Author: Rhys Gregory

Residents can now find out more about the Council’s exciting investment proposals for Ysgol Llanhari, which would deliver a brand new school building and first-class supporting spaces, including new outdoor sports facilities. The project is being delivered as part of a £414 million funding commitment with Welsh Government, which will see many new school investments being progressed in Rhondda Cynon Taf over the years ahead. The project would be delivered via the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. The proposals involve the construction of a new all-through 3-19 Welsh Medium school on the existing site, plus a Welsh language Meithrin. All…

A builder from Barry has been sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment after being convicted of fraud and misleading consumer offences relating to substandard building work that left a family facing significant financial loss and unsafe living conditions. On the 21st May 2026, at Cardiff Crown Court, Mark Anthony Batt, 45, was given a nine-month custodial sentence following a prosecution concerning building work carried out at a property in Caerphilly County Borough. The court heard that Batt accepted approximately £39,000 from the homeowner for building works that were left substantially incomplete and of an extremely poor standard. An independent building surveyor…

The Fund is designed to target lagging areas with the greatest potential for productivity catch-up, helping businesses to grow, create better-paid jobs and strengthen regional economies. The four high growth sectors in Wales are identified as Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energies, Digital and Technologies, and Creative; and two high growth potential sectors are Life Sciences and Financial Services. The UK Government has set two key strategic funding outcomes for the Local Growth Fund across the UK: Increased Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per head; and Increased Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per head. This strand of the Fund is focused on Priority…

The Initial Teacher Education (ITE) incentive in priority subjects will rise by £5,000, to £20,000 from September 2026, as part of the new Welsh Governments 100-day plan. Eligible priority subject areas within secondary education are: Biology Chemistry Design and Technology Digital Technology and/or Computer Science Mathematics International languages Physics Welsh Cabinet Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Anna Brychan, said: “Education is at the heart of this new government, and we are clear that the education workforce needs to be supported to achieve our national mission for education, in raising standards and providing learners with the best foundation for their…

The Welsh Government has announced a package of work to reform vocational skills training in Wales. By developing a Welsh skills system that is fit for the future, the Welsh Government will ensure that education and training opportunities are aligned with the real needs of Welsh employers and industries and reflect future opportunities in the Welsh economy. The Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education made the announcement at a National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) event in Cardiff today.  This work includes a skills audit and a Future Skills Summit planned for Autumn 2026. The skills audit is currently…

Have you lost a ring in Cardiff Bay? South Wales Police are appealing for help to reunite a ring with its owner after it was discovered outside Cardiff Bay Police Station. The ring was found on the steps of the police station and officers are now hoping to trace the person it belongs to. Anyone who believes the ring may be theirs is being asked to contact South Wales Police and quote property reference SWP7213. Police have said proof of ownership will be required before the item can be returned. Those wishing to claim the ring can contact South Wales…

A 38-year-old man has been jailed for attempting to speak to who he thought was a child online. The child was in fact an undercover police officer. Stephen Francis Mitchell, of Llanegryn, was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2018. However, in September 2023 he breached the order when he began using an online chat to speak to who he believed to be a 12-year-old girl. He asked her to send photos of herself to him. Mitchell was arrested, and an examination of his digital devices found 286 indecent images of children, including the most serious…

Vue Cinema Cardiff has announced it will close later this month, bringing an end to more than two decades of big screen entertainment in the Welsh capital. The cinema, located at Stadium Plaza next to Principality Stadium and Cardiff Central railway station, first opened its doors on 11 April 2003 and has been a popular destination for film fans ever since. Over the years, the venue has become particularly well known among students and city centre visitors, thanks to its central location and regular discounted ticket offers. Situated within Stadium Plaza, Vue Cardiff features seven screens equipped with Digital Dolby…

Motorists faced delays on the A470 during Wednesday morning’s rush hour after a collision blocked a lane near Upper Boat. Traffic Wales reported that lane two of the southbound carriageway was blocked following the incident, with emergency services sent to the scene. The collision happened on the A470 near Upper Boat, a key commuter route linking Pontypridd and the surrounding valleys with Cardiff. Traffic Wales warned drivers to expect disruption while emergency services dealt with the incident. The latest traffic alerts show an accident on the southbound carriageway between Pontypridd and Upper Boat, with delays possible for road users travelling…

Kismet Kebabs Limited has been fined £500,000, along with £259,000 costs at Swansea Crown Court following a major investigation by Swansea Council into fraudulent food mislabelling. On Friday 5 June, the company, based in Chelmsford, Essex, was sentenced, after pleading guilty to one offence of fraud by false representation. Swansea Council’s Trading Standards team launched the investigation in 2020/21 after samples taken during a regional exercise raised concerns that products labelled as lamb kebabs did not match their declared contents. Further enquiries and formal analysis found significant discrepancies between labels and the actual composition of the products. The investigation found…