A SENEDD Member criticised Natural Resources Wales for showing “very little empathy and understanding” about people’s concerns on the future of visitor centres.

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas voiced concerns about Natural Resources Wales’ (NRW) handling of plans for its Nant yr Arian, Coed y Brenin and Ynyslas visitor centres.

Ms Thomas said: “I feel like it’s not been handled very well, there was very little communication and empathy with people, the communities involved.”

Calling for better engagement, she pressed Huw Irranca-Davies as the Deputy First Minister appeared before the Senedd’s climate committee for scrutiny on March 27.

Ms Thomas chairs the Senedd’s petitions committee which received more than one petition on the topic – with the most popular signed by more than 13,000 people.

The north Walian said: “I was concerned as well about the understanding of Ynyslas … they were saying they are closing … the food and retail offer but it is actually a nature reserve.”

“They felt they struggled to get that across to NRW and when we questioned them, it felt like there was very little empathy and understanding it in that.”

Mr Irranca-Davies replied: “I’m sure NRW will be hearing this as well. I do, just to give you that reassurance, have regular discussions with NRW and we’ve raised this matter of effective communication on what is, and what is not, happening.

“In terms of Ynyslas … I think there is an understanding that the staff within Ynyslas have probably gone above and beyond actually what they are contracted to do, so they’ve also offered advice, signposting, nature advice and so on.

“But there is no intention whatsoever to withdraw from the nature conservancy aspects, the biodiversity aspects – the role that they’re doing out there in the landscape.”

Mr Irranca-Davies, a former MP who served in Gordon Brown’s government, said NRW has decided to step back from the food, catering and retail side to focus on core responsibilities.

“But I think your point is well made,” he said. “The communication and the openness with local people who are really concerned about … the future of nature sites and … staff.”

Labour’s Julie Morgan, herself a former minister, was similarly concerned.

She said: “I’d like to support what Carolyn has said … I’ve been approached from Ynyslas and there was a … feeling of no recognition of the actual work that they were doing….

“It just does seem an unsatisfactory situation.”

Mr Irranca-Davies replied: “It is the catering and retail side that they’re stepping back from and I have to say, in the financial constraints they’re under, that’s probably the right thing to do: to focus on NRW’s core roles.

“But in doing so, the sensitivity of dealing with local communities and … existing staff members is what they have to navigate.

“I don’t envy the role that they’ve gone through, neither do I envy staff who have been in the midst of this, but I would just encourage … as I’ve said to NRW directly: to keep engaging with local communities and staff as they transition here.”

Wales’ environment secretary told the committee he was hopeful about the opportunity for others to step in and provide catering and retail.

“I know that’s one of the added-value pieces for visitors and local people,” he said. “But their focus on conservation, biodiversity and natural processes will continue regardless.”

SENEDD members criticised Labour’s “utterly embarrassing” position on the Crown Estate, with ministers in Cardiff Bay backing devolution while Westminster blocks reform.

Plaid Cymru’s Luke Fletcher said 75% of the public supports devolving powers over the Crown Estate, which owns much of the seabed around Wales and 50,000 acres of land.

The shadow economy secretary told the Senedd: “If I was a member of the Welsh Government, I would be both embarrassed and fuming right now.

“Here we are again, another debate on the Crown Estate, and we’ll see what we always see … Labour MSs getting up to voice their strong support for its devolution, only for them then to be undermined by Labour colleagues in Westminster.”

Mr Fletcher criticised Labour MPs for voting down a Plaid Cymru amendment to the crown estate bill, which called for its devolution, in February.

Pointing out that 17 of 22 councils have backed devolution, he said: “It’s quite unbelievable that Labour MPs in Wales voted down that amendment when it is their party’s policy.”

He argued the UK Government’s arguments against devolution do not stand up to scrutiny.

Mr Fletcher said: “They claim it would fragment the energy market and delay grid connectivity reform, but in reality the current system is already delaying projects.

“At least a Wales-run Crown Estate would have the ability to unlock new developments, set the terms of investment and ensure infrastructure constraints are tackled in Wales’ interest.”

