#cllrrobstewart — Public Fediverse posts

SWANSEA: The seafront Covid memorial is finished, and it’s a place for anyone to sit and remember

Swansea’s permanent Covid memorial is finished, and it is now open to anyone who needs a quiet seat by the sea.

The steel and glass artwork near the Slip Bridge on the promenade was unveiled at a community ceremony overlooking the bay.

Among the guests were groups representing people who lost their lives, alongside the emergency services, voluntary groups and the council teams that changed how they worked to help run the city’s response.

Council leader Cllr Rob Stewart unveiled it with Cllr Elliott King, the cabinet member for culture, and the two artists behind it, Angharad Pearce Jones and Catrin Jones.

“It was a privilege to unveil a memorial which will hold different meanings and memories for so many people,” Cllr Stewart said. “Today was an opportunity to remember those who lost their lives and to stand alongside their families and friends.”

Three glass circles inspired by the peacock butterfly

The memorial combines sculpted steel with three circles of coloured glass inspired by the native peacock butterfly.

The council says its design reflects separation and loss, but also endurance, transformation, community spirit and hope.

It is ringed with seating, footpaths, naturalistic planting and wildflowers, so people can sit alone or together. The council put the cost at £130,000 when the plans were first revealed in March.

The artists said people who took part in the consultation kept asking for the same thing: “a place of calm within a natural setting”.

“The Memorial itself brings together the strength and resilience of steel, and the healing and spiritual energy of light and colour through glass,” they said.

“Covid touched every part of Swansea”

“Covid touched every part of Swansea and its impact continues to be felt by families and communities across the city,” Cllr Stewart said.

“For many of us, one of the most enduring memories of what happened was how so many people came together to do so much, so willingly for the people around them.”

Lord Mayor Cllr Penny Matthews said the setting “now belongs to the whole community”. “I hope it will provide comfort and a peaceful place to pause, reflect and remember,” she said.

Cllr King said the memorial also recognised the council teams “which changed the way they worked overnight” to support vulnerable people and keep essential services running. “Let’s look after and cherish it,” he added.

Where to find Swansea’s Covid memorial

It stands on the grassed area between the trees near the Slip Bridge, where work began at the start of the month.

It joins the Covid memorials already created at Morriston and Singleton hospitals by Swansea Bay University Health Board.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: Work begins on the seafront Covid memorial, with an unveiling promised this month
September: fencing goes up by the Slip Bridge.

EXCLUSIVE: £130k permanent Covid memorial to be created on seafront
March: the first images and the cost.

Covid memorial
Every story on the memorial.

SWANSEA FERRY: “Not a council proposal”, leader says, as councillors ask what checks were made on the £25,000 report behind it

The fast ferry from Swansea to south-west England is “not a council proposal”, council leader Rob Stewart has told councillors, as opposition members ask what checks were made on the report behind it.

His written answers, published ahead of full council on 1 October, say the detailed design of the crossing “has not yet been finalised and remains under active development”.

The focus now, he says, is “proof of concept work”, developing the “technical, commercial and delivery model” and talking to “key stakeholders and funding bodies”.

Ocean Prime, the company behind the plan, has “reached out to a range of prospective partners across south Wales and West of England”, according to his answer.

The report behind the plan promised something more concrete: a small working prototype this year, and a first vessel in service by 2030.

“Does the council remain confident?” Councillors question the £24,999.95 report

Cllrs Matthew Bailey and Brigitte Rowlands asked what due diligence the council carried out before accepting and publishing the report. It was paid for with £24,999.95 of UK Shared Prosperity Fund money through the council, and it carries a foreword by the leader.

They said “a number of significant factual and technical questions” had been raised since it was published. They asked whether the council “remains confident in the report’s accuracy”, and how it would check the findings independently.

Cllr Stewart’s reply says the grant was made “in line with the criteria of the fund”, and that the report “does not commit the Council to any future investment or delivery decisions”.

Any detailed proposals would go through the council’s normal governance, he said, including “technical, financial, legal and commercial due diligence and independent assessment where required”. His answer does not say whether the council still stands by the report’s figures.

Those figures have been questioned before. On the report’s own numbers, its carbon saving works out at around a hundredth of the figure it claims.

It also named science fiction author Isaac Asimov, who died in 1992, as a supporter of a Minehead pier project. Ocean Prime did not respond when Swansea Bay News put those points to it in July.

From “an exciting project” to “not a council proposal”

It is the clearest line yet between the council and a crossing its leader has championed. In 2022, Cllr Stewart announced plans for a hydrogen ferry linking Swansea with Devon and Cornwall, calling it “an exciting project”.

In March this year, he said the consultation findings gave the council “confidence to move into the next stage of work”. His foreword to the report in July called the public response “remarkable”.

He has drawn a line before. At the July council meeting he stressed that the ferry was not a council-operated scheme, but one of many the council was supporting.

His latest answer still leans on the consultation. He says the research “commissioned on behalf of Swansea Council” found “strong public support”, with more than 4,300 responses and almost 98% in favour. The survey ran through the project’s own website.

“This venture is not a council proposal,” he said, “but clearly the council is committed to exploring transport solutions that could benefit the city and region economically.”

Where it docks, who pays and who sails it: still unanswered

Liberal Democrat group leader Chris Holley, who chairs the scrutiny panel, said in July he would call the report in, with Ocean Prime invited to answer for it. Almost three months on, that session has yet to take place.

He is one of the four councillors who asked for this latest update. The leader’s answer does not say where in the south west a ferry would berth, or who would fund a prototype.

When five of the biggest ferry operators in British and Irish waters were asked in July, none said it was considering a Swansea service. Associated British Ports said it would keep working with any interested parties.

Councillors can put follow-up questions to the leader at full council, at the Guildhall at 5pm on Thursday 1 October.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA FERRY: Report promising 800,000 visitors and £600m heads for scrutiny, as its own numbers face questions
The report in full, and the figures that don’t add up.

SWANSEA FERRY: Who pays, where does it dock, and how does it hit 60 knots?
The questions councillors want answered at scrutiny.

SWANSEA FERRY: The catamaran that sat in Swansea docks and never sailed
The last fast ferry promised across this water.

More from our Swansea Ferry series

SWANSEA: Life-saving bleed kits now line the seafront and Gower beaches for the summer

Life-saving bleed control kits are now stationed along Swansea‘s seafront and close to the county’s most popular beaches for the summer.

Swansea Council says there are now 384 of the kits across the county, with 18 along the seafront between the Tawe Bridge and Mumbles Lighthouse.

A further 26 sit within 50 metres of the most popular beaches across Swansea and Gower — including Swansea Bay, Bracelet Bay, Caswell, Langland, Oxwich, Port Eynon, Rhossili and Llangennith.

The kits are designed to help members of the public respond quickly to serious bleeding emergencies before paramedics arrive, and the council says they are simple to use even without medical training, with clear instructions inside.

The network is in place as the seafront’s busiest weekend of the summer arrives, with more than 200,000 people expected on the bay for the Wales Airshow on Saturday and Sunday.

It builds on the rollout that began last winter, when Swansea became the first area in Wales to install the kits at scale.

The council has worked with the charity Heartbeat Trust UK to build the network.

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “Swansea’s coastline is one of our greatest assets, especially during the summer when families and visitors spend time on our promenades and beaches.

“These bleed control kits are a vital addition to our public safety measures, ensuring that potentially life-saving equipment is available where it’s needed most.”

“We’re proud to be working with partners to help protect our communities and visitors,” he added.

The initiative was introduced by Melanie James, the former High Sheriff of West Glamorgan, who teamed up with Heartbeat Trust UK to build the network.

“Every second counts in a serious bleeding emergency,” she said. “By placing these kits in accessible locations across Swansea’s seafront and beaches, we are giving people the tools and confidence to act and potentially save a life.”

“This partnership is making a real difference to community safety,” she added.

People are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the locations of the kits near them — and to always call 999 first in any emergency.

The kits have been the subject of growing campaigns elsewhere: earlier this year campaigners called for bleed control kits in every Carmarthenshire school. A Llanelli councillor has also urged the Welsh Government to put life-saving kits in every school in Wales.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Swansea leads Wales with rollout of life-saving bleed control kits
Where the county-wide network began last winter.

SCHOOL SAFETY: Llanelli councillor calls on Welsh Government to put life-saving bleed kits in every school in Wales
The call for a national rollout in schools.

Campaigners call for bleed control kits in every Carmarthenshire school
The push to protect pupils across the county.

New defibrillator installed at Llanelli play area as council tackles ‘defib desert’
Life-saving equipment reaching more public places.

SWANSEA: Council electricians patent lightning-protection process experts said couldn’t be done

Two electricians who met working for Swansea Council have patented a new process for lightning protection systems — after some industry experts told them it couldn’t be done.

David James and Ross Miller, founders of James Miller Solutions, developed the technique over hundreds of hours of testing — much of it, by David’s own account, in a shed.

Lightning and high-voltage earthing conductors are fitted anywhere a strike could cause damage or danger — churches, stadiums, hospitals, airports, power stations and electrical substations among them.

Joining the copper or aluminium parts of those systems has traditionally involved blow torches or high-heat chemical reactions — methods the pair say carry safety risks, can fail, and produce high carbon emissions.

Their answer is an induction-based process — using electromagnetic heating rather than open flame — which they say makes the bonding safer, more consistent and less dependent on operator skill.

The idea came on a live job in Port Talbot during Covid. “It became clear there had to be a better way,” David said. “From there, we spent hundreds of hours developing and refining the system in a shed.”

“Coming from Swansea — with its strong copper and engineering history — we’ve always understood the importance of working safely and precisely with metals,” he added.

Ross said the work “involved constant testing and refining, even when we were told it wouldn’t work”, adding: “In many ways, it reflects Swansea’s long engineering tradition — solving real problems through practical innovation.”

According to the company, independent testing at Cardiff University’s high-voltage laboratory showed the system could handle electrical loads around three times stronger than a typical lightning strike — while tests at Swansea University’s Swansea Materials Research and Testing (SMaRT) facility found it withstood up to 9,700lbs of physical force without failing.

The pair met as electricians at Swansea Council. David now teaches renewable energy at Gower College Swansea, while Ross still works for the authority — and a council secondment has allowed him to work on the technology full-time after James Miller Solutions was selected for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Regional Talent Engines programme.

“We never set out to become entrepreneurs — we were just trying to solve a problem we faced at work,” Ross said. “Along the way we’ve become inventors and business owners, which has been an incredible experience.”

The project was supported by a Swansea Council business innovation grant, funded through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund.

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “It’s inspiring to see two people who started their careers with the council develop an idea that has the potential to improve safety and sustainability across the electrical industry.”

David said the approach “could significantly reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional methods” on large projects such as substations.

The company says the technology is attracting interest from electricity network operators, major contractors, universities and industry bodies, with talks under way about trials — and the pair plan to expand into infrastructure and construction projects across south Wales and beyond.

Fittingly, the pair marked the news at the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks — the cradle of the copper industry David cites — where restoration of the historic engine houses is gathering pace.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Scaffolding tops the copperworks chimneys — as engine house restoration gathers pace
The restoration under way at the site where the pair were photographed.

Two ex-Swans staff turn one billboard into a seven-screen empire in a year
Another pair of Swansea colleagues who turned an idea into a business.

“Internationally significant” discoveries shed new light on Swansea’s industrial past
The copper-processing history unearthed at Hafod-Morfa.

CASTLE SQUARE: First foundations go in for Swansea’s new city centre gardens

The transformation of Swansea’s Castle Square has reached its next stage — with the first foundations of the new Castle Square Gardens now being built.

Diggers moved onto the square in the spring, and the site today is barely recognisable: the fountains, steps and paving of the old square have gone, with the ground dug out to new levels behind bright red hoardings.

Swansea Council says preparation work — including diverting underground utilities and removing and storing materials for reuse — is complete, with main construction now underway and, the contractor says, running in line with the programme.

Public spaces contractor Knights Brown is delivering the scheme, with access maintained for pedestrians and surrounding businesses while it builds.

The council says the finished gardens will bring significantly more green space to the square, along with new seating, a water feature, improved lighting and areas for events — as shown in the design images released last autumn.

Council leader Rob Stewart said it was “great to see the transformation of this important site firmly underway”, adding the council was confident people would enjoy the finished space.

Knights Brown divisional director Tim Waller said the scheme “provides a fond nod to the location’s past as a traditional city centre garden space”.

The design comes from architects ACME, with consultants Spider Projects also working on the scheme.

When we visited the site last month, diggers had just begun reshaping the square — and Mr Stewart said he would love to see a new big screen in place in time for next year’s Six Nations.

That nod to the past runs deep. The square stands on the site of the Ben Evans department store — one of the grandest shops in Wales until it was destroyed in the Three Nights’ Blitz of the Second World War.

The bomb site became the Castle Gardens, the formal lawns and flowerbeds remembered by generations of Swansea shoppers, before the 1990s remodelling swept them away for the hard-paved plaza of recent memory — its amphitheatre steps, fountains and Leaf Boat sculpture finally removed in January as the site was cleared.

And it’s not just the square itself changing — almost every building around it is being reshaped too.

The former Castle Cinema building is being converted into flats and retail units by a housing association. On Castle Street, Turtle Bay closed its doors in April after ten years overlooking the square.

On Princess Way, Søstrene Grene drew queues along Castle Square when it opened last month in the former Zara unit at Castle Quays. Ten new flats are planned for the floors above.

A short walk away on Oxford Street, Y Storfa has opened in the former BHS and been named Wales’ Project of the Year. Next door, M&S closed after 69 years.

Even the building housing the square’s McDonald’s is in line for change, with Welsh Government millions backing plans for a major new flats development at the site.

The works form part of what the council describes as a £1bn regeneration programme across the city centre — and by the time the gardens open in summer 2027, the square they sit in will look out on an almost entirely changed city.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Work ramps up on the square’s green makeover — and a new big screen could show the Six Nations
Our last visit as diggers began reshaping the square.

New images reveal greener, more vibrant future for Castle Square
The designs for the transformed square.

Leaf Boat sculpture removed from Castle Square
The fountain and sculpture cleared as the redevelopment moved ahead.

SWANSEA.COM STADIUM: Sale to the Swans agreed — as council explains why the price must stay secret

Swansea City are to own their own ground.

Swansea Council‘s cabinet agreed unanimously on Thursday to sell the freehold of the Swansea.com Stadium to the club — a deal the Swans say will safeguard their future.

What the council is getting for it is still not public.

When the cabinet papers were published last week, we reported that the price would be discussed behind closed doors. On Thursday, the council explained why.

Chief legal officer Lucy Moore told the meeting that legal advice had been given because the deal has not been finalised — negotiations are still in place, so any figures are “at this moment in time commercially sensitive”.

Council leader Rob Stewart said the council had approached the sale on the basis of getting a fair open-market valuation for the stadium — “we’ve achieved a sale price which is in excess of that, and I think that’s important for to be understood in the public domain.”

There are “other elements linked to the deal that could bring further sums of money to the taxpayer if certain factors come to pass”, he added — the cabinet report tied additional payments to promotion.

‘Manchester City play in a stadium owned by Manchester Council’

Opposition leader Cllr Chris Holley used question time to press for an explanation of how buying the ground actually helps the Swans on the pitch.

“One of the most successful teams in Europe is Manchester City,” he said, “and Manchester City play in a stadium that is owned by Manchester Council.”

He had more examples: Hull City Council built a stadium that hosts both a football club and a rugby league club on long leases, and he pointed to QPR and Oxford. Paris Saint-Germain, he noted, play in a ground built by the Paris council.

“If they want to invest in the team, that’s fair enough,” Holley said. “If they want to buy the asset, you know, there is always speculation that the asset is going to be used as a bargaining chip to borrow against.”

“This is a substantial asset belonging to the council, belonging to the people of Swansea, and I think we need an explanation.”

Once it is sold, he warned, “we lose all control over it, and then it becomes part and parcel of city football club.”

‘I don’t profess to be an expert’

Stewart said the whole world of sport had changed significantly since the days when the stadium was conceived, back in 2003.

Control of the asset would let the Swans invest in and around it in a way they would “probably be more reluctant to do if they were under a lease” — where, he said, they would be “only meeting their obligations, not doing anything further”.

