Author: Rhys Gregory

The average house price in Wales has topped £200,000 for the first time, and now stands at £209,723, despite a series of lockdowns in 2020. The figures have been released from Principality Building Society’s Wales House Price Index for Q4 2020 (October-December), which demonstrates the rise and fall in house prices in each of the 22 local authorities in Wales. Last year showed the strongest annual house price inflation in 15 years (8.2%), while Principality’s report also noted record high house prices across most parts of Wales and all property types, with a double-digit percentage increase in prices in a…

Plans for a long-awaited new Wellbeing Hub in Cardiff have been unveiled following months of work between Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, Llanedeyrn Health Centre and Cardiff Council. Thanks to a £14 million pound investment from Welsh Government, construction will start on the new Wellbeing Hub @ Maelfa from Monday 15 February. The new centre is being built onto the current Council Powerhouse Community Hub so it makes use of the services provided from the Powerhouse with a community café, shared community rooms and an advice area, where health, local authority and third sector groups can provide advice, education…

The Welsh Government is investing £2m as part of an agreement with Pembrokeshire County Council to establish a first-class food park in Pembrokeshire. These ambitious proposals aim to create a high-quality hub in Withybush near Haverfordwest and will become home to a number of food producers. Investment in the food park aims to create plots ready for development across the 23 acre site in the ownership of the council. Located on the outskirts of Haverfordwest, the site boasts excellent transport links by road, rail, sea, and air, with the first phase of onsite infrastructure works currently nearing completion. Pembrokeshire is…

Freelancers working in Wales’ creative sectors will receive a further round of support worth £8.9m, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism Lord Elis-Thomas has announced. The new round of support funding from the Cultural Recovery Fund will mean each of the freelancers already supported will receive an additional £2,500 to support them through this extended period of reduced activity. The £63m Cultural Recovery Fund has provided essential support to sustain the arts and creative sector, with the hope organisations and individuals will be able to thrive again in not-too-distant future. The Freelancers Fund has already supported almost 3,500 freelancers…

An emergency bill to ensure the next Senedd election can happen safely, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, has been approved by Members of the Senedd. The Welsh Elections (Coronavirus) Bill introduces a range of measures to make it easier for those affected by the pandemic to vote. It will also significantly address the risk of there being an extended period where the Senedd cannot meet that would arise if the Senedd dissolved as normal, on 7 April, and the election could not proceed on 6 May because of the pandemic. The Welsh Government is clear that the election should go…

Swansea Council is set to invest a record amount in local communities, social care and education next year as part of Budget proposals to be considered by Cabinet next week. A report to Cabinet next week highlights an extraordinary year which has seen the council build a hospital, new schools and regenerate large parts of our city. The report also notes how the council has also supported thousands of people at risk of getting Covid-19 and keep essential day-to-day services going through the pandemic. However the Council is now also promising residents are set to see an extra £22m spent…

A bright new future for a major Swansea focal point is set to move a big step closer on February 18. Swansea Council’s cabinet is to discuss a smart new concept for the city centre Castle Square – one that introduces more greenery, fun and reasons to visit. The amount of space for people to gather, sit out and relax would remain the same. Green space would grow from today’s 25% cover to more than 40%. Biodiversity would increase and most existing trees would remain, with new trees planted. A dynamic new 21st Century concept, with a keen eye on…

Plans to invest in Rhiwbina Library to deliver additional and enhanced services for the community have been unveiled. Cardiff Council is carrying out an engagement exercise on proposals to refurbish the library building and create the newest facility in the city’s network of community hubs. The aim will be to deliver more Council and partner organisation services there, based on the theme of wellbeing. With funding from Welsh Government’s Integrated Care Fundfor the development, the Council is proposing to create new and improved reception facilities, additional meeting spaces for service delivery and community activities, new library shelving and seating areas…

New details have been announced for how Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is ensuring that eligible people do not miss out on their chance to receive the Covid-19 vaccine. The health board is asking anyone who is within one of the following top four priority groups, but who has yet to receive a vaccination appointment, to contact them using an online form: Care home residents and staff. People aged 80 and over. Frontline health and social care workers. People aged 75 and over, and the clinically extremely vulnerable. The online form, which is available at the Cwm Taf website,…

The South Wales Law Awards is delighted to announce the nominees for the 2021 South Wales Law Awards. The volume and standard of applications have been incredible, making the short-listing process very difficult and competitive. 2020 has been the most difficult of years. However, it’s tremendous to see the legal community thriving. The nominees are as follows: Solicitor of the Year Amanda Jones – Thompsons Solicitors Mark Hobbs – Howells Solicitors Hannah Magee – Robertsons Solicitors Family Law Services of the Year Hopkins Law Robertsons Solicitors Wendy Hopkins Family Law Practice Residential Conveyancing Law Services of the Year NewBold Solicitors…