News

Senedd approves Welsh budget after Labour–Plaid deal

Published

2 months ago

January 28, 2026

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.

Charity

Car dealership smash cycling spin challenge target

Published

3 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

STAFF at OC Davies used pedal power to cycle an incredible 453 miles as part of a fundraising event marking two major anniversaries.

The Cardigan-based dealership is celebrating 40 years as a Renault dealer in 2026, while the Wales Air Ambulance marked its 25th anniversary on St David’s Day (Mar 1).

To celebrate the milestones – and the launch of the new vehicle registration plate – the dealership held a community open day at its Cardigan site, raising £2,102 for the lifesaving charity.

As part of the event, staff and supporters took on a spin bike challenge to cycle the equivalent of 104 miles – the distance between OC Davies’ three dealerships in Cardigan, Neyland and Carmarthen.

However, the participants far exceeded expectations.

During the 12-hour challenge, which ran from 8:00am to 8:00pm, a total of 37 people took part and collectively cycled an impressive 453 miles.

Over the years, OC Davies has now raised more than £6,600 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.

Nicola Lewis from OC Davies said: “We are incredibly proud to have raised £2,102. This fantastic amount exceeded all our expectations and shows just how supportive our community has been.

“The success of the event has inspired us to keep the momentum going and continue raising money for Wales Air Ambulance throughout the rest of the year.

“We currently have an Easter egg lucky dip running in the dealership and we’re also planning to raise further funds later in the summer at some outdoor events we’ll be taking part in.”

More than 200 visitors attended the open day and around 900 tickets were sold for a grand raffle.

Prizes were donated by local businesses including The Cliff Hotel & Spa, Tom Samways Butchers, U Melt Me, Tonnau, Theatr Mwldan, Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, and The Queen’s Hall.

Additional prizes were also donated by the Scarlets and Swansea City FC.

Nicola added: “The open day was wonderfully supported by local businesses and members of the community, which helped make the event so special.

“We were overwhelmed by the generosity and support from businesses in Cardigan and beyond who kindly donated prizes for our grand raffle.”

The spin bikes used during the challenge were loaned by Neil Fulstow Fitness Coaching, with additional support from Clive Evans and Clive Davies.

The charity’s mascot Biggles also made an appearance during the day – even taking a turn on the DJ decks.

Emily Bell, Wales Air Ambulance’s Regional Fundraising Co-ordinator, said: “A huge congratulations to the staff at OC Davies, who smashed their original target while raising an incredible amount for our charity.

“It was a lovely open day which I was delighted to attend. OC Davies found a wonderful way to mark both anniversaries.

“Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters flying and our rapid response vehicles on the road. Fundraisers like this help ensure we can continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most.”

Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service delivering hospital-standard treatment at the scene of an incident.

Through its partnership with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), NHS consultants and critical care practitioners can provide advanced treatment including anaesthesia, blood transfusions and minor surgical procedures before transporting patients to the most appropriate hospital.

As a pan-Wales service, its crews travel across the country to deliver lifesaving emergency care wherever it is needed.

For more information visit www.ocdavies.com.

Education

Tenby students compete in UK robotics challenge

Published

3 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

STUDENTS from Ysgol Greenhill in Tenby have taken part in the FIRST Tech Challenge UK & Ireland competition, showcasing their engineering and computing skills at a national robotics event.

The Tenby Techno Team travelled to the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s School of Applied Computingwhere teams from across the UK and Ireland gathered to compete in the international robotics programme.

The competition challenges students to design, build and programme robots capable of completing tasks on a specialist arena, testing both technical ability and teamwork.

The Tenby team said they were proud to be competing and were supported during the event by former computing students Issac, Ieuan and Finley, who returned to help the team as volunteers.

Organisers of the programme say the FIRST Tech Challenge aims to inspire young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics while building practical problem-solving skills.

The team also thanked Valero Pembroke Refinery and Tenby Round Table for sponsoring the project, along with Marc Ingram, who provided advice and guidance during the build and preparation stages.

More updates from the competition are expected as the event progresses.

Charity

Expert warns cat owners not to buy lilies this Mother’s Day

Published

3 hours ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PET owners are being warned to avoid buying lilies this Mother’s Day after experts said the popular flowers can be fatal to cats.

The warning has been issued by the RSPCA ahead of Mothering Sunday (March 15), with the charity urging people to choose pet-friendly flowers instead.

RSPCA animal welfare expert Lauren Bennett said: “Flowers are a lovely gift for Mother’s Day, and like many people I enjoy receiving them whatever the occasion. But sadly some flowers and plants can be toxic to our pets, so it’s important to avoid these where animals are present.

“Lilies are a particular concern because they are so popular at this time of year, yet many people do not realise just how dangerous they are to cats. Even small amounts of petals can be deadly, and the leaves, pollen and even the water from the vase can pose a serious risk.

“It is vital that people understand lilies can be lethal to cats. Even cutting the stamens out once they have opened is not enough. A small amount of pollen can transfer to a cat’s fur and when they groom themselves, they can quickly become seriously ill.”

The charity says cat owners can help prevent accidental poisoning by choosing alternative flowers when buying bouquets this weekend.

Lauren added: “Cats can suffer terribly after lily poisoning and it is heartbreaking for owners to witness. Thankfully it is easy to avoid. We all want to treat mums this Mother’s Day, but if they are also cat mums, please do not buy them lilies.”

The RSPCA also warned that other plants including daffodils, tulips, holly and hyacinths can be toxic to cats and dogs.

Even flowers considered non-toxic can still cause stomach upset if eaten, so the charity advises keeping all plants and bouquets well out of reach of pets.

The charity added that chocolate poisoning remains the most commonly reported type of animal poisoning, and people are being urged to keep Mother’s Day treats away from curious pets.

Lauren said: “If you suspect that your pet has eaten chocolate, contact your vet immediately for advice. Your vet will want to know how much chocolate your pet has eaten and what type it was. If possible, keep the packaging and have your pet’s weight to hand.”

Signs of possible poisoning in pets can include depression, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathing difficulties, twitching or seizures.