Swansea
Leader Issue 107
May 2017 inside
Newspaper of the City and County of Swansea
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• OUR SPLASH: It’s not every day youngsters can learn to swim with a gold medal-winner. But that’s what Paralympian Chloe Davies is doing at Wales National Pool Swansea. There’s more on page 10. Picture by Jason
Rogers
SWANSEA city centre’s transformation into a leading destination for retail, leisure, recreation and business is making considerable progress. An outline planning application for the St David’s development site has been submitted, work will start later this year on improving The Kingsway, and a development brief inviting proposals to regenerate Castle Square is now being put together. Rivington Land is managing the redevelopment of the St David’s site for Swansea Council. Made up of the former St David’s shopping centre and the LC car park, plans include a digital indoor arena, shops, restaurants, a boutique cinema, a hotel, plenty of car parking spaces and a broad pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road. The development brief for Castle Square will set
Kingsway plans
Our city centre shaping-up to be a dream destination DEMOLITION of Kingsway’s former Oceana nightclub building will soon be complete, with work to start later this year on a scheme to considerably improve Kingsway’s look and feel. Plans include more green areas and the replacement of the current one-way traffic system with a two-way system, along with the removal of the dedicated bus lane.
out a number of key objectives, including more greenery, the retention of the same amount of public space, and continued availability for events. Phil Holmes, Swansea Council’s Head of Planning and Regeneration, said: “Swansea city centre is important - not just for Swansea residents and visitors, but also as an economic driver for the Swansea Bay City Region.
“The city centre has been in decline because of factors including internet shopping and out-of-town retail parks, but as well as a planning policy we have in place that guards against the development of out-of-town retail parks in future, we’ve also identified a number of schemes that will help reverse the decline. “The mixed-use development planned for the St David’s site will boost the retail and leisure offer, while ideas for Castle Square could see it transformed into a more vibrant and aesthetically pleasing space at the heart of the city centre. “It’s also clear the city centre needs more footfall to attract the levels of spending that will generate new investment, so an employment district on Kingsway is among the plans we have that will lead to far more people living and working in the city centre.”
Airshow Return of the Red Arrows at national show page 3
High 5 Join Leon in his search for the stars page 9
Swansea all your council information at www.swansea.gov.uk
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May 2017
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useful numbers Active Swansea Leisure centres
Penlan 01792 588079 Morriston 01792 797082 Penyrheol 01792 897039 Cefn Hengoed 01792 798484 Pentrehafod 01792 641935 Bishopston Sports Centre 01792 235040
Pothole repair teams are keeping us on the move
Highways Sewers - 24 hours 0800 0855937 Drainage - Mon to Fri 01792 636121 Damage to roads etc 0800 132081 Other highways issues 01792 843330 Housing Main number 01792 636000 Repairs (out of hrs tenants) 01792 521500 Social Services General Inquiries 01792 636110 Child, family access, investigation team 01792 635700 Elderly disabled intake team 01792 636519 Child disability, family support 01792 635700 Education Main number 01792 636560 Environment 01792 635600 Main council switchboard 01792 636000
The Swansea Leader is the newspaper of the Council of the City and County of Swansea The City and County of Swansea do not accept any liability or the endorsement of any products or services advertised in the Swansea Leader.
OUR city’s PATCH road repair team is gearing up for their annual Grand Tour of Swansea this month. All 34 wards will get a visit from the team for up to a fortnight as part of the council’s continuing commitment to road repairs and filling in potholes within 48 hours of being reported. Last month roads on Gower saw a blitz of road repairs in places like Ilston, Burry Green, Scurlage and Llangennith ahead of the start of the summer invasion of visitors to some of Britain’s most scenic sites. Potholes around the city are being repaired at the rate of about 100 a
investment that makes a difference HAVE a look at www.swansea.gov.uk/patch to see when the team is in your neck of the woods. Residents can report road defects online and if they leave an email address, highways staff will send them an email with pictures when the work has been completed. The report form can be found at www.swansea.gov.uk/potholes
week with well over 90% of them treated within 48 hours of being reported. Stuart Davies, Swansea Council’s Head of Highways and Transportation, said that the pothole pledge will continue over the coming months. He said: “Swansea Council has invested an extra £1m in highway
maintenance this year and some of the extra cash has gone into supporting the dedicated Pothole Repair Teams. “It’s on top of the regular road maintenance teams and the PATCH team, whose job it is to visit every ward before the end of the year to target and repair road defects.” Since the pothole 48-hour pledge
was launched last summer more than 3,000 potholes have been filled in and resident feedback has been very positive. Almost 94% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the way their pothole request was handled and 93% said the pothole was filled within 48 hours. Mr Davies said: “Wherever you go potholes are a perennial problem but, according to the Welsh Government’s independent statistics, Swansea roads are among the best looked-after in Wales. “We’re determined to keep up this work over the coming months and this summer the PATCH team will be as busy as ever.”
May - July 2017 Animal Zone: Bug’s Life 30 - 31 May and 1 June Plantasia 01792 474555 Lost Treasures of Swansea Bay 16 May - 13 August Swansea Museum 01792 653763 Writing for Children with Eloise Williams 27 May Dylan Thomas Centre 01792 463980
For more great events visit: enjoyswanseabay.com
Active Kids Half Term Holiday Activities 29 May - 2 June Active Swansea Leisure Centres activeswansea.com
Swansea International Jazz Festival 15 - 18 June Dylan Thomas Centre & Dylan Thomas Theatre jazzwales.com
Mediaeval Living History Day 31 May Oystermouth Castle 01792 635458
Wales Airshow 1 & 2 July Swansea Bay walesnationalairshow.com
George Ezra Top Secret Tour 3 June Brangwyn 01792 635428
enjoyswanseabay.com
Contact Swansea Leader To contact the news team call 01792 636092
• DOWN YOUR WAY: Our PATCH teams will be in your neighbourhood this summer
Dance Days 8 & 9 July Various Venues 01792 602060 Swansea Special Festival 11 & 12 July Swansea University 01792 635428 SWANSEA – CANDIDATE CITY ABERTAWE – DINAS YMGEISIOL
May 2017
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Glynn Vivian is a recycling star
• FLY PAST: The world’s most famous aerobatic display team in action at last year’s show.
