News
New bill will improve access to housing in Wales
THE HOUSING (Wales) Bill, published by the Welsh Government, has been welcomed by the WLGA as a real opportunity to improve people’s access to good quality housing in Wales. Commenting on the new bill, Cllr Dyfed Edwards, WLGA Spokesperson for Housing said:
“The WLGA supports the ambition set out within this new legislation, which is wide in scope and focuses on a number of fundamental issues affecting people’s lives in Wales.
“Local government is now committed to working with Welsh Government and other partners to deliver the changes outlined in the new legislation, many of which will reinforce and support the work which is on-going within local councils across Wales. Councils specifically welcome the increased emphasis on preventing homelessness which is at the heart of this new bill, as well as the reform of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy System which offers councils a clear opportunity to increase the financial resources that they have available to improve housing stock and potentially build new homes.
“While some of the changes proposed by the new legislation can clearly be introduced without requiring additional resources, some aspects of the legislation will undoubtedly be challenging for local authorities to deliver within the current financial climate. The WLGA will now test ‘deliverability’ of the new legislation with local authorities, and continue to work closely with Welsh Government to increase access to good quality housing in Wales.”
Cllr Aaron Shotton, WLGA Spokesperson for Finance added:
“Many households are already struggling as a result of the poor economic climate, and there is a real fear that welfare reforms such as the ‘bedroom tax’ will add to this misery, and increase the number of families facing homelessness in Wales. Against this backdrop, it is vital that Welsh Government, local authorities and their wider partners do more to prevent homelessness, and to take early action to limit the hugely negative impacts that being made homeless can have, particularly on children.
“The additional funding that has been identified in the Welsh Government’s budget for 2015-16 will enable an increased focus on preventative services and must be welcomed, and we look forward to continued discussions with the Minister to ensure that local councils have the resources required to deliver the ambition of this new bill.”
Cllr Lynda Thorne, WLGA Deputy Spokesperson for Housing said:
“Building more affordable homes is very important, but we also need to make the best use of existing housing, including housing within the private rented sector. This legislation will help us to work more closely with landlords to improve the private rented sector, which is becoming an increasingly important part of the housing market. We welcome the proposal to introduce a registration and accreditation scheme for all landlords and letting and management agents in Wales as one means of improving standards. Cardiff Council has been running a voluntary registration scheme for landlords for a number of years and we believe it has proven effective in developing better relationships with landlords, and helped to improve housing conditions in the city.”
Business
Thousands of homes in rural Wales gain from faster 4G boost
RURAL Wales is seeing a major upgrade in mobile connectivity, with faster 4G now live in several areas. Seven locations across North, South West, and West Wales are benefitting from new 4G mast upgrades funded by the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN), aimed at closing the digital gap between rural and urban areas.
The upgrades, which went live on Thursday (Nov 14), bring improved 4G coverage to communities including Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park, and Bontgoch. Local businesses, emergency services, and residents are expected to benefit from faster internet access, which supports daily communication, business opportunities, and economic growth.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for modern life and should be available from Cardiff to the remotest parts of Wales. Today’s upgrades bring us closer to making this a reality.”
SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION
As part of the rollout, Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visited Ebbw Vale to discuss digital inclusion with charity and industry leaders. They met with representatives at BGfm, a digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, to learn about how connectivity impacts daily life in Welsh communities.
Telecoms Minister Bryant said: “We are working tirelessly to make sure rural communities aren’t left behind online.
“These upgrades mean businesses can now operate without connectivity limitations, 999 services are better equipped to respond, and residents and tourists can stay connected across the Welsh countryside.”
ADDRESSING CONNECTIVITY GAPS
An estimated 1.5 million homes across the UK remain without internet access, limiting people’s ability to access essential services such as banking and healthcare. In addition to the SRN upgrades, the Chancellor has allocated over £500 million in next year’s budget for digital infrastructure expansion, targeting these underserved areas.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly for rural Wales, where fast, reliable internet can be transformative.
“Connectivity is critical for day-to-day life in rural areas – from supporting local businesses to ensuring emergency services are just a call away,” Stevens said.
The upgraded masts, previously limited to EE customers and emergency 999 calls, now serve a wider user base, bringing essential internet access to more people without requiring new infrastructure.
Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, said: “With the activation of five new SRN sites, Wales is seeing the tangible benefits of the Shared Rural Network, bringing crucial connectivity to rural communities.”
GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN REMOTE WALES
The improvements come alongside a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties, helping future-proof digital access in even the most isolated locations.
The latest upgrades mark another step in the Government’s mission to improve mobile coverage and close the connectivity gap across Wales, creating opportunities and supporting economic growth across rural communities.
News
Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children
A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.
The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.
Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.
During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.
MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.
Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.
Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.
Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.
Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.
MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.
News
Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home
A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.
Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).
In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.
PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”
This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.
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