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Wales Online
13 hours ago
- Climate
- Wales Online
Met Office weather maps tip another heatwave and the hottest day of the year
Met Office weather maps tip another heatwave and the hottest day of the year The second official heatwave of the year looks a distinct possibility and the 30C high for 2025 looks set to be beaten within days Monday's weather across Wales. (Image: Met Office ) The hottest day of the year so far in Wales is on its way, according to the latest Met Office forecast. Despite the already hot weather the mercury is tipped to rise even further from the weekend and into the early part of next week. The hottest day of the year so far was on Thursday, June 19 with temperatures reaching 30C in Cardiff and at Trawscoed, Ceredigion. But forecaster are tipping that high to be beaten on Monday and it may even be officially classified as a heatwave with three days at 25C or higher. Starting on Sunday, June 29 we can expect to see the start, with highs of 27 degree Celsius in some parts of Wales, and the following day will be warmer again. Whether you're in south Wales or in the north, next week is looking like a warm one. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Mike Silverstone, Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office has said: "Higher temperatures building over the weekend and into early next week will bring particularly warm, hot or even very hot conditions for some, especially in the southeast and East Anglia and more locally elsewhere in England and east Wales. Article continues below "This in part will be influenced by a heatwave developing across western Europe." Mike added: "By the weekend, an area of high pressure will be intensifying and dominating the UK forecast. Conditions will be hottest in the south and east while areas further north and northwest will be relatively cooler." So here is what we can expect from the heatwave: Sunday, June 29 Sunday's weather across Wales. (Image: Met Office ) On Sunday, we will see the start of some warmer weather across Wales as some areas will reach a high of 27C. The low will be at Holyhead, Anglesey at 18C. Monday, June 30 Get your sun cream ready because parts of Wales will reach over 30 this coming Monday. (Image: Met Office ) On Monday, we can expect Wales' hottest day of the year so far with highs of 32C Monmouth, 27C for Aberystwyth, 27C for Swansea, 29C for Cardiff and the lowest forecasted temperature is Holyhead at 20C. Tuesday, July 1 Tuesday's weather across Wales. (Image: Met Office ) There will be slight dip in weather on Tuesday, but it will still be extremely hot. With highs of 25C in Monmouth and lows of 17C, again on Anglesey. Article continues below So, with this in mind fetch some factor 50 SPF, purchase a fan and here is one tip on how to cool down in the hot weather.
Wales Online
15 hours ago
- Wales Online
The rules on taking children out of school for a term time holiday
The rules on taking children out of school for a term time holiday Parents can save hundreds, if not thousands of pounds, by taking holidays in term time. But they risk fines and disrupting their child's education One study hjas shown 62 per cent of parents were ready to break the law for a cheaper holiday (Image: Getty ) With the price of going away during school holidays rising dramatically, some parents take their children out of classes to get cheaper deals. But doing this they risk fines and even, potentially, prosecution and imprisonment. Some parents may feel that paying a fine for not sending their child to school is still cheaper than taking more expensive family breaks during the school holidays. Some families may not be able to afford to go away together at all unless it is during term time. Whether permission is given or action is taken if not can depend on where you live and where your child goes to school. There are rules and laws on missing school but some of the action is discretionary and up to the school and local authority. Latest data on parents and carers not sending their children to school show that different local education authorities around Wales take a more, or less lenient approach and you can read more about that here. Rules on when a child must be in school and enforcement of the law around that depends not only on the local education authority but also whether you are in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Private schools are also able to set their own rules. Sign up for our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here. Article continues below In Wales, parents don't have automatic rights to take their child out of school for term time holidays. Headteachers can agree up to 10 school days of authorised absence in a school year, but holidays may not be considered a valid reason. Schools have individual policies and must also consider the impact on the child's education when agreeing authorised absence. They may also look at the child's attendance record and other matters. Holidays are generally not considered exceptional circumstances to miss school, but there may be specific situations where a headteacher might grant permission, such as the family's country of origin or other personal matters . If permission to take your child out of school for a holiday is not agreed then the absence will be marked as unauthorised and could result in fines or legal action and even imprisonment. A child can only miss school lawfully when they are too ill to attend, or if parents/carers asked for and got prior consent from the school saying the child's absence as 'authorised'. Head teachers in Wales, like those in England, are required to submit details of each child's attendance to the local authority and are under some pressure to improve attendance post-pandemic, so may be less likely to agree authorised time off lessons now. Headteachers