Author: Rhys Gregory

Cardiff-headquartered pensions and employee benefits consultancy Quantum Advisory has published the latest results from its quarterly Fiduciary Management (FM) Dashboard, part of its ongoing ‘State of Play’ reporting series. The update, covering the period to 30 June 2025, highlights continued growth in assets under management (AUM) across the fiduciary market, with larger pension schemes increasingly moving to Fiduciary Management (FM) or Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) models. Over the past year, five new mandates exceeding £500 million in AUM have been awarded, including those for the Aga Rangemaster Group Pension Scheme and the Plumbing and Mechanical Services UK Industry Pension…

Venues across the city are getting set to host a brilliant free weekend of culture, headlined by two of Wales’ most influential creative voices. Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, Swansea Council is bringing back Swansea Arts Weekend on October 11 and 12, a vibrant two-day celebration which brings internationally renowned artists, performers and creatives to the city. Among the highlights this time is an intimate 90-minute performance with acclaimed Welsh actor and star of Good Omens, Michael Sheen, and folk singer-songwriter Martyn Joseph. As well as that, there will be an exclusive ‘In Conversation’ event with celebrated writer and producer of ‘Doctor Who’ and ‘It’s a…

The annual Neath Food and Drink Festival will be back in Neath Town Centre on Friday, October 3rd and Saturday, October 4th, 2025 (10am – 5.30pm each day). Organised by Neath Port Talbot Council and characterised by the aroma of sizzling street food and the sound of music, the festival has become a firm fixture in the Neath Town Centre calendar of events. So please join us for two days of food, drink, entertainment, community, culture and creativity at the end of this week. A sizeable list of exhibitors lined up for this year’s festival includes the award-winning Toca Vida…

Newport City Council wants the views of residents and other interested parties as part of a review of community boundaries within Newport. Newport has 21 city council wards but within these are boundaries for 35 community areas  Some of these areas will be represented by community councils but not all of them but everyone will live in one of them. The review will help ensure the boundaries are in the right place should any new community councils are proposed in future. As the first stage of the review, a consultation is taking place on the present arrangements. It was launched…

A Crumlin-based business is making waves across the UK and beyond with its pioneering work in contamination control and nuclear safety solutions. UniTech Services Group Ltd, which has been operating since 1998, supplies 42 UK customers and delivers protective garments, PPE services and decontamination solutions from its specialist nuclear laundry facility. The company also works with partners across Europe and further afield. Now, UniTech has teamed up with ACG Pulse to introduce Q-Web® RFID inventory systems. The technology allows for 24/7 unmanned distribution, real-time tracking and automated returns. It is already helping sectors such as healthcare, pharmaceuticals, hospitality, public services…

South Wales Police has confirmed that crack cocaine has been seized in Butetown after proactive work by local PCSOs. On Sunday afternoon, PCSOs on patrol in Christina Street witnessed a suspected drugs deal taking place. Neighbourhood Officers were quickly alerted and a man was arrested at the scene. Eight wraps of crack cocaine, which were concealed in the suspect’s clothing, were recovered along with a quantity of cash. Inspector Ross Crutcher said:“We have a zero-tolerance approach to drug dealing and this is just one example of the work we are doing in Butetown. We regularly act upon the information provided…

An agreement which gives all learners at Welsh state schools free access to Microsoft 365 at school and at home is to continue, following a new licensing deal. As a new term starts the renewed agreement ensures Wales remains at the forefront of digital education. Accessed through Hwb, Wales’ innovative digital learning platform, learners and teachers can download Microsoft 365 services at home, for free. Wales’ was one of the first countries in the world to provide this initiative and since its introduction in 2019, over 1,450 schools have benefited and over 122,000 families, saving them £84.99 for a personal Microsoft…

The Welsh Government has announced £1.1m to support Age Friendly Officers across Wales. The announcement reinforces the government’s commitment to celebrate and support older people’s vital contributions to communities. It comes as International Day of Older People’s Day is marked today, with this year’s theme being ‘Building belonging: Celebrating the power of our social connections’. The funding will be split equally between local authorities in 2026-27, continuing the support which has been in place since 2022. Age Friendly Officers are vital in empowering older people to take active roles in their communities whilst building strong connections with third sector organisations.…

The overwhelming majority of pharmacies across Wales will be providing free treatment for a common infection without an appointment or prescription. Ninety-nine percent of community pharmacies will be able to treat urinary tract infections (UTI) as part of the Common Ailments Service from October. Pharmacists can assess the symptoms of a UTI and provide appropriate advice and treatment where needed, enabling access to free confidential NHS care without a GP appointment. This is the latest expansion of the Common Ailments Service – it follows the roll out of the award-winning sore throat test and treat service in June. It maximises…

Secondary school attendance rates have improved with overall absence falling from 12.0% to 10.9% in the 2024/25 academic year, new figures published today show. These latest figures show progress in tackling persistent absence, with the percentage of secondary school-aged pupils missing more than 10% of sessions falling from 37.1% to 33.0% between 2023/24 and 2024/25. Raising school attendance is a key commitment. We are working with schools, local authorities and other partners on initiatives to improve engagement, building on the good practice already happening in schools, and continue our attendance focused work via learner focus groups. Last year, additional funding…