User menu

January 2022

Pinewood House High Street Treorchy being creative during lockdown
The Covid19 pandemic brought the entire world to a standstill and presented new challenges to most people. For the staff and patients of Pinewood House in Treorchy, a community based mental health rehabilitation service, this was no different.

Consultation for the 2022/23 Draft Budget Strategy because of May elections Council Tax only increase by 1% this year?
Cabinet has agreed to progress the Draft Budget Strategy for 2022/23 having considered the detailed proposals on Thursday – and residents can now have their say in a consultation exercise running until February 11. At their meeting on Thursday, January 27, Cabinet considered a report outlining the p

Labour Government still missing in action weeks after Gove cladding announcement
The Labour Government in Cardiff Bay has failed to announce a strategy to fix dangerous cladding on lower-rise buildings in Wales two and a half weeks since the British Government said it would by securing £4bn from developers to do that in England.Michael Gove MP, Levelling Up and Housing Secretary

Innovations in Outpatients at CTM
We are transforming our Outpatient Services to improve access and the health of our communities in CTM.In order to give patients more control over their own care, free up capacity to see patients when they most need to be seen, and reduce the number of appointments which do not add clinical benefit

Construction of the Aberdare Bypass extension

The duelling of the A465 is well underway when completed it will be of benefit to many and hope to prevent the many accidents and loss of life that has happened on this infamous section of the Heads of the Valleys Road.

South Wales Police are asking residents to be vigilant following a spate of suspicious cold caller incidents in MountainAsh.
South Wales Police are asking residents to be vigilant following a spate of suspicious cold caller incidents in

Innovative approach to managing patient flow in Prince Charles Hospital
A new innovative approach to managing patient flow in Prince Charles Hospital has been launched. Safe 2 Start is the brainchild of Patient Flow Manager, Rob Foley.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council have a meeting today 27 January on Coal Tip Safety. Questions put to the council since 2020 Residents need answers
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Environmental Services Scrutiny Committee 14th July 2014 a report from the group director, Environmental Service, The report advises on the current progress since gaining cabinet approval on 22 February 2010 to progress the Albion scheme and provide a general update on the

Three more Flood Reports for three further areas in RCT but no Public Inquiry

The Council has published three more Section 19 Flood Investigation Reports following Storm Dennis – focusing on investigating the flooding that occurred in Treforest, Glyntaff and Hawthorn, and Taff’s Well respectively. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (Section 19) requires the Lead Local Fl

Geraint Hopkins resigns from RCTC Cabinet then Hi welcome to new Independent Board Member for Cwm Taf University Health Board?
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board Chair, Emrys Elias, has welcomed the appointment of new Independent Board Member Geraint Hopkins, by the Minister for Health and Social Services.Following a recent process seeking nominations from each of the three Local Authority areas served by Cwm Taf Mor

Spoil heap management The Coal Authority Report 2014/15
Spoil heap managementBelow is taken fromTHE COAL AUTHORITY ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2014 –15 “Resolving the impacts of miningTo monitor how

A465 Hirwaun to Cefn Coed Overnight Closures
Overnight road closures of the A465 between Hirwaun and Cefn Coed (A470 Junction) Roundabouts will take place on the following dates:•            Monday 31 January from 20:00 until 06:00 on Tuesday 1 February•            Tuesday 1 February from 20:00 until 06:00 on Wednesday 2 February•            W

Vision Products Renews Membership Of Security Initiative
The Council’s award-winning Vision Products has renewed its membership with Secured by Design, the official police security initiative. Secured by Design (SBD) is owned by the UK Police Service with the specific aim of reducing crime and increasing safety for businesses and individuals.

