Author: Rhys Gregory

Cardiff Council has a new Leader after Cllr Chris Weaver was elected at last night’s Annual General Meeting of Full Council. Cllr Weaver was appointed Leader of Cardiff Council after his predecessor, Huw Thomas, stepped down and resigned as a Councillor following his election to the Senedd earlier this month. In his inaugural Council Leader’s speech to the Annual General Meeting, Cllr Weaver reflected on the local authority’s achievements and set out his priorities for the year ahead. Speaking after the Annual General Meeting, Cllr Weaver, said: “The next 12 months are about building on the momentum created over the…

More than 200 business leaders gathered at The Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff for the CBI Wales Annual Lunch on Thursday 21 May, where the new Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price, and Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, outlined their plans to work with businesses to help drive economic growth and prosperity across Wales. The event came just two weeks after voters elected the first Plaid Cymru led Welsh Government, with discussions focusing on investment, innovation, connectivity, skills, AI adoption and unlocking growth across all parts of Wales. Mr Price was attending his first…

Families across the UK will be able to enjoy cheaper meals, attractions and days out this summer under a new government-backed scheme aimed at easing pressure on household budgets. The UK Government has announced the launch of the “Great British Summer Savings” scheme, which will temporarily cut VAT on a range of family-friendly activities and attractions between June 25 and September 1, 2026. The initiative will reduce costs on children’s meals in restaurants, children’s cinema and theatre tickets, and entry prices for attractions including soft play centres, adventure parks and theme parks. The scheme, announced by Rachel Reeves and Keir…

Passengers could book taxi and bus-style self-driving vehicles later this year, as applications open today (22 May 2026) for operators to run cars across Great Britain. The pilot scheme will enable firms – including self-driving technology company Wayve – to bring cutting-edge technology to British roads, creating thousands of jobs and unlocking billions for the economy by 2035. Services could enhance journeys by supporting greater freedom and independence for older and disabled people, as well as expanding travel options across both work and leisure. Self-driving technology could transform roads, with human error currently contributing to 88% of collisions on UK…

Further funding for the Elan Valley Lakes Project has been approved by the Growing Mid Wales Board (19 May). The decision marks an important step forward, enabling the next stage of the project to begin. The decision enables the next stage of the project to proceed, following the required business case and assurance process. In March 2025, the project received £565,500 of Growth Deal funding to support early delivery activity. This has enabled initial work to begin on key elements, including plans for the expansion of the Celtic rainforest and the design of a new visitor centre, marking the transition from planning…

The new Welsh Government will pick up the pace to ensure people across Wales are seen faster for NHS treatment. It comes as new figures released this week show 666,700 patient pathways waiting to start NHS treatment, although this was a fall of 21,300 in March compared to February. Just under 2,600 pathways were waiting more than two years, a decrease of 1,928 from the previous month. The average waiting time for treatment is just over 15 weeks. Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor is clear that much more needs to be done. He said: “Too many people are…

Welsh workers and their communities will benefit from a landmark shift in how the Welsh Government shapes policy, First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth has told trade union leaders this week. In a keynote speech to TUC Cymru’s biennial congress this morning, the FM outlined a programme placing workers’ voices at the centre of government — from procurement and skills to industrial remediation and the green transition. Public bodies in Wales currently spend more than £8 billion a year on procurement. The Welsh Government aims to increase the share of public contracts awarded to Welsh-based firms from around 55% to over…

Plans to develop a new state-of-the-art recycling operations depot in Ystrad Mynach are progressing. Following the successful completion of the statutory Pre-Application Consultation (PAC), Caerphilly County Borough Council can confirm that a full planning application has now been submitted for the proposed facility at Dyffryn Business Park. The development forms a key part of the Council’s ambitious Waste and Recycling Strategy and will support the implementation of Welsh Government’s ‘blueprint’ collections from 2028. The proposed facility will allow the Council to process all kerbside recycling materials locally and will replace the existing operations depot in Tir-y-berth, helping to deliver a…

Pembrokeshire’s much‑loved coastal buses are gearing up for another summer of scenic journeys, with three key services returning from Saturday May 23rd. The services are: Puffin Shuttle (Service 400 – Richards Bros) linking St David’s and Marloes, this route takes in Broad Haven, Little Haven, St Brides, Marloes and Martins Haven – the gateway to boat trips for Skomer Island. Strumble Shuttle (Service 404 – Richards Bros) running the spectacular coast road between St Davids and Fishguard, with stops at Abereiddy (home of the Blue Lagoon), Porthgain, and Strumble Head. The Coastal Cruiser (Service 387/388 – Pembrokeshire County Council) around…

A Cardiff business owner and his company have been ordered to pay more than £9,000 after a rat infestation was discovered at a minimarket in Ely. Cardiff Council confirmed that Jeyaratnam Pathmastri, of Ely, appeared before Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on May 12 where he pleaded guilty to three charges against both himself and his company, Family Choice T&N Ltd. The prosecution followed an investigation by Shared Regulatory Services after a member of the public raised concerns in August 2024 about rat droppings and contaminated food at the Family Choice Minimarket in Ely. The complaint was made after a customer purchased…