News

Claim reform of major renewable energy schemes planning law ‘undermines’ the Senedd

Published

1 year ago

December 18, 2023

A PROPOSED law to reform the planning process for major infrastructure projects in Wales passed its first hurdle – despite concerns it “undermines” the role of the Senedd.

MSs held a debate on the Infrastructure bill, which would streamline the consent process for significant renewable energy infrastructure with the goal of creating a “one-stop shop”.

Blaenau Gwent MS Alun Davies, speaking on behalf of the Senedd’s legislation committee, which made 50 recommendations, raised concerns about ministerial powers within the bill.

The backbencher criticised the inclusion of ‘Henry VIII’ clauses which would allow ministers to change the law in future without full parliamentary scrutiny.

He explained: “We have concerns that five of the 14 Henry VIII powers in the bill could be exercised by the Welsh Government without the Senedd having any knowledge that the law that it has approved has been modified.”

Mr Davies said the bill, which contains more than 80 delegated powers, does not constrain ministers’ powers as fully as it should.

He told the Senedd: “These are enduring powers. They are not one-off powers we’re being asked to delegate.”

Llyr Gruffydd, who chairs the climate committee, which made 20 recommendations, raised similar concerns, saying the bill is over-reliant on delegated legislation.

He said: “This approach not only undermines the Senedd’s capacity to conduct thorough scrutiny, but also casts doubt on how effectively the bill will deliver on its policy intentions.

“The anticipated one-stop-shop approach that the minister has heralded, for example, remains nebulous without these critical details.”

Mr Gruffydd told MSs that the bill requires significant amendments to make it a workable and effective cornerstone of the planning process.

The Plaid Cymru MS for North Wales said the bill includes scant detail on engagement “which frustrates genuine public involvement and hinders transparency”.

Mr Gruffydd also criticised a lack of detail around transitional arrangements between current and future systems, with the new process set to be implemented by mid-2025.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow climate minister, raised concerns about a shortage of council planning and legal officers.

Ms Finch-Saunders said her party would support the bill during the debate on Tuesday December 5 but “numerous fundamental problems” must be addressed in future.

Delyth Jewell, her Plaid Cymru counterpart, raised the importance of balancing major infrastructure development with the need to safeguard the environment.

Julie James, responding for the Welsh Government, stressed that she would consider committees’ recommendations and respond fully in writing following the debate.

She said ministers have sought to limit Henry VIII clauses to small and specific matters, pointing out that the legislation committee suggested an additional nine powers.

Ms James said: “The bill introduces a modern and simplified regime for the consenting of significant infrastructure projects in Wales, both on the land and in the territorial sea.

“I am committed to an efficient and effective consenting regime that makes a positive contribution to our social, economic and environmental prosperity.”

The bill now moves to ‘stage two’ which will see the Senedd’s climate committee consider amendments proposed by MSs.

Charity

NatWest Cymru encourages customers in Wales to spread Christmas cheer

Published

13 mins ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

NATWEST has introduced a new way for its customers to support Social Bite in the fight against homelessness this festive season.

Through its mobile app based MyRewards programme, customers can now easily donate their available Rewards (over £5) to buy someone experiencing homelessness a Christmas dinner with Social Bite. NatWest has also pledged to match all donations to any of its 16 MyRewards charities, including Social Bite, up to the value of £50 until 31st December, up to a total of £150,000.

The initiative comes as part of Social Bite’s ‘Festival of Kindness’ – an annual mission that aims to provide 300,000 meals, gifts, and essential items to people who are homeless and vulnerable this Christmas.

NatWest has previously worked with the Scottish charity to open a coffee outlet for colleagues and visitors in its Royal Bank HQ in the capital Edinburgh, as well as launching a public coffee shop at its site at 440 Strand, London.

Since the launch of Festival of Kindness in 2020, Social Bite has successfully distributed 1.1 million meals, gifts, and essentials to people who are homeless during the festive period.

Jessica Shipman, Chair, NatWest Cymru Regional Board, said: “Social Bite makes a positive difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. The festive season often brings into focus the hardship so many face every day.

“We know that people want to help but don’t know how. We’re excited to support Social Bite’s inspiring ‘Festival of Kindness’ initiative, giving our customers a way to gift a homeless person a warm meal.

“We encourage everyone to join in and help make the festive season a little brighter for the most vulnerable in our society.”

Josh Littlejohn MBE, Founder of Social Bite, added: “Social Bite is proud to have had the support of NatWest for a number of years, and together, we’ve made great strides to help people break the cycle of homelessness.

“For many of us, Christmas is a period where we look forward to spending time with friends, family and loved ones. However, the reality is very different for people without a place to call home over the festive season. With homelessness rising across the UK, it’s more important than ever that we do what we can to help people affected by homelessness and food poverty.

“A big thank you to all the wonderful NatWest customers who chose to donate their rewards to Social Bite. Your contribution will make a real difference to someone in need, including a hot meal with all the trimmings in loving company on Christmas Day.”

To find out more about NatWest’s MyRewards and the other charities which are being supported, please visit: https://personal.secure1.natwest.com/app/MyRewards

Information on Social Bite’s Festival can be found: https://www.social-bite.co.uk/

Community

Emergency call outage affected Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire

Published

16 mins ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS in parts of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire faced difficulties contacting emergency services via the 999 landline number on Sunday (Dec 17) due to a temporary outage.

Dyfed-Powys Police issued alerts on social media, warning residents of potential issues when trying to dial 999 from landlines in affected areas. Locations impacted included Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew, and surrounding areas.

In a statement, police advised: “You may have faced problems calling 999 from a landline in the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire area. Places likely to have been affected were Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew. Please try calling from a mobile phone as mobile networks may have been working normally. Normal service will be restored as soon as possible. Non-emergencies can be reported online. Please look out for further updates.”

Later in the day, an update confirmed that the 999 landline service had been restored in the Llangrannog and Llanteg areas.

The temporary disruption raised concerns about access to emergency services in rural areas, where mobile coverage can sometimes be unreliable.

Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant and use alternative communication methods in the event of future disruptions. Further updates are expected as investigations into the cause of the outage continue.

For non-emergency issues, residents can continue to report incidents via the Dyfed-Powys Police website or contact their local police station directly.

Community

Police and council in collaborative effort to tackle fly grazing

Published

21 mins ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

IT WAS confirmed this week Pembrokeshire County council is teaming up with Dyfed-Powys Police in a bid to tackle a growing problem of horses on public areas in the county.

The move comes after the County has witnessed a significant increase in incidents of horses being left on public land and highways – known as fly-grazing.

Over the Christmas period the agencies will work operationally in a collaborative effort to alleviate the issue.

This joint approach is in response to community concerns and part of a wider initiative that will enable partner agencies to effectively address with the issue.

Members of the public can report fly grazing concerns by contacting [email protected] or 01437 764551.