Politics

Water legislation ‘outsourced to Westminster’

Published

2 years ago

September 22, 2024

THE CLIMATE change secretary confirmed proposed UK water legislation will apply to Wales despite concerns about law making being “outsourced” to Westminster.

Huw Irranca-Davies, who is also Wales’ new deputy first minister, told the Senedd he has agreed that the UK Government’s water bill be extended to Wales.

The bill aims to ensure water companies are held to account, with increased enforcement powers for regulators and tougher penalties, including imprisonment.

Mr Irranca-Davies said the bill will grant the regulator, Ofwat, powers to limit bonuses paid to executives and allow Natural Resources Wales to recover costs from water firms.

He accepted changes to the law must reflect Wales’ needs as he committed to working with the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

But former Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price pointed out that in a previous incarnation as chair of the legislation committee, Mr Irranca-Davies took a different position.

Questioning the climate change minister, Mr Price said: “You often eloquently made the case for us not outsourcing legislation to Westminster but legislating ourselves here.

“Maybe you could explain … why you’ve failed to persuade yourself of that former case.”

Mr Price called for a root-and-branch review of the governance model for Wales’ water industry, with the climate change secretary suggesting this is not high on the agenda.

Mr Irranca-Davies joked: “On your point of my unusual conversion to actually supporting us being involved in collaborating … you must have been referring to my twin brother, I think.”

The former MP and Defra minister said the Senedd may not have the opportunity to legislate for four or five years, so it was important to seize the opportunity.

But he admitted: “I realise I’m a bit of a poacher-turned-gamekeeper on this.”

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow climate change secretary, raised concerns that Wales could miss out on revenue raised by fines.

She said: “If a company, for either land pollution, noise pollution or water pollution, if they’re fined, that money goes into the UK Treasury.

“And that’s always been used by the Welsh Government as an excuse, almost, that we don’t have the money to clean up our polluted rivers.”

Ms Finch-Saunders, who represents Aberconwy, stressed: “If the pollution has taken place in Wales, we should have that money here in Wales to help clean up afterwards.”

Responding to the statement on September 17, she warned of an environmental crisis with six of the UK’s most polluted rivers in Wales.

She said: “Warnings were issued only this summer for people not to go swimming or in the sea due to poor water quality at 25 Welsh beaches.”

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow climate change secretary, warned the public continues to feel powerless on the issue of sewage in Wales’ waterways.

She said: “The public deserves more than mere promises of improvement.

“They need to see action and, if necessary, stiff penalties imposed on those companies that fail to reach adequate standards time and time again.”

She reiterated her party’s calls for full devolution of powers over Wales’ water resources.

Ms Jewell, who is the Plaid Cymru group’s deputy leader, also called for action on microplastic pollution which can pose a threat to people’s health.

“These particles have been found in human lungs, breast milk and blood,” she said. “So, what specific steps will be taken to improve monitoring and enforcement with regard to water companies when their practices contribute to plastic and microplastic pollution?”

Mike Hedges, who represents Swansea East, also raised concerns about research showing “alarming” levels of microplastics in UK rivers.

The Labour MS suggested monitoring riverbeds for microplastic content could be an effective way to police water companies’ practices.

Carolyn Thomas, a fellow Labour backbencher, pointed out that many rivers cross Wales’ border, exemplifying the need to work with the UK Government.

The Conservatives’ Laura Anne Jones called for a ban on combined sewage outflows, “which allow water companies to pump sewage into the rivers”.

She told the chamber: “I grew up fishing and swimming in the River Usk, and I want my children and others to be able to do so.

“My children do now but it does make me wince a bit, knowing what’s coming into our rivers, with visible sewage more and more prevalent, unfortunately.”

Climate

Pembrokeshire council to hear anti-net zero petition

Published

4 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PETITION call to Pembrokeshire councillors, which raises concerns at the “hefty funds” needed to support its commitment to net zero, will be heard at full council next week.

Last July, councillors agreed to set up a group to review its own decision to declare a climate emergency some seven years ago.

In May 2019, the council declared a climate emergency following a notice of motion by Cllr Joshua Beynon calling on the authority to back the global consensus that climate change poses a risk to the well-being of future generations.

He had urged county councillors to back a motion to take “bold, decisive action” to fight “truly, catastrophic” climate change, with the council to committing to becoming a zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

At the July 2025 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, a successful notice of motion by the late Cllr Mike Stoddart called for the establishment of a working group to review that decision.

That led to a recent petition, by Lynda Duffill of West Wales Climate Coalition, which attracted 725 signatures, calling on the council to reaffirm its Declaration of a Climate Emergency, and retain the ambition to deliver Net Zero Council operations by 2030.

That petition was considered at the October 2025 meeting of full council; members agreeing the working group be asked to ensure the petition is included as evidence in its consideration of the matters referred to it by the council resolution in July 2025.

That has now led to a further petition, concerned at a potential increase in council tax from a re-affirmation of a Declaration of a Climate Emergency.

The latest e-petition, on the council’s own website, created by Carolyn Ellis, read: “We call upon all elected members of Pembrokeshire County Council to support and to take seriously the working group tasked with the review of the ‘climate emergency’ called in 2019 (by the-then 21-year-old councillor Joshua Beynon) and to question the hefty funds needed to spend on ‘net zero’.

