News

Councils respond to budget cuts

Published

10 years ago

December 30, 2015

WEST WALES’ local authorities have cried ‘foul’ over the funding arrangements announced for the next financial year by the Welsh Government.

In common with all rural councils in Wales, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire have all been told that their budgets will be cut to a greater extent than those of more urban councils. In addition, critics of the settlement have not been slow to point out that not only is the smallest budget cut for an individual local authority Cardiff’s, but that the largest sums per head of population in terms of local government expenditure are concentrated on Welsh Labour’s Valleys heartland. In an unusual turn of events, West Wales’ councils were already consulting on their budgets for next year before their own financial settlements from the Welsh Government were announced.

This has caused some confusion among members of the public, who now appear to be responding to their own individual council’s proposals on a basis that has been superseded by the Welsh Government announcement. The Welsh Government’s budget was delayed by Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne’s decision to delay the Autumn Statement and tie it in with announcements on Government expenditure. Among one off budget pressures already factored into this year’s local authority budget forecasts are the introduction of the National Living Wage, changes to National Insurance, and alterations to pension rules. The cuts to the Revenue Support Grant, which funds local authority expenditure, do not take account of those measures’ impacts on Council budgets. Meanwhile, members of the public are being encouraged to comment on potential changes to local services on Pembrokeshire County Council’s social media pages. Over £25m in savings have already been made in the past few years but substantial savings will also need to be made in the next three to four years.

Around 40 budget reduction ideas are being considered as part of a consultation on the budget for 2016 – 2017 and beyond, which the Council is currently running on its website. Cllr Jamie Adams, Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We will be facing substantial budget pressures in 2016 – 2017, which means we need to look at making changes to services that many people use regularly. “It is important that local people take advantage of the opportunity to give their feedback in order to help inform the tough decisions that Council will have to make in the coming months. “Encouraging debate and feedback via social media is not something that we’ve tried to this extent before and I think that it provides a fairly easy way for people to comment on potential changes to important local services.” On the Welsh Government’s financial settlement for the next financial year, in which Pembrokeshire face a 2.6% cut, Jamie Adams, said: “As a rural local authority, we seem to be particularly badly hit, with just three Councils suffering worse settlements than Pembrokeshire. “I look forward to some discussions with the Welsh Government to try and redress some of the balance.”

Carmarthenshire : ‘better than anticipated ’

Carmarthenshire County Council Deputy Leader and Executive Board Member for Resources Cllr David Jenkins said: “The settlement from Welsh Government of £251,685m for next year equates to a 1% decrease on the amount received last year on a like for like basis. We were planning for a 3.3% decrease, bearing in mind that every 1% increase / decrease equates to £2.5m. “Whilst the headline figure is better than we anticipated, we need to accommodate the particular pressures placed on us including validation such as inflation and more specifically this year a £4.1m increase in National Insurance payments.” Even though the cut to Carmarthenshire was not as deep as had been feared, Cllr Jenkins nonetheless sounded a warning note: “As good as the news is it still represents a cut in the authority’s overall budget and bearing in mind there was a £2.1m shortfall in our current budget cut proposals we will still be looking for savings from relevant departments which we are currently consulting on with the public. “We are also still awaiting the full details from Welsh Government in terms of protection for education and social services. “The settlement is more favourable than we were planning but that said we still need to deliver efficiency savings of £12m.”

Ceredigion : Councillors will have to ma ke difficult decisions

Ceredigion County Council will see a cut of 3.5% to its funding from Welsh Government for the financial year 2016-17 – one of the highest to any local authority in Wales. The announcement will mean that savings in the region of at least 6% in the Council’s budget are required, as expenditure increases have to be met whilst funding levels have decreased. The Council has already made savings of £20m over the last three years, and was working towards making savings of £25m over the next three years. However, this cut will potentially mean the Council will need to find significant additional savings over the next three years. Leader of the Council, Councillor Ellen ap Gwynn said: “Yet again, rural communities are suffering compared to urban ones. The Council is suffering one of the largest cuts to any local authority budget for 2016- 17, which will result in massive pressure on Councillors to make very difficult decisions.” The money from Welsh Government has been shared among Councils according to population size and age, and deprivation levels within that local authority. A major restructure and a programme of service transformation aimed at changing how the Council is organised and works has been in place since 2013. Despite this, further cuts to services is now inevitable, as the scope to make more efficiency savings gets harder to achieve year on year.

We must avoid England ’s fate : WLGA

The Deputy Leader of the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), Cllr Aaron Shotton said: “We are also still awaiting the full details from Welsh Government in terms of protection for the system used to fund local councils in Wales is based on a complex array of grant arrangements and while many Welsh councils will today cautiously welcome the Welsh Government’s draft budget for its focus on preventative public services such as social care, we await further detail of how the budget can help to alleviate some of the mounting pressures on critical local services. “We have been clear that there is a need to rewrite the rulebook on how our councils are funded if we are to avoid a similar situation to that in England, where local public services have been cut to the bone and a number of councils face the very real possibility of being unable to meet even their most basic statutory duties. The budget announcement offers a glimmer of hope that a different reality can be written for vital local public services in Wales.”

Community

Kurtz welcomes £4.3m National Lottery boost for local communities

Published

14 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL Kurtz MS has welcomed more than £4.3 million in National Lottery funding awarded to community projects across Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire since 2021.

Figures released by The National Lottery Community Fund show that £4,318,484 has been distributed through 122 grants in the constituency since the 2021/22 financial year, the same year Mr Kurtz was elected.

