LOCAL Senedd Member Samuel Kurtz has raised the long-running flooding problems affecting the B4318 at Gumfreston in the Senedd, as a public petition calling for urgent action approaches its closing date.

The B4318 is a vital route for residents, local businesses and visitors, yet it has been repeatedly closed due to flooding, causing significant disruption, safety concerns and growing frustration within the community.

Following an on-site meeting with local county councillor Rhys Jordan, Mr Kurtz raised the issue directly in the Senedd, calling for a long-term solution delivered through a coordinated, multi-agency approach. He has also written to the Chair of the Petitions Committee, urging committee members to visit the site to see the scale of the problem first-hand.

With the petition deadline fast approaching on 31 January, residents are calling on the relevant authorities to take decisive action to address the root causes of the flooding and prevent further closures of this important stretch of road.

Speaking outside the Chamber, Samuel Kurtz MS said: “Like clockwork, whenever there is heavy rain this road floods, and despite the best efforts of the hardworking local county councillor, Rhys Jordan, it is clear that Pembrokeshire County Council cannot resolve this issue alone.

“That is why it was right to raise this matter in the Senedd and demand action. Too often, this flooding causes serious problems for local residents and emergency services alike. The situation has become so severe that a local resident has even developed a web app to keep people informed about whether the road is passable.

“I urge everyone to sign this petition. Until a proper solution is found, the situation will only deteriorate. I will continue to press the Welsh Government to act, and I thank Councillor Jordan and the wider community for rallying together behind this campaign.”

Extra cash for councils and NHS secures passage, but education leaders say Wales’ schools remain in ‘damage control’

THE SENEDD has approved the Welsh Government’s £27.5bn budget for 2026 after Welsh Labour struck a deal with Plaid Cymru, unlocking extra funding for local authorities, the health service and future infrastructure projects.

The final spending plans were passed on Tuesday evening (Jan 27) following a fractious debate in Cardiff Bay, with Labour ministers dependent on Plaid Cymru support after the party was left two seats short of an overall majority following the Caerphilly by-election last autumn.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said the budget would deliver “security and stability” for public services, while opposition parties and education leaders warned that the settlement falls short of what is needed to protect schools and other frontline services.

Minority government arithmetic

Labour’s minority position transformed the budget process this year, forcing ministers into negotiations with opposition parties to avoid automatic cuts that would have followed a failure to pass spending plans.

Although talks were held with the Welsh Conservatives, it was Plaid Cymru that agreed to allow the budget to pass, with a deal reached shortly before the Christmas recess.

That agreement delivered additional funding for councils and the NHS, alongside £120m earmarked for future capital investment. The one-off infrastructure pot—described by one source at the time as a “golden egg”—will be available to the next Welsh Government to spend on new buildings, roads and other projects after the Senedd election in May.

The final budget marked an improvement on the Welsh Government’s original autumn proposals, which had prompted warnings of potential cuts to councils and health services. Drakeford had indicated he was prepared to find extra funding for both, a commitment that materialised once the deal was secured.

‘Security and stability’

Addressing the Senedd, Drakeford said the budget reflected the priorities of a progressive Labour administration.

“It provides security and stability for our public services, those who work in them, and even more so for those who rely upon them,” he told Members.

Plaid Cymru’s finance spokesperson Heledd Fychan said her party’s decision to support the budget was about preventing immediate harm, rather than endorsing Labour’s wider record. She said Plaid would bring forward its own budget within the first 100 days of the next Senedd term should it form the next Welsh Government.

Schools ‘in damage control’

However, education leaders warned that the settlement fails to confront what they describe as a deepening crisis in school funding.

Commenting after the vote, Laura Doel, national secretary of NAHT Cymru, said schools across Wales were already facing “desperate” financial pressures.

She warned that for many schools, even substantial cuts to staffing or resources would not be enough to prevent deficits, with an inevitable impact on pupils’ learning.

