Politics
Labour’s legislative plans announced

DEPARTING First Minister Carwyn Jones has announced the Welsh Government’s legislative programme for the Assembly’s term following the summer recess.
The programme makes good on the Welsh Government’s policy promise of ending the physical punishment of children in Wales. The measure, which has been opposed by the campaign group ‘Be Reasonable’, is one of a package of members aimed at promoting child welfare.
Commenting on the move, an NSPCC Cymru spokesperson said: “The NSPCC has long campaigned for children in Wales to have the same protection against assault as adults so the Welsh Government’s intention to remove the defence of ‘reasonable punishment’ in the coming year is hugely welcome.
“It is a common-sense move which is about fairness and equality for children.
“It is wrong that a legal defence which does not exist in a case of assault against an adult can be used to justify striking a child.
“Closing this loophole will bring Wales in line with dozens of countries around the world and finally give our children equal protection under the law.”
A bill will also be brought forward to establish duties of quality and candour in health and social care. This will place statutory obligations on all health organisations in Wales to be open and transparent and will ensure lessons are learned and improvements made where necessary. A new independent body will be created to give people a stronger voice for their experiences of health and social care services.
The government will bring forward a local government bill, which will include reform of local authority electoral arrangements, including reducing the voting age to include 16 and 17-year-olds.
The way animals are treated is an important reflection of society and over the next 12 months, a bill will be introduced to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses on welfare grounds.
The government will also introduce a bill to make Welsh law more accessible. The Legislation (Wales) Bill will be the first major step towards achieving a clear and well-organised statute book.
First Minister Carwyn Jones said: “The year ahead will be one of the busiest for us in legislative terms since Wales gained primary law-making powers.
“Making our statute book ready for EU exit is a big challenge for the Welsh Government and the National Assembly but we must not let this limit our ambitions. We will keep driving forward progress and delivering for the people of Wales.”
In addition to the Welsh Government’s legislative programme, the National Assembly will be asked to undertake a substantial programme of correcting regulations under the EU (Withdrawal) Act between October and March in preparation for EU exit.
However, Carwyn Jones’ final statement on the Welsh Government’s law-making priorities for the year ahead have been branded “unambitious, last-minute scribblings of a tired administration” by the Welsh Conservatives.
One of the proposals to be brought forward is a ban on wild animals from performing in travelling circuses, something Welsh Conservatives have been calling for in recent years.
Legislation to merge councils is likely to face much contention following fierce opposition from the Welsh Local Government Association over the past few months after being told they will have to merge voluntarily, or have t imposed upon them.
Interim leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Paul Davies AM, said: “After nearly 20 years at the helm, the Welsh Labour Government have been proven to be unimaginative and tired.
The headline bills to be announced today is typical Welsh Labour: tinker at the edges, but do nothing to resolve the fundamental challenges to Welsh society and its economy.
“We have an underperforming health service, a health board in special measures for three years, and an education system that ranks bottom of the UK nations.
“It is time to be more radical with public services – not only to deliver better value for money for taxpayers, but also better outcomes for everyone in all parts of Wales in health, education, and beyond.”
And Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood also expressed her and her party’s disappointment at Labour’s programme.
“I congratulate the First Minister on delivering his eighth and final statement on a future legislative programme.
“However, I am saddened to say this looks like a re-hash of a legislative programme we have seen before. At a time when our democracy, our nation, is in flux, we need ambition, vision and leadership. Values I do not see demonstrated by today’s statement.
“We can agree that Westminster is failing Wales. But this Parliament – the new home of Welsh democracy – was meant to give us the opportunity to do things differently. When they cancelled plans for a tidal lagoon, legislation should have been brought forward for a new nationalised Welsh energy company. We must take our future into our hands, not allow Westminster to tie them behind our back.
“We are leaving an environment that is increasingly inhospitable. Air pollution kills tens of thousands every year and plastic waste litters our coastline and countryside. But a Clean Air Act and bottle return scheme are nowhere to be seen in this statement. There is also no proposed legislation or laws to create a feminist Welsh government a reality as promised.
“Many key decisions have also been kicked into the long-grass. The size of our parliament and who can participate in our democracy, for one.
“There is not a single piece of legislation planned for education, transport, energy, the environment, housing, social care, farming and fisheries.
“This is a legislative programme of old ideas and no ambition. The Welsh Government can do better. The National Assembly can deliver better. Wales needs better.”
News
Herons Reef Residential Home redevelopment approved