It would also give the club’s investors “the confidence to invest in the club itself… with the knowledge that they also own the asset”.

Clubs have moved on from wanting “just… a really good experience for the 90 minutes of the game” to something offering a fan experience over a much longer period, the leader said — pointing to Wrexham’s Netflix-driven rise as an example of how differently clubs now chase sponsors and money.

But pressed on how ownership improves what happens on the field, Stewart deferred: “I don’t profess to be an expert in… all the machinations of how the Swans, the football and the premiership and all of the structures work.”

The Swans, he suggested, could “give you a much better answer” — and would be happy to discuss it with Holley directly.

What the council keeps — and what it needs

The authority would keep planning control over whatever the Swans bring forward for the site, Stewart said.

He also linked the capital receipt to the council’s own finances — pointing to risks its chief finance officer had set out earlier in the same meeting, where a £13m provision for equal pay claims left the general reserve below its legally certified minimum. “Ensuring that we have as much ability and flexibility within our finances is really important,” Stewart said.

He reminded the meeting that the arrangement which ran for years after the stadium opened “didn’t deliver the people of Swansea any revenue back” — until the lease was changed, the Swans became lead tenant and the Ospreys a sub-tenant, and a steady income stream began for the first time.

Stewart said Swansea benefited by at least around £60m a year when the Swans were in the Premier League, and that the sum would be significantly higher now if they returned.

“We don’t like giving up assets if we don’t have to,” he said. “But I think there is an opportunity here and we should probably entertain that opportunity today.”

Seconding, Cllr David Hopkins said that from his experience of working with American investors, “they like the asset, they like the ownership” — and that the sale should not be seen as the loss of an asset but as one “going to be expanded by investment”, alongside the Skyline and Hafod-Morfa Copperworks developments taking shape nearby.

The recommendation was carried unanimously. The commercial detail was then taken in closed session, with the public and press excluded.

What the club says

Chief executive Tom Gorringe, speaking before the decision, called it “a highly significant moment” for the club after more than two decades at the ground.

“Owning the Swansea.com Stadium is of major strategic benefit to the football club, and we look forward to completing the purchase in due course.”

The club has said it “makes sense operationally and financially” to hold the asset in its own right — a move that “will safeguard the future of the club”.

Built by the council for £27m and opened as the Liberty Stadium in 2005, the ground has been the Swans’ alone since the Ospreys left for a rebuilt St Helen’s.

The decision comes days before the Swans open their Championship season at Stoke — a campaign in which promotion would now pay the council a bonus too.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA.COM STADIUM: Council set to sell the Swans their home — with the price kept behind closed doors
The cabinet papers we reported last week.

SWANS ACCOUNTS: £21.6m loss as owners pump in £21m to keep club afloat
The club’s finances before the celebrity investors came on board.

Swansea City plan huge fan zone for more than 1,700 fans
What the club already wants to do with the ground.

Work begins as Ospreys unveil St Helen’s redevelopment plans
The stadium’s other long-standing tenant moves on.

SWANSEA: Free buses return for the summer holidays — running until 11pm for the Airshow’s first night show

Buses across Swansea will be free to ride every weekend of the school summer holidays — starting on Wales Airshow weekend, when the offer runs late into the night for the first time.

Swansea Council‘s free bus scheme returns on July 25, covering all service buses on journeys that start and finish within the council area, across 13 days of the holidays.

Free travel normally ends at 7pm — but on Saturday July 25 it will run until 11pm, so Wales Airshow crowds can stay for the event’s new Afterburn evening programme.

The full list of free travel dates: July 25 and 26; August 1 and 2; August 8 and 9; August 15 and 16; August 22 and 23; and the bank holiday weekend of August 29, 30 and 31.

“A family of four can save around £20”

Council leader Rob Stewart said the aim was to let as many families as possible enjoy the Airshow without worrying about parking, traffic or the cost of getting home.

“The school holidays can be an expensive time, so every saving helps,” he said. “A family of four can save around £20 on a single journey, leaving more money to spend on enjoying the day.”

Rebecca Fogarty, cabinet member for community support, said the offer applied well beyond the Airshow: “Whether you’re heading to the Airshow, the beach, the city centre or visiting family and friends, free bus travel makes it easier and more affordable to get around.”

She advised those travelling on Airshow days to plan ahead and check schedules with bus operators — the council says homeward services on the Saturday evening in particular will be in demand.

Six summers of free rides

The scheme is now in its sixth year, and the council says passengers have made well over a million journeys since it launched in 2021.

This year’s 13 days is slightly down on the 15 days offered last summer — though the scheme has grown in another direction, spreading well beyond the summer holidays.

Free buses ran in the run-up to Christmas — after a suspension of planned strike action by First Cymru drivers nearly derailed the parade-weekend offer. The offer returned again over Easter.

The council also launched the free Shopper Hopper shuttle in December, linking the city’s transport hubs with Swansea Market and the Y Storfa library.

Swansea’s scheme is council-funded and open to everyone — a point of contrast this summer, after the UK Government’s holiday support package included a free bus travel scheme for children that applies only in England.

The council says the offer is designed to cut travel costs for families while encouraging people to spend time — and money — in the city, supporting local businesses and attractions. It sits alongside the near-£700,000 #Hereforyouthissummer fund paying for holiday food and free activities across more than 300 community groups.

The Airshow’s first night flight

The extended Saturday hours are built around a first for the Wales Airshow: evening displays, under the Afterburn banner, with pyrotechnic aircraft performances, a drone display and fireworks over the bay.

The free two-day show on July 25 and 26 has already announced a WWII Fairey Swordfish and a rare Cold War Westland Wasp helicopter among this year’s displays — nearly 40 years of Royal Navy flying history between them.

With big crowds expected along the seafront, the council’s advice is blunt: homeward services on the Saturday evening will be busy, so plan the return leg before setting out.

Full details of the free travel offer are on Swansea Council’s website.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA: WWII Swordfish and rare Cold War Navy helicopter to star at Wales Airshow
Two pieces of Royal Navy flying history confirmed for this year’s show.

SWANSEA: Nearly £700,000 for holiday food, activities and older residents
The council’s #Hereforyouthissummer fund reaching more than 300 community groups.

Free bus rides return for Easter as Swansea families urged to “leave the car at home”
The scheme’s Easter outing earlier this year.

New free ‘Shopper Hopper’ shuttle bus launches in Swansea city centre
The year-round free shuttle linking the market, library and transport hubs.

SWANSEA: SA1 finally gets its park — as the pupils who helped design it cut the ribbon

SA1 has a park. Pupils from St Thomas Primary and Danygraig Primary cut the ribbon on it on Monday morning with Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart.

The site near Prince of Wales Dock had stood empty since the area was developed. It now has play equipment, landscaped areas, seating and accessible paths, with planting the council says is designed to support wildlife and pollinators.

The children helped design it. Swansea Council says its landscape team worked with its play team and drew on ideas and feedback from pupils at both schools.

“It has also been shaped with help from local schoolchildren, which makes it even more special,” Rob Stewart said. “Their ideas have helped create a space that reflects the community it will serve.”

From coal dock to climbing frame

The scheme was paid for from Section 106 contributions — money developers hand over to fund community infrastructure as an area is built out.

The dock the park overlooks was built in 1881, when Swansea’s coal and copper trades were at full tilt. The Prince of Wales Dock worked for a century before the port trade around it fell away.

The Welsh Development Agency began turning the former dockland into the SA1 district in the early 2000s, owning the land and marketing the plots. When the WDA was abolished in April 2006 the land passed to the Welsh Government — which still owns SA1’s land and roads today, not the council.

Twenty years on, the agency is heading for a comeback. A panel to design a revived WDA was announced this month, one of the new Welsh Government’s flagship commitments.

A long time coming

The Section 106 funding has been sitting behind these parks for some time.

In June last year the council said work was under way on two SA1 parks, costing in the region of £1m, and that both were due to be fully open to the public by early 2026.

They were not. The first opened on Monday morning.

The one now open is the larger of the pair, on Langdon Road near the Village Hotel.

The second park

The second was to sit between Langdon Road and the corner of Prince of Wales Dock — the council’s 2025 announcement promised it a pump track, open green space and wildflowers. It is not mentioned in this week’s announcement, and no date has been given for it.

The council’s 2025 description of the larger park also promised a basketball space and play facilities for children with disabilities. This week’s announcement lists play equipment and natural play features, and does not say whether those went in.

The row that ran alongside the diggers

The delay has been politically live, and the man making the case is the park’s own ward member. Liberal Democrat councillor Sam Bennett, who represents Waterfront, said last year that residents had been promised a park in SA1 for a decade, and that every date given had come and gone.

Cllr Bennett claimed £1m had been set aside for three parks in SA1 when the area was first developed, and that more than ten years on all three plots were undeveloped and being used as builders’ compounds.

Rob Stewart called those comments “pretty disingenuous and misleading” at the time. He said work on two parks was well under way, and suggested the criticism was the opening of Cllr Bennett’s Senedd election campaign.

Then Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds backed Cllr Bennett, saying many SA1 residents live in flats and town houses without gardens.

Both men went on to stand in May’s Senedd election, against each other. Neither was elected, and both remain Swansea councillors.

Cllr Bennett flagged the opening on Facebook on 7 July, six days before it happened and eight before the council announced it. Residents should get down there and be first on the new swings, he wrote.

Swansea’s second new park in a century

The new park is the city’s second in recent years. Amy Dillwyn Park, next to Swansea Arena, was the first new urban park in Swansea for a century, according to the council. That park doubles as the largest green roof in Wales.

“It will be a fantastic addition to SA1 and is another example of our vision to continue providing communities with the things they want that support their wellbeing and our natural environment,” Rob Stewart said.

The council says the park is part of wider work on public space in SA1, alongside a £3m programme of new skate and wheeled sports facilities across the city. Horizon Engineering Ltd was the main contractor.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Row over city waterfront park development
The 2025 war of words between Cllr Sam Bennett and Rob Stewart over SA1’s promised parks.

NEW WDA: Swansea and Port Talbot ports boss to shape Wales’ development agency — as Tories warn there’s ‘no plan’
The agency that built SA1 is being revived — the panel designing it was announced this month.

Swansea celebrates being Wales’ green roof pioneer on World Green Roof Day
Amy Dillwyn Park — the city’s first new urban park in a century — is also Wales’ largest green roof.

Three more skateparks open as £3m wheeled sports drive rolls on
New and upgraded parks at Victoria Park, Townhill and Penlan, with more sites to come.

Youth ASB reports fall in Swansea’s SA1 after summer crackdown
Police figures showed a sharp drop in reports of youth anti-social behaviour in the waterfront area.

SWANSEA SCHOOLS: ‘Owed £11m’ for children with additional needs, says council leader — as Plaid’s budget faces knife-edge vote tonight

Swansea’s schools are owed at least £11m this year to support children with additional learning needs, the city’s council leader has claimed — money he says Wales’s new government is holding back.

Rob Stewart, the Labour leader of Swansea Council, made the claim as a national row over school funding came to a head in the Senedd — with a knife-edge budget vote expected at around 7pm tonight, after a debate beginning at 6pm.

Writing on social media, Stewart said the Plaid Cymru government had been given £330m as a result of extra special educational needs spending in England — but was offering just £40m to Welsh schools this year.

That, he said, was “£290m less than they should have”, and he called on the government to “pass on the money they have been given to the schools and pupils who need it.”

The £11m is Stewart’s own calculation of the city’s share rather than a confirmed allocation — and it lands as Labour politicians at every level train their fire on the government’s handling of the fund.

The dispute centres on what is known as additional learning needs, or ALN — the support schools give to children with a range of extra needs, where demand has been rising faster than budgets — and it has become the flashpoint in the biggest test yet for a government less than 100 days old.

Nationally, the row has escalated on two fronts at once: the teaching unions and the Labour opposition are both piling pressure on the government in the same week.

The two unions representing Wales’s school leaders — NAHT Cymru and ASCL Cymru — have jointly declared a formal trade dispute with the government over pay and ALN funding, and requested talks through the conciliation service ACAS.

Their dispute follows the government’s decision to consult on a 3.5% pay rise for teachers, rejecting the 4.25% figure recommended by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, said ignoring the independent pay body “undermines the whole process”, and that the decision would “feel like a slap in the face” for teachers whose pay had fallen in value since 2010.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of ASCL, said schools were “on their knees” trying to support children with additional needs without adequate funding, and that the unions had registered the dispute “reluctantly and as a last resort.”

The actual figure, as reported by ITV Cymru Wales, is £327m — close to Stewart’s number, though the unions have put the sum at more than £500m. The government is not required to spend the money on ALN, and both the current Plaid administration and the previous Labour government have argued Wales faces different needs in the sector.

Into that fight has stepped Welsh Labour‘s interim leader, Ken Skates, who has written to the First Minister urging him to withdraw the supplementary budget — the revised spending plan due to be voted on tonight — altogether.

In his letter, Skates called the unions’ trade dispute “both unprecedented and deeply regrettable”, and said Labour could not back a level of ALN funding “that falls short of the scale of the need.”

Skates told ITV Cymru Wales the government was “now negotiating on multiple fronts” and described “quite frankly, a chaotic process of negotiations” — saying there was “no other option” but to withdraw the budget.

Welsh Labour’s council leaders across Wales issued their own joint statement backing the demand, warning that without the money, councils faced “impossible choices between ALN and other vital services.”

Plaid has hit back hard, insisting the government has already moved — and accusing Labour of walking away from the table.

The government’s offer has moved twice during the talks — first £80m over two years, and now £120m over three, according to ITV Cymru Wales. Labour has rejected both, holding out for £100m in the current financial year.

Plaid Cymru MS Kiera Marshall branded Labour’s rejection of the earlier offer “deeply irresponsible”, saying “parents, pupils and teachers will rightly question Labour’s commitment to this issue.”

Marshall also pointed to what else rests on the budget: £145m towards cutting NHS waiting lists, £55m for the expansion of funded childcare, £15m to roll out free school meals in secondary schools, and £20m for social housing.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson countered that “there wasn’t a penny on the table for additional learning needs until Welsh Labour fought for it” — and that £40m this year “falls far short of what children and young people with additional learning needs require.”

A Plaid Cymru source hit back, saying that by voting the budget down Labour would be “teaming up with the Tories and Reform” — and had “learnt nothing from their humiliating election defeat in May.”

It is the second time in months the two parties have clashed over ALN funding, after Plaid accused Labour of causing “unnecessary distress” over Ysgol Heol Goffa in Llanelli.

For Swansea, the stakes are immediate: Labour’s council leaders say demand for ALN support is growing — and any shortfall in this year’s settlement lands directly on the city’s schools.

A petition organised by NAHT Cymru calling for the full £500m to be ring-fenced for ALN has now passed 11,000 signatures — enough to be considered for a Senedd debate.

Reform UK and the Welsh Conservatives have both confirmed they will vote against, meaning that if Labour follows through, the government’s defeat tonight is all but certain.

Defeat would not bring the government down — finance minister Elin Jones could simply table a new supplementary budget — but it would be a bruising early blow for a minority administration less than 100 days old.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

TEACHERS’ PAY: Welsh Government to consult on 3.5% rise
Unions attacked the decision to reject the independent 4.25% recommendation.

LLANELLI: ‘£35m black hole’ row erupts over Ysgol Heol Goffa funding
The special school’s funding became a flashpoint between Labour and Plaid.

FREE SCHOOL MEALS: £15m to extend support to more Swansea Bay secondary pupils
The expansion is one of the measures riding on the supplementary budget.

SWANSEA: Nearly £700,000 for holiday food, activities and older residents — as summer fund jumps from last year’s £400k

More than 300 community groups across Swansea will share almost £700,000 to keep families fed and children busy through the school summer holidays.

The funding, part of Swansea Council‘s #Hereforyouthissummer campaign, covers food, activities and support with a focus on children, families and older people — and is up sharply from the £400,000 handed out last summer.

A total of 67 projects will provide food for school-aged children over the summer — which the council says will make sure families can still get help when free school meals are not available.

A further 56 emergency food providers will receive support to continue their work in communities across the county.

Keeping children active is the biggest slice of the fund: 120 successful bids that the council says will deliver free or low-cost activities for young people, from sports and creative sessions to community-based programmes.

