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Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Wales Online
Man who ran waste service prosecuted after using pavement as his 'own personal skip'
Man who ran waste service prosecuted after using pavement as his 'own personal skip' Daniel Morgan, from Aberaman, was fined after a court heard he ignored repeated warnings from the council after he was caught dumping sofas, panes of glass, kitchen work tops and piles of tyres on the pavement outside his house Some of the waste stored on the pavement (Image: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council ) A man who was using the pavement outside his house as "his own personal skip" has been prosecuted by his local council and ordered to pay £2,100 in court. Daniel Morgan was running a waste removal business but was dumping the waste he was being paid to dispose on the pavement outside his house. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said that Morgan, of Sunnybank Street, Aberaman, Aberdare, would leave the items on the pavement outside his terraced house for long periods of time, until the items were protruding on to the public road. They said there appeared to be no limit on what Morgan would leave on the pavement - from piles of tyres, a three-piece-sofa to kitchen work tops and a door. The council said Morgan, who was trading under the name Dan's Disposal Services, was "blighting the doorstep where he lived and having a huge detrimental effect on his neighbours and wider community." Council officers found that the waste was often completely blocking the pavement and was at risk of causing an injury to members of the public (Image: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council ) The council first received a complaint about Morgan's actions in April 2024 and when enforcement officers visited, they discovered that the items took up the full length of the property and made the public footpath completely impassable. Article continues below They also found that the items were stacked and likely to fall, creating a risk of injury to members of the public. Get the latest Rhondda news first by signing up to our newsletter here Morgan admitted the waste had come from the property and was advised that the waste had to be removed immediately, and was reminded by council officers that no waste could be stored on the highway. The council said Morgan was also informed that a Community Protection Warning would be issued if the problem continued. However, just weeks later another complaint was received by the council stating that the issues were ongoing. Officers visited and said they could see that Morgan was continuing to use the pavement as a dumping ground for unsecured waste. He was given a warning letter with a list of requirements and was advised that if he failed to comply he would be issued with a community protection notice (CPN), an order aimed to at preventing unreasonable behaviour that is having a negative impact on the local community's quality of life, the council has said. Morgan was prosecuted after he ignored repeated warnings from the council about his actions (Image: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council ) A third complaint was received and another visit by officers found large piles of waste outside both No 12 and No 16 Sunnybank Street. The waste on the pavement consisted of two panes of glass, a mirror, a builders tonne sack full of waste, two worktops, a broken-up sofa frame and springs, cushioned seating and a plastic patio chair. The council said that after ignoring the warning letter, Morgan was issued with a CPN. However, just 10 days later a further complaint was received and the enforcement team said they "once again found that Morgan had failed to remove the items and was continuing to use the public footpath as his personal skip". He was issued with a £100 fixed penalty notice (FPN) and ordered to remove the items and comply with the CPN or further action would be taken. Over the next three months a further three complaints were received and investigated by the Enforcement team and three further FPNs were issued. In total, Morgan was given four FPNs, now totalling £400. The council said he failed to make the payments and clear the items so the council referred the matter to the courts. Morgan pleaded not guilty to the charges at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court in January 2025 and was given a trial date in March. Morgan failed to attend on the date and it was rescheduled. He once again failed to attend and the case was tried in his absence. Morgan was handed a £250 fine for each of the four FPNs he failed to pay ,made to pay £770 in costs and as well as a £400 victim surcharge, totalling £2170. Councillor Ann Crimmings, RCT council cabinet member said: "Fly-tipping will not be tolerated, ever. There is never an excuse to blight our public highways, towns, streets and villages with waste, and we will find those responsible and hold them to account. "We didn't have to travel far to find the offender in this case as he chose to literally mess on his own doorstep and ruin the street for his neighbours and wider community. Despite a number of warnings, Mr Morgan chose to continue using the public highway as his own personal skip. "Not only were the items unsightly, but they were unsecured and dangerous to the public. Mr Morgan has now walked away with a substantial fine and a criminal record from the court. Article continues below "Removal of fly-tipping costs hundreds of thousands of pounds each year, which should be spent on key front-line services at a time when budgets are under significant pressures. We will use every power available to us to hold those accountable for their actions."
