ERI Reclamation wants to remove around 500,000 tonnes of coal currently in the tips to sell-on to the construction industry Become a member to unlock this exclusive article and more Our journalism needs the support of our readers to survive - just £1 month makes a huge difference Use the arrows next to the amount to select your contribution Eunice joined the Royal Navy and became a WREN at the age of 19 By NOTICEBOARD · 3 May 2025 A resident from HC-One Wales’s Parklands Care Home in Bedwas, Caerphilly, has been sharing her memories of Victory in Europe (VE) Day in celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 8 Resident, Eunice David (pictured above and below), who was born on May 16, 1924, now aged 100 years old, was 15 at the start of World War II and 21 at the end of the war Eunice lived in Ely, Cardiff before moving to Lee-on-the-Solent with her mum which is something she is incredibly proud of Eunice was posted down to the Royal Naval Air Station in Lee-on-the-Solent where she spent her time serving her country including living and working through the Dunkirk Evacuation whilst he was in the RAF and Eunice in the WRENS whilst he had two weeks leave from Normandy and her family celebrated by having a street party in Cardiff with her neighbours and family VE Day was a time of great joy for the couple and their family as it meant a chance to look towards a safer future Eunice stayed working as a WREN for two and a half years and John stayed in the RAF for around 35 years Eunice and John travelled around the world together where Eunice recalls many experiences which she has spoken about and shared with others The couple (pictured above) went on to have two sons Eunice is now looking forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day by joining in the street party being hosted at Parklands Care Home Eunice said: “I remember the bells ringing and people cheering but it was the silence afterwards that stayed with me - the kind of silence that comes with relief and remembrance “We were just girls doing our duty, but on VE Day we felt like we’d helped change the world.” LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today A 100-year-old veteran has shared her stories of the Second World War ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day Eunice joined the Royal Navy and became a Women’s Royal Naval Service (WREN) member at the age of 19 until the age of 21 – something she is incredibly proud of Eunice was posted down to the Royal Naval Air Station in Lee-On-The-Solent including living and working through the Dunkirk evacuation.  in Lee-On-The-Solent whilst he was in the RAF and Eunice in the WREN Eunice and John got married in Cardiff in 1944 while he had two weeks leave from Normandy Eunice stayed working as a WREN for two and a half years while John stayed in the RAF for around 35 years The pair went on to have two sons called Neil and Phillip Eunice moved into Parklands Care Home in Bedwas three years ago and is now looking forward to celebrating the 80th anniversary of VE Day by joining in the street party being held at the home She said: “I remember the bells ringing and people cheering but it was the silence afterwards that stayed with me – the kind of silence that comes with relief and remembrance we felt like we’d helped change the world.” Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.Become a member today A body found in Bedwas this week has been confirmed as that of missing 51-year-old Andrew Edwards Aberbargoed at around 10.30pm on Monday 27 January.  His body was found in the river near Pantglas Industrial Estate on Wednesday January 29 Gwent Police said: “His family have been informed and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.” Bedwas could soon lose both its leisure centre and neighbouring library as part of council cost-cutting measures Bedwas Leisure Centre is one of three sites in the borough facing the axe, while the village library is one of ten which could make way as the council looks to plug a £45million budget gap Labour councillor for Bedwas and Trethomas said how “tremendously sad” the prospect of losing both services would be Speaking to Caerphilly Observer she said: “We didn’t come into politics to cut core facilities but it just shows how tough times are at the minute “I learnt to swim in Bedwas Leisure Centre myself a long time ago I worry about the costs which will be inflicted on residents and schools who will have to pay more to travel.” Maintenance work at the leisure centre, which was built in 1974, over the the next five years is projected to cost £334,453 according to council figures Cllr Aldworth added: “It’s a tremendously sad situation we find ourselves in but I’d encourage residents and schools to have their say during the consultation period.” Leisure centres in Cefn Fforest and New Tredegar are also under threat The council argues it has the most leisure centres of any Welsh local authority with a budget of £4.2 million – but is facing “significant financial challenges” Labour councillor for the Cefn Fforest and Pengam ward described the council’s plans to close services as “absurd” arguing that there’s “no strategy to decision making” He continued: “What’s the motivation We know for a fact other leisure centres won’t be able to handle the extra capacity Blackwood should not be losing two leisure centres I’ve spoken to local schools and they say they won’t be able to ferry pupils elsewhere.” Cefn Fforest residents made their feelings known at a recent meeting in the leisure centre according to Cllr Williams – who hopes the council “finally takes notice” Cllr Williams went on to suggest that if Bedwas Leisure Centre were to close the money saved could be used to fund Cefn Fforest Closing these three leisure centre could save the local authority £1.1million over the next few years It’s understood the 3G pitch at Bedwas High School would stay open and be managed by Caerphilly Leisure Centre Caerphilly Council did not respond when asked what this would mean for schools who might require coaches to take pupils to a swimming pool further away A seven-week consultation period on the future of libraires opens on Wednesday January 22 with a host of drop-in sessions announced: A seven-week consultation period on the future of leisure centres has also been announced and is due to open on Wednesday January 22: The club rugby season is drawing to an exciting conclusion as title races and promotion battles go down to the wire - while others are left playing for pride Pupils from three primary schools have joined forces to show support for Bedwas Leisure Centre Bedwas Leisure Centre is one of three which could close in July under proposals to move to a smaller number of “strategic” facilities Although the consultation period ended in March it hasn’t stopped pupils from St Helen’s and Bedwas juniors making their feelings clear teacher at St Helen’s Primary in Lansbury Park said how “wonderful” it was to join together with other schools over a “common cause” She