Picture by Stephanie Rutt
WORLD class aerobatic displays will soon be thrilling hundreds of thousands of people in the skies above Swansea. The RAF’s Red Arrows and Typhoon display teams have already been confirmed for the Wales Airshow, one of the UK’s biggest free events, which is being held on Saturday July 1 and Sunday July 2. Swansea University is sponsoring this year’s Wales Airshow. Attracting more than 200,000 spectators last year, it’s estimated the event is worth millions of pounds to Swansea’s economy. Frances Jenkins, Swansea Council’s Strategic Manager for
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Let’s enjoy airshow highs as Red Arrows return OTHER forthcoming events include the Swansea Comic and Gaming Convention 2017 at the Brangwyn on May 27, the Swansea Museum classic motorbike show on June 11, Footloose at the Grand Theatre from June 19 to June 24, and Olly Murs live at Singleton Park on August 12. Have a look at www.enjoyswanseabay.com for more information.
Culture, Tourism, Marketing and Events, said: “The Airshow, being held this summer for the third consecutive year, is a major event that forms part of our hugely varied Enjoy Swansea Bay programme of events and activities. “As well as providing residents and visitors with world class entertainment, the Airshow is also an
important event for businesses because of the extra footfall and spending it generates. The Wales Airshow is now a key anchor event in our annual events calendar.” As well as aerial displays, groundbased entertainment will also form part of this summer’s Airshow, with other participating aircraft due to be confirmed over coming weeks.
Other events soon taking place include Clyne in Bloom throughout May, a medieval living history day at Oystermouth Castle on Saturday May 27, and the Swansea Triathlon on Sunday May 28. Featuring 40 events in 15 venues across the Maritime Quarter, the Swansea International Jazz Festival is also returning to the city from Thursday June 15 to Sunday June 18. Singer Ruby Turner, well-known for her collaborations with Jools Holland, is among the performers taking part. Armed Forces Day is being held in Castle Square on June 24 before the JCP Swansea Marathon makes its return on Sunday June 25.
FIGURES show 82.9% of its waste was recycled, 12.1% was converted into energy and 1.8% was either prevented or re-used. These are among the reasons why the refurbishment of Swansea’s Glynn Vivian Art Gallery has been highlighted by Construction Excellence in Wales as an example of best practice. Tasked with producing a better built environment, Construction Excellence in Wales says that in reaching a re-use, recycling or other material recovery rate of 96.6%, the Glynn Vivian project shows how achievable the present Welsh Government target of 70% isproject. The Glynn Vivian refurbishment was one of a number of projects across Wales to have participated in the Enabling Zero Waste initiative, with Construction Excellence Wales providing technical advice and guidance.
Brighter summer set to bloom HUNDREDS of hanging baskets will be on display across Swansea this summer. With spring now breaking, Swansea Council says it has already received orders for 700 hanging baskets from residents and businesses across the city. Mark Russ, from Swansea Council’s parks and cleansing service, said: “In addition to all the work the parks service does across the city throughout the year to make Swansea as aesthetically pleasing as possible, we also run a very popular hanging basket scheme that many residents and businesses make the most of every summer.”
Busy car parks get a £100k makeover A NUMBER of city car parks have been resurfaced as part of a £100,000 makeover. The six Swansea Council-run car parks which got a new surface include Salubrious Passage, Pell Street, East Burrows, The Dairy – Mumbles and Brighton Road, Gorseinon. Stuart Davies, Head of Highways and Transportation, said: “These are relatively small surface car parks but they are regularly used and it’s important that we make sure they are fit for purpose.”
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May 2017
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Schools’ Cabbies back safeguarding drive time to shine
CABBIES have given the green light to a free Keeping communities safe training session to help them play a part in safeguarding vulnerable people in Swansea. MORE than 5,000 of the council’s own More than 200 drivers have attended the course run employees - from plumbers and carpenters to accountants and call-centre operators – have by specialist social services staff from Swansea also undergone training. Council so far. The council will also be looking to extend And many of those who have now been trained-up SOLAR panels are to be so they know what to do if they are worried about the the offer of training beyond cabbies to other groups of private sector workers in the future. installed at six schools in safety of a child or a vulnerable adult say the course To find out more about safeguarding in Swansea to reduce their carbon was invaluable. Swansea go to footprint and provide Driver Nigel Lucas said: “I think every driver www.swansea.gov.uk/safeguardingadults or opportunities for pupils to learn should do it to get the message out there. I’m glad I www.swansea.gov.uk/safeguardingchildren about the environment and the went.” technology used. operating in the city over the coming months. Swansea Council is aiming to provide the free-ofSwansea Council is behind More than 5,000 of the council’s own employees charge 90-minute sessions to all 1,100 cabbies the scheme that will also see panels installed at the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery. The council is investing around £200,000 and estimates the panels will pay for themselves within 10 years and then provide an income for the authority in the years after that. Feasibility studies were carried out to identify schools where they would work most efficiently, with factors including the suitability of the roof areas and the capacity of the local electricity network. The schools where they will be installed will be Pentrechwyth Primary, Talycopa Primary, Bishopston Primary, Cilla Primary, St Thomas Primary and Olchfa Comprehensive. The scheme fits in with Swansea Council’s Energy Strategy and commitment to reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in council owned buildings. It also fits with the Welsh Government target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for all local authorities across the country.
