local news

A blue plaque is being unveiled in Aberdare to honour Ceridwen Brown, who led an attack on Merthyr Tydfil Unemployed Assistance Board office during protests against the Means Test in 1935.   Brown was the first woman ever to be nominated as a parliamentary candidate for the Aberdare constituency, nominated in both 1929 and 1931. […]

Wales’ Final Budget for 2024 to 2025 has been published, as persistently high inflation continues to erode public finances and difficult choices are made to protect core services. This Final Budget updates the Draft Budget proposals which were published in December. Those proposals had to take into consideration the most difficult financial situation faced since devolution, […]

Nearly all British children experience a bereavement by the age of sixteen and an estimated 16,100 children experienced the death of a parent from COVID-19 associated causes between March 2020 and February 2023. Through news and social media, young people are exposed to more conversations about death than ever before. Yet, there is currently no […]

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet has agreed to continue the Council’s Local Business Rate Reduction Scheme for another year – to grant an estimated 500 businesses that qualify for Welsh Government’s Retail, Leisure and Hospitality scheme with additional rate relief of up to £500.  The Retail, Leisure and Hospitality (RLH) Rates Relief in Wales Scheme […]

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet has agreed details of the Council’s capital programme for the next three years – plus a one-off, targeted investment of £19.29m for 2024/25 priority areas including highways, unadopted roads, structures, parks, green spaces, flood alleviation and play areas.  The funding includes specific allocations for the Coed Ely Solar Farm, rock […]

The Treherbert line will reopen for passengers on Monday 26 February following nine months of transformational works to upgrade part of the South Wales Metro. Initially, the service will return to two trains per hour, with brand-new Class 756 trains being introduced later this year, as part of the South Wales Metro works. As a thanks […]

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has now published details of its Preferred Strategy for the Revised Local Development Plan (2022-2037) – and residents are invited to have their say on what is proposed in an eight-week consultation which is now underway.  The LDP is a statutory land use planning document which sets out a future vision […]

The free virtual festival gives those with life-limiting and chronic illnesses the chance to access an inclusive live-streamed music and dance festival Daring to Dream, the charity that supports the emotional health and wellbeing of patients in Wales, is holding its third virtual festival allowing those with life-limiting or chronic illnesses to enjoy a live-streamed […]

Residents can now view draft proposals for Phase Four of the Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route, as part of a public consultation exercise. The shared path for pedestrians and cyclists could run along the old railway line in Ferndale.  The overall Rhondda Fach Active Travel Route will create a 10km shared pedestrian and cycle path […]

Members of Colstars Youth Theatre, based in Aberdare are the first winners of a new community award launched by local MP Beth Winter. From singing for charity to taking leading parts within the community, Colstars Youth Theatre group has made a lasting contribution to life in Cynon Valley over many years. Over the past five […]

Pupils at Aberaman’s Oakland Primary School will enjoy lessons in a new outdoor space, ‘Den Darllen’, in a bid to enhance a love of literacy and reading amongst the 200 young learners. The school has developed the outdoor area, which will be used specifically for all children aged 7-11, in a bid to spark and […]

Five-year-old Abigail has raised more than £2,000 for Hope Rescue by undertaking a sponsored walk in her local area. Last September, Abigail underwent lower limb surgery and spent 10 weeks in casts. She undertook her two-mile sponsored challenge in her walker, and this was the furthest she had ever walked. Abigail wanted to make a […]