Author: Rhys Gregory

RSPCA Cymru is appealing for information after a lovebird was found abandoned in its cage at the side of a road in Caerau, Cardiff. The animal welfare charity was contacted by a nearby resident who had found the cage with the bird inside at around 7.30pm on Caerau Lane on Monday (16 November). The caller kindly took the bird and cage home with them from the cold weather conditions for safe keeping. RSPCA inspector Sophie Daniels said: “This beautiful bird was found on the side on the road next to an electric box. There was food and water inside, but…

A new Community Rail Officer will start work in the Conwy Valley this month. Working for The Conwy Valley Rail Partnership, the new officer, Karen Williams will engage with communities across the valley including Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog and the North West Wales Coast, Llandudno Junction to Holyhead. Since launching their Community Rail Vision last year, Transport for Wales is continuing to implement an investment programme in communities across their Wales and the Borders network. This new role will connect people in North Wales to their railway and deliver social and economic benefits, with a focus on sustainable and accessible…

A Mold man has been sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment after he was found guilty of badger baiting and causing dogs to suffer with their injuries. Damien Sweeney (d.o.b 02/11/1986) of Maes Glyndwr, Treuddyn, Mold, was found guilty on 12 charges – eight under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and four under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 – at an October trial. Eight of the charges were that he caused unnecessary suffering to two dogs – a female tan lurcher – and a dog named Reggie, in the Treuddyn area. Four of these charges related to the tan lurcher…

RSPCA Cymru is appealing for information after a young fox is suspected to have died from poisoning in Cardiff. The animal welfare charity was alerted to the animal by a member of the public who found the fox in a collapsed state in the area of Pant-Y-Caerau, Church Road in Pentyrch. Sadly when RSPCA inspector Gemma Cooper attended the location on 12 November, the fox had died. “The symptoms presented by the fox before death would suggest that he died of poisoning, which is very sad,” she said. “But we don’t know exactly how this poor fox died as there…

RSPCA Cymru has urged the Welsh Government to ensure a recent review into dog breeding leads to “meaningful change” to better protect dogs and puppies in Wales. The comments come as the Welsh Government yesterday (18 November) publishes their response to an expert Task and Finish Group published earlier this year by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group. RSPCA Cymru inputted into the review via its role as part of the Animal Welfare Network for Wales. The review made 55 recommendations – covering issues such as improved training for local authorities, amending the controversial minimum staff-to-dog ratio to…

A new Welsh Government initiative aimed at helping unemployed people who are interested in starting their own business to overcome hidden barriers opens this week. As part of its commitment to supporting people through the coronavirus pandemic and beyond, the Welsh Government is working with partners such as Chwarae Teg, Mubo, Assadaquaat Community Finance, Jobcentre Plus and Network She so that disabled people, those from BAME backgrounds, women and young people not in education or training, can access targeted support to help them start their own business. Economy Minister Ken Skates announced the opening of the £1.2m business start-up Barriers…

Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced a new set of experimental measures for emergency departments. Developed alongside front line clinicians, the three new measures will provide much greater context about the timeliness and quality of care in emergency departments. The measures will better record what happens to patients when accessing emergency care than existing targets, and should help to drive improvement in patient care. They will be published monthly, on a national basis initially, from today (Thursday, 19 November). Mr Gething said: “These new measures, developed alongside clinicians, will give us all a much better picture of the care provided…

Exactly a year since it was introduced, the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill will provide increased opportunities for public participation and transparency in local government. The Bill will reduce the voting age in local government elections to 16 and 17 year-olds and extend the franchise to foreign citizens legally resident in Wales, allowing them to have a say in how their communities are run. This reflects the rights of 16 to 17 year olds and qualifying foreign citizens to register and vote in the Senedd elections next year. Greater diversity amongst elected members in principal councils will also be…

Work is progressing well on five major school investment projects underway in Swansea. More than £50m is currently being spent on new buildings and improved facilities at Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr, Bishopston Comprehensive, the new Pupil Referral Unit in Cockett and new schools for YGG Tan-y-lan and YGG Tirdeunaw. It is part of a £150m investment in schools in Swansea jointly funded by the council and Welsh Government under the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme. Cllr Jennifer Raynor, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education Improvement, Learning and Skills, said: “Although working within heightened safety rules due to the coronavirus pandemic, I’m…

A Swansea road, closed to vehicles since October 2019, is set to rebuilt to make it safe again. Graig Road in Morriston has houses along one side of the road and a grass banking along the opposite side. Following a landslip in 2019, Swansea Council closed a section of the route to vehicles where the slip had occurred. Since then the Council has been working with geotechnical experts to assess the stability of the route and come up with a solution to stabilise the banking and reopen to the road. A report to Cabinet on Thursday 19 November will seek…