News

Cabinet backs revised Council budget plan from opposition group

Published

1 year ago

February 28, 2025

THE IPG and Cabinet have jointly proposed a budget for Pembrokeshire County Council, including a reduced Council Tax rise, on which councillors will vote at next week’s Full Council meeting.

The budget cuts 0.5% from a proposed 9.85% Council Tax increase and includes key concessions from the budget originally proposed by the County Council’s Cabinet.

The budget was originally scheduled to be set at a meeting on February 20. At that meeting, the Independent Group moved a Notice without Motion to delay consideration of the budget until the final financial settlement from the Welsh Government (WG) was confirmed. The move aimed to prevent the implementation of a 9.85% Council Tax rise for 2025/26.

On February 21, the Welsh Government confirmed a 0.25% increase in its financial settlement for Pembrokeshire. That decision added around £540,000 to the Council’s budget for next year.

After considering the revised settlement, the IPG drafted an alternative budget to the one proposed by the Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Josh Beynon. In an unprecedented move, the Cabinet considered the alternative proposal and decided to endorse it. This marks the first time in the Council’s history that an administration has accepted a budget proposed by one of the opposition groups.

Key takeaways of the proposed budget:

A Council Tax rise of 9.35% instead of 9.85%
A proposed 3.5% cut in education reduced to 2.9%
Proposals for four-weekly bin collections abandoned, with three-weekly collections to remain
The Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund retained
Additional funds for street cleaning maintained, rather than removed as originally proposed
Additional funding allocated for public toilets

Speaking to The Herald, a member of the IPG said the decision to agree on a budget with the Cabinet was “the socially responsible thing to do,” as the Group acknowledged that services had to be protected without incurring further debt, which would necessitate future cuts and higher tax increases.

IPG Leader Cllr Huw Murphy told this newspaper: “Cabinet requested sight of the Independent Group’s proposals, and we agreed to that step.

“It’s important to remember that councillors have a legal duty to set a budget. Therefore, in the best interest of Pembrokeshire’s residents, we agreed to allow the Cabinet to see our proposals.

“In light of the additional funding received from the Welsh Government, the Cabinet accepted the Independent Group’s proposals without the need to present a budget of their own on March 6.

“It is highly unusual for an opposition budget proposal to be accepted by any administration, but it indicates the delicate balance of power within PCC and the reality that offering a significant reduction in Council Tax carries inherent risks to both the authority and residents in terms of the loss of services many consider essential.”

However, Cllr Murphy added: “As the largest opposition group, the Independent Group will continue holding the Cabinet to account. Doing so on February 20 led to this budget.”

Cllr Murphy continued: “Any Council Tax rise is not good news for residents. However, the Independent Group’s proposals mean a slight decrease in the proposed Council Tax rise while offering options to retain services under threat.

“Fundamentally, the lack of funding from both London and Cardiff is the root cause of financial pressures on Welsh local authorities, which have risen exponentially. Furthermore, the UK, with vanishingly small economic growth alongside a need to increase defence spending to confront existential threats abroad, will see reduced funds available for local authorities.”

Huw Murphy concluded: “As Independent councillors, we speak free from the pressures of party loyalty on any subject where the best interest of residents is our core objective—not winning or saving a Senedd or House of Commons seat.”

The Conservative Group, which proposed its own budget, reacted furiously to the apparent deal between the largest opposition group and the Cabinet.

The Herald understands a flurry of messages expressing exasperation, disappointment, and anger have flooded councillors’ phones, with one Conservative Group member questioning whether the Independent Group still counted as the opposition.

The Conservatives said their proposals would increase school budgets by £6.6 million and offer an innovative solution to the Council’s future leisure provision.

With the publication of the Council agenda, their hopes of passing their budget appear dashed.

Cllr Aled Thomas, the Conservative Group spokesperson on Finance, was relatively restrained, though his frustration was evident when he told The Herald:

“It’s clear from the proposals on the table that the Independent Group and the Labour-leaning administration are happy to work together to see the continued managed decline of the Council rather than work hard for the people of Pembrokeshire.