Older residents are also a focus, the council said, with 64 funded projects offering activities for people aged 50 and over to stay active, reduce isolation and connect with others.

Among the groups receiving funding is the Bonymaen Kids Play Initiative, which runs activities after school and throughout the summer holidays.

Sarah Glover, who runs the group, said the money was important to its work: “We receive the school holiday food funding as well as play funding for activities.”

Council leader Rob Stewart said the school holidays could be “a challenging time for many families, particularly with the rising cost of living”.

“That’s why we’re working with hundreds of local groups to make sure children have access to food, fun activities and safe, welcoming spaces,” he said — adding it was also important to support older residents and the organisations “helping to tackle loneliness and build stronger neighbourhoods”.

Cllr Rebecca Fogarty, the council’s cabinet member for community support, said the funding would back “an incredible range of grassroots organisations that know their communities best and deliver services people can trust”.

“The #Hereforyouthissummer campaign is all about making sure no one feels left behind,” she added.

The council says the campaign brings together the range of support available to residents over the holidays — food provision, activities and community services — with details available from the authority.

It adds to a summer of help for family budgets: a new postcode website now lists where the Government’s summer VAT cut means cheaper days out and children’s meals.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SUMMER SAVINGS: Cheaper days out and kids’ meals at the click of a button
The postcode website showing where the VAT cut is passed on — with Dan-yr-Ogof signed up.

£400k funding boost brings free activities and meals to Swansea families this summer
Last year’s fund — nearly £300,000 smaller than this year’s pot.

Free buses return for summer weekends in Swansea
How the council supported summer travel last year.

SWANSEA FERRY: Who pays, where does it dock, and how does it hit 60 knots? — councillors sharpen their questions as leader hails “remarkable” support

The two councillors who forced the Swansea ferry report into the open have set out the questions they want answered when its authors face a scrutiny panel — from who pays for the prototype to whether a 60-knot vessel could dock on the Devon coast at all.

The council-funded report behind the proposed crossing was published in full last week, projecting £15 fares, up to 800,000 visitors a year and a vessel faster than the current world record holder.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Chris Holley — a long-standing supporter of a Bristol Channel crossing — is calling the report into his scrutiny panel, with Ocean Prime Industries invited to answer for it in person.

Cllr Holley told Swansea Bay News that nobody can answer the questions hanging over the plan “until this company can come in front of my own scrutiny board”.

His list starts with the vessel itself: how a ferry reaches a 60-knot top speed — faster than any commercial ferry ever built.

Then the money: who funds the working prototype promised within the next two years — the councils, or the Welsh Government? Cllr Holley believes funding for a project of this scale must come from central government, not local taxpayers.

Then the destination: no berthing infrastructure currently exists on the Devon and Somerset side, he said, and building it would cost millions.

And then history. When Swansea last had a ferry — the Cork crossing — much of its traffic simply “turned right to go onto the M4 and left Swansea”, he said, questioning whether 800,000 arrivals would translate into a visitor boom for the city rather than driving straight past it.

He also wants answers on how passengers without cars would connect onwards by bus. A date for the scrutiny session has yet to be set.

Cllr Brigitte Rowlands — an independent (unaffiliated) councillor, whose written question to full council forced the report’s publication — said the council leader should be “honest and open with the residents of Swansea” about the project.

She said a vessel of the size described “would struggle to dock on the Devon coastline”.

“In principle the idea is very appealing,” she said. “The reality is going to be difficult to achieve.”

Scrutiny of the plan, she added, is essential “so the taxpayer in Swansea has good value for money should the project ever set sail”.

“What real research has been done? Who has been in discussion regarding the project on both sides of the water? So many unanswered questions.”

The question of engagement across the water is not new. In March last year, Francesca O’Brien — then a Conservative councillor, now the Reform UK Member of the Senedd for Gŵyr Abertawe — told the council chamber that her group at the time had contacted Devon’s council directly about the project, and that its cabinet member was not aware of any recent correspondence.

Devon was consulting on its strategic transport investment plan at the time. “No pun intended — we’ve missed the boat on that consultation over there,” she said. “That’s a great shame.”

She asked how serious the council was about the project and who the stakeholders in its working group were — saying that as far as she could see, the councils on the English side had had no correspondence since January 2022.

Labour council leader Cllr Rob Stewart told her then that the council was “very keen” for the ferry to go ahead — “but of course we don’t control all of the elements to make it happen” — pointing to the technology, a suitable vessel and port infrastructure on both sides of the channel.

The council’s chief executive told the same meeting that no commercial operators had come forward when the project was first explored, and that the consultation was designed to assess demand before going back to the market.

On the hydrogen ambition, the leader acknowledged a “chicken and egg” problem — not enough demand yet to build a refuelling network — saying the hydrogen option “is the aim eventually, but we’re probably away from that at this point in time”.

They are not the only ones with questions. Uplands Party councillor Cllr Stuart Rice said the report’s mistaken claim that the science fiction author Isaac Asimov backed a Minehead pier project — the town’s celebrated writer is in fact Arthur C. Clarke — summed the document up. In March, he had asked whether the plan was “more of a fairy story than a ferry story”.

“The reference in the report to Isaac Asimov truly shows what a science fiction this ‘Ferry’ story is,” he said. “Can we trust its findings given some of the statements made and figures included in the report?”

“I will continue to ask questions about this and welcome the scrutiny it is due to receive — as it certainly deserves it. We need to make sure that public money is spent wisely and not wasted on chasing any more white elephants and pipe dreams.”

For his part, Cllr Stewart points to the strength of public feeling behind the idea.

“The response has been remarkable,” he wrote in the report’s foreword. “More than 4,300 people and organisations took part in the consultation, with overwhelming support for exploring the idea further.”

“What stands out most clearly from the findings is the level of enthusiasm for a transport option that could significantly reduce journey times by up to half or better, while avoiding congestion on major road routes such as the M4 and M5.”

“People also recognise the importance of developing cleaner forms of transport that support our environmental ambitions and help tackle climate change.”

The consultation ran from October 2024 to February 2025 through the project’s own website, with 4,396 people and organisations taking part and 97.8 per cent expressing support.

Swansea Bay News put questions about the report’s figures — including a carbon-saving claim that appears to overstate the true number by a factor of one hundred — to Swansea Council and Ocean Prime last week. Responses are still awaited.

The scrutiny session will be the first time the report’s claims are formally examined.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SWANSEA FERRY: Report promising 800,000 visitors and £600m heads for scrutiny — as its own numbers face questions
The full report behind the crossing — and the figures that don’t add up.

FERRY FARCE? Doubts grow over Swansea crossing as ‘fairy story’ jibe lands
The March council exchange where the first cracks in the plan appeared.

Ferry plan gathers pace as 98% back Swansea crossing
The consultation result at the heart of the report’s claims of public support.

DYFATTY: Want a say in how £20m transforms your neighbourhood? Applications open for the board that decides

People across a swathe of north-central Swansea are being invited to apply for the board that will decide how £20m of UK Government money is spent in their neighbourhoods over the next ten years.

Applications opened today to join the area’s new Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board, which will draw up a ten-year vision and investment plan.

“North Gate Swansea” is the name given to the programme area, covering North Hill, Upper High Street, Dyfatty, Hafod, Brynmelyn, Waun Wen and surrounding neighbourhoods — the cluster of communities north of the railway station selected earlier this year for up to £20m under the UK Government’s Pride in Place programme.

The board will be chaired by Thom Lynch, co-founder of the High Street charity Matthew’s House, whose appointment was announced last month.

Anyone who lives, works, volunteers, studies or has a strong connection to the area can apply, and no previous board experience is needed. Applications can be made in writing or by video, with a deadline of 12pm on Thursday 16 July.

Mr Lynch said more than forty local people had expressed an interest before applications had even opened.

“We are looking for people who care deeply about this area and want to play an active role in helping it thrive,” he said. “What matters most is your passion for the community, your willingness to work with others and your desire to create lasting positive change.”

Swansea West MP Torsten Bell said people in the area deserved “not only to see investment to strengthen their communities” but “a voice in what those investments should be”.

“I fought for this funding because it gives us the chance to show that no part of Swansea can be written off,” he said. “Please do get involved.”

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said the board would ensure local people helped shape priorities and decisions, adding that he looked forward to “a wide range of people stepping forward”.

Places on the board are limited, but applicants who miss out will be encouraged to join a wider North Gate Swansea Changemakers Network supporting projects across the area.

Anyone wanting to find out more can meet Mr Lynch at an informal drop-in session at Matthew’s House on High Street this Friday, 10 July, between 11am and 1pm.

Application packs are available at northgateswanseapip.co.uk or by emailing [email protected].

The area has seen a run of recent investment activity, including a row of long-empty High Street units reopening as the Dyfatty Junction community space last month, as police reported falling crime in the neighbourhood.

North Gate Swansea is one of three Pride in Place areas locally. In Llanelli, where an equivalent board is steering the town’s own £20m programme, applications close today — while the Afan Valley’s £20m drive is chaired by former Neath Port Talbot Council chief executive Karen Jones, who was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours last month.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

DYFATTY: Swansea homelessness charity boss to lead £20m drive to transform city neighbourhoods
Thom Lynch’s appointment as chair of the North Gate Swansea board.

SWANSEA: Empty Dyfatty shops reborn as community hub in neighbourhood’s turnaround
Long-shuttered High Street units reopen as the Dyfatty Junction community space.

LLANELLI: Residents wanted for board steering town’s £20m, 10-year transformation
The equivalent Pride in Place board across five Llanelli wards.

HONOURS: ‘An incredible honour’ — MBE for the council chief now leading the Afan Valley’s £20m revival
Karen Jones takes on the Afan Valley’s Pride in Place programme.

SWANSEA FERRY: Report promising 800,000 visitors and £600m heads for scrutiny — as its own numbers face questions

The report behind the proposed Swansea to south-west England ferry has been published in full for the first time — and it is heading straight for a council scrutiny panel.

The OceanJet Line consultation report, funded by Swansea Council through a £24,999.95 Shared Prosperity Fund grant, was released as an appendix to Thursday’s full council papers.

It sets out an ambitious vision: hydrogen-electric vessels with a target top speed of 60 knots, fares from £15, 20 sailings a day, and a crossing from Swansea to north Devon in around an hour. Ocean Prime Industries, the company behind the plan, says it aims to build a small working prototype this year, with the first vessel in service by 2030.

The performance target is unprecedented. The fastest ferry ever to enter service — the gas turbine-powered HSC Francisco — holds the Guinness World Record at 58.1 knots. The world’s first commercial hydrogen ferry, launched in San Francisco in 2024, carries 75 passengers at a top speed of 15 knots.

In the report, Ocean Prime chief executive Dave Sampson writes that the project “is no longer just about a ferry”, describing it as “a nationally significant strategic infrastructure initiative, on a par with HS2”.

Council leader Cllr Rob Stewart contributed a foreword, describing the response to the consultation as “remarkable” — 4,396 people and organisations took part in the online survey, run through the project’s own website, with 97.8 per cent expressing support.

At full maturity, with a fleet of eight vessels, the report projects more than £600 million a year in visitor economy benefits for Swansea — built on an assumption of up to 800,000 new visitors annually from a single vessel.

But some of the report’s own figures do not appear to add up.

The report claims a single vessel would avoid “around 290,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year” by replacing car journeys. Using the report’s own numbers — roughly 800,000 car journeys replaced, at the 3.6kg of CO2 per journey it cites from Department for Transport data — the total is around 2,900 tonnes a year, one hundredth of the figure claimed.

The report also names the science fiction author Isaac Asimov as a supporter of the Millennium Pier project in Minehead. Asimov died in 1992 — before the Minehead Pier 2000 Association, whose £5 million lottery-funded rebuild plan was later rejected, had even been formed, according to the National Piers Society.

Minehead’s celebrated science fiction son is in fact Arthur C. Clarke, the 2001: A Space Odyssey author born in the town in 1917.

Swansea Bay News has put the figures to Ocean Prime and Swansea Council. The council asked for time until Monday to answer the questions; both responses will be reported when they arrive.

The report’s publication came in response to a written question from Cllr Brigitte Rowlands, who told the council the feasibility study remained incomplete, no destination ports had been identified, no vessel technology research had been undertaken, and there was no evidence of UK or Welsh Government involvement in planning on the English side of the channel.

Cllr Stewart’s written answer said engagement had included discussions with UK Government and stakeholders on the English side, and that research into the vessel concept had been undertaken — while conceding that “no final technical solution has been confirmed”.

In the chamber, Cllr Rowlands said the response had not really answered her question, and that the project did not seem to be progressing very far.

Cllr Stewart said the response was factual, stressed the ferry was not a council-operated scheme but one of many the council was actively supporting, and said a project of this scale — involving potential port developments on both sides of the estuary and a new fleet of hydrogen-powered vessels — could not be delivered overnight.

Cllr Stuart Rice pressed the leader for examples of similar schemes Ocean Prime had successfully delivered, and asked of the HS2 comparison: “Do they mean HS2 to Leeds or Manchester?” In March, Rice asked whether the plan was “more of a fairy story than a ferry story”.

Cllr Stewart said the individuals involved had expertise in marine and submarine design, but that he was not sighted on what they had previously delivered. The HS2 comparison, he said, was with the original concept of the line: cutting journey times — a three-hour drive to the south west against a crossing of about an hour.

Public records shed some light. Companies House shows Ocean Prime Industries Ltd was incorporated in August 2022, is registered to an address in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and lists its nature of business as “business and domestic software development”. The company has two directors — Mr Sampson, and Jami Buckley, whose country of residence is recorded as Canada.

There was a history lesson too, with Cllr Wendy Lewis recalling the council’s last venture into ferries — a reference to millions handed over when Swansea last backed a crossing to Ireland.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Chris Holley — a long-standing supporter of a Bristol Channel crossing — said there was a mountain of questions to ask, and confirmed he would be calling the report into a scrutiny meeting, with its authors invited to attend and answer them.

Cllr Holley said he had believed the report was produced for the council and should have appeared on a council agenda in its own right.

The scrutiny session will be the first time the report’s claims are formally examined since the hydrogen ferry was first announced. A public consultation opened in 2024, with 98 per cent backing reported earlier this year.

Burry Port has emerged as a surprise potential landing site — though Carmarthenshire Council said in March it had held no discussions on specific proposals relating to the county.

For a plan its backers compare to HS2, the scrutiny room may be where the ferry’s future is decided — fairy story or not.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

FERRY FARCE? Doubts grow over Swansea crossing as ‘fairy story’ jibe lands
The March council exchange where the first cracks in the plan appeared.

Ferry plan gathers pace as 98% back Swansea crossing
The consultation result at the heart of the report’s claims of public support.

Burry Port ferry harbour emerges as surprise option in cross-channel plan
How the Carmarthenshire harbour quietly entered the crossing conversation.

ST HELEN’S: New seafront stand, fan zone and near-7,000 capacity — council sets out full plans for £7.6m rebuild

Swansea Council has set out the full detail of the £7.6 million St Helen’s redevelopment for the first time — a near-7,000 capacity stadium with a new seafront stand, a fan zone and a rebuilt community clubhouse.

The written answer also confirms the ground is being designed to meet the standards required for URC and European competition “in anticipation of the WRU‘s proposals to reduce the number of regions from four to three”.

The detail came in an answer from Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart at Thursday’s full council meeting, fleshing out the up-to-£5.1 million commitment the council made last year to secure the ground as the Ospreys‘ home.

The WRU’s decision on cutting a west Wales region has been delayed again while the governing body searches for a new chair.

The Ospreys signed Welsh rugby’s new Professional Rugby Agreement earlier this year — but the possibility of a cut remained on the table.

According to the written answer, a new 3G pitch will be repositioned closer to a newly-covered terrace, which the council says will improve the atmosphere and spectator experience.

The existing stand will be relocated to the Mumbles end of the ground, with a new 1,000-seat stand replacing it on the seafront side.

A new fan zone and hospitality offer at the Guildhall end is intended, the answer says, to create a focal point for matchdays and year-round activity.

In return for its investment, the council will take the freehold of the clubhouse and changing rooms on Bryn Road — which will then be incorporated into the lease issued to the Ospreys, giving the authority what it describes as a long-term interest in the site for future generations.