Call for cleaner streets CITY centre businesses are being urged to manage their commercial waste properly or face enforcement action. The advice by Swansea Council follows another St Helen’s Road business that has been handed a fine and costs of more than £1,500. A number of fixed penalties have also been issued recently in relation to commercial waste left on The Strand. A spokesman for the council said: “Hopefully these cases will send out a message to other businesses that dumping your waste irresponsibly is unacceptable.” The council spends more than £2m a year keeping city streets clean and dealing with fly-tipping.
from plumbers and carpenters to accountants and call-centre operators – have also undergone training. The council will also be looking to extend the offer of training to other key groups of workers in the future. Jane Harries, from the council’s Housing and Public Protection Service said: “We are very pleased with the feedback we have had so far from the drivers who have attended and we are grateful that they took the time and effort to attend. “Swansea Council believes safeguarding the vulnerable in our communities should be everyone’s top priority and taxi drivers can play an important role because they see a lot going on from behind the wheel of their vehicles.”
• AT YOUR SERVICE: Rachel Richards is loving the challenge of working at the Victoria Park Kiosk.
Our teams are serving up great community spirit If Swansea Council’s Work Development Service holds a celebratory lunch to mark its 10th birthday it could do a lot worse than choose the small café and kiosk it runs at Victoria Park as the venue. With homemade corned beef pie, chips and gravy at £2.75 among popular daily specials it won’t break the bank. The kiosk is one of seven projects the WDS runs or has developed to assist people with learning disabilities or mental health issues find and keep a job, while at the same time supporting council departments. In that time more than 245 people
Our magnificent seven services AMONG the super seven services provided by the WDS are the Community Pods which tackle issues such as overgrowth, litter and directing members of the public to other council services. The well-known NEAT community clean-up project has grown to seven teams covering every ward in Swansea, the city. The Bike Upcycling project sees bikes that are donated or discarded stripped down to create new ones that are then donated to schools and other good causes.
have been helped into employment as a result of the training provided and confidence they have gained. Angela Hann, who supports the kiosk, said: “We tailor the working pattern to suit the individual so if they have skills in a particular area we help them thrive. What I really enjoy is seeing the positive change in our
clients and how they grow – you see a total different person.” Rachel Richards, who has been at the kiosk since September, said: “I’ve learned lots of new skills and I enjoy meeting the customers. It can be busy but I really enjoy coming into work.” Debora Webb, manager of the service and projects, said that as well
as the kiosk other service projects include the recycling team which works with Swansea Waste to sort through recycling received at the baling plant to make sure that everything that can be recycled in Swansea is recycled. She said: “The Grounds Maintenance Team supports the elderly in maintaining their gardens and charities such as the Penllergare Trust in work they do. “The allotments at the Fforestfach Nursery grow fresh fruit and vegetables year round for use at outlets such as the kiosk and works with students and schools to help teach the importance of healthy eating and wellbeing.”
May 2017
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Get in running for Admiral 10k FITNESS fanatics, charity fundraisers and New Year’s resolution makers can set their clocks for the Admiral Swansea Bay 10k Swansea Council has confirmed that the Admiral Swansea Bay 10k will be returning to the city on Sunday September 24. First introduced in 1981, the 10k has attracted many hundreds of thousands of competitors of all ages and fitness levels over the years and Admiral has decided to continue to sponsor the event. Geraint Jones, Chief Financial Officer at Admiral, said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Admiral Swansea Bay 10k race for another three years.” Visit www.swanseabay10k.com for updates on the 2017 Admiral Swansea Bay 10k.
Residents warned on cold callers • INSIDE TRACK: The city centre arena will be a centre-piece of our City of Culture 2021 plans
Now we can all back City of Culture bid HOT on the heels of signing the City Deal, Swansea has bid for UK City of Culture 2021 status. Hailed as a culture-led regeneration programme, the UK City of Culture status will see the successful city follow in the footsteps of Liverpool, Glasgow, Hull and Derry. In Swansea, creativity and innovation are key drivers behind proposals to transform the city centre, with Swansea Council having worked closely alongside partners and local groups over the last year to ensure a cultural strategy forms part of the vision. The council says securing UK City of Culture status will give this work
Making most of our assets is a top priority CARMARTHENSHIRE and Neath Port Talbot councils, Swansea University, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, ABMU, Swansea City AFC, Swansea BID andlocal businesses are backing the bid. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport will see final bids from shortlisted cities to be submitted by the end of September. a new dimension by unlocking millions of pounds more funding that would enable city residents and visitors to enjoy a huge variety of events, festivals, touring productions and community-based projects. Among the regeneration plans for Swansea is the installation of world class digital infrastructure that will offer greater bandwidth and connectivity for all sorts of businesses and communities to benefit from.
This includes a digital square, offering unparalleled access to information and research, as well as a new indoor arena with state-of-theart digital capability. Other proposals include a digital district on The Kingsway where creative industries will benefit from cutting-edge digital infrastructure. Swansea narrowly missed out on the UK City of Culture 2017 title to Hull, but the council and its partners have been building long-term
partnerships, policy commitments and strategies to ensure the case for UK City of Culture 2021 status is even stronger. Tracey McNulty, Head of Cultural Services at Swansea Council, said: “With limited time and funding, the success of the team in 2013 in getting us to the shortlist for UK City of Culture 2017 demonstrates the support that there is in Swansea for culture. “Developing new opportunities through the UK City of Culture programme for our poorest and most disadvantaged communities to participate, create, share and benefit from cultural and creative activity is central to our bid. We want all our communities to benefit, especially our young people.”
