Libby Woolford was spiked while on a night out with her boyfriend and some friends(Image: Libby Woolford)A 19-year-old woman was left "screaming in pain" and unable to remember much of the night after she was spiked at a popular valleys nightclub. Libby Woolford, 19, from Porth was out with her boyfriend and some friends at The Banc nightclub in Pentre when she went from "sober to in a complete state" within minutes Libby was at The Banc and enjoyed a couple of drinks with friends With a small amount of her third drink left Libby asked her partner's friend to watch her drink while she went to the toilet However she now knows that he didn't hear her and she returned and finished the drink Within 10 minutes Libby started to feel sick "I went to the toilet and for about 20 minutes I was being sick and it was green," Libby said "I eventually went back out with friends and one of them was talking to me but I couldn’t understand what she was saying because I was in such a state." Much of what happened next is a blur for Libby but she remembers leaving The Banc and planning to go to a friend’s house when she started "screaming" about stomach pain and “shaking uncontrollably” She also felt like she couldn’t breathe properly The next thing Libby remembers is waking up in A&E. Get the latest Rhondda news first by signing up to our newsletter here Libby said she went from being 'sober to in a complete state' within the space of minutes(Image: Libby Woolford)Her boyfriend had called Libby's mum and it took three people to get her into her sister’s car as she was unable to walk "When my boyfriend phoned her she thought that I was just drunk but when she saw me she knew something was wrong," Libby said She waited a number of hours in A&E after seeing a nurse but decided to go home as she wanted to sleep "I slept all night but the next day my legs were still shaky and I was struggling to walk I couldn’t keep anything down for a few days." She eventually did an at-home drugs test which came back positive She said she is feeling better now but has been left "in shock" about what happened A statement shared on The Banc's social media page said: "In the past week The Banc has been informed of a social media post of a young lady suffering the terrible experience of being spiked. The Banc management would like to take this time to inform all customers that we take the safety of you and staff above all else We aim to provide a safe environment for all "After some research we will soon be implementing anti-spike covers for drinks by request at no extra cost We ask that customers plan trips to the smoking area accordingly so no drinks are left unattended due to the council ruling on no alcohol being consumed in that area "If you have any concerns while on the premises please do not hesitate to ask to speak to a member of the management team "We are part of the community of the Rhondda We have sons and daughters of all ages and understand all concerns this incident has caused." A change to the final phase of a new walking and cycling route in the Rhondda Fach has been approved The application approved by Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council’s planning committee on Thursday involves amending the alignment of a linking community path from the rear of the Rhondda Fach Sports Centre down to the fifth phase of the Rhondda Fach active travel route The whole scheme covers a distance of around 7km and will connect the site of the former Maerdy Colliery with Pontygwaith to the south east most of which will follow the alignment of the former railway The route will include links to communities This particular section of linking path already exists and runs north west from the rear of the Rhondda Fach Leisure centre it was planned to use all of its length and resurface it but the application says that it would be preferable to avoid the existing lower section given the engineering works required and therefore follow a slightly different route to the river The wider application site relates to a section of former railway line which runs between Station Road Maerdy (opposite its junction with Institute Street) and Pontygwaith the phase five area includes part of the line from a point 1km to the south east of Ferndale leading to the Llanwonno Road bridge at Stanleytown as well as two existing footpaths which link the route to the community at Tylorstown is unmade and surfaces comprise a combination of gravel Most of the footpath is located outside of the settlement boundary and passes close to the Rhondda Fach River and none of the site is adjacent to residential development The specific area relating to the current application is land to the rear of the Rhondda Fach Sports Centre The land is covered by trees and vegetation The path of the active travel route also intersects with areas of land designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) a registered landscape of outstanding historic interest in Wales a C2 flood zone and a development high risk area from historic coal mining planning officers said in their report: “The proposed development represents a small amendment to a community link route as part of the fifth and final phase of the project to upgrade and resurface the route of the former railway line between Maerdy to Pontygwaith.” They said that the improvements would enable safe and appropriate access for all users throughout the year They added that the amendment to the community linking route was considered to be an acceptable and convenient revision which would neither be harmful to the character of the surrounding environment or affect the amenity of any third party landowners and occupiers Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" 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. The Admiral Premiership match between the two sides kicks off at 2:30pm Matches between the two clubs goes back 140 years with the first known encounter taking place on 24th September 1885 This Saturday’s match marks Ponty’s first visit to Gelligaled Park since pre-season 2016 when on Saturday 20th August that particular year it was the Valley Commandos that came away with a 38-0 win there’s no doubt that tomorrow afternoon’s clash will be a much closer affair as the evidence suggests when the two teams last locked horns earlier in the season In the ‘festive derby’ at Sardis Road on Saturday 21st December played out in front of a sizeable crowd it was Pontypridd that earned an extremely hard-fought late win by 26 points to 17 for Pontypridd there’s also the the double-incentive of league points and Mid District Cup points on offer to firstly keep the pressure on Merthyr at the top of the Premiership table and secondly to try and qualify for the Mid District Premiership Final on 17th May Ponty have made three changes to the XV that played Newcastle Emlyn at Sardis last Saturday alongside a positional switch The sole change in the backs is Louis Rochefort-Shugar being drafted back into the XV on the wing Whilst in the forwards Joe Miles returns from injury to start at no.8 and Niall Moore earns his first start for the club in the boiler house house with Mitch Barnard The switch in the pack sees player-Head Coach Kris Parker move onto the blindside flank The only new face on the bench is Joel Raikes following his return from injury The Pontypridd casualty and unavailability list remains a long one Aside from long-term absentees like Cai James Joe Davies is now in the treatment room whilst Lloyd Riley is unavailable All the other players that are not involved Saturday are either injured or unavailable The Pontypridd team selected to play Ystrad Rhondda is as follows: A NOTE FROM OUR CLUB TO ALL PONTY RFC SUPPORTERS – A polite notice for Pontypridd supporters – you will not be able to park/leave your cars in front of the Sardis Road Clubhouse or in the ground on Saturday due to the Women’s Mid District Final that’s being held at Sardis Road – thank you for your cooperation The postcode for Gelligaled Park is CF41 7SY Ystrad’s clubhouse is just back in the town and the address for that is 82 Gelligaled Road The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded £4.7 million funding to save Tylorstown Welfare Hall. The funding will allow Grade II listed hall to be saved by renovating its architectural features and restoring the capacity of the building to allow it to increase its range of vital services, activities and resources. The hall was built in 1933 through the contributions of local miners. Restoration of the building will honour key elements that reflect Tylorstown’s rich mining heritage, and key improvements will include: The building is little changed since construction but due to limited maintenance resources for many years, and a flood in 2019, the building fabric is at risk. A lack of accessibility and critical services such as heating, plumbing and electrics mean that only one floor of the building is currently in use. Rebecca Sullivan, Project Director for Tylorstown Community Hall, said:  “In one of Wales’s most deprived areas, Tylorstown Welfare Hall stands as the last remaining Miners Welfare Hall in the Rhondda Fach. While other buildings of its kind have been lost to time and either closed, repurposed, or destroyed, ours endures as a powerful symbol of the community’s history and identity. “We are absolutely delighted to receive this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Together as a community we’ve worked tirelessly over the last five years to campaign for this building to remain at our heart and it’s a reflection of who we are and the strength and belief we hold in our community. “Thanks to National Lottery players, Tylorstown Welfare Hall will be a thriving beacon of opportunity, inclusivity and support for the people of Rhondda, inspiring pride in our heritage and hope for the future.” Andrew White, The National Lottery Heritage Fund Director for Wales, said:  The hall was originally funded by donations form workers’ wages, colliery companies and the Miners’ Welfare Fund. Its purpose was to provide a place for the people of the town to gather and enjoy recreational