Author: Rhys Gregory

COMMUNITIES are set to benefit from a £2m boost to neighbourhood improvement projects across the city. Extra investment in the councillor-led Community Investment Fund will see it double from £1m to £2m for spending on community projects including installing defibrillators, supporting community events and sprucing up community gardens. Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “Councillors are uniquely well-placed to know what kind of small-scale projects and initiatives going on in their area deserve a boost from the council. “By offering a further £1m for councillors’ community budget schemes we’ll be able to make sure the money goes a long…

After proving a very popular choice for last year’s successful event, singer, songwriter and radio and TV presenter Mal Pope will host the 2024 Mayor of Neath Port Talbot’s Remembrance Concert. Tickets are now on sale for the event which takes place at the Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot, on Friday October 25th, 2024 (7pm). Ticket prices: Standard £10.00; Concessions £8.00 (under 16, 60+, groups of 8 or more, Armed Forces Veterans, Armed Forces Reservists, Armed Forces Cadets, serving Armed Forces personnel). The Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Cllr Matthew Crowley, said: “I am delighted to see this important event…

Following the successful completion and handover of the new-build school, Ysgol Bro Penfro opened its doors to pupils for the first time on Thursday 5th September. The school represents an exciting new chapter for Welsh medium education in Pembrokeshire and will serve as a Welsh medium primary school for the whole of the south west of Pembrokeshire. The Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro building project has been funded by the Welsh Government through its Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, and Pembrokeshire County Council, and provides full day-care for up to 36 children aged 0-11 years, a 30 place nursery, and capacity…

Residents and road users in Pontypridd are advised that several abnormal load deliveries will be transported through the area over the next few weeks, to reach the Llwyncelyn Wind Farm. This will be managed by the police with a ‘rolling road closure’ on each occasion, starting from next week. Quantum Traffic Management has submitted the application for the required road traffic measures, on behalf of Mar-train Heavy Haulage Ltd. The first delivery is scheduled for the evening of Monday, September 16, with four deliveries taking place on this date. The applicant’s current plan is for a further 20 deliveries to…

The Newport Food Festival kicks off with a supper event on the evening of Friday 11 October at the Mercure Hotel’s NP20 Bar and Kitchen. The festival’s patron chef, Hywel Jones, will be creating a delicious Wales-themed three-course meal. A vegan menu will also be available. Details of the traders who will be at the traditional food market on Saturday 12 October have also been released. Familiar faces returning to the festival include Beth’s Bakes, Spirit of Wales, and Sorai. There will also be some new stalls for 2024, including Red Room Confectionery and Scoffle Ya Waffle. Beth Williams, owner of…

Councillor Geraint Thomas has decided to step down from his role as Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Leader following the recent Bedlinog & Trelewis Ward By-Election. Councillor Geraint Thomas commented: “With Labour gaining a seat at the recent by-election, then Councillors Declan Sammon and Paula Layton leaving the Independent group, with only twelve members it became impossible to remain in leadership”. Councillor Thomas continued: “As a born and bred Merthyr boy, this role is the best job in the world, and it has been an honour to have served as the Leader of the Council. I am extremely proud of…

Remote work has transitioned from a temporary solution to a permanent fixture in the modern workplace. With the rise of digital tools and global connectivity, more companies are embracing remote work as a viable and often preferred option. However, this shift comes with its own set of challenges. Without the physical presence of colleagues, fostering collaboration, communication, and a sense of belonging can be difficult. This is where the importance of a strong remote team culture becomes evident. A well-established team culture not only bridges the physical gap but also unites the team under shared values and goals, driving both…

A ground-breaking ceremony has marked the start of construction for a new academic building on the University of South Wales’s (USW’s) Treforest Campus in Pontypridd. There will be more than 40 teaching, learning and research spaces in the five-storey building, including electronics and hydraulics labs, a flight simulator, a robotics lab, clean and industrial research spaces, collaborative teaching spaces, as well as virtual reality capability, and exhibition spaces. One of the key principles of the building is to promote interdisciplinary working by making the activities that are taking place visible and accessible. A focus point for this will be ‘makerspaces’,…

New steps are being taken in the repair and restoration of an historic Swansea landmark. They’ll help lead to the return of Landore’s 115-year-old Bascule Bridge. The structure is earmarked by Swansea Council as a key heritage feature of the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site’s bright future – part of the city’s council-driven £1bn regeneration. The long-term aim is to re-install the restored 70-tonne steel span at its site crossing the River Tawe – once its supporting timbers are strengthened and renewed in due course. The first of those specialist large timbers are now with the council. Contractors are on site at…

Aldi has announced its largest ever package of annual investment to accelerate its expansion across Britain’s towns and cities. In its annual trading update, Aldi said it plans to open 23 new locations before the end of the year – including 1 new store in Wales – marking a record £800m investment programme during 2024. The retailer, which currently has over 1,000 stores, has previously announced plans to scale to 1,500 stores across the UK and Aldi has confirmed Wales is among the areas it is focusing on.  The areas in Wales where it is currently looking for sites include West Swansea and Cardiff. The…