Politics

HS2 funding – will Wales get a share?

Published

10 years ago

December 23, 2015

Carwyn Jones: Wales will receive HS2 consequentials

PLAID CYMRU has accused the Welsh Government of ‘doing nothing’ for three years to secure a share of funding for Wales from the HS2 rail project. However, the Welsh Government has claimed that this is ‘nonsense’ and that Wales will receive hundreds of millions of pounds as a direct result of HS2 spending. Plaid Cymru’s Westminster Treasury spokesman Jonathan Edwards wrote to the first ministers of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland asking them to consider opposing the project if the devolved nations did not receive financial compensation. In his letter of response on June 2, First Minister Carwyn Jones said the Welsh Government had “made representations to the UK Treasury previously about High Speed Rail funding.”
The First Minister concluded that his government would ‘continue to press Wales’ case on this issue of High Speed Rail… aiming to ensure that all parts of the UK receive full consequentials arising from decisions about High Speed Rail.” However, Mr Edwards claims that, following a series of Parliamentary questions and an FoI request, it has been revealed that the Welsh Government has made no formal representations to any UK Government Minister or Department on the matter in the last three years.
In response to one question, asked in Parliament in October, Robert Goodwill MP said that ‘Ministers have not received representations from the Welsh Government regarding HS2 and Barnett consequentials.’ Following a written question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which Mr Edwards asked what representations had been received from the Welsh Government concerning Barnett consequential from HS2, he received the reply that ‘Treasury Ministers are in regular contact with Welsh Government Ministers on a variety of matters.’
Jonathan Edwards said: “In the Assembly chamber, on television interviews and in newspaper articles Labour elected members and spokespeople from Wales are misleading the public on their support for our nation getting a fair share of this enormous rail investment project in England.
“It’s bad enough that Labour MPs from Wales supported the project despite being fully aware that it will suck hundreds of millions of pounds out of the Welsh economy each and every year. Now, however, the First Minister and his party have been exposed as having done nothing to back up their rhetoric. Indeed, I would say that the First Minister, including in his letter to me, has tried to pull the wool over our eyes.
“With every week that passes more and more people recognise that there will be a huge injustice unless Wales has full fairness from HS2. It was growing public pressure that saw the Labour Party u-turn in the first place. But just like so many other occasions, the Welsh Government will play to the gallery but never follow through with actions. “The reality is that the Labour party supports HS2 and the Welsh branch office will always put the interests of the Labour party before the interests of Wales.”
In Parliament this week the Secretary of State for Transport said Wales would benefit from the high speed rail project, but avoided answering the direct question from Mr Edwards who wanted to know why Wales was being unfairly treated in relation to HS2 expenditure. Mr Edwards asked the Transport Secretary: “Given that, unlike Network Rail, HS2 Ltd is not devolved to any part of the United Kingdom, will the Secretary of State explain why the statement of funding policy for the devolved institutions, which was published along with last week’s comprehensive spending review, provides for a 100% Barnett consequential from HS2 to Scotland and Northern Ireland, and one of 0% to Wales?”
The Transport Secretary said “I believe that Wales will benefit from what I have announced today, because it will be very important to the north Wales economy.” Speaking after his question, Mr Edwards said: “The way HS2 has been handled stinks to high heaven. An independent report says the Welsh economy will lose over £200million a year yet Labour and Tory politicians are blissfully content to see a generation’s worth of transport investment swallowed up, with our nation paying for transport improvements in English cities, and then have the audacity to tell us we should be grateful.
“As has been shown, the First Minister, his government and Labour party in Wales have done nothing more to secure funds from HS2 than issue a press release over three years ago. “The people of Wales deserve a government that will always act in the Welsh national interest as opposed to the interests of their London bosses.”
However, a spokesman for First Minister Carwyn Jones rejected these claims: “Plaid Cymru have fallen asleep on this issue – they are way behind the curve,” he claimed. “Their propensity for getting things wrong on funding just shows they can’t be trusted with the Welsh economy. “These particular claims are, again, nonsense. “Welsh Ministers have made representations to the UK Government to ensure Wales gets its fair share of additional funding as a result of HS2.
“As a result, Wales will receive a Barnett consequential of more than £755m over the next five years because of increased UK Department for Transport budgets, a consequence of the investment being made in HS2. “However, we have long been of the view that the Barnett Formula itself does Wales no favours and have repeatedly called for fair funding. “We welcome the UK Government’s commitment to a ‘funding floor’ to deliver fair funding for Wales as part of the Spending Review, and await the details.”

Business

Redevelopment plans at Clunderwen dairy farm approved

Published

6 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for new livestock buildings at a Pembrokeshire dairy farm, aimed at “improved animal husbandry” will not lead to an increase in herd size, councillors heard.

In an application recommended for approval at the February meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Mr Roblin of Clynderwen Farm, Clunderwen, sought permission for two livestock building at the 210-hectare dairy farm of 280 cows and 235 head of young stock.

A report for members said each livestock accommodation building would have a length of 77 m, a width of 33m, an eaves height of 3.6m and a ridge height of 8.9m.

