LOCAL businesses from across West Wales have voiced serious concerns about the impact of business rates at a dedicated roundtable hosted by Senedd Members Samuel Kurtz MS and Paul Davies MS.

The online Business Rates Forum brought together businesses from the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors, alongside representatives from UK Hospitality, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA), PASC UK and the Federation of Small Businesses. Officials from the Welsh Government and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) also took part.

The forum was convened in response to the forthcoming business rates revaluation in Wales, due to come into force on 1 April 2026. It gave businesses the opportunity to speak directly to policymakers and officials about the pressures facing high streets and employers across West Wales, including rising costs, changing consumer behaviour and ongoing economic uncertainty.

Since December, Samuel Kurtz MS has been examining the likely impact of the revaluation on small businesses in Pembrokeshire, an issue that has attracted significant attention. The move to update rateable values in line with current property market conditions has left some businesses facing substantial increases in their business rates.

Participants heard from the Valuation Office Agency, including Nicola Broadbent, Head of Non-Domestic Revaluation Delivery, who explained how business rates are calculated in Wales, the reasons for the revaluation and how the checks, challenges and appeals process operates. Key differences between the Welsh system and arrangements in England were also outlined.

Industry representatives from UK Hospitality, the BBPA and PASC UK set out what the new rateable values could mean for businesses from April 2026, with a particular focus on small businesses and the hospitality and tourism sectors. Practical examples were shared, alongside common issues being raised by businesses across West Wales.

Welsh Government officials addressed the forum on the reliefs and transitional support currently available, while businesses questioned whether existing schemes go far enough to protect employers facing sharp increases in their rates bills.

A wide-ranging question and answer session followed, during which businesses spoke candidly about the challenges they face, warning that higher business rates could put jobs, investment and long-term viability at risk.

The forum concluded with closing remarks from Paul Davies MS and Samuel Kurtz MS, who committed to ensuring that the concerns raised would inform ongoing representations to the Welsh Government. The Members of the Senedd have arranged dedicated business surgeries and circulated a Business Impact Form to gather further evidence in support of reform. The form is available at: https://www.samuelkurtz.wales/campaigns/business-owners.

Commenting after the forum, Samuel Kurtz MS said:
“Businesses in West Wales are at a cliff edge. That is the clear message we are hearing. Employers are telling us that the current business rates system is placing real strain on high streets at a time when they are already dealing with rising staffing, energy and supply costs. It is vital that the Welsh Government listens to those on the ground who take the risks, provide the jobs and drive the local economy. Policy should encourage investment and growth, not penalise it.”

Paul Davies MS added:
“This forum provided an important opportunity to bring businesses, industry bodies and government officials together for an honest discussion about the pressures facing our local economies. Many firms are already navigating rising costs and uncertainty, and sudden increases in business rates could be the final straw. We need a system that reflects economic reality and supports the small and medium-sized businesses at the heart of our communities.”

A NEW pilot scheme designed to support children and young people after they have been arrested has been launched across the Dyfed-Powys Police area.

The Reachable Moments project aims to ensure those brought into custody receive the right help at the right time. The force will work with an Adferiad Reachable Moments worker to engage with young people, explore the causes of offending and steer them towards positive life choices.

Dyfed-Powys Police says wider scrutiny measures introduced over the past year have already reduced the number of children passing through custody. In 2024, 432 children were arrested and taken into custody. By the end of 2025, that figure had fallen to 326, following measures including closer oversight of decisions to arrest children.

While every encounter in custody can represent a “reachable moment” – a critical opportunity for early intervention – the new project aims to reduce the numbers further by offering support when young people may be most receptive to change.

Chief Inspector Jenna Jones said: “While we, as a force, are focusing on prevention and intervention in the community to prevent a child from ending up in custody, we recognised and acknowledged that there was a significant gap in support once a child is arrested and brought into custody.

“When young people are arrested or held in custody, they often spend long periods waiting to be processed or interviewed. This waiting time presents a crucial reachable moment – a window of opportunity where a trained professional can engage with the young person at a time they have less influence from peers or family members who contribute to their offending, and when they may be more open to support.

“Our ultimate aim is to break the cycle of offending, and positively influence them into making changes to their behaviour.”

Launched on Sunday (Jan 12), 2026, the pilot provides a 24/7 on-call service for custody staff, allowing officers to request immediate support from a Reachable Moments Worker (RMW).

The worker will attend the custody unit to:

• Engage with the young person in a safe, one-to-one setting
• Provide emotional support, practical guidance and short-term mentoring
• Seek to understand the root causes of the offending behaviour
• Link them to diversionary activities, community services and longer-term support to help prevent reoffending

The project is being delivered by Adferiad, a Welsh charity providing support for people with mental health and substance use needs, as well as other complex problems. Dyfed-Powys Police already works with the charity through its Appropriate Adult service operating across custody suites in the force area.

“For this project, Adferiad’s experience in supporting children and young people is key,” Ch Insp Jones said.

