News

Jo Stevens: Labour putting Wales at the heart of national renewal

Published

7 months ago

September 28, 2025

Welsh Secretary hails jobs and investment, warns of “serious threat” from Reform and Plaid ahead of next May’s Senedd election

WELSH Secretary Jo Stevens told Labour’s UK conference that Wales is “at the centre of our decade of national renewal,” setting out a year of joint delivery by the UK and Welsh Labour governments and warning of “serious” political threats ahead of next May’s Senedd election.

Addressing delegates, Ms Stevens said partnership with First Minister Eluned Morgan had “boosted the Welsh economy, improved business confidence, increased investment and created thousands of new jobs across Wales.” She praised Welsh Labour MPs and a new Wales Office ministerial team, and said recent budgets had “ended austerity” with record settlements for Cardiff Bay.

Listing actions since the general election, she said up to 160,000 workers in Wales had benefited from rises to the national living and minimum wage, new “trailblazer” employment schemes had begun in Denbighshire, Neath Port Talbot and Blaenau Gwent, and more than £500m had been committed to secure the future of steelmaking in South Wales. She also pointed to Freeports and Investment Zones “in every corner of Wales,” and “nearly half a billion pounds” for Welsh rail to deliver “new stations and more, faster trains.”

According to Ms Stevens, the impact is already visible: “Unemployment is down… inward investment into Wales has risen 30% in the last year… and real wages are rising faster than inflation.” She linked cheaper mortgages to five recent base-rate cuts.

Turning to political opponents, Ms Stevens said Nigel Farage’s Reform UK had arrived in Wales “with patronising politics” and “no Welsh policies,” and described the party as a threat “to our communities, to our NHS and, if you work in Welsh public services, to your livelihood.” She criticised Plaid Cymru as “not a serious party,” claiming UK Government analysis shows the party’s independence plan would require “over £21bn each year” to maintain current services—“more than £11,000 for every working-age adult in tax rises and austerity cuts.”

“Labour has ended austerity in Wales,” she said. “Don’t let Reform or Plaid impose it on Wales again.”

Ms Stevens contrasted recent government moves with opponents’ positions, highlighting a new Defence Growth Deal launched in Caerphilly to create high-skilled jobs in the sector, and the “Pride in Place” programme—described as more than £200m to revitalise high streets and regenerate communities across Wales. She said Prime Minister Keir Starmer had “restored the UK’s reputation,” striking trade deals, investing in security and “never playing politics with people’s livelihoods.”

Framing the contest ahead of the Senedd poll, she said Wales faces “a choice between renewal or decline, and between decency or division,” adding: “Only two Labour governments working together can and will keep Farage out of Wales and lead our country on that path of renewal.”

The speech included tributes to former minister Nia Griffith and welcomed Anna McMorrin and Claire Hughes to the Wales Office team, alongside PPS Becky Gittins and Lords spokesperson Ruth Anderson. Ms Stevens closed by urging members to “fight and win” the election “together.”

Entertainment

Dinosaurs set to take over Milford Waterfront

Published

1 minute ago

May 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PREHISTORIC FUN COMES TO MILFORD HAVEN

DINOSAURS will be roaming Milford Waterfront later this month as Dinomania brings a day of prehistoric entertainment to the town.

The popular dinosaur attraction will take over the waterfront on Wednesday, May 27, with three interactive shows taking place throughout the afternoon.

Each show will last around 50 minutes and promises plenty of audience participation, prehistoric facts, and family-friendly fun.

Before the ticketed shows begin, visitors are being encouraged to keep an eye out around Milford Waterfront, where Dinomania’s dinosaurs will be out and about during a free walkabout performance between 10:30am and 11:30am.

The walkabout will give families the chance to see the dinosaurs up close and enjoy some entertainment around the waterfront before the main shows get underway.

Milford Waterfront said: “Dinomania will be taking over Milford Waterfront on Wednesday, May 27, with three exciting shows taking place throughout the afternoon.

“Each show lasts approximately 50 minutes and is packed with interactive moments and prehistoric fun.”

Tickets can be booked through the Milford Waterfront website.

Local Government

Call for councillor to fill standards committee vacancy

Published

5 minutes ago

May 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A TOWN or Community Councillor in Pembrokeshire is being sought to fill a vacancy on the committee responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct across the county.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Standards Committee currently has an opening for a representative from a Town or Community Council.

The committee plays a key role within the authority, including reviewing reports from the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales relating to alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct.

To be eligible, applicants must be a serving member of a Town or Community Council within the Pembrokeshire County Council area.

Anyone interested in applying is asked to contact Kate Matthews from the council’s Democratic Services team via email at [email protected]. An application form will then be provided.

Completed applications must be returned by Friday (June 12). Interviews are expected to take place later that month.

The time commitment for the role can vary, although the Standards Committee typically holds four scheduled meetings each year, along with additional meetings if required.

The successful applicant will serve for the remainder of the current council term, until the local elections in May 2027, with the possibility of a further five-year extension.

An appointment panel will conduct interviews and make recommendations to the full council based on set criteria.

Community

Fire service sets out new flood response plan for Mid and West Wales

Published

1 hour ago

May 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AROUND 31,000 properties across Mid and West Wales are at risk of flooding, according to figures released as part of a new fire service response strategy.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has completed a major engagement process to shape how it deals with future flooding incidents.

The work brought together operational crews, partner agencies and community representatives through a series of “Flooding Balanced Room” workshops.

The service said the aim was to make sure all voices were heard equally while developing practical options for prevention, response and recovery.

Nearly 24,000 properties in the service area are at risk from river flooding, while more than 7,000 are at risk from tidal flooding.

The service attends around 300 water rescue and weather-related flooding incidents each year.

Officials say flooding is becoming more frequent and more serious because of climate change, including heavier rainfall and prolonged weather events.

Recent data also shows a clear seasonal pattern, with the highest number of flooding incidents taking place between October and February.

The third quarter of 2025/26 was the busiest for flooding incidents since 2017/18, while February 2020 and November 2025 recorded the highest monthly levels of flooding activity.

The workshops produced four key priorities: prevention first, collaboration and partnership, enhanced specialist capability, and learning and continuous improvement.

Eleven initial options were narrowed down to five main areas.

These include better public education, community flood groups, improved flood messaging with partner agencies, more staff training, improved welfare and PPE for firefighters, better vehicles and technology, and stronger post-incident support for communities.

Proposals include using flood awareness in home fire safety checks, improving training scenarios, increasing the number of qualified water incident managers, expanding drone use, and using climate data to plan future fleet and equipment needs.

The options have now been assessed, with recommendations presented to the service’s Executive Leadership Team.

The plans will feed into the service’s future flooding strategy and its Community Risk Management Plan 2040.

Iwan Cray, Deputy Chief Fire Officer for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The Flooding Balanced Room process has highlighted the importance of collaboration.

“By listening to our staff, partners, and communities, we’ve created practical, forward-thinking solutions that will strengthen our ability to prevent and manage flooding in Mid and West Wales.

“Together, we can build a safer, more resilient Wales.”