The council says its funding secures community use of the facility for around 90 per cent of available hours outside major fixtures.

An existing agreement with Swansea RFC — the All Whites — for continued use of the ground will be honoured, the answer states.

The rebuilt clubhouse will offer modern changing facilities, accessible amenities and flexible indoor spaces, open to clubs, schools and community groups, with the potential to host non-sporting events and functions.

The council says the venue will also support training and skills development in other sports, including football, athletics and disability sport, operating as a “bookable space” to help sustain it as a community facility.

The answer describes the scheme as a “modern, multi-use sports stadium and year-round community hub” with multigenerational use and academy-style programmes.

Cricket, played at the ground for a century and a half, is not part of the new St Helen’s. Swansea Cricket Club — a tenant since 1875 — left after the 2025 season, with the council supporting the club’s move to an upgraded facility at Sketty Lane.

The Sketty Lane site is itself the subject of wider plans for a £150m sport and health superhub, with facilities across the Swansea Bay Sports Park being brought under a single operator.

Work at the ground is already under way, with the famous floodlights — including what was long said to be Europe’s tallest, taken down last month after more than 60 years.

Whatever the WRU decides, the council’s answer states the redeveloped ground will become the home of both the Ospreys and Swansea RFC — “ensuring top flight rugby continues at a site that has been central to Welsh sport since 1876”.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Council to commit £5.1m to secure St Helen’s as Ospreys’ home — with region still facing looming WRU axe threat
How the council’s investment in the ground was first agreed.

ST HELEN’S: Europe’s tallest sports floodlight comes down after more than 60 years
The 150ft landmark leaves the Swansea skyline as the rebuild clears the ground.

WRU: Search for new chair begins — as decision on cutting a west Wales region is delayed again
The latest on the governing body’s stalled call over the future of the regions.

ELECTED MAYOR: As Burnham promises to ‘rewire Britain’, could Swansea Bay ever get a powerful regional mayor?

The man widely expected to be Britain’s next prime minister has promised the biggest shake-up of political power…
#EuropeSays #Britain #Europe #EU #AndyBurnham #Ceredigion #CllrRobStewart #CorporateJointCommitteeforSouthWestWales #devolution #Homepage #MikeHedgesMS #PlaidCymru #RhunapIorwerthMS #SwanseaBayCityDeal
https://www.europesays.com/britain/73396/

https://www.europesays.com/britain/73396/ ELECTED MAYOR: As Burnham promises to ‘rewire Britain’, could Swansea Bay ever get a powerful regional mayor? #AndyBurnham #Britain #Ceredigion #CllrRobStewart #CorporateJointCommitteeForSouthWestWales #devolution #Homepage #MikeHedgesMS #PlaidCymru #RhunApIorwerthMS #SwanseaBayCityDeal

ELECTED MAYOR: As Burnham promises to ‘rewire Britain’, could Swansea Bay ever get a powerful regional mayor?

The man widely expected to be Britain’s next prime minister has promised the biggest shake-up of political power in modern British history.

In a speech in Manchester this week, Andy Burnham — the frontrunner to succeed Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street — pledged to “rewire Britain” by stripping power from Whitehall and handing it to local leaders.

“The days of Whitehall fighting the devolution of power into the regions and nations are over for good,” he said.

He promised to create a “No.10 North”, a new government hub in Manchester that he called “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain”.

It is a striking moment. And it has reopened an old question closer to home: could Swansea Bay ever get a powerful, directly elected regional mayor of the kind Burnham himself became in Greater Manchester?

The short answer is that it remains a long way off, and the obstacles are considerable. But the idea is no longer quite as far-fetched as it once seemed.

A prime minister in waiting

Burnham’s speech was not just one mayor musing about devolution. He is, for now, the clear favourite to be prime minister within weeks.

Sir Keir Starmer announced last month that he is stepping down as prime minister, triggering a Labour leadership contest.

Burnham returned to Parliament by winning the Makerfield by-election in June, and if no rival emerges, he could be in Downing Street within weeks.

That means his devolution agenda is not a think-tank wishlist — it could soon be government policy.

How the English model works

Across the border, the model Burnham champions is well established. England now has a string of directly elected regional mayors who control sizeable budgets and powers over transport, housing and economic development.

The appeal is a single, recognisable figurehead who can speak for a whole region, attract investment, and be held directly accountable by voters.

And the model is spreading. This week Devon’s county council leader, Julian Brazil, wrote to Mr Burnham saying his county was ready to elect its own regional mayor as soon as next May.

Devon argues a mayor would help it build more homes, grow its economy and support industries from farming to defence, with Cllr Brazil saying the county “stands ready to play its part”.

Its chief executive, Donna Manson, said the authority had already begun talks with government officials and was confident mayoral elections could be held early next year.

Why Wales is different

So why not here?

The first answer is that Wales does things very differently. There are no directly elected regional mayors anywhere in Wales, and none of the 22 councils has one.

Welsh local government runs on a leader-and-cabinet model, in which councillors choose a leader from among themselves, rather than the public electing a single executive figure.

The bodies that already run the region

For all the talk of new models, Swansea Bay’s regional governance is already being reshaped — just not towards a mayor.

For nearly a decade, the defining regional project has been the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal, which funds major schemes across all four counties — from the Pentre Awel health and life-science village in Llanelli to Swansea’s city-centre digital district.

The City Deal has been overseen since 2017 by its own joint committee of the four councils, advised by a private-sector economic strategy board.

Now its work is being folded into the newer South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee — a statutory body, created in 2021, that covers exactly the same four-council area and holds powers over economic development, strategic planning and regional transport.

City Deal funding is transferring to the CJC, which councils have stressed is an administrative change that will not affect the delivery of projects already under way.

The CJC is chaired by Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart, and brings together the leaders of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, along with national park representatives.

It has been busy. In May it took a £6 billion regional investment prospectus to a major property and infrastructure forum, and it has signed off a regional transport plan and an energy strategy.

In other words, the region already has a single body steering its economy and infrastructure — but one led by a committee of council leaders, accountable to their own councils, rather than by a single figure elected by the public.

That is the crucial difference from the Manchester model. The structures are consolidating; the question the mayoral debate poses is whether one accountable, directly elected person should sit on top of them.

Wales has been here before

There is, in fact, a Welsh precedent — and it is close to home.

In 2004, Ceredigion held the only referendum ever staged in Wales on whether to have a directly elected mayor. Voters rejected the idea decisively, by 14,013 to 5,308 — almost three to one.

The vote had been forced by a petition, after local anger over plans to build thousands of new homes in the county. Opponents argued that handing one person so much power over council policy would be dangerous.

More than two decades on, no Welsh council has an elected mayor, and all 22 still use the leader-and-cabinet model.

The case for — and against

The argument over whether that is enough is not new in Wales. Back in 2016, writing for the Institute of Welsh Affairs think tank, the Cardiff councillor Joseph Carter argued that a committee of council leaders, all jointly responsible for a region, lacks the single accountable figure a mayor would provide.

He warned that without one, a region risked “a power vacuum, uncertainty” and lower private investment than hoped — and held up Greater Manchester as the model Wales should follow.

There is a cautionary tale close to home about what can happen when regional co-operation depends on every council staying at the table.

For years, school improvement across the region was run by a shared body called ERW — Education through Regional Working — bringing together the four Swansea Bay councils alongside Ceredigion and Powys.

But in 2020 Neath Port Talbot pulled out, citing concerns over the consortium’s governance, quality and cost, and chose to run its own arrangements instead.

Other councils followed, and ERW was formally wound up in 2022. Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Swansea went on to form a new partnership, Partneriaeth, while the Mid Wales authorities went their own way.

Supporters of an elected mayor argue it is exactly this kind of fragility — where one council walking away can bring down a regional structure — that a single, directly accountable leader is meant to guard against.

Critics counter that an elected mayor would simply add another expensive layer of government between councils and the Senedd. Writing for the Institute of Welsh Affairs, Joe Rossiter noted that Wales already has 22 councils, seven health boards, four corporate joint committees and dozens of other public bodies — and that the argument the country has “too much duplication and layers of governance” for its size is now well established.

The new First Minister pushes back

Then there is the politics — and this is where it gets interesting.

Wales now has its first Plaid Cymru First Minister, Rhun ap Iorwerth, whose party won the most seats at the 2026 Senedd election and formed the Welsh Government.

His response to Burnham’s speech was pointed. The First Minister warned that the headline pledge “will mean very little to the people of Wales”.

Mr ap Iorwerth said Wales should not settle for anything less than the same powers as Scotland, and argued that a new Downing Street outpost in Manchester would do little to address Wales’ constitutional concerns.

“I have been arguing for many years that the Westminster system is a broken system,” he said, adding that he would keep making the case for a stronger Welsh settlement whoever is in Number 10.

A particular sticking point is money — and here the difference between England and Wales is more than political.

English metro mayors can be handed budgets and devolution deals directly from the Treasury. In Wales, the financial plumbing runs through Cardiff: funding flows to the Welsh Government as a block grant, set by the Barnett Formula, and is then distributed within Wales by Welsh ministers.

That means even a Westminster prime minister who wanted to bankroll a Swansea Bay mayor could not easily do so over the Welsh Government’s head — the money would, in effect, still have to pass through Cardiff Bay. It is a tension that has flared before, with Welsh politicians accusing Whitehall of bypassing the Welsh Government on regional funding.

It makes the funding question especially pointed given that Burnham is reported not to intend to change the Barnett Formula at all — something the First Minister called “disappointing”.

For his part, Burnham did namecheck the nations. He said his “No.10 North” would offer “new opportunities to extend devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland”, and a spokesperson said he would put Wales “at the centre” of any government he runs.

Senedd, councils — or a mayor?

But crucially, it is far from clear what any of that would mean in practice — and, importantly, whether new powers would go to the Senedd or to local areas like Swansea Bay.

That distinction is the heart of the matter. The English mayoral model devolves power downwards to city regions. The Welsh debate has tended to centre on whether power should sit with councils, with new regional bodies, or with the Senedd itself.

It is worth drawing a distinction here. Welsh councils can already adopt a directly elected mayor for a single authority — though only if local voters approve it in a referendum, and none has ever done so. A Greater Manchester-style mayor covering a whole region, by contrast, is a different animal: there is no mechanism for one in Wales, and creating it would require the Welsh Government to legislate. There is no sign of that happening, nor much appetite for it among Welsh leaders.

And there is a deeper reason Cardiff Bay is unlikely to welcome the idea. For the Welsh Government, the Senedd is itself the nation’s regional tier — the body that already holds powers over transport, economic development and the rest.

Seen from Cardiff, a powerful Swansea Bay mayor with their own budget and mandate would not be a junior partner but a rival — a competing centre of power and a competing claim on funding. The Plaid Cymru government’s instinct is to draw more authority towards the Senedd, not to hand it to a new tier of elected regional figures.

A question of how we vote

Any debate about new ways of governing Wales runs into a live argument about how Wales votes in the first place.

The 2026 Senedd election was the first held under a new closed-list voting system, using the D’Hondt method across 16 enlarged constituencies, with voters backing a party list rather than ranking individual candidates. It came in alongside an expansion of the Senedd from 60 to 96 members.

The system was widely criticised, and not only by its opponents. Swansea Labour MS Mike Hedges said it “does not work”, and that “any system is better than the one we used in the last election” — though he does not himself favour the main alternative.

The new Plaid Cymru Welsh Government wants change too. Its manifesto promised a full review of the Senedd voting system and a push for the Single Transferable Vote — a more proportional system in which voters rank candidates — for both Senedd and local council elections.

That matters for the next big vote on the horizon: the council elections due in May 2027.

Welsh councils already have the power to switch to STV if they choose, under powers introduced in 2021. But the bar is high — it needs a two-thirds majority of councillors — and take-up has been slow. Bridgend opted to stay with first-past-the-post for 2027, while a similar move in Gwynedd fell just short.

The point, for the mayoral question, is this: how Wales chooses its representatives is already being reopened — and any future argument about elected mayors would land in the middle of that bigger debate.

A homely complication

There is even a local quirk to navigate. Swansea already has a Lord Mayor — but that is a ceremonial civic role, rotating each year, and entirely different from the kind of powerful executive mayor seen in Manchester.

The Devon connection

Yet the Devon move shows how fast the conversation is moving across the border. And there is a direct Swansea Bay thread to the Devon story.

For years there has been talk of a ferry across the Bristol Channel linking Swansea with North Devon — a project that recently won 98% backing in a Swansea consultation, even as doubts persist over whether it will ever sail.

If both sides of that channel ended up with elected mayors banging the drum for their regions, supporters might argue, long-stalled cross-border ideas like the ferry could finally find the champions they have so far lacked.

So, could it happen?

For now, a Swansea Bay metro mayor remains a thought experiment rather than a plan.

It would need a change of approach in Cardiff Bay, new Welsh laws, and the buy-in of four council leaders before it could ever become real — and the current signs are that Wales intends to chart its own course, not copy Manchester’s.

But with the man who built the Manchester model on the brink of Downing Street, the question of how this corner of Wales is governed — and who speaks for it — is unlikely to go away.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Kinnock backs Burnham for PM as local Labour MPs react
How the area’s politicians responded to the Labour leadership race.

Ferry plan gathers pace as 98% back Swansea crossing
The cross-channel link that could one day connect Swansea and North Devon.

‘Constitutional outrage’ over UK Government funding bypass
When Welsh politicians accused Whitehall of cutting out Cardiff.

DYFATTY: Swansea homelessness charity boss to lead £20m drive to transform city neighbourhoods

A Swansea charity leader who has spent years helping the city’s most vulnerable people has been handed a central role in deciding how £20m is spent transforming neighbourhoods north of the city centre.

Thom Lynch has been named independent chair of the Neighbourhood Board overseeing Swansea’s £20m Pride in Place funding.

The money is a 10-year investment targeted on the city’s Gateway Communities — a cluster of neighbourhoods just north of Swansea railway station that takes in Brynmelyn, Waun Wen, North Hill, Dyfatty and Hafod.

They are areas long identified as among the most overlooked in the city, despite being passed through daily by thousands of commuters and visitors arriving in Swansea.

The funding can be spent on a wide range of community-led projects, from saving threatened pubs and libraries to improving community safety, reviving local high streets and restoring green spaces — with residents helping to decide where it goes.

Lynch is the co-founder and project leader of Matthew’s House, the High Street charity that provides a base and support for vulnerable people, including those experiencing homelessness.

The charity’s work has been recognised nationally, including with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

His appointment followed an open recruitment process, with the role designed as a community-rooted voice at the top of the board rather than a council or government appointee.

Lynch said one of his first tasks would be to build the Neighbourhood Board itself, and he urged local people to step forward.

“I’m honoured to take on this role and grateful for the opportunity to work even more with local people to shape the future of our communities,” he said.

“Pride in Place is about putting residents at the heart of decision-making, and I’m excited to build on the strong community work already happening across these neighbourhoods.”

He added: “I’ll be looking for people from local communities to get involved, share their ideas and help deliver projects that make a real, lasting difference. We’re going to need a real team effort to get this right.”

Swansea West MP Torsten Bell, who secured the funding, described it as a once-in-a-generation chance for the area.

“Pride in Place is a landmark 10-year, £20 million investment in Swansea communities that have too long been overlooked,” he said.

“It is a huge opportunity to make a real difference to people’s lives. Thom is exactly the right person to get as many residents as possible involved in making that happen.”

Council leader Cllr Rob Stewart said the appointment was a major step forward.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for the people of Dyfatty to shape their own future, backed by £20 million of UK Government investment over the next decade,” he said.

“Thom has a proven track record, is well-known in the community and will be an outstanding chair for the Neighbourhood Board.”

Stewart said the money would add to more than £60m of council investment in housing improvements in the area, alongside wider work to create a safer, stronger community.

The regeneration drive comes after a targeted police crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour in Dyfatty, which saw crime fall 12% and anti-social behaviour drop 69% in its early months — work the longer-term investment is intended to complement.

In neighbouring Neath Port Talbot, a separate £20m Pride in Place award is regenerating the Upper Afan Valley, with former council chief executive Karen Jones chairing that board as a volunteer.

The council has not yet set out which individual projects will receive money, or when residents will see the first changes on the ground.

