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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 8d

A cross-party scrutiny committee voted to "call in" a proposed 18-month trial of new traffic rules in Bridgend town centre. The proposal will now be reconsidered by BCBC's Cabinet #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/10/town...

Town centre traffic order sent back to Cabinet

Cross-party support sees "experimental" traffic order sent back for a re-think.

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 8d

Data centre campus at former Ford engine plant approved #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/10/data...

Data centre campus at former Ford engine plant approved

American IT company, Vantage, could build up to 10 data centres over the next 15 years.

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

Bonus: What military threats does Wales need defending from?

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

What military threats does Wales need defending from?

Image Source: Navy Outlook under Open Government Licence/Crown Copyright This site is best viewed in landscape mode on smartphones. ×

stateofwales.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

The question of Welsh NATO membership will be returned to next month. One of the principles of NATO is nuclear deterrence, so for now.... #IndyWales #Annibyniaeth

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

What would EU membership mean for Welsh defence policy? #Wales #Cymru #IndyWales

stateofwales.com/2025/09/if-a...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

Probably the first one of any real interest: hypothetically, how much would an independent Wales realistically spend on defence each year? (No military/pacifist option will be looked at separately in Oct). #IndyWales #Wales

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

What mission statement would a Welsh military have? #IndyWales #Annibyniaeth

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 14d

Following on from foreign policy, State of Wales moves onto defence. Firstly, what would Wales need to consider when drafting a defence strategy/policy? #Wales #IndyWales #Annibyniaeth

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 18d

Council set to lobby for developers to face “real consequences” for failing to meet obligations #Bridgend #Planning

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/coun...

Council set to lobby for developers to face "real consequences" for failing to meet obligations

Proposed motion suggested a register of "rogue developers" in line with rogue landlords and tradespeople.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 18d

Opposition councillors push for town centre traffic reintroduction following “unofficial trial” #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/oppo...

Opposition councillors push for town centre traffic reintroduction following "unofficial trial"

Six-monthly town council survey reveals 19% of Bridgend's town centre shops are empty.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 18d

Council Leader rules out legal action over river & beach pollution, but praises work of volunteers to remove tons of rubbish from the River Ogmore and Porthcawl's beaches. #Bridgend #Porthcawl

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/coun...

Council Leader rules out legal action over river & beach pollution

Opposition councillor wants assurances from Welsh Water that local sewerage infrastructure can cope with demand.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 22d

Llanmoor Homes has submitted an application for a new housing development between Bryntirion and Laleston. The land was included in Bridgend's Local Development Plan and could see up to 850 homes and a primary school built. #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/plan...

Planning application submitted for key development site to the west of Bridgend

Llanmoor Homes seeks permission for first phase of 382 houses on LDP land between Bryntirion and Laleston.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 22d

BCBC's Cabinet is to weigh up “experimental” Bridgend town centre traffic rules. The proposal includes extended unloading/loading hours, more blue badge parking spaces and allowing cycling in pedestrianised areas. #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/bcbc...

BCBC Cabinet to weigh up "experimental" town centre traffic rules

18-month traffic order set to increase loading times, allow cycling in pedestrianised areas and increase blue badge spaces.

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 22d

Bridgend Council's Cabinet is set to discuss new Supplementary Planning Guidance for Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). #Bridgend #Housing

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/coun...

Council publishes new draft planning guidance for HMOs

The guidance sets out how BCBC's HMOs policy should be interpreted and applied by developers seeking planning permission.

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · 22d

Latest round of inspections sees two schools removed from review list #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/09/late...

Latest round of inspections sees two schools removed from review list

In total, 11 schools received a visit from Estyn during the period.

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Sep 2

Attention will now turn to defence, but all foreign policy questions answered so far are available here. #IndyWales #Annibyniaeth

stateofwales.com/independence...

State of Wales: Independence Index

A comprehensive look at the options, challenges and opportunities of Welsh independence.

stateofwales.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Sep 2

Finally, how would we know if Welsh aid was making a difference?

TL;DR Audit Wales (probably) and OECD evaluation guidelines, though the UK has an independent aid commission.

stateofwales.com/2025/09/how-...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Sep 2

What impact would independence have on current UK and Welsh aid projects? Would a transition arrangement need to be in place? #IndyWales #Wales

stateofwales.com/2025/09/how-...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Sep 2

Probably the one you want: estimates of how big an independent Welsh international development budget could be. #IndyWales #Annibyniaeth

The UK Government is currently set to cut UK aid from 0.5% of Gross National Income to 0.3% by 2027.

stateofwales.com/2025/09/how-...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Sep 2

The next set of State of Wales posts (and the final set of foreign policy posts for now) looks at international development.

What kind of foreign aid policy would an independent Wales have? #IndyWales #Cymru #Annibyniaeth

stateofwales.com/2025/09/what...

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Aug 22

Tondu mini-bypass delay rests on new traffic assessment #Tondu #Maesteg #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/08/tond...

Tondu mini-bypass delay rests on new traffic assessment

A 5-day traffic survey will be undertaken in September, after Planning Committee decides that one day's worth of data isn't good enough.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Aug 22

Updated plans have been submitted for an apartment complex at Sunnyside House in Bridgend town centre, as well as a new Aldi supermarket in Brackla. #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/08/revi...

Revised apartment and supermarket plans submitted

An update concerning the Sunnyside House and Brackla Aldi developments.

oggybloggyogwr.com

Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Aug 22

Welsh Government “should never have funded” failed Porthcawl Maritime Centre #Porthcawl #Bridgend

oggybloggyogwr.com/2025/08/wels...

Welsh Government "should never have funded" failed Porthcawl Maritime Centre

Government agencies failed to keep tabs on spending towards the project which was "high risk from the outset".

oggybloggyogwr.com

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Aug 13

Shocked and saddened at the news of Hefin David's death. He was one of the few MSs to have taken a keen interest in my previous work at Senedd Home and I'll always be grateful for that. I met him only once and he came across as a really thoughtful guy who wanted to make a difference.

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Owen Donovan @oggybloggyogwr.bsky.social · Aug 1

There's been talk of doing so for years.

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