A CALL for Pembrokeshire to again push Welsh Government for a review of the contentious 182-day rule for self-catering holiday properties in order to avoid paying second homes tax is to be heard next week.

Self-catering businesses not meeting the 182-day criteria end up paying the second homes council tax premium, currently 125 per cent on top of the general rate, in the county, along with similar premiums for the other elements of the overall bill such as the police precept.

In a submitted question to be heard at the July 16 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Huw Murphy asks: “Most councillors are aware that much of Pembrokeshire relies on tourism and hospitality for its economic success. A key element of a successful Pembrokeshire tourism industry is the self-catering sector.

“Plaid Cymru in its manifesto made several pledges for its first 100 days in office, one under the headline of ‘Unleashing Wales Economic Potential’ which made no specific mention of the 182 letting day rule that was introduced by the previous Labour Government under their co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru.

“However, Plaid Cymru prior to Senedd elections in May 2026, stated that they would review the 182-day threshold which has been a disaster for many self-catering businesses, many of whom are in rural and coastal communities. I have raised this matter on several occasions since being elected.

“Through speaking to those operating in the self-catering sector there is a clear need to reduce the 182-day threshold. I should point out that in the past I have suggested it be reduced to 140 days and still hold that view.

“Over 50 days have now passed since the Senedd Elections, but we have not heard any details of a review of the 182-day letting rule. Therefore, will the Leader write off to the First Minister outlining the concerns of many Pembrokeshire county councillors with regards to the 182 days letting rule and ask for a reply setting out when Welsh Government intend to commence a review of this policy, which is much needed?”

Back in 2023, Cllr Murphy submitted an unsuccessful notice of motion to full council calling for the 182-day rule in Pembrokeshire to be lowered, proposing a figure of 140 days.

At the time of the 2023 call it was instead agreed to review the situation and for the council to raise its concerns to Welsh Government.

A CALL for an impartial investigation into the contentious closure of Manorbier school, along with an apology from a senior councillor in connection with that closure, are to be heard next week.

Back in June, the final decision to close fire-ravaged Manorbier school was given the go-ahead, despite a heartfelt last-minute plea by local councillor Phil Kidney to keep it open.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire in October 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

After that, a ‘school from school’ was set up in Jameston Village Hall.

It had been hoped the school would be rebuilt, but last year councillors backed a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which, amongst other recommendations, included a statutory consultation on proposals to discontinue Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School.

The decision attracted strong local opposition, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition on the council’s own website calling for the school to be rebuilt.

The formal consultation for the discontinuation of Manorbier closed last December.

However, many of the council’s figures, especially on the level of surplus places at the school, were disputed.

At a special extraordinary council meeting held on June 15, members were asked to consider a report on a summary of 62 objections received in respect of the proposal to discontinue Manorbier VC school, which included options to end that discontinuation or to launch a fresh consultation.

However, it was recommended, in a report presented by deputy leader Cllr Paul Miller, who now also has responsibility for education, for the discontinuation be proceeded with.

At the meeting, local councillor Phil Kidney, who has been a staunch supporter of the keeping the school open, thanked the campaigners and staff.

“We’ve all let these people down, the way this council has handled this situation is appalling; from day one not one of the executives came up to see these children, no-one came out; if that was Haverfordwest or Tenby they’d be all over the place.”

He said the wording of the consultation had seen more mentions of St Florence [ the alternative school for pupils in the event of a discontinuation] than Manorbier, describing it as “like a brochure for St Florence”.

He also warned the Diocese of St Davids, which had always pressed for the school to be rebuilt, would not allow the council to “walk away from our liabilities lightly”.

Members later heard the diocese had, in a letter received by councillors, made “damning accusations the council is being biased against voluntary controlled schools,” with Cllr Jamie Adams saying the council administration should be “ashamed of this debacle”.

Cllr Miller said his only consideration was “the future welfare of the children,” adding: “I do not think 20 children educated in a welfare centre in Jameston is the best for them.”

Members, by 30 votes to 23, with four abstentions, supported the final steps to close the school.

Following that decision, issues around the contentious closure will be heard at the forthcoming meeting of the council, taking place on July 16.

In a notice of motion before councillors, Cllr Kidney proposes: “That council considers a full impartial investigation into the process of closing Manorbier school, specifically the time it has taken, broken promises, inadequate insurance, and the involvement of HR department.”

A supporting statement for his motion says: “The review should be carried out by someone not employed by the authority, with powers to recommend disciplinary action if they deem necessary.

“A full impartial review should hopefully stop another school being treated so appallingly.”

Cllr Kidney is also, in a submitted question, seeking an apology from the deputy leader, who now has responsibility for education: “Would the Cabinet Member for Education like to apologise to the staff and parents of Manorbier School for his comments at the last council meeting, where he stated children would get a better education in St Florence and children in Manorbier were being taught in one room?

“This is both factually wrong and insulting to staff, who have worked tirelessly to provide teaching of an excellent standard, and if he had taken the time to read the last Estyn report, he may not have made these derogatory comments.”

Both the motion and question will be heard by councillors next week.

Pembrokeshire MP says customers have already paid substantially more while the company’s environmental and operational performance has continued to fall

HENRY TUFNELL has launched a blistering attack on Welsh Water after its new chief executive suggested customers must either accept higher bills or wait longer for improvements to the company’s ageing infrastructure.

The Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire said Welsh Water “still don’t get it”, arguing that household bills have already risen sharply while the company’s performance has deteriorated.

In a video published on Friday (July 10), Mr Tufnell said customers were being asked to pay again for failures which had developed over many years.

He said: “The new chief executive of Welsh Water has said that if customers want better service, they will have to pay more.

“But bills have already been going up, while performance has been going down.

“In the last year alone, Welsh Water has been handed a £44.7 million penalty for serious failures in the way it manages sewage and wastewater.

“The public should not be asked to keep paying more while those at the top avoid responsibility.”

Alongside the video, Mr Tufnell wrote: “Their new chief exec says that bills must go up to improve their infrastructure. However, bills have been going up and their performance has gone down.

“As your MP, I have been working hard in Parliament to scrutinise our failing water sector, and I support the steps this government has taken to strip water bosses of their bonuses and fine underperformance.”

Higher bills or slower improvements

The row follows comments from Welsh Water’s new chief executive, Roch Cheroux, who said the company faced a choice between investing more to improve services quickly or taking longer to repair and modernise its network.

Mr Cheroux said years of under-investment and ageing infrastructure meant significant spending was required to reduce leaks, improve water quality and cut sewage discharges.

“We are at a point where we have a choice,” he said.

“We can invest more and improve faster, or take longer to get there.”

But Mr Tufnell argues that customers have already been presented with substantial increases without seeing the level of improvement they were promised.

Average Welsh Water household bills rose sharply in 2025 as the company began a five-year investment period. Senedd Research said average bills increased by around 27%, with an overall rise of approximately 42% expected by 2030.

Welsh Water then announced a further 4.8% increase for 2026-27, taking its stated average annual household bill from £652 to £683.

Individual bills vary significantly depending on whether a property has a meter, its rateable value and whether the customer receives water, sewerage or both services.

The increases are intended to support an investment programme which Welsh Water says is needed to replace ageing pipes, improve treatment works, reduce pollution and make supplies more resilient.

However, the rises come against a backdrop of repeated regulatory criticism.

‘Lagging behind’ for four consecutive years

Ofwat’s most recent published company performance assessment ranked Welsh Water as “lagging behind” for the fourth consecutive year.

The company was performing worse than its target in seven of the 12 areas assessed.

Natural Resources Wales also maintained Welsh Water’s two-star environmental rating, meaning that the company “requires improvement”, for a third consecutive year.

Regulators recorded 155 water supply and sewerage pollution incidents attributed to Welsh Water during 2024, including six serious incidents. It was the highest number of incidents recorded for the company in a decade.

Welsh Water has said its storm overflow figures improved during 2025, with the total number of hours in which overflows operated falling by around 18%.

However, sewage discharges across Wales remained extensive. Analysis of published monitoring data by The Rivers Trust recorded 94,974 discharges during 2025, lasting a combined 777,545 hours.

Storm overflows are intended to prevent homes and businesses being flooded when sewage systems are overwhelmed by rainwater. An overflow activation does not automatically mean that a company has acted illegally, and the monitoring data does not show the volume or precise contents of each discharge.

Nevertheless, campaigners argue that the frequency and duration of their operation demonstrate that the sewer network is routinely unable to cope.

Analysis of Welsh Water monitoring data by the campaign website Top of the Poops estimated that overflows within the Mid and South Pembrokeshire constituency operated 5,944 times during 2025, for a combined 56,669 hours.

The figures cover 104 monitored locations and include discharges affecting rivers, streams, estuaries and coastal waters across the constituency.

£44.7 million enforcement package

Pressure on Welsh Water intensified in June when Ofwat confirmed a £44.7 million enforcement package after finding “serious and unacceptable” failures in the company’s wastewater operations.

The regulator found that Welsh Water had failed to properly operate, maintain and upgrade sewage treatment works and sewer networks so that they could cope with the amount of wastewater entering the system.

It also identified inadequate company processes and insufficient oversight by senior management.

The action is sometimes described as a fine, but it is technically an enforceable package of undertakings. The money is not paid to the Treasury.

Welsh Water must instead spend £40.6 million on work to reduce spills, address groundwater entering the sewer network and limit environmental damage.

A further £4.1 million must be spent on improving river quality in environmentally sensitive catchments.

The package is to be funded by the company rather than being added to customer bills.

It followed separate action in 2024, when Welsh Water agreed a £40 million redress package after Ofwat concluded that the company had misled customers and regulators about its performance on leakage and household water consumption.

Welsh Water defends investment programme

Welsh Water insists that significant progress cannot be delivered without major investment.

The company operates as a not-for-profit business with no shareholders. It says financial surpluses are reinvested in services, infrastructure and support for customers rather than being distributed as dividends.

Welsh Water says it invested £617 million in its water and wastewater network during 2025-26, including £134 million on environmental improvements and £120 million on water quality and network resilience.

Its wider programme proposes more than £4 billion of investment between 2025 and 2030, including around £2.5 billion on environmental work.

Mr Cheroux, who formally became chief executive at the beginning of 2026, has also begun a major company transformation programme intended to improve performance, restructure the organisation and develop a new long-term strategy.

The company’s position is that the cost of upgrading thousands of miles of underground pipes, sewers and treatment infrastructure must ultimately be recovered through customer bills.

Critics, however, say Welsh Water must demonstrate that the additional money will produce measurable improvements rather than asking customers to accept repeated increases based on future promises.

Tufnell backs tougher action against water bosses

Mr Tufnell, who serves on the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said he had been using his position in Parliament to scrutinise the water industry.

The Water (Special Measures) Act introduced powers allowing Ofwat to block bonuses for senior executives where companies fail to meet environmental, customer service or financial standards.

The legislation also introduced potential criminal liability for executives who obstruct regulatory investigations or conceal illegal sewage discharges.

Mr Tufnell said: “For too long, water companies have been allowed to underperform while customers pick up the bill.

“That has to change.

“We have introduced legislation to stop bonuses being paid to the bosses of failing water companies and to make senior executives criminally accountable when they cover up wrongdoing.

“Welsh Water must now invest properly in its infrastructure, clean up our rivers and seas and give customers the service they are already paying for.”

Pembrokeshire waterways under pressure

The MP said protecting Pembrokeshire’s rivers, coastline and estuaries was not simply a national political issue but an immediate local concern.

He highlighted his work with The Cleddau Project and Surfers Against Sewage, both of which have campaigned for improved monitoring, stronger enforcement and faster action to protect local waterways.

Mr Tufnell said: “Locally, I am proud to work with community groups like The Cleddau Project and Surfers Against Sewage to collectively protect our waterways.

“I am committed to protecting and restoring our county’s beautiful waterways.”

The central question facing Welsh Water is no longer whether its infrastructure requires investment. The company, regulators, politicians and environmental groups broadly agree that it does.

The dispute is over who should bear the cost, how quickly improvement should be delivered and why customers should trust Welsh Water to produce better results after years of rising bills, regulatory intervention and declining performance.

For households in Pembrokeshire, Mr Tufnell’s message is clear: customers have already paid more, and Welsh Water must now prove it can deliver.