News
Local Conservatives condemn Winter Fuel Payment cut
AROUND 21,000 pensioners in Mid and South Pembrokeshire are set to lose up to £300 in Winter Fuel Payments after Labour MPs voted to scrap the scheme in the House of Commons on September 10.
Labour claims it was left with no choice but to cut the allowance, which is a tiny fraction of overall public spending, to balance the national books. Its wildly unpopular decision was announced shortly before the government announced inflation-busting pay rises for striking railway staff.
A total of 347 Labour MPs, including the Labour MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, voted to cut these vital payments despite warnings that pensioners could be forced to choose between heating and eating this winter.
Following the vote, which only occurred due to significant pressure from the Conservatives, Samuel Kurtz, Senedd Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, vowed to continue fighting for vulnerable older people throughout the winter.
He also committed to lobbying the Government to reverse its decision, warning that pensioners will not forget Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour Government’s actions as Labour’s union paymasters enjoy above-inflation pay rises.
Samuel Kurtz MS commented: “This heartless decision clearly shows where Sir Keir Starmer and his Labour Government’s priorities lie, and it’s certainly not with the 21,000 pensioners in Mid and South Pembrokeshire.
“Despite knowing that older people will struggle to heat their homes this winter – their own report acknowledged this – Labour MPs still chose to strip pensioners of this vital support.
“It hasn’t taken long for Labour ministers and this Government to reveal their true colours.
“I would have voted against this plan, and I will continue to do everything in my power to support vulnerable pensioners through the challenging winter months ahead.”
Preseli Pembrokeshire MS Paul Davies warned that the decision to cut winter fuel payments would have huge implications in Pembrokeshire.
Only pensioners who claim pension credit will now receive the payment of up to £300 this winter to help with higher heating bills.
Mr Davies said, “The next few months will be very uncomfortable for many local pensioners, who will now be unable to receive a winter fuel payment. These payments were a lifeline to pensioners, and the UK Government’s decision to cut them is callous and cruel.
“The policy has been rushed through without serious consideration of the impact
that it will have – and it’s disappointing that MPs have not done more to scrutinise
this policy and hold the UK Labour Government to account.
“Thousands of local pensioners in Pembrokeshire will go without this valuable support this winter because of the UK Labour Government’s rush to implement this policy.
“It’s absolutely appalling, and the pensioners of Pembrokeshire deserve better.”
EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).
Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.
On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”
POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.
Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.
He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.
Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 
| Online portal
| 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk
| Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.
Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy
MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.
The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.
Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.
Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”
Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”
The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.
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