News

Badger and the Christmas card

Published

11 years ago

February 26, 2015

HELLO readers! This is Badger’s last column before Christmas and so he is sure that those who elect to subject themselves weekly (or weakly, or weakly weekly, for that matter) to his ramblings about the surface world, will know that Badger is not a fan of Yuletide festivities. Badger peeked up out of his sett the other evening. Instead of the reassuring gloom of the Pembrokeshire night, he was assailed by what seemed to be an outdoor discotheque; a riot of fl ashing lights illuminated the gloaming, while dancing plastic snowmen tinkled the tune to Jingle Bells. Plastic. Snowmen. Jingle. Bells.

Are you people mad up there? It’s quite bad enough that John Lewis think that the meaning of Christmas can be conveyed by encouraging simpering toy penguins to form romantic relationships with other simpering toy penguins: but why are ordinary houses in ordinary streets lit up like a New Orleans bordello at Mardi Gras? Badger thought he was back in a bad 1980’s night club. All it needed was for the snowmen to start boogying on down to “Disco Inferno” and the illusion would have been complete. So far, so Badger, readers. But then at the madhouse where Badger’s human friends work, a Christmas card was received. It didn’t say much, just “thank you”.

A “thank you” to Badger’s chums at The Herald for everything they have done to shine a light into the gloomier corners of Pembrokeshire and drag out and into the light some pretty unpleasant facts and inconvenient truths. Badger was, quite unaccountably, moved. Badger is a strong believer in the power of words and the care that should be applied to their use. But the words “thank you” have a very specifi c power, even if they are used casually.

“Thank you” says that what you have done has been discovered, appreciated and acknowledged. Even if sincere thanks comes from one person, that one person has taken the time to notice what you have done. “Thank you” gives a little tickle of pleasure to the recipient of the sentiment. And that is why Badger offers his very sincere thanks to the members of the IPPG at Pembrokeshire County Council. From Johnny Allen-Squirehouse to Steve Yelland, they never cease to provide Badger with material. Badger does not believe – as some do – that Jamie Adams and his chums are involved in some sort of conspiracy against Pembrokeshire’s people.

He has always preferred the cock up theory of history. And the IPPG’s membership provide ample evidence to support Badger’s point of view. Look at them, readers: pay attention to the webcasts from County Hall. See how your IPPG representatives behave and how they misrepresent the public they are supposed to serve. Badger has often heard it said that it is better to be thought an idiot than to open one’s mouth and dispel all doubt. Badger has heard that aphorism: Johnny Allen- Squirehouse has clearly not heard it. Or perhaps he cannot hear anything over his own booming drawl. Imagine having an internal voice that sounded so pompous, readers.

It would drive you crackers. Look at Johnny A. Join the dots. From Johnny, we whizz all the way to the arse end of the alphabet to Cllr Steve Yelland. Rudbaxton’s representative at County Hall is not a councillor who has drawn himself to Badger’s attention before now. For a few brief seconds last week, readers, Cllr Yelland – by dint of nothing than there happening not to be a councillor Adrian Zebedee – was a very important person. The vote to have an annual election, or the possibility of one, for the leadership of the Council was tied 28-28. Cllr Yelland’s vote was the next, and last, to be taken.

“Independent” Cllr Yelland put as his description on the ballot paper in 2012. Indy – bloody – pendent. Badger supposes that independence has some peculiar quality of blind obedience of which Badger was previously unaware. Perhaps Cllr Yelland is as notionally independent as the satellite states were of the Soviet Union. A sort of Bulgaria, as it were. Not a place anyone paid much attention to way back then, readers, Bulgaria was a reliable ally to the USSR. A country whose secret service was happy to do Moscow’s dirty work. It would be a lie to say that there was any doubt about the way Cllr Yelland would vote. Jamie says “for”, Cllr Yelland says “for”.

