News

Elin Jones says West Wales has been ‘too far away’ from Cardiff Bay decision-making

Published

2 months ago

April 30, 2026

PLAID CYMRU LEAD CANDIDATE SAYS WITHYBUSH AND BRONGLAIS MUST BE PROTECTED

PLAID CYMRU lead candidate Elin Jones has said West Wales needs a fairer deal from Cardiff Bay, as she pledged to fight for Withybush and Bronglais hospitals during a 30-minute interview at The Herald offices.

NEW CONSTITUENCY BATTLE

Jones, who is standing in the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency, sat down with Herald editor Tom Sinclair in Milford Haven as part of The Herald’s election interview series.

She said the election was unlike any she had fought before, with Labour and the Conservatives “very low down in the polls” and Plaid Cymru and Reform locked in a close contest.

Jones said: “There is far more jeopardy in this election. Every vote will count in a different way, because the election system is different as well.”

FAIRER DEAL FOR WEST WALES

She said Plaid Cymru’s central message was that Wales needed new leadership after 27 years of Labour-led government.

Jones said: “I think over the last 27 years Labour hasn’t got it right in Wales. They have concentrated too much on the M4 corridor, on those areas of South Wales, and not enough for West Wales and possibly even North Wales.”

She added that Plaid would seek to provide “a fairer representation of all parts of Wales and a fairer allocation of resources”.

CARDIFF BAY ESTABLISHMENT

Asked whether Plaid Cymru now looked like part of the Cardiff Bay establishment, Jones rejected the suggestion.

She said: “We’re certainly an alternative to Labour because we focus entirely on Wales. We have no leader elsewhere in the UK who tells us what to do.

“We have no Nigel Farage or Keir Starmer to decide what Plaid Cymru’s policies and priorities are.”

HOSPITALS TOP PRIORITY

Jones said she accepted that many people in Pembrokeshire felt decisions were made elsewhere.

She said: “People in Ceredigion will tell me that they feel the end of the road. There’s a lot of similarities in the issues both counties face.”

She said the clearest example was healthcare, particularly the future of Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest and Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth.

Jones said: “I’ve absolutely no doubt in answering that question. It is to make sure that both Withybush and Bronglais retain their status and the services that they need to be full district general hospitals.

“We can’t allow these two big rural areas served by those two hospitals to have to travel for the services that they are meant to provide.”

NHS UNDER PRESSURE

On the NHS, Jones said waiting times, GP access, ambulance pressures and dentistry were among the biggest issues being raised on the doorstep.

She said Plaid Cymru would seek to reduce waiting lists through surgical hubs and would employ an additional 100 salaried GPs over the next four years.

Jones also said Wales needed to train more dentists, particularly for rural areas.

She said: “One of the commitments in the Plaid Cymru manifesto is to have a new dental school for rural Wales.

“We have to provide more dentists into the system to enable a better balance and more access to NHS dentistry, particularly and especially with children’s dentistry, which is particularly problematic and worrying.”

NEW HOSPITAL ROW

Jones criticised Labour for putting the idea of a new hospital between Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire back on the agenda shortly before the election.

She said: “I don’t know what the motivation of Labour was to put this back on the agenda so swiftly, just before the election. It certainly confused the picture again.

“What it does is throw into question again whether you invest in the hospitals you have or whether you really go for planning the next new hospital.”

Jones said there needed to be an early decision after the election.

She said: “We’ve got to settle this. I thought it had been settled for now last year by the decision by the health board, but Eluned Morgan and the Labour Party have just thrown it back up in the air.”

BATTLE WITH FIRST MINISTER

Asked why voters should choose her over Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan, who is also standing in the seat, Jones said she had spent years fighting to protect services at Bronglais.

She said: “I have spent the last 20 years in my area, originally Ceredigion, fighting for Bronglais Hospital and against the centralisation of services.

“I want to bring the same enthusiasm, and also an in-principle support for services needing to be retained locally.”

