Author: Rhys Gregory

Residents, schoolchildren, voluntary action groups, stakeholders, and dignitaries recently celebrated the official launch of the newly enhanced access arrangements at Bedford Park Nature Reserve, which envelopes 18 hectares of green space and ruins of the 18th century Cefn Cribwr Ironworks. Councillor Huw David, Mayor of Bridgend County Borough Council, welcomed guests to the event which featured lively and heartfelt performances from pupils at Mynydd Cynffig, Cefn Cribwr Primary Schools, and Ysgol y Ferch o’r Sger. The learners brought the site’s heritage to life through song and recital inspired by John Bedford, the ironmaster who established the ironworks at Cefn Cribwr.…

A Swansea business leader has praised the ongoing £1bn regeneration of the city centre. James Smale-Davies, an associate director at RJ Chartered Surveyors, says continuous investment shows Swansea is a city that’s serious about growing its economy. Developed by Swansea Council, regeneration schemes which are either complete, ongoing or planned include Swansea Arena, the 71/72 Kingsway development and the new office building set for construction at the former St David’s Shopping Centre site. Led by the private sector, other city centre schemes include the Princess Quarter office project developed by Kartay Investments and the biophilic building project being developed by…

Neath Port Talbot Council trading standards officers are warning that suspected counterfeit versions of a popular brand of collectible toy ‘monster elves’ have been seized from a shop in the county borough. The council’s Trading Standards Team is constantly on the lookout for counterfeit goods and products which flout safety legislation. In the case of toys, these could pose serious dangers for children. The Labubu brand toy elves were seized from an undisclosed outlet in Neath Port Talbot and are currently being examined. In the meantime, the Trading Standards Team is offering the following advice to consumers to ensure they…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to improve the way people apply for social housing. This new Common Allocation Policy aims to make it easier for people to apply for social housing in the Caerphilly borough, by removing barriers and giving greater transparency to the process, and help prevent homelessness. A review of the existing Common Allocation Policy was completed in 2024, which looked at applications and lettings data and considered what changes needed to be made.  Applicants on the Caerphilly Common Housing Register were then invited to give their views on the proposed changes to the policy;…

Vulnerable families in West Wales are receiving crucial support through the Fostering Network’s Step-Up Step-Down project, helping children remain with their parents. Minister for Children and Social Care – Dawn Bowden – called the project ‘transformative’ during her recent Pembrokeshire visit, where she heard directly from families about its impact. Rather than removing children from parents, highly trained family support foster carers provide time-limited preventative help, and work alongside families. They mentor families and offer short breaks for children, creating stability, and giving parents time to address their challenges with support. Supported by £879,000 in Welsh Government funding across Pembrokeshire…

A new national body is to be set up to strengthen the youth work sector, support innovation and collaboration and ensure its long-term sustainability. The youth work sector in Wales is wide and diverse, with over 900 organisations across the maintained and voluntary sectors involved in the delivery of youth work. Announcing the plans during Youth Work Week [23-30 June] the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, said: “Given the breadth and diversity of youth work provision across Wales, I’m delighted to announce plans to create a new central body for youth work in Wales, to unify the sector, support…

Reforms aimed at making Wales the fastest country in the UK for determining planning applications, creating new jobs and driving economic growth have been unveiled. Speaking at the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Cymru Conference in Cardiff this week, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, outlined how the Welsh Government is taking decisive action to streamline the planning process, address resource challenges, and build a modern, efficient planning system fit for the future. The Cabinet Secretary said: “An efficient planning system is essential for creating the homes, jobs and infrastructure Wales needs, while also enhancing our…

Foreign direct investment into Wales grew significantly in the last year, with large increases in projects secured and jobs created, new figures show. Wales secured 65 projects in 2024-25, a 23% increase on the previous financial year. This was the second highest increase of any nation or region of the UK. This saw 2,470 new jobs created in Wales, a 30% increase compared to 2023-24. Again, this was the second highest increase of any nation or region across the UK. The results have been published by the Department for Business and Trade in its annual report on Foreign Direct Investments…

Leading UK contract electronics manufacturer, Axiom Manufacturing Services, has announced five senior appointments to build on an ongoing trend of sustained turnover growth, underpinned by strategic investment and a strengthening order book. The South Wales based company, which provides bespoke design, build, and test solutions for clients across the aerospace, defence, medical, and industrial sectors, has confirmed double-digit growth over the past year. Axiom attributes its success to increased customer acquisition and retention, as well as strategic investment in operations, positioning the electronics manufacturing services provider for a projected turnover exceeding £72 million in the next 12 months. As part…

Newport-headquartered self-storage operator Storage Giant, the largest independent storage company in the UK, has strengthened its management team with two senior appointments. Simon Harris joins the award-winning storage business to lead financial management matters as Financial Controller, and Rhys Roberts steps into Regional Manager for sites in Wales and the West Midlands. Simon Harris joins Storage Giant from Tiny Rebel, where he was the lead Financial Accountant. At Storage Giant, Simon will take on all financial matters and report directly to the Founder and Managing Director. His appointment will strengthen the finance team’s long-term planning and strategy, taking on responsibility…