explained how the protest was part of the school’s ‘Senedd’ debates in which children are taught the value of democracy Other similar protests have been held by residents outside at risk Cefn Fforest Leisure Centre and New Tredegar Leisure Centre Pupils at St Helen’s also joined an online ‘surgery’ where they had an opportunity to share their views as well as discussing the role of questionnaires The protest in Bedwas on Wednesday April 9 was met with support from residents according to Ms Mansfield who added that they now intend on posting their petition A final decision of the future on leisure centres and libraries is expected in May A shop selling sports shooting equipment could open in Bedwas House Industrial Estate Pro Shoot Firearms and Shooting Club has applied for planning permission to open the shop in what is currently vacant office space According to documents submitted by planning agent Cerys Matthews with a slightly later closing time on Thursdays One full-time job will be created at the site The application is currently out for consultation and can be viewed on the Caerphilly County Borough Council website under reference 24/0740/COU A shop selling sports shooting equipment could open in Bedwas after securing planning permission Pro Shoot Firearms and Shooting Club has been successful in applying for change-of-use permission for a unit in Bedwas House Industrial Estate Caerphilly County Borough Council planners said the applicant’s agent had provided “sufficient evidence” the unit was the “most appropriate” in the area for the proposed use A council report notes the police have conditions related to security measures around the sale of firearms including secure storage and reinforced structures but it had proved to be “unfeasible to modify them for the specific operational and legal needs for the business” will be allowed to trade seven days a week The council report notes planners did not receive any objections from neighbours during a recent consultation period Planning officers granted permission for the project Technia Environment and Planning Limited said on Facebook it was “pleased” planning permission had been approved “The development marks a significant milestone for Pro Shoot Firearms and Shooting Club as it continues to grow and serve its customers with an enhanced retail space,” the agents added A Bedwas-based engineering firm employing more than 350 staff has become one of the largest businesses in south Wales to become employee-owned which is based on Pantglas Industrial Estate with nearly 120 customer across the oil and gas The switch to an employee-ownership model gives the firm’s staff an opportunity to have their say in the company’s direction said: “Becoming employee owned is a huge step for any company but one that we’re seeing more and more businesses in Wales start to take “We’re delighted to have completed on our Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) who have been so crucial to our success since our beginning in 2009 more say over how the business is run but it should also provide greater job security as we’re able to really focus on our long-term success who advised the trust during the transaction.” The creation of an EOT sees the ownership of a business transfer to its employees with the trust acting as the majority shareholder The overall aim is to ensure that all qualifying employees play a part in for us transitioning to an EOT model is about making sure MII Engineering is the best it can be – for our employees We’re proud to be a leading employer providing high quality job opportunities in the area and becoming employee owned will enable us to do even better “We’re confident this change will not only improve our operations and therefore our client experience but also the culture and overall job satisfaction for the talented people who work for us it’s business as usual – but better.” Three leisure centres in Caerphilly County Borough could close down this summer The future of council-run leisure centres in Bedwas Cefn Fforest and New Tredegar are all under threat – but residents will soon be able to have their say on the proposals before a final decision is made The proposed cuts form part of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s ten-year sports and active recreation strategy launched in 2018 “to encourage healthy lifestyles and support our residents to be more active said: “Along with our playgrounds and country parks the huge investment that has been made in facilities such as 3G pitches means we are well on our way to making our core aim a reality.” but is facing “significant financial challenges” includes a “rationalisation” of facilities down to four “strategic leisure centres” in Caerphilly Risca and in the Aberbargoed and Bargoed area This leaves the other three leisure centres at risk and cabinet members are expected to start the process of potentially closing them down at a meeting next week The council claims alternative provision for the services in Bedwas Cefn Fforest and New Tredegar can be provided elsewhere or run remotely from another centre Around 17 full-time equivalent staff are employed at the three sites which collectively welcomed more than 200,000 visitors in 2023/24 Shutting the three sites could save the council £1.1 million over the medium term A public consultation on the proposals is likely to launch following cabinet discussions Depending on the outcome of that consultation process the leisure centres could close down on July 31 There were contrasting fortunes on Saturday April 26 as Blackwood RFC clinched their league title in their final game - but in the tier above Bedwas were knocked off top spot after defeat in a crunch title-decider The owners of a farm near Bedwas are reapplying for permission to house four self-catering holiday accommodation “pods” on their land Caerphilly County Borough Council planners refused a previous application the planning officers said the Davies family’s proposals would conflict with the council’s own policies and could lead to “increased loss of open countryside” The family has now resubmitted an amended version of the plans which “aims to address previous concerns by providing detailed landscaping and tree information to support the proposal” submitted by planning agents Reading Agricultural Consultants notes the farm’s existing tourism business is based on one previously-approved pod and has proved “a success with many weekends booked well in advance” The agents said the “ethos” of the business is “to provide a simple and yet sustainable retreat for guests” The farm serves as a “rural escape in a picturesque setting” The new application is for planning permission for three more pods and the creation of landscaping and a parking area according to documents submitted to the council the plans will “form a rural diversification scheme to support the existing agricultural business” and can be viewed on the Caerphilly County Borough Council website under reference 24/0809/RET Gwent Police confirmed on Saturday