Pembrokeshire’s newly elected Labour MP is expected vote on Tuesday, 10 September, as the government pushes through controversial cuts to Winter Fuel Payments.

The proposal has sparked widespread concern, particularly among the elderly, with approximately 18,000 pensioners in Pembrokeshire expected to be affected, and over 10 million across the UK facing potential financial hardship this winter.

But will Henry Tufnell toe the line? Its likely he will.

The Labour government, led by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, plans to means-test the Winter Fuel Payment, limiting it to pensioners on benefits like pension credit. This shift, designed to address a £22 billion budget shortfall inherited from the previous government, is expected to save £1.4 billion, but critics argue it could leave many elderly citizens choosing between “heating or eating” during the colder months.

Samuel Kurtz, Welsh Conservative Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, expressed his opposition to the cuts. “These measures weren’t in Labour’s manifesto, yet they are moving ahead with policies that will hurt vulnerable pensioners. Pembrokeshire’s pensioners deserve better,” he said, urging the county’s Labour MP to vote against the cuts.

While Labour holds a strong majority in Parliament, the vote has triggered internal dissent. Up to 50 Labour MPs are reportedly considering rebelling against the measure, citing concerns about its impact on the elderly. However, despite this opposition, the Labour government is still expected to pass the cuts, given its overwhelming parliamentary numbers.

The vote is expected to proceed, but the backlash from both inside and outside the party reflects the depth of concern about the policy, especially as energy bills rise again ahead of winter. The government has promised mitigating measures, such as extending the Warm Home Discount and boosting Pension Credit uptake, but critics remain sceptical as to whether these will adequately replace the direct support of the Winter Fuel Payment.

PLANS for parking and traffic changes which have created “tensions and divisions” in a rural north Pembrokeshire seaside village with fears it would lead to is “complete urbanisation” have been backed by the national park.

Pembrokeshire County Council, in an application before the September 4 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, sought approval for a long list of changes to Porthgain Harbour, Porthgain.

It includes highway and environmental improvements, including new parking bays, a realignment of the existing Llanrhian Road carriageway, resurfacing of existing parking areas, designated pedestrian footways and crossings, and traffic calming features.

The National Park owns the land subject to the application, historically a quarry port prosperous in the early 1900s; the scheme recommended for conditional approval.

The centre is a Conservation Area and contains a number of listed buildings; the former quarry and harbour are a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The village of 260 residents is dominated by the village green and informal car parking area and high visitor numbers during peak months cause traffic congestion, parking problems, and safety issues for pedestrians and emergency vehicles, a report for planners said.

“The application notes that high visitor numbers during peak months cause traffic congestion, parking problems, and safety issues for pedestrians and emergency vehicles. The proposed development seeks to address these issues through a range of highway and environmental improvements with associated drainage infrastructure and landscape enhancements.”

It added: “A range of public responses have been received raising a number of concerns including around whether the scheme has reflected previous public engagement proposals, whether the scheme is necessary and whether it will negatively impact on the character and appearance of the historic village of Porthgain.”

Concerns raised in the report said the proposal would “change the ‘feral and free’ nature of Porthgain,” and is “a complete urbanisation of a very rural historic working harbour village” and the “natural charm of village will be ruined”.

Amongst the lengthy proposals were “road realignment, new parking bays, pedestrian footways, traffic calming measures, and improved drainage to enhance accessibility and safety,” the report said, with an informal one-way system being introduced.

Speaking at the September meeting, local county councillor Cllr Neil Prior said the issue was “probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done as a county councillor”.

He told members a residents’ group had been formed after concerns were raised about how busy the local parking situation was in what is now “a year-round problem” rather than just the summer months, with funding secured for the £350,000 project.

He said part of the traffic problem was “19th century infrastructure dealing with 21st century problems.”

He said there had been much local division over the proposals, and he had been to “numerous meetings trying to smooth things out,” adding: “There have been some strong objections, there have been village tensions, which I regret; what started as harmonious and collegiate has been quite divisive.

“There’s been a number of strong objections but a number in quiet support, who perhaps haven’t made their views because of the tensions.”

He told members: “My plea is we have to continue engagement with the residents of the village; I always say this is for the village.”

The scheme was unanimously supported by park planners.

NATIONAL TRUST plans for a tilting weir and walkway in south Pembrokeshire have been approved by the National Park despite concerns it could impact historic dyke-drained land.

The National Trust sought permission for the installation of a tilting weir, walkway structure and boardwalk at Castlemartin Corse, Starmans Hall, Castlemartin in an application recommended for conditional approval at the September 4 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee.

A report for members stated: “The National Trust have been looking at potential wetland restoration opportunities at Castlemartin Corse Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which is part of the National Trust’s property at Gupton Farm, Pembrokeshire.

“The primary aim is to restore and establish carbon rich habitats within the SSSI. To enable this, it is proposed to install a water control structure in the form of a tilting weir within the main river that flows through the SSSI reedbed and connects to the Castlemartin Coast Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

“Attached to the tilting weir would be a walkway, and a boardwalk is also proposed to allow maintenance access to the weir. The site is in a sensitive location within the SSSI, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the South Pembrokeshire Coast National Landscape Character Area (NLCA).”

It concluded: “The proposed scheme would involve the creation of habitat, increase the diversity of species and condition of the watercourses.”

The walkway and board walk are for access and maintenance only and will not be open to the public.

Concerns were raised at the meeting by local county councillor Steve Alderman, who said: “It does affect a historic civil engineering project of over 230 years old, a piece of ground was drained by Lord Cawdor and Alan Mirehouse, in the late 1790s.”

He said the land drained by a series of dykes has “worked wonderfully well over the years,” and was used to grow food in the Napoleonic wars and the two world wars, even proving to be the only green area locally in times of heavy drought.

“If this tipping weir is in it’s going to end up holding back floodwaters, it has lasted 230 years, other human intervention is going to probably be not positive and very short-sighted,” he told committee members.

After members raised concerns on the potential impact on adjoining land, the scheme was conditionally approved.