can also make recommendations for sanctions if attendance is low or absence is unauthorised, but those sanctions, such as fines and prosecution, are decided on finally by the local authority. In some parts of Wales school leaders have expressed frustration that their local councils have not been willing to hand out fines to help them address low attendance. It is for local authorities to decide whether to issue fines or prosecute parents/carers for a child's unauthorised school absence. But sanctions, such as fines of £60, rising to £120 if not paid promptly within 28-days, are still issued on a discretionary basis. More than 500 parents were fined across Wales last term for not sending their children to school with more than 100 prosecutions. Education inspectorate Esytn has recently described low school attendance in Wales as "an important national concern" and the Welsh Government says school attendance is a national priority. This means schools may be getting tougher on whether to agree authorised absence. Latest figures on fines and proescutions for non-authorised attendance show while some councils are issuing fines and prosecuting parents for not sending their children to school others, such as Anglesey, are not. Asked about this Anglesey Council said: "This isn't because sometimes there hasn't been a need. However we have made a decision to focus on working with parents without having to resort to using legal channels." A recent report from Torfaen Council's education scrutiny committee said the 'primary reason' for issuing a fixed penalty notice there has been unauthorised holidays taken during term time. Blaenavon independent councillor Janet Jones asked if parents were 'weighing up the cost' of a fine versus a holiday which is likely to be cheaper in term time. Education welfare officer Hannah Catherine Moore told the committee:'We really need to make sure, if parents are taking children out of school on a regular basis, we can show them the impact that is having." 'Obviously there are some parents who take the fine and continue to take the children out of school but what we are seeing is, within certain year groups and within certain families, doing that year on year it has been good on reducing that.' Ms Moore told councillors that parents are entitled to request term-time leave for pupils but said it is for schools to decide on requests. Factors such as the time of year and overall attendance can be considered. 'Some schools might implement a policy that it won't authorise any holidays. Other schools do give consideration to the nature of the request. It might be a pupil returning to their homeland. Every single situation is very different." So, while there are laws on school attendance, headteachers can grant up to 10 days authorised absence. While holidays may not be seen as a valid reason for a permitted absence, the decision is at the discretion of the head. Parents and carers can and are being fined and prosecuted for taking their child out of school without permission, whether for holidays or other reasons. Article continues below
Wales Online
17 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
New fuel plant to be built at Pembrokeshire dockyard
New fuel plant to be built at Pembrokeshire dockyard 'The site was considered suitable for the proposed development, as it would align with the ambition for Pembroke Dock Marine to transition to a world-class centre for marine energy and engineering' The entrance to Pembroke Dockyard (Image: Google ) A green hydrogen fuel production facility has been approved for development at a dockyard in the Pembrokeshire area. The application was submitted to Pembrokeshire Council by green energy experts Haush Ltd, who sought permission to build the 15MW facility, which includes electrolysers, compressors, a substation, and associated infrastructure, at Gate 4 of Pembroke Dockyard. Green hydrogen is created from water through an electrolysis process powered by renewable electricity, in this case, supplied by an 11kV substation connected to the national grid. In a statement provided by Locogen Consulting Ltd, an Edinburgh-based Renewable Energy Consultancy, it was stated: "Haush's vision is to address one of the biggest challenges of our time - decarbonising the transportation and construction industries. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . "Their innovative solution lies in working in partnership with communities to produce Green Hydrogen, a clean and renewable energy vector that can significantly reduce carbon emissions." The statement further added: "The applicant has sought to identify opportunities to produce and supply Green Hydrogen across the UK to areas where it is most needed. "The site was considered suitable for the proposed development, as it would align with the ambition for Pembroke Dock Marine to transition to a world-class centre for marine energy and engineering, focussed on the low carbon energy sector. Article continues below "The applicant's ambition to deliver the proposed development, which would produce clean energy from Hydrogen, aligns with the aspiration and vision for Pembroke Dock Marine." The proposal outlines that there would be up to six HGV movements to and from the site per day when operational, with "each taking approximately five hours to fill to capacity, resulting in a low turnaround of vehicles to and from the site". Regarding safety concerns, it was stated: "The site would utilise rigorous safety measures, alongside the applicant adopting a production strategy that further reduces the risk profile. Article continues below "Most notably, there will be no fixed onsite storage of Hydrogen. Instead, Hydrogen will be produced and compressed on-demand and will be transported immediately offsite using operated tube-trailers owned by the applicant." Planners have given conditional approval to the application.
