Aled Thomas

Cheltenham, Worcester

Local Democracy Reporter based at the Swindon Advertiser. SBC is my new jam. Got a story? Contact me on [email protected]

Featured in: Favicon

gloucestershirelive.co.uk Favicon

swindonadvertiser.co.uk Favicon

bbc.co.uk

msn.com

mirror.co.uk Favicon

yahoo.com (+15) Favicon

express.co.uk Favicon

dailystar.co.uk Favicon

zdnet.com

walesonline.co.uk + 58 more

Articles

Does Swindon need a tram, more railway stations or even a monorail?

6 days ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

Whether Swindon should think about mass transit solutions that go further than buses was discussed by councillors this week. And try as they might, they could not quite avoid mention of the ‘m-word’ – monorail. Councillor Daniel Adams, along with his colleagues on the Build a Better Swindon, was discussing the council’s emerging Local Plan – a legal document setting out the borough’s growth and development over the next 20 years - with the cabinet member for finance, Councillor Kevin Small.
Concern after letters give residents seven day demand to pay council tax

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

Council tax demand letters causes concern to some (Image: Newsquest) Council tax bills have been sent out for the new financial year, and some residents in Swindon have already received letters chasing them up. This has caused some concern with people who were intended to wait until pay day at the end of April being told that they had seven days to pay or risk legal action.
Council issues key bin collection information ahead of bank holiday

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

Bin days around the Swindon borough have moved forward by two working days (Image: Swindon Borough Council) Bank holidays over Easter will not interrupt bin and recycling collections. Residents with normal collection days of either their black bin rubbish or recycling, as well as food waste, on Good Friday or Easter Monday bank holidays should put their boxes, bags or bins out as normal.
Update on new American BBQ restaurant looking to open in former pub

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

2 1/1 A possible threat to the re-opening of a pub as a family-friendly restaurant has been averted at the 11th hour. The former Hungry Horse pub at the Brookhouse Farm in Middleleaze is being refurbished ahead of an anticipated opening as an American-themed barbecue restaurant called Hickory Smokehouse. The chain’s plans for the restaurant include such child and family-friendly facilities as a cinema room for children and a frozen custard machine.
Swindon developer gets go ahead for another storey on building

1 week ago | bbc.com | Aled Thomas

Aled ThomasLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceLocal Democracy Reporting ServiceA developer has been given the go-ahead to add yet another storey to an office block in Swindon. Brunel House Estate already had planning permission to convert the first and second floors of Brunel House into flats and add on an additional two storeys. It has now been given permission to extend the building upwards by another floor to accommodate a two-bedroom apartment.
Young parents smoking at alarmingly high level in Swindon

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

Young parents return to smoking at alarmingly high level Young parents returning to smoking within two years of the birth of their child is a concern to the public health team at Swindon Borough Council councillors have been told. Caroline Little, the head of the family health team at Euclid Street gave a briefing to members of the adults‘ and children’s overview and scrutiny committee about the nursing services provided by the council.
Fire-stricken nightclub building to be torn down and replaced

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

4 1/1 Property Developer Armada Holdings Ltd can go one better in its revamping of an empty building which held the bar and club Broadwalk in Swindon town centre. The company was given permission to knock down the commercial building, last used as a bar and club, at 32-34 Bridge Street and put up a five-storey building, with a mixed commercial and residential use in its place, last year.
Swindon Town given permission to put up statue of club legend

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

2 1/1 After a statue of Don Rogers was put up outside the County Ground, plans for a statue of another Swindon Town legend have been allowed to go ahead Fans of Swindon Town FC saw club legend John Trollope run out of the tunnel onto the pitch home and away, more than 800 times. Now that familiar image will be preserved for posterity and future generations to come, as the club's Community Foundation has been given the go-ahead by the local authority.
Barbers train to talk to men about mental health

1 week ago | yahoo.com | Aled Thomas

Aled Thomas - Local Democracy Reporting ServiceTue, April 15, 2025 at 5:24 AM UTC3 min readBarbers in a Wiltshire town will be trained to talk to customers about their wellbeing in a bid to improve men's mental health. Swindon Borough Council is asking barbers and men's hairdressers to sign up to its scheme. It will then provide basic training in how to talk to clients about their mental health as well as information on where they can get more support.
Scheme to visit every council tenant reveals significant problems

1 week ago | swindonadvertiser.co.uk | Aled Thomas

2 1/1 Housing officers from Swindon Borough Council knocking on the doors of its tenants are finding that doing so is allowing them to identify some significant problems and offer better help. By law, the council, as a social housing landlord should carry out a tenant audit every year. That’s a check to make sure that the people they link are living in a flat or house are actually living there, and to check they’re complying with the terms of their tenancy agreement.