December 21 that Georgina has now been found Police are appealing for information to find a missing Bedwas woman was last seen on Bedwas Road at around 8pm on Thursday December 12 She was last seen wearing a cream puffer jacket and carrying a black handbag She is described as having long brown hair Anyone with information on her whereabouts can contact Gwent Police on 101 or through direct message on social media A man in his thirties has been taken to hospital with serious injuries following a crash between a car and a push bike in Bedwas earlier today The incident was reported to Gwent Police at around 9.15am this morning with paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service also attending The stretch of Newport Road between Bedwas traffic lights and Pant Glas Industrial Estate was closed for more than ten hours with Gwent Police reporting the road was reopened at 7.55pm Trethomas and Machen Community Council has announced details for its annual classic vehicle show The free event will be held on Sunday September 29 starting at 12pm and finishing at 4pm inside BTM Community Gardens on Newport Road as well as performances from New Horizons Youth Theatre and other local performers The Ruperra Castle Preservation Trust will also be in attendance and food and drink will be on offer from Bedwas Workmen’s Hall The owners of a farm near Bedwas have been successful in their bid to house four self-catering accommodation pods on their land The holiday business forms part of a “diversification scheme” and will run alongside owners the Davies family’s agricultural operations at Ty Isaf Farm Caerphilly County Borough Council refused a previous attempt to secure planning permission for the pods over concerns about an “increased loss of open countryside” Planning officers have approved the revised plans after judging they are “compliant” with the council’s policies They noted the new application includes a commitment to replace any trees lost to development at a rate of three to one and “biodiversity enhancements” such as shelters and boxes for toads The council’s landscape architect judged that within the new plans ”efforts have been made to accommodate the proposed pods where the impact on existing trees is reduced” The officer also said “adequate compensation” had been provided for any trees which are lost A senior arboricultural officer at the council told planners the proposed development “has much to commend in its revised form” planning agent Reading Agricultural Consultants said the farm’s existing tourism business The “ethos” of the business is “to provide a simple and yet sustainable retreat for guests” Officers granted planning permission for the development subject to a series of conditions including rules around landscaping the submission of a biodiversity management plan and the installation of protective fencing for trees during the construction period Bedwas Workmen’s Hall is set to undergo restoration work worth more than £500,000 thanks to National Lottery Funding and community fundraising Rudry and Machen councillor Chris Morgan told Caerphilly Observer how its been a year of sorting things out but work is finally underway with a contractor on site He continued: “We’re hoping to have the work finished by December this year A new lift will also be installed later this year with all £62,000 having been raised through Red Ray’s Lift Appeal in honour of late BTM councillor Ray Davies Cllr Morgan continued: “The fundraising has been brilliant to see over the past ten years The community council has matched £50,000 and we’re looking forward to opening the upstairs section to everyone.” This work will be part of phase one and two of the project explained Cllr Morgan with the third and fourth stages set to include an extension to the building A Bedwas-based sports tape business is looking to score international growth after receiving a £1 million investment boost which is based on Pant Glas Industrial Estate produces products that are used by more than 1,000 sports club and around one million athletes – ranging from Sunday league level to the Olympics Established by directors Kate-Anne Kelly and Carl Austin in 2010 The six-figure investment has come from the Welsh Government-owned Development Bank of Wales which provides support to both start-up and established businesses in the shape of loans or investments It is not the first time the development bank has provided support for SPORTTAPE The firm was given an initial £250,000 loan in 2022 which helped it quadruple its turnover from £1m to £4m in just two years Having not long moved to its current 10,000sqft unit at Pant Glas the firm will use the latest support to fund its next stage of growth – with the aim of trebling its turnover to £12m Directors Ms Kelly and Mr Austin said: “We self-funded our first ten years in business but then a loan from the Development Bank in 2022 helped to transform our growth by providing working capital to invest in product development and marketing “Their support has made us realise our potential so this latest investment is a natural next step on our journey “We can’t thank them enough for believing in SPORTTAPE and providing the funding that will now enable us to target a more global customer-base with investment in marketing who is a portfolio executive with the development bank said: “Our job is to provide sustainable debt and equity funding for entrepreneurs in Wales to help them to achieve their full potential “Kate-Anne and Carl have put in the groundwork to build a great business that has real potential to become a successful Welsh export story.” By NOTICEBOARD · 6 February 2025 FREE AGAIN: The twany owl which had become tangled in a tree was released the following day A tawny owl rescued from a tricky predicament has been released back into the wild thanks to a successful partnership The owl had become tangled on a branch by its wing and was found hanging around 20ft high above fast-flowing water in Bedwas, Caerphilly Following calls to the RSPCA and South Wales Fire & Rescue Service RSPCA Inspector Sophie Daniels and the fire service attended the scene “This was a really tricky one — and we thought we might not be able to save this poor tawny owl,” said Sophie “The owl may have been there for some time and was clearly distressed Although we couldn’t confirm it — we all thought that the bird of prey had become entangled due to a fishing line on the branches.” South Wales Fire & Rescue Service Fire Commander Andy Luff assessed the situation, and Green Watch Pontypridd was called to assist “They managed to eventually reach the bird by combining their reach pole with my reach pole net,” said Sophie it wasn’t a simple rescue as after they had just managed to free the owl and were bringing him back across the water he jumped out of the net and fell in the river and we thought the worst — but he managed to get out onto the opposite side of the riverbank — but he was unable to fly.” Sophie was then faced with a difficult mission of trying to locate the