Landmark surrendering every day ONE of our city’s best-loved landmarks has thrown open its gates to the public for the summer season. Oystermouth Castle overlooking the community of Mumbles, will be open to the public between 11am and 5pm every day until September 30. Swansea Council and the Friends of Oystermouth Castle run the attraction. Features of the castle include ancient artwork from the 14th Century, a 30-foot high glass bridge and private staircases leading from vaults to rooms once used as banqueting halls.
Erika Kluge, Oystermouth Castle Community Officer at Swansea Council, said: “The council works hard alongside the Friends of Oystermouth Castle, not just to maintain the historic attraction but also to arrange a number of family-friendly events every summer. “Many thousands of people visited Oystermouth Castle last summer to enjoy a selection of activities, so we’re hopeful a similar figure will follow suit this year. “The castle offers a first class visitor experience
that’s as fun as it is educational. “As well as boosting heritage tourism in Swansea, the success story of the castle’s use also supports our bid for UK City of Culture 2021 status.” A major conservation scheme was recently carried out at Oystermouth Castle with funds from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Welsh Government through Cadw and the European Regional Development Fund. The scheme was supported by the Friends of Oystermouth Castle.
TRADING Standards officers are urging residents to use common sense and caution when agreeing to have odd jobs and home improvements completed. The call comes as the evenings are lighter and people are being contacted by traders and companies who are cold calling at households in the city. The advice also follows a complaint from a resident in Dunvant who recently informed Swansea Council of a company that was knocking on doors in an area which has previously declared itself a ‘no cold calling zone’. More info at www.swansea.gov.uk/tradingst andards
One-stop shop has all the answers MORE services for young people than ever before are now available at Info-Nation on The Kingsway. Aimed at young people between 11 and 25, it’s a onestop shop providing free and confidential information and advice on a range of subjects including sexual health, relationships, substance misuse and finding work. Have a look at www.infonation.org.uk foe more information or call 01792 484010.
Eye spy fly-tippers COVERT cameras have been installed at a number of fly tipping hot spots in Swansea in a bid to reduce illegal fly tipping Swansea Council hopes the cameras will help to identify anyone dumping waste at any of the sites so they can be prosecuted. The cameras will also help deter people from considering illegally dumping waste in the areas.
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Apprentices applications HUNDREDS of people applied for apprenticeship positions in plumbing, electrics, carpentry, plastering and bricklaying at Swansea Council. The council is looking for 12 new apprentices in its corporate building and property services department, who will help work on projects including the installation of new bathrooms and kitchens in council houses, the construction of new council homes and the upkeep of tourist facilities on Gower. Successful candidates after testing will be invited to take up their four-year positions in September. Martin Nicholls, Director of Place at Swansea Council, said: “The number of apprenticeship applications speaks volumes for the popularity and reputation of the apprenticeship positions at the council.”
Cinema with proper view BACK by popular demand at Oystermouth Castle this year is the giant cinema. Russell Crowe’s Gladiator will be among the movies on offer thanks to a partnership between Swansea Council and The Luna Cinema. The movie, starring Russell Crowe, will be shown at the castle during the evening of Wednesday September 13. Mamma Mia, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, will then be shown during the evening of Thursday September 14. Tickets for both movies are on sale at www.thelunacinema.co m
Make your voice heard RESIDENTS who want to have their say on council services and local issues can join our Swansea Voices citizens’ panel. The Council has been successfully operating the Panel since 1999. Its membership is regularly refreshed to ensure the Panel continues to be representative of the County's population and to give as many people as possible the opportunity to take part. Apply at:www.swansea.gov.u k/article/7002/Swanse a-Voices
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May 2017
Residents get the hang of recycling changes WHEN is plastic not plastic? Or rather - what plastics can be recycled and which ones can’t? Some residents have been asking this question since changes were introduced earlier in the year to kerbside plastic collections. Everyone helping the council to recycle is being asked to avoid putting plastic bags and plastic film into the pink bag collections. For some it might feel like a backward step but it’s vital that the Council responds to the changing requirements of reprocessors so we can make the most of the plastic that is collected. Chris Howell, Head of Waste in Swansea Council said: “Residents are doing a fantastic job recycling their plastic. It’s great to see so many pink bags on the streets on collection day and a clear indication that households are doing the right thing. “The recent changes to what can go in the bags are important because we pass the plastics to third party recycling companies and the quality of the plastic they receive needs to be as high as possible. Items such as plastic bags, wrapping and plastic film are a very low grade of plastic and are no longer wanted by many of the recycling companies.” The Council also plans to roll-out plans to introduce re-usable pink sacks across the city an improved way of collecting plastic. Mr Howell said: “We know that the single-use pink bags, even when full of plastic, can be quite light in weight and because of this, they can get blown around streets during severe and windy weather. The new reusable sacks are similar to the existing garden sacks and also have a weighted base which helps prevent them from being blown away. By 2020, Welsh councils will need to recycle 64% of waste produced.
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• IN THE PINK: We’re making it as easy as possible to recycle
• WHY can't I put plastic film & bags into pink bags? So we can recycle the plastic in the UK we must separate the film/bags from the more rigid plastic packaging because of new requirements from the recycling companies. • PLASTIC bags are recyclable, why do I have to remove them from the pink bag? When these materials are mixed in with the higher value rigid plastic items such as bottles tubs and trays it is extremely difficult to separate and they also gets caught in the machinery in the recycling plants causing lots of problems. • WHERE do I put my plastic film/bags now? These items will have to go into your black bag. Ultimately, this
decision to remove film and bags will safeguard recycling collection services in the long-term. • CAN I put my plastic bags anywhere else? Some of the major supermarkets have collection points for carrier bags at their stores. • DOES this mean I can put an extra black bag out for collection? As this type of waste can be easily compacted, it shouldn’t take up much extra space in your black bag. Make sure that you are making full use of our kerbside recycling collections.
