Latest news with #PaulDavies
Wales Online
23-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Grass-cutting delays hit Welsh county amid staffing challenges
Grass-cutting delays hit Welsh county amid staffing challenges It comes after the authority made the decision to develop their own in-house grass-cutting service in 2024 Coity Road Bridgend (Image: Google Maps ) Members of Bridgend council have been updated on issues with the recruitment of seasonal staff which has led to delays in grass-cutting across the county borough. The update came as part of an all-member briefing from the council's cabinet member for climate change and environment Cllr Paul Davies. This was later shared by the Bridgend County Independents group who said they had been reporting cases of grassed areas not being cut on residents' behalf. It comes after the authority made the decision to develop their own in-house grass-cutting service in 2024 instead of outsourcing to a private contractor as they had done since 2015. It also came along with the transfer of more than £300,000 worth of capital funding from the authority from an existing capital project for Ravens Court offices that was no longer needed. Bridgend County Borough Council's civic offices (Image: LDRS ) This was put towards the costs of getting the new rural grass-cutting service up and running with the funds largely needed for the purchase of new plant and equipment such as mowers. Article continues below The latest update said while "significant progress" had been made on bringing in equipment, the recruitment of seasonal staff was challenging, leading to delays in the grass cutting schedule. It added that the directorate would now be looking at a number of options to address the situation, which included redoubling a recruitment campaign as well as working with employment agencies and the Employability Bridgend Team. It could also see the job description for the role adjusted in order to allow a wider pool of applicants to apply with the reallocation of staff from other areas where possible. Additionally they could also look at the possibility of changing the roles from seasonal to permanent jobs which may be more attractive to potential employees. The move to bring grass cutting services in-house comes alongside separate plans for bringing waste collection services in-house by April 2026. Article continues below The decision to adopt this service was made by members in November 2024. It was done in order to allow the authority to have "more hands-on monitoring" and "sustainable flexibility". For the latest Bridgend news sign up to our newsletter here.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Welsh Para-table tennis legend Robinson retires
Welsh Paralympic champion Neil Robinson is retiring after a career in which he represented Great Britain in 11 Paralympic Games, seven as an athlete and four as a coach. Bridgend-born Robinson, 66, won gold with the men's C3 team as well as a silver in the singles competion at the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics. He also won medals in Atlanta, Sydney and Athens, before retiring after the Beijing games and starting his coaching career at London 2012. "This is a very difficult decision given my long-term involvement with British Para Table Tennis [BPTT]," said Robinson, "but I feel the time has come to retire and have the flexibility to spend more quality time with my family, even more so now that my wife Karen and I are grandparents. "I love the sport of table tennis so I intend to stay involved and to continue working with BPTT when required and I will look at helping to develop established and new players individually." Robinson was training to work as an electrician in the Merchant Navy when he was a passenger in a car accident at the age of 18 that left him requiring a wheelchair. After taking up table tennis during rehab he went on to become one of Britain's most successful Paralympians, winning seven medals across seven games. Robinson was also a European champion and world number one, and in 2012 he received an MBE in the Queen's New Year's Honours List for his services to the sport. Having switched to coaching, and with several Welsh players in the British squad, Robinson set up a centre at the Welsh Institute of Sport in Cardiff where the Welsh players could benefit from top quality coaching on a full-time basis. "This was really important," said BPTT performance director Gorazd Vecko. "When we started with the new structure the Welsh players came to Sheffield for a training camp, and for the rest of the time there was no coaching in Wales at the highest level. "When I look back, I think that Neil was a huge part of every medal that was achieved by a wheelchair player from Wales over the last 15 years." Robinson coached Paul Davies to a bronze medal in London and also Tom Matthews to bronze in Tokyo 2021. Although he was not in the corner when another of his players, Rob Davies, won gold in Rio, that remains one of his highlights alongside his own playing acheivements. "I am very proud to have had a positive influence in the lives of the athletes that I have been involved with and contributed to some of their life changing moments," said Robinson. "There have been many memorable moments at the Paralympics Games - the standout moments for me as an athlete are in Barcelona 1992 where I won gold and silver medals, and Atlanta 1996 in achieving silver and bronze medals. "As a coach, again there are several amazing memories - coaching Paul Davies to an unexpected singles bronze medal at the 'home games' in London 2012 and years of preparing Rob Davies to achieve his singles gold in Rio 2016. "The circumstances surrounding Tokyo 2021 and then coaching Paul Karabardak, Tom Matthews and Megan Shackleton to their first Paralympic medals was really special to me. "I am extremely proud to have won seven Paralympic medals as an athlete but working closely with and helping athletes achieve their Paralympic dreams gives me a greater feeling of satisfaction."