owl on the other side of the river “I went off to locate a farm on the other side of the river who kindly let me cross their land — where I very eventually found the owl still huddled on the riverbank.” where they kept him overnight to recover from his ordeal he was released back into the wild - with the lovely moment caught on camera “Luckily there were no injuries and after some rest I was able to release him right back in the same spot on Wednesday night.” said Sophie “This owl really had a lucky escape here and hopefully will avoid getting entangled again it was thought that this was how the owl became trapped on the branches “This once again demonstrates how important that anglers take every means possible to dispose of lines and tackle and prevent them from turning into lethal litter for wildlife on our waterways.” Our specialist officers will always help with complex rescues like this where we can and equipment to ensure the safety of both the animal and the public But there are also lots of situations where animal lovers can help animals themselves such as when a hedgehog has fallen into a garden drain or a bird has flown into a kitchen such as a hedgehog tangled in a football net or a bat trapped in a garage They can request the support of our teams if they require specialist skills A family’s plan to open a “secure dog exercise field” on part of their Bedwas farm has won the approval of council planners Caerphilly County Borough Council has granted planning permission for the Watts family’s “diversification” proposal for Pen y Waun Farm Planning documents show the family had to temporarily close a glamping site on the farm while remediation works were carried out on nearby coal tips in the shape of a private dog walking area would “provide much-needed revenue to the farm” neighbours offered both objections and comments in support of the application Those who backed the plans cited “the need for a business of this nature for the surrounding community” raised concerns about limited access to the site and a lack of passing areas on nearby roads Council planning officers said the highways department was satisfied that passing bays would be provided They granted planning permission subject to several conditions including that the dog walking business must be by appointment only A bar owner caught up in an “absolute nightmare” of a licensing process with Caerphilly County Borough Council says the ordeal has left him on the verge of shutting the business who co-owns The Unit on Bedwas House Industrial Estate said months of disputes with various council departments – and allegations of conflicting advice – have caused him sleepless nights and left him feeling like efforts to meet licensing standards were never going to be good enough The Unit has announced its imminent closure following the series of “challenges” – but a senior councillor suggested there are hopes proposed last-ditch crisis talks could be enough to settle the dispute The Unit, formerly known as Keds Cafe Bar, applied for a new premises licence that would have allowed drinking in a larger part of the premises and for slightly different hours of alcohol sales But at a Caerphilly Council licensing committee meeting on June 11, members heard a police officer objected to the application for later drinking hours because he was “not confident in the management of the premises” A council environmental health officer shared those concerns – to the dismay of another of The Unit’s co-owner who believed he had a “verbal agreement” with the authorities in support of his proposals The committee later ruled it would approve the changed layout of The Unit as well as the removal of some licensing conditions but members decided to refuse the venue’s bid for additional alcohol sales hours and from Mr Kedward’s claims the police and council had “backtracked” on a verbal deal means The Unit is now expected to close at the end of June the venue said “with the heaviest of hearts” it will be “closing the door on the unit at the end of the month after fighting the local authorities for months” alleged “the council have given us challenges after challenges” and “nothing seems to be good enough for them” Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Mr Jones said he felt the council was “against us” during the licensing process “They tell us one thing and it’s [considered] wrong by another,” he said “We ask what we can do to put it right and they [council officers] say ‘we can’t tell you.’” Mr Jones said the licensing application didn’t draw any objections from members of the public and “the community wants it open” “We want to try and bring something to Caerphilly,” he added We’re absolutely devastated – it’s really not fair.” Following The Unit’s closure announcement told the LDRS he was working with the owners to try and resolve the dispute He said: “When I was contacted by residents over this application I made enquiries with the owners of The Unit straight away.  “A multi-agency meeting is being sought to see whether the original objections raised by the police can be overcome by looking at things afresh.  “I’m keen to get around a table to discuss matters and would reiterate the desire from this council to work closely with local businesses in our communities.” A council spokesman confirmed officers are open to meeting with the owners to “discuss their respective positions” but said any talks “will not impact” the licensing committee’s decision – which is open to appeal “The correct application process has been followed in this matter,” the council spokesman added Storm Bert has brought flooding to areas across Caerphilly County Borough with several warnings from Natural Resources Wales still in place A Met Office warning for heavy rain was in force across Wales until 1pm Sunday Natural Resources Wales had a total of ten flood warnings for the Caerphilly County Borough Council area Gwent Police has advised people to only travel if essential A spokesperson said: “We are managing flooding across Gwent working alongside the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Wales Ambulance Service and Natural Resource Wales.” Andy Page is a Met Office Chief Meteorologist and said: “Impacts from Storm Bert will continue to cause disruption as we go through today and multiple warnings are in place for wind and rain “While the risk of any snowfall has now diminished in particular some southwestern parts of England and South Wales but the heaviest rain will ease from these areas through the day “The strong southerly winds continue today and warnings are in place for central Northern Ireland and western Scotland where gusts could peak at 60 mph and could even reach more than 70 mph along some exposed coasts so it is important people keep up to date with the very latest forecast.” Storm Bert will finally clear form the far northeast early on Tuesday Next week will bring quieter weather for many although there is a risk of some further rain and strong winds across the south of the UK on Tuesday night