• MORE info: www.swansea.gov.uk/recycling
Blooming lovely summer in store MORE than 180 sites across the city including roundabouts, roadside verges and parks will burst into bloom by the middle of June. Swansea Council’s Parks and Cleansing service has been sowing than 41,000 square metres of wild flowers - equivalent to about seven football pitches in size - will then be planted during April and May. Since it started, the wildflower scheme has grown and grown, attracting praise from residents and visitors alike.
There will be a little bit of fine-tuning this year with a small number of sites where the flowers have not worked being taken off the list and new sites added. The wild flowers scheme is funded by Swansea Council with contributions from some community councils and some internal departments. Mark Russ, from the Parks Service, said: “The wild flowers scheme has been extremely popular with residents and visitors since being first introduced, so I’m pleased to say preparations have now started for
their return this summer. “It’s a terrific scheme because it raises people’s spirits, improves the look of the city and boosts biodiversity by attracting more bees and other pollinators to urban areas. “A lot of work goes into the scheme each year and we are confident this will pay off again.” The council also works in partnership with the Friends of the Botanical Gardens, who sell the seeds during their plant sale events.
May 2017
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Centre stage for winning attitudes FOUR Swansea schools have been recognised at a national awards ceremony celebrating excellence in education. St Helen’s Primary School, Penllergaer Primary School, Pontarddulais Comprehensive School and Cefn Hengoed Community School all took centre stage at a ceremony organised by Estyn, the chief Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales. The awards recognised schools and colleges that were judged to be excellent, either on their current performance, their prospects for improving, or both. Representatives from the schools received a certificate and congratulations from Meilyr Rowlands, Chief Inspector at Estyn. He said: “Celebrating the excellence achieved by hard work and commitment within Welsh education is important.”
Funding bid is a NEET opportunity • BUILDING A FUTURE: New Lon Las a school the whole Llansamlet community will take pride in
Pupils set to thrive in £9.8m new school MORE than 500 pupils in Swansea have returned to lessons following the Easter holidays in a completely brand new school. Youngsters and staff at YGG Lôn Las are settling into their new surroundings after the £9.8m rebuild was completed ahead of schedule. School leaders say their new home in Llansamlet will benefit all. The school was not due to open until September but Dawnus, the principle contractor for the works, completed the job early. Head teacher Karen Thomas said there had been huge excitement among staff, pupils and parents at moving in. YGG Lôn Las had been sharing the Ysgol Gymraeg Y Cwm site in Bonymaen while the old dilapidated
Education investment that matters WORK is now well underway on a £15.1m refurbishment project at Pentrehafod School. It includes the removal of existing demountables, a new roof and windows, the remodelling, refurbishment and extension of the existing buildings together with improved sports facilities. It is one of the final major pieces of work to take place in the latest phase of Swansea Council’s 21st Century Schools Programme which has seen around £100m invested in school buildings in the city in recent years. Other projects have included new builds for Gowerton and Burlais primary schools, the extensive refurbishment of Pentre’r Graig Primary School and a £22m investment at Morriston Comprehensive School.
school buildings were demolished Mrs Thomas said: “It’s going to have a hugely positive impact on all of us. The old building that we had was in poor condition but this new building is going to support the high standard of education that we provide. “I would like to thank Y Cwm for
hosting us while the work has taken place. We have had an excellent partnership and we wish them good luck for the future.” The Lôn Las project is funded by Swansea Council and the Welsh Government as part of a 21st Century Schools programme upgrading school facilities across the city to
help improve education and boost pupil attainment. As well as finishing ahead of schedule Dawnus has undertaken extra work at Y Cwm as well as community projects within both the Bonymaen and Llansamlet areas. The company has repaired and upgraded access paths to a six hectare nature reserve near Lôn Las which is one of the few remaining areas of wetland in the city. Matthew Morgan, Dawnus Regional Director, said: “Lôn Las has been an exemplar project, delivered ahead of time to a high standard, which has been possible through the efforts of the project management team from Dawnus and the council. “The project has supported Dawnus’ directly employed workforce of over 250 in the Swansea Bay City Region.”
Attendances going for the gold standard FUN schemes to encourage youngsters not to miss school are paying off in Swansea. Latest figures show that primary school attendance for this academic year so far is 95.3% – which is up from 94.9 per cent for 2015/2016. This year Swansea Council introduced its Incentivising Attendance Programme which gives all pupils with excellent or improving attendance records the chance to win prizes which are handed out at a ceremony at the end of each half-term.
Some schools are also running their own in-house rewards scheme. Now one group of neighbouring schools has set-up an inter-school challenge with a weekly league table and the chance to win schoolwide prizes at the end of the year. Those taking part are Waun Wen, Clwyd, Gwyrosydd, Burlais, Brynhyfryd, Plasmarl and Pentrehafod. Each school calculates its attendance data at the end of the week which is added to an attendance race board on display in their school.
The attendance is ranked with points 1 to 7 with the top three schools being placed in gold, silver or bronze position. This changes on a weekly basis depending on who scores the most points for the previous week. Parents are encouraged to play their part in helping their school secure top spot. It will culminate in June with an Attendance Festival for the winning gold school and the silver and bronze winners will also receive recognition.
