The historical plaques date back to WWII and were erected on Whitchurch Common by the American Embassy. It was a way to thank to local people for the hospitality their soldiers had received during the war before they had left for the D Day landings.

The American soldiers were camped on Whitchurch Common and officers were billeted around the village. The American Padre would preach in the Baptist church and a canteen was set up in St Mary’s Church Hall where local girls would help prepare sandwiches.

The plaques read; ‘’This avenue of trees was planted on behalf of the 2nd Evacuation Unit of the United States Army as a token of gratitude for the hospitality extended to them by the parishioners of Whitchurch during the Second World War 1939 – 1945.”

Over the years the condition of the plaques has deteriorated and this was highlighted by the Whitchurch WI public affairs group who have worked with the Council to get the relevant work completed.

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “These plaques are a significant part of the history of Whitchurch and they depict an important period of time.

“It is wonderful that we have worked together with members from the local Womens Institute to refurbish them and bring them back to their former glory.

“The essential restoration works means that they can continue to be enjoyed by local people to remember the past whilst educating younger generations.”

Despite being only 115th in total size of all authorities in England and Wales, the council is 16th in the League of Shame of job cutters with a cut of over a quarter of their staff – a move that unions say threatens not only services, but also the local economy and the prospects of people living in the area. This cut in jobs far and away dwarfs the cuts made by other authorities, even those in the top ten job cutters (see table).

Cardiff comes in at 15th in the Welsh list and 260th worst all authorities in England and Wales.

101,094 jobs have been lost in local authorities in England and Wales since the general election in 2010 as public sector cuts add to unemployment levels according to the latest official figures from the Local Government Association (LGA) a new analysis by GMB, the public services union shows.

At the end of the 1st quarter of 2010 there were a total of 1,584,219 full time equivalent employees working in local government in the non-teacher workforce. At the end of the 2nd quarter of 2011 this figure had dropped by 6.4% to 1,483,124 full time equivalent employees.

Kent County Council tops the list for the highest number of job losses with a cut of 3,107 jobs. Before the general election Kent County Council employed 25,512 full time equivalent staff. At the June 2011 this was down by 3,107 to 22,405. This is a drop of 12.2% on the workforce prior to the election. Next comes Manchester City Council with a cut of 2,549 jobs followed by Norfolk County Council (CC) 2,358, Cornwall CC 2,295, Leicestershire CC 2,291, Devon CC 2,110 and Lancashire CC 2,079. The figures for the top twenty councils are set out in the table below. The figures for 314 English council are set out in ‘Notes To Editors’ below. For the original data contact the LGA.

The data is for those directly employed in the non-teacher workforce. Some of the changes in the data for each council may include the number for staff being transferred from councils or back to councils. Queries regarding figures for individual councils should be raised with the LGA.

You can download the entire list from here.

The special artwork has been painted in the boxing gym at the facility and depicts portraits of famous boxers.

Maindy Centre has been working in partnership with Cathays High School on the unique project which aims to motivate young people to take part in physical activity, through the medium of art.

It also highlights the benefits of healthier long-term lifestyles which can be attributed to participating in sport and leisure activities.

The four students selected to complete the project were Jamil Akhtar Hussain, Mahdi Rouf Shadab Ahmed, Sean Richards all from years 10 and 11.

They were chosen as a result of their natural artistic talent and their interest in activities that take place in the centre.

The boxing area in the fitness suite was selected as a blank canvas and the students researched the project, selecting images and inspirational quotes from legendary boxers for the design of the mural.

The project took four months to complete and the students used their summer holidays to finish the work.

Young people from the school are encouraged to use the fitness suite at the centre, where they can access advice and support from the qualified staff who work at the facility and it is encouraging to see a continuing increase in its use.

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “This project has been hugely successful and has demonstrated a sense of ownership, encouraging more pupils from the school to use their local leisure centre.

“This positive effect means that more young people are engaging in sport and physical activity which will benefit them in the future.

“The dedication, passion and talent of the individuals involved will inspire others and they should be praised for their hard work.”

Maindy Centre manager, Anthony Hays said: “The project has certainly brightened up the boxing area and I am pleased that the Teen Fit course continues to be a successful means by which pupils can exercise by using the gym equipment correctly and safely.”

Cardiff Council Leisure Services have rewarded each of them with a free Active Card which will allow them a free six month membership to all 11 Council leisure facilities across Cardiff.

It is hoped that this is the first of many ‘Art for Fitness’ projects to be run between the Cathays High School and Maindy Centre.

Under the proposals a new railway station would be built at Heathrow Airport which would link directly to Cardiff, cutting journey times and avoiding the need to go via Paddington.

It is hoped that the link could be operational by 2021, with multi-million pound benefits to the South Wales economy.

Earlier this year the Government announced the £1bn electrification of the main rail line between London and Cardiff and the latest news follows lobbying by the Great Western Partnership (GWP), of which Cardiff Council is a member, for an electrified rail route running directly from South Wales to Heathrow Airport.

