 61-year-old had benefitted from her criminal actions…

What began as a routine search for a man who had fled the scene of a traffic collision, culminated in the sentencing of a prolific drug dealer. On the afternoon of 25 June 2025, local officers responded to reports of a two-vehicle collision on Nant-y-Glyn Road, Colwyn Bay. A male, whose car was struck in the incident, suspected the other male driver had been smoking cannabis at the wheel prior to the collision. He and his female passenger failed to stop after the incident and then travelled away from the location. Officers subsequently located the vehicle – a silver Vauxhall…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is set to launch a new street cleaning operation to significantly improve the appearance of its towns, villages and transport routes. This comes after the Authority received money linked to its excellent recycling performance and reflects an improving financial position. Council budgets are said to be looking healthier following a better-than-expected settlement from Welsh Government and the introduction of new more cost-effective ways of delivering services. From April, the new service known as Street Scene, will see: The creation of five place-based teams, one for the four towns and another for large villages, that will…

Bus services will once again operate through Pen-y-Fai, Kenfig Pool and Mawdlam from Monday 23 February, following an agreement between Bridgend County Borough Council and First Cymru Buses. Services through Pen-y-Fai will return as part of the existing Number 71 service route, which operates between Bridgend and Cymmer via Maesteg. The service will divert through Pen-y-Fai on both its inbound and outbound journeys at no additional cost, running hourly from Monday to Saturday between approximately 7.44am and 6.17pm. This means Service Number 71 will no longer operate directly to McArthurGlen Designer Outlet and the Princess of Wales Hospital. However, Service…

The brand-new Cantonian High School has opened its doors to welcome pupils this week, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the school and the local community. The occasion was met with widespread excitement as pupils explored their impressive new surroundings and enjoyed their first experience of the new building which has been designed for the future of learning. Pupils now have access to dynamic, creative and inspiring spaces that support exploration, collaboration and the development of real‑world skills. In addition, members of the local community will also benefit from the new facility with evening and weekend access…

Optical Express and their partner brand, sk:n, haven taken up a unit on the ground floor of the 71/72 Kingsway building. Optical Express, the UK market leader in private pay vision correction surgery, offer consultations for premium private cataract surgery, presbyopia lens replacement surgery and laser eye surgery, while sk:n offer dermatology, aesthetic, and laser treatments. Both brands can deliver care within a matter of days or weeks of first contact. Dr Stephen Hannan, Clinical Services Director of Optical Express and sk:n, said: “We are delighted to open our new clinic on the Kingsway in Swansea. “This state-of-the-art, environmentally conscious…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has unveiled its full events schedule for 2026, promising a packed year of family friendly entertainment, festivals and seasonal celebrations across the county borough. Following a successful 2025 programme that attracted more than 66,000 visitors to key town centres, the 2026 calendar features a wide mix of events designed to appeal to all ages. From spring fairs and food festivals to beach parties, music events and festive markets, activities will take place across the five principal town centres throughout the year. The Council says the events programme plays an important role in supporting town centres and…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has completed a commercial tender process for the visitor centre and campsite at Parc Cwm Darran and has identified a preferred bidder. Following a competitive and transparent process, the Council has confirmed it will move forward with Lakeside Café and Campsite, a new organisation led by the current occupier working alongside her business partners. The successful submission demonstrated a strong understanding of the site, a clear operational plan and a commitment to maintaining and developing the facilities for visitors. The commercial lease covers the visitor centre and campsite area, including the café space, kitchen, offices and…

More than two million bus journeys have been taken by young people across Wales since the introduction of the £1 bus fare scheme in September last year. The Welsh Government scheme, which runs until the end of August 2026, offers all young people aged between 5-21 years a single fare for just £1 and a £3 day ticket when travelling with any participating bus services. On a bus trip from Llangollen to Wrexham, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “It’s fantastic to see so many young people taking advantage of cheaper bus fares. “We know that…

A new multiyear grant scheme will enable vital maintenance works on over 400 former coal tip sites across Wales thanks to over £80 million of funding. The Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies has today announced the new approach will allow local authorities and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to plan, develop and deliver larger, more complex schemes. Works will range from minor maintenance through to major capital projects worth up to £7 million. Announcing the scheme at the British Regeneration Project in Abersychan, Torfaen, the Deputy First Minister called it “a significant milestone” in the Welsh Government’s commitment to coal tip…