SWANSEA: Council to invest nearly £70m in council homes this year—part of £267m four-year plan

Millions of pounds are being earmarked to insulate and weatherproof hundreds of existing homes, making them warmer and more efficient to help reduce the cost of heating for tenants.

The spending is part of the biggest ever investment in council-owned homes for affordable rent in the city, which will see £267 million spent over the next four years.

Where the Money Is Going

Among the major projects planned for spending this year are:

£40 million is being spent on keeping council homes in communities across the city in a good state of repair, including Penyrheol, Fforesthall, Penlan, Sketty, Mayhill, and Townhill.

Within the £40m, £17 million is being set aside for more upgrades at the Dyfatty flats at Croft Street, Griffith John Street, and Clyne and Jeffreys Court.

More than £12.7 million is planned for spending on the council’s pioneering More Homes initiative, which aims to add 1,000 affordable homes for rent to its existing stock. This includes new homes being built at Brokesby Road and £1.5m for acquisitions.

More than £1.2 million will be spent on improving homes at Heol Emrys and Tudno Place, with funding also earmarked for future years to develop more affordable homes, providing estate and environmental improvements.

More than £1.8 million is going on the council’s continuing programme of improving kitchens and bathrooms.

More than £3.6 million is being spent on environmental improvements in places like Garnswllt, Townhill, West Cross, and Fforesthall.

‘Better Homes for Our Residents’

Andrea Williams, Cabinet Member for Service Improvement, said Swansea Council’s ambitious spending programme for council housing reflected its commitment to providing high-quality homes that are energy-efficient and affordable for tenants.

Cllr Andrea Williams said:

“Better homes for our residents are one of the critical building blocks of creating a better future for children, for families and for our city. They improve people’s health and affordable homes that are energy efficient help reduce poverty and together they contribute to happier communities.”

She added:

“Over the last few years there has been a huge investment worth hundreds of millions of pounds into making sure the homes we own are in good shape and fit for the future under the Welsh Housing Quality Standard. In the coming year further investment of an estimated £69m will mean hundreds of families will benefit from improvements to their homes. Money is being earmarked for other projects including electrical re-wiring and weather-proofing where needed as well as general environmental improvements.”

Supporting Local Jobs

Cllr Williams said the council’s housing projects support hundreds of local jobs and apprenticeships, so it’s a “win-win” for local communities.

Funding for the new homes and the upgrades for existing homes is coming from the rents paid by tenants, Welsh Government grants, and HRA borrowing. None of the spending is from council tax.

Council hits back at misinformation about religion lessons at Swansea primary school

The allegations — repeated in a parents’ meeting and later on GB News — suggested pupils had been asked to pray on Muslim mats, recite verses from the Quran, and that Christianity was being sidelined in lessons.

Council insists lessons are balanced

In a detailed statement, the authority said pupils were not being asked to take part in Islamic prayers or rituals, and that Christianity remains central to the school’s curriculum.

“We have a strong ongoing relationship with our local churches. We have regular visits and our pupils participate in major Christian festivals with them including Christmas, Easter and the annual Harvest Festival.

This was the first time someone of the Islamic faith from our local mosque was invited to the school.

It is untrue to claim pupils were told they would all be Muslim by the time they get to Year Six or that they were taught Islamic prayers.

We pride ourselves on being a school where everyone is treated with dignity, tolerance and respect. Like all schools in Wales we are required to include religious studies as part of our curriculum. Lessons and assemblies mainly reflect the broad traditions of Christian belief but we also try to give our pupils a basic understanding of the world’s other major religions.”

How the claims spread

Concerns were first raised in a parents’ meeting at Mayhill Community Centre on 7 October, attended by Reform UK councillor Francesca O’Brien. The event was promoted on Facebook and supported by members of the controversial far‑right group Voice of Wales.

Following the meeting, GB News broadcast an interview with Cllr O’Brien in which she repeated parents’ claims that children had been asked to pray on Muslim mats and recite Quranic verses, and that Christianity was not being given equal weight.

On 9 October, Nation.Cymru reported on the controversy, describing O’Brien as having “teamed up” with Voice of Wales — a characterisation she disputes.

Council leader condemns “false and dangerous” claims

Council leader Rob Stewart welcomed the release of Swansea Council’s statement, warning that false claims put staff and communities at risk.

“Deliberately spreading false information is both dangerous and deplorable. It puts our teachers and members of our communities at risk. It’s not acceptable. False malicious information needs to be called out. Those deliberately spreading false information need to be called out.”

In a separate post, he added:

“Serious questions for ex‑Tory now Reform councillor Francesca O’Brien to answer. Is she now working with the far‑right? Her failure to correct misinformation is deplorable.”

