News
Pembrokeshire Council Deputy Leader sets out green vision for region
SPEAKING in the opening session at the inaugural Green Economy Conference in Swansea on Wednesday, Cllr Paul Miller, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change at Pembrokeshire County Council, highlighted the importance of the Milford Haven Waterway in helping to realise the vision of net zero industries in South Wales by 2040, delivering a 40% percent reduction of current Welsh CO2 emissions.
“If we get it right, it allows us to retain 130,000 jobs associated with industry in southwest Wales and unlock £30bn investment opportunities,” he said.
“The Crown Estate have set out their aspirations for floating offshore wind in the Celtic Seas, and they’re enormous. We need to get our region ready to harness the benefits of that opportunity and also to secure its delivery.

“It’s not just about floating offshore wind, it’s about what that green energy generation allows us to do onshore, and the additional opportunities that that presents. This year we are starting to talk about a potential hydrogen network across South West Wales: how can we create green hydrogen, use it to feed industry and southwest Wales, and use that as a product that decarbonises operations across the region?”
He said the possibilities spanned everything from producing green hydrogen for buses and transport as discussed by Cllr Stewart, through to examining how to use green hydrogen in industrial processes.
He added that it is important to recognise that some carbon will always be produced by our existing industries, so it is important to look to the future of carbon shipping, capture and storage as well.
“Milford Haven Energy Kingdom is allowing us to do some of that,” he said. This is a programme of work funded by UK Research and Innovation as part of their Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, to explore the potential of zero carbon hydrogen alongside renewable electricity to meet future energy needs of buildings, power generation, and refuelling transport.
He also welcomed the major companies, including Norwegian Government owned Statkraft, which are investing in Pembrokeshire.
“Were competing globally for investment, and the fact that they’re here is a good start,” he said. “We need to create the right conditions for them to want to invest in this region ahead of some of the other opportunities that their key decision makers will be considering.”
He added that the Celtic Freeport, due to be formally designated by the Welsh and UK Governments in spring/summer 2024, will be key to this.
“It is part of that preparing our region for the opportunity and placing us to win those investment decisions,” he said.
“What it does, we hope, is create the right investment conditions, and allow us to see some of the benefits retained locally, which will then allow us to invest further in some of the infrastructure that we know is needed to support that industrial revolution.
“It’s game changing on its own, but taken together with a series of interventions working with our regional partners, it has the potential to really transform the regional economy.”

Over 1500 people attended the inaugural Green Economy Conference and Exhibition at Swansea Arena on Wednesday, which set out to strengthen communication and collaboration to build a green economy in South West Wales. Themes addressed included green jobs, greener transport, and how to decarbonise existing businesses.
The conference included a session on the circular economy in the region, which included input from the people behind several innovative businesses and initiatives including Rob Poyer of Nappicycle and Natural UK; James Dovey of Blueprint; Deborah Baldrey of Swanse University and Tata Steel; Ruth Marie Mackrodt of Wool Insulation Wales; and Gary Walpole of CEIC Wales. The discussion addressed how to make use of shared resources, creating networks to reduce, reuse and recycle materials across the region.
This was followed by a renewable energy panel discussion, featuring Abi Beck from RenewableUK Cymru, Tom Sawyer from Port of Milford Haven and Celtic Freepor, Andrew Hartson from ABP and Celtic Freeport, Kamal Rajput from Tata Steel, Joseph Kidd from Hiraeth Energy and Marine Energy Wales, and Arwyn Williams from Pembrokeshire College. The panel discussed why the Celtic Freeport will be transformational, and how to maximise the benefits of renewables projects for local communities and the regional economy.
The construction and buildings panel discussion brought together Elfed Roberts from Pobl Housing Group, Oonagh Gavigan from Neath Port Talbot Council, Darren Thomas from Morgan Sindall Construction, Paul Gwynn from Raven Delta Group, and Jane Lewis from Regional Learning and Skill to discuss innovations and sustainable approaches in the built environment.
The final session explored how to decarbonise your business, bringing together Chris Dhenin from the Development Bank of Wales, Matthew Jobes from Edmondson Electrical, Huw Watkins from BIC Innovation and Trac C, and Tanya Nash from Future Clarity to discuss how regional businesses can start (and continue) their journey of sustainability and what support and funding is available.
Following the conference, Dawn Lyle, chair of 4theRegion, which organised the event, said:
“It’s really been an honour for our small team at 4theRegion to have so many people interested in, and working in, the green economy, come together at Swansea Arena in just the way we had hoped. There have been some fantastic businesses and organisations exhibiting and from all accounts, some really great conversations and connections made.
“If we are to create a sustainable future, it’s imperative to strengthen communication and collaboration through discussions and meetings such as those which took place today. So much more can be achieved when ideas are exchanged, innovations discussed, and information shared. It’s about building an ecosystem to support our common aims.
“We intend to run this conference on an annual basis. We depend on our sponsors and exhibitors to show their support for the events that we run, and so we will go where the energy is, but our hope is to be back at Swansea Arena on Tuesday November 19 next year.”
Crime
Milford Haven disturbance sees two women arrested
TWO WOMEN were arrested following a disturbance at the Mount Estate in Milford Haven on Saturday night (May 9).
The Herald understands the arrests followed an altercation involving four people.
Video circulating on social media shows two women lying face down on the ground outside while handcuffed and restrained by police officers.
In the footage, officers can be heard telling one woman that she is being arrested on suspicion of assaulting police.
Both women were then taken away, each flanked by officers.
Other women can be seen speaking to those detained while they remain on the ground.
The Herald has contacted Dyfed-Powys Police for further details, including confirmation of the number of arrests, the nature of the incident, and whether anyone was injured.
News
Wales enters new political era after historic Senedd election
WALES has entered a new political era after voters delivered the biggest political upheaval since devolution.
Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Senedd, Reform UK surged into second place, and Welsh Labour was reduced to its worst result since the creation of Welsh devolution in 1999.
The result ends Labour’s long dominance of Welsh politics and leaves Cardiff Bay facing weeks of negotiations over who will form the next Welsh Government.