activities. It included a dance and function hall that was used as a cinema, as well as a library, snooker hall and meeting rooms. and highly targeted distribution networks offers our clients a proven strategically connected one-stop-shop solution for all regions and business sectors in Wales and beyond The GP X-ray service at Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda Hospital will temporarily close for essential refurbishment work from Thursday 2 January until April 2025 all patients will be able to access a walk-in service at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital and between the hours of 9am and 4pm (excluding bank holidays) GPs will be providing details of these temporary service arrangements to any patient needing to be referred into the service We will provide further updates on when the service will return to Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda Cookies are small text files saved on your phone tablet or computer when you visit a website These cookies enable core functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas The website cannot function properly without these cookies and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences Consent for some third party cookies can not be automatically revoked Please follow the link below if you want to opt out of them We may use third party tools such as Google Analytics and similar to help us anonymously measure how you use our websites This allows us to make improvements based on our users\' needs These tools set cookies that store anonymised information about how you got to the site More than £9m is set to be spent next year on some of the major new roads and transport projects in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) As part of the council’s supplementary capital programme for highways £9.15m has been set aside for transport infrastructure in 2025/2026 including the Llanharan Sustainable Transport  Corridor and the A465 Cynon Gateway which has been allocated £1.14m Both were part of the Welsh Government roads review process which did not support either of the projects But the council has made changes to the Llanharan proposal taking into account the findings of the review and a report to cabinet on Wednesday says the Welsh Government has indicated support in principle It says discussions continue on the refinement of the scheme with the Welsh Government alongside the ongoing design and development of the project The council has also submitted a £513,000 bid to Welsh Government for Local Transport Fund funding in 2025/26 to go towards the development of the A465 Cynon Gateway There is £1.2m allocated to the A4119 dualling between Coed Ely and Ynysmaerdy which has been completed and the road opened but this funding is to maintain peripheral works the ongoing consideration of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) and other longer term project costs There is £384,000 set aside for the Gelli/Treorchy link road with an ongoing review looking again at the issues and sustainable aims to address the ongoing problems in the Rhondda Fawr particularly around Stag Square The park and ride programme will get £500,000 The council has worked with Transport for Wales (TfW) over the implementation of the Treorchy park and ride project and TfW started work in 2024/25 with the aim to finish in April The council has submitted a bid for Welsh Government Local Transport Fund Grant funding to deliver further park and ride facilities in Porth in support of the newly opened Porth Transport Hub And £878,000 is set to go to the Making Better Use programme which aims to identify design and deliver low cost and high value improvements  to deal with issues on things like safety An element of this work will focus on the A4059 and A4119 The game takes place on Saturday 26th April with a 2:30pm kick-off and the Pontypridd Supporters Club are organising transport to the ground Travelling on one of Edwards Coaches continues to be both a comfortable and convenient way for Ponty fans to travel to away grounds and get behind the Valley Commandos The bus will leave Sardis Road at 1:00pm ahead of the 2:30pm kick-off and the price is just £8 per person Post-match it will depart Ystrad’s clubhouse at 5:30pm To book a seat on the bus to Ystrad Rhondda please call Phil Lycett on 01443 662561 Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board’s PIPYN Rhondda Cynon Taf programme was officially launched at an event in the Rhondda Valleys CTM’s PIPYN programme is dedicated to supporting children (age 3-7 years) and their families to make healthy food choices and build healthy family habits The programme offers family-based support sessions embedded within plans to build healthy environments around the family Initially set up to support families in Merthyr Tydfil in 2023 the programme has had great success and has now expanded into Rhondda and Taf Ely Designed and delivered by Public Health Dietetics the PIPYN programme is designed by local families and a wide range stakeholders from local councils and education providers to community partners and families universally accessible programme which targets our most deprived communities and highest rate of overweight and obesity PIPYN offers families advice and support on a range of topics Hosting the first PIPYN RCT workshop today “CTM UHB has some of Wales’s highest levels of obesity in adults and children Our main aim is to offer families living in CTM information and support to help them to build healthy habits by making healthy choices PIPYN have delivered over 400 sessions to more than 250 families in Merthyr Tydfil We are delighted to now be offering PIPYN in Rhondda Cynon Taf PIPYN RCT has already delivered 14 programmes I would like to thank all of our partners for their ongoing support and give a huge thank you to the entire PIPYN team for the incredible work they are doing.” For more information about the PIPYN programme, or to sign up to PIPYN Merthyr or PIPYN RCT please visit: https://ctmuhb.nhs.wales/services/public-health-dietitians/pipyn/ Business in the Community (BITC) is the UK’s largest and most influential responsible business network dedicated to building a fairer and greener world together supported by His Majesty The King for over 40 years BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY Business in the Community (BITC) has launched its newest Place programme in Rhondda Cynon Taf to provide much-needed support to the local community and to actively address and tackle inequalities impacting people living and working in the region The launch comes as data shows that unemployment in Rhondda Cynon Taf sits at 4.9% – higher than the Welsh average of 2.9%.[1] In addition Rhondda Cynon Taf is ranked as the fourth most deprived local authority area in Wales with 17.5% of the region falling into the top 10% of deprived areas across Wales BITC’s Rhondda Cynon Taf Place programme will focus on three key areas:  The Rhondda Cynon Taf Place programme is part of BITC’s wider Place programme, working in communities across the UK that are at risk of being left behind. BITC works with businesses local government and voluntary groups to deliver long-term impact transform lives and help communities thrive The Place programme in Rhondda Cynon Taf has an established Steering Committee that will work alongside BITC The Steering Group is made up of business leaders from companies including Principality Building Society Rhondda Housing Association and Network Recruitment Wales Chief Impact and Governance Officer at Principality Building Society being a force for good is a personal mission as well as a professional obligation The work we aim to do on the ground with a group of inspirational organisations to deliver the RCT Place Programme is about tackling the big issues at a local level creating opportunities and restoring pride innovate and create lasting impact for the people and places we care about the most.” Director of Engagement and Enterprise at the University of South Wales “At the University of South Wales our vision is to change lives and the world for the better and we are committed to improving the well-being of the communities that we serve Central to this commitment is our role as a founding member of both the Newport and Rhondda Cynon Taf Place Programmes and we are incredibly proud to host the RCT launch event at our Pontypridd campus this week “Through our work with BITC in Newport we know that positive results are best achieved through partnership and we are excited to expand this collaborative approach to make a sustainable impact in RCT.” Chief Executive of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council “The Council is delighted that the BITC Place Programme is coming to Rhondda Cynon Taf and we look forward to being part of this exciting programme which aims to bring together business the public sector and our communities to make a real and positive difference to people’s lives.” Tracy Rees, Wales Director at Business in the Community “At BITC our mission is to transform lives and help communities across the UK to thrive We have been working for more than 40 years around the UK in communities that need it most local government and community organisations work together we can give much-needed to support to communities in need make long-term impact and create lasting change.” More Stories from Business in the Community: Our wide-ranging menu of platforms, communication services, and highly targeted distribution networks offers our clients a proven, strategically connected one-stop-shop solution for all regions and business sectors in Wales and beyond. The Admiral Premiership match between the two clubs will kick-off at 2:30pm at Gelligaled Park Matches between the two clubs goes way back with our Club Historian Alun Granfield informing us that the first record of a game taking place was on 24th September 1885 and it Ponty that came away with a win by a goal The last match between Ponty and Ystrad at Gelligaled Park was a bit more recent on Saturday 20th August 2016 and it was Pontypridd that came away with a 38-0 win in a