A CALL to change a Pembrokeshire estuarial beauty spot village care home to a residential property has been approved by the national park.
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Leicestershire-based Mr c Cunningham sought permission for a change of use of Herons Reef Residential Home, Llangwm Ferry, Guildford Row, Llangwm, near Haverfordwest.
Previous applications have been made at the site for a change of use, with a 2019 scheme refused, and a 2018 scheme withdrawn.
Other applications for a single storey cabin-style building with decking area and an extension were also refused in 2011 and 2009 respectively.
An officer report, recommending approval of the current application, said: “No external changes are proposed to the building; however, it should be noted that stone cladding has been applied to the front elevation of the property within the last four years.
“Permission would have been required for this since, at the time of writing, the property is still within use class C2 [residential home] for which no permitted development rights exist. This will be dealt with separately to the current submission.
“There are no over-riding concerns in relation to the proposed change of use in relation to visual or residential amenity, and there are no concerns in relation to the parking arrangements, access or local Highway Network.
“The proposed green infrastructure and biodiversity enhancements are deemed to be acceptable as it is proposed to plant six new trees within the rear garden area, and this is deemed to be proportionate to the proposed development, since no losses are to occur to facilitate development.
“Overall, the proposal is considered to be acceptable, and a recommendation to grant permission, subject to conditions, is made.”
The application, which includes a Section 106 legal agreement for the payment of a contribution towards affordable housing, was conditionally approved by park planners.
News
Elderly care crisis: Councils warned over ‘second class citizen’ treatment

Underfunding in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire fuels hospital chaos, family hardship, and looming care home closures
VULNERABLE older people in West Wales are being forced to pay for their care—or go without it—due to a worsening funding crisis that experts say is placing them at risk and driving up NHS costs.
A growing “postcode lottery” in council funding has created stark inequalities between local authorities, with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire among the worst hit. Care providers warn that the current situation is not only financially unsustainable but morally indefensible, as elderly people are left stranded in hospitals or charged extra just to receive basic care.
£8,500 less per patient
In Carmarthenshire, research has shown that the local authority pays around £8,500 less per year per person for nursing care than neighbouring Ceredigion. The shortfall is so severe that some care homes have begun charging families extra, or risk closure.
One care home owner, who asked not to be named, told The Herald: “It’s heartbreaking to tell a family: ‘If you can’t pay this, we’ll have to give notice.’ But we can’t make ends meet on Carmarthenshire’s fees. Meanwhile, just over the border in Ceredigion, they pay enough to cover the cost. Why are our residents treated like second class citizens?”
They added that some care homes avoid charging extra and are therefore more likely to receive referrals from the council—but may be located far from a resident’s home town, increasing isolation and hardship for families.
“The system punishes compassion. Homes are closing. And we’re losing places for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Pembrokeshire: NHS under pressure, families stretched
In Pembrokeshire, the situation is no better. While weekly rates are slightly higher than in Carmarthenshire—£908 for nursing care and £986 for EMI—they still fall far short of the actual cost of delivery.
The result? Bed-blocking at Withybush Hospital has reached critical levels.
Elderly patients medically fit for discharge are being kept in hospital, sometimes for weeks, due to a shortage of care home placements.
According to estimates, the cost of keeping an elderly patient in hospital is around £500 per day, compared to less than £200 per day in a care home—making the system not just inefficient but unsustainable.
‘12 months of instability’ ahead
One care group operating six homes in Pembrokeshire says they are facing a £150,000 annual hit due to increased National Insurance contributions and a rise in the Real Living Wage. They’ve warned of “12 months of instability”, with growing pressure on families to pay third-party top-up fees—and a risk that smaller care homes could fold altogether.
Care Forum Wales has estimated the total shortfall across the sector in Wales to be £150 million, describing the situation as an “existential threat” to elderly care.
Council and government response

