SENEDD Members urged the UK Government to speed up compensation payments to people infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Labour’s Julie Morgan, who has campaigned on the issue for three decades, pointed out that nearly a year has passed since Sir Brian Langstaff published his damning final inquiry report.

More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Ms Morgan welcomed £11.8bn set aside by the UK Government but warned of “completely unacceptable” delays in issuing compensation to victims.

She told the Senedd: “But I can’t support the way in which the setting up of the compensation framework, and the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, has caused significant delays, and the delays in registering for the affected.”

Ms Morgan said two people die every week while awaiting compensation and 25 infected or affected people known to Haemophilia Wales have died since the inquiry began.

The former minister warned: “I’ve been told that the compensation tariffs are so complex that it’s extremely difficult to gauge who will be eligible. However, Haemophilia Wales estimates that there’ll be around 300 infected and affected entitled to compensation in Wales.”

She added: “I’ve also heard there have been rejections of transfusion estate applications due to the destruction of medical records held at the University Hospital of Wales.”

Stressing the practical impact of delays, she explained that if an affected person, such as a widow, dies the claim to compensation dies with them unlike with an infected person.

Ms Morgan said those infected and affected, some of whom gathered on the Senedd’s steps before the debate, have been fighting for justice for 40 years.

During topical questions on April 2, she told the debating chamber: “I think it’s up to us in this Senedd to do all we possibly can to urge the UK Government, and say, ‘Look, just get on with it, it’s just been far too long.’ This has been going on for years and years.”

James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, added his voice to a chorus of calls to increase the pace of compensation payments.

As did his Plaid Cymru counterpart Mabon ap Gwynfor who said: “Some patients’ families who have been in contact with me believe that the matter is being dragged out and that it’s intentional on the part of the government … to avoid paying out the compensation.”

Labour’s Hefin David, who represents Caerphilly, similarly raised the case of a constituent, echoing concerns the compensation scheme may unfairly discriminate against spouses and partners.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, who chairs the Senedd cross-party group on haemophilia and infected blood, urged Welsh ministers to press the case for compensation.

The Plaid Cymru leader quoted a constituent: “The government line is to meet its legal responsibilities as slowly as possible, in the hope we will all die soon and stop bothering them. We feel we are again being bullied by those in power, adding insult to severe injury.

“The situation cannot go on. The 4,000 or so infected victims must be compensated immediately so they can put the past behind them and enjoy the time they have left.”

Jeremy Miles, who was appointed Wales’ health secretary in September, said officials continue to press the UK Government on the need for timely compensation payments.

Mr Miles explained that the Infected Blood Compensation Authority is recruiting hundreds of claim managers who will prioritise claims for those nearing the end of their life.

Urged to make people’s frustration and anger known, he said: “The strength of feeling in the chamber is clear … it’s important to have a set of arrangements that can command confidence, so I’d be very happy to put the points to the UK Government in those terms.”

WORK is expected to start soon on a scheme for 35 affordable homes on the “eyesore” site of the fire-ravaged former Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Pembroke Dock.

In a prime location at one of the entrances to Pembroke Dock the former Cleddau Bridge Hotel has been a derelict site since a fire in March 2019, which brought emergency services from as far afield as Ammanford, Aberystwyth and Swansea.

The site has been purchased by Castell Group Property Specialists who specialise in delivering affordable housing in South Wales and have undertaken a joint development deal with Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) and that deal was agreed back in April 2024.

Late last year, Castell Group Property Specialists, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, was granted permission by the council’s planning committee to demolish what is left of the hotel, with a development of affordable housing units, with landscaping and ecological enhancements, the housing being 100 per cent affordable, in a mix of a mix of social rent and affordable housing.

Initial discussions with the council were for 38 affordable units, which has been lowered to 35 in a mix of 16 one-bed units, 11 two-bed units, six three-bed units and two four- bed units.

The 35 homes will range in size and consist of various affordable housing, such as social, supported, and intermediate rent.

All properties will be owned and rented by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Speaking at the December 2024 planning meeting before permission was granted, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries said: “It’s going to be a new site of council houses, a private package to develop these 35 houses; if and when these houses are built they will be acquired by Pembrokeshire County Council as the next phase of housing stock. It will be your council houses for Pembroke Dock.”

Castell Group, in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council, has now completed the sale for the redevelopment of the site, and will now move to the next phase in bringing the site back to life, with the project is expected to break ground shortly.

Dorian Payne, Managing Director at Castell Group said: “We are delighted to reach this critical stage in the redevelopment of the Cleddau Bridge Hotel site.

“We are excited to move forward with the construction in collaboration with Pembrokeshire County Council.”

Cllr Michelle Bateman, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “This site has been derelict since the fire in 2019 so it’s fantastic news that it will now be developed into high quality affordable housing.

“We are committed to increasing the supply of affordable housing and this development, in one of our largest towns, will play a part in meeting the demand for housing in Pembrokeshire.”

Cllr Joshua Beynon, local member, added: “I am really pleased to see the council developing this piece of land that has been left as an eyesore since it caught fire some years ago. Housing is what we need and I’m really pleased to see it happening here.”

A previous planning application for the demolition of the hotel and siting of a residential care home and linked bungalows was submitted in October 2022, subsequently granted permission in February 2023, but never progressed.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has previously said the 2019 fire was started by a deliberate act.
Following a fire investigation, Dyfed-Powys Police said they found there to be insufficient evidence to identify a suspect.

A NEW community banking service is set to be established in Tenby as part of a decision to relocate the town’s council offices.

Plans to move the town council into a vacant café building to improve access and allow a community hub and banking service to be created has been approved by national park planners yesterday.

Tenby has been left without a high street bank since the closure of HSBC last April.

In an application submitted to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the town council sought permission for a change of use of the café, empty since late 2022, to allow for the relocation of the town council office from its current location off the entrance corridor of the 1970s De Valence Pavilion building, Upper Frog Street, to the vacant cafe area at the front of the Pavilion to increase service provision through a community information hub.

The application also sought permission to install a One Banx machine in association with the Principality Building Society to provide access to cash deposit and withdrawal services across all banks who are part of the Open Banking Network.

In a supporting statement, Tenby Town Council said the new offices “will enable Tenby Town Council to provide office space that is more inclusive; it will be spacious, well-lit and step free, with wide access doors, ensuring people with mobility issues, visual impairment, cognitive challenges and other disabilities find the premises physically accessible,” as well as being visible and directly accessed from Upper Frog Street, in Tenby’s town centre; people with visual impairment no longer needing to navigate through the De Valence Pavilion’s corridor in order to locate the office.

It added: “Tenby Town Council is committed to providing an accessible, welcoming and equitable space for everyone as far as we can, and our new office is designed, and will be run, with this intention.

“While we appreciate there will always be space for improvements, we will continue to learn, adapt and improve the accessibility and quality of our office and public interactions in the future.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “The proposal will enable a community information hub and shared use facility with Principality Building Society to provide financial services. Banking staff would be present Monday to Friday 9.30am–4.30pm with an hour closure for lunch. The building would not be open on weekends.

“The proposal would not impact on the concentration of non-A1 uses in the primary retail area of Tenby due to the site’s existing permitted A3 use. The proposed mixed use of A2 and B1 uses would maintain an active frontage within the primary retail area, contribute to meeting the needs of local communities, and preserve Tenby Conservation Area.”

The application was conditionally approved by park planners.