pre-season friendly This season the teams met just before Christmas in a ‘festive derby’ at Sardis Road on Saturday 21st December Played out in front of a bumper vocal crowd the contest was everything you’d expect from a local derby and with a few minutes left the result could have gone either way Ponty were leading by just two points when number 8 Joe Miles crashed over for his third try of the afternoon to help seal a 26-17 win for the Valley Commandos There are now just three league matches remaining for Pontypridd and the team can still get to one hundred points in the Premiership but that will still not be enough without Merthyr losing at least two matches before the end of the season so once again it’s as you were in terms of the points separating each other Ystrad currently sit comfortably in mid table in what’s their first season at Premiership level Despite losing away at Llangennech last Saturday Gelligaled Park is a bit of a fortress for them and in their previous five home league matches they have won four beating Bargoed Newcastle Emlyn and Neath whilst losing 27-20 against Cardiff Met after conceding a late try A subplot on top of this weekend’s match is the Mid District Premiership Cup Pontypridd currently occupy third place in the table with Saturday’s result at Ystrad and the final game of the season’s result away at Bargoed contributing to the final standings – the top two will face off in the final on 17th May for the third major trophy of the 2024/25 season a double-incentive to get the W for Pontypridd – this Saturday should be a cracker As always the Pontypridd Supporters Club are organising travel for fans to the opposition’s ground. The bus will be departing Sardis Road at 1:00pm – please phone Phil Lycett on 01443 662561 to book a seat. Here’s our recent Supporters Bus article with all the key information – Supporters Coach to Ystrad Rhondda London Gatwick Airport has made the decision to increase the charge for it's passenger drop-off zone from £6 to £7, the new price came into effect on Friday 2 May. The initiative is part of Shining a Light on Suicide, a campaign led by NHS Greater Manchester to break the stigma around suicide and make support easier to access. A Middlesbrough-based private hire driver who was caught urinating in Stockton High Street has been permitted to keep his licence after revealing a health condition to the Middlesbrough Council's licensing committee. 70 vehicles checked with some immediate prohibitions and suspensions, suspended enforcement and Non Compliance Notices. The move follows the acquisition of the Norwich-based company by the rapidly expanding Veezu Group in 2022. Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of a 47-year-old Hertfordshire taxi driver, Jesbir Singh Khela, whose body was discovered in a burnt-out car earlier this year. The initiative, which also saw council licensing officers checking the condition and compliance of taxis, has been hailed a success by both authorities. Aaron Johnson received his sentence at Oxford Crown Court on Friday, 25 April, having pleaded guilty to charges of robbery and possession of a knife in a public place. The launch follows an onboarding process that began last month at Lomeshaye Business Park in Nelson, where hundreds of local drivers were expected to register for both the Pendle and Blackburn areas. Licensing chiefs are set to review the current tariff next week following a request from taxi firms citing rising National Insurance contributions and the increase in the living wage. Hussain further compounded his crimes by offering one of his victims £6,000 to drop her complaint, a charge to which he later pleaded guilty. Phillipe Brooks, 58, admitted to driving with 7.7 micrograms of cannabis per litre of blood in his system, exceeding the legal limit of 2mg. One driver, Tony, who has worked in the area for nearly 40 years, claims he faces a near 10-week wait after his licence expired in April. The incident reportedly occurred around 1 pm on Sunday, 27 April, in Sandgate, near the Greenbridge Roundabout. A joint operation by Police Scotland and Highland Council's trading standards team in Inverness city centre on Friday, 25 April, saw roadside checks conducted on 30 taxi and private hire vehicles. The move follows an "Unmet Demand Survey" which highlighted longer passenger wait times compared to pre-pandemic levels and continued difficulties for disabled users, particularly wheelchair users. Private hire drivers across the Uk and globally are staging a 24-hour strike today, 1 May, in an effort to demand better pay, improved working conditions and protections for gig economy workers. Operation Recordings, carried out by Chester Beat Management Team and the Special Constabulary, was established in a bid to ensure taxis were safe, correctly licensed and compliant with their regulations. Drivers fear the move is a "backdoor route" to scrapping local fare zones, ultimately pushing drivers towards more profitable urban areas and leaving rural communities behind. Smith "refused to get out of the taxi" and was "threatening to the driver and threatening to smash his face in." When police arrived, Smith continued his aggressive behaviour. Serving the tunnelling industry since 1969 An application to the RCT Council seeks excavation to expose the buried Blaencwm tunnel entrance marking the first phase of the Rhondda Tunnel re-opening project The Rhondda Tunnel Society has submitted plans to re-open the Rhondda Tunnel and transform it into Europe’s longest walking and cycling tunnel An application to the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council requests excavation to expose the buried tunnel entrance at Blaencwm at the head of the Rhondda Fawr Valley The tunnel is currently owned by the Department for Transport and managed by Highways England Ownership rules prevent the tunnel from being re-opened until it is transferred to a suitable body was opened in 1890 to transport coal from the Rhondda Valley to Swansea Bay for export the tunnel was closed due to internal distortion limited to vertical air shafts at either end Rhondda Tunnel Society said the tunnel is in good condition despite nearly 60 years of neglect The society is also conducting regular visits to monitor its air quality The planning application aims to expose the Blaencwm entrance of the Rhondda Tunnel by partially re-excavating the railway cutting Access to the tunnel will remain restricted until repairs are completed The approach cutting will also be extended to reduce the cycle path gradient Excavated material will be relocated to the former Glenrhondda Colliery site This will be landscaped as the first step in creating a future country park featuring a visitors’ centre and other attractions Part of the funding to expose the Rhondda Tunnel has already been pledged but the Rhondda Tunnel Society will need to raise the remaining amount through various fundraising initiatives the next goal will be to expose the other entrance at Blaengwynfi in the Afan Valley This phase is more costly due to the tunnel’s greater depth at that location vehicles and machinery will be able to reach the tunnel easily for repairs and renovations Rhondda Tunnel Society chair Stephen Mackey said: “This is a hugely exciting step in the process of completely reopening the Rhondda tunnel “As Europe’s longest walking and cycling tunnel tourism and cultural benefits to the immediate area and region as a whole.” Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the Progressive Media network © Business Trade Media International Limited Anthony Lewis – Local democracy reporter A planning application has been submitted for a four-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Treherbert town centre The plans for a change of use of a property in Station Terrace have been lodged with Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council A design and access statement says the site is within a two-minute walk of Treherbert railway station and a four-minute walk of bus stops on Bute Street as well as being close to shops and other facilities It said the property is an old family house constructed in around the 1890s and it has been on the open market but has not sold as a family property The design and access statement said it would provide “much-needed affordable housing” and the rear amenity space would be kept and used by all residents It said there would be no change in the appearance of the front or rear of the premises and all ground-floor rooms would be shared between residents there is no off-street car parking and storage would be provided for four bicycles in the rear yard It also said there is public car parking just to the rear of the property The application also includes plans for bat and bird boxes to be installed The statement said the applicant will apply for statutory HMO licensing following any approval of the planning application and neighbours have not been consulted due to the “minor” nature of the application No building work such as an extension to property or new external paving is proposed as part of this change of use application a last minute try for Joe Miles sealing the win in a back-and-forth battle at Sardis Road Three tries from Miles was accompanied by a score from Rob Jones whilst the visitors fought hard with tries from Kurtis Williams It was a cagey start from both teams with Ponty’s opening spell of possession resulting in a dropped ball from Cai James whilst Ystrad Rhondda’s first attacking set saw fullback Alex Webber give a forward pass to wing Cavan Davies Ponty created a first chance when fullback Dale Stuckey broke down the wing but his pass was dropped by Joe Davies who was running a support line on his inside The resulting scrum saw the hosts win the ball against the head but some good breakdown work and an excellent clearance kick from fly-half Rhys Truelove relieved the pressure A spilt ball gave Ystrad some field position and they were awarded a penalty when the home side were penalised for offside but Rhys Truelove’s effort drifted wide of the posts to leave the scores at 0-0 after nine minutes The first points