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Cardiff Council Update: 10 October 2023
Here is our latest update, covering:
- Euros success - Cardiff to host matches in the 2028 tournament
- City Centre safety operation - e-bikes seized and arrests made
- Welcome to Ffos y Faendre - new council homes in St Mellons
- Flat Holme discovery - rare beetle found on the island
Cardiff leader welcomes UEFA EURO 2028 decision
Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas has welcomed today's news that Wales will host matches at the finals of a major senior international football tournament for the first time.
In a ceremony in Switzerland today, UEFA announced that the UK and Ireland's bid to host the 2028 UEFA European Championships has been successful.
Wales has previously hosted major sporting events, including the UEFA Champions League Final in 2017, boxing, the London 2012 Olympics and the Rugby World Cup final. EURO 2028 will be the first time matches in the finals of a major senior men's international football tournament are played in Wales.
Cllr Thomas, said: "This is wonderful news for Cardiff and for Wales and we can't wait to welcome fans - many who will be coming here for the first time. It's another fantastic opportunity to remind the world just how special Cardiff is when it comes to hosting major events. Visitors can expect a unique atmosphere, a warm and welcoming city, and a passionate populace with a real love of the game. What could be better than the beautiful game, in a beautiful atmosphere, in our beautiful city. I can't wait."
The Principality Stadium, will be known as the National Stadium of Wales for the purposes of this tournament.
"This is an historic day for Wales and Welsh sport." said interim WRU Group CEO, Nigel Walker. "We look forward with immense excitement to playing our part to deliver an excellent UEFA EUROS 2028, working alongside our partners at Welsh Government, Cardiff Council, the Football Association of Wales along with the rest of the UK and Ireland.
"We have hosted hugely significant global football events at our stadium before, from Welsh international matches to FA Cup Finals, Olympic Games matches and the 2017 UEFA Champions League Final. We offer a magnificent spectator experience, a playing surface fit for the finest talent around the globe and a fully retractable roof all situated in a hugely attractive city centre location with all the benefits the Cardiff capital provides.
"We already know the hugely positive impact hosting major sporting events at the stadium has on Cardiff and the surrounding region. UEFA EURO 2028 will be no different, and we will be ready to welcome football fans from all corners of the world for one of the biggest sporting spectacles in the world."
Arrests made and electric bikes seized in operation to keep Cardiff's city centre streets safe
Eleven electric bikes were seized and eight arrests were made in Cardiff city centre on Thursday, October 5, as part of a joint operation targeting people riding modified bikes which can reach speeds of more than 40mph.
Cardiff Council's City Centre Warden Team took part in the operation which saw South Wales Police make two arrests, and the UK Visas and Immigration Service arrest six people.
Electric bikes which have a maximum output of over 250 Watts, a hand throttle, or exceed speeds of 15.5mph are not classed as a pedal cycle, but a moped or a motorcycle, and must be registered with the DVLA, insured and taxed and the driver must wear a helmet.
These vehicles can only be driven on private land and not on the public highway as they are a danger to pedestrians, especially those with disabilities.
The operation followed on from reports across the UK of people being hit by these types and or suffering near misses.
The new City Centre Warden Team, funded by the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund, patrols the city centre and works with the Emergency Services and Council service providers to clamp down on anti-social behaviour to keep the streets of Cardiff safe for everyone to enjoy.
Welcome to Ffos y Faendre: new council homes in St Mellons
Thirteen Cardiff households will shortly be calling a new housing development in the east of the city home, after the properties were handed over to the council.
Developer J G Hale Construction has built the 13 new council homes, a mix of two, three and four-bedroom family homes on the site of the former enterprise centre on Wakehurst Place in St Mellons.
The new houses, known now as Ffos y Faendre, will be allocated to families on the city's housing waiting list. But before they receive the keys, Council Leader, Huw Thomas and Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, visited the recently-completed development to see the new highly-energy efficient new homes.
Cllr Thorne said: "These new properties look fantastic and I'm sure the families that will shortly be moving in are very eager to settle into their new homes.
"They are in a prime location, within walking distance to the local shops and our excellent community hub that provides so many services and activities.
"The current demand for good quality, affordable housing in the city is unprecedented but we are doing everything we can to deliver new homes, like Ffos Y Faendre, as quickly as we can."
Rare ‘skin eating' beetle found on Flat Holm island
A rare species of ‘skin eating' beetle has been found living a few miles off the coast of Cardiff, on the remote Flat Holm island and scientists believe it could be the last stronghold of the species in the UK.
Discovered by a visiting team of ecologists from the South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, it is the first time a Dermestes undulatus beetle has been recorded in Wales, and a sighting hasn't been recorded in England since 2020.
Flat Holm Community Engagement Officer, Sarah Morgan, said: "It's not for the squeamish, but these tiny beetles feed on the skin, fur and bones of dead animals - Dermestes literally means skin eater. It's a preference that makes them a bit of a pain in museum collections, but incredibly useful in forensic science to help determine how long a body has been in situ.
"Exactly how the beetle made it out to the island is a bit of a mystery, given that they appear to be completely absent from the mainland now, but it's possible they were brought by gulls carrying scavenged remains.
"Without the team at South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre we might never have known about the beetles, so a big thank you has to go to them."
