Author: Rhys Gregory

A Rhondda Cynon Taf man has been disqualified from owning, keeping or transporting horses after he admitted sexually abusing horses in a prosecution brought by the RSPCA. Corey Coleman of Rhondda Cynon Taf,  was also handed a suspended prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to four offences under the Animal Welfare Act on 9 April at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court. The offences, which had been captured on CCTV and took place in June and July last year (2024) included causing unnecessary suffering to stallions Benny and Bear by subjecting them to a combination of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. He…

Two men have been jailed following the discovery of a cannabis factory in Swansea city centre. 26-year-old Aleksander Cela and 30-year-old Dennis Horeshka, both of no fixed abode, were both arrested following a warrant on Strand on May 8. During the raid, a large cannabis cultivation comprising in excess of 900 plants was discovered. Both men have been sentenced to 32 months in prison after pleading guilty to producing Class B drugs. Sergeant Craig Evans said: “Aleksander Cela and Dennis Horeshka are just the latest individuals to find that involving themselves in the illegal drug trade does not pay. “Not…

The next major step to improve bus services in Wales is underway with Transport for Wales and local authorities urging the people of South West Wales to share their views and opinions on proposed changes. The bus reform bill is currently going through the Senedd and bus franchising will begin in summer 2027, with South West Wales being the first region to benefit from the changes. TfW and local authorities in South West Wales are now considering some network changes that could be delivered. This will be called the Proposed Base Network and shows the routes and frequencies that buses…

The first batch of 78 new high-quality council apartments in a former office block in Cardiff Bay is ready to welcome new tenants. Thirty-three new homes in the former Scott Harbour office building have been handed over to Cardiff Council this week, as the building undergoes a major transformation to help boost the supply of affordable homes in the capital. The Council acquired the building from property developer Rightacres last year as part of its response to the challenges created by an insufficient supply of council homes in the city, combined with unprecedented numbers of individuals and families requiring housing…

Approval is being sought for two Blue Plaques to commemorate Port Talbot Hollywood legend Richard Burton and Philip Burton, the cultured schoolmaster and later adoptive father who propelled him to fame. And endorsement of a third proposed Blue Plaque in Port Talbot is being requested to honour the steel town’s oldest existing pub, the Somerset Arms. If approved later this month, the tributes will be the first to come from Neath Port Talbot Council’s Blue Plaque Scheme which was adopted last year to celebrate NPT’s famous people, places and events – part of the council’s Heritage Strategy spanning 2024-2039 (Restore,…

Ensuring buses and trains provide a practical and affordable alternative to travelling by car is a key priority for the South West Wales regional transport plan. The priority was identified during consultation on a draft regional transport plan that’s set to cover Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea. Close to 900 people gave their feedback on the draft plan, which is aimed at creating a more reliable, connected and accessible transport network throughout the region, allowing residents to access essential services, education and employment while unlocking economic activity in South West Wales. Other priorities identified during the consultation included…

A relic from the 1911 Hopkinstown Rail disaster has made its way from Doncaster to A Welsh Coal Mining Experience at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum and is now on public display. The louvre ventilator, which would have let air in and out of the train carriage, will be on display as part of the Trehafod museum’s Coal Society exhibition, which is open to the public. The object was found in a cupboard in Hall Cross Academy, Doncaster and bears the inscription “A relic from the TVR collision at Hopkinstown, which occurred January 23, 1911: J Morris” and is now in…

A man has been fined over £1000 after he abandoned his car in a busy industrial estate in Rhondda Cynon Taf. In December 2024, the Council’s Streetcare Enforcement Team received a complaint in relation to an abandoned vehicle, which was causing an issue in a Llantrisant Industrial Estate. When the Enforcement Officer attended the location, the vehicle, a 2006 Honda Civic, was assessed and stickered with a warning under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978, stating that the vehicle had deemed to have been abandoned. The Warning Notice stated that the owner of the vehicle had 14 days to remove…

Caerphilly County Borough Council approves transformative Placemaking Plans for Bargoed and Blackwood which will provide a blueprint for further investment and regeneration activity in both towns. The Placemaking plans have been developed with support from Welsh Government and aim to revitalise the high streets, support local businesses, and enhance public spaces in both communities. The Council held a series of community workshops in both towns with residents and local representatives, to help shape the plans and ensure the vision reflects local priorities and aspirations. The placemaking plans will serve as vital frameworks to help secure external funding and guide regeneration…

Plans to deepen co-operation between Ireland and Wales over the next five years will be agreed today at the Ireland-Wales Forum, with the launch of the new Ireland-Wales Shared Statement 2030. Tánaiste Simon Harris TD and First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan will meet in Swansea today, launching the new statement which will build on the success of the 2021-2025 Ireland-Wales Shared Statement. The two governments will commit to develop closer ties in a range of different areas, to include cooperation related to renewable energy, research and innovation, while strengthening the historic cultural and linguistic bonds that connect the two…