News

Budget is good news for Pembrokeshire

Published

3 years ago

October 27, 2021

AS PART of a series of payments made from the Westminster Government’s ‘Levelling Up’ Fund, the regeneration of Haverfordwest’s town centre got a massive shot in the arm.

Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Stephen Crabb has welcomed the announcement that £17.7m has been secured from the UK Government Levelling Up Fund for Pembrokeshire.

Pembrokeshire is in the first tier of areas eligible for the Levelling Up Fund created by the UK Government to replace EU funding. The funds are being financed directly by the Westminster Government. Today, local Councils across the UK are finding out which bids have been successful.

Mr Crabb has been working with Pembrokeshire County Council on the bid to the Levelling Up Fund to support the ongoing regeneration of Haverfordwest town centre. The bid focused on the need to make the historic town centre a more attractive place for visitors.

Now that this money has been secured, it will enable the restoration of the 900-year-old historic castle into a high-quality all-weather visitor attraction and develop the river’s potential as a feature of the town centre.

Commenting, Mr Crabb said: “I have worked hard to support Pembrokeshire County Council in their bid to the Levelling Up Fund and make the case to the Treasury about why Pembrokeshire should be put at the front of the queue for this funding.”

“I am delighted that the Chancellor has listened.

“It means that the money I have secured for Pembrokeshire can turn these plans and aspirations for Haverfordwest town centre into reality. It is now up to Pembrokeshire County Council to use this money to support traders and boost local economic activity.”

MINIMUM WAGE RISE

The headline takeaway from a Budget long on levelling up and short of detail on what it would like is a hike in the UK’s minimum wage.

From April 1, 2022, workers over 23 will get a minimum wage rise from £8.91per hour to £9.50.

While the increase is welcome, it is counterbalanced by increased personal taxation on income, rising prices, and the accompanying cut in entitlement to Tax Credits for those who get the rise.

However, the Chancellor took the chance to change a system that perversely punishes working extra hours or earning more by a loss in Tax Credit payments and/or Universal Credit.

Before the Budget, for every £1 earned over the Tax Credit limit, Universal Credit recipients lost 63p in what the Chancellor described as “a tax on work”. Mr Sunak cut that to 55p/£1. Setting the level at that originally intended when the taper in Tax Credits was originally proposed by Iain Duncan-Smith.

While that sort of measure would usually only come into effect at the start of a new tax year (in this case, next April), the Chancellor told the Commons the cut will come into effect no later than December 1.

That means earnings by those affected by the current arrangements will rise in the run-up to Christmas.

An increase in the National Minimum Wage will be affected by an increase in inflation, especially as the rise in the former will not come in until next year.

On top of that, the Chancellor announced a £500 increase in the threshold for the basic income tax rate.

Mr Sunak claimed a single mother with one child earning the National Minimum Wage would be better off by over £1,100 per year.

DUTIES CUT AND FROZEN

In what’s bound to be a popular move with pub-goers, the Chancellor announced an overhaul of duties on alcohol.

Describing the system as ‘outdated’ and ‘complex’, Mr Runak slashed the number of different duties from sixteen to five.

The strongest drinks (for example, white cider) will see their prices rise. However, beers, ciders, and fruit ciders will see a significant reduction in duty for on-licensed sales.

Fruit ciders, subject to their own duty, will see the largest cut in duty, while beer and cider will fall in price by an average of around 3p/pint.

There will be no increase in excise duty on whiskies. At the same time, sparkling wines had a massive duty cut, reducing their price to reflect their increased popularity and lower alcohol content.

The Chancellor combined those announcements with an extension of rates relief for licensed premises and specific relief on draught beer sales.

Mr Sunak also announced a freeze on fuel duty.

NOT SO NEW MONEY

A Raft of spending pledges made by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his Budget speech on Wednesday (October 26) consisted of repackaged spending commitments already made.