While welcoming the additional £113m agreed for councils following lobbying by unions and the Labour–Plaid deal, she said the figure still fell short of the scale of the problem.

The Welsh Local Government Association has predicted a £137m shortfall in school budgets next year, meaning that even if all the extra council funding were passed directly to schools, a significant gap would remain.

Doel said it was now vital that local authorities listened to school leaders and ensured the extra funding reached classrooms, describing the situation as “damage control” rather than genuine recovery. She also urged all political parties to address school funding head-on in their manifestos ahead of the Senedd election.

Opposition attacks

The Welsh Conservatives criticised the budget for failing to include tax cuts. Conservative MS Sam Rowlands argued that a one-penny cut to the basic rate of income tax would have saved families nearly £500 a year.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats also declined to back the budget, but chose to abstain. Party leader Jane Dodds said voting down the plans would have triggered damaging cuts to essential services, while warning that the budget missed an opportunity to set out a clear long-term plan to save the NHS.

Reform UK’s Laura Anne Jones was more scathing, branding the package “a zombie retirement budget from a dead-in-the-water government” and arguing that inflation and pay pressures would swallow much of the headline increase.

Vote ahead of election

The budget passed with 25 Members voting in favour, 13 against and 14 abstentions, highlighting the finely balanced politics of the current Senedd as Wales heads towards a May election.

With spending plans now agreed, scrutiny is expected to focus on how the additional funding is distributed on the ground—particularly whether councils channel extra resources into schools—as parties set out competing visions for the future of Welsh public services.

New perinatal service aims to help families cope with the pressures of early parenthood

NSPCC CYMRU has launched a new perinatal support programme aimed at helping expectant and new parents across Wales navigate the challenges of caring for a baby.

The Baby Steps service, a redeveloped early-intervention programme, is designed to give parents the tools, confidence and emotional support needed during pregnancy and in a child’s first months of life.

The service was officially launched this week at an event held at BT headquarters in London, attended by The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is a Patron of NSPCC, alongside childcare professionals and public figures.

Baby Steps will initially be piloted through three NSPCC hubs, including the Wales hub, placing Cymru at the forefront of the charity’s rollout of the service.

Carl Harris, Assistant Director for the NSPCC Wales hub, said the evidence-based programme could make a significant difference to families during a crucial stage of a child’s development.

He said: “The early stages of a baby’s life can feel daunting for parents, as they face new challenges every day while trying to give their child the best possible start.

“It is a critical time for a child’s development, and perinatal services like Baby Steps can offer enormous support to help parents through what is an exciting, but sometimes very difficult, period.

“NSPCC Cymru is proud to be leading the way in rolling out this service and supporting parents and children across Wales.”

Figures released alongside the launch highlight the scale of need. During 2024/25, the NSPCC Helpline referred more than 3,800 children under the age of two to external agencies across the UK, including police and social services. This represented almost one fifth (18%) of all referrals made by the Helpline on behalf of a child during the year.

One father who contacted the service described the pressures faced by new parents, saying: “We just can’t get our baby into a routine. It’s been eight weeks, we’re new to parenting and have different opinions, and then our friends all have different advice. It’s causing major arguments and nothing’s working.”

In addition to Baby Steps, the NSPCC website offers a wide range of guidance for parents and carers, including advice on bonding with babies and raising children safely.

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, said the charity was pleased to mark the launch with a royal visit.

He said: “It’s always a privilege to be part of a Royal visit, and we were delighted that HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh was able to join us to celebrate our Baby Steps service.

“As our Helpline data shows, the first couple of years of a child’s life can be an extremely difficult time for parents. Our Helpline regularly hears from parents struggling with the pressures of a newborn, as well as from concerned members of the community.

“The Baby Steps service provides essential building blocks to help parents navigate the earliest stages of their child’s life and ensure they thrive. Any parent or carer who needs support or advice can always contact the NSPCC Helpline.”
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