KING CHARLES III has continued a royal tradition by agreeing to become the new patron of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society (RWAS).

As Prince of Wales, he consistently supported the RWAS, having visited the Royal Welsh Show seven times from 1969 to 2019 and he opened the Royal Welsh Winter Fair in 2001.

“To have the monarch as our patron is very special,” said Aled Rhys Jones, RWAS chief executive. “We are immensely grateful to His Majesty for continuing his support to the society.

“He is a true champion of rural matters and has a deep affection for Wales. His support as patron will be a great endorsement to the work we do in promoting Welsh agriculture.”

The decision follows a review of the patronages of the late Queen, the former Prince of Wales and the former Duchess of Cornwall. The letter from Buckingham Palace to the RWAS read: ‘His Majesty would be delighted to accept’.

The Queen was patron of the RWAS for 70 years and showed great support. Her support reflected her long-lasting interest in Welsh agriculture, horticulture and rural affairs.

The Queen’s first official role with the RWAS was as Princess Elizabeth in 1947, when she was honorary president. She undertook a triumphant tour of the showground during a visit to the Royal Welsh Show, held in Carmarthen.

The late Queen had followed her late father, George VI, and her grandfather, George V in accepting the patronage.

King George V first became patron as Prince of Wales in 1907 and formally as King in 1911. His Silver Challenge Cup for the best Welsh Cob then became known as the George Prince of Wales Challenge Cup, one of the most famous cups presented at the Royal Welsh Show annually.

RE-ELECTED Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Dafydd Llywelyn begun his new term in office this week with a series of key meetings aimed at shaping his strategic vision for the region’s policing priorities over the next four years.

The Commissioner’s first official day was Thursday 9^th of May, and saw key discussions taking place, beginning with a meeting with the Chief Constable to gain an update from Dyfed-Powys Police on operational matters, and also to outline his vision and priorities for the new term in Office.

In addition, the Commissioner met with staff from his Office for discussions on the development of a new Police and Crime Plan for Dyfed-Powys for 2025-2029. The Police and Crime Plan will be the strategic blueprint that will represent the Commissioner’s vision and priorities, further reinforcing his dedication to delivering effective and efficient policing services tailored to the needs and expectations of our diverse communities.

In coming weeks, the Commissioner’s Office will launch a public consultation on the new Police and Crime Plan, whereby the public will have an opportunity to have their say on policing and crime matters in their area.  Online questionnaires and focus groups will form part of the consultation, to ensure that the Office provides plenty of opportunities for communities to have their say.

Reflecting on his ambitions for the upcoming term, Mr Llywelyn expressed that his focus will be on improving public confidence and trust in policing: “I am honoured to be re-elected as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys for my third successive term. 

“As I start this new term in Office, I am committed to build on the achievements to date and address the challenges that lie ahead.

“My vision is clear: to develop safer communities for all through proactive crime prevention and ensuring a justice system that is both fair and efficient. 

“I will work in collaboration with the Force and other criminal agency partners to ensure transparency and accountability, to ensure that we can we work collectively to improve public trust and confidence in policing.

“Your safety will continue to be my top priority. I want to ensure that the Dyfed Powys Police area remains one of the safest places to live in Wales and England”.

THE first national scheme of its kind in the UK, which will protect Welsh local authorities and all fire and rescue services in Wales from cyber-attacks, has launched today (Friday, May 10).

Led by the Welsh Government, in collaboration with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, CymruSOC (Security Operations Centre) will help ensure key organisations can continue offering critical services without disruption due to cyber-attacks.

The SOC service, which will be managed by Cardiff-based firm, Socura, will safeguard the data of the majority of the Welsh population, as well as 60,000 employees across the public sector.

First Minister, Vaughan Gething said: “The challenges people across Wales have faced in recent years due to the pandemic have shown the importance of digital in our lives. It has become central to the way we learn, work, access public services and do business. However, our reliance on digital, has also led to a stark increase in the risk of cyber-attacks which are becoming ever more common and sophisticated. 

“CymruSOC is a first of its kind solution with social partnership at its heart – ensuring we take a ‘defend as one’ approach. It’s a vital part of our Cyber Action Plan for Wales, which – one year since its launch – is making good progress to protect public services and strengthen cyber resilience and preparedness.”

The Socura SOC team will monitor for potential threats such as phishing and ransomware from its 24/7 remote SOC. 

In conjunction with the National Cyber Security Centre, CymruSOC will also share threat intelligence information to ensure they are aware of emerging risks. 

CEO of Socura, Andy Kays said:  “The CymruSOC is a fantastic initiative, and we feel honoured to play a role in keeping Wales secure. 

“By sharing a SOC, and threat intel, across all Welsh local authorities, even the smallest Welsh town will now have the expertise and defences of a large modern enterprise organisation. 

“People rely on their local council at every stage of their life. It’s where they register a birth, apply for schools, housing, and marriage licences, which makes them a prized target for financially motivated cybercriminal groups as well as nation state actors seeking to cause disruption to critical infrastructure.

“It is our job to ensure that these critical services remain unaffected by cybercriminals’ attempts to steal data and cause disruption.”

Leader of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Councillor Geraint Thomas said: “The close collaboration between our Council and Welsh Government has been a key factor in the success of this project. 

“Merthyr Tydfil’s approach to cyber security has always been innovative so I’m really pleased that as the contracting authority, we continue to lead this work on behalf of the CymruSOC member bodies, and other Welsh Public Sector bodies that wish to utilise the CymruSOC going forward. 

“It provides some reassurance to the population of Wales that if they use their Local Authority for any kind of service, then CymruSOC will provide additional support and protection to enhance existing cyber security controls”.