LOCAL authorities across west Wales are joining forces to bid for European funds for a project that aims to transform the lives of young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs). If the application is successful around £1m of EU funds could be heading for Swansea so young people who are struggling to acquire basic skills to enter the jobs market get the boost they need. The new proposal is called ‘Cam Nesa’ and is about providing one-to-one support so that these young people get the skills and training they need to be ‘job-ready’. It’s supported by councils including Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire.
Thanks, Kingsley DOZENS of schoolchildren, teachers and friends have turned out to wave goodbye to a Swansea road safety hero that is hanging up his uniform. Pupils at Gwyrosydd Primary School held a special assembly to celebrate the efforts of Kingsley MacCarthy from Manselton, who has been a Kerbcraft Road Safety volunteer for the last 15 years. Kingsley, who will be 80 this year, has decided to call it a day and devote his time to other community-led work.
It’s all kicking-off WORK to install new full-sized 3G pitches in Swansea has kicked-off. The Council is creating three of the all-weather facilities at Penyrheol, Morriston and Cefn Hengoed community leisure centres. Work started in April on the first - a brand new floodlit pitch at Penyrheol with the aim of completing the project by the end of June.
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Swansea all your council information at www.swansea.gov.uk
May 2017
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Bidding opened
Check this out TRADING standards officers are advising landlords and rental agents to take extra steps to monitor annual gas boiler maintenance work at their properties. The safety call follows a recent court case at Swansea Crown Court where a self-employed gas engineer in the city was jailed for 14 months after issuing gas safety certificates for work that was not carried out. Following the case, Mr Picken from Swansea Council added: “We would wish to reiterate that where anyone is considering gas work this should always be undertaken by a registered gas safe engineer.� Consumers should check the register online at www.gassaferegister.co.uk
• AMAZING SUPPORT: Foster Swansea carer Claire Hieron is impressed by support fostering families get
Fostering offers families life-changing experience THE call is going out for caring Swansea couples, families and individuals to consider fostering. Swansea Council’s Foster Swansea is pulling out all the stops to encourage more people to take up a career in caring for children, young people, and even parents and their baby or child. Events will be taking place across the city during this month’s Foster Care Fortnight to highlight the amazing work foster carers do. Foster Swansea currently has 135 approved foster carers. Among them are Ian and Claire Hieron, who have three children of their own and started fostering three years ago. Claire said there is no job with greater potential to change a child or
fostering friendly
NEW stand-up paddle boards, skipping ropes, scooters and fencing foils are among the equipment that’s boosted sports and physical activity projects across Swansea over the last year. Now ÂŁ129,000 is again available for sports clubs throughout Swansea to apply for over the next year to cover anything from new equipment and staff development to improvement courses for coaches. The Community Chest funding provided by Sport Wales is locally administered by Swansea Council. Grants of up to ÂŁ1,500 are available to sports clubs, youth clubs or community groups to help improve participation and standards. Some of the organisations to have benefitted last year included Tennis Swansea 365, Gower Dragons Touch Rugby, Action Bike Ladies, Surfability UK, Celtic Mini Fencing, Swansea Gymnastics Centre and the Samurai Judo Club. Ian Beynon, Development and Outreach Manager at Swansea Council, said: “We hope this kind of investment in our local clubs will encourage more people than ever to make sport and exercise a key part of their lives.â€? Contact Nia Parry on nia.parry@swansea.gov.uk or 01792 635452 for more information.
THE council has been recognised as an official Foster Friendly employer. The authority has a number of policies to promote fostering including some leave to help employees who are applying or training to be a foster carer and when approved to meet the needs of the children in their care. Matt Simons, Business Development Officer at Foster Swansea, said: “The council values the contribution made by foster carers and the commitment of staff who provide foster care for children. We are happy to talk to other employers who may be willing to follow suit and to explain the benefits this has for the whole of the community.�
life for the better than fostering. She said becoming a foster carer can be daunting but said the support her family had received from Foster Swansea was second to none. “I had been a child minder for 10 years and a friend of mine was fostering and she encouraged us to go and see about it,� she said.
“It is extremely challenging but really rewarding and that outweighs the challenges massively. “It’s the best thing I’ve ever done – when you see the difference in some of these children in a year it makes it worthwhile for me. “My two little ones are very much part of helping these children settle
in to our home. “We have always said to them if there is ever a time they don’t want us to foster then we won’t do it. As each placement ends we ask them ‘are we going to go again?’ and the answer is ‘yeah – who is going to come in through the door next?’ “There are little groups just for foster carers where you can meet up and have a coffee and a chat and that helps, especially when you have just started. The Foster Swansea team will be running roadshows at Tesco and in the Quadrant Centre. They will be staging two information evenings at the Civic Centre on May 15 and 22 between 6pm and 8pm. To find out more call 0300 555 0111 or visit www.fosterswansea.org
Could you foster? Find out more‌ 0300 555 0111 www.fosterswansea.org
May 2017
free daily news updates - www.swansea.gov.uk/news
Leon leads search for our High 5 champions
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Check out signs before taking dip AN ELECTRONIC sign is now in place to help bathers decide if they’ll go for a dip in the water off Swansea beach. The sign, set to go live when the bathing season starts on May 15, will include daily water quality predictions. It’s been installed close to the designated water sampling point for Swansea beach at the top of the slipway just off the promenade. Information will be shown on both sides of the screen, meaning people will be able to see details on water quality from either the beach or the promenade and make a decision on swimming. A Swansea Council spokesperson said a UK regulation arising from European legislation means all beaches across the country have to show water quality classification, which is based on data collected over a fouryear period.