A large announcement that England’s city regions would get £6.9bn to spend on new transport infrastructure contained £1.5bn of new funding. The balance consisted of £4.2bn committed in 2019 under Theresa May’s Government and further funding for public transport, which the PM announced in 2020.

Similarly, £5.9bn of NHS funding for England is extra cash plus old spending commitments put in new wrappers.

MORE MONEY FOR WALES

Wales will receive extra funding through the Barnett formula – a mechanism the UK government uses to allocate additional money to the devolved nations when it spends more in England.

However, Mr Sunak said Wales would benefit by £2.5bn over the Barnett formula over the term of the three-year spending review.

The most contentious uses of Westminster’s powers, the levelling up and shared prosperity funds, are added to that funding. Money from them will be paid directly to those commissioning eligible projects and not to the Welsh Government.

Part of Westminster’s rationale is that the Welsh Government does not target spending on priorities it identifies as UK-wide.

For example, if the Westminster Government said it would invest £6bn in the NHS in England, Wales would get £300m. However, that money could be spent where the Welsh Government saw fit and not necessarily where Westminster intended it to go.

The Welsh Government’s position is straightforward; all money spent in Wales on matters over which it exercises control should be allocated to the priorities it identifies. It will not or cannot separate specific funding from Westminster’s overall spending grant.

The Chancellor’s announcement of extra funding for specific projects in Wales, bypassing Cardiff Bay, will increase tensions between Westminster and the Welsh Government.

RAISING REVENUE

The Chancellor cannot long put off dealing with two specific problems affecting government funding.

The first is well-known, but action has so far been avoided: the shrinking tax base.

The UK government raises around £800 billion a year in receipts – income from taxes and other sources – equivalent to around 37% of the size of the UK economy, as measured by GDP.

The majority are from three main sources: income tax, National Insurance contributions (NICs) and value-added tax (VAT). Together these raise over £460 billion.

The UK’s working-age population is rapidly contracting. That means less money raised from direct taxation. The effects of the contraction on public finances are already being felt.

What the UK’s current workforce pays in National Insurance now doesn’t pay for or contribute to their pensions but their parents’ and grandparents’.

As people live longer and in worse health, workers now and in the future face paying more of their wages in tax to support the retired and elderly ill.

The weight of the pensions bill was £101bn in the last financial year, approximately two and a half times the total defence budget.

As a point of comparison, the total amount paid out in working-age unemployment benefits was a fraction under £2bn.

Taxes on consumption fall proportionately most heavily on those with the lowest incomes.

Imposing increased taxes on consumption would effectively cut the incomes of the lowest earners. It would also hit those voters in post-industrial marginal seats upon whom the Government depends for its majority.

REPLACING DUTY

The second issue is less acknowledged but no less challenging.

Fuel Duty raises £21bn a year.

Increased fuel efficiency in motor vehicles means they need to refuel less often. That means less fuel duty coming into the Treasury.

The Government aims to decrease reliance on cars for commuting, which will cut the amount of fuel duty even further.

Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles pay little or no Vehicle Excise Duty, and purely electric vehicles pay no fuel duty, either.

Unless there’s a significant change in tack, the Treasury will lose both fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty from its annual tax take in pretty short order.

Fuel duty alone amounts to £28bn of revenue each year, and Vehicle Excise Duty is another £6.5bn a year.

Planning to replace that revenue cannot be delayed.

Community

Storm Éowyn upgraded to ‘danger to life’ amber warning for Wales

Published

2 mins ago

January 22, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE MET OFFICE has upgraded its weather alert for Storm Éowyn to an amber warning, signifying a “danger to life” as strong winds and heavy rain approach Wales and other parts of the UK. The warning is in effect from 6:00am to 9:00pm on Friday, covering northern Wales, Northern Ireland, northern England, and southern Scotland.

Strong winds and widespread disruption

The amber alert warns of winds reaching 60-70 mph inland and up to 90 mph in exposed coastal areas and high ground. The Met Office advises that flying debris poses a risk to life, while power cuts, travel disruption, and property damage are highly likely.