Wales Online
18 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Plans for dog day care centre turned down over impact on badgers
Plans for dog day care centre turned down over impact on badgers The application was refused by county planners for several key reasons, including 'no robust justification for the essential need for the proposed development in this countryside location' Plans for a dog day care centre off the A477 in Pembrokeshire (Image: Google ) Pembrokeshire planners have turned down a proposal for a dog day care centre on the grounds of a former garden centre, citing concerns over the potential impact on local badgers. Ryan Ennis had put forward plans to Pembrokeshire Council for the establishment of the centre and related works on land that is currently home to polytunnels next to Tenby Tourers, just off the A477 at Llanteg. A supporting document from Gerald Blain Associates Limited highlighted that the polytunnels were remnants of a previous garden centre that used to span the site; one remaining polytunnel is presently utilised for casual storage. The document detailed: "Operationally, the centre will accommodate a maximum of 10 dogs, operating from 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday. Drop-off times will typically be between 8.30 and 9am, with pick-up between 5 and 5.30pm." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Plans for the site included eight parking and drop-off spaces, with three bays specifically designed to give extra space for dogs to get in and out of vehicles, as well as a play area made from pet-friendly artificial grass surrounded by a timber fence. Furthermore, it stated: "The proposed building would replace two large poly tunnels that are individually of comparable length to the proposed building. "The building would be erected in place of the southernmost tunnel and the play area constructed on the site of the second tunnel. Article continues below "The existing poly tunnels are not visually pleasing and detract from the character of the site. To minimise the visual impact of the development, extensive landscaping is proposed around the development site and at the boundary with the A477." The statement continued: "The proposal would create employment for two staff members, including the applicant's daughter, and generate positive economic impacts through the purchase of materials and the employment of labour during construction. "Once operational, the business would continue to contribute to the local economy through ongoing employment." Amroth Community Council has raised objections to the proposed scheme citing concerns such as potential noise disturbances from dogs agitated by passers-by on a nearby public path, and issues surrounding biodiversity conservation. The council's objection noted: "We have been made aware of a registered badger sett located within or very close to the minimum requisite 50m from the development. "Badgers are a protected species and the sett distance from dog kennels, dog play areas etc is based on legislation laid out in the Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 by the UK Government. Councillors noticed that the application does not reference the sett." Article continues below The application was refused by county planners for several key reasons, including "no robust justification for the essential need for the proposed development in this countryside location". There were also concerns that "the application fails to demonstrate that the proposal would not result in a detrimental impact on highway safety," and a worry that it "fails to provide sufficient information to demonstrate that the proposed development would not have a significant detrimental impact on biodiversity, in particular to badger setts".
Wales Online
18 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
The huge neglected Welsh seaside town mansion that's about to have a new lease of life
The huge neglected Welsh seaside town mansion that's about to have a new lease of life Plans to turn Gardenhurst in Penarth into apartments have finally been approved, paving the way for new life to be breathed into the Victorian manor house The long-derelict Gardenhurst mansion in Penarth will be turned into flats (Image: John Myers ) A neglected Welsh seaside town mansion and former daycare centre will be transformed into new homes after lying empty for years. Vale of Glamorgan Council's planning committee recently approved plans to turn the large Gardenhurst house in Penarth into six apartments and allow the construction of three new homes on site. The planned revival of the Victorian building was welcomed by councillors, including one representative for the local area who said it was a "shame" to see it disused since 2014. A member of the planning committee, Cllr Ian Johnson said: "After a decade of being in disuse, I believe that we should look forward to this site being regenerated." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here . Vale of Glamorgan Council ward member for Stanwell, Cllr Mark Wilson, who is also a member of the planning committee said: "The reality is, this is a site that's been empty for quite some time now and really we need to make progress on it." The council originally asked the developers for a financial contribution of £264,730 for affordable housing. However, a viability assessment later found that such a contribution would make the Gardenhurst project unviable. Article continues below Cllr Wilson said: "I am a bit disappointed about the lack of 106 funding for affordable housing, but we all know that cost of materials now is very expensive and these projects have got to financially [stand up] and I understand that." Another member of the planning committee, Cllr Anthony Ernest, raised concerns about the proposal to build three homes on the car park of Gardenhurst. Councillors said at a recent planning meeting that they wanted to see the old building brought back to life (Image: John Myers ) He also argued that congestion is already an existing issue on Marine Parade and Park Grove, but added that he supported the overall scheme. Cllr Ernest, who is also a councillor for the ward that Gardenhurst is located in, said earlier this year: "I would very much like to see this outstanding property in the Penarth Conservation Area brought back into more beneficial use so that it can continue to be a prominent building in the Penarth Conservation Area." Vale of Glamorgan Council planners argued that the reduction in parking on site can be justified due to its close proximity to public transport and the town centre. A council planning document adds: "Furthermore, the highway authority requested a parking survey to be conducted and the results of that survey highlight that there is sufficient on street availability to cater for any additional provision which may be required as part of the development if the internal parking area is saturated." An artist's impression of what Gardenhurst could look like once work on it is completed (Image: Turley & Young Partnership ) Plans to change the use of the building to provide six new flats and three new houses were submitted in 2016. Article continues below However, several changes were made to the planning application over the years. A separate planning application to turn Gardenhurst into flats was made in 2015, but this was eventually withdrawn.