of the match came after a quarter of an hour when Ponty turned the screw in the scrum five meters out after a penalty with number 8 Joe Miles having the simple task of grounding the ball down to give his side the lead A second try followed three minutes later as the hosts showed more dominance in the scrum before kicking to the corner a rolling maul was formed and powered over the tryline with hooker Rob Jones scoring The conversion from Jaydan Pugh extended the lead to 12-0 after 20 minutes It was Ystrad’s turn to use the rolling maul moments later and a strong drive won a penalty inside the Ponty 22 After a couple more penalties in the red zone referee Joseff Rees went into his pocket to award the home side’s loosehead prop Ben Stephens a yellow card Ponty held out and rebuffed an attempt to their tryline from Ystrad scrum half Keian Richards when they held the ball up over the line The visitors did eventually use the man advantage from a scrum inside their own half Alex Webber dummied his way through the gap and it was a combination of the fullback Keian Richards and wing Kurtis Williams with some neat handling which saw latter crossing in the corner The Pontypridd scrum had still been motoring despite Stephens’ yellow card with referee Rees losing patience with the Ystrad scrum and gave a yellow card to tighthead prop Jordan Pritchard Moments later there was some breakdown infringements from the visitors when Ponty were looking for a third try and Ystrad lock Morgan Burgess was also sent to the sinbin Ponty couldn’t quite cross the line as the visitors turned the ball over and a clearance from Webber was the final play of the first half HALF TIME – Pontypridd 12-5 Ystrad Rhondda A break from try scorer Kurtis Williams at the beginning of the second half gave Ystrad an excellent chance to get their second try but a pass from centre Cole Morgan didn’t go to hand and Ponty survived after two defensive reads from Stuart Floyd-Ellis The visitors controlled the territorial battle between the two sides as Ponty struggled to gain any momentum Ystrad had a brilliant opportunity when Joe Davies was penalised for a push whilst chasing a box kick with the kick to touch giving the away side some field position in the 22 After a couple of rolling mauls that were adjudged to have been stopped illegally by the home side referee Rees gave out a fourth card of the game – this time to Ponty flanker Cai James as pressure mounted on the Ponty defence Another penalty followed before eventually the visitors crossed with the maul when hooker Liam Wiggins The conversion by Truelove fell short as Ponty held on to their two point lead Ex-Ponty favourite Alex Webber was having a fine game for the visitors and a break following a box-kick could have given his side the lead but despite the support outside him his pass didn’t go to hand Despite Ystrad enjoying the bulk of possession and territory during this particular period of the contest it was Ponty who scored next following a break from the scrum by centre Ioan Evans The ball was recycled with quick phases and it was number 8 Joe Miles who picked up his second try of the afternoon Jaydan Pugh kicked his second conversion and Ponty led 19-10 after 66 minutes Ystrad regained possession and broke through with centre Morgan who was hauled down by Stuckey but two phases later they crossed for their third try through number 8 Kelly Jones who ran an out-to-in angle to break the Ponty defence A first conversion of the match for fly-half Truelove narrowed the scores back to two points to make for a tense final ten minutes The frantic nature of the game continued following the restart with Joe Davies making a break from a poor Ystrad exit his inside pass to scrum half Welch saw Ystrad hooker Wiggins shown a yellow card for tackling off the ball Number 8 Miles thought he had crossed for his hat-trick as the clock ticked down but he was deemed to have knocked the ball on which allowed the visitors to clear with a goal line drop out Miles rounded off his own fine display with his third when he broke through after a pickup from the breakdown to run in unopposed Pugh’s third conversion extended the Ponty lead to nine points with the final try sealing the four-try bonus-point for the Valley Commandos FULL TIME – Pontypridd 26-17 Ystrad Rhondda (21/12/2024) Assistant Referee/Third Official: Tony Davies Pop is an extraordinary 102-year-old Royal Navy Veteran By Danielle Hicks · 17 April 2025 MANY HAPPY RETURNS: Pop is currently the oldest living veteran in Rhondda Cynon Taf Gordan ‘Pop’ White, affectionately known as Pop, recently celebrated his 102nd birthday with a veteran’s buffet hosted by Taf Ely Veterans in Rhydyfelin Community Centre A heroic ex-serviceman deeply loved by his family and his many friends It is believed that Pop is currently the oldest living veteran in Rhondda Cynon Taf including his military achievements and outstanding contributions to our society The celebrations were also joined by the Welsh Government’s Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing said: “It’s been great to meet Pop and help celebrate his 102nd Birthday “Supporting the wellbeing of our veterans is important and I know Taff Ely Veterans and Rhondda Cynon Taf do great work in this area.” One of eight children born to Alfred and Alice White Pop attended Pwllgwaun Infants School and Maesycoed Boys School he worked in the coal industry starting at the Pwllgwaun Colliery He left the coal industry in the early 1940s to join the Royal Navy he embarked on the SS Strathaird bound for Egypt playing a crucial role in the invasion of Italy by diligently guarding Italian prisoners of war and working on Landing Crafts during the Second World War Pop was involved in the 1944 Battle of Anzio He awoke to the sound of anti-aircraft guns and realised he was injured while the bunks on the starboard side were in disarray LCI 273 had been bombed that fateful morning resulting in the loss of 18 of Pop’s comrades He and one other survivor carried the weight of their fallen friends He was eventually rescued by an American serviceman through the missile hole in the side of the vessel and was taken aboard a military hospital ship located in the Gulf of Naples where just days earlier the famous volcano Pop’s resilience shone during these months of hospitalisation in Naples where he endured traction and rehabilitation His unyielding determination has remained a constant theme throughout his life working at the Albion and later the Maritime in the 1960s sharing his stories and continuing to inspire the younger generations He enjoys meeting up with other servicemen and women at the weekly Armed Forces Veterans Groups Pop has also been a stalwart of the Royal British Legion raising thousands of pounds for the charity.  I was one of only two who survived the explosion in Anzoi “I was bedbound for six months after the explosion I only started using a walking stick about six months ago “I regularly meet with other veterans at the weekly Taf Ely Veteran’s Group and honour the friends we lost along the way The only difference being that my life story goes back the furthest.” Deputy Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Armed Forces Champion said: “It has been an honour to celebrate Gordan ‘Pop’ White’s 102nd birthday with him “Having known Pop personally for many years I can wholeheartedly attest to his remarkable life and unwavering dedication to our country and community both during his service with the Royal Navy have left an undeniable impact on all of us “Pop’s stories and experiences continue to inspire and his commitment to the Royal British Legion speaks volumes about his compassionate and generous nature “Pop is not just a veteran; he is a cherished friend and a true superstar of our community.  we take our commitment to supporting our Armed Forces and Veterans very seriously “It is important that we continue to support local veterans ensuring their contributions are never forgotten “Please join me in wishing Pop a very happy 102nd birthday LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} A section road in Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) is finally set to re-open after works to make it two lanes have been completed Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council has announced the A4119 in Llantrisant between Coed Ely and Ynysmaerdy will fully re-open before rush hour on Monday The project has turned a section of the A4119 to a dual carriageway between the Coed Ely and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service roundabouts with the aim of tackling traffic congestion at peak times encouraging economic activity into the Rhondda Valleys and opening up Welsh Government’s Parc Coed-Elai site There is also a new active travel walking and cycling route alongside the road and a new shared use bridge near Coed Ely roundabout Council leader Councillor Andrew Morgan said the road was meant to open in September last year and then the contractors had given an update that it would be open before Christmas Cllr Morgan said in the weeks before Christmas resurfacing works were carried out which were delayed by the weather He said at that meeting that there remained a small amount of work to be completed mainly off the carriageway and that he hoped it would re-open in the next couple of weeks but until the contractors had signed over the highway to the council and the council accepted it in terms of its contractual and physical completion they couldn’t open that section of the road The council has urged people to take extra care when travelling through the newly-dualled road while getting used to the new arrangements and that the majority of the road will have a 50mph speed limit with a short 40mph limit near South Wales Fire and Rescue Service roundabout The scheme has been funded by £11.4m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund along with council and Welsh Government money The council said its contractor may need to complete minor finishing work at a future date and any further works that are need will be communicated to residents A spokesperson