Official Pontypridd Town

Welcome to the spiritual home of the Pontypridd Town web site and message board. Serving you with local news and free speech since 1998.

Fifteen years old and still giving you all the latest information about your local town. We are completely independent, uncensored, run by local people and non-political. Promote your business in our Business directory, tell us what you think about Pontypridd and post your events free on our message board.

Remember the biggest disease in Pontypridd is apathy, don't catch it and don't pass it on. If you want things to improve then do something about it. Write to or e-mail your MP, write to your AM, write to your local councillor, post a message on our popular forum and keep writing until things change or they do. If you have praise, a complaint or just want to find out more information, then why not get in touch with RCTCBC. We've got a few numbers below as well. Don't give up until we change Ponty for the better!

See below for a small selection of news, events, campaigns etc. but for daily news please visit our popular message board where many members of the community who care about our town and want to change it for the better air their views. Do you care? If you do, why not join them!

Raising Skinny Elephants

Ponty boy Dave Lewis has just published his seventh book, the sequel to his first novel, Ctrl-Alt-Delete.

Raising Skinny Elephants is the second book in the series.

Hal Griffiths is in Kenya taking photographs for National Geographic magazine, but cyber slayer Hagar is there too and wants revenge. As the grid begins to close around the serial killer there is another twist in the tail. From the bars of Nairobi to the shoreline of Lake Naivasha and the stunning vista of the Great Rift Valley Hal must once again fight for his life.

A first rate sequel to Ctrl-Alt-Delete. Fast action, graphic violence, black comedy and drug-crazed sex - what more could a reader want!

Praise for 'Ctrl-Alt-Delete'

'I couldn't put this bloody book down! I was hooked from the start.'
'A great thriller from David Lewis, gripping, scary stuff.'
'I highly recommend this novel, it's a fantastic read and completely unputdownable.'
'For anybody with a Facebook page this is a must read book.'
'Thundering good read.'
'A witty and intelligent read, with a helluva twist at the end.'

Welsh Poetry Competition

It's that time of year again folks. The international Welsh Poetry Competition 2013 now enters its 7th year. Dreamt up in Ponty, organised in Ponty, run in Ponty, we are still totally independent and do not get any funds from the arts council or Literature Wales.

We have a fantastic new judge - Eloise Williams and have increased the prize money this year. 1st prize is £400, 2nd Prize is £200 and 3rd Prize is £100. If you have what it takes to be a published poet then why not enter!
 

Ponty Paddling Pool

Ask anyone what Ponty needs (apart from a re-developed precinct, some more local shops, a road and a pavement, a regional rugby team, a sports centre, more police and less scum walking the streets) and you'll hear people say the same thing - 'a new swimming pool'.

So when RCT announced they would restore the old baths everyone was happy. Well, we were until we saw the plans! CADW not informed of the demolition of a listed building, the free paddling pool gone, McDonalds fast food brought in, gas boiler and no solar pumps etc. etc. and before you knew it we were well and truly shafted.

Thank Dawkins for local councillor Mike Powell, who decided to stand up for what the people want, i.e. to keep the free paddling pool as well as have a new heated pool. A recent referendum on the issue saw an overwhelming majority of 93% vote to keep the existing pool. RCT then said they took on board the views of local people, ignored them, and went ahead with their plans to demolish it. Find out more here.

They then secured lottery funding and EU money, and some from Cadw (who have now changed their mind regarding the development?) and it looks like we're getting an outdoor pool, great Eastern bloc design (apparently Warsaw ghetto chic is the new black) and the best news of all - it'll be open for 17 weeks of the year! Yes, strange that one. Most public swimming pools are open to the public they are intended to serve for 50 ish weeks a year...

Anyway, as with the new chewing gum covered, slippery (I feel a claim coming on) pavements (and don't they look lovely), time will tell whether this plan (some might call it an underhand way to get car parking in the Park, ruin the best feature of the town that's left, while they turn Talbot Green into the new county town) will benefit local residents.

Have your say here.

Ponty Boy Adventure

Ctrl-Alt-Delete by Dave Lewis is a scary book for anyone that uses Facebook, or spends too long online. If this book doesn't put Ponty, the valleys & Wales firmly on the international crime thriller map nothing will.

Now available as a paperback from Amazon, Waterstones and all good book stores and also in e-book format from Amazon as a download for kindle, PC, laptop, iPad, iPhone, Mac or Android platforms.

One reviewer said 'Could do for Wales what Stieg Larsson did for Sweden' which is one hell of a compliment! Another termed the book 'James Patterson for the Facebook generation'.

If you own a kindle or know someone else who has one then why not download this politically incorrect, but thoroughly entertaining book about modern valleys characters. You'll never look at the internet quite the same again. But don't take our word for it see what Amazon reviewers have been saying too.

Turning Japanese?

Haiku is a new collection of poetry, riding high in the Amazon kindle charts.

Available as a paperback direct from the author it is also available on Amazon, Waterstones and all other good book stores as well as in e-book format as a download for kindle, PC, laptop, iPad, iPhone, Mac or Android platforms.

Famous poet Moira Andrew said 'Dave Lewis is a unique voice in the poetry world. His new collection is filled with a range of vivid, often quirky, word pictures. He is adept at making every word count'.

Valleys Rugby

Well, you can't say we didn't try. Ponty MP Owen Smith, ex-Welsh captain Mike Owen, ex-Wales wing Adrian Hadley and others, as part of Valleys Rugby, have been trying to get the backward thinking, Cardiff-centric, M4 corridor WRUin to allow the best rugby producing area in the country to have the region they deserve. But, alas the brain dead donkeys down at the little city have said no, probably as they see us as a threat to their cushy little numbers and all-expenses paid holidays to the rugby stadiums of the world. Shame, but never mind, we'll just keep winning the Welsh Premiership and Welsh Cup every year instead. Find out more - click here.

Rumour that the WRUin may be looking to completely kill off Welsh rugby by going down to three regions and thus diluting the number of top Welsh players actually playing each week. Oh dear! We all know we need five or six regions / clubs to be competitive. Ireland have four, Scotland have two - work it out you bunch of brain dead donkeys!

Meanwhile, why not read the new Lynn Howells book for some shocking truths - click here.

Positively Ponty

Positively Ponty - promoting Pontypridd's heritage, culture, art, literature, music, economy, crafts, tourism, and its people's health, education and social well-being. To find out more and get involved please visit their Facebook page or our message board for details of their latest events.

Useful numbers / web sites

RCT General Enquiries - 01443 424000 | Council Tax / Benefits - 01443 681081
Ynysangharad Park - 01443 404699 | Street Care / Environmental Services - 01443 494700
Education - 01443 744000 | Events - 01443 424123

Bulk Waste Collection | Renew Library Books
Our Neighbourhood | RCT Jobs | Freedom of Information
Report a Problem | Bulky Item | Tell Council

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