Both buildings would be parallel to each other and would cover a footprint of 5,082sqm (2,541sqm each). The proposal includes a total of 308 cubicles, loafing and feed areas, with a central feed passage in the middle.

It said the buildings at the site, some 200 metres from the nearby Redhill school and just over a kilometre from Clunderwen, would sit a little lower than those already on site, and the proposals would not lead to any increase in herd size.

Speaking at the meeting, agent Gethin Beynon said the scheme would lead to “improved animal husbandry to serve the existing milking herd and to support the next farming generation”.

He told members the application was accompanied by environmental enhancements and screening, with no objections from members of the public or any statutory bodies.

Mr Beynon went on to say the herd was currently housed in historic farm site buildings that “fall short of current standards,” with a farm move towards Holstein cattle which need more space.

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“It will improve animal husbandry and efficiencies in what is currently a challenging market,” he concluded.

Approval was moved by Cllr Alan Dennison, seconded by Cllr Brian Hall, and unanimously backed by committee members.

Community

Pembrokeshire Hakin council ward seat election in March

Published

6 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A BYELECTION for a Pembrokeshire county council ward vacant following the death of “fearless campaigner for truth and justice” Cllr Mike Stoddart is to take place next month.

Cllr Mike Stoddart, who passed away last month, represented Milford Haven’s Hakin ward, and had been a county councillor for more than two decades, having first been elected in 2004, with wife Vivien and daughter Tessa Hodgson also having county seats, Hubberston and Lamphey respectively, with Tessa also serving as Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care.

Cllr Stoddart, who passed away on January 4, was well-known as an outspoken councillor, critical of failings and injustices, as he had been when he set up the Milford Mercury newspaper with his family before he became a councillor.

In later years, Cllr Stoddart also held an often-critical mirror to council and councillor activities through his popular Old Grumpy website.

Paying tribute to Cllr Stoddart, Pembrokeshire County Council Leader, Cllr Jon Harvey, had said: “Mike was the prime example of what someone in local politics should be – working for and demanding better for his constituents.

“Mike was unashamedly forthright. He would argue his corner with conviction and always with facts on his side.

“He has kept me and many predecessors as leader firmly on our toes. The chamber and Pembrokeshire as a whole will be much poorer for his loss.”

Cllr Jacob Williams, a friend and fellow blogger, said Cllr Stoddart had left “a formidable legacy”.

“I was first elected to the council with Mike in 2012, and he’s been an enormous part of my life ever since. To say he was my mentor wouldn’t do him justice – I couldn’t have wished for a better friend, and I’ll miss him dearly.”

If the Hakin seat is contested an election will take place on March 17; nomination papers should be delivered to the returning officer at County Hall, Haverfordwest no later than 4pm on February 18.

Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on February 27.

The election for the Hakin ward follows a recent byelection for the Fishguard North-East ward following the death of Cllr Jordan Ryan.

That election, held on February 10, saw a seven-way fight for the seat, with Plaid Cymru candidate Billy Shaw winning.

The results for that seat were: Caleb Charles Churchill, Welsh Liberal Democrats, 135; Paul Stephen Howe, Welsh Labour, 83; Peter Martin John, Reform UK, 95; Brian Andrew Murphy, Welsh Conservative Party, 69; Teresa Ruth Tannahill, Independent, 79; Adrian John Adrian Tyrrell, Independent, 35; and William Cuthbert Linton Shaw, Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales 253.

Farming

Housing restriction at Hayscastle farm site removed

Published

13 hours ago

February 13, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to remove an agriculture condition imposed back in 1989 on a Pembrokeshire farm site which is said to be “economically unviable” as a farm has been given the go-ahead.

In an application recommended for approval at the February meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Rosalyn Jayne Evans sought permission for the removal of an agricultural worker-only condition for residence at Upper Hayscastle Farm, Hayscastle, near Haverfordwest.

The original condition was imposed as part of a 1989-approved planning application.

A report for members said the land, some 26.3 hectares,” is, following independent valuation, not considered to be an ‘economically viable unit in its own right’.”

“The report author contends this was also likely to have been the case at the time when [the 1988 scheme] was originally granted as no housing for livestock, crop or slurry storage was provided as part of the original consent or since the approval.

“The report also states that whilst the land is productive for uses such as grazing and crops, the lack of building(s) would restrict the economic viability of Dolfach as a separate agricultural holding.

“If investment were to now be made at the holding in relation to dairy or beef farming, the report contends that this would be economically unviable, due to the holding at Dolfach being unable to support a sufficient number of animals to produce the financial return required to sustain the business. The report also highlights that building(s) for livestock would be essential in relation to the prevalence of Bovine TB in the locality.”

It added: “It is considered that the information provided by JJ Morris is sufficient to indicate that the scale of the land holding and the lack of infrastructure would make a farming enterprise at the site an economically unviable proposition.”

It recommended “the existing Section 52 agreement be discharged to remove the requirement for the dwelling to be tied to the land in agriculture at Upper Hayscastle Farm and for the dwelling to be occupied by a person solely or mainly employed before retirement in agriculture”.

The recommendation of approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously backed by committee members.