A man from Beddau has been jailed for 32 months for supplying cocaine.
Lee Scarfe, 34, of Clos Meddlyn was arrested on December 16 after officers suspected him of dealing drugs in Pontypridd.Earlier that day, officers spotted Scarfe in a blue Audi carrying out what they suspected to be a drug deal with the driver of a white BMW.They managed to stop and search the drive

Upgrade to culverts on A4061 Rhigos Road, About time
Significant upgrades to existing culverts at A4061 Rhigos Road, near the Tower Colliery site, will be delivered thanks to Welsh Government Resilient Roads funding – secured to tackle the issue of flooding at this location. The upcoming work will replace culverts at two positions close together on th

Council's Draft Budget Strategy? Local council Elections May 5
Following a favourable Local Government Settlement from Welsh Government, Cabinet will consider a Draft Budget Strategy for the Council for 2022/23 – including an extra £11.2m for the schools’ budget, the lowest-ever Council Tax increase for the County Borough and increasing the pay for our staff an

Welsh Ambulance Service to host Board meeting featuring staff story from a 111 Call Handler
THE Welsh Ambulance Service will host its bi-monthly Trust Board meeting next week.The Trust’s Executive and Non-Executive Directors will convene next Thursday 27 January in a virtual event held on the Zoom platform.Proceedings will be broadcast live with members of the public invited to attend and

Welsh Labour’s NHS record-long treatment list balloons again – and that’s before Omicron struck
The Labour-run NHS in Wales entered the winter in a calamitous state, as the record-long treatment waiting list increased again, A&E waits were their second lowest ever, and ambulance response times remain sky-high.Latest Welsh NHS data for November showed the highest ever number of patients wai

Biodiversity value of Welsh coal tips
Insights Wales – Cipolwg Cymru, 26th January 14.30-15.30Colliery spoil, Brownfields, bees and beetles: Liam Olds  Liam Olds is an entomologist and founder of the ‘Colliery Biodiversity Spoil Initative’, an imitative that aims to raise awareness of the ecological importance of colliery spoil tips in

Labour minister ‘living in cloud-cuckoo-land’ over hospitality horror show
Labour’s Economy Minister has been accused of “living in cloud-cuckoo-land” after claiming COVID passports had not had a major impact on hospitality businesses.Vaughan Gething told the Senedd today that there is “no evidence to date it has had a significant impact on the profitability of businesses

St John Baptist High School are going Positively You
Dear Parent / Carer,Pupils will be having input from a company called “Positively You” who will be providing online sessions in lessons on the 31st January 2022.

RCTC new Cabinet Members Confirmed - Jill Bonetto and Gareth Caple to join from Thursday
Council Leader Andrew Morgan has confirmed his intention to appoint Cllr Jill Bonetto and Cllr Gareth Caple as members of his Cabinet team.This move follows the decision earlier

Wales First Minister claims he has “absolutely nothing to apologise for” despite inflicting major damage onto Welsh businesses
In this afternoon’s session of the Senedd, the First Minister claimed he has “absolutely nothing to apologise for” despite his overzealous coronavirus restrictions inflicting irreversible damage onto Welsh businesses.Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies MS called on Mark Drakeford to apologise

Cwm Taf Morgannwg community nurse given prestigious Queen's Nurse accolade
A Cwm Taf Morgannwg nurse has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Nurse accolade for her dedicated work in the community.Andrea Dorrington is the lead nurse for urgent primary care, working with the district nursing and GP out-of-hours services.

Boundary Commission announces Assistant Commissioners 4-person team named to lead Public Hearings
The Boundary Commission for Wales has announced its panel of Assistant Commissioners who will lead the upcoming Public Hearings and report back to Wales’ Boundary Commissioners on the evidence received.The Assistant Commissioners will form the panel of all upcoming Public Hearings before writing the

Just one of the many localised watercourse channel repairs

Work will begin to repair and reconstruct sections of the wall forming banks of the Ordinary Watercourse between Allen Street and Copley Street in Mountain Ash – which have sustained damage across several periods of heavy rainfall.The Council has appointed EDS Marine & Civil Engineering Contract

Have your say on Phase Four of the Tylorstown Landslip project
The next phase of the Tylorstown Landslip project proposes to remediate the remaining tip on the hillside – and residents can now access more details and have their say on this upcoming work in a public consultation.The landslip occurred on the Llanwonno hillside during the unprecedented weather of