Road, rail, air, and ferry services are expected to face delays and cancellations. Homes and businesses may also sustain structural damage as the storm progresses.

Areas in Wales under amber warning:

Conwy
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Gwynedd
Isle of Anglesey

Alongside the amber alert, two yellow warnings for wind cover all of Wales on Friday, lasting from midnight Thursday to midnight Friday. A separate yellow warning for rain is also in effect from midnight to 9:00am on Friday, predicting 15-25 mm of rain across much of Wales and 40-60 mm in higher elevations. The heavy rainfall may lead to surface water flooding in some areas.

A Met Office spokesperson said: “Storm Éowyn will move across the northwest of the UK on Friday, clearing northeast by Friday night. This will bring a spell of very strong west to southwesterly winds, with a brief reduction in wind strength as the storm’s centre passes over certain areas. Winds will then increase rapidly before gradually easing later on Friday.”

Residents are urged to secure loose outdoor items, avoid unnecessary travel, and monitor updates as the storm approaches.

Crime

Only 3% of sexual offences reported to Dyfed-Powys Police result in a charge

Published

3 hours ago

January 22, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MORE than 1,600 rape and sexual offences have been reported to Dyfed-Powys Police in the last year, but just three per cent resulted in a charge or summons.

New data obtained by Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice (SACA) has revealed that between September 2023 and 2024, a total of 1,686 offences were reported to the force but just 47 resulted in a charge or summons.

Sexual Abuse Claims Specialist, Ellie Lamey says it is “staggeringly low” and “it is important victims know that support is available.”

In the last year, there were 1,141 sexual offences reported to Dyfed-Powys Police as well as further 545 rapes.

Of those, just 47 resulted in a charge with 552 offences still under investigation.

According to the force, the majority of rape and sexual offence victims and alleged perpetrators were between the ages of 0-17.

Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice also obtained new data from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) – which is a government-backed organisation that can offer compensation to victims of sexual abuse.

In the last year, the CICA received 13,313 applications from alleged victims of sexual assault or abuse.

Of those, 1,763 received compensation – that’s just 13 per cent.

CICA Specialist at SACA, Ellie Lamey said: “The number of sexual assault/abuse victims who have applied for CIC is staggeringly low compared to the number of offences being reported to police forces across the UK.”

This, along with mammoth delays in the court system and the early release of prisoners is, of course, hugely concerning for victims.

SACA’s investigation revealed the main reasons why victims are rejected by the CICA. They include: the incident was not a ‘crime of violence’, the application was made outside the relevant time limit, failure to co-operate with bringing the assailant to justice and failure to co-operate with the CICA.

In the last year, the organisation paid out compensation totalling £18,463,509.85 to victims of sexual abuse.

Specialist Ellie Lamey added: “It is so important that victims know there is support available for them and not to be deterred or fearful of rejection.

“Victims should be aware that they can report historical periods of abuse/assaults to the police, regardless of the amount of time that has passed.

“Victims can avoid rejections by ensuring they fully cooperate with the police in bringing the assailant to justice as well as seeking appropriate medical attention regarding any physical or psychological injuries sustained from the assault they are a victim of.

“CICA data from 2020-2022 shows that 18 per cent of applications are submitted outside of the two-year time limit, and of these 61 per cent went on to receive an award.

“With relevant evidence, we can provide exceptional circumstances that have contributed to the delay in a victim submitting an application.”

Dyfed-Powys Police responded to the data saying that it had the second highest conviction rate for rape offences in England and Wales at 72.7% in the year to date.

However, the force said it recognises that there is still a lot more to do to ensure that all victims-survivors get the justice they deserve.

One of the force’s priorities is to provide a compassionate response to victims of rape and serious sexual assault and the relentless pursuit of offenders

The force joined Operation Sorteria Bluestone in 2022, the aim of which was to transform the policing response to rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO).

A spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting victims-survivors of rape and sexual assault and all detectives are fully trained in the College of Policing Rape and Serious Sexual Offences Investigative Skills Development Programme (RISDP).

“We’ve revolutionised our response to rape victims-survivors by providing an option of speaking to an officer via video call utilising specialist software. This has enabled victims-survivors to have access to specialist support in an environment which is comfortable for them.

“Rape and sexual offences investigations can be complex and due to their very nature can take longer than 12 months to investigate thoroughly.

“The Government’s review also acknowledged that not all victims-survivors who report incidents to the police want to proceed with a criminal justice outcome.

“As such, measuring charge rates within a 12-month period against the volume of crime reported can be sometimes misleading.”

The police spokesperson added: “We would urge anyone who has been a victim-survivor of a sexual offence to please come forward and get the support they rightly deserve.

“Whether a victim-survivor chooses to involve the police or not, support is available to everyone. New Pathways is the largest sexual violence support provider in Wales, with extensive experience of delivering specialist support to adults and children affected by the trauma of rape, sexual assault or sexual abuse.

“We would also encourage victims-survivors of sexual assault to seek help through sexual assault referral centres (SARCs). SARCs provide a safe space and dedicated care for people who have been raped, sexually assaulted or abused, and are here for everyone.”

Visit New Pathways on www.newpathways.org.uk, or to find a SARC go to collaborative.nhs.wales/SARCs
For details of support services and how to report a sexual offence, including non-recent incidents, visit https://bit.ly/reportsexualoffences
If you have been a victim of a crime, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police, either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org

Sexual Abuse Compensation Advice (SACA) also offers a specialist service for anyone looking for support and advice after being affected by rape or sexual assault.

They operate a 24-hour helpline and live chat service which you can access on their website.

Crime

Homeless man jailed for broom attack on good Samaritan

Published

16 hours ago

January 21, 2025

Court Reporter

A HOMELESS man who attacked a good Samaritan with a broom, fracturing her elbow, has been jailed despite her act of kindness in offering him shelter.

Swansea Crown Court heard that Regan Boswell, 52, assaulted his friend at her home in Hakin on October 29, 2023, after she allowed him to stay the night.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling explained that Boswell, who was homeless, had knocked on the victim’s door asking for a place to stay. Out of compassion, she welcomed him in, hoping to help.

Initially, the arrangement was peaceful, Mr. Pulling said. However, Boswell left to purchase alcohol and later became agitated. While the victim was watching videos on her phone in the living room, Boswell suddenly entered, armed with a broom, and lashed out.

“He complained about the noise from her videos and struck her with the broom,” Mr. Pulling told the court. The attack was so forceful that the broom broke upon impact with her elbow. Boswell then used the broken handle to strike her in the stomach.

In his rage, Boswell also smashed the victim’s phone, damaged an extension cord, and overturned cans of lager in the house. Terrified, the victim fled to seek help from neighbors but found no assistance. She eventually left the building entirely until Boswell vacated the area.

The victim later attended Withybush Hospital, where doctors confirmed she had sustained a fractured elbow. In a statement read to the court, she described being deeply shaken by the violence. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before,” she said, adding that the betrayal by someone she considered a friend made it all the more distressing.

Boswell, who has no fixed address, was located by police at a spot where he had been sleeping rough. The court was told he has a long criminal record, including 98 prior offences, with 15 relating to violence and 19 involving property damage.

Defence counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged Boswell’s extensive history of offending and attributed his actions to excessive alcohol consumption. “He admits he has a pattern of destructive behaviour,” Mr. Griffiths said, adding that Boswell’s guilty pleas were his only substantial mitigation. “He was making efforts to stay out of trouble and avoid prison.”

Judge Huw Rees condemned Boswell’s actions, highlighting his inability to control his temper or respect women. “Your actions were entirely unjustifiable,” the judge said.

Boswell was sentenced to 21 months in prison after admitting to charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm and criminal damage. Additionally, a seven-year restraining order was imposed to protect the victim.