Summer Leader The newspaper of Swansea Council Issue 111 Summer 2018 your city: your paper inside Sunny side up Wales Airshow is heading back to our city Page 3 plus • FIVE STAR SCHOOL: Cymrhydyceirw pupils are celebrating after their school became the first English-medium primary in Wales to score ‘Excellent’ across the board in their latest Estyn inspection. Find out more on page 9 Picture by Nick Parry Recycling Busta’s bright Our city’s transformation is ideas turning food into fuel taking shape this summer page 6 THIS SUMMER is seeing the start of • ATG (Ambassador Theatre Group), a He said: “The City Deal vision for Swansea is to the transformation of Swansea into world-leading entertainment company create a digital city with communities connected to one of Britain’s smartest digital with a portfolio of venues from London to one another and with the world at large, making the cities that’s fit for the 21st century Manhattan has been appointed to run most of our talents, our ideas and our ambition. and beyond. Swansea’s planned digital indoor arena. “Technology and superfast broadband An investment in the city’s and the region’s • NEXT month Skyline, the New Zealand connectivity will provide the means for future that will be worth more than £1.3bn in the company behind the multi-million pound collaboration between public sector and private coming years is beginning with a series of small Kilvey Hill Cable Car initiative, will be sector businesses, between communities, back in the city to sign heads of terms entrepreneurs, educators and academia that are the High 5 steps. Work has started to transform Kingsway in two big steps the city centre into an urban park and Digital on the deal. key to success. Village which will attract high-tech start-up “We are already taking the first steps down a Leon leads the enterprises turning world-class ideas generated at “This summer is when the first tangible steps on the road that will transform our local economy, the the city’s universities into innovative businesses transformation of our city and our region are taken. regional economy and create many thousands of search for our that will attract interest from the UK and the world. “Enabling work for the digital arena, the hotel local jobs. Enabling works for the arena and the landmark next door and the bridge over Oystermouth Road “Places like Bristol and Cambridge are already local heroes digital bridge spanning Oystermouth Road are connecting the city centre to the arena is starting in make strides down that road. Swansea and south- starting in August. the area at the rear of Tesco in the city centre. The west Wales, thanks to the City Deal and our own page 7 Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, said: main construction is due to start early next year. ambition, is going there too.” Swansea 2 Leader SummerSummer inin SwanseaSwansea 20182018 useful info numbers Millions being invested Active Swansea Leisure centres Penlan 01792 588079 Morriston 01792 797082 improving city’s roads Penyrheol 01792 897039 Cefn Hengoed 01792 798484 Pentrehafod 01792 641935 Bishopston Sports Centre 01792 235040 Highways Sewers - 24 hours 0800 0855937 Drainage - Mon to Fri 01792 636121 Damage to roads etc 0800 132081 Other highways issues 01792 843330 Housing Main number 01792 636000 Repairs (out of hrs tenants) 01792 521500 Social Services General Inquiries • ROAD WATCHING: Around £7.5m is being spent on road upgrades in Swansea this year 01792 636110 COMMUNITES across the investment that makes a difference In last year’s programme the two Child, family access, city will be witnessing a INCLUDED in the £7.5m programme is a Welsh Government grant PATCH teams got through 1,240 investigation team summer of action on its worth £1.8m which will help fund road improvements at Peniel tonnes of tar, laying 12,000sqm of 01792 635700 streets as the council Green Road, Carmarthen Road at Dyfatty and Gower Road, Killay. tarmac to complete the repairs. cracks-on with fixing Other schemes to be addressed during the year will include This year’s plans will also include Elderly disabled intake team potholes and road repairs. maintaining some of the 157 bridges in Swansea. continuing the work highlighted in 01792 636519 Following on from the resurfacing Further work will also be completed to maintain street lighting and the Council’s highway capital programme on Fabian Way, PATCH the city’s cycle network. programme for 2015-2020. The Child disability, family and pothole repair teams will be busy programme lists a series of support in every ward in the city over the every day. So it was only right that days during the winter filling-in the maintenance schemes for roads and 01792 635700 coming months. we cleared-up the problems there holes residents had reported to us. pavements across Swansea. Mark Thomas, Cabinet Member first. But that did not and will not “In the first three months of this Cllr Thomas added: “Our Education for Environment Services, said the distract us from our commitment to year the teams filled-in