for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “Today’s very positive announcement has confirmed that the A4119 between Coed Ely and Ynysmaerdy will open as a dual carriageway for the first time very soon “This will be completed by March 3 – with the cones that are currently on the road being removed before the busy Monday morning travel period at the latest “The council has benefitted from multi-million pound support to make this possible including £11.4m secured from the UK Government Levelling Up Fund in 2021 “Thousands of motorists use this stretch of road every week and the investment will make a real difference to commuters reducing traffic congestion each morning and afternoon “The scheme will increase the arterial route’s capacity helping to drive economic activity into the Rhondda Valleys and delivering new walking and cycling provision locally “We acknowledge that the final elements of the scheme continued beyond the anticipated completion date “It’s very difficult to accurately give exact timescales on such large infrastructure projects – nevertheless we’d like to thank road users and local residents for their patience throughout particularly during the final safety-critical works that took place most recently “These works were absolutely necessary to ensure road users’ safety before the council could accept handover of the road.” The origin of matches between Ponty and Ystrad goes way back the first record we have of a game between two clubs taking place was on 24th September 1885 and two touches down to nil – thank you to Club Historian Alun Granfield for that information Alun also goes on to say that: “Our two clubs played each other regularly until the 1940s but games between the two sides ended in 1949 and we didn’t play each other again until 1985 The last proper match came on 11 December 1987 when we played a cup game against them at Gelligaled Park coming away with a narrow win by 18 points to seven we did play a pre-season friendly against them a few years ago.” Many of you may remember the friendly that Alun mentions it took place on Saturday 20th August 2016 away at Gelligaled Park and it was Ponty that came away with a 38-0 win – that was the last meeting between the sides There have been lots of players that have represented both clubs over the years perhaps the most notable in recent times being former Sardis favourite Alex Webber who scored 68 tries in 114 appearances for the Valley Commandos between 2012-2020 – Alex will likely be named in the Ystrad side for this Saturday’s match as well But to the present and Pontypridd secured a fine bonus-point win away at Newcastle Emlyn on Saturday just gone In very tricky playing conditions the Valley Commandos had to front-up But in the second forty Ponty showed their class to come away from West Wales with a 38-0 win to maintain their place at the top of the league standings Ystrad Rhondda themselves are having a good season and are on a good run of form They currently sit 5th in the Premiership table and are unbeaten in their last four outings having had two draws sandwiched between two wins – their last win came on Saturday when they beat Llangennech at home by 26 points to 10 With both Neath and Merthyr hot on their tails Pontypridd know that they need to keep up their winning streak against an Ystrad Rhondda side who will be hoping to play Scrooge on Saturday at Sardis Road We have got an action-packed day in store on and off the pitch for supporters Tickets – Admission on Saturday will be £12 full, £10 concession access-all-areas and under 16’s free if accompanied by a paying adult. You can purchase tickets on the day or to save time (which is recommended to miss the queues) you can use our online e-Ticket system, here’s the link which includes all our different packages – Pontypridd v Ystrad Rhondda – 21/12/2024 Supporter access is via the Clubhouse end of the ground only Christmas Jumper Day –  Saturday is the club’s annual Christmas Jumper Day so make sure you get right into the festive spirit and wear yours Playing Shirts Auction and a Live Band – Post match there will be an auction in the Sardis Road Clubhouse to give fans the opportunity to purchase the players’ festive playing shirts that they will have worn in this Saturday’s match The auction will get underway at 5:30pm and when that finishes Indie-Rock band After Hours will be entertaining the crowd in the Clubhouse from around 6:30-7:00pm onwards Dewar Shield Parade – During the half time interval the victorious Pontypridd Schools U16s team will be parading the huge Dewar Shield around the ground following their thrilling 34-28 win at the Principality Stadium last Tuesday evening Live Sport In The Clubhouse – Our Clubhouse will be open from midday onwards and we will be showing live coverage of Aston Villa v Manchester City in the Premier League before back-to-back rugby matches from the Gallagher Premiership kick-off 3:05pm and this is followed by Sale versus Exeter which kicks off at 5:30pm We look forward to welcoming the supporters of both clubs to Sardis Road this Saturday afternoon Matches between the two clubs go all the way back to the 24th September 1885 and it was Ponty who won by a goal and two touches down to nil at Ystrad that day The last meeting between Ponty and Ystrad was on Saturday 20th August 2016 away at Gelligaled Park Pontypridd won 38-0 in a pre-season friendly that afternoon and with Ponty on a three-game winning streak and Ystrad unbeaten in their last four outings it promises to be a Christmas cracker on the pitch We can also promise you a cracker off the pitch as well we have lots going on late into the evening Ponty have made three changes to the XV that started last week’s win away at Newcastle Emlyn along with a couple of positional switches as well On the bench there are three new faces including a potential club debutant In the backline Ioan Evans returns at inside centre his inclusion sees Garyn Smith move one position outside him with Stuart Floyd-Ellis switching to the wing The two changes in the forwards sees Morgan Bosanko return at tighthead prop and Joe Miles at no.8 The three new faces in the matchday squad on the bench are Sam Talbot Joey has been called up from Ponty Youth and will make his senior debut if he comes on tomorrow – a proud moment for both Joey and the club Unavailable for selection are Louis Rochefort-Shugar who is ill and Joel Raikes who is suspended following his recent red card at Neath – Joel will be back available for selection when the team play away at Bargoed on January 11th Fifty cats found living in an unsuitable environment - many of which were kept confined in cages - have been rescued by the RSPCA Thirty-five cats were rescued in October 2023 and a further 15 were removed from the same Mountain Ash property in February 2024 - whose occupants had been previously banned from keeping cats by the courts Many of them were kept and crammed in metal cages which were full of cat faeces and urine Pauline Perry (d.o.b 24/01/1967) of High Street Mountain Ash appeared at Merthyr Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 31 October for trial She faced four offences under the Animal Welfare Act She pleaded guilty to two offences and was found guilty of another two One offence related to a breach of an animal ban where Perry had been disqualified from keeping all four legged animals for a period of four years imposed by Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on 23 August 2023.  The other offences included causing unnecessary suffering to a black male cat by failing to provide proper and necessary veterinary care and attention for his lesions failing to take such steps to ensure the needs of 35 cats were met and a final offence of failing to ensure the needs of 15 cats were met At sentencing on 29 November Perry was handed a lifetime disqualification order for all animals She was handed a 10-week custodial sentence which was suspended for 12 months She was ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £154 There were also conditions given for her suspended sentence order which included to reside at her home address The court heard from RSPCA Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) Gemma Cooper who said she attended the Pentwyn Avenue property on 28 September after the RSPCA received reports that Perry and Thomas were still keeping multiple cats despite being disqualified There was no reply at the address so she posted a disqualification order leaflet and a form stating that we have received reports about them keeping cats and that she advised if they would like help with rehoming their cats to make contact It was on 18 October DCI Cooper returned and met Cynon Taf Community Housing Group (CTCHG) Housing Officers and fellow RSPCA Inspector Neill Manley “I walked into the back garden of Pentwyn Avenue and saw adult cats crammed in black metal cages which were full of cat faeces and urine,” she said “Although there was an obvious attempt to hide these crates with blankets and branches the cats were still being rained on and the blankets inside the crates were soaking wet.  “Both the crates and the cats smelt very strongly of cat urine some had urine stains on their feet and legs and some were matted with what looked and smelt like cat faeces It was obvious to me these cats have been kept in these conditions for a period of time and it hadn’t just happened they were crying and were jumping up at the side of the crates in an attempt to get out.” They were given permission to remove the cats and they were transferred from the cages into cat carriers.  The court heard that when they were inside to sign the paperwork DCI Cooper heard a cat meow which came from the cupboard under the stairs The court heard that ​i​t was known ​f​or cats to be kept in this cupboard previously and had been advised “time and time again” to not keep cats in cupboards or cages “There was no light in the cupboard and it was small and dirty,” said DCI Cooper “I opened the cupboard door and there was a ginger and white cat On this occasion 35 cats were removed and taken to the RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Veterinary Clinic to be assessed.  