“We refer to the recent petition by the West Wales Climate Coalition which purports to speak for the residents and council tax-payers of Pembrokeshire.

“There is potentially a far higher number of residents who do not share this unsubstantiated view and who are extremely concerned about the potential for huge hikes in council tax, especially if this tax is linked in future to the carbon efficiency of homes and businesses.

“This was hinted at as a possible lever for encouraging ‘compliance’ with decarbonising homes in the ‘Better Homes, Better Wales, Better World’ report. Therefore, not only could we be faced with more taxes, but also inevitable deterioration in service provision by PCC.”

The current petition ran to March 26 and attracted 753 signatures; any petition of over 500 triggers a debate at full council, the petition due to be heard at the May 14 meeting.

Local Government

Eluned Morgan resigns after losing Ceredigion Penfro Senedd seat

Published

4 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

WELSH First Minister Eluned Morgan has resigned as leader of the Labour Party after she lost her seat in a catastrophic Senedd election for the former ruling party.

Baroness Morgan was defeated in the Ceredigion Penfro constituency with Labour failing to pick up any of the six seats available in the new ward.

Plaid Cymru gained three, Reform two, and the Welsh Conservatives one as Labour trailed in fourth place in the seat.

Baroness Morgan had previously said she was at risk of losing her seat in this election, and Labour sources were reported showing a sense of unease as counting took place.

She has now stood down as First Minister and Welsh Labour leader.

The First Minister was one of 44 candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro, seven of them Labour, with a total of six seats up for grabs.

Plaid Cymru and Reform have topped opinion polls throughout this election campaign, but polls have indicated one single party may not be able to gain enough votes in the now 96 seat Senedd to govern.

During the count, unconfirmed rumours said Eluned Morgan was in danger of losing her seat.

Baroness Morgan first became an MS in 2016, becoming the sixth First Minister, and the first woman to hold the post, in 2024.

During the 2026 campaign trail, on the issue of a potential coalition or working closer with another party like Plaid Cymru, she said: “I’m not making promises on anything until after the election, what I will say is we won’t under any circumstances work with Reform, it’s important our values are clear and we wouldn’t work with them.”

The First Minister entered the count at held at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi to a media scrum, the results for the party seeing it only slightly ahead of the Green party.

Out of 89,402 votes cast, Plaid Cymru gained 31,943; Reform 23,003; Welsh Conservatives 14,789; Labour 6,495; Green 6,324; Liberal Democrats 4,613; Gwlad 802; Heritage Party 442; Aaron Carey 368; George Alexander Chadzy 286, and Paul Haywood Dowson 88.

The six candidates elected were: Elin Jones Plaid Cymru, Susan Claire Archibald Reform, Kerry Ferguson Plaid Cymru, Welsh Conservatives Paul Windsor Davies, Paul Marr Reform, and Anna Nicholl Plaid.

Community

Fishguard astroturf ‘long overdue’ for new surface

Published

4 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for clarity on if and when “long overdue” works on Fishguard Leisure Centre’s astroturf surface will take place is to be heard by councillors.

In a submitted question to be heard at the May 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Bro Gwaun county councillor Delme Harries will ask: “I have received representations regarding the condition of the astroturf surface at Fishguard Leisure Centre which is reported to be a heavily-used facility supporting a range of local sports clubs and community activity.

“Concerns have been raised that the surface is now approaching 20 years old, and that resurfacing is now considered long overdue.

“In light of the council’s recent reviews and investments at other leisure centres in the south of the county, which are much welcomed, can the Cabinet Member please clarify: What formal assessments have been carried out on the condition and remaining lifespan of the astroturf at Fishguard Leisure Centre?

“How this facility is currently prioritised within the council’s wider leisure and sports investment programme?

“What consideration has been given to future upgrade or replacement at Fishguard, particularly in comparison with leisure facility investments made elsewhere in Pembrokeshire?”

Cllr Harries’ question is expected to be answered by the appropriate Cabinet member.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members backed a leisure investment programme including feasibility funding for new leisure centres in Pembroke and Milford Haven, along with works at Tenby leisure centre, with the aim of extending the lifespan of the trust-run swimming pool by at least 10 years.

For Pembroke this includes a detailed feasibility study for a new-build Leisure Centre in Pembroke, on the current school site, providing a feasibility budget of £195,000 from reserves.

For Milford Haven, members backed £1.2m (at risk) in the capital programme to develop a high-level leisure brief into the tender of the new English Medium primary and secondary school project in Milford Haven, and the pre-construction services to develop the project designs (to RIBA 4, Detailed Design) for a new leisure centre at the same time as the school.

For Tenby, members backed a grant of £4,606,667 to the Tenby and District Swimming Pool Association, as owner of the asset, for works to extend the lifespan of the current swimming pool by at least 10 years.

Members also backed other recommendations including £50,000 from reserves to procure external funding consultants to identify and secure as much funding as possible towards the delivery of the investment programme, and to establish a leisure operations review board to undertake a formal review of the leisure services operating model.