Councillor Berman said: “This is incredibly encouraging news. Along with the council leaders of Bristol and Swindon, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for direct links to Heathrow from South Wales to be part of the future high-speed rail link. It sounds like the lobbying of the GWP has influenced Government thinking which is very pleasing.

“Electrification to London Paddington was good news, but by itself is not enough to give the boost to economic growth that South Wales needs.  The link with Heathrow will help us attract new businesses to Cardiff and South Wales, opening up greater opportunities for inward investment. Travel links to major airports are a big consideration for businesses looking to relocate and if we can improve those links it can only mean that we attract more quality companies to Cardiff.

“This is ultimately going to be very important to the future growth of the economy in South Wales and the Cardiff city region.”

• Make sure only a Gas Safe registered engineer works on your gas appliances
• Make sure gas appliances have a regular service and an annual gas safety check,
• Always check the engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card.
  

Paul Johnston, chief executive at Gas Safe Register said: “Every year, far too many people suffer from preventable gas related accidents, such as gas leaks, explosions, fires and carbon monoxide poisoning. In the last year alone 10 people died and a further 330 were hospitalised. With Gas Safety Week we aim to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your gas appliances which we hope will reduce the number of gas related injuries and deaths.

“If maintained and installed properly, gas appliances are safe. If neglected, gas appliances can kill. In Gas Safety Week we want everyone to find out when they last had all of their gas appliances, including cookers, fires and boilers, checked. If this was over a year ago, you should get them checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer as soon as possible to help ensure your family and home is safe.”

Cllr Judith Woodman, Executive Member for Communities, Housing & Social Justice, said: “Gas Safety Week gives everyone the opportunity to put gas safety at the top of their priority list. Making sure your gas appliances are safe to use could save your life. The Council is supporting the Gas Safe Register because we want people to understand the real risks gas poses and help people to take care and be gas safe.”

If someone other than a Gas Safe registered engineer carries out gas work at your home, you could be risking the safety of your family and your property.

For more information on gas safety go to www.GasSafeRegister.co.uk

Operation MAPLE, which took place on August 18th, focused on reassuring the community, reducing crime and taking action against those selling counterfeit goods.

The exercise was carried out by officers from the Council’s Trading Standards department, Roath and Cathays Neighbourhood Policing Team and the force’s ANPR – Automated Number Plate Recognition – unit.

The operation resulted in the following action:

• Three arrests were made for the following offences: disqualified driving; taking a vehicle without consent, driving with no license and no insurance; and theft in Pontypridd.  The first two were charged to court and the latter was bailed pending further inquiries.
• Three seizures: one linked to a disqualified driving; one of a stolen vehicle found in the street; and one of a vehicle as used in crime.
• One Fixed Penalty Notice was issued for no seat belt.

Trading Standards officers also made several seizures for counterfeit items, including CDs, DVDs, jewellery, watches, lighters and Xbox games. Many of these items have now been destroyed and the Department for Work and Pensions are subsequently investigating two people.

Councillor Judith Woodman (pictured) , Executive Member for Housing, Communities and Social Justice said: “We are determined to actively tackle the issue of rogue trading in Cardiff and operations like this help us to weed-out the minority of unscrupulous traders who use our streets for nefarious reasons.

“We want members of the public to remain confident that any criminal activity will not be tolerated and be aware that operations like this one will be carried out regularly across Cardiff.”

Pc Mike Neate, Splott Neighbourhood Officer, said: “Splott Market is of great benefit to the area financially and socially and we want members of the public to remain confident that any criminality will not be tolerated.

“The market is very much a positive part of the local community and with most things there is only a small minority of people who cause concern.

“The South Wales Police ANPR team was proactively patrolling the area throughout the day and worked closely with the neighbourhood policing team and Trading Standards who dealt with a number of persons for trading with either counterfeit or illegal goods.

“The attendance of so many people and vehicles in Splott can attract opportunist thieves and hopefully our presence was not only a deterrent to these individuals but also a reassurance to visitors, some of whom commented how good it was to see us in the area.”

The Executive is recommended to exercise its wellbeing powers in the disposal of the Victorian school building to the Steiner School subject to their confirmation of funding, which would retain the premises for educational purposes and secure its future as a feature of the local community.

Since the amalgamation of Hawthorn Junior and Infant Schools and the subsequent establishment of the new Hawthorn Primary School on the site of the former infants in 2008 with considerable investment, the junior school site has been surplus to the Council’s requirements.

Following the referring back for further consideration of an application for residential redevelopment of the site to maximise land value by Planning Committee, Council officers embarked on an expression of interest exercise designed to establish the extent of various interests in future use of the property.

Following exhaustive consideration of the various bids, including a community bid which was effectively withdrawn when it was deemed unsustainable, officers are recommending that the bid from the Steiner School be accepted.