But with the board now taking shape, decisions on how the £20m is spent are expected to follow in the months ahead.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Swansea neighbourhood handed £20m boost
How the decade-long Pride in Place investment was first announced for the city.

Community champion sought to lead £20m drive
The chair’s role as it was advertised earlier this year — now filled by Thom Lynch.

Llanelli handed £20m lifeline in same scheme
The Carmarthenshire town’s own Pride in Place award.

Matthew’s House and the Swans big sleep out
The High Street charity Thom Lynch co-founded.

SWANSEA: Council leader rules out suing new Welsh Government over city-centre offices deal — as a revived WDA could hold the key

Construction of the office building — known as Block B, the first phase of the new public sector hub being built as the council’s new home at the former St David’s site — is due to step up within weeks, with work starting on site in July and completion targeted for early 2028.

But a key question still hangs over it: who, beyond the council itself, will fill it.

The deal that was signed — then left in limbo

The council and the previous Labour-led Welsh Government exchanged letters of intent before the Senedd election to bring Welsh Government staff into the new hub.

The proposal centred on relocating staff from the government’s offices near junction 47 of the M4 at Penllergaer — where average daily attendance was running at just 10% in early 2025 — into the city centre, with the council potentially taking on the Penllergaer building in return.

Then the election came, Plaid Cymru took power, and the new administration said it would review its office estate before committing to anything.

That left the council waiting to find out whether the deal would survive the change of government.

‘It would be ill-advised’

Pressed at a scrutiny panel this week on whether the council could hold the new government to the letter of intent, leader Rob Stewart was blunt about the idea of legal action.

He said it would be “ill-advised” for the council’s first dealing with the new administration to be taking it to court — particularly when the two sides had yet to even meet.

Stewart said he was due to meet Adam Price — the new government’s economy minister, who holds the enterprise and energy brief — in due course, in both his role as council leader and as deputy leader of the Welsh Local Government Association, where he speaks on the economy and energy. He hoped to open “productive discussions” with Cardiff.

He argued the new government was reasonably taking time to review its position, but stressed the letter of intent still stood.

Notably, he pointed out that the officials advising on the technical detail were the same under both administrations — so he hoped the advice given to the previous government would be “consistent” with what the new ministers were now told.

The WDA twist

The more intriguing possibility raised at the meeting was that the new government’s own plans could end up helping fill the disputed building.

Plaid has spoken of wanting to see “some form of WDA” — a revived version of the Welsh Development Agency, the economic body abolished in 2006.

There is a neat irony in that. The Penllergaer offices at the heart of the proposed swap were originally built for the WDA, and were never fully occupied after the agency was wound up.

Stewart said he had always believed such functions should be regionally based, and that he would press the case for a revived WDA — or at least part of it — to be located in Swansea, ideally in the city centre, where he argued it would have more economic impact than an out-of-town site.

As economy minister, Adam Price would be central to any such decision.

Why it matters

For Swansea, the stakes are straightforward: hundreds of public sector workers in the city centre would mean daily footfall for shops, cafés and businesses at a time when the centre is being remade around them.

The council’s own move into the hub is already locked in, driven by its planned exit from the ageing seafront Civic Centre, which secured a £20m UK Government funding boost for its own redevelopment earlier this year.

What remains unresolved is how much more of the new building will be brought to life — and whether a deal struck under one government survives under another.

A meeting between the council leader and the new economy minister is expected to be the next step.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Labour signed a deal to move Welsh Government offices to the city centre
Plaid Cymru has so far declined to confirm whether it will honour the pre-election agreement.

Major Swansea office scheme set for step forward
Plans for the new public sector hub on the former St David’s site moved closer.

£20m boost for Swansea Civic Centre
UK Government funding confirmed for the redevelopment of the seafront site the council is leaving.

Giant distribution warehouse approved next to M4 at Penllergaer
A major last-mile delivery hub raises fresh questions over Junction 47 capacity.

FELINDRE: ‘A real let-down’ — two council leaders, years apart, share the same frustration over stalled flagship site

Parc Felindre, the 16-hectare business park north of junction 46 of the M4, sits on the site of the former Felindre Tinplate Works — once part of the industrial machine that made Swansea a powerhouse. The works were decommissioned in 1989 and demolished in 1996.

The brownfield site was cleared and remediated under a joint venture between the council and the Welsh Government, and allocated for offices and industry. Years on, much of it remains undeveloped, and business land is still being actively marketed.

The frustration was laid bare at a meeting of the council’s scrutiny panel this week, in a rare moment of cross-party agreement between the current council leader and one of his predecessors.

Cllr Chris Holley, leader of the official opposition group of Liberal Democrats and Independents, and a former leader of the council, said the site had been “a real let-down to Welsh Government and ourselves”.

He pointed to the scale of public money already sunk into it, noting the works had been demolished and more than £25 million spent preparing the land — only for the bulk of it to remain empty, save for two warehouses and a small development.

Holley said the council needed to think hard about what the site was originally intended to deliver when it was cleared, more than 25 years ago, when the plan had been for factory units under the old Welsh Development Agency.

During his own time as leader, he said, around half a dozen interested parties had come forward to look at the site and set out what they wanted to do with it — but none had ever signed the paperwork to actually build.

Council leader Rob Stewart agreed the site had been a disappointment, and confirmed the authority was still fielding interest — but that none of it had so far proved a good fit.

He said the site’s existing power supply, a legacy of its industrial past, had attracted repeated interest from companies wanting to build data centres of varying sizes.

But Stewart said such proposals carried two problems: they would require a significant reconfiguration of the works already on the site, and data centres “don’t tend to create a huge amount of jobs” — a key consideration for land originally intended to generate employment.

The challenge, he said, was that while there had been genuine interest in doing something with the site, the proposals had not been compatible with either its current configuration or the council’s ambitions for it.

Stewart said he and officers had held fresh discussions with Welsh Government officials about how to “unlock” the site, and that a decision was needed on whether to stick with the original employment-led vision or change track and pursue different uses.

Parc Felindre was one of the major strategic sites earmarked in Swansea’s Local Development Plan — part of a blueprint that promised thousands of new homes and jobs across the city but has been beset by delays.

Alongside the employment land, there are long-standing plans for a brand-new village on adjoining land owned by the Welsh Government.

The scheme, Pentre Felindre, was first proposed in 2018 and envisages around 800 homes — a fifth of them affordable — together with a primary school, shops, a village hall and recreation space, built on land next to the business park.

Progress, like that on the employment site beside it, has been slow. But the scheme resurfaced at this week’s meeting, when a panel member asked for an update on the Welsh Government-led housing plan.

The regeneration report before councillors says a proposal for Pentre Felindre has now been put forward by CODI, the housing group formed earlier this year by the merger of Pobl and Linc.

Officers told the meeting that CODI had been asked to update its proposal, after which it would be shared among the joint venture partners behind the site — the council and the Welsh Government.

Back on the employment land, there are some signs of activity. The parcel delivery firm DPD became the park’s first occupier, building an automated distribution centre due to open this year.

And the regeneration report says heads of terms have been agreed for the disposal of two further plots — 6B and 7B — for start-up units for small and medium-sized businesses, with the scheme finalised and lawyers instructed.

It is a modest tally for a site that once carried far greater hopes. In the 1970s, the Felindre Tinplate Works employed more than 2,500 people.

For now, though, the bulk of the Felindre site remains what it has been for a quarter of a century — cleared, connected, and largely empty.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

7,000 homes promised, just 300 built: Swansea’s housing blueprint falters
An in-depth look at why delivery has stalled across the city’s strategic development sites.

Wales’ biggest housing group gets new name as Linc and Pobl merge to form CODI
The merger that created the group now behind the Pentre Felindre housing proposal.

Labour signed a deal to move Welsh Government offices to the city centre — Plaid won’t say if they’ll honour it
Another Swansea regeneration site caught between two governments.

‘Respect the democratic vote’: Rob Stewart backs Mike Hedges after anonymous Welsh Labour call for him to quit Senedd seat

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart has publicly thrown his weight behind Mike Hedges – declaring his “full support” for the city’s only Welsh Labour MS and insisting voters’ democratic verdict at the ballot box must be respected.

The intervention comes less than 24 hours after Swansea Bay News reported that a senior Welsh Labour figure had urged Hedges to resign mid-term to make way for Stewart – meaning the Council leader could enter the Senedd without facing the electorate again.

Stewart – who was Welsh Labour’s second-placed candidate on the Gwyr Abertawe list and was not elected last week – publicly rejected that route in a statement posted to his Facebook account on Sunday afternoon.

“Let me be clear,” Stewart said. “As a democratic nation we should all respect the democratic vote and decision of the public.”

The Council leader said Hedges had been rightly elected at the top of the Welsh Labour list and had his backing.

“Each party ranks its candidates in the new list system and Mike was top of our list and was rightly elected,” Stewart said. “He has my full support.”

Stewart also pointedly underlined how the new D’Hondt voting system works – and the fact that any seat replacement would happen without a public vote.

“Under the new system any candidate stepping down is replaced by someone from the same party – the next on their list,” he said. “There are no by-elections in this system.”

The Council leader explained the reasoning behind that mechanic, saying voters had been asked to back a party rather than an individual.

“This is because it’s a PR system,” he said. “And in that system the voters are asked to vote for a party – not a person.”

The statement marks the most significant public intervention so far from any Welsh Labour figure in Swansea on the question of mid-term resignations – and effectively shuts down the suggestion that Stewart would accept a back-door route into the Senedd.

It comes after Swansea Bay News reported on Saturday that a senior Welsh Labour figure – speaking anonymously to Welsh political journalist Will Hayward – had urged Hedges and fellow long-serving Welsh Labour MS Lynne Neagle to resign mid-term to allow second-placed candidates on Welsh Labour’s lists to take their seats.

The same source had branded Welsh Labour “functionally broken” and called for a total overhaul of the party – accusing it of a decade-long failure to confront its own decline.

Stewart’s statement neither names the anonymous source nor responds directly to the wider criticisms levelled at the party – instead focusing on the specific question of Hedges’ position and the legitimacy of the democratic process.

The Council leader’s full backing of Hedges is significant. As the second-placed candidate on the Welsh Labour list, Stewart would be the direct beneficiary of any Hedges resignation – and his public rejection of that route effectively rules out one of the scenarios floated by the anonymous Welsh Labour source.

Hedges himself has not commented publicly on the anonymous call for him to step down.

The Welsh Labour party has not formally responded to either intervention.

Welsh Labour was reduced to just nine seats at last week’s Senedd election, down from 30 in the previous Senedd, with the party wiped out entirely in six constituencies. Mike Hedges is the only Welsh Labour Member of the Senedd for Swansea.

Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party with 43 seats, with Reform UK securing a historic 34 seats. Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth is expected to lead a minority government as Wales’ next First Minister.

Stewart – who has been Council leader since 2017 – will remain in his role at Swansea Council, where Welsh Labour holds an overall majority and is expected to face the city’s voters at the council elections next year.

Our Senedd Election 2026 coverage

Mike Hedges should quit Senedd seat for Rob Stewart, senior Welsh Labour figure says
The anonymous intervention that branded Welsh Labour ‘functionally broken’ and called for two MSs to make way for new talent.

Mike Hedges warns Wales could face another election next year
The newly re-elected Swansea Labour MS on the prospect of an early Senedd election if Plaid’s first budget falls.

Gwyr Abertawe: Plaid top the poll as Reform UK and Labour also take seats
How Swansea voted – and how Mike Hedges held on as the city’s only Welsh Labour MS.

Rhun ap Iorwerth to lead Plaid minority government
What happens next as Plaid prepares to take power.

Ken Skates appointed interim Welsh Labour leader
Welsh Labour picks up the pieces after being reduced to nine seats.

SWANSEA: Mike Hedges should quit Senedd seat for Rob Stewart, senior Welsh Labour figure says in scathing attack on ‘functionally broken’ party

Newly re-elected Swansea Member of the Senedd Mike Hedges should resign mid-term to make way for new talent – and his replacement could be Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart, walking into the Senedd without facing voters again.

That is the explosive demand from a senior Welsh Labour figure who has launched a scathing attack on the party’s record – declaring Welsh Labour “functionally broken” and accusing it of a decade-long failure to confront its own decline.

The intervention – first reported by Welsh political journalist Will Hayward – comes less than 48 hours after Hedges held on as the only Welsh Labour MS for Swansea following the party’s catastrophic election defeat.

The senior Welsh Labour source, who is not named, said it was “perhaps too much to hope” that Hedges and fellow long-serving Welsh Labour MS Lynne Neagle would realise they should resign mid-term to let “talented, second-place candidates” take their seats.

That second-place candidate in Swansea is Rob Stewart – meaning the leader of Swansea Council could enter Wales’ parliament without facing the electorate again, if Hedges were to step aside.

Under the new D’Hondt voting system used at this week’s election, when a sitting MS resigns mid-term their seat passes to the next eligible candidate on their party’s list – rather than triggering a by-election.

Stewart was not elected at this week’s election. Plaid Cymru topped the poll in Gwyr Abertawe with three seats, Reform UK took two, and Hedges held on as Welsh Labour’s number one candidate. Stewart, sitting in second place on the list, missed out as Welsh Labour’s vote collapsed across the city.

The senior figure’s broader assessment of the party was devastating.

Welsh Labour, the source said, “requires a total overhaul; it is functionally broken and will not be fixed overnight.”

The defeat had been “a decade in the making” – they argued – claiming Welsh Labour had repeatedly avoided an honest reckoning with its record in government and instead chosen “to paper over the cracks.”

The source took aim at Welsh Labour’s recent campaign messaging, dismissing slogans such as “partnership in power” and “two governments working together” as vapid – and arguing the party had abandoned its mantle as the party that would stand up for Wales.

Blame for the result, they said, lay across the party – with MSs who failed to step up in the Senedd, with MPs who spent years chasing Reform UK voters and with party factions and unions who had “treated leadership contests as personality contests” or “extensions of Westminster paranoia.”

The source argued that rushing into a permanent leadership contest would be a mistake – calling instead for potential candidates to be required to listen to voters first and present a concrete plan for the future.

The intervention also called for Welsh Labour to scrap the deputy leader role entirely, or fundamentally redefine it.

And in a striking line, the source warned others not to scapegoat party staff for the defeat. “Watch out for those who pin defeat mostly on the staff,” they said – “and then ask what their voter contact rate was.”

The intervention is the latest sign of significant internal turmoil within Welsh Labour following the historic election result, in which the party was reduced from 30 seats in the previous Senedd to just nine.

It comes only hours after Welsh Labour’s new interim leader Ken Skates – elected unanimously by the new Welsh Labour group on Saturday morning – acknowledged the scale of the defeat and admitted the party “got it wrong.”

Welsh Labour has not formally responded to the comments. Mike Hedges has not commented publicly on the suggestion that he should resign mid-term, and Rob Stewart has not commented on whether he would take a Senedd seat through such a route.

The new 96-seat Senedd will sit for the first time in the coming weeks, with Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth set to lead a minority government following his party’s election as the largest in the chamber with 43 seats.

Reform UK secured a historic 34 seats and Welsh Labour just nine, with the Welsh Conservatives on seven, the Wales Green Party on two and the Welsh Liberal Democrats on one.

Swansea Bay News will continue to cover developments as the new Welsh Labour leadership contest takes shape and the new Welsh Government is formed.

Our Senedd Election 2026 coverage

Mike Hedges warns Wales could face another election next year
The newly re-elected Swansea Labour MS on the prospect of an early Senedd election if Plaid’s first budget falls.

Gwyr Abertawe: Plaid top the poll as Reform UK and Labour also take seats
How Swansea voted – and how Mike Hedges held on as the city’s only Welsh Labour MS.

Rhun ap Iorwerth to lead Plaid minority government after historic victory ends 27 years of Labour rule
What happens next as Plaid prepares to take power.

Ken Skates appointed interim Welsh Labour leader after historic Senedd defeat
Welsh Labour picks up the pieces after being reduced to nine seats.

First Minister Eluned Morgan loses seat and resigns as Welsh Labour leader
The historic moment Wales’ First Minister became the first leader of any UK government to lose her seat while in office.

SWANSEA: Cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies dies — tributes paid to ‘true Swansea legend’ after 43 years of service

Cllr Robert Francis-Davies, one of the most prominent figures in Swansea public life, has died.