In a further witness statement from DCI Cooper she said she returned to the property on 9 February of this year with South Wales Police after receiving a call about further cats at the property DCI Cooper said: “As I entered the kitchen I saw crates and cat carriers full of cats She added that not just because Perry had been disqualified from keeping cats but due to the “dirty conditions” they were being kept in.” Perry agreed to sign over the cats and they were removed and placed in RSPCA carriers After removing these they asked if there were any more cats elsewhere and they were told no two more cats were found in the cupboard under the stairs “The police officer then shone his torch and found a black cat in the cupboard which I then caught and placed in a basket,” said DCI Cooper He took another look and found another cat in the same cupboard - making the total of 15 cats DCI Cooper said: “The majority of the cats were urine stained and had faecal matting in their coat.  “There were no litter trays provided apart from one which contained no substrate and was piled high with faeces and urine None of the cats had access to water and they were all lying in their own faeces and urine.” These cats were then taken to RSPCA Merthyr Tydfil Veterinary Clinic to be assessed.  DCI Cooper said she has been an Inspector since 2010 and has attended the Pentwyn Avenue property around 40-50 times and in over half of those occasions she had not had a reply at the address One cat who was found with a tumour on his tail sadly was put to sleep on veterinary advice The other cars required little vet treatment and just needed a good wash flea and worm treatments and socialisation.  DCI Cooper said: “The cats were so programmed to being kept in cages it took them a while to get used to having the space to walk around and play.  once they got used to that and some socialisation they came on leaps and bounds and we are very happy to have found them loving homes.” Give whatever you can and help give animals in need a second chance How to contact our press offices in England and Wales Our regularly updated blog is packed full of exclusive insights from our experts and frontline staff The RSPCA helps animals in England and Wales Anthony Lewis – Local democracy reporter  Residents of Rhondda Cynon Taff look set to pay 4.7% more in council tax next year The budget for 2025-26 approved by full council on Wednesday shows this proposed council tax increase would mean band A properties pay £1.02 extra per week and band D properties pay £1.53 extra per week Increasing council tax by 4.7% would reduce the remaining budget gap by £769,000 Plaid Cymru had put forward an alternative proposal for council tax and reserves use which would see the council tax increase for the 2025-26 year reduce from 4.7% to 4% by taking £1.22m out of the transitional reserve to balance the budget but this amendment was unsuccessful the plan is for schools to be allocated funding next year to cover in full all their pressures which will see an extra £2m allocated to the individual schools budget (ISB) This will see the schools budget increase by £11.2m for next year Resources for teachers’ pension costs have been allocated to schools and the ISB base budget requirement has been adjusted to reflect lower energy budget requirements The report also highlighted £500,000 of one-off funding which the council used to support the schools budget for 2024-25 ring-fenced for ongoing cost pressures associated with additional learning needs The report said the schools budget would increase from £198m to £212m A decision to close Cae Glas care home in Hawthorn will reduce the budget gap for next year by a further £1.16m Efficiency measures and budget cuts of £5.75m had been found including £3.75m in general efficiencies £1m in capital charges and interest receivable and £1m from service restructuring and vacancy management The report said officers had provided assurance the measures proposed could be delivered operationally and without a significant detrimental impact on frontline services A 5% standard rise in fees and charges was included with some areas seeing their own treatment and this will bring in £633,000 in income for the council along with £50,000 in extra funding from the final Welsh Government settlement reduce the budget gap from £6.82m to £457,000 The council will use 457,000 of the transitional funding reserve to fill this remaining gap leaving £4.26m in this reserve The overall council revenue budget for 2025-26 is set to be £668.17m The final funding settlement from Welsh Government for Rhondda Cynon Taf confirmed an increase in funding of 4.8% said that while he’d like to see a bigger increase in funding the increase they’d had from Welsh Government of 4.8% did mean they’d had substantial extra money which had helped with the budget gap and protected jobs and services Cllr Morgan said efficiencies were becoming more difficult and cuts were starting to harm more and more so they were trying their best to reduce that “I think what the cabinet’s brought forward and officers have presented in the report is a balanced approach It means we can invest in protecting those key areas around education “It means we’re not making substantial further cuts as part of the budget strategy in our other core services “We’re keeping the council tax rise at 4.7 which at present appears to be the second lowest in Wales.” And he said they were using as little transitional funding as they could this year while putting money aside to replenish reserves and make sure there were resources available for severe weather He said: “We don’t put up council tax lightly “It is a difficult balance between making cuts to services managing the priority investment areas such as schools and social services and managing at a time when we’ve seen a significant hike in the cost-of-living pressures for families.” But he said what was being proposed was a right and balanced approach and that it was a fair way to do it In proposing the amendment to council tax and the use of reserves said this time last year the transitional funding reserves stood at £2.027m and were replenished during the year to the current figure of £4.724m She said taking £1.226m would still leave £3.498m in there which would be £1.471m more than the amount that was in the transitional funding reserves this time last year She said there was no reason why the transitional funding reserves would not replenish again Cllr Karen Morgan said: “I am content that this council can sustain the reduction in council tax that’s set out in the amendment “I would point to the fact that it would still leave one of the best transitional balances going forward untouched in many a year.” She said the purpose of the amendment was to recognise the pressures residents were facing and make a small change of 0.7% less which might make a big difference for communities responded to the amendment saying it was recommended as being prudent to keep the use of this reserve to a minimum level in support of next year’s budget in order to protect the subsequent year’s budget strategy from having to address a more significant underlying budget shortfall said they’d be voting with Plaid Cymru to keep council tax as low as possible for residents He said that while it was quite low it was still an added cost to residents in their communities and additional to the 7.3% rise in the police precept meaning household budgets were getting stretched further and further he said they were giving with one hand and taking with the other on education because they were saving £1.1m on “not getting children to school.” He said it was always said that transition funding was to be used for a rainy day it’s pouring and residents in Rhondda Cynon Taf are really struggling.” said he would not be supporting the amendment saying: “I don’t think it’s a reasonable position to take because the money is there for a rainy day “I also won’t be supporting the budget because of some of the things which you actually intend to spend money on or not spend money on which I would disagree with.” He said the £633,000 income from fees and charges assumed that those currently using those services continued to do so He said an alternative to the changes to school transport in RCT could have been to do with the Park and Dare and Coliseum theatres in Treorchy and Aberdare what had been done with the Muni in Pontypridd Neath visit Gelligaled Park to play Ystrad Rhondda in the WRU Premiership on Saturday (kick off 2.30pm) The All Blacks’ starting line-up shows several squad changes from the side which beat Newcastle Emlyn 54-13 last time out Owain Morgan and Ellis Lewis all return to action This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Ystrad Rhondda’s greater precision and control brought them a deserved revenge victory over a Neath side which made too many errors – of judgement and execution – to seriously challenge after going 12 points down in the wintry splendour of Gelligaled Park Neath made five squad changes following their 54-13 win over Newcastle Emlyn but a lethargic start saw the home side take control Where Ystrad were decisive in finding defensive holes Neath dithered – and ten minutes in Ystrad registered the opening try by winger Kurtis Williams and two minutes later an unguarded kick led to a second try by centre Ryan Evans outside-half Rhys Truelove converting the latter for a 12-nil lead Neath hit back with some strong driving by the forwards with prop Mason Morgan lock Jacob Blackmore and flanker Owain Morgan often leading the assaults and midway through the half it was Owain Morgan who opened Neath’s account with a try which outside-half Steff Williams converted to bring Neath back into it at 7-12 But more defensive dilly-dallying let in Ystrad as Truelove stepped up to land a penalty and extend the home side’s lead to 15-7 The Neath forwards rallied but the score would not come for the visitors who squandered chances : an attacking line-out went awry a long pass flew  harmlessly into touch and a quickly taken penalty