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Politics

Price calls for decade of decision

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Adam Price: Set out ambitious policy agenda

ADAM PRICE rallied the faithful at Plaid’s annual conference with a stirring call for a Plaid Cymru administration to turn what he described as ‘a decade of drift’ into ‘a decade of decision’ for Wales.

After first sharing his experiences as an International Election Observer during the Catalan referendum on independence, the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr AM set out the start of an ambitious policy agenda Plaid Cymru will be exploring for its 2021 Programme of Government.

Mr Price said rather than “wallowing in a trough of Celtic despair” it was “time to turn our eyes to the coming decade.”

Setting out four of the first policies the party’s new think tank, Nova Cambria will study, the party’s Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Infrastructure, Adam Price said: “We’ve exported our talent, our hopes, our dreams for too long as a nation. It’s time to turn them into reality here at home. So over the next few months we will task Nova Cambria with working up the detail of the kind of bold ideas that we want to see at the heart of the Plaid Cymru Government of 2021 in which I hope to serve.

“These ideas are based on the things you as members and supporters have been telling us as elected members you want to see in the new Wales we will begin to build.

“That means calling an end to free cash for foreign-owned companies – to little or no long-term benefit to the Welsh economy – and ensuring all future support to business is channelled by an independent Development Bank investing in Welsh-based businesses, not through grants but through loans and long-term equity investments.

“We will abolish business rates and replace them with a system of taxation that is fairer, doesn’t penalise the high street or punish capital Investment. In return for this commitment to help our indigenous businesses, we will also be asking business to work with us for the good of Wales. We’ll create a regional network of Business and Enterprise Councils, business-led organisations based on the model of Continental Chambers of commerce, independent of Government but business deciding what business needs to thrive and prosper in every part of Wales.

“We will introduce a guaranteed youth basic income for all young people between the ages of 18-24 so that young people can study in Higher or Further Education or start a business or spend a year volunteering in a true National Citizen Service – and for those out of work we’ll guarantee a job – so that our young people can give back to our Country but so we can also give to them the foundations they need for their future which is our future too. We’ll use our guarantee to the youth of our Country to attract back the half of our undergraduates that leave our Country every year, many of them never to return. You are our future. And we want you to make your future here.

“We will create financial security for the young as the surest foundation for them to build up their productivity, build on their creativity, and together, build prosperity for all.

“I’m fed up of being a late nation, so we’ll become the first to do this in the world.

“We’ll turn this nation from laggard to leader. One by one we’ll take those league tables that have us languishing at the bottom and we’ll turn the world upside down and our Wales the right side up.

“We’ll do it by the power of our belief. We’ll do it with the steely determination of a people on the path to freedom. We’ll do it with the hopes of generations to come as a guiding light in front of us, and the voices of generations past ringing in our ears.”

News

Tenby councillors seek new member to fill vacancy

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TENBY TOWN COUNCIL is inviting residents to put their names forward to fill a vacant seat on the council following the resignation of a councillor.

The council will be filling the role by co-option, rather than holding a by-election. This means that eligible individuals can apply directly to be considered, and councillors will then vote to select a new member.

Anyone interested must be over the age of 18 and meet standard criteria such as living or working in the Tenby area.

The vacancy is in the South Ward. The successful candidate will join the remaining members of the council in representing the town on local issues.

Those wishing to be considered should submit a letter or email outlining their interest and suitability for the role by 12:00 noon on Friday, July 5, 2025.

Applications should be sent to the Town Clerk, Andrew Davies, at Tenby Town Council, The De Valence Pavilion, Upper Frog Street, Tenby, SA70 7JD, or by email to [email protected].

The co-option will take place at the full council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, 2025.

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Crime

Vagrancy Act to be scrapped after 200 years

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Law criminalising rough sleeping to be repealed by spring

ROUGH sleeping will no longer be treated as a crime, as the UK Government confirms plans to formally repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

The 200-year-old law, introduced to tackle homelessness in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, has been widely criticised by campaigners for treating poverty as a criminal issue.

Although prosecutions under the Act have declined significantly in recent years, it remains enforceable in England and Wales. The Government says it will now be repealed entirely by spring 2026.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: “We are drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice towards some of the most vulnerable in society, who deserve dignity and support.

“No one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough, and by scrapping this cruel and outdated law, we are making sure that can never happen again.”

The move forms part of a wider government strategy to tackle the root causes of homelessness. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has increased homelessness funding by £233 million this year, bringing the total for 2025–26 to nearly £1 billion.

Minister for Homelessness, Rushanara Ali said: “Today marks a historic shift. Scrapping the Vagrancy Act is another step forward in our mission to tackle homelessness in all its forms.”

The Government says new powers will be introduced to replace elements of the Vagrancy Act which deal with criminal behaviour, not rough sleeping. These include a new offence of facilitating begging for gain – aimed at tackling exploitation by organised crime groups – and an offence of trespassing with intent to commit a crime.

Matt Downie, Chief Executive of homelessness charity Crisis, said: “This is a landmark moment that will change lives. For 200 years the Vagrancy Act has meant that people who are homeless are treated as criminals. Ending its use recognises a shameful history of persecuting people for poverty and destitution.”

Emma Haddad, Chief Executive of St Mungo’s, said: “The repeal of the Vagrancy Act cannot come soon enough. We are supporting thousands of people sleeping rough, all with their own stories – from complex health issues to an unaffordable housing market.”

The Deputy Prime Minister is working with councils, mayors, and frontline organisations on a new national homelessness strategy, due to be published later this year.

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News

Teacher pay row intensifies as NAHT Cymru responds to Welsh Government offer

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THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has come under fire from a leading education union after announcing its latest pay recommendation for teachers and school leaders.

Laura Doel, National Secretary of NAHT Cymru, has criticised the government’s proposal of a 4% pay increase, arguing it falls short of the 4.8% uplift recommended by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB).

The union, which represents headteachers and senior school leaders, welcomed the IWPRB’s recognition of the recruitment and retention crisis in Welsh schools, but expressed disappointment that the Welsh Government appeared unwilling to fully honour the review body’s advice on financial grounds.

“While we are relieved that the IWPRB has listened to the evidence put forward on behalf of leaders about the challenges with recruitment and retention, we are concerned that the Welsh Government’s counteroffer of 4% seeks to ignore the recommendations of the review body due to affordability,” said Ms Doel.

The Welsh Government has framed the pay offer as part of a two-year package, combining last year’s 5% award with this year’s proposed 4% to give a headline figure of 9% over two years. However, NAHT Cymru has criticised this approach, saying it creates a “false impression” and does not reflect the pay pressures currently facing the profession.

“For over a decade we have been campaigning for pay restoration,” Ms Doel said. “Years of below-inflation and partly funded pay awards have left teachers and leaders significantly behind other graduate professions—up to 20% behind where pay would be if it had kept pace with inflation.”

The union has also questioned what the government means by describing the pay award as “fully funded,” warning that in the past, similar claims have led to confusion and inconsistent levels of support for schools.

“Leaders will be forced to make incredibly difficult decisions about how to balance the books,” she said. “That could mean cutting support, reducing resources, or not replacing staff—actions that ultimately harm pupils’ education and undermine the goal of improving standards.”

Ms Doel also accused ministers of placing school leaders in an unfair position: “They shouldn’t be expected to choose between providing for their learners and being paid what they are owed. Other professions are not made to feel guilty in this way, and leaders should not be either.”

NAHT Cymru has confirmed it will consult its members on the offer but warned it has no intention of recommending a deal that it believes will worsen the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said the proposed award reflects “the financial constraints facing the public sector” and noted that discussions with unions are ongoing.

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