The Morriston councillor had served Swansea Council for 43 years and was cabinet member for investment, regeneration, tourism and events at the time of his death.

Cllr Rob Stewart announced the news on Friday morning, saying he had learned of it with huge sadness.

Mr Stewart described Francis-Davies — known affectionately as RFD — as “a true Swansea legend and an absolute force of nature who worked tirelessly for the people of Morriston and Swansea for 43 years.”

The council leader said his thoughts were with Francis-Davies’s family — named as Suzanne, Rebecca, Andrew and Rachel — at what he described as a deeply difficult time.

Mr Stewart credited Francis-Davies with helping oversee the building of the Swansea.com stadium and the National Waterfront Museum, saying he had delivered “such positive change” across his decades on the council.

He was also instrumental in bringing major events to the city, including Proms in the Park and the Wales Airshow, and was said to be a lifelong supporter of Swansea City AFC.

Francis-Davies was a proud advocate of the Swansea barrage and worked to ensure the continued development of the River Tawe corridor.

Mr Stewart said he was “an irreplaceable figure in the council” and that Swansea would not be the same without him.

Over four decades in the council chamber, Francis-Davies held a range of senior positions — including vice-chair of the housing committee, vice-chair of the finance committee, chair of the economic development committee and chair of the legal services committee.

Beyond his council work, he served as a past executive member of the Museums Association, chair of the Council of Museums in Wales, and board member of Les Rencontres — an organisation representing European cities of culture.

Morgans Hotel in Swansea was among the first organisations to pay tribute publicly, saying it was saddened to learn of his passing.

The hotel recalled that Francis-Davies had laid the foundation stone at the venue on 18 February 2002, and said it had always been grateful for his support over the years that followed.

Its flag was lowered to half-mast on Friday as a mark of respect, with the hotel describing him as a man who had done “so much for the city.”

Swansea City AFC also paid tribute, describing Francis-Davies as “a driving force in the plans for the ground coming to fruition.” The club said the thoughts of everyone at Swansea City were with his friends, family and colleagues at this very sad time.

Francis-Davies is survived by his wife Suzanne and their children Rebecca, Andrew and Rachel. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

GWYR ABERTAWE: Plaid Cymru top the poll as Reform UK and Labour also take seats — Mike Hedges holds for Welsh Labour

Plaid Cymru has topped the poll in Gwyr Abertawe – taking three of the constituency’s six Senedd seats in a result that confirms the political shift now sweeping across south Wales.

Reform UK took two seats and Welsh Labour took the remaining seat – with veteran Swansea politician Mike Hedges holding on as the city’s only Labour Member of the Senedd.

The result was declared this evening at the Gwyr Abertawe count by Returning Officer Martin Nicholls.

Plaid Cymru topped the poll with 25,076 votes, ahead of Reform UK on 21,641. Welsh Labour received 11,195 votes – a fraction of its previous performance in Swansea.

The Welsh Conservatives received 7,523 votes, the Wales Green Party 6,383 and the Welsh Liberal Democrats 6,262. None won a seat in the constituency.

The six new Members of the Senedd for Gwyr Abertawe are:

• Gwyn Williams (Plaid Cymru)
• Francesca O’Brien (Reform UK)
• Safa Elhassan (Plaid Cymru)
• Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour)
• Steven Rodaway (Reform UK)
• John Davies (Plaid Cymru)

Mike Hedges’ re-election ensures Welsh Labour retains a presence in Swansea – but represents a significant reduction for a party that has long counted the city among its strongholds.

Hedges was Labour’s first-placed candidate in Gwyr Abertawe. Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart, who was Labour’s second-placed candidate, was not elected.

The result also marks the election of Reform UK’s first ever Members of the Senedd for Swansea – with Francesca O’Brien and Steven Rodaway both elected.

O’Brien had earlier today predicted on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that Welsh Labour would collapse, describing the election as a referendum on First Minister Eluned Morgan and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Plaid Cymru’s three new MS – Gwyn Williams, Safa Elhassan and John Davies – represent a significant breakthrough for the party in a constituency where it has not historically been the dominant force.

The constituency recorded a turnout of 50.9% – just below the national average of 51.65%, which itself was a record for a Senedd election.

The Gwyr Abertawe electorate stands at 155,120, with 78,924 ballot papers issued. A total of 187 ballot papers were rejected and not counted.

In response to the result, Council leader Rob Stewart praised Hedges and said he was looking forward to him continuing to work for Swansea at Cardiff Bay.

“I want to thank everyone who voted for our Labour team in Gwyr Abertawe today,” Stewart said. “I am looking forward to Mike Hedges returning to the Senedd and continuing to work extremely hard for Swansea, as he has done since 2011.”

Stewart acknowledged the difficulty of the result. “Obviously, this is not the result we worked for,” he said. “Nationally, it has been a really difficult night for Welsh Labour and UK Labour.”

He paid tribute to Welsh Labour’s record in government. “I’m proud of what the Labour Welsh Governments have delivered for Wales over many years,” he said.

Stewart said the threat of Reform UK had been a major factor on the doorstep. “Clearly the threat of Reform has been at the forefront of many voters’ minds, and we heard on the door that when people could not give us their vote this time, they didn’t want to go to Reform and have clearly opted for Plaid Cymru,” he said.

He added that he had not detected significant enthusiasm for Plaid’s vision. “While I understand the voters’ logic, I haven’t detected any great love for Plaid’s vision for Wales,” Stewart said. “However, they appear to have done well, and we will respect that.”

Stewart said Welsh Labour had to listen carefully to voters. “We must also be prepared to reflect carefully and listen with humility to the people,” he said. “There must be no dodging, no deflection, just determination to put things right and redouble our efforts to deliver at all levels on the things we promised.”

The Council leader said his focus would now be on local delivery. “Here in Swansea, my work continues and will increase in pace,” he said. “The work Swansea Labour has been doing resonated with voters on the door, and clearly we will be standing on our record of delivery at next year’s elections.”

He pointed to investment in the city as the foundation for that record. “We’ll stand on the billion-pound investment in Swansea, the new homes, new schools, better jobs and opportunities, and our drive to keep building a better Swansea together,” he said.

Stewart said he would continue as Council leader. “As Leader of this great city, I will keep doing all I can to improve people’s lives and lead the delivery of that better Swansea,” he said.

He thanked party members and supporters. “My sincere and heartfelt thanks go to the volunteers, activists, members and supporters who gave everything to this campaign,” he said.

And he paid tribute to Eluned Morgan, who lost her own seat in Ceredigion Penfro this afternoon and resigned as Welsh Labour leader. “Special thanks also go to Eluned Morgan, who has led Welsh Labour with distinction, empathy and heart through a genuinely difficult time,” Stewart said.

Stewart also paid tribute to Rebecca Evans and Julie James, who stepped down at this election after long service in the Senedd. “I also want to wish Rebecca Evans and Julie James well in whatever they do next,” he said. “They have stepped down from the Senedd after long and distinguished service to Gower and Swansea West.”

The Gwyr Abertawe result follows a similar pattern to other south Wales constituencies declared earlier today – with Welsh Labour reduced to a single seat or wiped out entirely in the face of a Plaid Cymru and Reform UK surge.

Across Wales, polling expert Sir John Curtice has projected Plaid Cymru will win between 41 and 46 seats – short of the 49 needed for an overall majority – with Reform UK on 32 to 34.

That makes coalition negotiations almost certain to follow once all 16 constituencies have declared.

Two constituencies remain to declare this evening – Gwynedd Maldwyn and Fflint Wrecsam.

Our Senedd Election 2026 coverage

First Minister Eluned Morgan loses seat and resigns as Welsh Labour leader
The historic moment Wales’ First Minister became the first leader of any UK government to lose her seat while in office.

Sir Gaerfyrddin: Reform UK and Plaid Cymru take three seats each as Welsh Labour wiped out
Adam Price returns to the Senedd as Reform UK secures its first ever west Wales breakthrough.

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd: Reform UK tops the poll as Jane Dodds holds on for the Welsh Lib Dems
Reform UK takes three seats in the upper Swansea Valley, Powys and Neath – with Welsh Labour wiped out entirely.

Welsh Labour bracing for historic loss as counting begins
Our overnight roundup of the political mood as counting got under way across Wales.

What does a Welsh defeat mean for Keir Starmer?
Senior Welsh Labour figures have called for the prime minister to consider his position if the result is as bad as predicted.

SENEDD ELECTION: Plaid on course to make history as largest party — but here’s who’s actually set to represent YOU on May 7

Wales is heading for a political earthquake on May 7, according to the most detailed poll yet published ahead of the Senedd election.

Research group More in Common has released its first MRP — a sophisticated seat-by-seat modelling technique that goes far beyond standard polling — and the findings represent a dramatic moment in Welsh politics.

Plaid Cymru is projected to win 30 seats, making it the largest party in the 96-seat Senedd for the first time since devolution in 1999. Reform UK is close behind on 28, with Labour falling to just 24 — a historic collapse for a party that has governed Wales continuously for 27 years.

The Conservatives are forecast to hold seven seats, the Greens four, and the Liberal Democrats three.

Luke Tryl, Executive Director of More in Common UK, said the scale of the shift was extraordinary. “Looking at Wales today, it’s hard to believe that the 2024 general election was less than two years ago — the political map has changed so dramatically since Labour won decisively in Wales,” he said.

“Having governed in Wales for 28 years, Labour is set to be pushed into third place — and for the first time we could see Wales led by a non-Labour First Minister. Plaid Cymru are the clear beneficiaries of a country ready for change, and could be on course to lead a Welsh government for the first time.”

The polling, carried out between January 30 and April 10 with a sample of 2,519 Welsh adults aged 16 and over, shows implied vote shares of 25% each for Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, 21% for Labour, 11% for the Conservatives, 10% for the Greens, and 7% for the Liberal Democrats. Independents and other candidates are polling at under 2% in most constituencies and are not projected to win any seats under this model.

It is the more conservative of two recent MRPs: a JL Partners poll for the Telegraph, published last week, put Plaid on 37 seats — a more commanding lead still.

What it means for your area — and who you’ll be voting for

Wales is using a closed list proportional representation system for the first time in this election, meaning voters choose a party rather than an individual candidate. Seats are then allocated in order from each party’s published list. That means we can say not just which parties are likely to win seats — but exactly who those winners are likely to be.

Gŵyr Abertawe (Swansea)

The Swansea constituency is projected as a dead heat, with each of the top three parties taking two seats apiece on virtually identical vote shares.

Reform UK lead on 25%, ahead of Plaid Cymru on 24% and Labour on 22%. Both Reform UK candidates Francesca O’Brien — the Mumbles ward councillor who defected from the Welsh Conservatives to Reform UK last August, having previously served as the party’s deputy leader in Swansea — and Steven Rodaway would be elected. Labour’s two seats would go to former MS Mike Hedges and Swansea council leader Rob Stewart. Plaid Cymru would return Gwyn Williams and Safa Elhassan.

The Greens are on 10% and the Conservatives also on 10%, with neither projected to win a seat here.

Sir Gaerfyrddin (Carmarthenshire)

Plaid Cymru are dominant in Carmarthenshire, polling at 37% — well ahead of Reform UK on 26% and Labour on 21%.

That translates to three seats for Plaid: Cefin Campbell, Nerys Evans, and former party leader Adam Price would all be returned. Reform UK’s Gareth Beer and Carmelo Colasanto would take two seats, and Labour’s Calum Higgins would hold the sixth and final place.

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd (Neath Port Talbot/Brecon)

This is the most fragmented constituency in our area, with six different parties projected to win one seat each — one of the most competitive contests in all of Wales.

Reform UK lead on 27%, with Labour on 21%, Plaid on 19%, the Liberal Democrats on 13%, the Conservatives on 11%, and the Greens on 10%. On those figures the elected members would be: Reform UK’s James Oswald David Evans and Iain Charles McIntosh; Labour’s Dr Mahaboob Basha; Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams MS; Liberal Democrats’ Jane Dodds MS; and Conservative Tyler John Chambers.

Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg (Bridgend)

Bridgend mirrors the Swansea picture — a three-way tie with two seats each for Reform UK, Plaid Cymru, and Labour. Reform poll 27%, Plaid 24%, and Labour 24%.

Sarah Cooper-Lesadd and Gareth Thomas would be elected for Reform; Mark Hooper and Sarah Rees for Plaid; and Sarah Murphy and Huw John David for Labour.

Afan Ogwr Rhondda (Neath Port Talbot/Rhondda)

This is Reform UK’s strongest projected result in our area. They lead on 36% — ahead of Plaid Cymru on 25% and Labour on 21% — and are projected to win three of the six seats.

Benjamin Hodge McKenna, Steve Bayliss, and Darren James would all be elected for Reform. Plaid’s Sera Evans and Alun Cox would take two seats, with Labour’s Huw Irranca-Davies — currently serving as Deputy First Minister — narrowly holding on with the sixth seat.

Ceredigion Penfro (Pembrokeshire)

Plaid Cymru dominate Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion with 38% of the vote, projected to win three seats. The current Llywydd (Speaker) Elin Jones would top their list, followed by Kerry Elizabeth Ferguson and Anna Nicholl.

Reform UK’s Susan Claire Archibald would take one seat on 20%, and former Conservative Senedd leader Paul Windsor Davies would be returned for the Conservatives on 14%.

In a notable shift from some earlier polls, First Minister Eluned Morgan MS would retain her seat as Labour’s sole representative in the constituency on 14%. Previous MRP modelling had placed her seat at serious risk — this poll suggests she survives, though the margin remains tight.

A volatile result

More in Common highlight that the outcome remains fluid. Labour and Reform hold or contest the final seat in a large number of constituencies, meaning minor swings in support on polling day could shift the overall totals significantly either way.

What is beyond doubt is that Wales is heading for a result that would have been unthinkable even five years ago — a Senedd led by Plaid Cymru for the first time, with the party that barely existed in Welsh politics two years ago threatening to become the dominant force from Swansea to the Valleys.

More in Common’s full MRP data is available at moreincommon.org.uk. The Senedd election takes place on Thursday, May 7, 2026.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

SENEDD SHAKE-UP: Winners and losers revealed as First Minister on course to lose seat
An earlier poll had put Eluned Morgan’s seat at serious risk — this latest MRP now says she survives.

Plaid Cymru storms ahead as shock Senedd poll predicts political earthquake in Wales
Our coverage of the earlier polling that first put Plaid ahead.

Reform UK pulls ahead as Plaid slips and Labour edges back in new Senedd poll
How the race between Plaid and Reform has shifted in recent weeks.

From Westminster landslide to Senedd stalemate — two very different futures for south-west Wales
What proportional representation could mean for Labour’s south Wales strongholds.

Swansea councillor Francesca O’Brien joins Reform UK
Our original report on the Mumbles ward councillor’s defection from the Welsh Conservatives last August.

WRU doubles down on three-team plan after EGM as Ospreys supporters warn of “lasting damage” to Welsh rugby

The EGM, held at the Principality Stadium on Monday evening, proceeded despite all three original motions being withdrawn at the start of the meeting after the announced departures of WRU chair Richard Collier-Keywood and Professional Rugby Board chair Malcolm Wall. Around 124 of the WRU’s 284 member clubs and districts attended either in person or online — meaning more than half stayed away entirely.

With no votes to cast, the meeting became a lengthy presentation by WRU leadership followed by an hour and a half of questions from the floor. CEO Abi Tierney reiterated the case for reducing to three professional teams, arguing that Wales is attempting to spread a limited talent pool too thinly and that years of underinvestment in development pathways had brought the game to its current point.

In the days before the meeting Swansea Bay News had warned it could end up as nothing more than a chat — and so it proved, with Tierney unable to offer any concrete timeline, detail on how the reduction would be delivered, or clarity on the Cardiff sale process.

Both Tierney and Collier-Keywood admitted during the meeting that they had made mistakes — specifically that they had spent too long trying to maintain four teams and persuade them to sign a new Professional Rugby Agreement before Cardiff went bust. Collier-Keywood said they tried to maintain four sides for too long amid disputes with the regions, with both agreeing the current benefactor model in Welsh rugby is not sustainable in the long term.

