Author: Rhys Gregory

A new £210m scheme to assist people build their own home, helping to increase the supply of housing while also boosting the Welsh construction industry has launched. Self Build Wales, which is financed by the Welsh Government and managed by the Development Bank of Wales, provides people with ‘oven ready’ plots and a loan that covers 75% of the cost of a building plot and 100% of the cost to build a home. To help self-builders meet everyday living costs, there are no repayments until the new home is completed. The scheme also provides new opportunities for Welsh SME builders…

A commitment to improve welfare standards for dogs at breeding premises in Wales has been made by the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths. A report, produced by the Wales Animal Health and Welfare Framework Group, reviewing the Animal Welfare (Breeding of Dogs) (Wales Regulations 2014) has been published this week. The recommendations include a need for: Greater consistency in the inspection and enforcement of breeding regulations A review of the licensing process, including application of a staff to adult dog ratio appropriate to the breeding premises The need for better welfare standards for all breeding…

The Welsh Government is making up to £2.5 million emergency funding available to support businesses severely impacted by floods caused by Storms Ciara and Dennis. Businesses recovering from the devastating effects of the floods, specifically small to medium sized enterprises, will be able to apply for a grant of up to £2,500 each to help get them fully functional as quickly as possible. The First Minister recently announced that up to £10 million is being made available for the initial response to the floods and today’s announcement forms part of that support package. The fund will be administered by Business…

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Frank Atherton, has confirmed that a second patient in Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus (COVID-19). The patient is a resident in the Cardiff local authority area and has recently returned from Northern Italy, where the virus was contracted. The patient is being treated in a clinically appropriate setting. Dr Atherton said: I can confirm that a second patient in Wales has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19). All appropriate measures to provide care for the individual and to reduce the risk of transmission to others are being taken. I can also confirm that like the…

A high-tech campaign has been launched to help bring £1bn of new investment to Swansea. It harnesses the latest in virtual reality (VR) expertise to help convince global investors that the city is the place to live, work and enjoy a quality lifestyle. Swansea Council wants to create a partnership with them to drive the city forward by developing seven key sites. The Shaping Swansea campaign was launched by the council on March 4. Event guests at the city’s National Waterfront Museum enjoyed a vision of the city’s future through goggles as a three-minute VR film walked them through the…

Five groups of entrepreneurial students from across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire have won a competition which aims to nurture West Wales’ young business talent in the regions’ thriving industries. In its inaugural year, the Regional Enterprise Competition challenged students from Coleg Sir Gâr, Coleg Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire College to pitch a business idea to a group of judges as individuals or in groups in one of five categories – Tourism, Food, Retail, Care or the Creative Industries. The sectors were chosen as they represent the most prevalent industries across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion. The competition was organised by Big Ideas…

The Welsh Government has extended an innovative programme which uses IT to connect schools in rural areas, making the programme available in schools in Powys and Carmarthenshire.   The ‘E-sgol’ programme uses video technology to connect classrooms so pupils from one school can join classes at other schools remotely, enabling students to access a greater range of subjects at GCSE and A level. The project allows teachers to provide pupils with live feedback, while pupils can participate in the lesson as if the teacher were in the same room.  The system can also create links with universities to provide enrichment…

A 16-year-old boy has today been convicted of manslaughter following the death of Mark Winchcombe in Neath Abbey on 1st September last year. The boy was found guilty following a trial at Swansea Crown Court. Detective Superintendent Darren George, of the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “My thoughts remain with Mark and his family who have shown great dignity and respect during this difficult time. “Mark’s life was needlessly cut short after he went to the aid of another person in the street. “This case yet again sends out a clear message of how disorderly behaviour can end in tragedy.…

The Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill will open at The J-Shed in the popular SA1 area of the city and is expected to start welcoming guests in the early summer. Regarded by many to be the greatest ever UK chef, the famed restaurateur has led the UK gastronomy scene for over 30 years and is regarded by many to have single-handedly dragged it to being at the forefront of modern cooking.  Having helped kick-start the careers of many famous chefs including Gordon Ramsay, Heston Blumenthal and Jason Atherton, all of whom trained under him, he has now confirmed…

Loganair, Scotland’s Airline, has reacted to the closure of Flybe by announcing plans to safeguard UK regional connectivity by taking up 16 routes formerly flown by Flybe. The airline will be adding nearly 400 new flights each week and has opened a special recruitment line for former Flybe employees seeking to continuing their aviation careers with Loganair. The 16 routes – from existing Loganair base airports at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness and Newcastle – will be launched progressively over the next four months. Loganair’s Chief Executive Jonathan Hinkles said: “The collapse of a long-standing airline like Flybe marks a desperately…