News

Badger and the legend of Leighton’s gold

Published

11 years ago

February 26, 2015

THIS Friday is an important one for Pembrokeshire, readers. It may seem like any other Friday at this time of year, marking time to the inevitable twinkling of sleigh bells and relentless smuggery of Christmas, but this Friday is different. For this Friday, local authorities across Wales are due to answer to the call of Welsh Labour’s Local Government Minister Leighton Andrews and tell him exactly how they intend to throw themselves on the bonfi re of democracy that he wants to take place sooner rather than later. Now, after all that has happened over the last few years, readers might expect Badger to face the potential dissolution of Pembrokeshire County Council with equanimity. You would be wrong readers. Badger believes, fi rmly believes, in the ability of Pembrokeshire’s people to govern themselves. You can say what you like about the incompetence and fatuity of members of our current council. Badger has. Often. But we can at least say that, whatever their manifest shortcomings, those governing us from County Hall were elected by and are accountable to us. That is the nature of representative democracy.

Now, however, without a democratic mandate of any sort, Welsh Labour in Cardiff Bay has decided that it needs to sweep away local democracy and replace it with – well – readers, there is the question. For all Leighton’s big words and posturing, he is very thin on detail. In short, he is asking council’s to mortgage their futures not on a false prospectus but on moonshine and moon beams. Let’s look at some basic arithmetic, readers. Welsh councils face carving out £900m from their budgets in cuts over the coming years. Those are cuts that follow on from the Welsh Government’s decision to slash the grants it gives to councils so they can pay for essential services. Like education, bin collections, and elderly social care. We have already seen the effects of those cuts in the last couple of years, and there is a long way to travel down that path of pain yet. More and deeper cuts are the order of the day. But Labour will do nothing to ease the burden of cuts: Instead – and in a moment of blind panic – Ed Milliband signed up to a cross-party promise to keep in place a funding formula that costs Wales (very conservatively) £400m A YEAR in grants from the UK Treasury.

Into that toxic mix, Leighton has decided to throw in a fundamental shake-up of Welsh councils for no better reason than it suits Welsh Labour in Cardiff Bay to emasculate a tier of government and raise the Senedd above the level of a glorifi ed County Council. Think about it readers: Do you seriously see Mark Drakeford and his ilk as people with the nous and ability to outwit a stunned herring, let alone get to Westminster and occupy senior stations on the Labour benches? But to return to our fun with sums. On top of £900m in cuts, Leighton wants to burden councils with a shakeup that could cost as much as £268m.So: While services are slashed and burned, Leighton thinks it a jolly good idea to get councils to fund their own dissolution by fi nding another quarter of a billion pounds to go with the near billion they are expected to find already.

Leighton has given heavy hints that he expects councils to fund all of this from their reserves. Readers, there is fi scal illiteracy and blind stupidity. Badger would not seek to burden Leighton and Carwyn et al with an accusation of crass stupidity. Let’s just settle for fi scal illiteracy. If county councils dump capital onto the market – for example, commercial properties and assets – in a fi re sale to realise Leighton’s levy, what do you think will happen to property and fi nancial markets, readers? And what about the duty of councils to realise the best commercial price for their assets? Leighton doesn’t care. In his prison of fi scal illiteracy he does not think of consequences just of grand schemes. Like Del Boy in Peckham Market he will knock it off on the cheap to get it off his hands. So, with Welsh local government, in the hole to – say – £1.1bn, how much does Leighton think will be saved? £80m a year.

Maybe. He has not got a clue. Nobody does. In ten years, possibly, 12, the cuts and the costs will be made up for by alleged savings in local government. Maybe. He has not got a clue. Nobody does. Leighton’s gold is without substance because it has no basis in reality. He has not got a clue. Badger has a word for the idea that changing local government a la Leighton will deliver meaningful service improvements at a lower cost. Bulls***. Shedding a few Chief Offi cers will save bugger all in the grand scheme of things. Their scalps are just a convenient peg upon which Leighton can hang his hat. Emperor Leighton has no clothes. He is trying to bully councils with unspecifi ed penalties and even more nebulous (and probably) unlawful intervention if they do not bend to his will.