It was also suggested the union had suffered a £6 million shortfall in revenue due to poor Six Nations ticket sales, including a record low crowd for the home match against France. Former Principality Building Society COO Rob Regan — a vocal critic of the WRU’s plans who has been working on an alternative model — used the meeting to ask Tierney directly to admit mistakes in order to help rebuild public trust.

The reaction from the Ospreys community was swift and unequivocal. The Ospreys Supporters Club said it was “extremely disappointed, though not surprised” by the outcome, adding that the WRU’s position remained unchanged despite recent leadership changes.

In a statement, the supporters group described the current situation as “the result of years of chronic mismanagement and neglect at the top of the game” and warned that removing a professional side in west Wales would risk “causing lasting damage to the sport in one of its strongest heartlands.” The OSC called on the WRU to “urgently reconsider its position, rebuild trust through genuine engagement, and work collaboratively with stakeholders before further damage is done.”

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart had urged clubs to maintain maximum pressure going into the meeting, warning that not voting to remove Collier-Keywood — even though he had already announced his departure — “would send all the wrong messages and is open to misrepresentation by the WRU.” He confirmed that Swansea Council’s legal action remains ready, a CMA referral remains live and the commitment to the Ospreys remains at “100%.”

Stewart also confirmed that work on the St Helen’s redevelopment is expected to start soon as part of the co-investment plan agreed with the Ospreys, with the aim of creating a new venue ready for the start of the 2026/27 season.

Torsten Bell MP also called on clubs to use the meeting to oppose the three-team plan, describing the stakes as “not about technical governance issues” but about “safeguarding the soul of Welsh rugby.” He said Wales deserved a WRU that “brings everyone to the table and explores every option before making decisions that will see major changes to our game.”

The meeting heard a notable moment of contrast on the floor. CGRU representative Chris Morgan argued that Wales’s period of international success had been built on four professional teams and that abandoning that structure without a credible alternative amounted to “a dereliction of duty that could destroy Welsh rugby.” His remarks drew applause from parts of the room. However, a separate club representative later claimed a significant proportion of clubs remained firmly behind the WRU’s proposals — drawing what was reportedly the loudest and most sustained applause of the evening.

Tierney, speaking to journalists after the meeting, said she was confident in strong grassroots support for the three-team plan but was unable to provide further detail on how or when a decision would be reached. She denied the reduction automatically meant a straight shootout between the Ospreys and Scarlets for the western licence, saying there were “a few different permutations.” She also declined to comment on the status of the Scarlets’ legal action against the WRU.

On the Cardiff sale, Tierney admitted no deal had yet been agreed with Y11 Sport & Media, with the exclusivity period due to end on April 22 and reports suggesting Y11 may be reconsidering its position. She also confirmed the WRU is working closely with the United Rugby Championship but was unable to say whether a replacement for the fourth Welsh side in the competition had been found.

The WRU confirmed it will use external headhunters to appoint a new independent chair, with the process to begin in May and the new person expected to be in place by early summer. As Swansea politicians called for a reset following Collier-Keywood’s initial announcement, the mood in Welsh rugby remains one of deep uncertainty — and the questions that defined this EGM remain entirely unanswered.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

WRU EGM: Welsh rugby’s extraordinary meeting — but it could end up as nothing more than a chat
Our preview of Monday’s meeting and what was at stake.

Ospreys lifeline as council seals historic St Helen’s deal
The groundbreaking agreement that could secure the Ospreys’ future in Swansea.

Collier-Keywood quits: Rugby Union chair says he’ll leave in July
The announcement that changed the shape of the EGM.

Ospreys fans close in on 10,000-name petition target
The scale of opposition to the WRU’s three-team plan.

Calls for “reset” as Swansea politicians demand new plan after WRU chair quits

The outgoing chair confirmed he will leave the Welsh Rugby Union in July, bringing an end to a turbulent period marked by financial turmoil, governance reform — and a bitter row over the future of the professional game.

Now, political and civic leaders who have repeatedly clashed with the WRU over its direction say his departure must trigger more than just a change of personnel.

“A reset is now needed”

Torsten Bell said it was “right” that Collier-Keywood had decided to step aside — but warned the problems at the heart of Welsh rugby go far deeper.

He said:

“It’s not just that on his watch the organisation brought forward the wrong plan for the future of Welsh rugby, but that they went about it in absolutely the wrong way.

“The truth is that the approach of trying to ride roughshod over near universal opposition to push through chaotic changes simply couldn’t work.

“We now need a reset… There needs to be a new plan and new way of working, not just a new face at the top.”

“Fans have made this happen”

Rob Stewart struck a similar tone, suggesting the decision to step down shows the strength of opposition from clubs, supporters and the wider rugby public.

He said:

“So it looks like the EGM motion has now already succeeded without a vote being cast!

“There is a chance now for the WRU to change course and re-engage with fans, clubs, players and the public.

“Well done to the fantastic rugby public who have clearly made this happen.”

Crisis months in the making

The WRU has faced months of mounting pressure over plans to overhaul the professional game — including proposals that could see one of Wales’ four regions cut.

That prospect sparked fierce backlash across the country, particularly in Swansea where concerns have centred on the future of the Ospreys.

Tensions escalated as clubs moved to force an Extraordinary General Meeting, while political leaders and even a Senedd committee weighed in with criticism of how the plans had been developed and communicated.

Behind the scenes, rows over governance, transparency and decision-making deepened the crisis — with accusations the WRU had failed to properly engage with stakeholders before pushing ahead.

Two visions for Welsh rugby

At the heart of the dispute is a fundamental disagreement over how to secure the future of the game.

WRU chief executive Abi Tierney has argued that reducing the number of professional teams is the only viable route to long-term sustainability, warning that without reform Welsh rugby risks “destroying itself” financially.

But that position has been challenged by an alternative proposal led by Rob Regan, the former Chief Operating Officer of Principality Building Society.

His plan sets out a different path — one that would retain all four regions while restructuring the game’s finances and governance to make it sustainable without cutting a team.

The existence of that rival blueprint has given fresh momentum to critics of the WRU’s approach, strengthening calls for a rethink rather than a reset under the same strategy.

What happens next?

Collier-Keywood will remain in post until July, with the WRU now set to begin the process of appointing a successor.

But with the EGM looming and pressure continuing to build, attention is rapidly shifting away from who leads the organisation — and towards what direction it takes next.

For many in Swansea and across Welsh rugby, the key question is no longer just about leadership.

It’s about whether the WRU sticks to its controversial plan — or whether this moment forces a fundamental change of course.

FERRY FARCE? Doubts grow over Swansea crossing as ‘fairy story’ jibe lands

The proposed Bristol Channel crossing – linking Swansea with south-west England – has been talked up as a game-changer for travel and jobs.

But cracks are starting to show.

At a tense council meeting this week, opposition councillor Stuart Rice questioned whether the scheme was realistic at all, asking leader Rob Stewart if it was “more of a fairy story than a ferry story”.

The comments come just days after a new report suggested the idea had a “compelling” economic case and overwhelming public backing, with strong support recorded for a Swansea-based service.

The proposal centres on a high-speed, low-emission ferry capable of carrying hundreds of passengers and vehicles across the Bristol Channel – with backers claiming it could slash journey times and ease pressure on major roads.

But despite the optimism, key details remain missing.

No ports have been confirmed.

No vessel has been designed.

And no firm agreements are in place with partners across the water.

Even Swansea Council has admitted in responses seen by reporters that no formal discussions have taken place with councils in Devon or Somerset in recent years.

That raises serious questions about how close – or how far – the plan really is.

Cllr Stewart defended the project, insisting it was worth exploring.

“I don’t think there is anything really to knock on this one,” he said, arguing journey times could be cut dramatically and that Swansea’s appeal would draw visitors.

He also stressed the ferry would not just be about passengers – but freight too, boosting its viability.

But others are not convinced.

Liberal Democrat group leader Chris Holley backed the idea in principle but warned there were practical issues – including whether vessels could even dock close to the city centre.

He pointed to past problems with ferry schemes, including vessels being unable to pass through Swansea’s lock gates.

Meanwhile, concerns have also been raised that passengers could simply drive straight out of the city via the M4 – limiting the economic boost locally.

Adding to the uncertainty, the report behind the plans admits major hurdles remain.

These include dealing with the Bristol Channel’s extreme tidal range, designing specialist vessels, and building the necessary port infrastructure.

And in a new twist, Burry Port has quietly emerged as a potential landing site – despite there being no detail yet on how a ferry could operate from a harbour known for having one of the highest tidal ranges in the world.

Now, Carmarthenshire Council has confirmed it has not been involved in any talks.

Director Ainsley Williams said: “There have been no discussions on specific proposals relating directly to Carmarthenshire at this time.

“We remain open to further discussions should any formal proposals come forward.”

That lack of engagement will raise eyebrows given the scale of what’s being suggested.

Elsewhere, questions remain about where the ferry would land in England, with Ilfracombe already ruled out and larger ports like Bideford mentioned as alternatives.

For now, the ferry remains firmly in the “idea” stage.

And while supporters point to potential benefits like cutting congestion on the M4 and M5 and boosting tourism, critics say the fundamentals are still missing.

For people across Swansea Bay, it leaves a simple question.

Is this the start of a bold new transport link – or just another grand plan that never leaves the drawing board?

What do you think – ferry future or fairy tale?

SWANSEA: Ospreys lifeline as council seals historic St Helen’s deal

Swansea Council has struck a landmark deal with the Ospreys in a move being hailed as a potential lifeline for professional rugby in west Wales.

The agreement will see millions invested into the historic St Helen’s ground, transforming it into a dual-use home for both elite rugby and community sport.

Council leaders say the plan could reshape the future of the game in Swansea — at a time when fears over the Ospreys’ survival have dominated headlines.

The partnership, approved by the council’s Cabinet, is being described as the first of its kind in the UK, bringing a local authority and a professional team together in a joint long-term investment.

Under the proposals, the council will fund improvements aimed at community use, including a new pitch and upgraded floodlights.

Meanwhile, the Ospreys will invest in facilities designed to attract crowds back to the sport, including a new stand, fan zone and broadcast infrastructure.

It follows months of uncertainty over the future of the region, with the Ospreys at the centre of a bitter national row over plans to cut a Welsh team — a crisis we’ve been tracking closely in our ongoing coverage of the WRU civil war.

At the height of the turmoil, Swansea Council launched legal action and even sought to block controversial plans that could have seen the Ospreys effectively wiped out, as reported when the authority went to the High Court in a dramatic bid to stop the deal.

Now, council leader Rob Stewart says this new agreement is about securing the region’s future — and restoring confidence in the game.

He said: “Welsh rugby cannot afford to lose the Ospreys. That’s why we have stepped up and secured this agreement.”

He added: “This is a blueprint for how rugby can thrive in our region and across Wales.”

Cllr Stewart also stressed the wider benefits for the city, saying the Ospreys are “a massive part of our culture” and bring millions into the local economy every year.

He said: “By investing in St Helen’s, we’re creating a fantastic facility for the community — opening the doors to schools, local clubs and young players taking their first steps in the game.”

The deal will also see Welsh rugby legend Alun Wyn Jones take on a key role in overseeing the new model, joining a Swansea Rugby Community Board.

Cllr Stewart said his involvement would be vital, adding: “Having such a rugby icon involved will be invaluable in ensuring we get the right pathway for our children.”

A state-of-the-art 4G pitch is set to be installed at St Helen’s, allowing the Ospreys to play matches there as early as next season.

But the venue won’t just be for elite sport — schools, local clubs and community groups will have regular access throughout the week.

Cllr Stewart said: “Working in partnership, we will deliver a community programme that inspires young people and creates a clear pathway from school and local club rugby through to the Ospreys.”

Council bosses say the aim is to reconnect the professional and grassroots game, boosting participation among young people while improving health and wellbeing across the area.

The Ospreys are also expected to expand their community programme significantly, with more school sessions, coaching opportunities and open training events.

For Swansea fans, the move signals a dramatic shift after months of crisis, protests and political pressure over the future of the region.

The hope now is that St Helen’s can become a symbol of renewal — not just for the Ospreys, but for rugby across Swansea Bay.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

St Helen’s stadium revival plan unveiled as Swansea Council moves ahead amid Ospreys uncertainty
Earlier plans revealed the scale of ambition for redeveloping the historic ground.

Council goes to High Court as Swansea seeks urgent injunction to stop WRU deal
Legal action showed how far the council was willing to go to protect the Ospreys.

Seismic showdown: WRU confirms date for fight for survival EGM
The wider Welsh rugby crisis that put the future of the Ospreys in doubt.

£14bn metro dream for Swansea – but will West Wales finally get its share?

The ambitious vision from Transport for Wales forms part of a £14bn programme backed by the UK and Welsh governments, with leaders claiming it could transform travel, boost business and create thousands of jobs across South West Wales.

Electrification, new stations and metro links

At the heart of the plans is long-awaited electrification of the main line between Cardiff and Swansea — a move expected to cut journey times and increase capacity.

New stations at Landore and Winch Wen are also proposed, alongside a string of potential metro hubs across the city including Pontlliw, Felindre, Morriston, Llandarcy and Cockett.

There are also plans to improve rail links westwards to communities including Ammanford, Pembrey, St Clears, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock — areas long calling for better connections.

Further down the line, a £1bn light rail expansion could link Swansea to Neath and Tonna, running through the city centre and waterfront in a move designed to bring trams back to the region.

“Generational change” promised

Rob Stewart said the plans could be a turning point for the regional economy.

“We all want to see better rail links into Swansea and across South West Wales,” he said.

“Transport links from London and the rest of UK to our part of Wales are critical to help deliver a strong local economy.”

He added that electrification and wider investment would “create thousands of jobs in construction and secure thousands more in the long term”.

The council is also banking on sweeping bus reforms to tie the network together, with a new franchising model aimed at delivering “one timetable and one ticket” across rail and bus services.

Linking jobs, hospitals and major attractions

Stewart said new stations would play a key role in connecting people to jobs and services.

“Having a network of new stations across Swansea will be critical in terms of providing direct public transport links to hospitals, major employers including the DVLA and the Enterprise Zone in Llansamlet,” he said.

“They will also serve major attractions including the new Skyline development, Penderyn Distillery and the Swansea.com Stadium.”

Political backing – but pressure remains

Ken Skates said the plans marked “exciting times ahead” for transport in the region, while Swansea West MP Torsten Bell said the project could help reverse years of underinvestment.

“Swansea has been let down by years of underinvestment in our rail system,” he said.

“This consultation is an important opportunity to feed into the development of this vital new infrastructure.”

But will it actually happen?

Despite the bold vision, the announcement comes against a backdrop of frustration in South West Wales — with previous promises failing to materialise.

Swansea Bay News has previously reported anger over the lack of progress on schemes like the long-delayed St Clears station, as well as criticism that the region has been “forgotten” in wider UK rail investment.

There have also been renewed calls for major projects like a multi-million pound rail link to Aberystwyth, while passengers continue to demand better reliability despite recent improvements in punctuality.

Campaigners will also be disappointed that there is no mention of a tram route extending towards Swansea University and Mumbles.

The £14bn plan has been hailed as “generational” — but for many across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Carmarthenshire, the real test will be whether it finally delivers on promises that have been years in the making.

Transport and rail: more from Swansea Bay News

St Clears station delay sparks anger
Calls grow for action after years of promises with no construction.

£775m rail link calls return
Fresh push for a Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line in major report.

£14bn rail row erupts
Politicians clash over whether Swansea is getting its fair share.

‘Forgotten again’ fury over rail snub
Anger as new stations announced elsewhere — but not in West Wales.

Rail punctuality improves — but concerns remain
Performance rises, but passengers say more must be done.

St Helen’s stadium revival plan unveiled as Swansea Council moves ahead amid Ospreys uncertainty

Council leader Rob Stewart said the future of the ground had been held back by unresolved questions around Welsh rugby.

“The future of St Helen’s has been on hold due to ongoing discussions about regional rugby in Wales which are unlikely to end anytime soon,” he said.

“The WRU is not giving us the answers we need to move forward despite our requests, such as how Y11 can own two teams for a long period of time. In light of the impending EGM, I doubt the WRU knows where it is going.”

Moving ahead despite uncertainty

Stewart said Swansea must now act rather than wait for clarity from the Welsh Rugby Union.