O’Brien: “I was giving parents a voice”

Cllr O’Brien has rejected suggestions that she is aligned with any group, insisting she was approached directly by parents and agreed to listen to their concerns.

“I don’t believe welcoming a meeting with parents who’ve raised genuine concerns is inciting hate,” she said. “I made it very clear I wasn’t there as the local councillor. Parents felt they needed to be heard, and that’s what I did.”

She also disputed the Nation.Cymru description of her having “teamed up” with Voice of Wales, saying she works independently and was not acting in partnership with any organisation.

What happens next

The council has urged any parents with questions about the curriculum to raise them directly with their child’s school, rather than relying on social media claims. Officials say they will continue to provide clear information about how Religion, Values and Ethics is taught under the Curriculum for Wales.

The row highlights how quickly local concerns can escalate once amplified online and in national media. For now, Swansea Council insists its focus remains on ensuring pupils receive a balanced education that reflects both Wales’ Christian traditions and an understanding of other world faiths.

Related Articles

• Swansea Councillor Francesca O’Brien joins Reform UK
  Former deputy leader of the Welsh Conservatives in Swansea announced her defection to Reform UK, saying the party offered “the only chance to break up the Labour/Plaid consensus in Cardiff Bay.”
• Cllr Francesca O’Brien says ‘business as usual’ after joining Reform UK
  Following her move to Reform UK, O’Brien told constituents she remained focused on local issues and her role as councillor, despite the political shift.
• Llanelli councillor clashes with Reform and Conservative figures over Nation of Sanctuary policy
  A Llanelli councillor criticised both Reform UK and Conservative representatives during a heated debate on Wales’ “Nation of Sanctuary” approach to asylum seekers.
• Reform win landslide victory in Llanelli by-election
  Reform UK’s Michelle Beer secured a decisive win in the Lleidi ward by-election, marking the party’s first Carmarthenshire County Council seat and continuing its recent electoral momentum.

#Christianity #CllrRobStewart #curriculum #featured #FrancescaOBrien #Islam #Mayhill #Muslim #RE #ReformUK #religion #ReligionValuesAndEthics #religiousEducation #RVE #SeaviewPrimarySchool #SwanseaCouncil #VoiceOfWales

Mayhill man jailed for Class A drug supply

Ricky O’Connor, 33, from Mayhill, was arrested following a police warrant executed at his home address on 13 August.

South Wales Police officers seized a quantity of cocaine, two mobile phones believed to be used for drug dealing, and more than £2,250 in cash.

O’Connor was charged the following day and pleaded guilty to four offences. These included possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession of an offensive weapon — an extendable baton found in a private place — and possession of criminal property. He also admitted being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

Sergeant Luke Tucker, of South Wales Police, said:

“Ricky O’Connor is yet another man who saw Class A drugs as a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme, only to find out that they were in fact even more effective as a ‘go-to-jail-quick’ scheme.

“Drugs blight our communities and Ricky was playing his part in bringing that misery to the streets of Swansea. He is deservedly embarking on a spell in prison.”

South Wales Police said tackling organised crime remains a priority and urged residents to report any concerns about drug activity or exploitation.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101, or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always dial 999.

#cocaine #DrugDealing #drugs #Mayhill #SouthWalesPolice

Controlling and violent Mayhill man jailed after attacking ex-partner calling it a ‘hostage situation’

44-year-old Ian Price, from Islwyn Road in Mayhill, slapped his ex-partner to the head and the side of the face during arguments. He prevented her from leaving the home address, telling her he was in control and even headbutting her fridge, causing a dent.

Swansea Crown Court heard how Price grabbed his former partner by the neck and pushed her into a dishwasher, causing her to briefly lose consciousness. The woman was then thrown across the floor and into the fridge, with Price jumping on top of her and pinned her down, telling her it was a “hostage situation”.

Recorder Christopher Felstead said Price had been in a “volatile relationship” during which he “asserted control” over his partner and had called her “foul and disgusting names”.

Price pleaded guilty to multiple counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

He has been sentenced to 27 months in prison.

PC Andrea Jones from South Wales Police said: “Ian Price is an extremely jealous man who enacted physical violence upon his ex-partner due to being threatened by her previous relationships and any other man she came into contact with in her working life.

“He needed to have complete control over his ex-partner in order to feel secure in the relationship. When he felt he did not have that control, he resorted quickly to violence.

“We are pleased that Ian Price is no longer involved with the victim and that she can relax knowing that he is now behind bars.”

