Author: Rhys Gregory

The Welsh Government has announced £15m to start enabling more secondary pupils to receive free school meals. The new Welsh Government has committed to expand free school meals to secondary school pupils in households receiving Universal Credit by removing the income limit. Currently, secondary school learners can only receive free school meals if their family receives Universal Credit and their household earnings are less than £7,400, not including benefits. The additional funding is part of the Welsh Government’s supplementary budget for this financial year, 2026-27, with plans to begin rolling out the policy from September. The funding boost will be split into £10m of capital funding, to invest in school kitchen and dining areas, and £5m of revenue funding, for introducing the scheme, expanding existing funding for Free School Meal provision. From September it is intended that parents of children in…

Accommodation providers in Cardiff are being urged to prepare for the introduction of the Visitor Levy, with businesses required to start accounting for the charge from 28 September 2026. The levy will apply to overnight stays in visitor accommodation across Cardiff, with providers needing to account for it on new bookings made from 28 September 2026 for stays taking place from 1 April 2027 onwards. The requirement will also apply when additional nights or guests are added to existing bookings for stays from 1 April 2027. Who needs to pay? The levy applies to anyone taking bookings for overnight stays…

South Wales Police were called at 12:15pm yesterday (Sunday) afternoon following a report of a man chasing a woman on Templeton Avenue, Llanishen, Cardiff. Officers attended promptly and found that both a man and a woman had been assaulted. Both were taken to hospital for further treatment. At this stage, it is believed the woman was assaulted with a knife, and the man was assaulted with a plank of wood. A 37-year-old man from Splott, Cardiff, has been arrested on suspicion of affray, possession of an offensive weapon, and drink driving. Detective Inspector Sarah Lee said: “We know that incidents…

Thirty people have been sentenced for their part in serious disorder which happened in the Ely area of Cardiff on Monday, May 22, 2023. The 25 men and five women were sentenced during a two-week hearing at Cardiff Crown Court after being convicted of riot. During the disorder several vehicles were set alight, property was damaged, police officers were injured, and residents were scared in their homes. An investigation by South Wales Police resulted in 51 people being arrested and the majority charged with the extremely serious offence of riot. Last week’s sentencing concludes the criminal investigation into the disorder.…

A 31-year-old man has been jailed after being found with a knife on a Menai Bridge street. Arron Dean, of Menai Bridge, was at an address with other residents when he became aggressive and threatened to harm them. He left the location with a knife in his hand and began to walk towards the high street. Officers quickly located and arrested Dean, who threw the knife to the ground when he was challenged by taser trained officers. The 31-year-old appeared at Caernarfon Magistrates Court on Thursday 18 June where he admitted to being in possession of a knife in a…

Households across Pembrokeshire who rely on heating oil or LPG are set to receive vital support through the Off Grid Heating Fuel Support Scheme. Funded by the Welsh Government and delivered by local authorities, the scheme offers a one‑off £200 payment to help low‑income households manage rising energy costs. Who is eligible? To qualify, households must meet both conditions: be in receipt of, or successfully apply for, the Council Tax Reduction Scheme between 1 April and 31 July 2026. use heating oil or LPG as their main source of heating, with proof such as a bill dated within the past…

Thousands of motorists across the UK are discovering they may have been mis-sold a car finance agreement that included hidden commissions. A major rise in PCP car finance claims has brought this issue into sharp focus, with millions of drivers now potentially eligible for compensation. The Rise in PCP Car Finance Claims Claims related to hidden commissions in car finance agreements have risen significantly in recent years, explains Claim Smart. Many drivers were unaware that brokers and dealers could earn substantial commissions from finance providers when arranging a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) deal. Recent data suggests that 12.1 million motor…

When planning a new house, extension, loft conversion, or major renovation in Wales, daylight is an important factor that should not be overlooked.  Local planning authorities place significant emphasis on ensuring that new developments do not have an unreasonable impact on neighbouring properties and that future occupants have access to adequate natural light within their homes. Understanding how daylight is assessed can help homeowners, architects, and developers avoid planning delays and costly redesigns. Why Is Daylight Important? Natural daylight plays an important role in both health and wellbeing. Research has shown that access to natural light can improve mood, productivity,…

The relationship between digital PR and link building is often debated as businesses seek the most effective way to improve search performance, yet treating them as competing approaches can be misleading, as both play a role in building authority and visibility over time. While the question is usually framed around which matters more, it is far more useful to understand how each works, where the differences sit and how they contribute to SEO in practice. Understanding Link Building Link building has been a core part of SEO for years, centred around acquiring links from external websites to strengthen a site’s…

Here is an odd fact about British gambling law. You can stake real value on a CSGO gambling site using virtual weapon skins, and much of the time the law that governs casinos and bookmakers does not clearly reach you. That gap is not a loophole someone is hiding. It is a known problem that regulators have been circling for years. The mechanics are simple enough. These platforms, catalogued and rated by review hubs such as csgo gambling site directories, let players wager Counter-Strike skins on case openings, crash, coinflip and the rest. The skins carry real market value, which…