‘No change is not an option’, is Leighton’s call. Badger has heard that before, from Mark Drakeford, Carwyn’s Health Minister. Remember that one, readers? Consult on proposals and then press ahead anyway with a policy already determined by a panel appointed by the Welsh Labour Government. The Welsh Government carved up the Welsh NHS in such a way as it could force through its programme of cuts and closures in the teeth of public disapproval. That is what the Welsh Government wants to do to Welsh local government. Having centralised health policy in the Bay, the Welsh Labour Government wants to do the same with local democracy. There are those who might think it couldn’t be worse than what we have at the moment. Badger invites them to consider whether turning the Welsh NHS into an unresponsive, centrally run, bureaucratic mess operated by placemen and hacks is a template for success or failure. Put another way, do you trust Leighton enough to leap into the dark holding his hand in yours? Badger doesn’t. After all, Leighton was too gutless to be interviewed by The Herald.

What faith could you have in a man who will not subject himself to even the gentlest of quizzing? If you are still nodding along with Leighton at this point, readers, please bear this in mind: Leighton was in Carwyn’s Cabinet before. He resigned from his role as Education Minister after campaigning in his own constituency against a policy he was enforcing on the rest of Wales. This is the man Carwyn has charged with ramming through local government change. This is the man who tells us he is doing this not for party advantage but to deliver the best local government for Wales. ‘Hypocrisy’ is a terrible word, readers. But if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks… And don’t forget to ask your Labour candidate their views. After all ‘hypocrisy’ is a terrible word, readers.

Health

Welsh Government urges faster treatment during Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Published

12 hours ago

February 25, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has called on health boards to improve access to eating disorder treatment and strengthen early intervention services as part of Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister Sarah Murphy said earlier support can have a “significant positive impact” on people living with eating disorders, as she outlined progress made across Wales and future plans to improve services.

The update comes as part of the Welsh Government’s wider Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, launched last year, which focuses on prevention, earlier intervention and tackling the wider causes of poor mental health.

The Minister said eating disorders are complex conditions influenced by biological, psychological and social factors, requiring a cross-government approach to prevention and treatment.

Schools also play an important role, with Welsh Government guidance highlighting the need for supportive environments and targeted help for pupils experiencing disordered eating or poor body image. Public Health Wales data shows that as of February 2026, 96% of schools — including all secondary schools — are actively planning to meet wellbeing needs.

The Welsh Government has also promoted its “Seek Help Now” campaign, which highlights that more than 1.25 million people in the UK are affected by eating disorders, yet only around one-third seek formal help. Campaign materials have been shared with healthcare providers, schools and third-sector organisations to encourage earlier support.

Healthcare staff training has also been expanded, with a new foundation-level e-learning course developed by Health Education and Improvement Wales to help professionals identify and respond to eating disorders more effectively.

Ministers say investment has continued in early support services, including more than £110,000 in funding for the BEAT Wales helpline in 2025, helping people access advice while waiting for specialist care.

Across Wales, health boards have expanded services, supported by more than £2 million in funding through NHS performance improvement programmes aimed at improving access, quality and outcomes.

Work is also underway to develop a national early intervention service model based on the FREED approach (First Episode Rapid Early Intervention for Eating Disorders), with flexibility for local needs.

While most patients are treated in the community, the Welsh Government confirmed that eight specialist adult inpatient beds were secured in Wales in 2024 to allow more people to receive care closer to home.

The NHS Joint Commissioning Committee is now exploring options for intensive day treatment services, with modelling work expected to report in the spring.

A research and evidence network has also been established to improve outcomes and ensure services are based on the latest evidence.

Sarah Murphy said she has written to all health boards urging continued leadership focus to reduce waiting times and implement early intervention services once national specifications are finalised.

All health boards have confirmed their commitment to the programme.

News

Documentary ‘Fighters’ lands a knockout in Cardiff Bay screening

Published

12 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SPECIAL screening of the British documentary Fighters was recently hosted at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay by local MS Samuel Kurtz, in partnership with Great Britain Disability Boxing and Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club.