#domesticAbuse #domesticViolence #Mayhill #SouthWalesPolice #Swansea

Mayhill man jailed after 110mph police pursuit leaves passing car on roof

31-year-old Kyron Farrell had planned to attend a large car meet of around 100 people at Milland Road, Neath in March this year. Officers witnessed him reversing up the slip road from the A474 before heading off at speed towards Stockham’s Corner, where rather than negotiating the roundabout, he performed a u-turn to head back up the A-road.

He then joined the A465, where he reached speeds of up to 110mph in a bid to escape police. After running a red light and circling the roundabout at Llandarcy, he then attempted to travel westbound along the eastbound carriageway.

As police made attempts to stop Farrell’s vehicle, it collided with a passing Nissan Micra, flipping the Micra and causing it to roll until it came to a stop on its roof in the carriageway.

Farrell and three friends then exited the vehicle and tried to flee. Farrell was found a short time later by a police dog, hiding in nearby undergrowth.

Farrell pleaded guilty to driving a motor vehicle dangerously and driving without insurance.

He has been sentenced to 16 months in prison. He has been disqualified from holding a driving licence for three years and eight months.

Sergeant Daniel Kathrens from South Wales Police said: “Kyron Farrell’s manner of driving was not only stupid; it was also incredibly dangerous, as he repeatedly ran red lights and hit outrageous speeds in a bid to escape police.

“It is a miracle that the two innocent people in the vehicle which ended up on its roof escaped without further injuries, and Kyron Farrell can count his blessings that that is the case.

“His driving also put the safety of his two passengers at risk, as well as that of other road users. Prison is the only reasonable outcome for him.”

#dangerousDriving #Llandarcy #M4 #Mayhill #Neath #RoadTrafficAccident #SouthWalesPolice

Firefighter quarry rescue for Daisy the dog

The incident at the Rosehill Quarry Community Park saw the dog, named Daisy, become trapped on the edge of a steep cliff after taking a walk at the popular Swansea hillside wildlife corridor, between Townhill, Mayhill and Mount Pleasant.

Specialist firefighters with rope equipment came to the rescue however, navigating down the steep cliff face and reuniting Daisy with her worried owner.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 7.49am on Sunday, May 4th, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crew from Pontardawe Fire Station was called to an incident at the Rosehill Quarry Community Park in Swansea.

“The crew responded following reports of one dog that was stuck on the edge of a steep cliff. A Level 3 Rope Rescue Team was deployed to locate and safely retrieve the dog, crew members successfully recovered the dog, named Daisy, and reunited her with her owner.

“The crew left the scene at 10.18am.”

Once a stone quarry in the 1840s, Rosehill was transformed into a community park in the 1980s and 90s after years of neglect. The quarry features ponds, a stream, a waterfall, and various recreational facilities like a BMX track and a labyrinth. 

#animalRescue #Dogs #Mayhill #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #MountPleasant #RosehillQuarry #Swansea #Townhill

Praise for ‘happy and positive’ Mayhill school

Pupils at Sea View Primary School feel safe and happy, they engage in lessons well and have positive attitudes to school life, inspectors have found.

Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils’ wellbeing and learning and build positive relationships with families, creating a nurturing environment so that members of the school community feel valued and supported.

A team from Estyn visited the school earlier this year and have now published their report.

Other highlights include praise for the school’s purposeful curriculum that takes account of pupils’ different needs and cultural backgrounds as well as the range of interesting activities to develop pupils’ engagement and independence in their learning.

Most pupils make good progress in their literacy, maths and digital skills.

Across the school, adults and pupils develop their use of British Sign Language (BSL) effectively and this helps all those at the school with hearing impairment to join in with all aspects of school life.

The school’s provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) is effective and skilled staff use a range of beneficial interventions successfully to help pupils with ALN make good progress towards their individual targets

The report adds: “The headteacher is an inspiring leader who establishes a strong team ethos where everyone works together to enhance the learning experiences for all pupils.

“Leaders use a range of evaluation processes well to identify the school’s strengths and areas for development. They work closely with teachers and governors to gather information about the progress the school makes towards its improvement priorities. The governing body provides strong support to the school.

“Leaders develop effective partnerships with other professionals to signpost support for families experiencing poverty and this helps develop successful community partnerships.”

Headteacher Julie Dunn said: “I’m so pleased that the inspectors from Estyn have recognised the happy and supportive environment here at Sea View and the role that all our pupils, staff and families play in achieving this. I hope they are as proud as I am with this report.”

Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, Robert Smith, said: “Congratulations to all Sea View Primary on a very good inspection report which reflects the great work being done by all at the school.”

#education #Estyn #Mayhill #SeaViewPrimary #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil

Swansea children’s charity team up with Traitors star and Ospreys players for kids mental health sessions

The rugby and Traitors stars helped Ospreys in the Community celebrate their Bouncing Back Plus partnership with Action for Children with a huge event at the Swansea.com Stadium in Swansea. 