in the shadow of the posts brought no reward when Neath were held up over the line and a better option might have been to go wide Half-time – Ystrad Rhondda 15 points Neath 7 points Neath needed to do something quickly in the second-half but another defensive lapse let in Ystrad who went further ahead at 18-7 when Truelove landed his second penalty gave it everything to counter Neath’s attempts to get back into the game and things got even better for Ystrad when Kurtis Williams found the space to cross for his second try which had the home supporters in raptures the introduction of Neath’s replacements at last injected some purpose and urgency which paid dividends as more direct work by the forwards had the Ystrad defence reeling and Steff Williams scampered over for Neath’s second try which he converted himself Neath ought to have scored again – only a fine last-ditch tackle managed to keep hooker Kian Jones out off an attacking line-out and then wing Matthew Jenkins joined the line but kicked the ball dead with two men outside him at the other end a third Truelove penalty more or less made it safe for Ystrad at 14-26 Neath were not done though and they established field position which gave rise to a bout of fisticuffs with the home team’s Tom Foulkes and Morgan Burgess accompanying Casey Williams to the sin-bin The Neath forwards struck again to level the try-count with their third replacement prop Ben Uphill getting the score on the back of a powerful drive and it was 19-26 but Neath had left themselves too much to do and the home side were worthy winners Neath’s self-inflicted wounds cost them dear and they need to do better in two weeks time when they travel to Narberth YSTRAD RHONDDA – A Webber (J Williams); K Williams C Phillips (K Richards); T Stacey (T Foulkes) G Tremlett  Repl Not Called :- G W Lloyd  G Richards Images courtesy of Len Kowalski www.lensworkphotography.co.uk A planning application has been submitted to excavate the opening of a 3.1km infilled coal lugging route in Wales in efforts to turn it into Europe’s longest walking and cycling tunnel The Rhondda Tunnel is an abandoned railway tunnel that runs between the Rhondda and the Afan Valleys in South Wales that was previously used for transporting coal to Swansea Bay for export It was initially opened in 1890 and then closed in 1968 as it needed to be repaired the entire Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway line was shut down and by 1981 both tunnel entrances were infilled Current view of the buried tunnel entrance The Rhondda Tunnel Society is a local interest group dedicated to restoring the tunnel as an active travel route it says: “Access is currently difficult – through the vertical air shafts at either end of the tunnel but the Society is allowed to make regular visits to record its air quality which is always good and the tunnel itself has survived almost 60 years of neglect in remarkably good condition.” The society has now applied to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council Taf for permission to excavate and expose the buried tunnel entrance at Blaencwm at the head of the Rhondda Fawr Valley This would mark the first phase of the project to turn it into a walking and cycling tunnel The Rhondda Tunnel entrance at Blaencwm before infilling it is proposed to remove a total of 8,000m³ worth of spoil The current proposal would see this displaced material used for permanent landscaping on land to the south east of the site Plans for the excavation would see it progressed in 2m stages Further works noted in the application include a pipe to be cut off at sealing wall and removed the tunnel drain to be cleaned out to remove silt and a catch pit to be fitted with gulley grating and the drain outside the tunnel to be protected with concrete The Rhondda Tunnel Society states: “This planning application seeks to expose the entrance at Blaencwm for all to see by partly re-excavating the railway cutting although access to the tunnel itself will have to be restricted until it has been repaired and the approach cutting will be lengthened to lessen the cycle path gradient the material that has to be dug out will be moved to the adjacent site of the former Glenrhondda Colliery which the Society now owns There it will be landscaped as the first stage of creating a future country park which will offer a visitors’ centre and other attractions “Part of the funding to expose the tunnel has already been pledged but the society will need to raise the balance which it will do through a variety of fundraising initiatives it will aim to expose the other entrance at Blaengwynfi in the Afan Valley This is a somewhat more expensive undertaking vehicles and machinery will have easy access to enable repairs and renovations.” It has been estimated repair and construction work for the project could take around 18 months The tunnel is currently owned by the Department for Transport (DfT) and managed by National Highways Ownership rules prevent it from being re-opened without ownership being transferred to another suitable body National Highways previously stated the DfT had agreed in principal to transferring the structure to the Welsh government or local authorities after 10 years of maintenance by National Highways What the inside of the tunnel currently looks like A detailed examination of the tunnel and its structural integrity was conducted by Balfour Beatty in 2018 which identified 90% of the tunnel was in excellent condition barring some sections which require repair work This study allowed the Rhondda Tunnel Society to estimate the cost of the project would be just over £13M The Rhondda Tunnel Society received £250,00 from the Welsh government in 2022 A further grant for £100,000 from the Railway Heritage Trust was received in November 2021 to conduct further assessment work Consultation for the application began on 4 February but speaking on behalf of the Rhondda Tunnel Society’s Patron said: “This is a hugely exciting step in the process of completely reopening the Rhondda tunnel As Europe’s longest walking and cycling tunnel tourism and cultural benefits to the immediate area and region as a whole Visitors will undoubtably come from far and wide to visit the tunnel both as a great attraction in its own right but also because it will be a strategic link between the growing set of other visitor attractions and more general world-class mountain biking and other outdoor adventure experiences There is no reason why the Valleys of South Wales cannot become as popular a tourist destination as Snowdonia or the Peak District.” Like what you've read? To receive New Civil Engineer's daily and weekly newsletters click here. Transport Scotland has started to engage the market on a £205M contract… National Highways is set to undertake critical maintenance on the A14 Orwell… The A46 Kenilworth Bypass was reopened to traffic 30 hours earlier than… National Highways has appointed McKinsey & Company as its Efficiency Programme Delivery… The flag appears to be hanging from an electricity cable on Bailey Street in Ton Pentre South Wales Police confirmed they were called to reports of the flag on Friday morning had been arrested for racially aggravated public disorder "We can confirm a 52-year-old local man has been arrested for racially aggravated public disorder and is in police custody "We received a call about the flag just before 7 am today and can confirm it has now been removed." 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Become a member today Plans for a new Starbucks drive-thru with high-speed electric vehicle charging points is on hold after councillors in Rhondda Cynon Taf deferred a final decision An application to build on land next to Caerphilly’s Castle View housing estate has been submitted to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council The proposed site is opposite HBH Land Rovers on the A469 It is right on the border between Caerphilly County Borough and Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) While the site is entirely within the RCT boundary access from the A469 Mountain Road is within Caerphilly County Borough The proposed cafe would have 35 parking spaces of which 12 would be for electric vehicles – with six high-speed charging points Two of the 12 charging spaces would be disabled bays with two further disabled bays for standard vehicles According to details submitted by the applicant the ultra-fast charging points would be able to charge vehicle battery from 0% to 80% in 20 minutes The plans also include bike stands and a loading bay The proposed coffee shop would be a franchise run by the Magic Bean Company with ten full-time jobs and ten part-time jobs to be created The plans were discussed by RCT Council’s planning committee on Thursday February 13 where councillors opted to ask officials to come up with reasons for refusal – despite a recommendation from RCT council officers to approve There have been 77 letters of objection from 64 residents and one letter of support for the application.Some of the objections centred around whether or not the development is needed Others concerns questioned the impact on air quality officers said: “Whilst there is concern with regards to the unsustainable location of the site in that it is located outside of the defined settlement boundary the provision of an EV charging hub would be of significant benefit to residents of both RCT and Caerphilly as well as any person travelling through the area.” Officers highlighted how the electric charging points would “go some way” towards helping RCT Council achieve its “commitment to becoming a carbon-neutral local authority by 2030” They added: “It is noted that the application has attracted a large number of objections from local residents in Caerphilly and these are duly noted; however it is not considered that the development would have such a significant impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding special landscape area or upon the amenity and privacy of the nearest neighbouring properties that it would warrant the refusal of the application “Furthermore the development has