Climate

‘Severely flawed’ vulnerable customer lists delayed storm response

Published

11 months ago

March 7, 2025

INACCURATE lists of vulnerable people led to delays in responding to storms, with staff sent to non-existent homes and a customer who had died years earlier, a committee heard.

Giving evidence to an inquiry on storms Bert and Darragh, which hit Wales late last year, Carmarthenshire Council described utility firms’ priority customer data as severely flawed.

The council told the Senedd’s climate committee the lists were inaccurate, out of date, and incompatible with NHS and social care definitions of vulnerability.

In written evidence, the council said this resulted in staff being deployed to screen the sheer volume, comparing thousands of names with council and health board records.

The council warned: “This caused unnecessary delays and on several occasions diverted operational staff away from their responsive work … to check addresses which did not either exist or in one case, the customer had passed away years before.”

Appearing before the committee on March 6, Paul Ridley, the council’s civil contingencies manager, called for consistency in the interpretation of vulnerability across all agencies.

Ainsley Williams, director of infrastructure at the council, pointed to initial problems due to concerns raised about data sharing and GDPR.

He added: “It still needs wider awareness amongst organisations that they can do that and must do that in an emergency.”

Ian Christie, managing director of water services at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, said: “There is work to be done on joining up all vulnerable customers because we all have individual priority services registers with all different definitions of what makes a customer vulnerable.”

Mr Christie told the committee that GDPR “unfortunately cuts through everything”.

He said: “One of our biggest issues is trying to explain to a customer: just because they’ve registered … with another agency, that doesn’t automatically update to our priority services.”

Liam O’Sullivan, director of ScottishPower Energy Networks which owns the north Wales network, said customers are contracted every two years to check information is up to date.

“It’s very difficult at times because it’s an ever-changing picture,” he told Senedd Members.

The Conservatives’ Janet Finch-Saunders warned of huge issues with priority registers.

Ms Finch-Saunders said: “I can’t for the life of me – now with digital technology – understand why we haven’t got one list that is used by the fire [service], health, you name it.”

She raised January’s burst pipe which left 100,000 people in north Wales without water, with the number of customers registered as vulnerable doubling to 7,500 in a few days.

“That shows there’s some weakness in the system,” she said.

Mr Christie explained a task-and-finish group has been set up by Huw Irranca-Davies, the Deputy First Minister, to look at trying to resolve the issue of one common list.

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas questioned why Anglesey council was only provided with a register at 9pm on Sunday December 9, more than 24 hours after Storm Darragh’s peak.

Mr O’Sullivan said of the approximately 70,000 people who live on the island, 17,000 are on the priority services register.

“We did our best to prioritise those customers,” he said.

Pressed about the 24-hour delay, he told the committee: “I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware that that was the case – but it certainly won’t be the case next time.”

Climate

Ice warning issued as temperatures fall below freezing across Pembrokeshire

Published

3 days ago

February 1, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cold snap expected to create hazardous roads and pavements overnight into Monday morning

PEMBROKESHESHIRE residents are being urged to take extra care after a yellow weather warning for ice was issued for the whole of Wales.

The alert, issued by the Met Office, covers the period from late Sunday night (Feb 1) until mid-morning on Monday (Feb 2), with temperatures expected to drop to around minus two degrees Celsius in some areas.

Forecasters say wet roads and surfaces left by earlier showers are likely to freeze quickly after dark, creating icy stretches on untreated roads, pavements and rural lanes across Pembrokeshire.

Travel disruption possible

The Met Office warns that icy patches may form widely, increasing the risk of slips and falls and making journeys slower and more hazardous, particularly during the Monday morning commute.

Untreated side roads, country routes and shaded areas are expected to be most affected, with black ice possible in places where frost is not easily visible.

Drivers are advised to allow extra time for journeys, slow down and keep a safe distance from other vehicles. Pedestrians are urged to wear suitable footwear and take care on steps, slopes and pavements.

Gritting teams are expected to treat main routes overnight, but officials warn that not every road can be covered.

Local outlook

Temperatures across the county are forecast to fall sharply after sunset on Sunday, with frost forming widely before dawn. Inland and higher ground areas are likely to see the coldest conditions.

Residents are also being encouraged to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours and ensure homes are adequately heated during the cold spell.

Conditions are expected to improve later on Monday as temperatures rise above freezing, but further updates may be issued if the forecast changes.

