Author: Rhys Gregory

North Wales Police is further strengthening its commitment to the Welsh language by making it a protected characteristic. The language already has equal status with English and is widely used on a daily basis in all business areas, but Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman wants to make sure that no current or future employees whose first language is Welsh are in anyway disadvantaged. She said: “Here at North Wales Police, we want to provide the very best service we can to our communities. We are committed to carrying out the best investigations we can and I know that victims and witnesses…

The Transforming Towns Property Development Grant applications have now opened for properties located within Rhyl’s town centre. The grant, which is funded through the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Programme, aims to help regenerate commercial properties located in Rhyl town centre and enhance businesses’ shop frontages. The scheme helps enhance the appearance of the frontages of existing properties, to bring vacant commercial floor space back into beneficial use, and to repurpose properties where appropriate. The impact of the previous round of funding can be seen already in Rhyl’s town centre, with properties such as 1-4 East Parade (former Woolworths building), 32…

IMPROVED access to some of our city’s network of much-loved play areas is on the cards thanks to a £200,000 boost in funding. The council has invested more than £7m upgrading more than 50 play areas already, with more to come in the coming months. They’re all part of the council’s post-pandemic commitment to residents to create and improve children’s free places to play outdoors and to help families through the cost of living crisis. Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “Upgraded play areas have been a hugely-popular initiative over the last two or three years. Every time we…

A monument on Bedwas Road, Caerphilly has been given a ‘facelift’, 20 years after it was installed. Caerphilly County Borough Council employed the skills of local expert stonemason Paul Horne to transform the monument that had become damaged, caused by wear and tear. Funding for the work was provided from the Council’s Caerphilly Homes team, responsible for delivering housing services, and its Business Enterprise and Renewal Team that supports regeneration within the borough Cllr Jamie Pritchard, the Council’s Deputy Leader, said “Residents had raised concerns about the decaying structure, so we were keen to do something about it.  We were…

Blaenau Gwent Council has this week signed the Welsh Government’s Corporate Parenting Charter, strengthening its commitment to ensuring the best services and opportunities for children and young people who have experienced care. Welsh Government’s Corporate Parenting Charter ‘A Promise for Wales’ was developed in collaboration with care-experienced young people. A care experienced children or young person is someone who has been or is currently in care or from a looked-after background at any stage in their life, no matter how short, including adopted children who were previously looked-after. The Charter was signed at the General Offices in Ebbw Vale today…

Media Cymru has published a new interactive tool for media professionals as well as those looking to innovate and grow their creative businesses. The “What kind of innovator are you?” assessment tool draws upon a large body of research literature to outline seven key characteristics or “roles” we play to drive forward innovation.  The tool was developed by the Media Cymru research team – who lead innovative research in the creative media sector in Wales – after receiving feedback from media companies that found they needed help with developing areas within their businesses and identifying the skills gaps.   After completing…

A work scheme to replace and upgrade the pictured traffic signals at Penywaun will start from Sunday – scheduled in the school summer holiday to minimise disruption. The signals are located at the junction with A4059 Hirwaun Road and Arfryn, and the replacement scheme will last around a week from Sunday, August 11. The new LED signals will be more environmentally-friendly, while the existing monitoring equipment is in need of replacement. To facilitate the work, temporary three-way traffic signals will be used while the permanent signals are upgraded. There will also be a temporary pedestrian crossing in use. Please note…

This year’s Powys Business Awards finalists have been announced by the organisers who have praised the “exceptional calibre” of entrants. A dozen category awards, together with the overall Powys Business of the Year and Judges Award, will be presented at a ceremony held at Dering Lines, Brecon on October 4.  Organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG), the awards showcase the diverse range of successful enterprises within Powys. The new Business in the Community Award was particularly popular. Sponsored by Radnor Hills, last year’s overall Powys Business of the Year, the award recognises businesses that put something back into their…

Plant construction innovator Nathan John is hoping his virtual reality, remote-controlled mini excavator will put his business on even firmer foundations. Powerfab, based in Cardiff and Swansea, has been supported by a £50,000 investment from Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE to help him develop and market his new generation of environmentally-friendly mini-excavators. Within three years, he plans to have a network of service agents around the UK selling and maintaining the machines, and a staff of ten and a company turnover of £2 million. The new range of battery-powered machinery is, according to Mr John, cleaner, safer, quieter and more efficient…

A talented young conductor from North Wales who rejected a teacher’s advice to become a dentist is making his West End debut with singing star Lucy Thomas. Robert Guy, 36, who was recently appointed as the new principal conductor of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, will conduct a 30-piece London orchestra at Lucy’s concert on October 22 at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. Singer Lucy Thomas was catapulted to global fame after appearing on the ITV show, The Voice Kids UK,  at the age of 14 in 2018, finishing as a semi-finalist. The 20-year-old has since released…