News

Senedd approves Welsh budget after Labour–Plaid deal

Published

3 months ago

January 28, 2026

Extra cash for councils and NHS secures passage, but education leaders say Wales’ schools remain in ‘damage control’

THE SENEDD has approved the Welsh Government’s £27.5bn budget for 2026 after Welsh Labour struck a deal with Plaid Cymru, unlocking extra funding for local authorities, the health service and future infrastructure projects.

The final spending plans were passed on Tuesday evening (Jan 27) following a fractious debate in Cardiff Bay, with Labour ministers dependent on Plaid Cymru support after the party was left two seats short of an overall majority following the Caerphilly by-election last autumn.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said the budget would deliver “security and stability” for public services, while opposition parties and education leaders warned that the settlement falls short of what is needed to protect schools and other frontline services.

Minority government arithmetic

Labour’s minority position transformed the budget process this year, forcing ministers into negotiations with opposition parties to avoid automatic cuts that would have followed a failure to pass spending plans.

Although talks were held with the Welsh Conservatives, it was Plaid Cymru that agreed to allow the budget to pass, with a deal reached shortly before the Christmas recess.

That agreement delivered additional funding for councils and the NHS, alongside £120m earmarked for future capital investment. The one-off infrastructure pot—described by one source at the time as a “golden egg”—will be available to the next Welsh Government to spend on new buildings, roads and other projects after the Senedd election in May.

The final budget marked an improvement on the Welsh Government’s original autumn proposals, which had prompted warnings of potential cuts to councils and health services. Drakeford had indicated he was prepared to find extra funding for both, a commitment that materialised once the deal was secured.

‘Security and stability’

Addressing the Senedd, Drakeford said the budget reflected the priorities of a progressive Labour administration.

“It provides security and stability for our public services, those who work in them, and even more so for those who rely upon them,” he told Members.

Plaid Cymru’s finance spokesperson Heledd Fychan said her party’s decision to support the budget was about preventing immediate harm, rather than endorsing Labour’s wider record. She said Plaid would bring forward its own budget within the first 100 days of the next Senedd term should it form the next Welsh Government.

Schools ‘in damage control’

However, education leaders warned that the settlement fails to confront what they describe as a deepening crisis in school funding.

Commenting after the vote, Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, said schools across Wales were already facing “desperate” financial pressures.

She warned that for many schools, even substantial cuts to staffing or resources would not be enough to prevent deficits, with an inevitable impact on pupils’ learning.

While welcoming the additional £113m agreed for councils following lobbying by unions and the Labour–Plaid deal, she said the figure still fell short of the scale of the problem.

The Welsh Local Government Association has predicted a £137m shortfall in school budgets next year, meaning that even if all the extra council funding were passed directly to schools, a significant gap would remain.

Doel said it was now vital that local authorities listened to school leaders and ensured the extra funding reached classrooms, describing the situation as “damage control” rather than genuine recovery. She also urged all political parties to address school funding head-on in their manifestos ahead of the Senedd election.

Opposition attacks

The Welsh Conservatives criticised the budget for failing to include tax cuts. Conservative MS Sam Rowlands argued that a one-penny cut to the basic rate of income tax would have saved families nearly £500 a year.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats also declined to back the budget, but chose to abstain. Party leader Jane Dodds said voting down the plans would have triggered damaging cuts to essential services, while warning that the budget missed an opportunity to set out a clear long-term plan to save the NHS.

Reform UK’s Laura Anne Jones was more scathing, branding the package “a zombie retirement budget from a dead-in-the-water government” and arguing that inflation and pay pressures would swallow much of the headline increase.

Vote ahead of election

The budget passed with 25 Members voting in favour, 13 against and 14 abstentions, highlighting the finely balanced politics of the current Senedd as Wales heads towards a May election.

With spending plans now agreed, scrutiny is expected to focus on how the additional funding is distributed on the ground—particularly whether councils channel extra resources into schools—as parties set out competing visions for the future of Welsh public services.

Local Government

Three-way contest as council leader steps down

Published

12 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Jon Coles

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is set for a three-way contest after council leader Jon Harvey confirmed he will not seek re-election when councillors vote to choose their next leader.

Cllr Harvey has led the council since his predecessor, Cllr David Simpson, stepped down in May 2024 after seven years in the post.

Independent Group councillor Anji Tinley announced her decision to contest the council leadership on April 24. However, she will not be the only contender to lead the authority. Conservative Group leader Di Clements and current Cabinet member Tessa Hodgson will also contest the election.

THE FINE BALANCE OF POWER

The vote could be very close.

The Conservatives have eleven councillors, the Independent Group has eighteen, with the balance held by fifteen unaffiliated councillors, three Plaid Cymru members, two Liberal Democrats, and nine Labour members.

There is one Reform UK councillor, Scott Thorley, and, following the death of Cllr Brian Hall last weekend, a vacant seat.

That leaves the council more or less evenly split between the loose coalition that supports the current administration and the two largest party groupings, the Independent Group and the Conservatives.

