News

Long-awaited overhaul of environmental governance in Wales

Published

2 years ago

February 5, 2024

LONG-AWAITED plans to overhaul environmental governance have been unveiled amid concerns that Wales has the weakest protections in the UK.

Julie James announced the publication of a Welsh Government white paper on establishing environmental principles, strengthening governance and introducing biodiversity targets.

Wales’ climate change minister said a bill will be brought forward to ensure there is no post-Brexit drop in environmental standards.

She told the Senedd that an environmental governance body will be established to oversee implementation and compliance with environmental law by public authorities.
She said: “We think it’s very important that it is independent of the Welsh Government, that it holds our feet to the fire.”

Ms James stressed that the proposals are not simply an exercise in replacing EU structures and legislation, with the approach instead tailored to the Welsh context.
“The governance body will similarly reflect Wales’ priorities,” she explained.

“The body will work in a spirit of collaboration and take an escalatory approach, working with Welsh public authorities to put things right.

“However, where this is not possible, the body will be rightly empowered to take effective enforcement action to ensure compliance.”

Ms James said public authorities will be required to draw up local nature recovery plans.

She told MSs the proposed headline target is that of the 2020 global biodiversity framework: reverse decline with an improvement in biodiversity by 2030, with recovery by 2050.

Janet Finch-Saunders pointed out that the proposals are long-awaited, with the Welsh Government first committing to addressing a governance gap in 2018.

The Conservatives’ shadow minister said: “This is already long overdue and has been requested through our environment and climate change committee so many times.”

Ms Finch Saunders warned that proposals for local nature recovery plans could add to the considerable pressures on public authorities.

Pressed for clarity on the timetable, Ms James cautioned that this is the very beginning of proposals making their passage through the Senedd.

She said work on a bill is under way but suggested it could take a year to bring forward.

Delyth Jewell broadly welcomed the announcement but warned of a genuine need for urgent legislation to close a gap in Wales’ environmental protections.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow minister said: “We’ve been waiting too long for this.”

She urged the minister to make every effort to avoid any further delay, with equivalent governance bodies already established for England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Ms James acknowledged the delays, saying further slippage is not an option as the bill will be one of the last to go through the Senedd in this term, which ends in 2026.

Responding to concerns the new environmental body could be confused with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Ms James said: “Broadly, this is not a regulatory authority.

“This is an authority that gives guidance to public authorities on how to set the targets and monitor and make sure they do them.”

John Griffiths, the Labour MS for Newport East, raised the importance of gaining buy-in from the public and organisations such as the Gwent Wildlife Trust.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

7 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.