Over 550 primary school children joined the celebrations and were treated to rugby sessions, physical exercise and games as well as mental health workshops. 

Volunteers from Action for Children, EE, Ospreys in the Community, Wales Hockey and students from Gower College all gave up their time to deliver a memorable day for the children with Traitors star, Andrew Jenkins, giving talks on improving mental health. 

Ospreys stars Luke Scully, Connor Moyse and Rhys Henry were also on hand to take part in interviews with the children in the stadium press room.

The charity teamed up with the rugby region’s community arm, supported by the West Glamorgan Regional Partnership, 4 years ago to deliver a combination of classroom-based Cognitive and Dialectical behavioural therapy (CBT and DBT) techniques and physical exercises such as touch rugby on the playground.

Bouncing Back Plus started in September 2021 and the partnership has delivered the programme in 73 schools to 3575 across the Ospreys region.  Of those who took part, 97% indicated an increase in their level of confidence following the programme, 97% indicated an increase in their ability to cope in stressful situations while 97% now know who to ask for help as a result of Bouncing Back Plus.

Omowunmi and Praise from Sea View Community Primary School in Swansea have taken the Bouncing Back Plus programme in the last year and were at the celebration. 

Omowunmi said: ‘It’s been really helpful because I can help other people and myself when I feel a bit stressed or panicked.  The best thing was the finger breathing, hot chocolate breathing and the Mexican wave, they were all really fun.  I would like to see other children do this a lot, as it really helped me.’ 

Praise added: “In my everyday life, I use Bouncing Back most of the time because sometimes I feel like I’m not good at things and I get annoyed or angry so the hot chocolate breathing calms me down.  We also learned about endorphins, so it’s really helped me in the way I think about the things I do.  I really want other children to join in as it’s really helped me, and it will help other children too.”

Christina Williams manages the Bouncing Back Plus programme for Action for Children in the region and said: “We are exceptionally proud of our Bouncing Back Plus partnership with Ospreys in the Community and it’s been brilliant celebrating with over 550 children who’ve benefitted from the programme.  We’ve been running Bouncing Back Plus for nearly four years and the results here have been amazing.  The importance of early intervention on the mental health of young people cannot be overstated so getting everyone together for a day of fun activities has been wonderful.

“The children have been able to interview professional rugby players, Luke Scully, Connor Moyse and Rhys Henry, asking them questions in the press room about the impact physical activity has on their mental health and the struggles and pressures they face alongside doing what they love. Additionally, the young people had a Q&A session with Andrew Jenkins from the BBC hit show, The Traitors. They discussed emotional resilience and the pressures of being a celebrity. Giving the children these opportunities to explore the stadium whilst looking after their emotional wellbeing is invaluable.”

Tom Sloane, Head of Community at Ospreys in the Community, said: “To see over 550 children having a great day out at our stadium was fantastic.  We know the positive benefits Bouncing Back Plus has on our children and with all the challenges social media brings as well as the current challenging economic conditions, that’s been absolutely critical.  They’ll have had an experience like no other, seeing behind the scenes, the changing rooms and having so much fun with all the staff from Ospreys in the Community, EE, Action for Children, Wales Hockey and Gower College that I hope it inspires them for years to come.”

(Lead image: Action for Children)

#ActionForChildren #AndrewJenkins #Baglan #BouncingBackPlus #Mayhill #mentalHealth #Ospreys #OspreysInTheCommunity #SeaViewPrimary #TheTraitors #YsgolBaeBaglan

Today's dust storm activity is strongest over the Big Bend region of Texas, and northeast Chihuahua in Mexico.

Smoke plumes from several fires in Chihuahua and south-central Texas are also visible.

https://app.watchduty.org/i/43930

"Emergency personnel were juggling road closures due to dust storms and high winds—San Augustin Pass, just east of Las Cruces, reported a gust at 93 mph.

US Highway 54 was briefly closed from the southern Otero County line near El Paso to the northern Otero County and Lincoln County lines due to high winds, blowing dust and vehicle wrecks. Crews could be heard over the radio leaving an accident on Highway 54 to head towards the Mayhill-area fire.

The Otero County Electric Cooperative (OCEC) reported dozens of outages affecting thousands of customers from Timberon to Carrizozo. Line crews are working on restoring power to the affected areas."

https://www.cloudcroftreader.com/p/gail-fire-near-mayhill-new-mexico

#NewMexico #NMwx #Texas #TXwx #Mexico #MXwx #Dust #DustStorm #Wind #Fire #Mayhill #Cloudcroft