Rhiannon James

Albert Bowers and Jessie Cole, who were convicted over the death of police officer Andrew Harper while fleeing a quad-bike theft in Berkshire in 2019, are reportedly set to be excluded from the Government’s early-release scheme. Under current rules, they could have been released next year after serving 40% of their 13-year sentences. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has asked Justice Secretary Alex Norris to review the policy, with secondary legislation reportedly planned to amend sentencing law. The changes follow public and police criticism of early release and would build on Harper’s Law, which introduced mandatory life sentences for people convicted of killing emergency workers while committing a crime.

Caerphilly County Borough Council has granted permanent planning permission for the £4.6 million Ffos Caerfilli container-style market, which is under construction and expected to open in autumn 2023. The development will include shops, restaurants, bars, offices for start-ups, covered seating, green-roof features and space for pop-up stalls. Supporters say it will create jobs, regenerate the town centre and increase footfall, while opponents objected to limited community engagement, the design, its emphasis on food and drink, and a proposed 12-foot boundary fence. Funding comes from the council, Welsh Government and UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The project is part of the Caerphilly 2035 Masterplan and is linked to plans to replace the existing indoor market with flats.

Residents of Graig Y Fedw say they have lost independence because a high kerb prevents elderly and disabled people from safely accessing the village. Robert Morgan, who uses a mobility scooter because of hereditary neuropathy, says a dropped kerb requested two years earlier was abandoned after engineers identified problems involving a retaining wall. Jackie Cartwright says her disabled 79-year-old father has been unable to use his scooter since late 2022. The council says the location is unsuitable because of engineering difficulties but is exploring other options with local councillor John Roberts, who represents the area.

Newport City Council approved its 2023/24 budget, including an 8.5% council tax increase, three-weekly bin collections and switching most street lights off from midnight to 6am. The tax rise, reduced services and reliance on reserves drew criticism from Conservative, independent and Green councillors during a cost-of-living crisis. The council defended the budget as sustainable and necessary to protect vulnerable residents, citing financial pressures and Welsh recycling expectations. Several proposed cuts and charges were withdrawn, including reductions at Oaklands respite centre, countryside car-park charges and replacement-bin fees, while reduced provision at Spring Gardens will proceed. The budget passed by 34 votes to 15.

Caerphilly’s proposed container-style market in Park Lane has received temporary planning permission and is expected to open in September 2023, with construction due to begin in March. The development will include 28 small commercial units, bars and restaurants, pop-up stalls, event space, outdoor seating and offices for start-up businesses. The Welsh Government will fund 70% of the £1.89 million project through its Transforming Towns programme, with the remainder paid by Caerphilly County Borough Council. The market forms part of the Caerphilly 2035 masterplan and may eventually be named “Y Ffos.” Informal plans also exist to demolish the current indoor market and replace it with flats.

Funding has been secured for a temporary new market in Caerphilly town centre, subject to approval of a planning application submitted in October 2022. The development on Cardiff Road, at the former Specsavers site, is planned to include 28 commercial units, seven bars and restaurants, 15 pop-up stalls, event space and covered outdoor seating, with an anticipated opening in early summer 2023. The project is backed by the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme and Caerphilly Council’s Caerphilly 2035 Place Making Programme. It follows plans to redevelop the existing 100-year-old indoor market and adjoining properties for offices and approximately 74 flats.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board received 3,300 complaints between July 2021 and June 2022, including 430 responses that exceeded its 30-day target. The board employs 12 staff dedicated to complaints and faced 32 new ombudsman investigations. Councillor Kevin Etheridge called for an investigation into the volume and delays, while the board apologised and attributed some delays to NHS-wide operational pressures, staff absences and limited clinician availability. Health Minister Eluned Morgan said complaints are essential for learning and noted that increasingly complex cases and continued pressure on NHS staff were contributing to longer investigations.

Married couple Adam and Rhydian Birkinshaw-Bird are standing as Welsh Labour candidates in the Llanbradach ward during Caerphilly County Borough Council’s May 2022 elections. Both became involved in politics through local campaigning and community work, and they say residents have responded positively to their joint candidacy. Rhydian prioritises creating youth and community opportunities, while Adam focuses on environmental initiatives such as green bus stops. They are competing against Plaid Cymru candidates Gary Enright and Colin Mann, alongside incumbent councillor Rob Gough and group leader Colin Mann.

Newport City Council approved plans to cover a large stained-glass artwork in the refurbished Newport Market with a cream banner for advertising and projection purposes. Artist Catrin Jones called the decision an insult and argued that the artwork is an important part of Newport’s identity, while conservation officials warned that the banner would reduce lighting and harm the listed building’s character. Seven councillors supported the application and two opposed it. The decision revived memories of the backlash over the demolition of Newport’s historic Chartist mural in 2013, although further market expansion plans were also approved.

Caerphilly residents will vote on May 5, 2022, to elect county borough councillors and members of the area’s community and town councils. The article explains that councils oversee services including education, housing, social care, transport, waste, planning, environmental health and economic development. It outlines how wards and votes work, distinguishes county borough councils from community councils, and describes council funding through council tax, Welsh Government grants and business rates. It also notes Caerphilly’s 1.9% council tax increase for 2022/23, historically low turnout of 36.3% in 2017, and a pilot allowing voters to cast ballots in advance at Ty Penallta on April 30 and May 1.

A fire at Woodfieldside playground near Hall Street in Blackwood on March 25 caused extensive damage to playground equipment and rubber flooring. The facility, which had been reinstated only two years earlier, is expected to remain closed for several months, with damage estimated at tens of thousands of pounds. Gwent Police is appealing for witnesses, while Caerphilly County Borough Council assesses repair and replacement costs.

Caerphilly County Borough may contain at least 200 unlicensed houses in multiple occupation, despite the council’s register listing only eight licensed HMOs. The issue has become more prominent as landlords divide homes into rented rooms, while demand for low-cost accommodation rises. Councillors and residents objected to a proposed 25-room HMO in Trinant, citing parking, antisocial behaviour, loss of family housing and the village’s poor public transport. Planning officers said those concerns were not material planning grounds for refusal and recommended approval. The application was approved by eight votes to five, highlighting the council’s limited ability to control HMO expansion without better information about unlicensed properties or evidence of overconcentration.