NRW is reminding farmers across Wales to take key steps to prevent pollution as the organic manure spreading season re-opens.

During the autumn and winter “closed periods”, restrictions were in place to stop slurry and other high-nitrogen manures being spread, helping reduce the risk of agricultural pollution.

Grassland spreading can resume from Thursday (Jan 16), with spreading on tillage land re-opening on Friday (Jan 31). However, NRW said a number of controls under the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations (CoAPR) will remain in force until the end of February.

Those restrictions include limits on application rates — no more than 30m³ of slurry per hectare, or eight tonnes of poultry manure, in a single application — with at least three weeks required between applications.

Before spreading organic manure, producers must also carry out field inspections to assess weather and soil conditions, slope, ground cover and proximity to watercourses, to help reduce the risk of runoff.

Farm businesses are expected to plan and record all applications in their Nitrogen Management Plan to ensure nutrients match soil and crop need and remain within nitrogen limits.

Spreading is prohibited on waterlogged, flooded, snow-covered or frozen ground — including soil that has been frozen for more than 12 hours in the previous 24 hours.

NRW said its teams will continue to support farmers while monitoring compliance.

Simon Griffiths, team leader of NRW’s Agricultural Pollution Inspection Team, said: “As the closed periods come to an end, we want to remind farmers, tenants, landlords and contractors of the restrictions which remain in place until the end of February.

“This means anyone considering spreading organic manure needs to ensure the conditions are suitable before work starts.

“NRW is committed to protecting the environment and any instances of pollution will be investigated and appropriate enforcement action taken.”

NRW is urging farmers and members of the public to report pollution incidents immediately via its online “report it” form or by calling 0300 065 3000.

A GROUP of residents marked the New Year in traditional style this week by taking Calennig singing to the parish streets — and using the evening to raise awareness of the proposed closure of Ysgol Clydau.

Organisers said the walk blended a long-standing local custom with a serious message, as campaigners continue to encourage families and residents to respond to Pembrokeshire County Council’s consultation on the school’s future.

Although numbers were small, those who took part described the evening as upbeat and positive. The weather remained dry, the sky stayed clear, and the group stopped to speak to people along the route, handing out leaflets and discussing what the school means to the area.

Supporters said the event underlined the strength of community spirit in the Clydau area — something they believe is closely tied to the presence of the rural school, not only as a place of learning but as a focal point for local life.

Sarah Farnden, a parent at Ysgol Clydau, said: “Ysgol Clydau is at the heart of our community. It’s where our children learn, but also where friendships are formed and traditions are passed on. Nights like the Calennig remind us how important the school is in bringing people together. Losing it would mean losing a vital part of who we are.”

Consultation open until January 23

Pembrokeshire County Council launched a public consultation on the proposal in December, with responses invited until Friday, January 23.

The council says the proposal follows a review of education provision, taking into account pupil numbers and the use of school places across the wider area.

The issue has already prompted a strong public response, with a petition opposing closure gaining significant support and triggering further discussion among councillors.

Campaigners have also questioned the timing of the consultation over the Christmas period, arguing that families and residents should be given every reasonable opportunity to consider the proposals and respond.

Supporters of Ysgol Clydau say closure would have consequences beyond education, warning it could weaken the fabric of the rural community and reduce opportunities for children to learn and socialise close to home.

Organisers of the Calennig walk said the evening showed how local traditions still bring people together — and can also be used to highlight modern-day challenges facing the community.

They are urging anyone with a stake in the school’s future — parents, former pupils, residents and local organisations — to make sure their views are submitted before the consultation deadline.

A FORMER county councillor has paid tribute to the late Mike Stoddart, describing him as a “principled incredible friend” with an “encyclopaedic knowledge of the law” and an unmatched ability to expose wrongdoing.

In a personal memory piece shared with The Herald, Cllr Michael Williams said he first became aware of Mr Stoddart when he ran the Milford Mercury, recalling how some figures at County Hall appeared “fearful” on publication days because of Stoddart’s determination to “root out… dubious activities”.

Cllr Williams also recounted being threatened with libel action after raising concerns about the record and claimed successes of an external consultant hired “at considerable expense”.

He said he was contacted by a Cardiff legal firm demanding £20,000 and warning he would be sued, describing the correspondence as “frankly intimidating” and saying it left him fearing “the loss of everything”.

Cllr Williams said he sought help from Mr Stoddart, who he recalled arriving at his home with his wife Viv and spending an entire evening working through “a considerable quantity of documentation” and advising how to respond.

“Mikes encyclopaedic knowledge of the law was incredible, and he was able to offer some much-needed reassurance,” Cllr Williams wrote.

He added that he worked with Mr Stoddart on allegations involving grants and “dubious travel claims”, which he said culminated in a referral to the council’s audit committee.

Cllr Williams claimed the “taxpayers of the county were massively let down” by Dyfed-Powys Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, despite what he described as a “detailed dossier” submitted by Mr Stoddart.

Reflecting on decades in public life, he said one enduring lesson was that those who ask “awkward questions” can find themselves “shut down”, adding that bodies including the council and police could become “aggressive and intimidatory” when challenged.

Cllr Williams said he feared that without Mr Stoddart, “far less dubious fraudulent or indeed criminal activities will be exposed”.

“Mikes courage together with his sheer intellectual powers are irreplaceable,” he added.