A MILFORD HAVEN couple have celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary after 60 years of marriage.

Brian and Anne Ball, of West Hill Avenue, Milford Haven, marked the milestone with their family earlier this month.

The couple were married in Ipswich, Suffolk, six decades ago before later making their home in Milford Haven.

Brian is a retired Milford Haven marine pilot, having worked in one of the UK’s most important energy ports, guiding vessels safely through the Haven’s busy waterway.

Anne worked as a marriage guidance counsellor, supporting couples and families through her professional life.

Their son Dominic Ball, said the family were delighted to mark the couple’s 60th wedding anniversary and shared photographs of Brian and Anne together, as well as with their children Ben, Liz, Katie and Dominic.

The diamond anniversary is traditionally celebrated after 60 years of marriage and remains one of the most significant milestones for any couple.

New research suggests people across Britain are more concerned about jobs, lower bills and energy security than how major projects look — as west Wales faces major decisions over its energy future

PEMBROKESHIRE could face difficult questions over its energy future after new polling suggested the British public places greater importance on jobs, energy security and lower bills than the visual impact of major infrastructure projects.

The findings come at a critical time for west Wales, with Pembrokeshire increasingly positioned at the centre of the UK’s transition to cleaner energy through floating offshore wind, hydrogen, carbon capture, battery storage and sustainable fuels linked to the Milford Haven Waterway.

The research, commissioned by a coalition of energy industry organisations, found only 11 per cent of respondents ranked visual impact as a leading concern when considering future energy infrastructure. Instead, respondents were more likely to prioritise industrial competitiveness, reducing pollution and protecting jobs.

The polling, carried out across England, Scotland and Wales by research company Early Studies, found 39 per cent of people prioritised industrial competitiveness, 37 per cent cited reducing air pollution, while a quarter highlighted protecting existing jobs as a key issue.

The findings are likely to spark debate in Pembrokeshire, where large-scale energy projects have frequently generated fierce opposition over concerns around landscape impact, tourism, countryside views and industrialisation of rural areas.

At the same time, supporters argue that Pembrokeshire — home to one of Britain’s most significant energy hubs — cannot afford to miss opportunities for investment and skilled employment, particularly following uncertainty around the future of traditional oil and gas industries.

Milford Haven has long played a strategic role in Britain’s energy security through its LNG terminals and refinery infrastructure. Increasingly, local leaders and politicians have also promoted the county as a centre for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, alongside hydrogen production, carbon capture and low-carbon fuels.

However, proposals linked to renewable energy infrastructure have not always been universally welcomed.

Across Wales and the wider UK, objections to wind farms, substations, pylons and associated grid upgrades have often centred on visual intrusion, impacts on tourism and concerns over cumulative development in rural communities.

Campaigners opposed to some schemes argue that while energy security is important, communities should not be expected to shoulder disproportionate environmental or visual burdens without meaningful consultation or direct benefit.

The industry-backed polling argues, however, that the wider public increasingly sees clean energy infrastructure as essential to economic resilience and energy independence.

Researchers said the findings challenged assumptions often made during planning debates that visual appearance is the public’s overriding concern.

Alfred Malmros, co-founder of Early Studies, said the results showed strong backing for infrastructure focused on energy security, jobs and economic growth.

He said renewable energy offered long-term benefits because it reduced reliance on international markets and external supply shocks.

The study also suggested support was relatively consistent across political divides, with similar responses recorded among Labour, Conservative, Reform UK, Liberal Democrat and Green Party supporters.

But critics may question the independence of the findings.

The survey was commissioned by a coalition of energy trade bodies, including organisations representing offshore wind, solar, hydrogen, nuclear and carbon capture sectors — all of which have a commercial interest in accelerating infrastructure development. The groups said meaningful engagement with communities remains essential and acknowledged concerns about where projects are built.

For Pembrokeshire, the debate is unlikely to disappear any time soon.

With major energy schemes increasingly being discussed for the Celtic Sea and Milford Haven area, the county may soon face a difficult balancing act between protecting landscapes and communities while securing investment, employment and its role in Britain’s future energy system.

Improving treatment figures welcomed, but local concerns grow over pharmacy changes, service reorganisation and access to care

WAITING times across NHS Wales are continuing to improve, according to the latest national figures — but patients in west Wales may question whether those improvements are being felt on the ground as concerns continue over changing local services, pharmacy provision and healthcare access.

New figures released by the Welsh Government show there were just under 666,700 referral-to-treatment patient pathways waiting to start treatment in March — down by around 21,300 compared with February and the lowest level recorded since August 2021.

It marks the tenth consecutive month that waiting lists have fallen, while the proportion of pathways waiting less than 26 weeks rose to 65.9 per cent — the highest figure since May 2020.

The average waiting time for treatment also dropped to 15.5 weeks, the lowest level since April 2020.

However, despite the improving national picture, NHS leaders have warned that Wales remains under significant pressure and that progress must not mask wider challenges facing the health service.

Responding to the figures, the Welsh NHS Confederation said scheduled care was “going in the right direction” but cautioned that emergency pressures, social care pressures and financial constraints remain major concerns.

The organisation’s director, Darren Hughes, said NHS leaders were ready to work with the new Welsh Government as part of its first 100 days in office, but stressed that reforms would require difficult decisions and honest conversations with the public.

He said: “While it’s not a perfect picture across the board, with high demand on urgent and emergency care, scheduled care waits continue to go in the right direction.

“Now is the time to build on this progress and make further inroads into the backlog of care that has built up in recent years.”

But for many people in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, improving national statistics may feel at odds with the reality of healthcare closer to home.

Recent changes affecting community pharmacy provision, alongside continuing concerns over access to services, travel distances and healthcare reorganisation within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area, have left some residents questioning whether NHS recovery is being experienced equally across Wales.

Community pharmacy provision has become an increasing concern locally following recent changes affecting some chemist services, raising fears over access to medication and frontline healthcare support — particularly in rural areas where alternatives may involve lengthy travel.

At the same time, debates around the future location of services, staffing shortages and the long-term sustainability of care in west Wales continue to generate concern among patients and campaigners.

For many residents, the NHS debate is no longer only about waiting times — but whether services remain accessible in the first place.

The figures also require some caution. NHS waiting-list totals are measured in “patient pathways” rather than individual patients, meaning one person can appear on the list more than once if waiting for multiple treatments or appointments.

The Welsh NHS Confederation warned that any future improvements would need a “whole-system approach”, involving primary care, community healthcare and social care, alongside action to reduce demand before patients require hospital treatment.

Mr Hughes added that NHS organisations also face tightening budgets and renewed inflationary pressures linked to global events.

He warned: “NHS leaders will need clarity from political leaders on a focused set of priorities and the backing to make the difficult decisions required to reform services, being honest with the public around timelines and expectations.”

The Herald has approached Hywel Dda University Health Board for comment on how improving national waiting-time figures compare with the experience of patients in west Wales, including concerns around pharmacy provision, service changes and access to local care.

The Welsh Government has also been asked what the new administration’s healthcare priorities will mean for communities in rural Wales over the coming months.