Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea Council has this week overwhelmingly backed a cross-party motion calling on the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to urgently rethink proposals that could see the Ospreys lose their status as a top-tier regional rugby team. Councillors have warned that any such move would be devastating for the city, the wider Swansea Bay region and Welsh rugby as a whole. This follows confirmation from the WRU that it has entered an exclusive 60-day due diligence period with Y11, the owners of Ospreys Rugby — after they were named as the preferred bidder to take over Cardiff Rugby. It’s a development councillors…

Swansea is set to take a significant step in strengthening the role of nature in urban life by applying for biophilic city status. A successful application would see Swansea join an international network of cities committed to placing the natural environment at the heart of urban design, planning and wellbeing. Natural Resources Wales, Swansea Council and Swansea University are due to make a joint application. Partner cities benefit from sharing learning, innovation and best practice, while also showcasing their achievements on an international stage. The move builds on existing work to improve the quality and diversity of green infrastructure in…

Landlords are reminded to be vigilant after a rented property in the Sandfields area of Swansea was found to contain a disbanded cannabis factory following police attendance this week. Ahead of the tenancy, the landlord was approached by a man unknown to him. The man offered cash and a down-payment to rent the property. All other contact between the landlord and the “tennant” was via text message. The landlord did not create a written lease, nor did he take copies of identification or references. He also did not conduct any visits to the property over the six months that it…

A man from Swansea has been given an extended jail sentence after admitting arson. 42-year-old Christopher Sayce, from Port Tennant, lit a fire at The Wallich, Carlton Terrace, Swansea some time before 4pm on November 16 last year. At around 4:20pm, Sayce used a payphone to phone police to confess to what he had done. The fire caused extensive damage to a room within the premises. Sayce pleaded guilty to arson in court in December. He has been handed an extended sentence of six years and four months in prison. Detective Sergeant James Tincombe said: “Christopher Sayce launched his arson…

A woman has sadly died following a collision on the A55 in Conwy. At around midday on Thursday, 29 January, North Wales Police responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision on the A55 westbound at J17 in Conwy Morfa involving a HGV and a car. Emergency services attended but despite best efforts, a woman in her 40s, who was travelling in the car, was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene. Two people were airlifted to hospitals in Stoke and Aintree with serious injuries, while a third person was taken to by ambulance to Aintree. All four people were travelling…

Work to make the temporary road layout and cycleway on Castle Street permanent will begin at the end of February, following site surveys and removal of the traffic islands on Kingsway. Initial work will start on February 2nd, focusing on required surveys and preparation of the site. The main phases of the project will begin on February 23rd and are expected to take around 52 weeks to complete. The Council has appointed Knights Brown to deliver the works. Throughout the main phases of the project, Castle Street and the pop-up cycleway will remain open to traffic in both directions, except…

A generous funding package has been agreed to support the financial sustainability of Milford Haven Library. At its meeting on January 12th, Milford Haven Town Council agreed funding of £18,700 to support Milford Haven Library over three years. The decision follows a year of partnership working between Pembrokeshire County Council, the Port of Milford Haven and Milford Haven Town Council to find solutions to funding pressures on the library. A public consultation in 2025 had highlighted the importance of the library as a community asset. Discussions led to a generous contribution of £10,000 from the Port of Milford Haven and…

Newport has been confirmed as one of the top five recycling areas in Wales. The confirmation follows the publication of annual recycling figures for Welsh councils for the 2024 to 2025 financial year by the Welsh Government. Newport’s recycling rate of 71.4 per cent, announced in June, places the city fifth out of the 22 council areas in Wales for 2024 to 2025. This is the highest recycling rate ever recorded in Newport and means the city comfortably met the Welsh Government target of 70 per cent. The figure positions Newport as one of the best performing cities in Wales…

A future travel response for Blaenau Gwent has been considered and supported by the Council’s Economic Development and Environmental Management Scrutiny Committee. The response has been developed in response to the Citizens’ Forum on the Future of Travel which brought together local residents, representing the diverse population of the borough, to discuss how local travel can be made fairer, greener, and better for everyone. Over three days, forum members developed 10 recommendations for how the council, its partners and residents can improve travel in the area over the next five years. This initial response outlines actions the Council is able…

The iconic Menai Suspension Bridge marks its 200th anniversary this week. Ahead of the celebrations and unveiling of a plaque Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates paid tribute to the pioneering engineer, Thomas Telford, who designed the bridge which reshaped the economic and social landscape of North Wales. The Cabinet Secretary said: “For two centuries, the Menai Suspension Bridge has been a lifeline for residents, a strategic gateway for our economy, and a celebrated landmark for Wales and the wider engineering profession. “This bicentenary is a celebration not only of the bridge itself but of the generations…