Labour dominance ends
For the first time since the Senedd was created, Labour is no longer the largest party in Wales.
The party fell to just nine seats in the expanded 96-member chamber, a result which has sent shockwaves through Welsh politics.
First Minister Eluned Morgan also lost her own seat in Ceredigion Penfro before announcing that she would stand down as Welsh Labour leader.
The scale of the defeat reflects deep public frustration over the NHS, public services, the cost of living, and the perception that Welsh Labour had run out of energy after decades in power.
Ken Skates has now been appointed interim Welsh Labour leader as the party begins what is likely to be a long and painful rebuilding process.
Plaid’s historic breakthrough
Plaid Cymru finished as the largest party with 43 seats, a landmark result for Rhun ap Iorwerth and his party.
It is the closest Plaid has ever come to forming a government in Wales, and gives the party the clear first opportunity to try to lead the next Welsh Government.
However, Plaid fell short of the 49 seats needed for an outright majority.
That means Rhun ap Iorwerth must now decide whether to seek a formal coalition, a confidence-and-supply arrangement, or attempt to govern as a minority administration.
The party campaigned strongly on the NHS, childcare, housing, rural Wales and economic renewal. It must now show that it can move from opposition into government and turn those promises into delivery.

Reform becomes major force
The other major story of the election was the dramatic rise of Reform UK.
The party won 34 seats, becoming the second-largest group in the Senedd and reshaping the political map across Wales.
Reform made major gains in former Labour heartlands, particularly in areas where voters have become disillusioned with Cardiff Bay politics and traditional party loyalties.

Its success means the next Senedd will be noisier, more confrontational, and far less predictable than before.
Reform will now have a large platform from which to challenge Plaid Cymru, Welsh Labour and the Conservatives on public services, immigration, the economy, and the future direction of Wales.

Smaller parties gain ground
The Conservatives were reduced to seven seats, leaving them much diminished after years of trying to present themselves as the main alternative to Labour.
The Wales Green Party won two seats, giving the party its first real foothold in the Senedd.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats won one seat, ensuring they remain represented in Cardiff Bay.
The new electoral system, which expanded the Senedd from 60 to 96 members and introduced 16 larger constituencies electing six MSs each, helped create a far more proportional result.
It has also produced a chamber in which smaller parties and tactical negotiations will matter more than ever.

What happens next?
The key issue now is who can command enough support to govern.
Plaid Cymru, as the largest party, will be expected to lead the process of forming an administration.
But without a majority, every major vote will matter. Budgets, major laws, confidence votes and key policy decisions will all require careful negotiation.
A formal deal with another party may prove difficult. A minority Plaid government is possible, but it would need support from other MSs to survive.
That means the next few weeks could be decisive for the future of Wales.
A changed country
This was more than a bad night for Labour or a breakthrough for Plaid and Reform.
It was a clear sign that Welsh politics has changed.
Old loyalties have weakened. Voters who once backed the same party for generations have shown they are prepared to move. The next Senedd will be more divided, more unpredictable, and more difficult to control.
For Wales, the message is stark.
The Labour era is over. Plaid Cymru now has its greatest opportunity yet. Reform UK has arrived as a major force. And whoever forms the next Welsh Government will have to prove quickly that change means more than a different set of faces in Cardiff Bay.
Community
Haverfordwest Castle redevelopment on track for 2028 reopening
Major project will create new visitor attraction, events space, museum and improved town links
HAVERFORDWEST Castle is on course to reopen in 2028 following a major redevelopment project aimed at transforming the historic site into a high-quality visitor attraction.
County Councillor Thomas Tudor, who represents the Castle Ward in Haverfordwest, recently visited the site to see the progress being made.
He said: “As County Councillor for the Castle Ward in Haverfordwest, it was lovely to visit the Haverfordwest Castle Redevelopment Project and see the progress that has been achieved.
“I am very much looking forward to the Castle reopening in 2028.”

The project will see the mediaeval castle conserved for future generations, while the Inner Bailey has been landscaped so it can host events for up to 500 people.
These could include concerts, plays, craft fairs, Christmas markets and other community events.
The wider castle grounds are also being improved, with new interpretation explaining the history of the site, as well as family-friendly activities.
The building which houses Haverfordwest Museum, the Governor’s House, is being conserved, while the museum exhibition inside will be completely refurbished and modernised.

The former gaol building will also be transformed into a visitor attraction telling the story of Pembrokeshire’s past and future in an interactive and family-friendly way.
The attraction will include a café, shop, community spaces and exhibition areas.
Work is also taking place to improve the physical route between the castle and the town centre at Castle Back, with better signage planned to help visitors find the castle and navigate Haverfordwest more easily.
The castle is expected to reopen in 2028.
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