and Wednesday there are indications we could see a brief return to colder conditions although for many How long the more settled conditions last is uncertain with rain probably returning to westernmost areas at least by the end of the week Bedwas visited in form Bridgend on a dry November afternoon the home side on a run of four consecutive victories including the scalps of Neath on their own soil and Crosskeys and Newport away Bedwas supporters expected a tough game against a side anxious to prove a point to the WRU following their exclusion from the new look Premier Division for 2012 Bedwas made five changes from the side that played Newport last week A reshuffle in the back row saw Sam Feehan start at blind side flanker Simon Grainger at open side and Deri Mattravers lead the team from Number 8 Bridgend had the first opportunity to open the scoring after Bedwas were penalised for holding on but Flanagan’s kick went wide He wasn’t to be denied for long; from the restart Bridgend forwards and backs combined to spread the ball wide and Flanagan crossed in the corner the same player adding the conversion from the touch line It was all Bridgend at this stage and Flanagan missed a further penalty chance as Bedwas were adjudged offside Bedwas finally managed to put a few moves together Powell missing with a penalty attempt after the home side were penalised at a scrum On the half hour lead Flanagan increased his side’s advantage to ten points to nil before Bedwas attacked in numbers and quick hands saw Iain Smerdon cross out wide Bedwas continued to press and put some good passages of play together but the score remained at 10-7 at the interval Bedwas were back in the match early in the second half when Powell struck a magnificent 40 metre penalty Bridgend should have regained the lead almost straight away but Flanagan’s penalty attempt went wide after Bedwas were penalised at a ruck Both kickers then had successful penalty attempts to see the scores level at 13 points each as both sides looked for the killer score to win the match Bedwas continued to press and gained the upper hand when home hooker Arthur Ellis was sin binned following a ruck offence Powell kicked the resulting penalty to put Bedwas ahead by three points although the win still looked a long way off A Flanagan penalty attempt hit a post and was cleared before Powell extended Bedwas’s lead after the home side were penalised at a scrum Bridgend threatened to the death with an attacking line out deep in Bedwas territory but the throw was deemed not straight and Bedwas were able to clear from the resulting scrum Strong defence by the entire visiting fifteen kept out a strong home effort and Bedwas claimed a deserved win Bedwas man of the match: Simon Grainger grafted doing the hard work around the fringes to keep the home attack on the back foot You must be logged in to post a comment We use cookies where necessary to allow us to understand how people interact with our website and content so that we can continue to improve our service Companies are looking for ways around Labour’s ban on new coal projects The Welsh government must stand firm against companies who want to keep piling up profit from fossil fuels Faced with the prospect of Labour’s ban on new licences to dig coal one company has proposed an absurd plan: to clean up a coal mine by digging up more coal ERI revealed a proposal to extract 468,000 tonnes of coal from two huge tips at Bedwas in South Wales If the coal and slag removed were sold for combustion the scheme would pump as much as a million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere and grab millions of pounds for ERI But how could it hope to get planning permission when Labour has made a commitment that the government “will not grant new coal licences” We suspect ERI may try to get an “incidental coal agreement” – a provision that allows companies that find coal while building roads houses or other developments to remove it safely ERI insists that the scheme would “reclaim” the Bedwas site by “reprofiling” the site and “removing” all that coal But there’s nothing incidental about removing half a million tonnes of coal – the vast profits ERI hopes to extract from the tips at Bedwas are the engine driving the entire project So any incidental coal agreement could only be a sham allowing the project to go ahead could blast open the door to massive carbon emissions from other tips across the UK So we have teamed up with Coal Action Network and have asked the environmental law expert Toby Fisher at Matrix Chambers for his advice When Coal Action Network made a freedom of information request An incidental coal agreement can only be made when “any coal encountered is not mined for commercial purposes it is being removed as a necessary part of the safe development of the site” And Fisher’s detailed legal advice is equally clear; ERI can’t dodge the requirement for a coal licence by applying for an incidental coal agreement because its whole plan is built on getting hold of the coal When the company running the opencast mine at Ffos-y-fran extracted £50m in profits – leaving a £60m black hole in the fund that was supposed to pay for the site to be restored – it said it should be allowed to carry on mining to pay for the restoration But the company dug up 450,000 tonnes of illegal coal after planning permission expired and the restoration is still going nowhere The void left behind has filled up with water creating a risk of contamination and a threat to public health The proposal for digging up coal from the Bedwas tips should be buried in a deep But when ERI applies for planning permission the local council and the Welsh government must stand up to corporate interests and block it And we’re ready to take legal action to stop a new generation of coal extraction – dressed up as restoration projects – from wreaking devastation on local communities and fuelling climate chaos The scars the coal industry has left behind take time and work to heal And where tips are dangerous for local communities they need proper investment to restore thriving landscapes But you can’t solve the problems coal mines have created by digging up more coal The original version of this article referred to “mining” coal As the coal has already been taken out of the ground we changed the article on 13th November 2024 to make this clear investigations and campaigning to fight for a fairer By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the Good Law Project’s privacy notice With the season fast approaching its conclusion sides across Caerphilly County Borough make their final push for promotion as others fight for safety A narrow 22-19 win for Bargoed in the WRU Premiership against Bonymaen RFC means they stay in fourth they’ll need some help from their opponents if they wish to climb any higher Elsewhere there was a very local rivalry between Cross Keys playing host to Newbridge with the visitors claiming bragging rights on this occasion with a 14-8 win It was a great Saturday afternoon