THE CANDIDATES

Cllr Tinley joined the local authority after winning the Haverfordwest Garth ward in the 2022 local authority election.

She replaced Cllr Huw Murphy as Independent Group leader earlier this year.

In the announcement of her decision to contest the leadership, an Independent Group spokesperson said: “Anji Tinley has the experience, determination and commitment needed to help restore confidence in the council and ensure that the voices of all residents are properly heard.”

Cllr Di Clements has been the county councillor for Martletwy since 2017.

She has led the Conservative Group on Pembrokeshire County Council since 2022, and is a former chairperson of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

In 2024, she narrowly lost the council leadership election to Jon Harvey by 30 votes to 27.

Cllr Tessa Hodgson has been a member of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet since 2017.

An experienced councillor, Cllr Hodgson appeared well-placed to replace former leader David Simpson in 2024. However, despite broad support for her candidacy, she declined to put her name forward.

Known for her independent thinking and relentless attention to detail, Cllr Hodgson has performed well in the social services hot seat over several years.

NEW LEADER FACES OLD PROBLEMS

The Conservative and Independent groups think there is a need for change ahead of next year’s county council elections.

There have been rumblings of discontent among those generally supportive of the current administration, and a leadership vote could crystallise those feelings.

That said, Tessa Hodgson is a strong candidate — almost certainly the strongest available to the current administration.

The practical result of a change of leadership, and in the event of either a Conservative or Independent Group win, a new Cabinet, with a year to go to the next council election, is less certain.

The annual budget is set, the council tax rates are determined, and the room for manoeuvre is limited. What a new Cabinet can do within the current funding model is constrained by programmes already in place and funded for the next year.

Moreover, the identities of those who might serve, or be persuaded to serve, in a new Cabinet are similarly limited.

A change of direction would likely mean the shedding of Labour cabinet members and the possible exit of the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru from the administration.

Whether unaffiliated members such as Michelle Bateman, Tessa Hodgson, or Jacob Williams would join a council led by either Di Clements or Anji Tinley, or even be asked to do so, is open to question.

Meanwhile, whether Tessa Hodgson is prepared to significantly reshape the Cabinet and either broaden its base or reduce the influence of party groups within it could be a significant factor in how swing voters decide to cast their ballot.

It’s a close call.

But whatever the result, there is one thing for certain. Whoever the new leader of Pembrokeshire County Council is, they will, for the first time, be a woman.

News

Rhun ap Iorwerth visits Narberth as Senedd campaign enters final week

Published

13 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PLAID CYMRU leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has visited Narberth as the Senedd election campaign enters its final week.

The party says the election is now a close contest between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, with recent polling suggesting both parties are competing to become the largest party in the next Senedd.

Mr ap Iorwerth was joined in Narberth by Plaid Cymru candidates for the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency, including lead candidate Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, Anna Nicholl and Cris Tomos.

The visit came ahead of polling day on Thursday, May 7, when voters across Wales will elect members to the expanded Senedd.

Plaid Cymru said every vote for the party in Ceredigion Penfro would help deliver what it called “a strong voice” for Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, while arguing that it was best placed to replace Labour in government and prevent Reform UK from leading the next Welsh Government.

Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “It’s great to be here in Narberth. With just a few days until the election next Thursday, I can’t emphasise enough how important it is that residents in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion vote for Plaid Cymru.

“We can finally replace Labour in government after 27 years and focus on improving our public services and building our economy in every part of Wales.”

Elin Jones, Plaid Cymru’s lead candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said Mr ap Iorwerth’s visit underlined the importance of turnout in the final days of the campaign.

She said: “Rhun’s presence here in Narberth today reminds us of the importance of using our voices by voting on Thursday.

“I have served Ceredigion for the last 20 years and have fought against centralisation of health services. I will continue to do that for both Bronglais and Withybush hospitals if I’m re-elected.

“Even if you have never voted for Plaid Cymru before, a vote for Plaid in this election can replace Labour, defeat Reform and elect new positive leadership for Wales.”

The new Ceredigion Penfro constituency covers Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion and will return six members under the new Senedd electoral system.

Pic caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth, Plaid Cymru Leader, with Ceredigion Penfro candidates Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, Anna Nicholl and Cris Tomos, and supporters in Narberth.

Community

Community volunteers freshen up Nolton Haven toilets for season ahead

Published

14 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

VOLUNTEERS have been praised for helping keep public toilets open at Nolton Haven ahead of the busy summer season.

Nick Neumann, from Haverfordwest, spent a day painting the facilities, giving them a fresh coat as the coastal village prepares for more visitors.

The toilets are now run by Nolton and Roch Community Council and are maintained through volunteer support and public donations.

The effort has been described as a real example of community spirit, with local people stepping in to help protect an important facility for residents, walkers, beachgoers and visitors to the area.

The work was shared on local community pages, including the Nolton Haven Community Page and Roch Village – Pembrokeshire.