The powerful film explores themes of disability, identity and resilience through the world of amateur boxing. It follows several participants, including Amelia, a young deaf boxer preparing for her first competitive bout, and Matt Edwards, a lower-limb amputee determined to secure his amateur boxing licence as the first step towards achieving his ambition of turning professional.

The documentary also highlights the wider barriers disabled people can face in both sport and everyday life, while showcasing the positive impact of inclusive opportunities.

Samuel Kurtz MS said: “Sport is a fantastic social mobiliser, and working with Chris to bring this film to Cardiff Bay has been an immense pleasure. Fighters is one of the most inspiring projects I’ve ever been involved in. It shows not only what can be achieved in the ring, but what is possible when barriers are challenged and opportunities are opened up.”

Chris McEwen of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock Amateur Boxing Club — who features in the film — attended the screening alongside supporters of disability sport from across Wales.

The club was named Parasport Club of the Month in 2021 in recognition of its work supporting people with disabilities and continues to run a wide range of inclusive boxing sessions across Pembrokeshire.

Praising his commitment, Mr Kurtz added: “Chris is a passionate advocate for boxing and for our community. He works tirelessly to ensure that opportunities in sport are open to everyone, regardless of ability.”

Chris McEwen said: “Boxing should be accessible to all. This film shows the determination it takes to break down barriers, but it also demonstrates why inclusive clubs matter. Our aim is simple — to ensure that anyone who wants to take part feels welcome and supported.”

The screening brought together campaigners, athletes and community leaders, reinforcing the importance of keeping sport open, inclusive and accessible for everyone.

Photo caption: Samuel Kurtz MS with Chris McEwen, local dignitaries and supporters of Fighters at the Senedd (Pic supplied).

Ministry of Defence

Aberporth fears raised after Russian claims and spy ship incidents off Welsh coast

Published

12 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CONCERNS are being raised in West Wales after a community meeting was announced over claims that Aberporth has previously been identified as a potential Russian military target.

Campaign groups have circulated material stating that the Ceredigion site was included on a list of UK locations referenced by a senior Russian political figure in 2022, prompting calls for discussion about the risks associated with defence-related activity in the area.

Aberporth is home to West Wales Airport and a major unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) testing range, where defence contractors operate alongside civilian aviation projects. The site has long been linked to UK drone development programmes.

The issue has resurfaced amid wider geopolitical tensions and follows previous incidents in Welsh waters involving suspected Russian military activity.

In November last year, The Pembrokeshire Herald reported that a suspected Russian sonar device had been recovered off the coast near Skomer Island, just months after a Russian intelligence-gathering vessel was monitored operating off the Pembrokeshire coastline. RAF surveillance aircraft and a Royal Navy warship were deployed to track the vessel during that incident.

While there is no evidence of any specific threat to Aberporth, defence analysts have warned more broadly that modern conflicts increasingly involve long-range precision weapons and infrastructure targeting.

In December 2022, Dmitry Rogozin — a former deputy prime minister of Russia — published a map on social media naming a number of UK defence-related locations in response to British support for Ukraine. Among the sites referenced was Aberporth, due to its links with drone testing and defence contractors.

Security experts note that such statements are often political rhetoric rather than operational military targeting plans.

Nevertheless, the presence of defence-related infrastructure in rural communities can raise concerns locally, particularly when international tensions are high.

Campaigners argue residents should be fully informed about the implications of military-linked development in the region and the potential risks it could bring.

A public meeting organised by campaign groups is scheduled to take place at Aberporth Village Hall on Friday evening.

The Ministry of Defence does not comment on specific security arrangements but has previously stated that the UK maintains robust measures to protect national infrastructure and works closely with NATO allies to monitor threats.

Government defence policy documents also acknowledge that long-range missile threats and hybrid warfare — including intelligence-gathering activity near critical infrastructure — are increasing challenges for Western nations.

The debate comes as defence and security are expected to feature prominently in political discussions ahead of the next UK Strategic Defence Review.