Author: Rhys Gregory

An extra £248,000 will be available to local authorities across Wales to help strengthen their cyber resilience in response to the coronavirus crisis, Finance Minister Rebecca Evans has today. To help to maintain high standards of cyber security during this particularly challenging time, the Welsh Government has brought forward its cyber funding plans to support our local authorities. Each local authority in Wales will receive an initial grant of £9,000 to help address their priority needs, with the option to apply for additional money from a £50,000 reserve fund. Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “Cyber security is vitally important as…

Property consultancy Knight Frank assisted with the acquisition of the Ferry Road site on behalf of Cardiff Council from vendors National Grid and Wales and West Utilities. The Council intends to deliver a Council-led mixed tenure development of up to 500 new homes on the site as part of its target of delivering 2,000 new homes in Cardiff, 1,000 of which will be completed by 2022. Leah Mullin, associate in Knight Frank’s residential development team, said: “The site is a key strategic acquisition for Cardiff Council.  The site will form part of a wider regeneration being undertaken by Cardiff Council…

All residents and staff in care homes with outbreaks of coronavirus will be tested for the virus, the Welsh Government has announced. The move comes as the latest scientific evidence shows testing should be extended in care homes to manage outbreaks. In the case of care homes, where a number of older people are living closely together, many of whom will have underlying health conditions, if the results of the tests are positive, we will assume – and take actions – as if everyone in the home has tested positive. The Welsh Government is implementing a three-stage testing and rapid…

Police in Bridgend have been targeting people who are attempting to thrown drugs over the wall to inmates at Parc Prison. Five men have been arrested and charged in connection with this type of activity and have all been remanded in custody. On Saturday 18th April officers arrested Kurtis Clancy, 21, from Oldham and Dean Heney, 28, from Manchester.  They were both charged with conspiracy to thrown a prohibited article into prison and with throwing a prohibited article into prison.  Both men have been remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear before Cardiff Crown Court on 1stJune. In the…

The RSPCA is looking to identify a man in connection to an incident where a dog was mishandled and struck in Barry – and have released an image in the hope of finding the individual.  Reports were made to the animal welfare charity after a man was spotted seeming to strike the dog on Robert Street in the Vale of Glamorgan town, on Sunday 19 April. It is alleged a man struck the dog on a few occasions. RSPCA Cymru would like to trace the person pictured in connection to the incidents – and are appealing to the public for…

As five weeks have passed since government restrictions were imposed, South Wales Police is continuing to see a small minority of individuals flouting government-imposed restrictions.   Welsh Government has made it clear that the country is not yet out of the woods so there is still very much a need for everyone to comply with Coronavirus legislation, and complacency will only serve to prolong the pandemic and the restrictions; restrictions which were imposed with the sole aim of slowing the spread of the virus and protecting the NHS. Assistant Chief Constable Andy Valentine, who is leading on the force’s Covid-19 response, and South Wales Police…

Boundless, the membership association for public sector and civil service workers, is giving away 10,000 film codes from streaming platform Chili, worth £10 each, for public service workers in Cardiff as a thank you for their hard work during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Chili service features latest films such as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Knives Out, Playing with Fire and Spies in Disguise. Boundless’ Darren Milton commented: “Boundless originally formed as the Civil Service Motoring Association as far back as 1923 and ever since we’ve strived to help make the lives of our members better with exclusive events,…

Virtual appointments are helping Swansea Bay University Health Board clinicians maintain services during the lockdown. With social isolation in full swing and the need to reduce footfall in our hospitals and clinics, video chats are proving to be the answer, with patients now able to keep their appointments from the safety of their own homes via Windows, Android and Apple devices. The initiative is being guided by Swansea Bay’s Digital Services team and so far is proving to be a really useful resource. Matt John, Associate Director of Digital Services, said: “SBUHB clinicians are using the internet to provide critical…

The first set of figures from the Insolvency Service for Q1 of 2020 showed that both individual and company insolvencies decreased, and the number of individual bankruptcies rose. The figures largely pre-date the Government lockdown and wider impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). But analysis going deeper into the crisis by the Enterprise Research Centre has warned of a “pincer movement” with a surge in limited companies going bust being mirrored by a drop in new firms setting up. Ben Francis, FSB Wales Policy Chair said: “These figures just go to highlight the scale of the challenge that small businesses right across…

Swansea University has used its unique connection to Wuhan to bring together health experts from across Wales with some of the first medics to tackle coronavirus. The University played a key role, alongside Swansea Bay University Health Board, in organising a video conference between representatives from Welsh health boards and senior doctors at Wuhan Union Hospital. The Chinese hospital is home to a joint medical centre, opened two years ago following a long-standing and successful collaboration between the University and the hospital. It was set up to promote clinical and life sciences research, and build student and staff exchanges and…