for Bedwas in the Championship East as they thumped Ynysddu 58-0 to move into second just five points off top with two games in hand Penallta’s 30-26 loss away to St Peters means they surrender that second spot to Bedwas and slip into third We go to League One East where Nelson strengthened their promotion odds after beating Blaenavon 38-12 at home The hosts are three points off first with a game in hand Meanwhile Senghenydd had an afternoon to forget after they were thrashed 73-29 away to Abergavenny Blackwood made light work of fellow borough side Risca in a 50-17 victory on the road; they remain top having lost just one match this season The side above Risca at the foot of the table is Abercarn who also lost over the weekend; 33-3 to Blaina In League Two East Central Caerphilly beat Cardiff Quins 29-18 to maintain their 100% record They currently sit top of the table after 12 games Machen move up into third with a very narrow 24-23 win over Abertysswg Falcons Fleur De Lys also climb the table with their 23-13 win over Caerleon they lost 38-7 away to Nantyglo and remain dead last with one point we skip to League Five East where Deri claimed a 54-7 win over Hartridge to keep pressure on Tredegar at the top Blackwood Stars celebrated a slender 29-24 win over Hollybush to maintain third spot New Tredegar recorded a 52-0 whitewash over Brynithel while Trinant celebrated an equally comfortable 47-7 win over Cwmcarn United Bargoed’s clash with Penallta Athletic in League Six Central was postponed Eighty-seven-year-old Priscilla June Davies received a warm welcome at Caerphilly Fire Station recently when she presented a set of knitted ‘trauma teddies’ she made The bears will be handed to children affected by emergencies attended by South Wales Fire and Rescue to help calm and reassure them Priscilla, who is more commonly known as June, told Caerphilly Observer she has made countless teddies in the past for other good causes – including a batch to India for disabled children and ones destined for the Heath Hospital in Cardiff so this is something to keep my mind working and occupied “The firefighters are wonderful people who do a wonderful job – I cannot praise them enough.” Bedwas FC formed in March this year and already have big hopes ahead of their inaugural season – with dozens showing-up to preseason training It’ll be the first ever senior football team to bear the Bedwas name have entered the Newport and District football league and said how impressed he was to see so many people turn-up to training on the 3G pitch at Bedwas High School “In our first session we had 16 show-up before that number jumped to 24 in the next Its been incredible to see so many people involved after a few short weeks “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from the local community too We have lots of sponsors already and we’re all looking forward to the season ahead.” New players are encouraged to attend a training session in Bedwas held every Tuesday between 6pm and 7pm Most sides across Caerphilly County Borough had a weekend off with Wales in action but there were still some crucial ties at play as the season nears its conclusion Just the one borough side in Premiership action over the weekend Cross Keys suffered a 43-31 loss to league leaders Pontypridd and stay in fifth Bedwas were in action one division below and built on their win last weekend with a comfortable 36-14 victory over Treorchy A case of Déjà vu for Ynysddu in the same division who for the second week in a row were shut out Not many games elsewhere due to international rugby but Hafodyrynys were in action down in League Five East where they claimed a 32-7 win over Magor with Caerphilly County Borough teams among those battling for promotion and those looking to beat the drop Newbridge climbed to ninth in the league after beating Cardiff Met 22-19 at home on Saturday March 22 Bargoed remain fourth after a 26-24 defeat to Neath at Bargoed Park 14-try Bedwas maintain top spot after a crushing 90-0 victory over mid-table Mountain Ash at the Bridgefield bottom-place Ynysddu beat Rumney 29-25 at home – keeping their survival hopes very much alive Penallta fell to a 39-24 defeat to Beddau at Ystrad Mynach’s Centre for Sporting Excellence Senghenydd slip to eighth after a heavy 65-20 loss at Monmouth who weren’t in action over the weekend second-place Blackwood suffered just their second defeat of the season – falling 22-20 at league leaders Blaina There was also a defeat for bottom-place Risca – who remain without a league win all season after falling 36-26 at Caldicot who celebrated a 27-14 win at home to midtable Usk one place behind Usk having played one game less unbeaten Caerphilly – who have already secured promotion – remain top despite not playing this weekend Rhymney sit comfortably at the top of Division 3 East after beating Caerphilly County Borough rivals Fleur de Lys But there was little to cheer about for the other borough sides in the division Machen moved down to sixth after a 33-13 loss at home to Chepstow while second-from-bottom Abertysswg Falcons were beaten 21-8 at home to Caerleon are currently bottom without a league win to their name this season Pontllanfraith remain seventh after narrowly losing 12-11 at home to Bettws while Bedwellty slip to fourth after a heavy 48-15 loss at Gwernyfed who enjoyed a 38-28 victory over Forgeside in front of their own fans second-place Deri recorded a big 48-15 win over fourth-place Hafodyrynys third-place Blackwood Stars were well beaten by top-of-the-table Tredegar Ironsides with the league leaders cruising to a 57-3 victory in Blackwood nor did any of the Caerphilly sides in Division 6 East A New Tredegar remain top with eight wins and one loss this campaign while Trinant are fourth and Cwmcarn United fifth Bargoed Athletic earned a 29-10 win against Tondu Athletic and remain second in the league behind only Cardiff Met There was WRU Premiership Cup final heartbreak for Cross Keys this weekend with the side falling 43-12 to Pontypridd at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Saturday April 5 But while the Keys were gracing the hallowed turf at the home of Welsh rugby other teams battled it out in their respective leagues as the season’s end approaches with their game against Llangennech rearranged due to their cup final commitments Bargoed stay fourth after a big 53-21 home victory over Newcastle Emlyn Newbridge are up to eighth after beating Bonymaen 29-23 at home Bedwas remain top of the pile after a 31-17 victory over St Peters at the Bridgefield while Penallta edged Treorchy on the road – running out 43-42 winners in a high-scoring clash they earned a losing bonus-point in the process enough to take them up to 11th in the table Nelson hold on to top spot in Division 1 East following a 47-14 home win over Monmouth who were on the wrong end of a 50-13 drubbing at Bedlinog and drop to ninth – one place above bottom Abercarn remain eighth following a 25-17 loss at Garndiffaith while Risca also had a rest over the weekend – but stay winless at the bottom of the table who are top of Division 2 East Central with promotion already secured Fleur de Lys move up to third despite a 38-24 home loss to New Panteg Machen meanwhile stay eighth after a 28-6 defeat on the road to Newport Saracens Rhymney remain clear at the top after a 17-10 win at Newport Saracens in midweek losing 28-19 to Crickhowell – and stay in fourth place Hafoydyrnys drop to fourth after a 54-7 loss at league leaders Tredegar Ironsides who earned a 39-15 home win against Abersychan Alexanders while Hollybush drew 31-31 away to Beaufort New Tredegar are 14 points clear at the summit They beat third-place Old Tylerian 47-0 away from home Trinant are now second following their 24-6 win at Brynithel and remain fifth – one place from bottom Bargoed Athletic had a day to forget on the road to St Peters Athletic but miss the chance to close the gap with leaders Cardiff Met Athletic MONDAYS9:30amBethel Baptist ChurchNantgarw RoadCaerphillyCF83 3FP(Turn in at the Caerphilly Players Theatre)Call or text Francine 07834 408172 MONDAYS5:30pmNeuadd St Catwg Community HallChurch RoadGelligaerCF82 8FWCall or text Sharon 07792 340844 MONDAYS5:30pmSt Thomas’s ChurchCefn FforestNP12 3NDCall or text Mike 07960 935024 TUESDAYS9.30amThe Woodbine ClubWoodbine RoadBlackwoodNP12 1QJCall or text Sandie 07414 441641 TUESDAYS5.30pmCascade Community CentreLlwyn OnnPenpedairheolHengoedCF82 8BBCall or text Mike 07960 935024 TUESDAYS5pm & 6:30pmTreowen Village HallTreowen RoadNewbridgeNP11 3DPCall or text Deb 07493 704036 TUESDAYS5:30pmPenyrheolSt Andrews Church HallTroed-Y-BrynPenyrheolCF83 2PXCall or text Pippa 07949 430212 10.30am & 5:30pmBedwas Workman’s HallOld Newport RoadBedwas CF83 8BJCall or text Francine 07834 408172 9am & 10:30amSiloh ChapelOakfield StreetYstrad MynachCF82 7AFCall or text Joanne 07530 343262 WEDNESDAYS5pm & 6:30pmSt Gwladys Church HallChurch PlaceBargoedCF81 8RPCall or text Jane 07833 381552 WEDNESDAYS4.30pm & 6pmSt Augustines Church HallCommercial StreetPontllanfraithBlackwood WEDNESDAYS5:30pmNewbridge Rugby ClubBridge StreetNewbridgeNP11 5FRCall or text Mel 07969 846689 WEDNESDAYS5:30pmSt John’s ChurchHigh StreetNelsonCF46 6HACall or text Kayleigh 07500 962047 THURSDAYS7:30am & 9amSt John’s ChurchHigh StreetNelsonCF46 6HACall or text Kayleigh 07500 962047 THURSDAYS8am & 9:30amThe Nazareth Community CentreThomas StreetAbertridwrCF83 4AUCall or text Francine 07534 408172 THURSDAYS9:30amSt Thomas’s ChurchCefn FforestNP12 3NDCall or text Mike 07960 935024 THURSDAYS5:30pmAberfan Social ClubAberfan RoadAberfanMerthyr TydfilCF48 4QQCall or text Vikki 07724 461175 THURSDAYS5:30pmWhite Rose Information & Resource CentreCross StreetElliots TownNew TredegarNP24 6EFCall or text Jane 07833 381552 THURSDAYS7pmOakdale Community Centre7 Penrhiw AvenueOakdaleNP12 ONJCall or text Deb 07493 704036 FRIDAYS9:30amPwll-Y-Pant Community CentreHeol Pwll-Y-PantCaerphillyCF83 2NDCall or text Pippa 07949 430212 9am & 10:30amSt Gwladys Church HallChurch PlaceBargoedCF81 8RPCall or text Camilla 07496 279102 SATURDAYS7:30am & 9amSt John’s ChurchHigh StreetNelsonCF46 6HACall or text Kayleigh 07500 962047 9am & 10:30amStudio 54High StreetBlackwoodNP12 1BBCall or text Jemma 07929 574411 SATURDAYS7:30am & 9amNewbridge Rugby ClubBridge StreetNewbridgeNP11 5FRCall or text Mel 07969 846689 Interested in becoming a Slimming World Consultant?Call Joanne on 07530 353262 for more information On the eve of Wales’ record-breaking defeat to England in the Six Nations rugby clubs across the borough were focused on their respective leagues – as teams looked to boost their promotion and survival hopes there was disappointment for Newbridge in the WRU Premiership and remain tenth in the league with six wins and ten losses There was also a defeat for Bedwas in the National Championship East but the bonus point was enough to see them climb to the top of the table Nelson remain top of the Division 1 East after beating Blaenavon 31-19 away Senghenydd remain seventh despite not playing over the weekend with six wins and eight losses after 14 games In Division 2 East there was yet another disappointing result for Risca They stay bottom of the table with no wins while title-chasing Blackwood drop to second having not played – but are just four points behind leaders Blaina having played two games less Over in Division 2 East Central, already-promoted Caerphilly‘s stay top It was a similar story down in Division 3 East where Rhymney remain on top despite not playing Division 4 East saw Bedwellty pick up a narrow 19-18 win at RTB Ebbw Vale to rise to third Hafodyrynys sealed a 22-7 home win against Hartridge They move up to fourth place in the league with seven wins one draw and four losses after 12 games played.  There were no games played in League 6 East A over the weekend with New Tredegar still on top with eight wins and one loss in nine games with just one win and eight losses after nine games played there were no borough teams in action in Division 6 East Central The company behind plans to extract coal at a former colliery site have been urged to reveal further information about their intentions Energy Recovery Investments Limited’s (ERI) wants to remove around 500,000 tonnes worth of coal and spoil from tips at the abandoned Bedwas mine over the next five to ten years as part of a remediation scheme Peredur Owen Griffiths and Delyth Jewell MS who both represent the South Wales East region said plans to remove coal from the site have caused worry and anxiety for communities on either side of the mountain Mr Griffiths said many questions around the project remain including how much money is set to be released for the community to compensate for any disruption and pollution “ERI are expected to submit a planning application later this year to extract the coal at the former Bedwas colliery site,” he said “The application will then be subject to the scrutiny of the local authority Plaid Cymru councillors will be ensuring that there is full scrutiny of the plans when that happens there has been little said about how much the communities around the site will benefit coal has been extracted from our hillsides along with the vast profits that were made “Our communities paid a heavy price during the coal mining years but were left with little benefit “I am calling on ERI to release more detail about how much they intend to donate into communities and how they plan to direct that money “From the millions of pounds of profit set to be made from this project there needs to be a substantial financial offer for the people that live around former Bedwas colliery these financial benefits must deliver a lasting Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for the environment Delyth Jewell MS added: “I urge the company to come clean with the community about their plans for the Bedwas site so the communities that surround the site are reassured and all local councillors can have their say on any developments are a legacy of our nation’s industrial history—which