by Shaurya | Apr 20, 2024 | Local Stories, Swansea Today, SwanTV Top Stories
Over a dozen schools will benefit the most from a £3.8m joint investment by Swansea Council and the Welsh Government for essential maintenance and building upgrades in the city over the next year.
The council has approved the major programme of the works meaning that around £1.7m will be directed to these schools for repairing roofs, electrical upgrades, and other improvements.
Cabinet Member for Education and Learning Robert Smith said, “As a council, we recognise just how important education is not just to pupils, parents and staff but also to our city’s future economic well-being.”
“The maintenance and repairs programme is in addition to the record £150m investment in new and improved school facilities in Swansea under the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme,” he added.
More than a dozen Swansea schools will benefit the most from this investment. (Picture for representation purposes)
The council’s toilet strategy is also set to receive £50,000 in addition to the £100,000 that was provided last year to maintain and upgrade the council’s network of public toilets.
Leader of the Council Rob Stewart said, “Despite less funding being available from the Government for this kind of work for the year ahead, we are once again investing significant sums on essential maintenance improvements for our schools and public buildings.”
Additionally, £600,000 has been set aside for emergencies and to maintain listed buildings including war memorials that the council has pledged to maintain on behalf of veterans.
Another £50,000 has also been earmarked for the council’s toilet strategy on top of £100,000 last year to maintain and upgrade the council’s network of public toilets.
“Our capital maintenance budget spending demonstrates how the council’s priorities match those of the people of Swansea and, at the same time, help make inroads into the backlog of maintenance improvements our schools and public buildings need,” the leader of the council added.
by Sucheta | Apr 20, 2024 | Blog, Local Stories, Swansea Today, SwanTV Art & Crafts, SwanTV Business, SwanTV Top Stories, Uncategorized
Swansea Council continues to fund major leisure and tourism sites to help them recover from the pandemic hit. Many visitors have flocked to these sites, thus helping the businesses grow.
Freedom Leisure, Wales National Pool Swansea (WNPS), Plantasia and the National Waterfront Museum are some of the sites that have benefited from the Council’s help.
Exhibition at Plantasia. Photo:https://www.plantasiaswansea.co.uk/exhibitions/
Let the numbers do the talking.
In the fiscal year 2022–2023 of Freedom, the number of visitors to the city centre LC and its other community leisure facilities increased by about 30% to over 1.8 million over the prior year. Revenue reached almost £8 million, up about 36%.
WNPS saw a rise in revenue of over £300,000, reaching over £1.3m.
Photo: https://www.swanseabaysportspark.wales/facilities-and-events/wales-national-pool-swansea/
Parkwood Leisure’s Plantasia experienced an increase in attendance from over 98,000 in 2022 to over 117,000, and income increased from over £200,000 to nearly £950,000.
The number of in-person and online visitors to the free-to-enter waterfront museum increased by around 10% to nearly 277,000.
Many venues and sites continue to face challenges in meeting energy bills and drawing visitors; however, the council is ready to extend its support to them.
Councillor Francis-Davies remarked: “We continue to be there for our leisure services partners during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis because they play a critical part in the life of our city and our local communities.”
The cabinet reviewed the Leisure Partnerships Annual Report, which examined the financial performance and visitor numbers for the city’s institutions that the council supports financially in a variety of ways for the year 2022–2023.
Cover Photo: https://museum.wales/swansea/
by Shaurya | Apr 17, 2024 | Blog, Local Stories, Swansea Today, SwanTV Top Stories
Several sports clubs at council-owned community playing fields across Swansea are set to receive a boost as the council plans to set £1m aside for changing room renovations.
The funding will see facilities repaired, modernised and tidied up as community sports hubs are available to the whole community.
“Since the end of the pandemic and during the cost of living crisis, many sports clubs have been at the heart of their communities supporting the health and wellbeing of thousands of people in city neighbourhoods,” said Leader of the Council Rob Stewart.
“We’ve been talking to clubs about what the next steps should be and many called for changing rooms to be upgraded so they could be more easily used by women and girls and be more in line with the expectations of sports’ governing bodies,” he explained.
The council has previously allocated over £7m for over 50 new community play areas for children and planned to allocate £1m for a new generation of skate and BMX park facilities.
“Taken together they are the biggest investment in outdoor community play and sports facilities by the council in more than a generation,” said Councillor Stewart. “We’ve made this commitment because we saw just how important outdoor facilities have been to groups, families and individuals during the cost of living crisis.”
The changing rooms project was introduced last month at Swansea Council’s budget meeting and was approved by the full council; a report seeking funding for the scheme is set to be seen by the cabinet soon.
If the report is approved, an additional £1 million fund will be made available which councillors will be able to apply for to support more community projects and schemes in their areas.
Currently, the community budget scheme allows each member to use up to £15000 each year on qualifying projects.
Councillors have previously used these funds to support initiatives such as the provision of defibrillators, expansion of local wildflower planting programmes, sponsoring community events, and making small streetscape improvements such as sprucing up community gardens or giving public seats.
by Sucheta | Apr 17, 2024 | Blog, Local Stories, Swansea Today, SwanTV, SwanTV Local Events, SwanTV Top Stories, Uncategorized
This month, approximately 30 recently hired operatives will head out to our parks and beaches to assist in maintaining the cleanliness and well-being of some of Swansea’s most beloved landscapes for both residents and visitors.