Pembrokeshire County Council is already grappling with a projected £34.1 million funding gap for 2025–26, with adult social care listed as one of the most significant pressure points. Meanwhile, Carmarthenshire County Council has not issued a public statement on the care home funding disparity, despite repeated concerns from local providers.
The Welsh Government has announced a small uplift in care home fees, from £235.88 to £254.06 per week from April 2025, but providers say it’s nowhere near enough to prevent closures or redundancies.
Some initiatives—such as improved NHS discharge planning and tech-based bed tracking—are being piloted, but sector experts say they will not resolve the crisis without urgent and significant funding increases.
‘Rotten boroughs’ of care?
Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, has slammed the disparity between councils as a form of “institutional prejudice” against the private care sector, which provides the majority of services across Wales.
“It’s a race to the bottom, and elderly people are paying the price. In South West Wales, with the exception of Ceredigion, fee levels are appalling. These councils are like rotten boroughs, offering the least to the most vulnerable.”
“Wales was supposed to be built on equality. But you’d never know it when you look at how care is funded.”
He called on councils and government to rethink their approach, warning:
“Those making these decisions should consider their positions. They are causing harm to families and risking the collapse of care in their communities.”
What happens next?
If no action is taken, providers warn, more care homes will close, families will be left without support, and hospitals will continue to suffer.
“Either we fight to save our homes,” the anonymous care home owner told The Herald, “or we walk away. And then what becomes of the residents?”
The Herald has contacted Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire County Councils for comment. This article will be updated if and when responses are received.
News
Frustration grows as council delays to school rebuild continue

MANORBIER PROJECT STALLED AGAIN
NEARLY two and a half years after a devastating fire shut the doors of Manorbier Primary School, the community is still waiting for the rebuild to begin—despite repeated promises and reassurances.
The fire, which broke out on October 10, 2022, thankfully caused no injuries, but left the school building unusable. In a remarkable show of resilience, staff resumed lessons the next day in the village pub, and then moved to Jameston Village Hall, where the school remains to this day.
While the temporary accommodation allowed education to continue, progress on rebuilding has stalled. Negotiations between the church (which owns the site), Pembrokeshire County Council, and insurers have dragged on for months with little clarity or urgency.
Parents were left in the dark for six months before receiving any communication from the Council—only after a formal complaint was lodged.
In October 2024, Huw Jones, Chief Officer for School Resources and Governance, wrote to parents:
“We have an estimated cost for the school’s reinstatement and this has been shared with the Council’s insurers. However, negotiations with the insurers remain ongoing… The draft business case has been completed, and pending the value of the insurers’ contribution towards the school reinstatement, this will form the basis of a Cabinet report in the next month or so.”
But as of April 2025, no visible progress has been made, and parents were alarmed to learn via a Council email on March 27 that the business case is now unlikely to be considered until after a report by the School Modernisation Working Group—set up in August 2024—is completed.
The existence of this group had not been publicly disclosed, and teaching staff were reportedly told not to discuss it. The group is tasked with reviewing pupil numbers and surplus places across the Tenby and Preseli areas.
The decision to tie Manorbier’s rebuild to a wider review has sparked anger and suspicion among parents, governors, and staff, many of whom fear that financial concerns—not the needs of children—are driving the delay.
“It feels like they are trying to quietly shelve the rebuild,” one parent told The Herald. “They say it’s about strategy, but it looks like stalling.”
In its 2023–24 Annual Self-Assessment, Pembrokeshire County Council acknowledged the lack of progress:
“During 2023–24, legal and insurance issues for the fire-damaged Manorbier VC School were pursued. Debris was cleared from the building in January 2024, and since this date we have been ascertaining the extent of the reinstatement required and the costs.”
The Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2023–24 also referenced delays to school rebuilds, including Manorbier, due to rising construction costs. The Council has scheduled verbal updates on Manorbier’s progress in April, June, and September this year, suggesting that further updates are expected—but no start date has yet been given.
While the Council maintains that it is meeting its statutory duty by housing the school at Jameston Village Hall, parents argue the temporary site is unsuitable long-term. The hall limits facilities, caps future growth, and deprives the local community of a key public space.
Meanwhile, the original school site in Manorbier remains derelict and vulnerable to weather damage.
“It would be a tragedy to see it become a permanent ruin,” said one parent. “This delay isn’t just bureaucratic—it’s harming our children, our teachers, and the heart of our community.”
With no guarantee that a decision will be made even after the School Modernisation Working Group concludes its report in May, the future of Manorbier Primary remains uncertain.
But one thing is clear: the community is not giving up.
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