A CALL for two gypsy traveller pitches at a small agricultural holding to allow a family to move from an existing site “suffering from cold, damp conditions” have been submitted to Pembrokeshire planners

Anthony Thomas and family, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, seek permission for two traveller family pitches with two static caravans, a day/utility room, two touring caravans, along with improvements to the existing access and ecological enhancements at Made of More Yard, Simpson Hill, Simpson Cross.

The use of the site on land owned by the applicant started in June 2025.

A supporting statement says there is a “genuine need for an appropriate alternative site to accommodate his immediate family (parents in one pitch and wife, himself and two children in the other) in a safe and tranquil environment,” adding: “The applicant’s lifestyle falls within the definition of gypsies,” with members of the community having a predilection “for small self-development family-oriented pitches, in areas close to settlements with good accessibility to services such as schools and community facilities, rather than larger municipal run facilities for a variety of historical reasons”.

It adds: “There are currently no public or private sites available within the county and are unlikely to be brought forward in the foreseeable future to meet the expanding needs of the applicant or the Gypsy and Traveller community.”

It goes on to say there are potential health concerns with the applicants’ current site: “The existing family pitches are in poor condition suffering from cold, damp conditions, particularly during the winter months and both the applicant and his wife are fed up scrubbing the walls with bleach once a week in an attempt to control the mould.”

It concludes: “It is not considered this small-scale development for one family pitch for two static units in this location will cause any significant harm considering the more permissive approach provided [by planning advice and guidance] is a material consideration that weighs in favour of the development.

“It is considered the personal circumstances of the applicant and family has identified a genuine need for the accommodation, the lack of alternative sites within the county as a whole, the site’s sustainable location and low level of traffic generation are material considerations if favour of the proposal that, on balance, outweigh all other matters.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

TWO former Labour council leaders in Wales have defected to the Green Party, signalling growing momentum for the environmental movement ahead of next year’s Senedd election.

Robert James, the former leader of the Labour group on Carmarthenshire County Council, and Sean Morgan, who led Caerphilly County Borough Council before resigning from Labour during the recent by-election, were both unveiled as new Green Party members at the party’s Welsh conference in Cardiff on Saturday (Nov 8).

The Greens said the defections reflected a wider shift in Welsh politics, claiming their membership had almost tripled in just two months and was now approaching 6,000.

Party leader Zack Polanski told delegates: “This will be the first of many councillors who we will be welcoming to the Wales Green Party. More breakthroughs will follow.”

Mr James said he had joined a party that “puts people and planet first” and pledged to campaign on tackling inequality, protecting public services, and safeguarding the environment.

Sean Morgan described his move as an “easy decision”, saying: “It has become increasingly clear in recent months that the Labour Party no longer represents the values of ordinary members or ordinary people in this country. That has caused me to question the ethics of remaining in Labour.”

Wales Green Party leader Anthony Slaughter said the new recruits showed that the “political tectonic plates” were shifting in Wales.

“This truly demonstrates that we are the bold new voice Wales so desperately needs,” he said. “With the introduction of a fully proportional Senedd voting system in May, the Greens will be pivotal in shaping the next Welsh Government.”

Welsh Labour has been asked to comment.

Cover pic:

Leader of Green Party in Wales: Anthony Slaughter

Over 10,000 call on Welsh Government to act as doctors warn of unsafe and undignified treatment in hospital corridors

MORE than ten thousand people across Wales have signed a petition demanding urgent action to end the growing practice of “corridor care” in NHS hospitals — including reports from Withybush Hospital where patients have been left waiting for treatment in chairs, trolleys and corridors due to lack of beds.

The petition, supported by both the British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales, was launched after hundreds of nurses and doctors came forward describing unsafe and undignified conditions. It has now been presented to the Welsh Government, and the issue is expected to be debated in the Senedd later this month.

‘Patients waiting on chairs for days’

Health staff say the problem, once confined to emergency departments, is now widespread across Welsh hospitals, including those serving Pembrokeshire.

One senior nurse told The Herald: “We’ve had elderly patients waiting on chairs in A&E for two or three days at a time. They can’t lie down, they can’t rest, and there’s no privacy. It’s awful for them and heartbreaking for staff.”

Doctors and nurses who contributed to the petition described distressing conditions:
“I have seen patients where diagnoses have been missed due to inadequate places to examine them,” said one doctor. Another added: “I routinely see patients on the back of an ambulance, patients whose treatments are delayed because there are no beds or cardiac monitoring spaces.”

Frontline frustration

Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMA’s Welsh Consultants Committee, said:
“This overwhelming response sends an unequivocal message: the Welsh public, healthcare professionals and patients are united in their concern about the ongoing crisis of patients being treated in hospital corridors.

“This practice exposes vulnerable individuals to a lack of privacy, dignity and essential care, while staff struggle to deliver safe treatment without adequate equipment or support.”

RCN Wales National Director Helen Whyley said the petition’s closure “marks not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts to restore dignity, safety and high-quality care to all patients in Wales.”

Four key demands

The petition calls for the Welsh Government to:

• Record and publish all instances of corridor care to ensure transparency and accountability.
• Pause any further reductions in hospital beds until safe alternatives are in place.
• Invest in community-based services so patients can be treated closer to home.
• Focus on prevention and early intervention to reduce hospital admissions.

Local impact

At Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, staff say corridor care has become a regular feature of winter pressures — but now extends well beyond seasonal peaks.

Sources within Hywel Dda University Health Board told The Herald that emergency departments are frequently running at or above 100 per cent capacity, forcing staff to accommodate patients in waiting areas and temporary bays.

One healthcare assistant said: “It’s not uncommon for patients to be treated in corridors for entire shifts. Staff do their best, but it’s not safe. There’s no privacy, and we can’t always monitor patients properly.”

According to the latest NHS Wales performance data, more than 8,000 people waited over 12 hours in emergency departments across the country in September, including hundreds within the Hywel Dda region.

Government and health board response

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the pressures facing our health service and the immense effort being made by NHS staff. We are investing in measures to increase patient flow, expand same-day emergency care and improve discharge pathways so patients can leave hospital safely when ready.”

A Hywel Dda University Health Board spokesperson added: “Demand for urgent and emergency care remains exceptionally high across the region. Staff at Withybush Hospital and our other sites work tirelessly to maintain patient safety and dignity, and we continue to prioritise actions that reduce overcrowding, including community care initiatives and faster discharge processes.”

Political reaction

Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Natasha Asghar MS said: “This is a symptom of a health service under immense strain. Corridor care should never become routine, and patients deserve better than to be treated in waiting rooms and corridors.”

Plaid Cymru’s health spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, added that chronic underfunding of social care was worsening hospital gridlock. “We need an integrated plan that tackles bed shortages and social care blockages together,” he said.

Senedd debate expected this month

The petition — signed by 10,533 people — will now be reviewed by the Senedd’s Petitions Committee before being debated later in November.

For frontline NHS workers in Pembrokeshire, the message is simple. As one nurse told The Herald: “Patients in corridors are not numbers. They’re people who deserve care, dignity and respect. We just want the system to let us do our jobs properly.”