Jamie says “against”, Cllr Yelland says “against”. Jamie makes an attempt at humour, Cllr Yelland laughs. Jamie does the sad and patronising voice, Cllr Yelland nods along. He is the yes man’s yes man. Lobby fodder. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. And so Bulgaria Yelland had a moment on Thursday when the eyes of his fellow members were fi xed upon him. “Against,” Cllr Yelland murmured. Barely a beat he missed, readers. Not for Bulgaria the moment of tension beloved of television reality shows. No hesitation of the type beloved of Chris Tarrant when “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” was a popular quiz.

The question – as is the nature of these things – had been reduced to one right answer and the remaining wrong answer. Bulgaria had already phoned a friend, so he knew what to do. He did not need to ask the audience. “Against,” Bulgaria murmured and the door slammed on an opportunity to reign in an over-mighty executive. Badger does not believe that Cllr Yelland is a bad person. For all Badger knows, Cllr Yelland donates generously and widely to charity and helps grannies remove boy scouts from horses’ hooves. But as a sterling example that the word “independent” means less than you might think when it comes to your representatives, readers, Bulgaria Yelland is diffi cult to beat. And for that Badger wishes to extend sincere thanks to Cllr Yelland. Because when – and if – Pembrokeshire’s electors go to the polls in 2017, it will be the conduct of Bulgaria and others like him that will make the job of sweeping the IPPG from power that much easier. And on that positive note, Badger wishes all of his readers – whatever or whomsoever they believe in – a peaceful and merry Christmas.

Farming

Basic Payment Scheme 2025 balance paid to 95% of Welsh farmers

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Final year of BPS as transition to Sustainable Farming Scheme begins

The WELSH Government says more than ninety-five per cent of farm businesses have now received their full or balance payment under the final year of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), ahead of the introduction of the new Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) in 2026.

Announcing the update on Friday (Dec 12), Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, confirmed that over 15,400 Welsh farm businesses have been paid £68.7m. This comes on top of the £160m issued in BPS advance payments since 14 October.

Final round of BPS payments

The Basic Payment Scheme, which has been the backbone of farm support in Wales for a decade, provides direct income support to help farmers plan and manage their businesses. BPS 2025 marks the last year in which full BPS payments will be made before the scheme begins to be phased out.

The Cabinet Secretary said officials would “continue to process the outstanding BPS 2025 claims as soon as possible,” adding that all but the most complex cases should be completed by 30 June 2026.

Payments issued today represent the main balance due to farmers following earlier advances, giving many businesses the cash flow they need during the quieter winter period—traditionally a challenging time in the agricultural calendar.

Shift to Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2026

From 1 January 2026, the Welsh Government will begin rolling out the Sustainable Farming Scheme, a major reform to how agricultural support is delivered. The SFS will reward farmers for environmental outcomes such as habitat management, carbon reduction and biodiversity improvements, alongside continued food production.

The government has argued that the new scheme is essential to meeting Wales’ climate and nature targets while ensuring long-term resilience in the sector. However, the transition has been closely watched by farming unions, who have raised concerns about the administrative burden, income stability, and the speed at which BPS is being phased out.

Mr Irranca-Davies reaffirmed the government’s stance, saying: “This government is steadfastly committed to supporting Welsh farmers to sustainably produce quality food. This is demonstrated today in our payment of the BPS 2025 balance payments and will continue throughout the transition period.”

Sector reaction

Farming unions are expected to scrutinise the detail of today’s announcement, particularly around remaining unpaid cases. Last year, late payments led to frustration in parts of the sector, with unions calling for greater certainty as the industry faces rising input costs, supply chain pressures and continued market volatility.

The move to the SFS remains one of the most significant agricultural policy changes in Wales since devolution. Ministers insist the shift is designed to support both food production and environmental stewardship, while critics warn the transition must not undermine farm viability—especially for family-run livestock farms that dominate rural areas such as Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.

What happens next

Farmers still awaiting their BPS 2025 balance will continue to be processed “as soon as possible”, the Welsh Government said. Officials will also publish updated guidance on the Sustainable Farming Scheme ahead of its launch.

