WELSH WATER customers are getting a raw deal, with bills increasing while ‘disgraceful’ pollution continues and executives pocket ‘scandalous’ payments, the Senedd heard.

Rhys ab Owen expressed concerns about Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water being issued a £1.3m fine for failing to monitor water quality at 300 different sites and committing 800 offences.

“This is on top of the sewage that was discharged last year, over 118,000 times,” he said. “That is a sewage spill every five minutes – the highest… of any UK water company.”

Mr ab Owen told the Senedd: “Constituents find it very difficult to believe – it sticks in the back of the throat – that executives are paid eye-watering sums, that there are discussions for them to be paid even higher salaries.

“And this at the same time that Dŵr Cymru is increasing household bills by 27 per cent this year, an average of £86 per household. Costs for householders are increasing yet scrutiny seems to be decreasing due to lack of funding and investment by the Welsh Government.”

Huw Irranca-Davies said Welsh Water will invest £6bn between 2025 and 2030, including £1.2bn to deliver environmental improvements and tackle nutrient pollution.

The deputy first minister said: “I’ve been consistently clear – both with the water companies and indeed the regulator, Ofwat – that customers in Wales expect to see real, tangible improvements.”

He said Welsh Water acknowledged its failings following the court case – committing to reducing the ecological harm from storm overflows by 90 per cent, and 100 per cent by 2032.

Mr Irranca-Davies, whose responsibilities include water, told Senedd members he will shortly be meeting Jane Hanson, who was appointed Welsh Water’s chair in January.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow climate secretary, said: “I just can’t believe that we’re still discussing this. Whilst we’re talking about it, there’s probably dozens of pollution incidents taking place right now.”

She described chief executive Peter Perry receiving total remuneration of £892,000 as scandalous, with a bonus of £91,000 paid in 2024.

Addressing the deputy first minister during topical questions on May 21, she said: “I do think you need to be far more robust in your meeting with the chair….”

Campaigners say Welsh Government must do more as pressure mounts on Pensions Minister to enter mediation over ‘historic injustice’

THE 1950s Women of Wales have renewed calls for justice over the state pension age scandal, vowing they “are not going away” until the UK Government addresses what they say is a historic financial injustice that has devastated the lives of thousands of Welsh women.

In a strongly worded statement released this week, the campaign group—representing women from Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and across Wales—warned that if the UK Government continues to ignore them, they will pursue mediation through Civil Procedure Rule 2024.

Organiser Jackie Gilderdale questioned whether Labour’s Pensions Minister, Liz Kendall MP, is “afraid of the law”, adding: “What happened to Labour’s debt of honour? We will not go away until this has been resolved.”

The group has the support of Plaid Cymru, who have called for immediate compensation. Speaking in the Senedd earlier this month, Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell said: “Women born in the 1950s were denied their state pensions at the time they needed that support. Many women have died without receiving the money. It is a bitter injustice and they deserve redress.”

Jewell called for formal mediation between the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and campaigners, as well as a full public inquiry similar to that recently granted to sub-postmasters.

However, the newly appointed Counsel General, Julie James MS, appeared to dismiss the calls, arguing the courts had ruled the DWP’s actions lawful. The 1950s Women of Wales were stunned by the response.

In a rebuttal, the group pointed out that the High Court and Court of Appeal did not endorse the DWP’s decisions, but merely found the legal challenges out of time. “The most affected stakeholders—1950s women—were never consulted. No impact assessment was carried out. That’s a breach of their rights under the Equality Act 2010 and the European Convention on Human Rights,” the group said.

The women also accuse Labour of misleading Parliament, citing evidence presented to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on February 10, 2025, showing that claims by Liz Kendall, Rachel Reeves, and Keir Starmer about the level of awareness among 1950s-born women were based on a survey of just 40 people. “Parliament was misled,” the group claims.

The group says it is unacceptable that Liz Kendall continues to ignore repeated invitations to meet with them and engage in good-faith mediation. “We are demanding a Temporary Special Measure—an Erskine May-proof mechanism—to deliver financial compensation swiftly,” they said. Their proposal includes:

• An initial lump sum and additional payments over five years
• No tax on compensation
• Benefits unaffected
• Free NHS dental, optician, and prescription services
• Named beneficiaries to inherit unpaid compensation in the event of death

On May 14, Labour’s Rebecca Long-Bailey MP met with Kendall and urged her to find a resolution. While the Pensions Minister reiterated that the government’s position on redress “had not changed”, she said work was ongoing to “learn lessons” and improve future communication.

But campaigners say the time for reflection is over. “It is clear that the APPG believes the incoming Ombudsman is likely to reject the government’s current stance. Rather than wait for another defeat, ministers should come to the table now,” the statement reads.

Susan Suter, one of the women attending the Senedd debate, said her experience is typical of thousands. “I had no notice—no letter—just a colleague telling me my pension age had changed. I’ve worked all my life, paid national insurance all my life. I never thought I’d still be fighting for equality and my pension in my seventies.”

Suter added: “Smoke screens are being used to prevent justice. I support the call for mediation. It is the only just and right way forward.”

The group is now calling on the Welsh Government to act on behalf of Welsh women and use its voice to pressure the UK Government into honouring legal and moral responsibilities under domestic and international law.

“Whether devolved or not,” they concluded, “our Government has a duty to protect our rights and demand accountability. We will not be silenced.”

Photo caption:
Campaigning continues: The 1950s Women of Wales protest outside the Senedd earlier this month (Pic: Supplied)

Transforming Towns programme backs regeneration in Haverfordwest and Pembroke

TOWNS across Pembrokeshire are being backed by more than £10 million of Welsh Government investment as part of efforts to breathe new life into local high streets and boost the economy.

Since 2021, the Welsh Labour Government has provided £10,050,000 to Pembrokeshire County Council through the Transforming Towns programme, funding key regeneration projects including the Western Quayside development in Haverfordwest and the South Quay project in Pembroke.

The latest funding figures were released following the Welsh Government’s announcement last week of a further £31.5 million for the Transforming Towns fund in 2024/25. Councils across Wales can now bid for this year’s funding, with an additional £10.8 million earmarked for four local authorities in South West Wales in 2025/26.

The Transforming Towns programme aims to help local authorities regenerate town centres and create vibrant, sustainable places. Since its launch in 2020, the programme has delivered more than £314 million in grant and loan funding across all 22 Welsh local authorities.

In Pembrokeshire, the funding has already supported the Western Quayside redevelopment at the site of the former Ocky White’s department store in Haverfordwest. The scheme will deliver new restaurant and leisure facilities, complementing the town’s existing retail offering on Bridge Street and Riverside Quay.

The council has also purchased the Riverside Shopping Centre in Haverfordwest for future redevelopment and is progressing the South Quay regeneration project in Pembroke, located beside the iconic Pembroke Castle.

Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant, said: “Transforming Towns isn’t just a snappy slogan or government jargon – it’s real investment going directly to communities who know how best to renew their local areas. Working in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council, we’re helping bring new life to the county’s historic town centres.”

Labour Senedd Member for Mid and West Wales, Joyce Watson MS, added: “Our towns and high streets are the beating hearts of our communities. They provide jobs, attract visitors, and grow the local economy – helping put money back into people’s pockets.”

Pembrokeshire MS and First Minister Eluned Morgan also welcomed the investment: “The £10 million already provided by the Welsh Labour Government has helped transform key local sites. These projects will protect and enhance our towns for future generations to enjoy.”