An Electoral Commission analysis of local authority electoral registers, published on 1 December 2014, has found that at that point, there were 82,043 fewer entries than in February / March that year across Wales, a reduction of around 4%. The popularity of the new online registration system continues to remain high with user satisfaction of over 90% across England and Wales. However, the report identifies problems with the electoral management systems used by electoral administrators to share information about their…

Half of UK adults claim to have a great credit history – but have never checked their credit report so may be overestimating their creditworthiness Many misunderstand the factors that do and don’t affect credit ratings   London, UK. 27 February 2015: One in two UK adults (47%) is an “IOU Ostrich” –  believing themselves to have a strong credit history, but burying their head in the sand when it comes to understanding the reality, running a real risk of…

THE NATIONAL DIVERSITY AWARDS NOMINATIONS Nominate your own diversity role models, community organisation and entrepreneur at the UK’s BIGGEST and BEST diversity awards celebration  The National Diversity Awards in association with Microsoft is a celebration of the outstanding achievements of positive role models and community organisations across the UK. A collection of some of the nation’s most inspirational and selfless people gather annually to recognise the country’s rich tapestry of talent. The prestigious black tie event showcases the extraordinary work of those who…

Pupils who cycled, walked or scooted into Whitchurch Primary School in Cardiff North this morning were rewarded with a free breakfast, as part of their efforts to win a national competition.   Cheering on the efforts of pupils, parents and staff in the Big Pedal was local Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan.  Over 50 breakfasts were served on the day – including fruit smoothies made using the school’s own bicycle smoothie maker.   The school is encouraging its pupils to…

London, UK, 4th March, 2015 – 123-reg, the UK’s largest domain registrar, is today announcing the general availability of the .wales and .cymru domain name extensions. The launch of the domains will support Welsh businesses in digitally identifying their nationality and increasing relevancy for local customers. Purchasing a geographic domain is a way to cement your business in a local target market. These domains, such as .wales and .cymru, can provide businesses and entrepreneurs with the chance to diversify by…

A Welsh entrepreneur has been appointed as Wales’s newest Honorary Consul in a ceremony hosted by the Mexican President, who is in the UK as part of a state visit.   Glynn Pegler, from Rudry, Caerphilly, who founded the Culture Group of companies when he was just 15, is among the UK’s youngest Honorary Consuls, and the first for Mexico to be based in Wales. He was selected for the appointment  because of his strong track record in overseas trade…

The St. David’s Hotel and Spa is the first hotel in Wales’s capital city to have been awarded a prestigious Green Tourism Gold award – the highest national sustainability standard measured by the not for profit organisation Green Tourism. The St. David’s Hotel and Spa in Cardiff Bay was awarded the gold standard following a rigorous assessment process which evaluated water and energy efficiency, waste management, communication, transport and purchasing. The Hotel established a green committee made up of staff…

 As a follower of European politics, it seems both the effects and consequences of austerity on the personal lives of the ordinary person cannot be underestimated. Inevitably, it is those who are most vulnerable within our societies who are affected by change the most. What events in Greece also show is the collective power of individual voices to challenge this. In the UK, though the extent of austerity is not as severe as in some other Euro countries, services here…

Lloyds Bank branches across Wales will tomorrow begin a weekend of celebrations to commemorate St David’s Day.  From Friday 27th February to Monday 2nd March, colleagues in 104 branches across Wales will be putting on a full programme of activities to welcome in St David’s day, whilst raising money for BBC Children in Need. Over the weekend, branches will be fitted with the traditional St David’s day decorations of daffodils and flags, whilst colleagues will also add red to their…

 Responding to news from the Family and Childcare Trust that nursery costs in Wales have risen 40% since 2010, Julian Foster, Managing Director of Computershare Voucher Services, said: “Childcare costs are a major barrier to work for far too many parents. “Employers could do more to help parents by making flexible working opportunities a reality for employees at all levels. “There is still time for employers to set up their own childcare voucher scheme to help parents with childcare costs…