The funding has supported a wide range of grassroots charities, voluntary organisations and community groups through programmes including National Lottery Awards for All, offering grants of up to £20,000, and People and Places, which provides larger awards of up to £500,000.

Projects backed locally include mental health support for young people, environmental and sustainability initiatives, community workshops, outdoor wellbeing activities, support for vulnerable adults, and programmes aimed at building skills and confidence.

Among the organisations to benefit is Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, which received £343,584 for its Routes to Discovery project, helping improve mental and physical wellbeing through accessible outdoor activities.

St Davids Diocesan Council for Social Responsibility was awarded £398,078 to deliver its Plant Dewi: Strengthening our Communities initiative, supporting families and local groups.

Other recipients include The VC Gallery, Redberth Croft CIC, The Tenby Project CIC and Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners, with funding supporting projects ranging from food initiatives and nature-based wellbeing to volunteering and environmental action.

Mr Kurtz said: “Community groups and charities across Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire do incredible work supporting people and strengthening local communities.

“It is fantastic to see more than £4.3 million of National Lottery funding invested in projects that are improving wellbeing, tackling isolation and creating opportunities for people of all ages during my time in office.

“The voluntary sector plays a vital role in our area, and this funding is helping organisations deliver projects that bring people together and make a real difference to people’s lives.”

The National Lottery Community Fund is the largest funder of community activity in Wales, supporting initiatives that bring communities together, promote environmental sustainability, help children and young people thrive, and improve health and wellbeing.

Organisations across Wales can apply for funding through the Awards for All and People and Places programmes to support projects that matter most to their communities.

Further information is available on The National Lottery Community Fund website.

Cymraeg

National Eisteddfod unveils legacy framework to boost Welsh language and communities

Published

14 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW national framework aimed at securing a lasting legacy from the National Eisteddfod has been published jointly by the festival’s organisers and the Welsh Government.

The plan sets out how the Eisteddfod’s impact will be strengthened before, during and after each annual event, bringing together partners from across education, community development, culture, the economy and the Welsh language sector.

While each Eisteddfod reflects the identity of its host community, the framework aims to ensure long-term benefits are consistently delivered nationwide, rather than limited to the festival period.

The legacy programme will cover a wide range of areas including education, inclusion, digital innovation, volunteering and economic development, with new national and local structures designed to coordinate delivery more effectively.

A national project board will oversee the strategy, setting direction and sharing best practice year-on-year. At a local level, a steering group will drive community-based work, helping turn the Eisteddfod into a catalyst for lasting change.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford said the festival’s impact goes far beyond a single week.

“The Eisteddfod is far more than a week-long festival. It is a multi-year project that leaves a lasting legacy for the Welsh language and culture in the area,” he said.

“By bringing together partners from across key sectors, this framework will help deliver real and lasting change for our communities and support our ambition of reaching a million Welsh speakers by 2050.”

Nic Parry, President of the Eisteddfod Court and Chair of its Management Board, said the framework strengthens collaboration at both local and national level.

“It allows us to deliver on a long-held ambition to drive language planning through the lens of the National Eisteddfod,” he said.

“It also positions the Eisteddfod as a powerful tool for boosting local economies and supporting sustainable communities for future generations.”

Further details are expected later this year, with membership of the national project board due to be confirmed by mid-June.

A dedicated session at this year’s Eisteddfod will also gather evidence from the 2026 host area to help shape future plans for 2027 and 2028.

More information is available via the Eisteddfod’s legacy framework online.

Community

Former Neyland police officer Louis Knight dies aged 83

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Tributes pour in for former Neyland officer remembered as a “true gentleman” and “local legend”

A FORMER Neyland police officer remembered as a “true gentleman” and “local legend” has died at the age of 83, prompting an outpouring of tributes from across Pembrokeshire.

Louis Knight, of Neyland Hill, Neyland, passed away peacefully at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest on Thursday (Mar 5).

Mr Knight, who served as a police officer in the area for many years, was a familiar and respected figure in Neyland and beyond. In the hours following the announcement of his death, hundreds of messages flooded social media, painting a picture of a man whose impact stretched far beyond his time in uniform.

Many described him simply as “one of the best,” while others called him “a proper local legend” and “a tremendous police officer.”

One resident wrote: “A face and name I will never forget from my youth.”

Another said: “He was a tremendous police officer… a kick up the backside and a word was enough. It stayed with you.”

Others remembered his warmth and humour away from policing.

“He always had a story to tell on the way home in the taxi,” one tribute read, while another added: “Every time you asked him how he was, the answer was always ‘bloody marvellous.’”

Many spoke of his kindness and the time he gave to people.

“Louis was one of the most kindest gentlemen around. Always made time to chat,” one message said.

Another added: “Neyland won’t be the same again.”

While some reflected fondly on a different era of policing, what came through most strongly was the respect Mr Knight earned within his community — something repeatedly highlighted in tributes from those who knew him as children, neighbours, and later as adults.

Mr Knight was the beloved husband of the late Angela, devoted father of Andrew and Alison, and adored father-in-law of Frank. He was also a loving grandfather to Michelle and Laura, and a cherished brother of Jennifer, Charles and Richard.

His family said he was loved dearly and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

The funeral service will take place on Wednesday (Apr 1) at 11:30am at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth.

Family flowers only. Donations in memory of Louis, if desired, are for Ward 8 at Withybush Hospital and may be sent directly to the ward at SA61 2PZ.

All enquiries to Tom Newing & Sons Ltd, Funeral Directors, Dartmouth Street, Milford Haven (01646 693180).

Photo caption:

PC Louis Knight pictured during a Royal Visit, engaging with local children — a familiar sight in Neyland for many years (Pic: Supplied).