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Private refuse collector fined £2,000 after he simply left piles of clients' rubbish among his own bins instead of proper sites
A private refuse collector has been fined more than £2,000 for dumping piles of rubbish outside his front door instead of taking it to a proper disposal site. Daniel Morgan, 34, charged people to take away their old furniture, ripped-out kitchens and tyres. Morgan - who operated business Dan's Disposable Services - had already been warned after complaints about him leaving bulky items including a three-piece-sofa, kitchen work tops and window frames outside his door. But Morgan carried on using the pavement in Sunnybank Street in Aberdare, South Wales, 'as a refuse skip' despite the warnings. A court heard the dumped rubbish took up the full length of the property and made the public footpath completely impassable. Images show how Morgan left a heap of tyres, door frames and huge bags of building waste that completely blocked the pavement for pedestrians. A third complaint was then received - and council officials found panes of glass, a mirror, a builder's tonne sack full of waste, worktops, a broken-up sofa frame and springs, cushioned seating and a plastic patio chair. Mr Morgan was issued with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice - but ignored it along with another three. Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court fined him a total of £1000, £770 costs and £400 Victim Surcharge, totalling £2170. He denied fly-tipping but failed to turn up to court. Councillor Ann Crimmings, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure said: 'We didn't have to travel far to find the offender in this case as he chose to literally mess on his own doorstep and ruin the street for his neighbours and wider community. 'Despite a number of warnings, Mr Morgan chose to continue using the public highway as his own personal skip. 'Not only were the items unsightly, but they were unsecured and dangerous to the public.'
Wales Online
21-05-2025
- Wales Online
Woman prosecuted after barking dogs made neighbour's life a misery
Woman prosecuted after barking dogs made neighbour's life a misery A neighbour made 225 recordings of dogs barking over a three-month period A pet owner whose barking dogs made her neighbour's life a misery has been ordered to pay more than £1,500 for repeatedly ignoring warnings to keep the noise down. A court was told that a neighbour submitted a total of 225 recordings of the dogs barking within a three-month period. Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court heard that Keira Marsh, from Porth, continuously allowed her dogs to bark, causing distress to her neighbours. After Rhondda Cynon Taf Council received a number of sound recordings from the complainant an investigation was launched. Environmental health officers visited the complainant's property and witnessed the "continuous barking" for themselves. They were satisfied a statutory noise nuisance existed, which means that the noise was severe enough to cause prejudice to health and/or an unreasonable and persistent disturbance to interfere with a person's enjoyment of their property. Marsh was then served with an abatement notice, which may require a person to stop the activity to avoid causing a nuisance. Get the latest Rhondda news first by signing up to our newsletter here. But Marsh ignored repeated requests from the council to deal with the issue and failed to attend interviews at council offices. After the 225 recordings of the barking over a three-month period was provided by the complainant the case went to court. Article continues below The council said the evidence "demonstrated that multiple dogs were left to bark for prolonged periods of time and the abatement notice had been breached". Marsh failed to attend the hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court. She was found guilty in her absence of breaching the abatement notice on six separate occasions, thereby contravening section 80(4) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Marsh received a £300 fine and was ordered to pay £1,115.27 in costs and a victim surcharge of £120 – totalling £1,535.27. RCT cabinet member and councillor Bob Harris said: "The council's environmental health team investigates noise complaints and, when officers have evidenced the noise constitutes a statutory nuisance, we always try to work positively with the subject of the complaint to offer advice and guidance on how to deal with the issue. "In this case the council's efforts to find a solution to the problem were repeatedly ignored leaving officers no other option than to prosecute." A council spokesman added: "The occasional bark or 'woof' is usually not a problem for neighbours and others in the community but when barking becomes excessive it's often considered unacceptable and can materially interfere with use of a person's property. Article continues below "The dog's welfare may also be compromised but the owner may not realise their dog has been barking if they're not around at that time." People are encouraged to speak to their owner about the issue and if that doesn't work to contact the council about the noise complaint.
