Crime

Pay boost for over 1,000 Pembrokeshire school support staff pledged by Labour

Published

5 months ago

January 24, 2026

WELSH LABOUR says more than 1,000 school support staff in Pembrokeshire could see a pay boost if the party forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election in May.

First Minister Eluned Morgan is due to make the commitment at UNISON’s Labour Link conference in Cardiff on Saturday (Jan 24), after visiting a Cardiff school on Friday (Jan 23) with Education Secretary Lynne Neagle to discuss the proposal with support staff and the headteacher.

The pledge centres on ending “term-time only” pay arrangements for school support staff by moving to year-round pay, alongside creating a School Support Staff Negotiating Body in law to set national frameworks for pay, conditions and training.

Welsh Labour says the plan would cover a wide range of roles, including teaching assistants, administrative staff, caretakers, lunchtime supervisors and others who help keep schools running day to day.

Figures quoted in the party’s briefing, drawn from a recent UNISON report, suggest there are 1,090 school support staff in Pembrokeshire, with 92% of the workforce said to be women. The same report notes the number does not include cleaning, catering and grounds staff, meaning the total number affected could be higher.

Supporters of the plan argue it would tackle in-work poverty among staff who carry responsibility in schools but are often on low wages and insecure arrangements.

In her prepared speech, Ms Morgan is expected to say school support staff are “the backbone” of the education system and that it is “not fair” so many are among the lowest-paid public sector workers and are not paid year-round. Ms Neagle said Labour would boost pay and broaden opportunities, adding that “standing side by side with trade unions is at the heart of the Labour Party”.

UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner welcomed the pledge, saying term-time only pay means “tens of thousands” of workers endure in-work poverty despite being essential to education, while a Cardiff-based higher level teaching assistant, Cath Rowlands, said support roles have changed “dramatically” but pay and conditions have not kept pace.

However, the announcement is also likely to raise questions about cost, implementation and timing — and whether councils and schools would receive additional funding to meet any new national settlement.

Education budgets in Wales remain under pressure, with local authorities and headteachers already warning about difficult financial decisions, including staffing reductions, as they balance rising costs with tight settlements. Critics may argue that any new pay commitment would need clear costings, a delivery timetable, and guarantees that schools would not be forced to make cuts elsewhere to meet higher wage bills.

There may also be scrutiny over how quickly a new negotiating body could be set up in law, and whether it would apply uniformly across Wales or allow for local flexibility.

Welsh Labour has linked the proposal to a wider “fair work” package, including a promise to update the Welsh Government’s Economic Contract so that businesses receiving Welsh Government support must pay the Real Living Wage, curb exploitative zero-hours contracts and recognise trade unions.

The school staff pledge is the second major policy announcement highlighted by the party this month, following its proposal for a £2 cap on adult bus fares and 100 new routes.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council for comment on how many staff locally are currently on term-time only arrangements, and what the potential cost implications could be for schools and the local authority if a year-round pay model were introduced.

Crime

Mid Wales peace activist arrested outside court after Palestine Action ruling

Published

11 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MID WALES peace activist Angie Zelter was arrested outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London after holding a placard in support of Palestine Action.

The 75-year-old campaigner, from Knucklas, Powys, was detained at around 12:20pm on the steps of the court, according to Radnor Palestine Links.

The group said Ms Zelter was arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after holding a sign which read: “Saving lives is not terrorism. I support Palestine Action.”

She was taken to Charing Cross Police Station and released around two hours later, the group said.

The arrest came as the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the UK Government over its decision to proscribe Palestine Action under terrorism legislation.

The ruling overturned an earlier High Court decision which had found the ban unlawful. The Court of Appeal held that the Government’s decision was lawful and proportionate.

Palestine Action was banned after the Home Secretary moved to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000. Supporting or inviting support for a proscribed organisation can be a criminal offence.

Radnor Palestine Links said the protest formed part of an ongoing campaign against the use of counter-terrorism laws against peaceful demonstrators.

Ms Zelter, a long-standing peace and human rights campaigner, has been arrested more than 100 times worldwide during decades of non-violent direct action. She is also known as a founder of Trident Ploughshares.

Speaking after her arrest, Ms Zelter said: “I think it’s a terrible indictment of the criminal justice system that you are charging me with terrorism for holding a peaceful sign.

“We have to uphold the most important international laws. Peaceful, disruptive protest is absolutely essential to protect democracy.”

The Metropolitan Police has been asked to confirm the circumstances of the arrest, whether Ms Zelter was formally charged, and the conditions of her release.

Photo caption: Court protest: Angie Zelter outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London holding a sign in support of Palestine Action (Pic: Radnor Palestine Links).

Crime

Llangadog man fined after breaching restraining order twice

Published

17 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Court Reporter

Court hears defendant contacted protected person despite ban

A LLANGADOG man has been fined £1,375 after twice breaching a restraining order by contacting a protected person he had been banned from approaching.

Adam Thomas Davies, 34, of Llangadog, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Jun 15) for proceedings linked to an existing community order.

The court heard Davies had breached a restraining order on two separate occasions in June last year by contacting a person he had been prohibited from approaching under an order imposed by Llanelli Magistrates’ Court in November 2019.

Magistrates were told the original community order, imposed in August 2025, had become unworkable due to long-term physical health issues alongside Davies’ employment.

The court revoked the existing order and resentenced him for the original offences.

Davies was made subject to a new community order running until June 14, 2027. He must comply with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and attend appointments or activities as directed by probation services, for up to 15 days.

As a punitive element of the order, magistrates imposed a fine of £1,375.

The court heard the breaches related to unlawful contact made in Carmarthenshire despite the restrictions remaining in force.

Davies was ordered to pay the fine at a rate of £120 per month, starting from July 13.

Crime

Road safety grant fund launched for community projects

Published

17 hours ago

June 15, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

COMMUNITY groups, charities and local organisations across the Dyfed-Powys area are being invited to apply for funding for projects aimed at improving road safety.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has launched a new Road Safety Community Grant Fund to support local initiatives designed to reduce risks on the roads, raise awareness and encourage safer behaviour among drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.

The fund will support preventative projects led by communities, including education and awareness programmes, behaviour-change campaigns, road safety events, training and skills development, and evidence-led pilot schemes.

Applications will be assessed on their potential to improve road safety, provide value for money and deliver clear community benefits.

Mr Llywelyn said: “Keeping our communities safe on our roads is a fundamental part of our wider mission to protect the public and reduce harm.

“By investing in community-led initiatives, we are empowering local organisations to deliver practical, innovative solutions that improve road safety, change behaviours, and ultimately save lives.”

The fund forms part of the commissioner’s Police and Crime Plan for 2025-2029, which includes commitments to preventing harm, supporting safer communities and working in partnership on issues affecting local people.

Further details, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, are available on the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner’s website.

The fund closes at 10:00pm on Sunday, July 19.