News

Firm linked to criminal probe donated to Gething, says BBC

Published

2 years ago

June 3, 2024

BBC Wales Investigates says it has discovered a company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething’s successful bid to become Wales’ First Minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time.

Mr Gething’s leadership campaign accepted £200,000 from a firm controlled by millionaire businessman David Neal.

A criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by one of Mr Neal’s firms, Resources Management Limited (RML), is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).

Welsh Government ministers were briefed about the investigation before Mr Gething – the UK’s only current ruling Labour leader – became First Minister.

Mr Gething, who narrowly won the Welsh Labour leader contest earlier this year, previously said he had done nothing wrong and has not broken the ministerial code.

Responding the reports, Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Vaughan Gething’s donations just don’t pass the smell test.

“So desperate was he to be First Minister, he accepted this dirty money despite the misery these firms have caused, and so desperate is Keir Starmer to be Prime Minister, he is prepared to stand with Vaughan Gething on this issue.

“It’s time to restore integrity to the office of First Minister.”

The continuing row in Wales is an unwelcome distraction to Sir Keir Starmer during the general election campaign – although the Labour leader has publicly backed Mr Gething. RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a “stink bomb on steroids”.

Colin Barnett started the Stop the Stink campaign to force RML to fix odour issues at the Withyhedge site. It now has more than 2,000 members.

He said: “They’re probably very surprised they’ve had such fierce resistance from a rural area that they thought was quite small, but the problem is, they’ve affected so many of those villages.”
NRW says it has identified the smell as hydrogen sulphide.

Huwel Manley, Natural Resources Wales, said the regulator was working with the local authority, local health board and Public Health Wales to fix the issues.

“We identified issues of concern late last year. The company is under investigation at the moment”.

In a statement Mr Neal said he would: “continue to fully cooperate with any pending investigations by Natural Resources Wales, and it is working to stop the smells.” And added:

“We have never requested or expected anything in return.

Health Secretary Eluned Morgan and then-Climate Change Minister Julie James both had meetings with the regulator about problems at Withyhedge in February.

Some Labour members have also questioned the judgement of the first minister, with the BBC learning that one senior figure within Welsh Labour offered to loan Mr Gething the money to allow him to pay back the donation – which was turned down.

But other senior party figures have also publicly backed the First Minister, including party leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens.

Speaking on the election campaign trail, she said: “Vaughan didn’t break any rules in that leadership campaign and we are just looking forward to getting on with the general election.

There’s positive reaction for him on the doorsteps.”

A spokesman for Welsh Labour said the issues had “previously been addressed by Vaughan Gething and are a matter of public record”.

Politicians in the Senedd will vote on Wednesday on whether they have confidence in Mr Gething’s leadership.

If he were to lose the vote, he would not be forced to resign, but it would put him in a difficult position.

It was proposed by the Welsh Conservatives leader in the Senedd, Andrew RT Davies, who said the debate will give people the chance to have their say on Mr Gething’s “judgement, transparency and truthfulness”.

BBC Wales Investigates: A Big Stink is available now on iPlayer and BBC One Wales at 20:00 BST on Monday 3 June

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

43 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

59 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

13 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: