RESIDENTS have been told to keep windows and doors closed as fire crews tackle a major blaze involving around 200 tonnes of commercial waste in Port Talbot.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Port Talbot, Neath, Morriston, Ammanford, Tumble, Carmarthen, Pontarddulais and Glynneath were called to the incident at Dock Road.

Firefighters from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are also supporting the operation.

The incident remains ongoing, and members of the public have been urged to avoid the area to allow emergency services access.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said local residents should keep windows and doors closed if there is thick smoke nearby.

The service also urged people only to call 999 if lives or property are in immediate danger, so control room operators can manage resources effectively.

Photo: Guerrilla Kitchen.

TWO-THIRDS of people in Wales do not properly understand major changes to the Senedd voting system ahead of next week’s election, new research has found.

Initial findings from the Welsh Election Study 2026 show widespread confusion about the expansion of the Senedd, the creation of new constituencies and the way votes will be counted when Wales goes to the polls on Thursday (May 7).

The study, led by researchers from Aberystwyth University and Swansea University, is based on responses from 10,001 adults aged 16 and over in Wales who were surveyed by Ipsos UK between February 26 and April 7.

From this election, the Senedd will increase from 60 to 96 Members. Wales will be divided into 16 larger constituencies, each electing six Members. Voters will have one vote, choosing a political party or an independent candidate, rather than voting separately for a constituency candidate and a regional list as in previous elections.

But the survey found that public understanding of the new system remains low.

Researchers said 88% of respondents either gave an incorrect answer or did not know how the new closed list electoral system will work. Just under 12% were able to answer correctly.

The findings come despite a majority of respondents saying they are interested in politics. Around 59% said they were interested in the forthcoming Senedd election, but the study found that many voters remain unclear about both the voting system and the division of powers between Cardiff Bay and Westminster.

Around half of respondents were either wrong or did not know that the Senedd has responsibility for the NHS, agriculture and economic development in Wales. Only 40% knew that policing remains a UK Government responsibility.

The survey also revealed a significant generational knowledge gap. Only 28% of respondents aged 16 to 25 knew that the Welsh Government is responsible for the NHS, compared with 62.7% of those aged 65 and over.

The research also points to a wider crisis of trust. More than two-thirds of respondents reported limited or no trust in the UK Government. Trust in the Welsh Government was slightly higher, but almost half of respondents still said they mistrusted it.

Many people also felt powerless to influence political decisions. More than 60% said they had no influence over decisions made by the UK Government, compared with 52% for decisions affecting Wales and just over 40% at local level.

When respondents were asked to describe the forthcoming Senedd election in one word, 83% expressed negative emotions, compared with 17% who gave positive responses. The most common themes were disappointment, frustration and worry.

Dr Anwen Elias, of Aberystwyth University, who authored the analysis and co-leads the study, said: “These findings provide an important insight into how people in Wales understand and engage with politics at a crucial moment ahead of the Senedd election.

“They highlight gaps in awareness of major electoral reforms and raise important questions about democratic participation, trust in government, and how well-informed people feel when making political decisions.

“Overall, these findings suggest a Welsh electorate that is generally interested in politics, including the upcoming Senedd election. However, understanding of how democracy works in Wales is mixed, and knowledge of the electoral reforms in place for the next election is limited.”

Dr Elias said knowledge of the reforms was “generally very low”, with slightly more awareness of the number of Members to be elected and the fact that each voter will cast one vote.

She added: “There is relatively less knowledge of the number of MSs representing each constituency, and even less of the operation of the closed list system of proportional representation, with barely over one in ten understanding it.”

Dr Bettina Petersohn, of Swansea University, said the findings showed that people in Wales had generally positive attitudes towards key democratic processes and were interested in the election.

She said: “The responses show that people have generally positive attitudes towards key democratic processes in Wales, are interested in the upcoming election, with a majority thinking that it makes a difference who will win the Senedd election.

“At the same time, the level of knowledge about the new electoral system was low at the start of the electoral campaign. Overall, people also expressed the feeling of not having much influence over decisions made for the UK, but also for Wales or the local area.”

The findings are published in the briefing paper A Snapshot of Democracy and Society in Wales: Initial Findings from the Welsh Election Study, April 2026.

The Welsh Election Study 2026 is a four-year research project funded by the UKRI Economic and Social Research Council.

The project brings together Dr Anwen Elias, of Aberystwyth University, Professor Matt Wall, Dr Bettina Petersohn and Dr Mohsin Hussain, of Swansea University, working with the Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research and Data.

PLAID LEADER BRINGS MESSAGE OF ‘NEW LEADERSHIP’ TO TOWN SQUARE

PLAIDCYMRU leader Rhun ap Iorwerth was welcomed by supporters in Carmarthen this afternoon as the party continued its campaign ahead of the Senedd election.

The party leader addressed a gathering on Carmarthen town square, where supporters said his message of “new leadership” for Wales was met with loud applause.

The latest opinion polls suggest that the election will be extremely close between Plaid Cymru and Reform, with Labour – who have won every election to the Senedd since it was established in 1999 – far behind. Sir Gaerfyrddin, which covers the Westminster constituencies of Carmarthen and Llanelli, is one of the areas where a tight result is expected between the two parties.

Speaking on Carmarthen Square, a historical site for Plaid Cymru where it was announced that Gwynfor Evans had been elected as Plaid Cymru’s first Member of Parliament in 1966, Rhun ap Iorwerth said:

“In just 8 days’ time, Sir Gâr and Wales have the opportunity to make history by electing the first Welsh Government answerable only to the people of Wales.

“With just over a week to go until the people of Wales go to the polls, it’s clear that this election is a two-horse race between Plaid Cymru and Reform. For new leadership for Wales, a credible plan to deliver it, and to stop Farage and Reform’s division and chaos, vote Plaid Cymru.”

Cefin Campbell, Plaid Cymru’s lead candidate in Sir Gaerfyrddin, added: “Labour has left communities throughout this county down for too long, not giving adequate support to our health service, our schools and our local councils.

“It is so encouraging to speak with so many people on the doorstep who are turning to Plaid Cymru as the only party willing to stand up for Wales, give us new leadership and block a Reform government.”

The visit was highlighted on social media by former Carmarthen mayor Alun Lenny, who described the speech as “positive and exciting” and said Mr ap Iorwerth had been welcomed by a large crowd.

Writing in Welsh, Mr Lenny said: “Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth was welcomed by a large crowd of supporters in Carmarthen today. His positive and exciting message for new leadership in Wales was greeted by loud applause.”

The Carmarthen appearance comes as Plaid Cymru seeks to build momentum in the final stages of the Senedd campaign.

Mr ap Iorwerth has repeatedly argued that Wales needs a change of government after more than two decades of Labour-led administrations in Cardiff Bay.

Plaid Cymru is hoping to position itself as the main alternative to Labour, while also facing pressure from the Conservatives, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats in what is expected to be a closely watched election.

Carmarthen is likely to be an important battleground in the wider contest, with parties placing increasing emphasis on west Wales as polling day approaches.

The Senedd election takes place on Thursday, May 7.

Cover image:

Campaign stop: Rhun ap Iorwerth addresses supporters in Carmarthen town square this afternoon (Pic: Alun Lenny/Facebook).