not raised any objection from either RCT’s highways and transportation section or the equivalent at Caerphilly County Borough Council “Having weighed up all of the relevant issues in this report it is considered that 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 Plans for a new community hub which would allow a football club in the Rhondda to become financially sustainable have been approved by councillors Rhondda Cynon Taf’s (RCT) planning committee confirmed their decision to approve plans for a first-floor extension over the current changing rooms to provide a new community hub and multi-user facility with external match-day viewing platform at Ynyshir Park football pitch in Church Terrace the committee had voted in favour of the application against officer recommendations to refuse It then came back before the committee on March 6 for the strength and weaknesses of making such a decision to be considered and the committee confirmed its decision to approve the scheme The reason given for approving was that: “the proposal would allow for enhanced facilities at an existing sports pitch and would assist in the football club becoming financially sustainable whilst also providing an additional facility for the wider community the council’s transport department said the proposed addition would increase the parking requirement by 15 spaces with no additional parking spaces proposed They also said that the extension would be used for purposes not solely associated with the football club which would generate additional trips to the site and onstreet parking at times other than match days in a location that is oversubscribed with on-street parking to the detriment of highway and pedestrian safety The earlier report to members set out concerns that in the absence of adequate off-street car parking provision the proposal would be considered to cause indiscriminate onstreet car parking increasing hazards to the detriment of safety of all highway users and the free flow of traffic But the planning assessment also recognised that the facility would offer comfort and hospitality to participants and spectators visiting the ground It said the facility would allow the club to become financially sustainable and in turn offer a community club for generations to come It said the facility would also not be restricted to just the football club and it is the intention of the club to make the space accessible to others in the community The assessment said that the proposal is not considered to have any adverse impact upon the character and appearance of the area or upon the amenity of neighbouring occupiers subject to a condition to restrict the hours of operation of the facility 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council has awarded Bromcom Computers the contract to roll out its cloud-based management Information System (MIS) across all 111 schools in the region modernising data management and communication tools for staff The transition marks a significant step forward for education technology in the area replacing legacy systems that have been in place for decades The move follows Bromcom's success in Northern Ireland and solidifies its position as a leading MIS provider in the UK with three of the four Welsh councils who are moving away from the incumbent MIS having chosen Bromcom All 111 schools across Rhondda will migrate to Bromcom's MIS by the start of the 2025 academic year with migrations beginning by the end of this term Bromcom's cloud MIS offers an all-in-one (one –stop-shop) AI powered platform integrating administration Features such as a dedicated parent portal and real-time student data access will empower schools to enhance operational efficiency and engagement with families ensuring both English and Welsh-speaking users can fully engage with the platform freely and easily Bromcom MIS has AI embedded in many ways: besides conversational chat bringing a wealth of data from students to staff together to provide data analytics like never before; AI is also embedded in the key workflows to generate useful outputs like letters and reports as part of the process with minimal user intervention Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council commented:  "Rhondda Cynon Taf  and our supported schools are pleased to be partnering with Bromcom  switching to their Management Information System (MIS) in this academic year This change aims to improve how schools and the LA handle student data The new system will streamline administrative tasks and support student success We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition and are excited about the positive impact this will have on our pupils and schools." "We are excited to introduce Bromcom as our new Management Information System Its intuitive platform will streamline key processes and enhance communication across our school community By improving efficiency and making the most of data-driven decision-making we can focus on what truly matters - delivering the best possible education for our pupils We look forward to the positive impact this system will have on our school."  'We're delighted that a third Welsh Council has chosen Bromcom to transform their MIS experience We've worked closely with RCT as they navigated a thoughtful and thorough selection process giving us valuable insights into what Rhondda schools need most We are looking forward to creating a partnership with them and their schools and maximising the impact of the Bromcom Solution.' and vision products serve over 4,000 schools and two million users across the UK and Europe From students and families to staff and stakeholders data-driven tools that enhance education management Bromcom has a long-standing presence in Wales with its eRegistraion devices used nationwide since the 1990's Unlike other systems that rely on additional plug-ins for functionality Bromcom offers a fully integrated platform where all features are developed in-house This approach not only eliminates compatibility issues but also ensures a smoother transition and a more user-friendly experience for schools This win represents Bromcom's third win in Wales with Wrexham selecting the MIS and Finance solution in July '24 and Ceredigion choosing Bromcom for MIS in December '24 Bromcom's commitment to innovation and self-sufficiency has been a key factor in its success all-in-one solution that meets their evolving needs Enquiries to heidi.riley@bromcom.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2624512/Bromcom.jpgLogo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2624513/Bromcom_Logo.jpg a leading provider of AI-powered management information systems (MIS) and finance systems for schools Cloud Computing/Internet of Things Education Computer & Electronics Computer Software Do not sell or share my personal information: Neath will be back in home action for the first time in three weeks when Ystrad Rhondda visit The Gnoll on Saturday (kick off 2.30pm) Games between the two clubs have often made compelling viewing in the past and that should be the case on Saturday as Ystrad showed great tenacity in taking on Brecon last week before going down 14-22 That result compared nicely with Neath’s visit to Mid-Wales recently so a good contest seems assured as Ystrad can always be relied upon to play good rugby Last week Neath scored 8 tries in winning 48-27 at Newcastle Emlyn and have now scored 47 tries in all 9 games this season with four players – Kieran Charles Ki Morgan and Nathan Orrells – leading with 5 apiece Neath make four personnel changes with live-wire winger Ki Morgan resuming and a first start for Llanharan centre Morgan Jones who will find himself in opposition to a couple of his former Bridgend team-mates the experienced Jack Powell and Casey Williams return with Jacob Blackmore moving up to the second row and a strong-looking replacements bench is named the All Blacks are hoping that the upward trend in attendances continue The Gnoll was in tip-top condition on Thursday – Saturday’s forecast offers the possibility of light showers but there is plenty of covered accommodation for supporters who can expect another entertaining encounter at The Gnoll Saturday     November 9         Bargoed                               Home          2.30pm Saturday     November 16       Llangennech                         Away          2.00pm Saturday     November 23       South Gower (Anniversary)     Home          2.00pm READ MORE: Flooding now likely in 50 parts of Wales and further 60 areas put on alert READ MORE: The roads closed in Wales due to Storm Bert flooding and wind People are advised to travel only if absolutely necessary "The council has deployed all its available resources across the weekend to respond to the impact of Storm Bert. Much of the impact being felt is as a result of river flooding. "Rest centres have been set up for residents impacted at: "Further rest centres will be set up as required. Throughout the evening the severity of the weather has resulted in widespread impact with over 100 properties potentially flooded, both commercial and residential. "Council assets have also been damaged, with Lido Ponty, Park and Dare Theatre and a number of schools impacted. Impacted schools will send out direct communications to families to make them aware. "There are a number of highway closures, with a landslip on the Bwlch Mountain Road at Nantymoel closing this road, and South Wales Police closing bridges in Pontypridd. The advice to everyone is only travel if absolutely necessary. "All council resources have been deployed, with additional staff brought in to respond and other staff working on. They are incredibly stretched at the moment as the impact of Storm Bert is widespread and continues currently. "Welsh Water have issued a ‘boil water’ notice to all customers in Blaenrhondda, Blaencwm, Tynewydd, Treherbert, Treorchy, Cwm-parc, Pentre, Ton Pentre, Gelli and Tonypandy areas, with immediate effect. They are investigating a potential issue at Tynywaun Water Treatment Works which has been impacted by the storm weather." More updates will be shared in due course, the council added.