£360 raised for South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team
South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team is asking for donations. The goal may be to get them to the surface, but there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make this happen.South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team is a voluntary organisat

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board launches a new feedback system

Today (January 13, 2022) Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTM UHB) launches a new feedback system - CIVICA, for patients to feedback on their experience.CIVICA allows CTM UHB to engage with its community and listen, learn and act upon how the public say the Health Board needs to build on s

Questions raised over new commissioner’s social media background
Welsh Conservatives believe questions need to be answered over the new Children’s Commissioner for Wales’ social media background.Yesterday, it was announced Rocio Cifuentes will be taking over the job from Sally Holland later this year.Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Social Partnership, Joel

Flood alleviation work to start at Mostyn Street in Abercwmboi
The Council will shortly begin a local small scale flood alleviation scheme at Mostyn Street in Abercwmboi, using Council and Welsh Government funding to upgrade the existing infrastructure and reduce the risk of flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.The £95,000 scheme will deliver a series of i

‘Pay as you go’ ticketing to be trialled on trains and buses

Transport for Wales is gearing up to pilot pay-as-you-go ticketing on trains and buses – something the Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly called for.It will mean passengers can tap their bank cards on the barrier gates to travel on trains and buses, similar to the set up in London.Since being elect

A465 Hirwaun to Cefn Coed Weekend Closure will start at 20:00 on Friday 21 January, with the road re-opening at 06:00 on Monday 24 January.
A full weekend road closure of the A465 between Hirwaun and Cefn Coed (A470 Junction) Roundabouts will start at 20:00 on Friday 21 January, with the road re-opening at 06:00 on Monday 24 January.The weekend road closure is required to undertake work that cannot be safely completed whilst the road is

GP Access Plan to end Labour’s NHS crisis?
The NHS crisis that recently led to Wales’ worst A&E waiting times, longest treatment backlog, and slowest ambulance response times on record will only end when the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay improve access to GPs and reduce the barriers doctors face when doing their work.Senedd Conservati

Pupils Say Farewell To Their 'Lollipop Lady'
School Crossing Patrol Officer Carol Evans has hung up her high-viz jacket and her patrol sign for the final time and has retired after an amazing 35-year career at Pontrhondda Primary School.Mrs Evans, 65, of Llwynypia, Rhondda, has helped generations of children safely across the road to and from

A response from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council REF: Coal Tips a Freedom of Information Request
Below is a response from Rhondda Cynon Taf Council under Freedom of Information December 21 2021  Your request for information has been considered in accordance with the Environmental Information Regulations 2004. The Council’s response is set out below: A            The list of all coal tips within

New Director of Midwifery Appointed at Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) UHB

Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) UHB has appointed Suzanne Hardacre as its new Director of Midwifery, Gynaecology and Integrated Sexual Health.Suzanne joins CTM from Cardiff and Vale UHB where she has been Head of Midwifery and Gynaecology Nursing since 2015.

Bag Snatch Treorchy on Tuesday, January 4 Police in Rhondda are appealing for information
Police in Rhondda are appealing for informatio

Hospital services suspended as another health board falls to staff shortages
Gwent’s health board has become the latest in Wales to cut its services to the public amid staff shortages, as Covid continues to highlight the long-standing, chronic staff shortages in the Labour-run NHS. This includes reducing hours at Aneurin Bevan Health Board’s minor injuries unit at Ysbyty Yst

Police Officers in Aberdare are appealing for information after damage was caused to the Aberdare RFC spectator stand.
PoliceOfficers in Aberdare are appealing for information after damage was caused to the Aberdare RFC spectator stand.Seats were damaged along with speaker equipment and a refreshments area, which is expected to cost the club thousands of pounds to fix.The damage was reported by the club on Thursday,

26 yeas after Aberfan in 1992 no lessons learnt 56 years after Aberfan and no lessons learnt WHY no information?

Provisional figures taken from the Law Commission they report, there are 2,144 identified coal tips in Wales. Just over 70% of tips, 1,574 in total are on private land or of unknown ownership. Local authorities own 354 tips (17%), and 183 (9%) are managed by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).