Politics
Senedd to get more members after expansion plan approved
LANDMARK legislation to increase the size of the Senedd and change its voting system cleared the final hurdle in the Welsh Parliament.
MSs voted 43-16 in favour of the members and elections bill, securing a necessary two-thirds supermajority, following a debate on May 8.
Under the bill, the number of Senedd members will increase from 60 to 96 in response to concerns that the relatively small size of the legislature leads to ineffective scrutiny.
The maximum number of Welsh Government ministers will increase to 17 – not including the first minister and counsel general – with powers to further increase this to 19.
The 32 constituencies in Wales that will be used in the forthcoming general election will be paired to create 16 for the 2026 Senedd poll, with each returning six members.
Mick Antoniw, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, said Welsh democracy has grown, developed and matured over the past 25 years.
Mr Antoniw told the chamber, or Siambr, that while the responsibilities of the Senedd have grown, its capacity has not – remaining the smallest of the UK’s devolved legislatures.
“The bill before us changes that,” he said. “It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our democracy by creating a modern Senedd.”
Mr Antoniw said the bold reforms will give the Senedd greater ability and capacity to hold the Welsh Government to account as well as ensure that every vote counts.
He argued laws are best forged in the fires of parliamentary scrutiny, saying: “I think we’ve seen that in this bill’s own legislative passage.”
Darren Millar, who is the Conservatives’ shadow constitution minister, described the bill as a deeply flawed piece of legislation which will undermine Welsh democracy.
Wales will move away from the current additional-member electoral system which uses a mix of first-past-the-post constituencies and regional party lists.
Future Senedd elections will instead use a full form of proportional representation, with Wales becoming the first UK nation to entirely scrap the first-past-the-post system.
Under the new closed-list system, People will vote for political parties rather than individuals and parties will control the order of candidates on lists.
Mr Millar, whose party was alone in voting against the bill, said the reforms will damage the relationship between the public and their elected representatives.
He told the Siambr the closed-list system will strip away a fundamental right enjoyed by generations of Welsh voters to choose an individual candidate.
The Tory MS for Clwyd West said: “It is the biggest power grab from the people of Wales that it has ever suffered in the history of Welsh democracy.”
Mr Millar criticised the “shameful” costs of expansion which have been estimated at almost £18m a year, suggesting it would be better spent on schools and hospitals.
He said: “That money instead will be spent on luxury offices and pay for 36 more politicians, their entourage of staff and the structure needed here at the Senedd to support them.
“Spending £120m on more politicians over the review period is a luxury we can ill afford.”
Heledd Fychan, for Plaid Cymru, said the long-awaited reforms will strengthen opposition members’ ability to hold Welsh ministers accountable.
Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales Central, stressed that the reforms are not the end of the journey, with a review to follow the 2026 election.
She said Plaid Cymru will continue to support – and campaign for – the single-transferable vote (STV) electoral system, which would allow voters to rank candidates.
Ms Fychan added that her party will hold the Welsh Government to a commitment to bring forward a recall system, which would allow voters to remove members between elections.
She said: “There is still work to be done to strengthen our democracy but the step that we are taking today is a huge step forward – not only for this Senedd but also for our nation.”
Jane Dodds agreed the bill will enhance scrutiny as well as ensure proper representation for each and every one of Wales’ diverse communities.
The Lib Dems’ leader in Wales welcomed the “outdated” first-past-the-post system being binned but warned the proposed replacement is fundamentally flawed.
Ms Dodds said: “The introduction of closed party lists risks robbing voters of true choice.”
The Mid and West Wales MS argued STV would be the fairest and most accountable system, with every vote carrying equal weight and power.
Ms Dodds said she would support the legislation but she urged fellow members to view it as only the first step on a journey towards a stronger, fully democratic parliament for Wales.
Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher who represents Swansea East, pointed out the practical problems of having as few as four members on some Senedd committees.
He said that day’s public accounts committee meeting would have had insufficient members to proceed if he had to go to the toilet, warning: “You cannot run an organisation like that.”
Mr Hedges described the reforms as akin to reverse gerrymandering, suggesting Labour will find it hard to win and the new system will consistently produce a hung Senedd.
The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent, officially becoming an Act, later this year.
MSs are considering two related bills: the elections bill, which would introduce automatic vote registration, and the candidate lists bill on gender quotas in Senedd elections.
News
Lease of former Newcastle Emlyn Courthouse approved
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet has this week approved the transfer of the former Newcastle Emlyn Courthouse to Newcastle Emlyn Town Council.
The Cabinet approved a 21-year lease which will facilitate the Town Council’s plan to bring the premises back into use.