Pembrokeshire Herald
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Senedd debates Labour's record as election looms
SENEDD Members debated the Labour Welsh Government's record over the past four years, with the next election looming in 12 months. Rhun ap Iorwerth accused Labour of failing to stand up for Wales and live up to promises made at the start of this Senedd term. The Plaid Cymru leader told the Senedd: 'Everywhere you look – whether it's the NHS, our economy, schools or society more broadly – the situation is worse now.' The would-be First Minister pointed to long NHS waiting lists, a 'stagnant' economy, child poverty rates and 'deteriorating' education standards. But others accused Plaid Cymru of 'gesture politics' after 'propping up' the Labour Welsh Government for most of the past four years. Leading the debate on a Plaid Cymru motion on May 7, exactly one year before the next election, Mr ap Iorwerth directed his ire at the 'disgraceful' legacy left by the Tories. He said: 'It's no wonder they suffered a slaughter electorally in Wales last summer and the opinion polls for the Senedd election suggest they are increasingly irrelevant. 'But the excuses are far harder to bear now the Labour Party is in government in Westminster, something that was pledged time and time again by Labour members for years prior to the election would lead to change for the better.' The former broadcast journalist criticised UK Government decisions to slash the welfare budget and restrict winter fuel allowance – 'cuts even George Osborne would wince about'. Mr ap Iorwerth accused the Welsh Government of spending all its energy over the past year managing 'internal chaos', including three First Ministers and 'reshuffles galore'. Paul Davies argued Plaid Cymru should be held accountable for the Welsh Government's record due to the now-collapsed cooperation agreement between the two. Conservative MS Paul Davies The Conservative said: 'Plaid Cymru has been instrumental in propping up the Welsh Government and voting through its policies… they've done it on and off for years.' The deputy leader of the opposition added: 'Plaid should be embarrassed they're calling for more powers. They haven't been able to help Labour use the powers they currently have.' Mr Davies warned Wales has 'languished' at the bottom of league tables for years whether it's NHS performance, educational standards or economic activity. He accused Welsh ministers of 'doing nothing' in response to UK Government changes to inheritance tax for family farms and winter fuel allowance. Jane Dodds, Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and the party's sole Senedd Member, also pointed out that Plaid Cymru had a seat at the table as part of the three-year budget deal. Jane Dodds MS, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats She said: 'You've helped to steer the ship and you don't get to act surprised about the destination when you have actually been holding the map.' Ms Dodds, who struck a £100m deal with ministers to pass the latest Welsh budget, urged Plaid Cymru to take ownership of achievements such as free school meals. The former social worker criticised the Conservatives' 'shameful' amendment for failing to acknowledge the party's part in causing child poverty. 'Spare us the crocodile tears, please,' she said. 'To claim that a Conservative Welsh Government would do better for our communities is, frankly, insulting.' Labour's Julie James said the party has been forced to govern in the context of 'deep austerity, mismanagement and short-termism' from a Conservative UK Government. Julie James MS, counsel general and minister for delivery The minister told the Senedd that the Welsh Government has 'stood unwavering' despite 14 years of the worst financial climate in the history of devolution. Ms James raised examples including free prescriptions, universal free school meals in primaries and the education maintenance allowance for disadvantaged young people. She pointed to 'tangible progress' on health, with waiting lists falling three months in a row. Criticising 'posturing, gesture politics' from Plaid Cymru, Ms James said: 'Wales deserves fair funding and this Labour government, led by Eluned Morgan, will keep demanding it until we get a settlement that reflects our needs and respects our nation.' Senedd Members voted 35-11 against the Plaid Cymru motion. Conservative and Labour amendments also fell. With the final vote deadlocked at 23-23, deputy speaker Dai Rees used his casting vote against the Welsh Government's amendment in line with convention.
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
RNLI crew praised for swift rescue of stranded kayakers
Council urged to pause project amid environmental and financial concerns OPPOSITION is mounting against Pembrokeshire County Council's plans for a new inland road at Newgale, as local campaigners accuse the authority and its consultants of using 'shock tactics' and outdated data to justify the controversial scheme. The £60 million Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project (NCAP) is currently in the statutory consultation phase, with the public invited to submit comments before the deadline of May 11. The scheme, designed in partnership with Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis, proposes diverting the A487 inland through the Brandy Brook valley. The council says the route is necessary to future-proof a flood-prone stretch of the existing coastal road, which was severely affected during storms in 2014. Campaign group STUN raises alarm But campaigners from Stand Up for Newgale (STUN) claim the 2014 storm—often cited in council communications—was an isolated incident and should not be used as the sole justification for such a major project. 'Using dramatic images of one rare event to promote this scheme is misleading,' said a STUN spokesperson. 'The 2014 overtopping cost the council just £13,000. That is a world away from the £60 million now being proposed. Even if storms like that happened every year, it would take thousands of years to justify this level of spending.' STUN's alternative proposal involves moving a section of the existing shingle bank around 10 metres seaward and constructing improved beach access infrastructure. Costed at under £500,000, they say it would protect the road for the next century without requiring a new bypass. The group has published artist's impressions of its plan and launched a crowdfunder to fund their own planning submission. STUN want to move the bank seaward and save the existing road. Environmental and tourism concerns Newgale's shingle bank was affected during storms in 2014. Environmental impact is a key issue for campaigners, who warn that building the new road would irreversibly alter the Brandy Brook valley—a landscape currently part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. According to technical documents seen by The Herald, the proposed bypass would require a 120-metre-long, 15-metre-high concrete bridge supported by over 100 buried columns. Construction would involve thousands of tonnes of materials and temporary access roads, which STUN claims would pose pollution risks to the watercourse and destroy natural habitats. They also argue that the loss of facilities such as public toilets, the T11 bus stop, and nature trails through campsites could harm the local tourism industry. Support from local councils and politicians Several community councils in the area—Brawdy, Solva, Nolton and Roch—have submitted formal objections. Senedd Member Paul Davies has also publicly backed STUN's alternative, warning that the current proposal is financially irresponsible. 