Climate

Breaking down barriers between finance and industry in offshore renewables sector

Published

6 days ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

EARLIER this week, Marine Energy Wales brought together senior representatives from national and devolved finance institutions with developers, ports and supply-chain companies operating across Wales’ offshore renewable energy sector for a dedicated finance roundtable in Pembroke Dock. Attendance was limited to premium MEW members to allow for frank, focused discussion.

The session was intentionally designed to be different.

Rather than relying on formal presentations or sales pitches, the roundtable created a facilitated, closed-door space for open dialogue. Finance organisations were able to explain clearly how they operate, what types of projects they can support, and where constraints still exist. Industry participants, in turn, set out the real-world challenges they are facing across tidal energy, floating offshore wind, port infrastructure and supply-chain development.

What emerged was more than information sharing—it was a clearer, shared understanding of how decisions are made on both sides.

From siloed conversations to shared problem-solving

A consistent theme from the discussion was that significant public and institutional finance is now available to support clean energy projects. However, navigating that landscape remains complex, particularly for early-stage developments, smaller supply-chain businesses and emerging technologies.

By bringing the right people into the room at the same time, the roundtable helped to:

demystify how different finance bodies assess risk, scale and project readiness
highlight where policy ambition, market signals and investment criteria are not yet aligned
identify opportunities where better sequencing and coordination of funding could unlock progress
establish direct relationships that will support follow-up conversations beyond the room

The discussion also surfaced where gaps remain. In particular, the need for clearer market signals and more tailored support for tidal stream and other early-stage marine technologies was repeatedly raised. These are challenges that are difficult to address in isolation, but far more productive to tackle collectively.

The value of convening

For Marine Energy Wales, the roundtable reinforced the importance of our role as a neutral convener for the sector.

Members consistently tell us that access to finance is one of the most significant barriers to progress—not only in terms of capital availability, but in understanding how to engage effectively with funders. At the same time, finance organisations are keen to deepen their understanding of project development timelines, technology risk and the scale of Welsh supply-chain ambition.

Creating space for those conversations is where real value is added.

This is not about Marine Energy Wales brokering individual deals. It is about building shared understanding, reducing friction, and helping to align finance, policy and industry around credible pathways to delivery.

What comes next

This roundtable was not a one-off.

Marine Energy Wales is committed to continuing this work, developing structured and trusted forums where finance, industry and government can engage early, openly and constructively. As Wales moves from ambition to delivery in offshore wind and tidal energy, these relationships and conversations will be critical to ensuring projects are investable, deliverable and anchored in Welsh economic benefit.

We will continue to work with our members and partners to identify priority issues, convene the right voices, and help turn opportunity into tangible outcomes on the ground.

Climate

Wales takes another giant leap towards becoming a zero-waste nation

Published

6 days ago

January 29, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE LATEST figures are in, and they’re impressive – Wales has pushed its recycling rate up to 68.4% in 2024-25, climbing from 66.6% the previous year. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a country that was recycling just 5% of its waste before devolution.

The boost comes as Wales’ new workplace recycling rules begin to show real results. Businesses, public sector organisations and third sector workplaces across the country are now required to separate key recyclable materials, and it’s making a measurable difference.

Local authorities collected an additional 8,187 tonnes of recyclable material from workplaces this year – that’s a 42% jump compared to last year. Meanwhile, residual waste from workplaces has dropped by 15.8%, meaning thousands of tonnes of valuable materials are being fed back into the economy rather than burned or buried.

The landfill figures tell their own story – just 0.7% of Wales’ waste ended up in landfill in 2024-25, compared to 95% before devolution.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who has responsibility for climate change, said: “We continue to build on Wales’ already world class recycling. This shows the huge shift in attitudes over the last few decades; recycling is now a part of who we are as a nation.”

He added: “I’m proud of every person in Wales who has played their part in getting us to where we are today – in our homes and now in our workplaces too. Thank you for joining this collective effort.”

Wales currently sits second in the world for recycling – leading the UK and trailing only Austria in global rankings published by Eunomia Research and Consulting and Reloop in 2024. More than half of Welsh councils hit the 70% recycling target, and over 90% improved their rates year-on-year.

The Deputy First Minister said: “Our recycling track record is something to be proud of as we continue taking action to tackle the climate and nature emergency and grow the green economy. But let’s not be complacent. Being number one in the world for recycling is within our grasp if we keep up the momentum.”