News

Welsh Government is committed to eradicating child poverty

Published

11 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

Open day at new St Davids housing development

Published

9 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is celebrating the completion of Phase 1 Llys Glasfryn, St Davids.

The development was built by GRD Homes, and Phase 1 consists of 4 x 2 bed bungalows, and 3 x 1 bed bungalows.

Phase 2 consists of 11 x 2 bed bungalows, which it is hoped will be completed early 2026.

All properties within Phase 1 have been allocated, and Phase 2 properties will be available for bidding a few months before completion.

A Local Lettings Policy is used to allocate these properties, which was created in conjunction with local members, St Davids City Council, and the local community.

To celebrate the completion of Phase 1, Pembrokeshire County Council is holding an open day in one of the newly completed properties.

This will be held on Tuesday 28^th January 2025, from 2pm – 6pm. This is for members of the public to view the site and one of the properties, ask questions, and provide feedback.

Cllr Michelle Bateman, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations, said: “These high quality homes will provide much needed housing in St Davids and form part of our wider development programme.

“Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key priority for Cabinet and I look forward to meeting new tenants and the wider community at the open day event.”

For more information on Pembrokeshire County Council’s housing developments, or this event, please call 01437 764551, or email [email protected]

News

Agricultural shed fire on Narberth Road in Saundersfoot

Published

11 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CREWS from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service stations in Tenby and Milford Haven were called to a fire on Narberth Road, Saundersfoot, at 1:05pm on Monday (Jan 27).

The blaze involved a caravan and an agricultural shed measuring approximately 15 metres by 15 metres. The shed, which contained vehicles and machinery, was completely destroyed along with the caravan.

Firefighters used two hose reel jets, two main jets, an otter pump, and a water shuttle system drawing from an open water source to bring the fire under control.

Crews left the scene at 3:20pm.

Crime

Prison bosses dismiss assault rumours against Southport killer

Published

11 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Staff Writer

PRISON authorities have denied claims circulating on social media that Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer convicted of murdering three young girls, has been attacked while in custody. The rumours, which gained traction after the circulation of a voice note on Sunday (Jan 26), alleged that the 18-year-old was assaulted by two inmates at HMP Manchester, where he is serving his sentence.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice firmly dismissed the allegations, stating: “Reports of Axel Rudakubana being attacked in prison are inaccurate. He has not been attacked.”

Rudakubana, originally from Cardiff but residing in the Lancashire village of Banks for the past decade, was sentenced on Thursday to a minimum of 52 years behind bars. His crimes, described as among the most extreme and shocking in recent history, included the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, as well as the attempted murder of ten others. The brutal attack took place on July 29 last year at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.

During sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, Mr Justice Goose outlined the horrifying details of Rudakubana’s calculated and violent actions. “He walked straight into the building, up the stairs to where he could hear the sound of happy children. His intention was clear: to murder as many of them as he physically could.”

Over a harrowing 15 minutes, Rudakubana fatally attacked three children, severely injured eight others, and wounded two adults who attempted to intervene. The judge highlighted the unrelenting nature of his violence: “After the other children escaped, he remained in the upstairs room, where he returned to attack two of the youngest victims, stabbing them multiple times. His actions demonstrated a determined intention to cause maximum suffering.”

Mr Justice Goose condemned Rudakubana’s actions as “the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime.” The judge noted that the carnage could have been even worse if not for the bravery of those who escaped and intervened.

Rudakubana’s case has left a community in mourning and sparked national outrage. As he begins his decades-long sentence, the Ministry of Justice has assured the public that he is being closely monitored and that claims of an attack on him in prison are baseless.