He said funding for Scotland from Westminster was reduced by £10m as a result of devolution in 2017 but the revenue generated was £113m in 2023/24.

But Janet Finch-Saunders argued the Crown Estate should “absolutely not” be devolved to Wales due to the risk of market fragmentation.

The Conservative stated Wales and the UK lead the world on renewables, warning devolution risks making processes more bureaucratic and complicated.

She said: “Our time in this Welsh Parliament should be spent on tackling the real problems facing us here in Wales – not your constant obsession with further devolution.”

Labour’s Alun Davies said he did not understand the UK Government’s position, stressing the question of the devolution of the Crown Estate is deeply practical and philosophical.

Mr Davies read the debate in the House of Commons and was concerned by the response.

He told Senedd members: “You would have thought that the proposal was control of the Crown Estate in Wales be transferred not to a Crown Estate Wales or under the control of this parliament and this government, but to the control of some foreign power.”

Plaid Cymru’s Cefin Campbell said more than £100,000 flows from councils in mid and west Wales to the coffers of the UK treasury and royal family every year.

Mr Campbell told the Senedd: “This debate comes at a time when the financial situation of our councils is at its worst in generations.

“For 15 years now, due to budget cuts under blue and red governments in Westminster, local authorities have been forced to cut public services and increase council tax….

“How on earth, therefore, is it possible to justify, in the age of austerity that we are facing, sending more than £105,000 over the border every year to the British Government and to one of the richest families in the UK, if not the world?

Mr Campbell added: “Either the Welsh [Labour] colleagues here in the Senedd are not very good at making the case to your Westminster colleagues, or they are just not listening. Which is it? Are you, basically, two parties pretending to be one?”

During the debate on March 25, economy secretary Rebecca Evans reiterated the Welsh Government’s position that the Crown Estate should be devolved.

She said: “I’ll just start with a newsflash really … and that’s that Welsh Labour has policy autonomy, so it is natural that there will be points at which we take a different view.”

Welcoming the appointment of a Crown Estate commissioner to represent Welsh interests, she stressed that devolution “will not happen overnight”.

Ms Evans told Senedd members: “Investor confidence in the political and policy landscape is essential to bring the scale of investment that we want to see to Wales. The Crown Estate has played a significant role in attracting international investment.”

The minister, who is responsible for energy and planning, said: “We will continue to press the UK Government…. There is no reason for Wales to be treated differently to Scotland.”

THE SENEDD supported plans to introduce inspection ratings for care homes, with service providers set to be required to publish “scores on the doors”.

Care homes and domiciliary services, which support people in their homes, will receive one of four ratings: excellent; good; requires improvement; or requires significant improvement.

Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) has been laying the groundwork for the reforms since 2019, including a pilot of “silent” unpublished ratings over the past two years.

The regulations, which apply to adult and children’s services, come into force on March 31, mandating the publication of inspection ratings within premises and on a provider’s website.

Under the reforms, inspection ratings must be displayed conspicuously in a location accessible to service users and visitors  “without delay” following an inspection report.

The ratings will apply to about 690 care homes and 450 domiciliary support providers in Wales, with the sector facing total one-off costs of £700,000 plus an extra £60,000 a year.

Also according to an impact assessment, Care Inspectorate Wales, which has been given almost £3.4m to date, will face recurring costs of £615,000 a year for additional staff.

Care homes will be able to appeal against a rating in an inspection report and an offence of failure to display an inspection rating will be created, with a £2,500 fixed penalty.

A 12-week consultation on the proposals ended in October and Senedd Members unanimously backed the regulations on March 25.

Social care minister Dawn Bowden told the Senedd: “Inspection ratings matter because people matter and their care and support services matter.”

She added: “Ratings will encourage a culture of continuous improvement in which service providers are encouraged to look beyond compliance and ensure positive outcomes.”

Ms Bowden said ratings will showcase excellence as well as provide clarity for families seeking care and support, enabling them to compare quality and safety at a glance.