The coming year will therefore become a pivotal moment for Welsh agriculture, as the long-standing BPS framework—which provided over £200m annually to Welsh farmers—makes way for a new results-based model that will shape the industry for decades to come.

News

Improved train timetable launches across Wales

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Extra services, later trains and boosted Sunday routes as £800m rail investment takes effect

An improved train timetable has come into force across Wales today (Sunday, 14 December), with Transport for Wales (TfW) introducing more frequent services, stronger connections and additional late-night trains on key routes.

The winter timetable update brings one of the most substantial uplifts in recent years on the Wales and Borders network, forming part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing £800 million investment in brand-new rolling stock and reliability improvements.

More trains and later journeys

Among the upgrades, passengers will see:

A new hourly additional service between Chester and Wrexham, effectively doubling the frequency on one of the region’s busiest commuter corridors.
An extra train in each direction every day on the Heart of Wales line between Swansea and Shrewsbury.
Three later last trains from Cardiff to Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil, supporting shift workers and the night-time economy.
A new hourly Sunday service on the Coryton line in Cardiff.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said improved connectivity was “absolutely vital” for economic growth and passenger confidence.

“These changes will make a real difference to customers, who will benefit from more services and greater connectivity,” he said. “This has been made possible by our £800m investment in brand-new trains for the Wales and Borders network.

“We will see the doubling of trains between Wrexham and Chester and a later service from the capital to valley communities. In South Wales, people will continue to benefit from simpler, fairer fares through TfW’s Pay As You Go service, and its forthcoming introduction in North Wales will help even more passengers access easy, transparent pricing.”

Full details of the updated timetable are available at: tfw.wales/service-status/timetables

News

Wrecked guard boat still under watch off north Pembrokeshire coast

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Tidal changes monitored after dramatic early-morning rescue

A GUARD VESSEL that ran aground off the north Pembrokeshire coast in the early hours of Thursday morning (Dec 11) remains under close observation as tides continue to shift.

The Resolute, a 24-metre guard boat understood to be working for an offshore wind project off the Irish coast, had been sheltering in worsening weather when she was pushed onto rocks near Aber Hywel, Dinas, shortly after 3:25am.

Four crew members were onboard when the vessel grounded in rough seas and a strong southerly wind.

Major rescue effort launched

The crew issued an emergency alert, prompting a full multi-agency response.
A coastguard rescue helicopter, both Fishguard RNLI lifeboats, and coastguard teams from Fishguard and St Davids were sent to the scene.

Turbulent air made a winch rescue impossible and Fishguard’s all-weather lifeboat was unable to get close due to cliffs and submerged hazards. The inshore lifeboat was instead deployed to attempt a transfer in extremely challenging conditions.

During the evacuation, the third crew member descending to the vessel’s life raft slipped, fell into the water and was swept away. Speaking afterwards, RNLI crew member Cedwyn Rogers said the team immediately switched into “hyper-focused” mode as training took over.

Despite the casualty drifting, helm Warren Bean — a volunteer with more than 30 years’ RNLI experience — manoeuvred the lifeboat alongside, allowing crew to haul the man to safety. The remaining crew member was then retrieved, and all four were taken aboard the all-weather lifeboat and brought ashore to Fishguard.

All rescue units were later stood down.

Vessel still stranded and taking on water

The Herald understands that the Resolute remained aground on the rocks yesterday and was taking on water. The crew were later assisted back onboard by a local fisherman to assess damage on behalf of the vessel’s operators.

Management representatives from Ireland were due to arrive to draw up a recovery plan, including arrangements to remove fuel to prevent any potential environmental impact.

Further inspections have been taking place today as the team evaluates the next steps.

Coastguard statement

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said: “At 3.28am on Thursday morning, HM Coastguard was made aware of a vessel with four persons onboard aground on rocks at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire. RNLI lifeboats and coastguard rescue teams from Fishguard and St Davids were sent to the scene. The four people aboard were rescued by lifeboat, and the helicopter was stood down. The vessel, which is still aground, is being monitored as tidal conditions change.”