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Politics

Health Minister’s update on Covid-19 vaccine deployment in Wales

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THE LONG-TERM response to the Covid-19 pandemic requires a safe and effective vaccine to be available for all, the Welsh Health Minister has said.

Vaughan Gething has released a statement confirming that the UK Government Covid Vaccine Taskforce, has been leading work on funding and procuring vaccines for the UK. Over a number of months, we have been closely engaged with them and other key stakeholders to monitor progress on their development.

The Minister said that during this period his team has established governance arrangements at a UK and all-Wales level with a range of partner organisations and stakeholders to work through the deployment and logistical issues for when a vaccine becomes available.

Vaughan Gething said: “Since May 2020 officials from all four UK nations have taken part in UK Covid-19 Vaccine Programme board to share expertise and intelligence. This operational delivery group has taken forward a number of work streams to address areas of UK wide work and reports to the UK Vaccine Task Force (VTF). Dr Gill Richardson (Senior Professional Advisor to the CMO) is the SRO for Wales who attends a dedicated weekly meeting with other nations.

“In parallel with UK wide engagement, the Wales Covid-19 Vaccine Delivery Programme Board was set up on the 4 June. This is led by Welsh Government with membership from stakeholders across the health and care system. Representation includes all health boards and trusts, WLGA, Public Health Wales, professional leads, the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, health and social care professional groups and patient representation through the third sector. The board identified ‘Once for Wales’ workstreams include planning and delivery; workforce surge recruitment, registration, training and mobilisation; disease surveillance; vaccine storage, distribution and safety monitoring; communications & marketing; infection prevention and control, including PPE, digital solutions, consumables and vaccine efficacy.

“As part of the preparation in Wales, the Chief Medical Officer has written to all Health Boards and Trusts in July to ask them, with key partners, to establish groups to rapidly progress local plans for delivery of a Covid-19 vaccine. In August the CMO wrote again for a further update.

“Each plan has been subject to review and assessment to ensure each Health Board and Trust has appropriate facilities and equipment to receive, store, prepare and administer vaccines in a safe and controlled manner and plans for rapid deployment through a variety of means (mass immunisation, mobile, occupational and wider primary care).

“The Chief Medical Officer will shortly write again to Health Boards and Trusts to give national direction to the implementation of the vaccination programme.

“I have met, on two occasions this month, with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and the other devolved Health Ministers to discuss recent developments on the Covid vaccine and ensure alignment across the whole of the UK on vaccine deployment.

“It is important to recognise however, that none of the vaccines which have been procured by the UK Government have received the necessary regulatory approval. The UK Government has secured contracts to up to 350 million vaccines doses through agreements with six separate vaccine developers. This includes the agreement with Pfizer/BioNTech of which 40 million doses of their vaccine have been secured on behalf of the UK. If approved, Wales will receive its population share under the Barnett formula (4.78%). Once we know whether the vaccine meets robust safety standards, only then can the medicines regulator consider whether it can be made available to the public.

“From our ongoing discussions we are aware of the significant challenges of storing, distributing and handling a novel vaccine of this type. In particular its need for storage at very low temperatures. As more information becomes available, Health Board plans are being adapted to ensure they are sufficiently robust for NHS Wales to respond to those challenges.

“If approved, there will be limited supplies of this vaccine at first, so it will be offered to those at highest risk. I have already decided that priority for initial distribution of any new vaccine will be determined in accordance with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The JCVI is expected to update its advice on priority categories before the end of this month.

“I am grateful for all the hard work that has been done in the service to date to get Wales ready to deploy a much-needed vaccine. I am pleased to report that all NHS organisations in Wales have embraced the challenge presented to them and are at advanced stage of planning for the arrival of a vaccine, this includes undertaking Wales-wide simulation exercises to test our distribution and storage arrangements and to ensure we can get vaccine safely to every part of Wales. Military planning expertise is assisting to support advanced logistical and operational delivery through a balanced programme portfolio, including live testing exercises.

“Once regulatory approval is received our health and social care staff in Wales stand ready to begin a vaccination programme for the people of Wales.”

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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