News

Welsh Government is committed to eradicating child poverty

Published

12 years ago

December 12, 2013

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT remains committed to eradicating child poverty, the Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty Vaughan Gething said last week as a new report on the issue in Wales was released.

Every three years the Welsh Government publishes a progress report on the implementation of its Child Poverty Strategy that was launched in 2011.

The first report highlights:
• The percentage of children living in work-less households has been decreasing since 2009.
• The percentage of working age adults with no qualifications has reduced each year since 2006.
• There has been a small reduction in the education attainment gap between those eligible for free school meals and those not eligible between 2009/10 and 2011/12.

The Welsh Government is taking action on a number of fronts to tackle poverty, including measures to improve the skills of young people in low income households, reducing the number of homes where no one works, raising the educational attainment of those from the poorest backgrounds and investing in services that help children being brought up in deprived communities. Public bodies also have a legal duty to have child poverty strategies in place.

In October the Welsh Government announced an £11 million funding boost for Flying Start that helps children in the most deprived areas of Wales. 23,579 children currently use Flying Start and Ministers want the scheme to cover 36,000 children and their families by 2016.

Vaughan Gething said:
“We published the first Child Poverty Strategy in 2011. Since then we launched a new Tackling Poverty Action Plan that targets resources across the Welsh Government to help those most in need and prevent future generations experiencing poverty.

“Despite the tough financial backdrop, we remain committed to the target of eradicating child poverty by 2020. The target focuses our efforts on making a real difference and reducing the number of children living in poverty in Wales.

“Over the past three years we have made progress, from the number of children living in work-less households falling to the percentage of working adults with no qualifications coming down.

“Despite the progress made significant challenges still remain. Closing the education attainment gap, reducing the link between deprivation and attainment will be vital. Raising levels of attainment will also increase the potential for young people and adults to move into well-paid jobs. This should help to reduce levels of in-work poverty, which have been increasing in recent years. We know that the main levers to tackle in work poverty are within the tax and benefit system. It is an unavoidable truth that recent tax and benefit decisions are having a direct impact on in-work poverty.

“We are under no illusions that we are doing this against a tough backdrop. The impact of the budget cuts has forced the Welsh Government and the whole public sector to re-think ways of working. The recent years of a flat economy, rising living costs and welfare reform are likely to push people further into poverty. However, we are unwavering in our commitment to address child poverty, as shown in the unique actions we are taking.

“We have a clear focus on tackling poverty as a whole government, building on the evidence, evaluation and good practices over the past three years. I believe we are doing more and going further than the UK Government.”

News

McDonald’s customers abused by drunk in Milford

Published

9 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A 21-year-old man has been sentenced for being abusive to customers queuing at the McDonald’s fast-food outlet in Milford Haven.

Officers were called to the restaurant at around 9.30pm on April 5 after the manager reported that a drunken male was refusing to leave the premises. The man was later identified as 21-year-old Kasper Gut.

“He was being abusive to customers and when three officers arrived, he was seen talking to the manager who was asking him to leave,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“He refused, and then became aggressive towards the officers, swearing at them and clenching his fists.”

The Crown stated that when Gut’s behaviour continued to escalate, he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Gut, of Silverdale Inn, Johnston, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place and an additional offence of failing to attend an initial assessment after cocaine was found in his system on November 8, 2025. He was legally represented in court by Michael Kelleher.

“At the time of the offence he was in a bad state and had been made homeless,” he said. “But things have changed. He’s now stopped taking drugs and has been clean for months.”

Gut was fined £260 and ordered to pay a £104 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Crime

Two women shared passenger seat in van driven by drink-driver

Published

19 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A court has heard how a man drove his unlit van through Pembroke Dock at midnight while two women shared the front seat.

When David Janssens was arrested by officers on April 6, he was found to be over twice the legal drink-drive limit.

“The officers were concerned about the manner of his driving,” Crown Prosecutor Linda Baker told Haverfordwest magistrates court this week.

“The Fiat Doblo was swerving in the middle of the road and the officers saw the lights being turned off while it was moving.”

After stopping the vehicle, the driver was identified as 38-year-old David Janssens.

“The officers also discovered two females in the passenger seat, one sitting on the other’s lap,” added Linda Baker.

Janssens, of Water Street, Pembroke Dock was arrested and breathalysed with the lowest reading showing he had 77 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

This week he pleaded guilty to drink-driving, using a vehicle without third party insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence. He was represented in court by solicitor Michael Kelleher.

“He was driving a two-seater van, which was why the two female friends were sitting the way they were,” Mr Kelleher told the court. “He was giving them a lift home.”

The solicitor went on to say that Janssens had previously lost his licence under the totting-up procedure.

“He’s very remorseful of what he did, and realises that he shouldn’t have been driving that night,” concluded Mr Kelleher.

Janssens was fined £320 and ordered to pay a £128 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Local Government

High Street closure planned for resurfacing works in Haverfordwest

Published

31 minutes ago

April 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Motorists and residents warned of weekend disruption during essential highway maintenance

HIGH STREET in Haverfordwest is due to close this weekend while resurfacing works are carried out on behalf of Pembrokeshire County Council.

An approved contractor said essential highway maintenance is scheduled for Saturday (April 25) and Sunday (April 26).

The road will be closed while the work is ongoing, and residents have been warned that access cannot be guaranteed at all times.

The contractor has asked for the roadway to be kept clear of obstructions between 7:30am and 5:30pm on both days. Drivers are also being urged to allow extra time for their journeys and to follow the instructions of traffic management staff.

Access for emergency services will be maintained throughout the works.