She added: “That should be the first point of any decision that a health board makes. It’s why keep it locally, not why centralise services.”

DIGITAL HEALTHCARE

Jones said she accepted that some specialist services would always require travel, but said routine care and life-saving services should be available locally.

She also called for more use of digital healthcare, saying patients in rural areas should be able to speak to specialists in Swansea, Cardiff or Morriston by video from local hospitals.

PLAID AND LABOUR

On Plaid Cymru’s previous co-operation with Labour, Jones said her party had tried to improve policies from opposition but was not responsible for Labour’s record in government.

She said: “We are not responsible for the decisions of the government, and we have not been, other than the time of coalition between 2007 and 2011.

“We have sought to make some things better at different times.”

Jones said Plaid’s ambition was to lead the next Welsh Government, ideally as a minority government.

She said: “Plaid’s ambition in this election is to form a government, to lead the government, to ultimately elect Rhun ap Iorwerth as the First Minister.”

REFORM CHALLENGE

Asked about the rise of Reform UK, Jones said some voters were angry with politics, but she believed many people in Wales did not want Nigel Farage to be able to claim victory after the election.

She said: “I’m absolutely convinced that there are more people in Wales, and in the door-knocking I’m doing in Pembrokeshire, who do not want to see Farage win this election.”

FARMING FRUSTRATION

On farming, Jones said the sector had faced major uncertainty since Brexit and criticised Labour’s handling of the Sustainable Farming Scheme.

She said farmers in Pembrokeshire were particularly concerned about bovine TB.

Jones said: “Farmers are desperate to see a government that is serious about tackling TB, because it has got a serious hold over farming.

“We need to bring a little bit more common sense into how we have regulations and rules around farming.”

She also criticised what she described as “farming by calendar”, saying farmers should be able to make decisions based on weather and conditions rather than fixed dates.

FAMILY FARMS

Jones, who was brought up on a family farm near Lampeter, said family farms were vital to rural Wales.

She said: “The countryside that we all love looks as great as it does because farmers and family farms continue to be the bedrock of rural areas.”

YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVING

On young people leaving West Wales, Jones said the area needed more housing, better-paid jobs, and stronger support for key local sectors including agriculture, tourism and renewable energy.

She said Milford Haven and the wider Pembrokeshire coast had major opportunities in offshore renewable energy.

On transport, Jones said rail and bus links in West Wales needed improvement.

She said: “We need to make rail investment in West Wales, whether that is the railway into Aberystwyth or the railway that links from Carmarthen into Pembrokeshire.

TRANSPORT LINKS

“We need to modernise those services and make them more frequent.”

RETURN TO PARTY POLITICS

Jones, who has served as Llywydd of the Senedd, said she felt “excited and invigorated” to return fully to party politics.

She said canvassing in Pembrokeshire had been “enlightening”, adding that the new constituency was “all to play for”.

PLAID FIRST MINISTER

Asked what she still wanted to achieve after almost three decades in Welsh politics, Jones said: “I want to achieve a Plaid Cymru First Minister.

“It is only when a party takes the role of the First Minister, the First Minister’s office, the First Minister’s leadership of government, that you can truly make the change that your party wants to see.”

Crime

Drug trafficker must repay £33,000 after court rules he made nearly £500,000

Published

21 minutes ago

June 17, 2026

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE drug trafficker jailed after a major cocaine and cannabis seizure has been ordered to repay more than £33,000.

Dean Evans, 44, returned to Swansea Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing after prosecutors sought to recover money made through his offending.

The court heard it had been agreed that Evans benefited from criminal conduct by £496,533.94. However, his available assets were calculated at £33,337.37.

Judge Catherine Richards made a confiscation order for that amount and gave Evans three months to pay. If he fails to do so, he faces a further year in prison.

Evans, of St Clements Park, Freystrop, is already serving an eight-year sentence after admitting possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.

