THANKS to £200,000 financial support by the Welsh Government, Urdd Gobaith Cymru is pleased to confirm that free entry will be offered to lower income families to Eisteddfod yr Urdd 2025, which will be held in Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot.

Siân Lewis, Chief Executive of Urdd Gobaith Cymru said: “On behalf of the Urdd I would like to thank the Welsh Government for their financial support and enabling us to offer an Eisteddfod for All in Margam Park. The cost-of-living crisis is putting such a strain on families, and we want to ensure that a family’s financial situation doesn’t mean children having to miss out on experiences with the Urdd.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford said: “The Urdd Eisteddfod is one of the cultural highlights of our Welsh calendar and a fantastic way for families to use, hear and experience the language. Cymraeg belongs to us all and this funding ensures financial barriers won’t stop families from enjoying the Urdd Eisteddfod. We’re proud to support the Urdd and help more people connect with Cymraeg through this important event.”

The Urdd as an organisation has committed to offer free entry to Local and Regional Eisteddfodau to families or individuals who are eligible for free school meal vouchers, the school uniform grant or the Educational Maintenance grant scheme.

Leading up to the Eisteddfod, the Urdd will also be working with Neath Port Talbot Council, the Welsh Local Government Association and local organisations who support lower-income families to make sure that those who could benefit are aware of the low-income tickets.

Entry tickets to the festival go on sale 19 March and early bird tickets will be available until 1 May. Lower income families will be able to claim their free entry tickets in two ways:

• Urdd £1 Membership. An e-mail will be sent to families who receive the Urdd £1 Membership with information on how to claim their tickets.
• The Urdd’s website. Before tickets can be claimed, the person or family will need to confirm that they are eligible within the listed criteria. Full information and criteria of who can apply for the low-income tickets will be available on the website.

Eisteddfod yr Urdd is one of Europe’s largest youth touring festivals, and thousands are expected to compete at the final stages of the festival in Margam Park between 26 and 31 May 2025. To purchase tickets or to claim lower-income tickets visit www.urdd.cymru/eisteddfod.

TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery as dredging work is carried out.

Sand will be removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.

The work started on Monday and will continue to Thursday, March 13.

Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging is in place.

 “We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for the work being undertaken at Tenby Harbour – this dredging is essential for the operation of Tenby Harbour.

“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the water.”

WELSH Water’s chief executive has defended his high earnings amid mounting criticism over soaring customer bills and the company’s record on sewage pollution.

Peter Perry, head of Dŵr Cymru, told MPs on the UK Parliament’s Environment Committee that his salary was “reflective of performance.” However, in Wales, the company has faced repeated scrutiny for its handling of sewage spills, service disruptions, and rising household water costs.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and the Environment, Janet Finch-Saunders MS, questioned Dŵr Cymru’s performance, highlighting a series of recent failures.

In January, as many as 40,000 homes in North Wales were left without water after a burst pipe at the Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works in Dolgarrog, Conwy. The company has also issued boil water notices in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Welsh beaches have experienced some of the highest levels of sewage discharge in the UK.

In 2023, Dŵr Cymru was responsible for over 916,000 hours of sewage discharges into rivers, lakes, and coastal waters—around 20% of all recorded sewage spills across England and Wales.

Finch-Saunders said: “We’ve seen constant headlines about sewage dumping, service disruptions, and rising customer bills, making it unbelievable that the head of Dŵr Cymru can justify his inflated salary as performance-based.

“With Wales facing four times as many sewage discharges proportionally as England, and Dŵr Cymru customers now paying the highest water bills in the country, such an exorbitant salary is a slap in the face to customers.

“The public shouldn’t be forced to cover the costs of inflated executive pay, especially when water companies have failed to address long-standing issues and delayed critical infrastructure upgrades until it’s too late.”

CEO’s earnings under scrutiny

Despite being a not-for-profit organisation, Dŵr Cymru has continued to pay its chief executive a substantial salary.

• Peter Perry’s total remuneration in 2021 was £892,000.
• In 2022, he earned £675,000, rising to £792,000 in 2023.
• In 2024, his salary was £355,000, with £91,000 in variable pay, £34,000 in pension-linked payments, and a further £9,000, bringing his total earnings to £489,000.

Meanwhile, Dŵr Cymru customers are set to face the highest water bills in England and Wales.