'I am very disappointed that the council is pushing ahead with its plans rather than working with the community on a much more affordable scheme,' Mr Davies said. 'We know the council is struggling financially, and yet somehow it is content to find millions of pounds for a scheme the local community opposes.' Suspicions over military connection Some residents have raised questions about the scheme's timing, given a proposed US military radar installation at nearby Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy. The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) project, involving 27 large radars, would require substantial construction traffic. STUN believes the bypass may be intended to facilitate this and argues that, if linked, the road and radar plans should be submitted together for planning approval. Council response Pembrokeshire County Council has maintained that the Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project is vital for ensuring long-term resilience to climate change. The council has previously stated that sea level rise and worsening storm conditions present a growing risk to the A487. A spokesperson said the scheme remains at the consultation stage and that all feedback submitted before the May 11 deadline will be carefully considered. Public urged to take part Campaigners are encouraging members of the public to submit objections or comments during the consultation window. How to have your say: Email: newgale@ (copy: contact@ Post: Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project Team AtkinsRéalis 12 Orchard Street Swansea SA1 5AD The consultation runs until Saturday, May 11, 2025.
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-05-2025
- Business
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Row over £60m Newgale bypass plan as campaigners claim public ‘misled'
Council urged to pause project amid environmental and financial concerns OPPOSITION is mounting against Pembrokeshire County Council's plans for a new inland road at Newgale, as local campaigners accuse the authority and its consultants of using 'shock tactics' and outdated data to justify the controversial scheme. The £60 million Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project (NCAP) is currently in the statutory consultation phase, with the public invited to submit comments before the deadline of May 11. The scheme, designed in partnership with Canadian engineering firm AtkinsRéalis, proposes diverting the A487 inland through the Brandy Brook valley. The council says the route is necessary to future-proof a flood-prone stretch of the existing coastal road, which was severely affected during storms in 2014. Campaign group STUN raises alarm But campaigners from Stand Up for Newgale (STUN) claim the 2014 storm—often cited in council communications—was an isolated incident and should not be used as the sole justification for such a major project. 'Using dramatic images of one rare event to promote this scheme is misleading,' said a STUN spokesperson. 'The 2014 overtopping cost the council just £13,000. That is a world away from the £60 million now being proposed. Even if storms like that happened every year, it would take thousands of years to justify this level of spending.' STUN's alternative proposal involves moving a section of the existing shingle bank around 10 metres seaward and constructing improved beach access infrastructure. Costed at under £500,000, they say it would protect the road for the next century without requiring a new bypass. The group has published artist's impressions of its plan and launched a crowdfunder to fund their own planning submission. STUN want to move the bank seaward and save the existing road. Environmental and tourism concerns Newgale's shingle bank was affected during storms in 2014. Environmental impact is a key issue for campaigners, who warn that building the new road would irreversibly alter the Brandy Brook valley—a landscape currently part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. According to technical documents seen by The Herald, the proposed bypass would require a 120-metre-long, 15-metre-high concrete bridge supported by over 100 buried columns. Construction would involve thousands of tonnes of materials and temporary access roads, which STUN claims would pose pollution risks to the watercourse and destroy natural habitats. They also argue that the loss of facilities such as public toilets, the T11 bus stop, and nature trails through campsites could harm the local tourism industry. Support from local councils and politicians Several community councils in the area—Brawdy, Solva, Nolton and Roch—have submitted formal objections. Senedd Member Paul Davies has also publicly backed STUN's alternative, warning that the current proposal is financially irresponsible. 'I am very disappointed that the council is pushing ahead with its plans rather than working with the community on a much more affordable scheme,' Mr Davies said. 'We know the council is struggling financially, and yet somehow it is content to find millions of pounds for a scheme the local community opposes.' Suspicions over military connection Some residents have raised questions about the scheme's timing, given a proposed US military radar installation at nearby Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy. The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) project, involving 27 large radars, would require substantial construction traffic. STUN believes the bypass may be intended to facilitate this and argues that, if linked, the road and radar plans should be submitted together for planning approval. Council response Pembrokeshire County Council has maintained that the Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project is vital for ensuring long-term resilience to climate change. The council has previously stated that sea level rise and worsening storm conditions present a growing risk to the A487. A spokesperson said the scheme remains at the consultation stage and that all feedback submitted before the May 11 deadline will be carefully considered. Public urged to take part Campaigners are encouraging members of the public to submit objections or comments during the consultation window. How to have your say: Email: newgale@ (copy: contact@ Post: Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project Team AtkinsRéalis 12 Orchard Street Swansea SA1 5AD The consultation runs until Saturday, May 11, 2025.