In February, over 180 individuals applied for seasonal positions with the Parks and Cleaning teams, with the goal of assisting in maintaining our most well-liked locations throughout Easter and the summer.
The six-month stay will run from now until September, to match the busiest season of the year.
According to Cyril Anderson, Cabinet Member for Community Services, everyone must do their part to leave our parks and beaches in the condition that they would like others to find them when they leave.
He remarked: “Littering is not only unsightly but it can also be dangerous. Bottles, disposable barbecues and dog messes are what people are concerned about the most because they put others at risk.
“In particular disposable BBQs buried out of sight at the beach retain their heat for many hours and can cause life-changing burns to children and other people who have no idea they’re there until they step on them.”
Anderson urges everyone to treat the parks and beaches with respect. For instance, take the dog poo home if you see that the bin is full. everyone can contribute a little.
In addition to picking up garbage, the summer beach cleaning crews will also help maintain the cleanliness of the council’s expanding network of Changing Places at locations like Knab Rock and Rhossili and remove weeds and sand from walkways and roadside areas.
Additionally, park recruits will assist our regular staff in maintaining our award-winning parks so that both humans and wildlife can take in the beauty and blooms.
Visit this link to learn more about the four award-winning Blue Flag beaches in your area: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/beaches
Visit this link to learn more about Swansea’s wonderful open spaces, including its Green Flag parks: https://www.swansea.gov.uk/parks
Cover Photo: Rhossili Bay https://www.swansea.gov.uk/article/24408/Rhossili-named-among-worlds-best-beaches
by Shaurya | Apr 17, 2024 | Blog, Local Stories, Swansea Today, SwanTV Top Stories
Swansea is planning a new low-carbon heating network to reduce its carbon footprint as part of its goal to be a net-zero city by 2050. The network will use excess heat generated from a large data centre that will be set up in Swansea Port as a part of a £4bn renewable energy project.
Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart said, “Working closely alongside DST Innovations and their partners, we’ve identified the opportunity for a low carbon heating network linked to the overall development that would heat many of Swansea’s major buildings in SA1 and the city centre.”
The council’s cabinet has now been asked to approve a study to explore the feasibility of the district heating network further.
Councillor Stewart said, “Along with the other aspects of this ground-breaking project it will significantly reduce Swansea’s carbon footprint while creating thousands of jobs and placing our city at the heart of global green economy innovation.”
The proposed heating network will be responsible for heating several buildings in the SA1 and city centre areas of Swansea by connected pipes.
These include the developments in the docks and SA1 area, the Swansea University campus on Fabian Way, the Civic Centre on Oystermouth Road, and buildings like Swansea Museum HMP Swansea.
The proposed heating network is part of a wider project that includes a tidal lagoon, a high-tech battery manufacturing centre, eco-homes anchored in the water and an oceanic and climate change research centre.
“We’re all aware of the impact of climate change and the importance of taking steps to reduce its effects on us and future generations,” said Councillor Stewart. “This is why we’ve set a target of becoming a net zero city by 2050 and will continue do all we can alongside Swansea’s businesses and residents to reach that goal.”
by Sucheta | Apr 17, 2024 | Blog, Food and drink, Local Stories, Swan food, Swansea Today, SwanTV, SwanTV Art & Crafts, SwanTV Business, SwanTV Top Stories, Uncategorized
Swansea is a happening place buzzing with a lot of activities for its locals and tourists. It has a lot of fun events upcoming this summer for individuals and families.
They include major performances in Singleton Park, art gallery displays, breathtaking parks and beaches, and places like the LC and Plantasia.
The Wales Airshow and IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea are major highlights that people are looking forward to.
Picture: https://www.ironman.com/im-world-championship
See the video for The Wales Airshow: https://youtu.be/bqqhpH5CK6g
The Swansea Council’s Enjoy Swansea Bay team, along with several other businesses and organisations including restaurants, hotels, and bars, are organising various events.
Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies remarked: “The council and many others are preparing to offer people a lot more fun indoors and outdoors.
“I applaud the work of all those in the cultural and tourism sector who do so much to make Swansea a great place to visit and in which to live.”
Dylan Thomas Centre, Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Swansea Grand Theatre, Brangwyn Hall, Swansea Museum and libraries are some of the council-run venues offering such fun events.
Council-run attractions include:
- Blackpill Lido – open from May 4
- Crazy golf at Southend Gardens and Singleton Park – open now
- Oystermouth Castle – open now and with live theatre planned
- Singleton Boating Lake pedalos – operating now
- Swansea Bay Rider Land Train – operating now
Forthcoming events with council support include:
Picture from the iron man 2024 swansea
- Enigma Variations, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Brangwyn Hall – April 12
- Swansea International Jazz Festival – June 13-17
- World Triathlon Para Series Swansea – June 22
- Wales Airshow – July 6-7
- IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea – July 14
- James Arthur, Singleton Park – July 18
- Classic Ibiza, Singleton Park – July 19
- Let’s Rock Wales, Singleton Park – July 20
- Peter Pan, outdoor theatre, Oystermouth Castle – August 7
- Romeo and Juliet, outdoor theatre, Oystermouth Castle – August 8
- Admiral Swansea Bay 10k – September 15
It is time to make the most of the warmer days. both inside and outside!
Cover Photo: From Wales National Airshow.