The future of the former Courthouse has been considered in detail, with the Town Council carrying out a public consultation on the community’s requirements, and the sites potential contribution to those local needs. The outcome of the consultation suggested that the local community wanted the building to be retained, refurbished and transformed into a multi- use centre.
Newcastle Emlyn Town Council intend to submit an application for funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund [UKSPF] in order to pay for the necessary restoration work. The funding is conditional upon the Town Council having a lease of sufficient term on the premises.
Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr Alun Lenny commented: “The building as it currently stands is not needed for further use by the County Council and has been empty for some time. I welcome the Cabinet’s decision to approve the transfer of this asset to Newcastle Emlyn Town Council. The funding will ensure that the building is being used for the benefit of the town’s residents.
“This decision is in line with Carmarthenshire County Council’s Wellbeing Objectives: Enabling our communities and environment to be healthy, safe, and prosperous (Prosperous Communities).”
Politics
Council to discuss £3.5m housing acquisition in upcoming Cabinet meeting
HOUSING worth more than £3.5m has been purchased in Pembrokeshire by the council, senior councillors will hear next week.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on May 20, will receive an update on acquisitions and disposals of land and buildings in the county.
In accordance with the council’s constitution, Cabinet is to receive a report biannually, on the acquisition or disposal of land and/premises by the authority since the last report, where the acquisition or disposal was for a sum in excess of £100,000.
The report lists 16 acquisitions by the council, in areas including Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Neyland, Cilgerran, Pembroke Dock, Lamphey, and Broad Haven, for a total of £ 3,502,000, in line with the HRA (Housing Revenue Account) business plan.
The report before members also lists one disposal, the former Ship and Anchor, High Street, Fishguard, at £170,000.
The report ads: “It should also be of note that some temporary additional resource has been obtained to enable capital receipts from the disposal of any surplus property where appropriate so there should be an increase in sales over the next 12–18 months.”
The May 20 meeting wil be the first Cabinet headed by new council leader Cllr Jon Harvey.
Members are recommended to note the acquisitions and disposals, with six-monthly updates to continue.
News
Gething crisis: Tory Leader signals no-confidence motion in First Minister
IN a bold assertion that could intensify the political instability in Wales, the Conservative leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, has indicated that a motion of no confidence against First Minister Vaughan Gething is increasingly likely. This comes in the wake of recent revelations and internal disputes within Welsh Labour that have put Mr. Gething’s leadership under severe scrutiny.
The controversy escalated following the dismissal of Hannah Blythyn, the minister for social partnership, who was accused by Mr. Gething of leaking confidential text messages to the press—an allegation she firmly denies. The leaked texts were reportedly from a pandemic-era group chat, which Mr. Gething admitted to deleting, details of which were first reported by Nation.Cymru.
This incident is part of a broader series of challenges facing Mr. Gething, including scrutiny over the substantial donations made to his leadership campaign. It was disclosed that his campaign had received £250,000, with a notable £200,000 contribution from a company led by a businessman previously convicted of environmental crimes. Mr. Gething announced he would be returning £31,000 to Labour from the campaign funds amidst this controversy.
Adding to the upheaval, Mr. Davies criticised the First Minister’s leadership on BBC Radio Wales, questioning Mr. Gething’s transparency and ability to govern effectively. He emphasised the urgent need for Mr. Gething to justify his actions, particularly the sacking of Ms. Blythyn, to restore public trust in the government.
On Thursday, in an interview with ITV Wales, Mr. Gething defended his decision, highlighting the importance of trust and confidentiality among ministers and maintaining that his team was aligned on government priorities. He underscored the challenges faced by his administration and the need to focus on issues crucial to the Welsh populace.
Despite the turmoil, any formal motion of no confidence is not expected to be tabled immediately, owing to procedural and logistical considerations. With Labour holding half of the seats in the Senedd, the success of such a motion would hinge on cross-party support or abstentions from within the Labour ranks.
As tensions mount, the political landscape in Cardiff Bay remains fraught with uncertainty, with the potential for significant shifts in governance depending on the developments in the coming weeks.
-
Entertainment5 days ago
Dolly Parton to explore Welsh roots near Tenby in upcoming TV special
-
Crime5 days ago
Milford woman ’caused significant life-changing injuries to motorcyclist’
-
News4 days ago
Life literally ‘buzzing’ for west Wales EuroMillion winners
-
Crime3 days ago
Four young Pembrokeshire men arrested on suspicion of rape
-
News6 days ago
Sian Batchelor: Police issue new appeal for information
-
Crime18 hours ago
Teenagers fled from Pembroke RFC after setting spectators stand on fire
-
Crime3 days ago
Arrest made following report of sexual assault in Haverfordwest
-
Community6 days ago
Work to begin on Pembrokeshire’s ‘treacherous’ stretch of road