Author: Rhys Gregory

A road in the Vale of Glamorgan has been recognised in the ‘Constructing Excellence in Wales’ Awards 2020, as the St Athan Northern Access Road was awarded the ‘Civils’ Project of the Year. The new £15m road was opened by Economy, Transport and North Wales Minister Ken Skates on 30th September 2019. It was funded by the Welsh Government and built by Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd, from Abergavenny. The road provides access to Bro Tathan Business Park – home to major occupiers including Aston Martin Lagonda, eCube Solutions and Bristow Helicopters. It therefore acts as an important economic link, enabling…

Education Minister Kirsty Williams has today (Tuesday, October 13) published an updated action plan setting out the next steps in Wales’ reform journey, ahead of the introduction of the new Curriculum for Wales in 2022. The action plan, known as Our National Mission, shows the steps the Welsh Government has taken in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its response to the independent report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) last week. The document highlights the progress made since 2016 when the first iteration of the action plan was first published in 2016. Key achievements highlighted…

The Welsh Government is to give Local Authorities the power to fine people parking on pavements. Ministers are backing the recommendations of an independent expert group to give Councils additional civil enforcement powers to fine problem parkers. “The current law is not as clear as it could be” said Deputy Transport Minister, Lee Waters MS, who set up the taskforce. “There is no specific offence of parking on pavements, and though the Police can enforce the existing criminal offence of causing ‘unnecessary obstruction of any part of the highway’, it is rarely enforced”, he added. The Welsh Pavement Parking Taskforce…

A new scheme is being launched in Wales to help children understand and manage their mental health and wellbeing through reading. The programme, which has been developed by leading health professionals alongside children and their families is being brought to Wales by UK charity, The Reading Agency in partnership with Welsh Government and public libraries. For World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10 October, The Reading Agency and public libraries are rolling out Reading Well Books on Prescription for children in Wales, with book collections and supporting resources made available in both English and Welsh.  The booklist responds to the…

Construction students at Coleg Cambria are still gaining vital practical site experience, despite COVID-19 restrictions, thanks to an innovative approach from a North Wales contractor. Wynne Construction, which has a long history of engaging with young people and supporting them into careers in the industry, is holding digital talks and livestreams from its projects in the region. The first two sessions, delivered to 23 learners enrolled on the level 1 bricklaying construction course at the Deeside campus, focused on health and safety, which tied into their curriculum after they began studying the theory at the start of term. The students…

AI chatbot specialists, We Build Bots, has set its sights on global growth with the announcement that international technology evangelist, Patrick Hosch, has been appointed as chief commercial officer. A seasoned automation specialist, Patrick joins the Cardiff and Westminster-based firm as it prepares to build on a series of successful investment rounds that will fuel the company’s transition to become a dedicated Software as a Service company (SaaS). This year has also seen We Build Bots secure over £1.5 million of investment to support its expansion plans as it moves to become a more globally focused automation provider. As chief…

Wales could be the test ground for a pioneering initiative to give citizens a basic income from the government and a shorter working week.  The nation’s Future Generations Commissioner is leading work on how giving people unconditional, regular payment could prevent further mass unemployment and poverty caused by the pandemic. Sophie Howe, the ‘guardian’ of the interests of future generations, has launched ground-breaking research into the practicalities of a dramatic change to how we live and work. The commissioner, whose role is enshrined in law as part of Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act, and her office, is working with…

The Welsh Government’s Innovation team is inviting organisations across Wales to join a virtual event on Thursday (15 October), forming the next learning stage in the European COHES3ION partnership. Broadcast live to a global audience, the event will form part of the agenda for the European Week of Regions and Cities, and will see experts from Ireland’s Southern Regional Assembly share an insight into how they have helped boost the impact of Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) in the region. COHES3ION, a three-year EU Interreg project which brings together 10 partners from eight European countries — including Wales — aims to…

Diners in Wales want restaurants to serve more sustainable dishes in response to heightened concern about the environment as soon as eating out restrictions are eased, according to new research by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA).  The national survey reveals that at 62%, more Welsh diners are concerned about environmental issues than ever before, and the number worried about issues such as climate change and deforestation has risen by 32% since lockdown. The research also reveals that UK-wide consumers expect to return to eating out as often as they did before lockdown. More than three quarters (76%) expect to return to their pre-lockdown eating out levels of…

Elfyn Evans continues to lead the 2020 FIA World Rally Championship after a solid fourth place finish in this weekend’s Rally Italia Sardinia.  With his closest rival – Toyota Gazoo Racing team-mate Sébastien Ogier – finishing one place higher in third, the Welshman now holds a slightly reduced 14-point advantage in his quest to become the first British driver to win the WRC title since the Colin McRae and Richard Burns era nearly 20 years ago. While Evans remains on target for the coveted crown, his task has been made harder by the addition of an extra round to this…