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The Update: 04 July 2025
Here is your Friday update, covering:
- Former office building make-over delivers new Cardiff Bay council homes
- Cardiff's New Electric Bike Hire Scheme to Launch in Early 2026 — Safer, Smarter, and No Cost to the Council
- Cardiff pupils help create a striking legacy as Women's EURO 2025 mural unveiled
- Young Voices lead the way in Cardiff's Democracy Ambassadors Programme
Former office building make-over delivers new Cardiff Bay council homes
The first batch of 78 new high-quality council apartments in a former office block in Cardiff Bay is ready to welcome new tenants.
Thirty-three new homes in the former Scott Harbour office building have been handed over to Cardiff Council this week, as the building undergoes a major transformation to help boost the supply of affordable homes in the capital.
The Council acquired the building from property developer Rightacres last year as part of its response to the challenges created by an insufficient supply of council homes in the city, combined with unprecedented numbers of individuals and families requiring housing and homelessness support.
The Council's investment represents an innovative solution to these pressures, delivering much-needed permanent homes significantly faster than through traditional construction methods, while the authority's well-established house-building programme - the largest of its kind in Wales—delivers new homes to help meet demand across the city.
Cardiff's New Electric Bike Hire Scheme to Launch in Early 2026 — Safer, Smarter, and No Cost to the Council
Cardiff Council has confirmed plans to launch a new electric cycle hire scheme - offering residents and visitors a cleaner, safer and more reliable way to get around the city.
The scheme will be fully funded and operated by a private company, with the Council only covering the cost of installing painted parking bays. This means the scheme will come at no cost to the Council for day-to-day running.
The new scheme follows the success — and challenges — of the previous Nextbike programme, which saw over 2 million rides between 2018 and 2023. That scheme was eventually suspended due to high levels of vandalism and theft.
This time, all bikes will be electric. E-bikes are more robust, less likely to be vandalised, and require less maintenance. They will also be equipped with GPS tracking to help recover bikes if they are moved or stolen while not in use.
Cardiff pupils help create a striking legacy as Women's EURO 2025 mural unveiled
Pupils from three Cardiff schools have helped create a bold new mural in Splott Park, celebrating women in sport and Wales' forthcoming EURO 2025 campaign.
The huge painting of Cardiff-born, Wales football legend, Jess Fishlock has been commissioned by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Wales Arts International ahead of the tournament kicking off in Switzerland on July 2nd2025.
Baden Powell Primary School, Moorland Primary School and Willows High have played a central role in the project, working with artists in a series of workshops that explored themes of identity, community and sport.
The sessions, supported by Cardiff's Curriculum Team, gave pupils the chance to design and even help paint the mural alongside local artists Yusuf and Shawqi from Unify Creative. The pupils' individual artworks will also be featured in a wider community exhibition.
Young Voices lead the way in Cardiff's Democracy Ambassadors Programme
Pupils from four Cardiff schools - Cantonian High School, Cardiff High School, Cathays High School, and Ysgol Bro Edern, have taken part in a school trip as part of Cardiff's Democracy Ambassadors Programme, gaining first-hand experience of how local democracy works in Wales.
Part-funded by the Welsh Government and delivered in collaboration with the Senedd Education Team, the event offered students a unique opportunity to visit both County Hall and the Senedd. The programme is part of Cardiff Council's ongoing commitment to promoting civic engagement among young people.
During the visit, pupils received political awareness training, learned about the functions of the Senedd, and participated in a mock election where they voted overwhelmingly in favour of expanding the Democracy Ambassadors Programme to all schools.
They also explored how Cardiff Council operates, including how decisions are made and how the Council ensures accountability, transparency, and active engagement. Pupils prepared and delivered speeches on issues important to them in a mock council meeting chaired by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff.
