News

Controversial Fracking spreads UK wide

Published

12 years ago

September 9, 2014

$fracking$ GOVERNMENT legislation early last month decided to push ahead with fracking plans throughout the UK, despite overwhelming opposition. Many areas of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be affected by these changes. Fracking, also known as hydraulic fracking, is the process of drilling down into the earth with hydraulics, before forcing a mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the rock at a high pressure, thereby releasing the gas inside.

Fracking is viewed as important because it allows the country access to natural gasses, which are generally sparse and, from the UK’s perspective, require reliance on other nations to provide. The process of fracking is performed on a large scale and is designed to help the country become more self-sufficient; however fracking is not without its issues and controversies. There is a slew of environmental and potential health issues linked with fracking.

The process uses huge amounts of water that must be transported to the sites at huge environmental cost. Additionally there is also the worrying problem of toxic chemicals that are used contaminating the water at the site, which will then spread further afield and affect the population of surrounding towns and cities. Furthermore the process of fracking has been known to cause minor earthquakes, such as the one that hit Blackpool in 2011.

These are some of the primary concerns championed by anti-fracking factions across the UK, however, recently the UK government in its infinite wisdom decided to implement fracking UK wide, which means Wales will also be affected. Indeed, more than half of the Welsh population could find themselves affected by the decision to utilize shale gas drilling in the country.

There have been efforts to prevent fracking from taking place in certain of the country’s areas of natural beauty, and The National Trust has called for a ban on shale gas fracking in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, including the county’s own Pembrokeshire National Park. However, it appears ministers have decreed that fracking will be allowed in national parks across the UK under “exceptional circumstances”, which presumably means if there is an abundance of shale gas beneath them. Another issue surrounding the UK fracking influx is the fact that it is yet to produce public benefit as expected.

Attempts to follow in the footsteps of our trans-Atlantic cousins have yet to yield the kind of results that people were hoping for. Instead of using this as a cautionary tale and writing the process off as an experiment that seemed like a good idea but was flawed in theory, the government, undeterred, is pushing through even more forcefully now. Perhaps this is an attempt to save face, or perhaps the powers-that-be think that if they cast their nets far and wide they’re bound to catch a lot of fish. On a more practical level, the main problem with fracking from a national perspective is surely that once again the government is overlooking the importance of investment in renewable energy, instead choosing to focus its efforts and reliance on fossil fuels.

Business

Plaid energy policy challenged by Labour after Adam Price interview

Published

12 hours ago

May 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LABOUR SAYS MINISTERS MUST EXPLAIN COST AND TIMETABLE FOR PYLON PLANS

PLAID CYMRU’S approach to energy infrastructure has come under scrutiny after Energy Minister Adam Price was challenged over plans to reduce the use of overhead pylons in Wales.

Mr Price defended the Welsh Government’s position during an appearance on BBC Radio Wales’ Sunday Supplement, arguing that communities must have greater confidence in how major grid projects are handled.

Plaid Cymru has pledged to give communities a stronger voice over energy developments and to look more closely at alternatives to overhead transmission lines, including underground cabling where possible.

The issue has become increasingly sensitive in rural parts of Wales, where proposed pylon routes linked to renewable energy schemes have raised concerns about landscape impact, tourism and local consultation.

However, Welsh Labour said the minister had failed to explain when any restriction on pylons would take effect, or who would pay the additional cost of placing cables underground.

A Welsh Labour spokesperson said: “Adam Price keeps saying how clear their manifesto was and yet he won’t say when they’re banning pylons. They won’t say who is paying for the extra cost of undergrounding cables.

“Without certainty, companies won’t invest. That’s thousands of clean, green energy jobs at risk. Plaid need more than a plan to have a plan.”

Labour said the Welsh Government must now set out how its policy would work in practice, including whether it amounts to an outright ban, what exemptions would apply, and how any extra costs would be funded.

The debate highlights the challenge facing ministers as Wales seeks to expand renewable energy generation while addressing public opposition to large-scale grid infrastructure.

Community

Pembroke Fair praised as well-organised community event

Published

12 hours ago

May 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HORSES, STALLS AND FAMILY CROWDS RETURN TO MONKTON

FAMILIES, horse owners and visitors turned out in force for Pembroke Fair on Saturday (May 23), with many praising the event as one of the best organised in recent years.

Held at the Community Centre Field in Monkton, the annual fair brought together horse owners, traders and local families for a traditional day centred around horses, ponies, stalls and socialising.

Coloured cobs, heavy horses, ponies and horse-drawn traps attracted attention throughout the day, with many visitors gathering around the field to watch the animals being shown and led around the site.

A variety of stalls selling everything from clothing and ornaments to tack and second-hand goods helped create a lively market atmosphere, while food vendors kept visitors fed throughout the day.

Despite overcast conditions at times, the event remained busy, with many attendees staying for several hours to enjoy the traditional fair atmosphere.

Community members later took to social media to praise the smooth running of the event, with several publicly thanking organiser Charlie Price for his efforts in bringing the fair together.

Comments described the day as “well organised” and praised the welcoming atmosphere, with many saying it was encouraging to see a long-standing local tradition continuing to thrive.

The fair once again brought together members of the travelling community, local residents and horse enthusiasts from across west Wales.

A horse drive was also due to take place on Sunday (May 24), continuing the weekend’s celebrations.

Photo captions:

Traditional gathering: Horses, ponies, horse-drawn carts and market stalls drew crowds to Pembroke Fair in Monkton on Saturday (Pic: Herald).

News

Watchdog criticises health board over £10m GP contract checks

Published

2 days ago

May 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HEALTH board has been criticised by Audit Wales after GP contracts worth more than £10m were awarded without sufficient due diligence checks.

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board allowed a GP partnership associated with eHarley Street Primary Care Solutions to take on eight GP contracts in south-east Wales, with a combined annual value of around £10.1m.

Audit Wales said the board should have carried out greater scrutiny before approving the arrangements, including checks on financial resilience, workforce plans, business risks and the partnership’s ability to manage several practices at once.

However, the watchdog found no evidence of fraud and noted the board was dealing with significant pressure in general practice, including vacant contracts and limited interest from other bidders.

The report said weaknesses in governance and scrutiny contributed to later disruption and uncertainty for patients and staff when problems emerged.

Concerns included financial and workforce pressures, unpaid invoices, and issues relating to tax and pension payments. Some contracts were later handed back, requiring the health board to step in to protect services.

Natasha Asghar MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Minister for Health and Social Care, said the findings were “deeply concerning”.

She said: “Patients and staff were left facing disruption and uncertainty because proper scrutiny was not carried out before these contracts were awarded.

“The Welsh Conservatives believe lessons must be learned to ensure robust checks are in place, protect frontline services and restore confidence in primary care across Wales.”

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board accepted the recommendations and said it had already strengthened its processes.

Audit Wales said the case highlighted the need for stronger checks before GP contracts are transferred, particularly when a single partnership is taking on multiple practices in a short period.