Author: Rhys Gregory

Councillor Adrian Robson has been inaugurated as the new Lord Mayor of Cardiff. Cllr Robson was presented with the official chain of office at a ceremony in County Hall yesterday, Thursday, May 22nd, during Cardiff Council’s Annual General Meeting and becomes the 121stLord Mayor of the City and County of Cardiff. One of Cardiff’s longest serving councillors with continuous service since 2004, Cllr Robson has had a lengthy and accomplished career in politics and has been dedicated to representing the ward of Rhiwbina for more than two decades. A keen follower of Formula One racing and an experienced public speaker,…

A wide variety of fun is on offer this bank holiday weekend, thanks to Swansea Council’s attractions and activities. Many – including the ever-popular Blackpill Lido – are free of charge or available at a discounted cost, helping families managing on a budget. And if the weather is a bit on the gloomy side, indoor possibilities for family fun range from free-entry cultural venues such as Swansea Museum, the Dylan Thomas Centre, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery and libraries The council also cares for a range of open spaces such as many beaches and parks. Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “We want…

Two popular bus services will be returning to the Pembrokeshire coast from this Saturday May 24th: The Puffin Shuttle (service 400, operated by Richards Bros) runs between St Davids and Marloes, via Little Haven, Druidston, St Brides and Martins Haven (for boat trips to Skomer Island). The Strumble Shuttle (service 404, operated by Richards Bros) runs via the coast road between St Davids and Fishguard, including Abereiddy (for the Blue Lagoon), Porthgain, and Strumble Head. The Coastal Cruiser (service 387/388, operated by Pembrokeshire County Council) around the Angle peninsula will also revert to its summer timetable on May 25th. Please…

A man who was using the pavement outside his house as his own personal skip has been fined over £2100. Mr Daniel Morgan from Sunnybank Street, Aberaman, Aberdare was using the public highway outside his terraced house as a tipping store for his waste removal business. Mr Morgan, trading as Dan’s Disposable Services was being paid to dispose of items in good faith but was instead dropping them off on his own doorstep for long periods of time, until the items were protruding on to the public road. The items included a three-piece-sofa, kitchen work tops, piles of tyres and…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has formally joined the new Gwent Regional Sport Partnership, a collaboration designed to improve how sport and physical activity are delivered across the region. The partnership brings together Caerphilly, Newport, Blaenau Gwent, Torfaen and Monmouthshire councils, working alongside Sport Wales to increase participation, reduce inequalities and promote healthier, more active lives. Newport City Council will act as the lead authority. This development follows a national directive from Sport Wales encouraging a shift to regional models of sport governance. Caerphilly’s involvement will ensure continued access to funding that supports a wide range of local initiatives, including free…

Local communities across Wales will benefit from improved and more accessible cultural facilities and library services thanks to around £1.8m of funding. The Cultural Transformational Capital Programme will provide vital funding to 6 public libraries, 3 museums, and 2 archive services to help them modernise facilities, create a more sustainable future, and improve their offer to local communities. This investment supports the Welsh Government’s commitment to promote Wales’ cultural institutions whilst continuing to advance the Welsh language, sustainable development, tourism, the arts, reflecting the needs of local communities and contributing to their well-being, as part of the government’s recently published…

Five immediate actions to tackle behaviour in schools and support teachers have been announced following a behaviour summit in Cardiff. This week’s behaviour summit, brought together Welsh Government, unions, local authorities and Headteachers to discuss concerns around behaviour and what can be done to tackle these issues. Speaking as she closed the summit, the Education Secretary Lynne Neagle, outlined her commitment to a sustained focus on behaviour and a continued dialogue with teachers, parents and young people. Ms Neagle said: “I have been delighted to host today’s summit and to see such positive engagement from across the sector on these…

Ambitious transport plan to drive economic growth unveiled An ambitious vision to deliver an integrated, high-frequency public transport network for North Wales, with frequent metro services at its heart, has been unveiled. Network North Wales is a bold passenger-focussed programme of work to better connect communities, with more rail and bus services and greater integration. It aims to maximise opportunity and unlock the economic potential of North Wales and the cross-border region. Unveiled by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates, Network North Wales will see metro style train services on the North Wales mainline, the Marches…

As the allure of marriage increasingly takes a backseat for many, a new survey from Zoopla has revealed that the ambition of homeownership is a key financial driver for 48 per cent of UK renters in a relationship, dwarfing the eight per cent prioritising saving for a wedding. Just over half of all Gen Z (57 per cent) are now projected to marry, a considerable decline when compared to Gen X (72 per cent) and boomers (87 per cent)2. This aligns with the fact that 59 per cent of Gen Z cite homeownership savings as their main financial goal, while…

Katrina Seaton, a graduate of a Film, Media and Animation programme at UWTSD has taken her first steps into the film industry adding two major screen credits to her name – Netflix’s latest releases, Havoc, and independent Welsh horror feature, The Mill Killers Katrina’s professional journey began while still a student in her third year when she was offered the opportunity to work as a Crowd Third Assistant Director on Havoc, a Netflix production starring actor, Tom Hardy. Filmed entirely in Wales, Havoc is the largest feature production ever shot exclusively in the country, with post-production completed in Cardiff. “Havoc was very different from a lot of…