“Every day, this council asks for more money from residents and provides them with less in return. That mindset has to stop, and a change is clearly needed.

“What’s even more disappointing is that around 2.5% of this year’s Council Tax increase will go straight to Rachel Reeves’s coffers in Westminster as a result of National Insurance increases and won’t be spent on Pembrokeshire services.”

Community

Weather presenter spotted filming in Pembrokeshire

Published

3 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WELL-KNOWN Welsh weather presenter was spotted in Pembrokeshire as he filmed scenes for a new series celebrating the county’s coastline.

Derek Brockway, who has been a familiar face on BBC Wales since 1995, was in St Davids recently working on another instalment of his popular walking series along the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Local resident Thomas Tudor said it was “lovely” to meet the broadcaster during filming, posing for a photograph alongside his mother, Beryl Tudor, and sister, Bethan Thomas Price.

Brockway, who is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, is widely known not only for his weather forecasts across television, radio and online, but also for his programmes showcasing Wales’ landscapes and coastal paths.

The latest filming in St Davids is expected to form part of an upcoming series highlighting the natural beauty and walking routes of Pembrokeshire, an area long regarded as one of the jewels in Wales’ tourism crown.

Ministry of Defence

Defence families in Wales to save up to £6,000 under new childcare scheme

Published

4 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Today, 19/03/2026 The Secretary of State for Defence John Healey visited Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, home to 3rd Battalion the Rifles. He met with families to launch a new scheme for Defence Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.

Community

Broad Haven volunteers secure ‘national asset’ status for nature reserve

Published

4 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SMALL stretch of woodland and former opencast coal mine has been transformed into a nationally recognised biodiversity site, in a major first for Wales.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve has been awarded ‘Naturfa’ status, becoming the first community-managed site in Wales to receive the designation.

The recognition, confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, classifies the reserve as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). This means the volunteer-led work of the Support the Boardwalk group will now contribute directly to Wales’ 30×30 target – the global commitment to protect 30% of land, freshwater and sea for nature by 2030.

In a further boost, the site has also been included in the National Forest for Wales, recognising its role in strengthening a connected network of woodlands and habitats across the country.

Once a simple local walkway, the Slash Pond has developed into a thriving wildlife haven. The reserve now supports a wide range of species, including critically endangered European eels, otters, ten species of bat, and more than fifty species of birds, alongside diverse aquatic plants and insects.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “These special places are a testament to the care and dedication of people working on the ground – securing a legacy for future generations. Nature can only thrive where habitats are resilient, protected and effectively managed.”

The new status is expected to unlock future funding opportunities, supporting long-term plans for maintaining the boardwalk, monitoring biodiversity and water quality, installing new signage, and expanding environmental education work with Broad Haven Primary School and the wider Havens community.

Andy Drumm, a volunteer with Support the Boardwalk, said: “We’ve always known how special the Slash Pond is, but this recognition puts it firmly on the map as a national asset. It’s a tribute to years of hard work and shows that local communities can lead the way in tackling the nature crisis.”

To mark the achievement, a Spring Family Fun Day will take place on Friday (May 9) from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Slash Pond car park.

The event will feature guided nature walks, pond dipping, a wildlife treasure trail, live music, and family activities including crafts and face painting. The official unveiling of the Naturfa certificate and new reserve branding will also take place, alongside the launch of a new book, From Culm to Calm: A History of the Slash Pond by local author David Meanwell.

Karen Riggs, a long-time volunteer, said: “This achievement belongs to everyone in Broad Haven who has supported the site over the years. We’re not just celebrating a new title – we’re celebrating what our community has built together.”

The day will also see the installation of new benches at the observation decks and the launch of a floating island habitat to support wildfowl and other bird species. Visitors will also be invited to share feedback on plans for an improved picnic area designed to withstand local flooding.

Naturfa is a Welsh Government initiative recognising areas outside traditional protected sites, such as SSSIs, that are managed in ways which deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve is managed by the Support the Boardwalk group in partnership with The Havens Community Council, and is maintained entirely by volunteers.

Further information and updates are available via the Support the Boardwalk Facebook page.