Melingriffith Water Pump now fully restored

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 30, 2011

The historic Melingriffith Water Pump in Whitchurch has now been fully restored to working order and will be officially re-launched on Friday 1st July at 18:30 at its Ty Mawr Road site.

The re-launch marks the end of a long period of decline for the pump and residents and visitors will now be able to watch the pump in action once more.

Cardiff Council and Cadw have jointly funded the restoration of this nationally protected scheduled ancient monument, which has the support of local community group ‘Friends of Melingriffith Water Pump.’

The 200 year old pump stands as a reminder of the former Glamorganshire Canal and Melingriffith Tin Plate Works, one of the earliest and most important works of its kind. For 135 years this pump ensured there was a continuous water supply for the canal. When this part of the canal closed in the 1940’s the pump became redundant and has remained idle ever since.

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said, “I’m delighted that this historic monument has been restored and is now back in action.  This has been an excellent example of partnership working with Cadw and the Friends of Melingriffith Pump.  It can now stand proud as a wonderful link to our industrial heritage for generations to learn about and enjoy.”

Executive Member for Environment, Cllr Margaret Jones said, “I’m very pleased that this important Cardiff landmark has been restored to its former glory.  It has been a great effort by Cardiff Council, Cadw and the Friends of Melingriffith Water Pump and a testament to partnership working.  I’m sure residents and visitors alike will enjoy this historic monument for years to come.”

Cardiff Council partner with the Welsh Government and the WLGA to improve Secondary Education

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 24, 2011

A groundbreaking tripartite partnership between Cardiff Council, the Welsh Government and the Welsh Local Government Association has been created to establish a Secondary Achievement Improvement Programme to continue to improve standards of education in the city’s secondary schools.

A recent Estyn report noted that standards of achievement have improved and that elected members and education officers show strong leadership and consistent support for schools. However, the report also highlighted that further improvements were needed, particularly in the secondary phase.

To oversee these improvements, the Council has established an implementation board that will be chaired by the Council’s Chief Executive, Jon House, and include other senior officers as well as representatives from the Welsh Local Government Association, the Welsh Government Department for Education and Skills and headteachers.

Part of the action plan will focus specifically on this partnership initiative to drive-up standards in KS4 and the model could be used as a blueprint for school improvement not only across South East Wales but the rest of the country as well.

Initially, additional support will be provided to secondary schools where there is more challenge and improvement needed to ensure all pupils throughout the city are given the best chances to succeed.  Tailored plans for individual schools will help them further develop strategies to raise aspirations, increase literacy and numeracy and improve attendance and behaviour.

Extra funding will be jointly provided by Cardiff Council and the Welsh Government in the first year to resource the programme which will begin this autumn. Future years of the programme will be funded via the Council and the South East Wales Consortium.

Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning Cllr Freda Salway said: “Education is a key priority for Cardiff which is why we are determined to ensure that where there is room for improvement that improvement shall be made.

“The establishment of this partnership shows the seriousness with which the Council takes raising standards as this not only increases the educational attainments of our pupils but their life chances as well.”

Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: “I am pleased that we have established this groundbreaking partnership which I believe will act as a trailblazer for the rest of the Wales in driving up standards in our schools.

“It is imperative that we do all that we can to ensure that our pupils have the best possible chances to succeed as it is not only in our interest but in the wider interest of Wales that everyone in the education system achieves their full potential.

“By investing in this improvement programme now we will be reaping dividends for the future.”

Cardiff Conference of Secondary Head teachers (CCSH) said that “CCSH members value the additional resources which will be provided by this tripartite initiative to support headteachers and their schools in the continued desire and drive to further raise standards and better the life chances of each individual child.”

Education Minister Leighton Andrews said: “I have been open and honest when discussing the challenges which face education in Wales and have outlined the positive actions I want to see implemented to raise standards and performance across the board.

“Following Estyn’s Inspection of Cardiff it is encouraging that the Local Authority recognises the need for change and they are taking affirmative action to benefit our young people which we fully support.”

Cllr Peter Fox (Monmouthshire), WLGA Education Spokesperson said: “This is an excellent initiative and proves that Cardiff council is serious about raising standards and outcomes for children and young people. Local government in Wales has said that education is its number one priority and in this instance Cardiff is proving that it means to deliver on that promise.”

Tickets available for Olympic football at the Millennium Stadium

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 23, 2011

More tickets for London 2012 Olympic football matches at the Millennium Stadium will be available from tomorrow for fans who missed out on the first draft.

The second round of tickets sales will start tomorrow at 6.00am and finish at 6.00pm on 17 July and London 2012 organisers have announced that availability is highest for football, which makes up 1.7 million of the remaining 2.3 million tickets.

Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium is set host 11 world-class football games across both the women’s and men’s tournaments, including the prestigious men’s quarter-final on 4 August and the Bronze Medal match on 10 August.

And the eyes of the world will be on Wales for the very first events of the 2012 Olympic Games on July 25, with two women’s football matches set for Cardiff ahead of the opening ceremony in London.

“The Millennium Stadium is an excellent choice for sports fans wanting to be part of the greatest sporting show on earth, with organisers announcing special prices and larger availability across Olympic football events,” said Millennium Stadium General Manager Gerry Toms.

“Our city-centre stadium can hold crowds of up to 74,500 per event and has attracted a total of 11 football events, including the first Olympic event of London 2012 and the men’s quarter final and Bronze medal match.

“I urge all sports fans to take advantage of this second opportunity to get hold of tickets for world-class football at the Millennium Stadium and apply to be part of the London 2012 action in Wales.”

From tomorrow, tickets will be on sale at a range of price categories, and across a range of sports and LOCOG have confirmed that the first 10 days (until 6pm on 3 July) will be open exclusively to the people who applied in the initial application phase but were not allocated any tickets.