He was caught after Dyfed-Powys Police’s Roads Policing Unit stopped his Seat Ateca on Holyland Road, Pembroke, at around 10:25am on January 2.

Officers searched the vehicle after Evans admitted they would find “stuff” inside.

They discovered around one kilogram of cocaine in a cardboard box in the boot, together with 5.4 kilograms of cannabis in a black bin bag. The cannabis had been split into ten vacuum-sealed bags.

Swansea Crown Court was previously told the drugs had a combined potential street value of up to £185,000, made up of around £125,000 of cocaine and cannabis worth up to £60,000.

A mobile phone seized from Evans revealed what prosecutors described as a “dealer’s list”, with dozens of names and sums believed to be owed. Messages also showed Evans directing dealers below him in the supply chain.

At the original sentencing hearing, the court was told Evans had 23 previous convictions for 62 offences, including rape and robbery. His previous drug matters had related only to possession.

Sarah John, mitigating, said he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and had stayed out of trouble for a “fairly lengthy period”, with his last conviction in 2016.

Jailing Evans for eight years, Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “You are clearly a man with few criminal boundaries.

“You ensnared users and low-level drug dealers into debt, dragging them into a vicious circle of criminality.”

After sentencing, DC Phill Jones, of Pembrokeshire’s Serious Organised Crime Unit, said illegal drugs brought misery to local communities and would not be tolerated.

He said: “This sentence should serve as a stark warning to any others who are tempted into the illegal drugs trade. You will get caught and you will go to prison.”

Photo caption: Drugs seized:

Dean Evans was caught with cocaine and cannabis worth up to £185,000 in his car (Pic: Dyfed-Powys Police).

Community

Government hails rural 4G boost as Tenby signal concerns continue

Published

1 hour ago

June 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MINISTERS have hailed the rollout of dozens of 4G mast upgrades across rural Wales, but recent concerns in Tenby show mobile coverage remains a live issue in Pembrokeshire.

The UK Government says a further 11 mast upgrades have been switched on in Wales this year through the Shared Rural Network, bringing the Welsh total to 55.

The scheme is aimed at improving mobile coverage in hard-to-reach rural areas, helping residents, businesses and visitors stay connected and access help more quickly in an emergency.

Areas benefiting from the latest upgrades include Nant Gwynant in Snowdonia, Capel y Ffin near Abergavenny, Manafon near Welshpool, and several locations across Powys.

Telecoms Minister Liz Lloyd said the programme was helping bring “every part of the UK into the digital age”, while Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said reliable coverage was vital for rural communities and economic growth.

However, the announcement comes amid continuing concern about mobile phone coverage in Tenby, where residents and businesses have raised concerns about poor signal and mast-related issues.

Although the latest UK Government upgrades focus mainly on remote rural areas, the problems reported in Tenby highlight that connectivity remains a pressing issue in Pembrokeshire, particularly in coastal communities which see huge seasonal increases in visitor numbers.

Reliable mobile coverage is increasingly seen as essential for tourism businesses, delivery drivers, emergency services, residents and visitors who rely on phones for payments, bookings, navigation and safety.

The Shared Rural Network is a partnership between the UK Government and mobile network operators. Across Great Britain, more than 140 publicly funded 4G masts have now been activated.

The programme is due to continue until January 2027.

News

Puppy breeding investigations remain high in Carmarthenshire

Published

1 hour ago

June 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CARMARTHENSHIRE remains Wales’ puppy breeding hotspot, despite a fall in the number of investigations carried out by the county council last year.

New figures obtained by RSPCA Cymru under the Freedom of Information Act show that Carmarthenshire County Council undertook 46 dog breeding investigations in 2025, down from 59 in 2024.

The number of prosecutions in the county also fell sharply, from 12 in 2024 to three in 2025.

Across Wales, however, the picture is different. Local authorities carried out 210 investigations into suspected irresponsible or illicit puppy trading in 2025, compared with 144 the previous year — a rise of 46%.

