Author: Rhys Gregory

A man from Bolton has been jailed for commissioning a phishing website. His intention was to deceive members of the public into thinking they were accessing a genuine Amazon webpage, with the intention of harvesting their personal information. An investigation led by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, found that 31-year-old Ewan McGavin, from Horwich, Bolton, had paid Blaine Flatt to develop the website. 22-year-old Blaine Flatt, of Broadlands, Bridgend, was sentenced to a number of offences – including making or supplying articles for use in frauds – in February 2024 having entered a guilty plea. Flatt…

The 100,000thtree in a new ‘urban forest’ has been planted in Cardiff, just four years after the first one. The oak tree was planted in Greenway Park in Rumney as part of Cardiff Council’s Coed Caerdydd (Cardiff Forest) project. The project was established by the Council in 2021 as part of its One Planet Cardiff response to the climate emergency with the aim of increasing tree canopy coverage in the city from a starting point of 18.9% to 25%. Now into its fourth planting season the project has seen council staff working alongside an army of community volunteers to plant…

An historic building in Swansea city centre is in line for a bright future. City-based St Mary’s Square Developments has acquired the unoccupied Mond Buildings thanks to a six-figure loan arranged with the help of Swansea Council. The company is now working on creating plans for the building which stands at the corner of Union Street and Park Street. It’s anticipated that the ground floor will be retained as commercial space with the uses of the other floors possibly including commercial and accommodation. The structure dates from 1911 and is grade two listed. St Mary’s Square Developments director Peter Loosmore…

A comprehensive Events Strategy to deliver a vibrant, year-round programme of festivals and events has been approved by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet, The Neath Port Talbot Events Strategy 2025-2035, developed through extensive research, consultation and public engagement, seeks to celebrate the unique qualities of Neath Port Talbot. Approved by Cabinet members on Wednesday, 5th February, 2025, the strategy is based on a vision that by 2035, Neath Port Talbot can become one of the best places in Wales to visit, live and work, with an exciting calendar of events and festivals that showcase the area’s rich culture, heritage and…

WELLNESS GARDENS with saunas and hot tubs, a dunes park with a restaurant and bar enjoying spectacular sea views and the addition of colourful beach huts. Along with the expansion of food options and provision of extra parking and changing facilities, these are just some of the suggestions contained in an Aberafan Seafront Masterplan which was approved by members of Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday, February 5th, 2025. It was designed by experienced consultants Roberts Limbrick and Chris Jones Regeneration, who were commissioned by Neath Port Talbot Council to create a cohesive strategy and ‘conceptual plan’ for the…

Pembrokeshire County Council is seeking public feedback on how it manages flood risk across the County. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires Local Authorities to publish their local flood risk management strategy and flood risk management plans and request feedback from local residents. A public consultation will help identify local knowledge about flood-prone areas, historical flooding events, and community-specific vulnerabilities. Local residents and stakeholders can often possess unique insights about their areas that can contribute to the development of an effective flood strategy. The consultation will allow the public to understand the rationale behind proposed measures, the potential…

RCT Council, alongside its partner Welsh Government, has achieved a major milestone towards delivering a new primary school and community hub for Glyn-coch – with planning permission now secured for the development. Providing a new school for the community is a long-established goal for the Council, and the project has developed in recent years. Cabinet progressed the proposals in 2022 following a public consultation, and in March 2023 the project was announced as one of only three successful proposals in Wales to receive 100% grant funding (up to £15 million) from Welsh Government’s Sustainable Schools Challenge. The Sustainable Schools Challenge…

Three men who carried out inadequate and dangerous building work that cost victims thousands of pounds have been sentenced at Newport Crown Court. Victims lost a combined total of at least £56,500 to Trade Price Paving Ltd between 2018 and 2020. One victim paid £15,000 for an extension that the perpetrators left unfinished as a half-built shell, open to the elements, possibly structurally unsound. The retaining wall was built with inadequate foundations and the boundary wall was built poorly, requiring significant remedial work. Another victim agreed to pay the firm once the building job was completed but was pressured into…

Music lovers can now find every Welsh language gig happening across Wales in one place, thanks to an innovative new online platform: Awni. Just in time to celebrate 10 years of Dydd Miwsig Cymru (Welsh Language Music Day), Awni brings together all Welsh language music events on an easy-to-use website with an interactive map. Whether you’re looking for intimate gigs or big festivals, you can find them all at the click of a button. Created by brother and sister team Jona and Martha Owen, Awni (which means “we will go” in Welsh) helps ensure music fans never miss out on…

Work is already underway across Wales to fix potholes and other defects in our roads and this will be given a boost by the extra £25m announced earlier this week. The funding announced on Monday, which is in the draft budget, will see an extra 100km of the strategic road network resurfaced in the new financial year. Roads that are most in need of repairs will be renewed, with thousands of potholes fixed. The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, visited the A494 near Mold this week to see some of the work which is currently taking…