Executive Member for Finance and Service Delivery, Cllr Mark Stephens, said: “The Council has had to carefully consider balancing the need to obtain the best possible return for this site with the local community’s desire to see the buildings retained.

“This option would still deliver a reasonable capital receipt which would be invested back into schools in the city while The Steiner School have also confirmed that they are prepared to discuss wider use of the building with the local community.”

Open Doors is Wales’ biggest celebration of architecture and heritage organised by the Civic Trust of Wales.

Cardiff Council’s Tourism Team is working with Jim Cowan of Cardiff History and Hauntings to offer the walks again this year, and a chance to find out more about the city’s forgotten past.

The walks take place on Saturday September 10 at 9.45am and 11.45am, with each walk lasting around 90 minutes.

Starting at the Old Library in the Hayes (pictured), the walk will take a gentle pace through parts of the city once bounded by the medieval town wall, revealing the story of a town long gone and which was reconstructed by the explosive growth of Cardiff in the 19th Century.

This year the walk reveals new stories, including some surprising Royal connections and the sinister beginnings of some of the city’s elegant arcades.

Cardiff Council’s Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture Cllr Nigel Howells, said: “The Council is pleased to be supporting Open Doors once again.

“The popularity of last year’s walks shows there’s a real interest in the history and heritage of Cardiff, and we’re very grateful to Jim for working with us again.

“A number of Council venues are participating in the Open Doors programme this year, including The Cardiff Story, where visitors can call in before or after the walks to learn more about the work of the curators, and delve a little deeper into Cardiff’s past.”

Jim Cowan says there’s a lot more to Cardiff than meets the eye. He says:

“Burrowing through multiple records and journals I’ve discovered some fascinating stories about Cardiff and its past citizens that I have never heard before.

“I hope these stories delight others as much as they’ve delighted me but the lesson from last year’s Open Doors walks is that the people of Cardiff are also a fantastic source of anecdotes and odd facts which help build a bigger and better picture of our fascinating city, and they all add to the tales I’ll be sharing on these walks.”

The walks start at the Tourist Information Centre in the Old Library. They are free but places are limited so places must be booked in advance, either in person at the Tourist Information Centre or by calling 029 2087 3573.

In a year when more students took ‘A’ and ‘AS’ Level examinations in Cardiff than in 2010, the performances of the city’s schools were improved for all key measures and once again were above the Wales averages.

This is the second year in which candidates have studied ‘A’ Level specifications designed to stretch and challenge the ablest students, with an A* grade to mark exceptional achievement; 8.6 per cent of students in Cardiff gained this prestigious grade compared to just 6.2 per cent in Wales. The overall pass rate (grades A*-E) was 97.6 per cent, and higher than the all Wales figure. Almost three tenths of the grades awarded were grade A* or A, significantly higher than the overall percentage for Wales. Nearly four out of five grades awarded to Cardiff’s students were grades A, B or C, also higher than the figures for Wales.

In the ‘AS’ examinations a higher proportion of students than in 2010 achieved a pass grade and grades A-C. Over one in five of the grades awarded were grade A. These figures are, once again this year, well ahead of the all Wales outcomes.

Cardiff Council Executive Member for Education and Lifelong Learning, Councillor Freda Salway, said: “On behalf of the Council, I congratulate Cardiff’s students after another very successful year. They can be truly proud of the high standards they have achieved. The success of these students has been realised through sustained hard work, the support of parents and the dedication and skills of teachers.”

Chris Jones, Chief Education Officer, said: “I am delighted to once again congratulate Cardiff’s sixth form students and on their success which is the outcome of much dedication and hard work over the course of their studies. I am sure that families and teachers across the city will be as pleased as I am with their considerable achievements. I wish them all the very best for their future careers.”

Open Doors is organised by the Civic Trust of Wales and begins on September 2 with events taking place across the whole of Wales.

Open Doors is Wales’ biggest celebration of architecture and heritage and for the month of September a host of events will give people the opportunity to explore buildings, take part in walks, talks, visit historical sites and view exhibitions.

Cardiff Council will show their support for the scheme by holding a number of special events in Council buildings and attractions within the capital city.

Council venues taking part range from historical buildings, including Cardiff Castle, The Mansion House (pictured), Insole Court, to new attractions including the recently opened Cardiff Story Museum.

Local Friends Groups and organisations in the city will also take part in Open Doors.

In Cardiff a whole host of talks and tours, walks and lectures will take place and further details can be found at www.opendoorsdays.org.uk

Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Leisure, Cllr Nigel Howells, said: “Open Doors celebrates heritage and there is certainly a lot to celebrate in Cardiff. The city is home to many historical buildings and the city is steeped in history.

“I am delighted that Council-owned buildings and venues have organised some great events that the whole family can enjoy. It’s also the perfect time for people to vist the newly opened Cardiff Story Museum and find out more about the history of Cardiff.”