“A child being brought into custody is at a critical point, and one at which they often feel vulnerable, uncertain and isolated. They might be at risk of exploitation, gang involvement, or falling into a cycle of reoffending.

“This also might just be that moment they decide to engage.

“Reachable Moments workers are trained professionals, distanced from any statutory authorities, who can provide non-judgemental support in a safe place, helping the young person to reflect on their situation and consider alternative paths.

“They will build a trusting relationship, offering emotional support and guidance, and help prevent further harm, trauma and future involvement in crime, as well as reducing the trauma caused from just being in custody as a child.”

Following the initial meeting in custody, the Reachable Moments worker will maintain contact with the young person to arrange follow-up appointments and help ensure relevant agencies are also involved.

The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dyfed-Powys Police said a full evaluation will be carried out after the pilot period to inform a decision on whether the project should continue.

Party says centralisation could reduce local accountability and weaken neighbourhood policing, especially in rural communities

THE WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS have warned that any plans which would see Wales’ four police forces merged into a single national force risk repeating problems associated with police centralisation in Scotland, and could leave communities with fewer officers on the streets and less responsive local policing.

The party’s comments come amid growing debate over UK Government policing reforms expected to be set out in the coming weeks. Ministers have spoken about reshaping how policing is organised across England and Wales, with proposals aimed at strengthening the national capability to tackle serious and complex crime while, in theory, allowing local forces to concentrate more on neighbourhood priorities.

However, the Welsh Liberal Democrats say the Government has yet to outline precisely how the reforms would affect Wales, including whether force mergers are being considered. They argue Wales must not be pushed towards a model that makes policing more remote, less accountable, and less focused on local crime — particularly in rural and semi-rural communities where residents already report long response times and limited police visibility.

The party says centralisation can create distance between local communities and those who set priorities, and warns that large, centrally managed structures can become dominated by regional or national demands. They also argue that rural crime, anti-social behaviour, repeat nuisance offending and lower-level offences — while not always classed as “serious” — have a significant impact on quality of life and can be deprioritised when decision-making is pulled away from local areas.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats point to Scotland, where the creation of a single national force was followed by repeated criticism from communities and campaigners who felt local policing became less connected to the places it serves. They claim centralisation can result in fewer staff, more officers being pulled into desk-based roles, and a widening gap between policing strategies and community expectations.

Instead, the party argues the focus should be on rebuilding neighbourhood policing, restoring front desks and public access points in communities, and ensuring officers are visibly present and locally accountable. They say residents want policing that is rooted in local knowledge, with officers who understand persistent problems on estates, in town centres and across rural areas.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have also renewed their call for policing and justice to be devolved to Wales, arguing that decisions about policing structures should be made closer to the communities affected and reflect Wales’ distinct geography and needs. They say uncertainty created by proposals being developed in Westminster underlines the case for Welsh communities to have a direct say over how they are policed.

Commenting, Welsh Liberal Democrat Westminster spokesperson David Chadwick MP said the Government had not yet made clear what its reforms would mean for Wales, but warned against any move towards a single Welsh force.

“The Government has not yet made clear exactly what its reforms will mean for Wales, but any plans that would see Wales’ four forces merged into one would be a serious mistake,” he said.

“We’ve seen the risks of centralisation before: after the police merger in Scotland, communities ended up with fewer staff, more officers behind desks, and policing that felt more distant and less responsive.

“People in Wales want local, visible policing, officers who know their communities and can focus on the crimes that affect people day to day. A one-size-fits-all model risks pulling officers away from neighbourhoods, particularly in rural areas.”

The four Welsh Police and Crime Commissioners have come together to make the following comment: “We recognise and support the need to modernise policing and the UK Government’s White Paper provides us with that opportunity. Policing in Wales operates within a distinct public service landscape, shaped by close partnerships with Welsh Government, local authorities, health services, and our NGO partners. The partnership approach we have developed over many years here in Wales has been praised by successive governments, and any review of the policing model and structures must reflect this work. It must also consider the evidence of what works best for the communities and people of Wales. Vital to this is the commitment that policing is rooted in the communities they serve, we strengthen neighbourhood policing and that we maintain and enhance local accountability. As locally elected representatives, Welsh PCCs are committed to playing a full and meaningful role in designing future arrangements for Wales, ensuring continuity, stability, and democratic accountability during any transition. The UK Government must now demonstrate how the regional and structural change it is proposing would enhance local accountability and deliver the best possible service to our communities.”

With particular regard to policing in North Wales, PCC Andy Dunbobbin comments: “In North Wales, day to day policing activity is closely linked to the North West of England through established patterns of serious and organised crime, including county lines drug supply, organised acquisitive crime, and the movement of offenders across borders. Operational effectiveness relies on well embedded joint working with neighbouring English forces, regional organised crime units, and partner agencies to manage risk, safeguard vulnerable people, and disrupt criminal networks. Any change to policing structures must support these operational realities and avoid introducing barriers that could undermine intelligence sharing, joint tasking, or rapid operational response.”