Applicants who received tickets in the first round of sales will also get another chance to purchase tickets in the second round from 6.00am on 8 July to 6.00pm on 17 July.

The second round of sales will use a ‘first come first served’ application system. Applicants will be notified whether their request for tickets has been successful between 24 and 48 hours after the request is submitted. Payment will be taken after the 10 day process, over a period of up to four days – and applicants will then be notified that the transaction and ticket purchase is complete.

Football fans will find more information, special prices and larger limits via the official website www.tickets.london2012.com

Berman welcomes action taken by Sergeant over Boundary Commission failures

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 23, 2011

The Leader of Cardiff Council Rodney Berman has welcomed the action taken today by the Welsh Government Minister for Local Government and Communities, Carl Sergeant in response to the independent review, led by Glyn Mathias, into the programme and process of electoral reviews of unitary council areas in Wales that has been underway since 2008.

When giving oral evidence to the Mathias Review, Councillor Berman made clear his view that the only way to restore confidence in the electoral review process was to install new Commissioners to the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales. He has therefore welcomed today’s announcement by Carl Sargeant AM that he is terminating the appointment of the three existing Commissioners.

In response to today’s statement in the Senedd by Carl Sargeant AM, Councillor Berman said:

“The Mathias Review paints a picture I recognise that amounts to nothing less than a catalogue of disaster since 2008.  Clearly, fault lies in the first instance with the Welsh Government for not starting the review process quickly enough and for setting the Boundary Commission an impossible timetable to work within. But there was also a failure on behalf of the current Commissioners for accepting that timetable in the first place.

He went on to say that:  “The Mathias Review also shows that the Welsh Government did not give sufficient resources to the Boundary Commission to enable it to carry out this work effectively within the required timeframe.  However, much of the criticism does, I think, need to be directed towards the Commissioners themselves. As the report recognises, they decided on a more radical approach to the local government boundary reviews than their predecessors without first establishing whether such an approach had the support of Welsh Ministers or the Welsh local government community.

“I have also had my own concerns, which I raised at the time, that the Commissioners had completely misunderstood the mathematics that had been set out in the Directions that were provided to them by the former Minister, Brian Gibbons, at the outset of the process. I believe this contributed to mistakes being made and reviews then being delayed, leading to innumerable complaints from councils right across Wales.

“One of the biggest concerns I now have is how much public money has been wasted during the past three years, given that new Commissioners will be appointed by the Welsh Government and, once in place, will effectively have to start the whole boundary review process again from square one.

“The initial deadline for the completion of these electoral reviews in time for the 2012 local elections has clearly been missed, but I am alarmed to also read that the Mathias Review recognises there is now a risk that they might even now not all be completed to the relevant standard in time for the 2016 local elections either.”

Millennium Stadium gets dirty for Speedway Grand Prix final

Posted by Now Cardiff on Jun 20, 2011

Up to 150 trucks piled high with shale have started to arrive at the Millennium Stadium in preparation for the 11^thconsecutive FIM Doodson British Speedway Grand Prix at Cardiff’s multi-event venue on Saturday, 25 June.

The iconic arena, which just last week played host to two spectacular sell-out Take That concerts in front of 129,000 fans, will be transformed into a world class racing track in five days as the countdown begins for the Speedway world championships.

Three thousand tons of shale is required to build the 278metre track which will withstand speeds of over 70mph from 15 of the world’s best riders and the preparations are already underway for a feast of motor sport action.

The biggest event on the Speedway calendar was first held at the multi-event arena in front of over 30,000 fans in June 2001 and has grown year on year with over 40,000 fans expected to race through the gates on the weekend.

The stadium, which is wholly owned and operated by the Welsh Rugby Union, is renowned for attracting some of the biggest and best events to Cardiff thanks to its city-centre location, fully retractable roof and removable pitch.

Millennium Stadium General Manager Gerry Toms said: “The Speedway Grand Prix is a fantastic occasion and I’m thrilled to welcome the organisers back to Cardiff for the 11^thconsecutive world championship.

“While the Millennium Stadium boasts a fantastic reputation as a multi-event venue, it never fails to impress me how efficiently we can transform the stadium ‘bowl’ in conjunction with the biggest and best event organisers from all over the world.

“In just three weeks of this month, the stadium will have played host to some of the best rugby action, live music and motor sports in the world. And of course, with the Wales’ summer internationals games against England and Argentina in August, we will be bringing our pitch back to the home of Welsh sport next week.”

Paul Bellamy, Managing Director of event promoters BSI Speedway commented: “It’s a great achievement by Ole Olsen and his team that we are able to build temporary tracks in stadiums throughout Europe that are not used to running speedway on a regular basis.

“These tracks are now widely recognised by the riders as being some of the best tracks they perform on and I am looking forward to another bumper crowd on Saturday watching a true World Championship motorsport event.

“The city will certainly know speedway has arrived on Saturday afternoon, with the Fanzone in St Mary’s Street as well as performances throughout the afternoon from the ‘Globe of Death’ motorcycle stunt team outside Gate 3 at the Millennium Stadium.  Stacey Solomon then kicks-off the in-stadium entertainment around 16:20 and, with the event starting at 17:00, it is an action packed afternoon and great entertainment for the whole family.”

Tickets are still available from £29 for adults and £18 for children under 16 via the ticket hotline 0844 277 7888 and at the Millennium Stadium website: www.millenniumstadium.com A family pass (2 adults and 2 children) can be purchased for £90.

All ticket collections will be from the Millennium Stadium’s Cardiff Arms Cafe Bar at 8 Westgate Street, where fans can also enjoy the new Speedway Menu, from 10am until 5pm on Friday and Saturday.