Business News Wales
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Tourism Projects Set to Share £5m To 'Get the Basics Right'
Tourism projects which are set to receive a share of millions of pounds to invest in getting the basics right have been announced. The £5 million Brilliant Basics fund supports schemes that deliver improvements to essential visitor infrastructure at tourism destinations. The Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for tourism, Rebecca Evans, announced the full list of projects set to benefit between 2025 and 2027 during Wales Tourism Week. They include new changing facilities on Barry Island, glamping pods in Carmarthenshire and campervan parking facilities across Denbighshire. The latest round of funding will mean the Welsh Government has provided over £15 million towards Brilliant Basics since the fund was established in 2021. The Cabinet Secretary said: 'I am delighted to announce this significant investment in tourism infrastructure as Visit Wales' latest campaign – 'Year of Croeso' – continues to share our warm 'croeso' and unique 'hwyl' with the world. 'Tourism is a vital part of the Welsh economy, but we recognise that increased visitor numbers can sometimes put pressure on local infrastructure, particularly in popular destinations. This funding will help address these challenges while supporting our commitment to sustainable, inclusive tourism. 'By investing in these basic but essential facilities, we are not only enhancing the visitor experience but also supporting local communities and protecting our natural environment for generations to come.' Priority areas for this funding round included alleviating pressures at tourism 'hot spots', promoting environmentally sustainable destinations, enhancing accessibility, and improving the overall visitor experience. The Cabinet Secretary recently visited Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd, which was previously awarded £288,000 from the fund to create an accessible event space within the park. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council invested in transforming an under-utilised area into an event space with an accessible pathway and improved entrance. The space now provides a flexible venue for cultural events and performances, catering to both community needs and visitors. Cllr Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Cabinet Member for Prosperity and Development, said: 'It's fitting the important Brilliant Basics funding was announced following a visit to the new events space in beautiful Ynysangharad War Memorial Park. 'The space was made possible thanks to past Brilliant Basics funding and has been, or will be, used for a range of important community events in the park, including the Big Welsh Bite, VE Day commemorations and, of course, 'the best Eisteddfod ever,' which was held in Pontypridd in 2024 and welcomed tens of thousands of people to the park, to Pontypridd's shops and eateries of Pontypridd and to attractions across our county borough. 'We are pleased to work with the Welsh Government to secure such funding on behalf of Rhondda Cynon Taf and look forward to the opportunities Brilliant Basics will present for Clydach Vale Countryside Park, for which we have secured funding this year.'
Wales Online
08-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
New image of what a proposed Valleys hotel and spa could look like
New image of what a proposed Valleys hotel and spa could look like Plans for the Rock Grounds in Aberdare are undergoing pre planning consultation (Image: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council ) A new image of how a proposed hotel and spa on the site of what were council offices in the Valleys could look has been released. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has released a concept of how the proposed Rock Grounds development in Aberdare could look as the pre-application consultation begins with the proposed use of the site is for a quality hotel, restaurant, bar, and spa and businesses can now find out more and have their say on the proposals. The consultation on the proposals will run until Wednesday, May 28. How council offices look set to be transformed into a new hotel, spa, restaurant and bar In September 2024 the council's cabinet agreed to the council appoint Final Frontier Space Holdings to design, develop, and construct the project. The council said the facilities complementing the new hotel will be available for the community's use and the wider development will preserve the historic Rock Grounds building and its features, keep public car parking to serve the town centre, and keep the Keir Hardie bust. Article continues below An artist impression of the proposed hotel and spa development for the Rock Grounds in Aberdare (Image: Rhondda Cynon Taf Council ) Council staff were previously located at Rock Grounds but were permanently moved away from the site last summer in preparation for the redevelopment. The current phases of the project are funded via the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund but further funding around building the final development will be part of a future report to cabinet. To get all the latest Welsh politics, education and health news, sign up to our newsletter here. The council said that delivering the project will likely require external funding support from the UK Government and/or Welsh Government. Consultant Asbri Planning is hosting the process on a dedicated website which includes a project summary as well as a site plan, plans for the hotel, restaurant, and spa, a design and access statement, and other site surveys and reports. The Rock Grounds building in Aberdare which could soon be a hotel and spa Article continues below People can have their say via email to mail@ or via post by filling in a downloadable form and sending it to Asbri Planning Ltd, Unit 9 Oak Tree Court, Mulberry Drive, Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff, CF23 8RS. As part of the consultation process there will also be a public exhibition event on Tuesday, May 13, from 2pm-6.30pm at Aberdare Library.