RSPCA Cymru is now calling on the Welsh Government to review dog breeding laws and ensure councils have the resources needed to tackle illegal and hidden breeding activity.

Local authorities are responsible for licensing dog breeding establishments, checking compliance with licence conditions, investigating illegal breeding and bringing prosecutions where necessary.

Billie-Jade Thomas, Senior Public Affairs Manager for RSPCA Cymru said: “With the number of investigations having increased significantly in 2025, it is encouraging to see local authorities working hard to investigate complaints relevant to dog breeding made to them by members of the public.

“Traditionally, Carmarthenshire is known as one of the UK’s hot spots for dog breeding activity and we welcome all efforts made by the council to improve the enforcement of the relevant regulations in the county.

“Prosecutions are also significantly down, which could suggest signs of improvement across Wales as a result of the proactive and advice-led approach being undertaken by many local authorities.

“However, some cases from 2025 will still be progressing this year, and we always fear there are many underground sellers undertaking irresponsible breeding practices and providing poor care behind closed doors. It is important that these efforts continue.”

In November, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet endorsed a series of recommendations following a Task and Finish Group review into dog breeding.

These included working with local vets to ensure they understand the requirements placed on licensed breeders, improving public knowledge about dog breeding, considering a compulsory scoring system for licensed breeders, and reviewing licensing fees.

RSPCA Cymru took part in the council’s consultation exercise. The review also made recommendations at a national level, including a review of current legislation, a centralised microchipping database, consideration of a national scoring system for breeders, and whether a national body is needed to support dog breeders.

Billie-Jade added: “We were really pleased to engage with this review and are encouraged that the council is looking at how to ensure high and consistent standards are enforced to protect welfare.

“Working with local vets and the public to enhance knowledge about dog breeding licensing locally will help spread information, while a compulsory scoring system could give people added confidence when buying from a breeder.

“But some of the national recommendations are really important too, and we hope the Welsh Government will take these on board and commit to a review of Wales’ dog breeding regulations to ensure they protect animal welfare.”

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Trading Standards, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen said: “Carmarthenshire County Council remains committed in its proactive efforts to address illegal dog breeding.

“We consistently collaborate with local vets, licensed breeders and the public to raise awareness and drive improvements in standards, always placing animal welfare at the forefront of our actions.

“By adopting intelligence-led enforcement and prioritising early intervention, we strive to prevent poor practices and support responsible breeders.

“Our robust approach to licensing and inspection, together with strong partnership working, enables us to address hidden breeding activity, safeguard animal welfare and foster public confidence in our methods.

“The recent Task and Finish review undertaken by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Place, Sustainability and Climate Change Scrutiny Committee has provided valuable recommendations that are shaping our local strategy.

“Furthermore, we are open and willing to engage with any national review of dog breeding regulations should the Welsh Government decide to advance that recommendation.”

New dog breeding laws came into force in Wales in 2015. They require anyone keeping three or more breeding bitches, or breeding three or more litters of puppies a year and selling any of them, to obtain a licence from their local council.

The RSPCA says the scale of dog breeding in Wales, and the age of the current legislation, means the rules now need to be reviewed.

Animal Licensing Wales, led by Monmouthshire County Council on behalf of Trading Standards Wales, supports councils with inspections, investigations and enforcement work.

Project Manager Zoe Phillips said: “While prosecutions have fallen, the increase in investigations shows that concerns are being identified and acted on more effectively.

“In many cases, local authorities are now intervening earlier, using advice, compliance work and targeted enforcement to improve standards before issues escalate to court.

“It is also important to recognise that some cases may still be progressing through the courts this year which are not yet reflected in annual figures.”

The RSPCA is urging anyone concerned about suspected illegal puppy selling to contact their local trading standards team.

Anyone with dog welfare concerns can contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

The charity also advises prospective puppy owners to use the free Puppy Contract, available at www.puppycontract.org.uk, and says people should consider adopting a rescue dog where possible.