Plaque following missionary’s path OVER 5,000 miles away from home, a blue plaque will celebrate a Swansea man’s life and achievements in future. When a visiting delegation from Wuhan in China next visits the city, Swansea Council will present them with a blue plaque in recognition of Griffith John. The plaque – written in Welsh, English and Mandarin – will be installed outside Wuhan Union Hospital, which Mr John founded 150 years ago and now acts as one of China’s most important medical research facilities. Mr John, born on Swansea’s Llangyfelach Street in 1831, was one of the first Christian missionaries to visit China.
Striking wrong note
• STAR TURN: High 5 Awards Ambassador Leon Britton wants to hear from you. welcomed too. Judges are looking for examples of individuals or groups who aspire to reach personal goals or improve the lives of others in their family, school or community and in doing so are an inspiration to others. • Please get online and nominate at: www.swansea.gov.uk/high5awards
big thank-you
FOOTBALL star Leon Britton is leading the search for Swansea’s High 5 stars as the awards for inspirational youngsters enter their sixth season. The Swans midfielder is urging everyone to consider nominating a youngster, group of youngsters, or school class who has overcome adversity or made their school or community proud. The awards are led by Swansea Council, sponsored by Gower College Swansea, and backed by businesses and organisations from across the city. Leon said: “High 5 began with the aim of showing just how inspirational children and young people in this city are. Year after year your nominations help us prove that is truly the case. “By aspiring to be the best and working hard the children young people put forward are an inspiration to others, a credit to themselves, their communities or schools and worthy of recognition. “Don’t let a worthy young person you know miss out.” This year High 5 has added a new category inspired by an entry from mum Heidi in 2016 for all her son’s classmates. Her son Ellis Bonham Clatworthy is disabled and she wanted to recognise every pupil in Year 4 at Penyrheol Primary School for their love, understanding and wanting to adapt everything they do so that Ellis is included. It is helping her son to be happy and successful at school. Unfortunately there were too many children in the year to take part in last year’s official High 5 awards ceremony. But judges were so moved by their story, the pupils received a special award. That’s why this year nominations are being invited for the new additional award for larger school nominations. It’s easy to nominate a young person for a High 5 award as everything you need is online. The awards are open to any child or young person or group in three age ranges under 13s, aged 19 or under or 20-25 year olds resident in Swansea, educated or receiving support here. School pupils can still be entered as individuals, clubs or groups in these main categories but for 2017 nominations for a whole school class/year educated in the city will be
Swansea
THE High 5 Awards would not be possible without the loyal support of our sponsors. Already signed up this year are: • Gower College • Day’s Rental • Swansea City FC • Swansea Council Recycling • Rotary Club of Swansea Team, • Swansea Building Society • The LC Swansea, • Swansea Lord Mayor’s Office • McDonalds, and • Stenor Environmental • Go Air Trampoline Park, Services Ltd Swansea.
Road offering route to cleaner air THE finishing touches are being put to a £5 million transport route near Swansea city centre. Swansea Council is looking to complete the Morfa Distributor Road which stretches for 1.7km from the Liberty Stadium, alongside the River Tawe, into the city centre. The route has been developed to provide direct transport links to a number of development sites along the Tawe corridor and to relieve congestion
on nearby Neath Road. Since the road construction began, new residential development has been completed and Hitachi Rail is also siting its depot nearby as part of the rail electrification plans. The multi million pound transport scheme has been funded by a series of Welsh Government transport grants and the funding received in 2016 has meant the Council is able to complete the
development a year ahead of schedule. Other sites along the route are also being considered for future development. Once open, the Council hopes the route will lead to improved air quality levels in Hafod for thousands of residents. Some of the funding has also been used to preserve some of the historical features along the route associated with the Hafod Copperworks.
MORE than 40 city retailers have been visited by Swansea Trading Standards and police as part of a scam awareness operation. The operation has been coordinated after reports of scammers targeting residents in Swansea, conning them into purchasing iTunes vouchers to pay for fake utility bills and other services. Trading Standards officers in Swansea are now working with police officers, visiting shops which sell iTunes vouchers, to raise awareness of the scam.
Going, going, gone A CITY centre premises has been sold for six times the asking price. Despite a guide price of £20,000, Swansea Council sold the 0.47-acre site on the corner of the Upper Strand and Hafod Street for £120,000 at auction in London. Proceeds from the sale will be re-invested into council services and will help reduce property maintenance costs.
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Take a walk in woods A NEW walker’s leaflet and schools activity pack has just been launched by Swansea Council to encourage more people to enjoy and appreciate six woody walks within the city boundaries. Mark Winder, Swansea Council’s Ecologist, said ancient woodland is rich in wildlife, beauty and atmosphere, and is one of our most precious habitats in Wales. He said the woods are at their most beautiful for a few weeks in early spring when woodland flowers such as bluebells and wild garlic are in bloom. The leaflet is currently available from community libraries in Swansea and from the Civic Centre, with distribution planned shortly for more venues across Swansea and Gower. The woody walks include places such as Cwm Ivy near Llanmadoc, Bishopston Valley and Cwm Clydach. Also in the guide is Nicholston Woods, Penllergare Valley Woods and Bishop’s Wood. The leaflet was created as part of a Heritage Lottery Fund project to record the biodiversity of ancient woodland in Swansea, a joint project between the Council’s Nature Conservation Team and West Glamorgan Archive Service.
for all your council information www.swansea.gov.uk
May 2017
Golden girl Chloe turns teacher IT’S not every day young swimmers get the chance to be taught by a world record-breaking Paralympian with an eye on participating in the Tokyo Games of 2020. And yet that’s exactly what youngsters flocking to Wales National Pool Swansea (WNPS) are getting every week with Chloe Davies. Chloe, at the age of 13, was the youngest member of Team GB’s Paralympic squad at the London 2012 games. Since then she has represented GBR on several occasions and won medals at UK and international level. Her most recent achievement was last month where she won gold in 100m backstroke whilst representing Wales at the 2017 Para World Swimming Series in Copenhagen.