well over highways infrastructure include a council’s £7.5m budget for roads, filling in potholes and carrying out 2,500 potholes, the busiest period wide range of features including Main number pavements and other highways road resurfacing projects as well. we’ve experienced in a long time.” bridges, street lighting as well as 01792 636560 maintenance would make a big “Like everywhere else in Wales, Now the weather is improving, the roads and pavements. We need to difference for residents. the winter combined with relentless highways team is making its plans ensure that the limited resources we Environment He said: “Fabian Way is one of the traffic caused problems for our roads. for the PATCH teams to visit every have are used sensibly.” busiest routes in the city with at least That’s why our pothole repair team ward in the city to tackle some of the To report a pothole go to 01792 635600 10,000 vehicles depending on it was out late in the evening on many bigger road and pavements defects. www.swansea.gov.uk/potholes Main council switchboard June - SeptemberSeptemb 201820018 01792 636000 GowerGower Walking FestivalFestival DungeonsDung and OOutdoor Theatre:heat SwanseSwanseaea 2 - 1100 JuJunene Dragonsons Day TheT Reluctantan Dragon IInternationalnternattionanal Festival enjoyswanseabay.com e n Gower 28 JJulyuly 9 AugustAugust 22 SepteSeptemberemember - 7 October j Contact Swansea Leader 0734007340 672963672963 OyOystermouthstermouth CCastleastle OOystermouthh Castle Variousus VVeVenuesnues o To contact the news team swansea.gov.uk/swansea.gov.uk/ 01792 637300 0170179217922 411570 y call 01792 636092 SSwanseawansea IInternationalnternational ooystermouthcastleystermouthcastle swa Jazz Festival SwanseaS Festival NoNow ThThee Hero The Swansea 1414 - 17 JuJunene Clean Air Roadshow OOff StStitchitch 22018018 225 - 29 SSeptembereptember Various Venues featuring techtech.driven. driven rally 101 - 24 August Swanseaa Bay n Leader is the sea newspaper of 0179201792 474732383238 28 JulJulyy VariousVVarious VVenuesenues 00179217922 636373007300 the Council of CCastleastle SSquarequare 07715 711798 WalesWales AirshowAirshow b the City and 01792 637300 County of 3030 June - 1 JulJulyy AdmiralAdmiral Swansea Bay 1010kk a Swansea SwanseaSwansea BaBayy IIntonto tthehe Wild andand JuniorJunior RRacesaces y walesairshow.co.ukwa Animal Encounters 116 SeptemberSeptember .com 31 JJulyuly - 2 AAugustugust SSwanseawansea BaBayy The City and County of OutdooOutdooroor Theatre: Swansea do not accept any PlPlantasiaantasia 01792 637300 A MidsummerMidsummmmer Night’s Dream 01792 474555 liability or the endorsement of 1919 JulJulyy any products or services Oystermouth Castletle advertised in the Swansea 01792 637300 For more great eveevents visit: Leader. enjoyswanseabay.comenjoyswanseabay Swansea SummerSummer inin SwanseaSwansea 20182018 Leader 3 news digest New cycle routes are mapped out A MAP outlining possible new cycle and walking routes in Swansea has been approved by the Welsh Government. Swansea Council carried out a city-wide consultation in 2017, asking the public to come up with ideas on where cycle and walking routes could be introduced or extended as part of a 15-year vision. The work was completed so the Council could meet the requirements of the Active Travel Plan. New maps have been published which show possible routes which could be developed between now and 2033. At present there is 50km of cycle networks in Swansea and the Council is also creating a new 1.2km section of cycle route along Cwm Road in the Hafod. Visit www.swansea.gov.uk/activetra velact to see more details about proposed routes. • RED ARROWS: RAF’s finest are calling-by on both days of the Wales Airshow Great chapter in library’s story ONE of Swansea’s busiest libraries is enjoying a new High-flyers returning to chapter in its story after a major refurbishment. More than £125,000 was spent transforming the layout at Townhill Library making it more child and user friendly, upgrading equipment and kick-start our summer improving the range of stock on the shelves into the REPLICA World War I AS WELL as providing residents and visitors with would be complete without daily bargain. fighter planes will be dog- world class entertainment, the Airshow is also an appearances by the RAF Red Arrows The refurbishment was fighting over the beaches important event for businesses because of the and the RAF Typhoon display teams, made possible by a grant from extra footfall and spending it generates. The the Welsh Government's of Swansea as the Wales so it’s thrilling both are returning this Museums, Archives and Airshow returns to the city Wales Airshow is now a key anchor event in our year as well.” annual events calendar. Libraries Division. this summer. The Airshow, one of the UK’s The library boasts a larger Complementing the aerial displays, ground-based biggest free events, attracted more The biggest free event in Wales entertainment will also form part of this summer’s children’s’ area with an returns to dominate the skies this Airshow.