predates devolution “We cannot rely on private firms solely to clear up the mess we must have public money from the UK Government to make the tips safe and make sure they are not a risk to the public “With the likelihood that the costs will increase with the impact of climate change and the potential to further destabilise these tips it’s clear that this far more that a safety issue: it is a matter of historical Tips at Bedwas are classified as Category D which is defined as “a tip with the potential to impact public safety” and are required to be inspected at least twice a year The main risks associated with Bedwas is of tip fires and contamination of local watercourses ERI has indicated its plan is to sell on coal from the site to heavy industry the cement manufacturing industry and potentially energy production industry The steel sector and brickworks are also understood to be potential customers It estimates an average of 90 hauls by HGVs per week to occur over the seven years operational period approximately to 18-20 HGVs going to and from the site every day Managing Director Piers Thomas says the ERI project completely “restoring the land for agriculture and amenity activities” He said: “The 2 million cubic metres of spoil will be processed to remove the coal and the remaining spoil will be deposited on the safer mountain ridge Mr Thomas also claimed the proposal removes offering “a tangible solution at no extra cost to the local Authority or taxpayers” During a Senedd debate before the summer recess Labour MS Hefin David urged fellow members to keep an open mind to the plans to remediate coal tips in Bedwas Dr David said: “We need to keep an open mind about any opportunity or avenue we have to remediate but at the same time we must ask sceptical questions.” this isn’t ‘leave it as a disaster zone and exploit the land’ we’ll take the coal as a by-product and we’ll make a profit Dr David also added his voice to a chorus of calls for the UK Government to urgently provide additional funding for proper long-term remediation of disused tips The UK Government has yet to contribute funding for long-term remediation of disused coal tips an issue which predates the Welsh Government Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Given the very poor track record of opencast and similar extractive industries over recent decades any business now proposing such works should have to pay a toll per tonne extracted so that a remediation fund can be held by government or local government Any other type of agreement seems to fail to deliver funds when they are needed Look at the billions not millions that was made out of the opencast in Merthyr tydfil and what have we got a massive hole that is full of water and a mountain that has been destroyed and they called it land reclamation what a joke If you look at the last coal tip Eri worked on in Hafod y Dafel Aberbeeg you can see that they they regenerate the land so that it’s as if there was never any coal there in the first place 100% better than if it were left If you want to take a look just walk the mountain side for yourself before any decisions are made.What they say is what they do don’t lat the state of ffos y fran make your mind up that was another company Connect with Nation.Cymru on Facebook and Twitter If you would like to donate to help keep Nation.Cymru running then you just need to click on the box below it will open a pop up window that will allow you to pay using your credit / debit card or paypal Enter your email address to receive instant notifications of new articles All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018 In 2017 Nation.Cymru was launched after raising £5000 from a crowdfunding campaign Today it is one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK attracting over 1.5 million visitors a month We are not backed by billionaire owners or hidden behind a paywall but we depend on our readers' support to continue our work If everyone who visited the site over the course of a month donated at least £1 we would have enough funding for the next eight years To guarantee our future please consider making a donation today. Bedwas High School is holding its first-ever summer fair this weekend to raise money for a trip to South Africa which is being held between 10am and 4pm on Saturday June 29 with free entry for children under the age of eight The trip is being organised by science teacher Bethmi Tikiribandara who said the trip will give pupils “the opportunity to study conservation methods in a real-life context elephants and buffalos] in their natural habitat take part in a beach clean-up and assist in a local primary school” Ms Tikiribandara continued: “As you can imagine this will be an incredible opportunity for them but it is also going to be very expensive especially in the current economic climate.” So far, pupils have organised numerous fundraising activities throughout the school year to raise funds, including bag-packing, raffles, bake sales, and a winter fair, as well as setting up an online fundraiser ten-mile walk from Cardiff Castle to Caerphilly Castle as part of their fundraising efforts Ms Tikiribandara added: “Working towards raising the money themselves will be a valuable lesson in resilience “Owning this trip will only make the experience better for the pupils and it is genuinely one of the few once-in-a-lifetime opportunities available it will be the first time they leave the country.” The 23-year-old loose-head has joined the Valley Commandos for the 2024/25 season Ben has been playing for Bedwas in the WRU Championship for the past three seasons and played for Ponty on permit in last Saturday’s win against Cardiff After an accomplished personal performance against a strong Blue & Blacks pack Ben now links up with Ponty ahead of the team’s upcoming Admiral Welsh Premiership campaign Ben said: “I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to be back at Pontypridd RFC It’s such a great club with rich history and hopefully we can add to it this year!” Ponty Defence Coach Kristian Parker is also looking forward to welcoming Ben back to the Club and said: “It’s great to get Ben signed and over the line He hasn’t been with us long but has certainly made an impact within the squad in that time and showed the fans on what they can expect from him from his performance against Cardiff last week Ben has been someone we have been looking at for some time and from our good links with Bedwas RFC’s coaches we have been able to bring him down and have a look at what he can do it shows why so many clubs were in for him and we are happy that he has chosen to come home after playing for Pontypridd Youth a few years ago Ben will bring a physical edge to the team and enjoys having the ball in his hands and more importantly will only strengthen our front row options in what will be a tough league.” Pontypridd RFC wishes to place on record its thanks to Ben’s sponsors Picton-Jones Independent Financial Services who have helped to get the transfer over the line