Now she’s also launching a career as a swimming teacher at WNPS which is attracting plenty of young people to her sessions, some hoping to follow in her footsteps. So where does she start? “It’s all about having fun,” she says. “My mum started taking me swimming when I was a baby and I just grew up loving it. I was overwhelmed and chuffed to be selected for London 2012 and it was amazing tothink I was the youngest member of the team.” Chloe’s achievements include holding British, European and World records in several events in her S14 classification. She’s also picked up a string of medals at UK and international level, including a bronze medal in the IPC Swimming World
Championships held in Montreal, Canada. WNPS is a community pool as well as an elite training centre, nurturing the next generation of would-be Olympians and Paralympians. She said her teaching role adds a string to her bow and she believes it’ll also help her as a competitor too. She said: “Wales National Pool Swansea has great facilities and the staff are really good so it’s the perfect place to go if you want to learn to swim or improve. “As a teacher my aim is to support swimmers to get confident in the water. When you learn to swim it’s something you have for life. When you see children doing really well and they want to do well, you can encourage them and they can do a lot more.”
Going with the Dementia-friendly flow • CHAMPION: Tim Gill is one of the Dementia Champion team at Swansea Council
EFFORTS are being made by Swansea Council to improve traffic flows to and from Mumbles. Work has been completed on a series of traffic lights along a section of Mumbles Road and should lead to motorists moving through the lights more quickly. The improvements are set to be introduced at the pedestrian crossing that links the foreshore cycle track to Clyne valley. Works will include making the crossing wider and removing the staggered layout. Additional improvements will be included at two further traffic light controlled points nearby where they will be linked up to the new crossing.
Tim’s lending a listening ear
PEOPLE living with dementia will never be too far from a friend in Swansea. That’s the aim of the Dementia Friendly initiative which our frontline staff are signing-up to in their hundreds. Thousands of police officers, health workers and fire service members are also aiming to see Swansea become a Dementia Friendly city. Already scores of council staff are stepping up to the plate and the council has gained official recognition from the Alzheimer’s Society for its efforts so far. Tim Gill works for the council’s housing team and he says being a
Find out how you can help THE Council’s support for the Dementia Friendly initiative is part of its Ageing Well action plan. The action plan includes developing initiatives such as an Age-Friendly City Centre, the roll-out of Local Area Co-ordinators across the city and building partnerships with other organisations to promote wellbeing. To find out more about dementia go to www.alzheimers.org.uk and to find out more about being Dementia Friendly in Swansea go to www.swansea.gov.uk/Dementia If you or a family member or friend is living with dementia and you would like to be involved in helping to shape dementia friendly services please contact polly.gordon@swansea.gov.uk
Dementia Friendly champion is just about being a good neighbour. He said; “There’s more than 45,000 people in Wales living with dementia. If everyone’s Dementia Friendly it means that anyone who has dementia
is never far from a listening ear.” Tim’s mother was diagnosed with the condition three years ago and that’s part of the reason why he wanted to get involved with the Dementia Friendly initiative that’s
supported by the Alzheimer’s Society. He said: “There are a lot of myths surrounding dementia and, as a champion, I see people’s attitudes towards it change when they get the facts. It’s really rewarding because public services like ours have thousands of frontline staff and the better they understand dementia, the better service those with the condition will receive.” Tim said one misconception about dementia is that people think a diagnosis means the person faces a future without quality of life. It’s not true; early diagnosis helps and so does the support on offer both from voluntary organisations and public services.
Last year your council tax he
Further Information: A leaflet “Information about your Council Tax Bill 2016/17” and information about the A hard copy may be requested from 01792 635382.
elped us do all this and more… WHAT’S ON in Swansea 2017 JULY
MAY
I 1-31 May Clyne in Bloom Clyne Gardens I 5 May BBC NOW: Berlioz - Symphonie Fantastique Brangwyn I 27 May Mediaeval Living History Day Oystermouth Castle I 28 May Swansea Triathlon Swansea City Centre
JUNE
I 11 June Classic Motorcycle Show Dylan Thomas Square I 16-18 June Swansea International Jazz Festival Various venues I 25 June JCP Swansea Half Marathon Swansea City Centre
I 1 & 2 July Wales National Airshow Swansea Bay I 8 July Carving out a Career in Writing with Julia Forster Dylan Thomas Centre I 15 July Swansea Vegan Festival Brangwyn I 16 July BHF South Wales Bike Ride Swansea I 22 July Archaeology Fun Day Oystermouth Castle I 22 July Pretty Muddy 5k Singleton Park I 23 July Race for Life Singleton Park
AUGUST
I 1-31 August Botanics in Bloom Singleton Botanical Gardens I 12 August Olly Murs Singleton Park I 20 August RNLI Mumbles Raft Race Mumbles I 24-26 August Swansea Bay Beer & Cider Festival Brangwyn
I 27 August Guided Tour: Dylan’s Swansea Dylan Thomas Centre I 28 August Prince and Princesses Day Oystermouth Castle
SEPTEMBER I 9 September Open Doors Oystermouth Castle I 13 & 14 September The Luna Cinema Oystermouth Castle I 24 September Admiral Swansea Bay 10k Swansea Bay I 30 September - 14 October Swansea International Festival Various venues
OCTOBER
I 7 October Mumbles Triathlon Mumbles I 21 October German Beer Festival Brangwyn
For more events visit enjoyswanseabay.com
e Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales can be found at www.swansea.gov.uk/counciltax.