Wales - Cymru

More than 60 young people in Flintshire have achieved outstanding success in the recent Associated Board of the Royal School of Music instrument and vocal exams.

Flintshire Music Service holds its own ABRSM exam centre in Mold, during February and June, for pupils taught by the Music Service staff across all Flintshire Primary and Secondary Schools.

Lessons are provided on the full range of orchestral instruments; including brass, woodwind, strings, harp and percussion together with voice and guitar.

Conwy Council has launched its new online payment system, which will make it possible to pay for a variety of Council services at any time of the day or night.

The new secure online payment service is fully bilingual and accepts payments byall major Debit & Credit Cards (except American Express).

Using this new system, customers make their payments direct to the Council - previously web payments were made through a third party - and as a result this new system will be quicker, more cost effective for the Council and will offer customers more choice on what services they can pay for and how they pay.

Four Bridgend County Borough schools have won awards at the prestigious Keep Wales Tidy Eco Schools Awards.

Scooping the prize for Top Secondary School, Ogmore Comprehensive were nominated for the excellent work carried out by the eco committee, including maintaining fair-trade links with a school in Ghana and involvement in a European energy project. This is the second time Ogmore have won the prize for top secondary school and were also awarded runner-up on another occasion.