“We must break that deadlock in the meantime and find how we can move forward as a city despite the WRU’s lack of answers,” he said.

“We propose to create a new model that strengthens both professional and grassroots rugby across Swansea and the Ospreys region.”

New vision for St Helen’s

The plans would see St Helen’s redeveloped into a modern rugby venue centred on a new all-weather 4G pitch. The surface would be used by the Ospreys for matchdays and weekly team run-outs, while also being opened up to Swansea RFC, schools, clubs and community groups for the rest of the week.

Stewart said the aim is to create a facility that serves both elite sport and the wider community.

“Our joint investment would give the Ospreys a home worthy of professional rugby while opening up this iconic ground to the community like never before.”

Under the proposed model, the council would fund key community-focused upgrades including the pitch and floodlights, while the Ospreys would deliver professional-level improvements such as a new stand, fan zone and broadcast facilities.

Focus on grassroots rugby

The proposals also include a significant expansion of community rugby activity, with the Ospreys expected to deliver club nights, school sessions, open training events and coaching development opportunities.

“For the first time in many years, children and young people will have access to a safe, modern, central facility — whatever the weather,” Stewart said.

“This model strengthens the player pathway by linking clubs, schools, colleges and the Ospreys Academy.”

A new Swansea Rugby Community Board is also proposed to help ensure the redevelopment delivers long-term benefits for local people, while former Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones has agreed to work with the council on the project.

Ospreys return in sight

The Ospreys say they have been working with the council for months on the proposals and believe the plan could allow them to return to Swansea as early as next season while expanding their community work.

Stewart added: “This continues our support for the Ospreys remaining as a professional rugby region based in Swansea.”

Decision within days

The proposals are due to be considered by the council’s cabinet this week, with work potentially starting in April if approved.

The council has also confirmed its legal action over the WRU’s proposed Y11 deal is continuing — underlining the wider uncertainty surrounding the future of Welsh rugby.

Ospreys crisis: key stories

Swansea unites as Ospreys crisis deepens
Councillors back the region amid growing fears over its future.

Council takes legal action over WRU deal
High Court move aims to block a plan that could end the Ospreys.

‘Smoking gun’ minutes revealed
Documents fuel claims the region’s future was already decided.

WRU sets date for crunch showdown
Emergency meeting could shape the future of Welsh rugby.

Alun Wyn Jones warns of ‘rugby black hole’
Legend speaks out over fears for the region’s future.

WRU boss quits before key vote
Leadership turmoil adds to growing pressure on the union.

DYFATTY CRIME CRACKDOWN: Major police operation targets Swansea hotspot

The Dyfatty Clear Hold Build project is now underway, targeting long-standing issues linked to serious organised crime, anti-social behaviour and community safety concerns in the area around High Street North and nearby tower blocks.

Led by South Wales Police alongside the city council and other agencies, the operation is being described as a “long overdue” intervention for residents.

‘Long overdue’ action

Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones said the first phase will focus on removing criminal influence and protecting vulnerable people.

He said many residents have been forced to live with the impact of organised crime for years — despite having no connection to it themselves.

“This work is long overdue for the people who live in Dyfatty,” he said.

Three-phase plan to transform the area

The scheme follows the national Clear Hold Build model — a strategy backed by the Home Office.

• Clear phase: A year-long police-led crackdown targeting offenders and disrupting criminal networks
• Hold phase: Stabilising the area and preventing gangs from returning
• Build phase: Long-term investment to tackle the root causes of crime

Officials say the aim is not just arrests — but lasting change.

Millions pledged to ‘transform’ Dyfatty

Council leader Rob Stewart said the project will work alongside a separate regeneration programme expected to bring up to £20 million into the area over the next decade.

He said the combined efforts would help “clean up and stabilise” Dyfatty while supporting long-term improvements.

The initiative is being coordinated through the Swansea Public Services Board, which includes partners such as Swansea Bay University Health Board and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Community at the heart of the plan

Chair of the board, Andrea Harrington, said the project would focus on listening to residents and working with local communities to deliver change.

She described Dyfatty as a diverse area facing a range of challenges — but said partners were committed to creating a safer, stronger neighbourhood.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Dyfatty set for £20m investment boost
Plans aim to transform the area over the next decade with major regeneration funding.

Police crackdown on Dyfatty anti-social behaviour
Dispersal powers introduced after rising incidents in the area.

Three arrested after armed police incident
Officers responded to a disturbance at flats, with arrests made following an investigation.

Dyfatty flats set for major upgrade
Multi-million pound plans to improve ageing council tower blocks.

Major makeover for Croft Street flats
More than 100 homes to benefit from upgrades including new kitchens and security.

CCTV upgrade at problem tower blocks
New security measures installed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

New anti-social behaviour powers proposed
Council seeks views on tougher measures to deal with persistent issues.

High-rise flats evacuated after major damage
Residents forced out following a serious incident in a Swansea tower block.

High Street revival plans gather pace
Community-led projects aim to bring new life to Swansea city centre.

Former department store to be transformed into arts hub thanks to £780k Welsh Government grant

The former JT Morgan department store in Swansea city centre has been vacant for more than 15 years and this renovation will transform it into a multi-purpose arts centre.

Elysium Art Limited, an artist led organisation, is delivering the project to support and promote the arts in Swansea and beyond.

The project will create a new cultural destination in Swansea city centre, helping to regenerate the area and attract more visitors.

Once renovated, the first and second floors will be used as lettable studio space for artists, with the ground floor being used for a gallery, meeting spaces and a café.

The basement refurbishment will provide additional studio space, storage and potentially a small cinema.

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, recently visited the building: “This investment perfectly aligns with our Programme for Government commitments to make our towns and cities better places to live and work, while tackling the issue of empty buildings.  

“By breathing new life into this disused space, we’re not only enhancing Swansea’s cultural offering but also creating opportunities for local artists and generating increased footfall that will benefit other businesses in the city centre.  

“Our Transforming Towns funding is about supporting communities to reimagine their urban spaces, and this project is an excellent example of how strategic investment can deliver multiple benefits.”  

Works are already underway and the first and second floors are expected to be completed by the summer.  

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said: “It’s fantastic that we can work with developers, businesses and other organisations to invest Welsh Government Transforming Towns grant funding across our city.  

“The council-driven £1bn regeneration programme is powering ahead – and projects such as Elysium Art at the former JT Morgan and Y Storfa at the former BHS are great examples of that.  

“Other notable advances coming soon include the transformation of Castle Square into a greener more welcoming public focal point and the opening of the groundbreaking Biophilic Living building between The Kingsway and Oxford Street.”  

The Cabinet Secretary also visited Y Storfa, the former BHS department store on Oxford Street, which is set to become a public services hub, providing access to council services and hosting a range of other services including the West Glamorgan Archive Service and external partners including Citizens’ Advice.  

The project has received more than £13m in both loan and grant funding from the Welsh Government.  

#Art #CllrRobStewart #ElysiumGallery #JayneBryantMS #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #TransformingTowns #WelshGovernment

Site investigation works to start on new city office development

Swansea Council say the works are due to start on Monday 17 March and could take over a week to complete.

The council say the work will help pave the way for a new Public Sector Hub scheme that’s aimed at helping boost city centre footfall.

The grassed area outside St David’s Church Hall will be fenced off while the works are ongoing and the council say that every effort will be made to minimise disruption.

The Public Sector Hub will include commercial floor space for shops and restaurants on the ground floor. Swansea Council and a range of other public sector partners will occupy office space above.

Made up of four floors above ground level and one floor below, the council say that hundreds of workers will be based at the Public Sector Hub.

The council and its regeneration partners Urban Splash will develop the proposed new building, with the council retaining ownership.

This would form part of the first phase of the overall site’s redevelopment being led by Urban Splash, who are continuing to work on plans for the rest of the site.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We all want our city centre to succeed and to have more shops and other businesses, but we know more footfall is needed to support our existing traders and attract new investment.

“That’s not just the case in Swansea – it’s the same in many other city and town centres across the UK because of challenges like online shopping.

“Schemes like the Public Sector Hub will combine with many others to locate thousands more jobs in the city centre, which will help boost spending there and encourage more shops to open up.

“This scheme will also enable the redevelopment of the Civic Centre site on the seafront. Our regeneration partners Urban Splash are working on detailed proposals for that site, which will be announced as soon as they’re finalised.”

The council say it’s anticipated construction on the Public Sector Hub itself will start on site by the end of 2025.

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#CllrRobStewart #construction #officeDevelopment #PublicSectorHub #regeneration #StDavidSShoppingCentre #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #UrbanSplash

Site investigation works to start on new city office development

Swansea Council say the works are due to start on Monday 17 March and could take over a week to complete.

The council say the work will help pave the way for a new Public Sector Hub scheme that’s aimed at helping boost city centre footfall.

The grassed area outside St David’s Church Hall will be fenced off while the works are ongoing and the council say that every effort will be made to minimise disruption.

The Public Sector Hub will include commercial floor space for shops and restaurants on the ground floor. Swansea Council and a range of other public sector partners will occupy office space above.

Made up of four floors above ground level and one floor below, the council say that hundreds of workers will be based at the Public Sector Hub.

The council and its regeneration partners Urban Splash will develop the proposed new building, with the council retaining ownership.

This would form part of the first phase of the overall site’s redevelopment being led by Urban Splash, who are continuing to work on plans for the rest of the site.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “We all want our city centre to succeed and to have more shops and other businesses, but we know more footfall is needed to support our existing traders and attract new investment.

“That’s not just the case in Swansea – it’s the same in many other city and town centres across the UK because of challenges like online shopping.

“Schemes like the Public Sector Hub will combine with many others to locate thousands more jobs in the city centre, which will help boost spending there and encourage more shops to open up.

“This scheme will also enable the redevelopment of the Civic Centre site on the seafront. Our regeneration partners Urban Splash are working on detailed proposals for that site, which will be announced as soon as they’re finalised.”

The council say it’s anticipated construction on the Public Sector Hub itself will start on site by the end of 2025.

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#CllrRobStewart #construction #officeDevelopment #PublicSectorHub #regeneration #StDavidSShoppingCentre #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #UrbanSplash

Artists set to commemorate those affected by Covid in Swansea

The council has jointly appointed Catrin Jones and Angharad Pearce Jones and makes this announcement just before this Sunday’s UK-wide Covid Day of Reflection.

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “The impact of Covid continues to live with us every day.

“We promised all those in Swansea affected by the pandemic – those who lost their lives, their families, our emergency services, social care workers, those who stepped up to support their neighbours and very many more – that we would honour and remember them.

“The memorial will be a permanent focal point of recognition for those that were affected for remembrance and reflection, for the unity that was inspired by our collective experience and hope for the future.

“Swansea’s Covid-19 memorial will be shaped by the voices of those it represents.

“Through community engagement led by the artists and supported by the council, we want to ensure that the location, design and meaning of this tribute reflect the experiences, resilience and memories of Swansea.”

Elliott King, cabinet member for culture and equalities, said: “It will be a challenging piece of work because, for many of us, the impact of the pandemic was felt at such a personal level.

“We’ll never forget those who died or their families. We’ll all have our own stories and memories of sadness, togetherness and hope, and our aspiration is that this will be reflected in the designs Catrin and Angharad bring forward as a unifying and poignant memorial.”

Catrin and Angharad were appointed following an open application process, inviting UK artists to participate. Both artists have created works of public art located across the UK, including in Swansea.

Catrin created the acclaimed sea-life murals on the new seawall in Mumbles. A 50m work in tubular steel created by Angharad and commissioned by Sustrans can be found on railway bridge sidings in Clydach near the Mond Nickel plant.

In their successful submission, the artists said any memorial should commemorate not just the bereaved, but also the health and social care staff, the frontline workers, the scientists who developed the vaccines, and everyone else whose combined efforts played some part in combatting the virus.

They’re aware of how Covid impacted – and continues to have an impact on – society through matters such as long Covid, and children and young people in education. It’s planned that their commission will involve community engagement to create an overarching narrative.

Catrin Jones said: “This is an important commission for both of us and we look forward to working together to deliver a meaningful and poignant piece of public art for Swansea.” 

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#AngharadPearceJones #Art #CatrinJones #CllrElliottKing #CllrRobStewart #COVID #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

Speaker line-up for Swansea conference revealed

Swansea-based businesses, organisations and individuals are being encouraged to book their free place at 4theRegion’s It’s Your Swansea event, which boasts an impressive line-up of speakers.

Cllr Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, will deliver a keynote speech to give an update on local investments. From the redevelopment of the Civic Centre site and other central projects through to wider retail, leisure and housing schemes throughout the city, Cllr Rob Stewart will cover the ambitious developments planned for Swansea now and in the future.

Throughout the day, a series of panel discussions will cover topics including Swansea’s vibrant music, culture and night-time economy, the promotion of Swansea’s retail and leisure offering, and innovation in sport and wellbeing throughout the city. Speakers include Lisa Mart, venue director of the Swansea Building Society Arena, Jane White, operations director of Centurion, the new owners of Swansea’s Quadrant Shopping Centre, and Alun Wyn Jones, former Wales rugby captain and strategic advisor for the National Network for Innovation in Sport and Health.

There will also be a discussion around how Swansea’s economic development funding has enabled local, cross-sector partnerships to form. Julie James MS, Minister for Delivery at Welsh Government, and David Warburton from regeneration specialists, Urban Splash, will be part of this conversation.

Dawn Lyle, Director of 4theRegion, the organisers of It’s Your Swansea, comments: “It’s Your Swansea has become an important event in Swansea’s calendar. As we move into our fifth year, we’re excited to welcome people and businesses as they learn more about what’s happening in the city and take the opportunity to make meaningful connections. 4theRegion’s mission is to facilitate collaborations that address issues facing south west Wales and we’ve built a programme of discussions and workshops that look at everything from local food partnerships, sustainability, creative industries and leadership strategies. The varied line-up has been designed to appeal to a broad audience, whether you’re new to the city and looking for ways to connect with others or you’re in need of some inspiration and advice, there’s something for everyone at It’s Your Swansea.”

Organisers say that alongside the speakers and workshops will be a dedicated exhibition and networking area with more that 100 businesses already signed up to exhibit. The event is being run in partnership with Swansea Council and Circular Economy Innovation Communities (CEIC) and being sponsored by Gower College Swansea, Urban Foundry, Creative Swansea, Swansea Building Society Arena and Swansea Public Services Board.

(Lead image: Adam Davies)

#4theRegion #Business #CllrRobStewart #conference #DawnLyle #Swansea #SwanseaArena #SwanseaConference

Help for residents at risk of missing out this Christmas

Swansea Council say there is also support to feed pupils during the Christmas and half-term holiday, funding to Swansea Spaces providing welcoming places for people to gather and socialise and free and subsidised activities for young and older people over the winter period. 

The council added that other initiatives include free buses for all on 19 dates leading up to Christmas and the New Year supporting people to shop and local businesses.

There are also grants to food banks and other food providers through this period of high demand and a promise that there will always be a bed in Swansea for anyone at risk of sleeping rough should they want one.

Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart said: “We know that the Christmas and winter periods puts big pressures on families and individuals who are already struggling, so we are doing all we can locally to help and support our residents with our Here For You This Winter campaign.

“The shopping vouchers are going to families and individuals who are most in need of support so that they are able to get the essentials that they need during the holidays and not go without on Christmas Day.

“On top of this and with the support of our colleagues in Welsh Government we making funding available for warm and welcoming spaces for people who are feeling lonely or isolated so they can get together.  We will also be providing support to our local food banks and other emergency food providers as well as funding to feed young people in the Christmas and half-term holidays.

“The free bus initiative is again proving popular with families and our Together at Christmas event held in partnership with JR Events and Catering at the Brangwyn Hall was well attended providing a free Christmas dinner, entertainment and outreach services to those who are vulnerable.”

Cabinet Member for Well-being Alyson Anthony added: “These vouchers will make a big difference to those that need it most and for some will be the difference between having food on the table on Christmas day or possibly a gift for their children or not.

“I’m proud that as a council we doing all that we can to support out residents this winter.”

To find out about the support available in Swansea visit: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/costoflivinghelp

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

#Christmas #CllrAlysonAnthony #CllrRobStewart #FoodBank #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaSpaces