Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

News

Welsh Government outlines cautious 2026–27 Budget plan

Published

on

No major new spending as inflation-linked uplift promised for public services

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has set out its approach to the 2026–27 Budget, confirming a cautious one-year plan ahead of the next Senedd election.

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, speaking in Plenary on Tuesday (Jul 1), said the Draft Budget would be published on 14 October and would increase departmental allocations in line with inflation. He said this was designed to give “stability” for public services and allow the incoming Welsh Government a clean slate to shape its own Programme for Government.

Mr Drakeford, a former First Minister, said: “I want to ensure we provide a stable and reliable outcome for our public services and all who rely on them. I also want to ensure the new Senedd we have worked so hard to create has the best possible platform from which to carry out its work.”

The final budget of the current Senedd term will not include major new spending commitments. Instead, it will ringfence a pool of unallocated funding for the next government to use based on its electoral promises.

Key dates for the budget process are:

  • 14 October 2025: Outline Draft Budget (high-level allocations)
  • 3 November 2025: Detailed Draft Budget (expenditure lines)
  • 20 January 2026: Final Budget publication
  • 27 January 2026: Budget vote in the Senedd

The Welsh Government said its overarching priorities remain unchanged: a healthier Wales, green jobs and growth, better connectivity between communities, and creating opportunity for every family.

However, critics have raised concerns that sticking to an inflation-only uplift could mean a continued squeeze on frontline services. In recent months, both the Welsh NHS and local councils have warned that “flat” settlements are not enough to meet demand or sustain service levels, particularly in health and social care.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has also noted that while the Welsh Government faces difficult choices, the scope for genuine reform or investment is limited without additional UK-wide funding or changes to devolved tax powers.

The Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly criticised the Labour-led government for prioritising non-essential spending over frontline services, citing money spent on Senedd reform and a universal basic income pilot.

The Herald understands that some Plaid Cymru members, while broadly supportive of a cautious approach in an election year, want to see more targeted investment in housing and climate resilience.

The budget will be the last before voters go to the polls in May 2026, with pressure likely to mount on all parties to set out their longer-term visions during what is expected to be a tightly fought campaign.

 

Entertainment

Dinosaur adventure stomps into Milford Haven

Published

on

A FAMILY dinosaur show 65 million years in the making is heading to Milford Haven this summer.

Dinosaur Adventure Live: Danger on T-Rex Mountain will headline the Torch Theatre on Thursday, July 30.

The interactive stage show promises storytelling, puppetry, humour and science as young audiences join a team of rangers on a mission to recover a data crystal, restore power to the island and save the dinosaurs.

Children will be encouraged to stomp, roar and swish their tails as they meet baby dinosaurs, learn “Dino-Facts” and come face-to-face with a roaring T-Rex.

Created by Mike Newman, the producer behind Exciting Science, the show is now in its fifth year and is aimed at families with children aged four and over.

The performance lasts one hour, with no interval, and there will be a meet-and-greet after the show.

Tickets are available from the Torch Theatre.

 

Continue Reading

Farming

Imported meat bill hits £5bn as Co-op calls for stronger backing for UK farmers

Published

on

RISING IMPORTS RAISE FOOD SECURITY CONCERNS

THE CO-OP has called for stronger government support for British farmers after new figures showed the UK’s imported meat bill rose to more than £5bn last year.

HMRC data obtained by the retailer shows the value of meat imported into the UK increased by 15 per cent year-on-year, from £4.33bn in 2024 to £5.06bn in 2025.

The Co-op said the figures raised fresh concerns about the resilience of Britain’s food system at a time of climate change, global conflict and disruption to international supply chains.

Poultry was the most imported protein, worth almost £2bn in 2025. Poland and the Netherlands accounted for the largest share, while poultry imports from Thailand rose by almost 50 per cent compared with the previous year.

The retailer, which says it sells and uses 100 per cent British meat and poultry, said the UK’s growing reliance on overseas supply chains left shoppers and farmers more exposed to global shocks.

It is now backing proposals from the Co-operative Party calling for agricultural co-operatives to be scaled up and better supported as part of the Government’s long-term farming plans.

The policy paper argues that farmer-owned co-operatives can help producers share costs, reduce risk, invest collectively and secure stronger bargaining power in the food supply chain.

There are currently estimated to be more than 500 agricultural co-operatives in the UK, generating income of more than £9bn.

Paul Gerrard, Director of Public Affairs and Campaigns at Co-op, said: “The issue of supply chain resilience is upon us now and there is a clear and demonstrable benefit to the co-operative business model in agriculture.

“An expansion of agricultural co-operation is both an economic opportunity and a political imperative: it directly addresses the need for a more secure and sustainable food system, one less exposed to the volatility of global markets and the instability in a rapidly changing world.”

Joe Fortune, Leader of the Co-operative Party, said co-operation was “a form of strategic resilience” and called on Government to help grow the sector.

The party’s proposals include clearer government guidance for farmers, stronger representation for co-operatives in policy-making, improved access to finance, support for producer organisations, and greater use of public procurement to back British farming.

 

Continue Reading

Community

Tenby phone signal crisis goes national as businesses warn of summer disruption

Published

on

TRADERS SAY CARD PAYMENTS, TAXIS AND VISITOR SAFETY ARE BEING HIT BY ‘DEAD ZONE’ COVERAGE

TENBY’S long-running mobile phone signal crisis has become a national story, with businesses and visitors warning that poor coverage is now affecting card payments, taxi bookings and the town’s reputation as a major tourist destination.

The seaside town, one of Wales’ best-known holiday hotspots, has been named as having the worst mobile network quality in the UK, with consumer group Which? reporting that users in the SA70 postcode experience a good connection only 54.3 per cent of the time.

The problem has been made worse by the decommissioning of a local phone mast earlier this year, affecting O2, Vodafone and Three customers.

The Herald has repeatedly reported concerns from residents, traders and visitors, including more than 500 complaints gathered through a public appeal by Around Tenby and Tenby Chamber of Trade & Tourism.

Businesses say the issue is no longer just an inconvenience, but a serious trading problem.

Taxi drivers have reported missing bookings because messages cannot be answered in the town centre, while shops and hospitality venues say customers are sometimes unable to pay by card.

One Tenby taxi driver told BBC Wales that the town had become a signal “dead zone”, adding that he had begun warning customers that some journeys may have to be cash-only because card machines cannot connect reliably.

Retailers have also warned that tourists who cannot make a payment often say they will “come back later” — but never do.

The issue is particularly acute as Tenby prepares for the summer season, when tens of thousands of visitors can be in and around the town on busy days.

Pembrokeshire’s visitor economy is worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year, and Tenby remains one of the county’s flagship destinations.

But visitors interviewed by the BBC said they had struggled to call taxis, check the weather or keep in touch with work while staying in the town.

Some said the lack of signal would make them think twice about returning.

Mobile operators have apologised and said work is ongoing to find a solution.

O2 said the issue was linked to a decommissioned local mast and that Vodafone, its infrastructure partner, was working to locate and install a replacement. Vodafone and Three said they were exploring temporary options while working on a longer-term fix.

EE, which was not involved in the removal of the mast, said it was looking at ways to improve connectivity in Tenby and the wider area, including upgrades at an existing mast site in Penally.

Local MP Henry Tufnell has already written to telecoms operators demanding answers, after being told that the removal of the Slippery Back Lane mast had left parts of Tenby with very limited mobile signal.

Campaigners say the pressure is now on for a temporary fix before the height of the tourism season, rather than waiting months or years for a permanent replacement.

The Herald understands traders are continuing to gather evidence from residents, visitors and businesses to present to mobile networks.

For many in Tenby, the message is simple: a town that helps sell Wales to the world should not be left struggling to make a phone call.

 

Continue Reading

Community16 hours ago

Tenby phone signal crisis goes national as businesses warn of summer disruption

TRADERS SAY CARD PAYMENTS, TAXIS AND VISITOR SAFETY ARE BEING HIT BY ‘DEAD ZONE’ COVERAGE TENBY’S long-running mobile phone signal...

News20 hours ago

Final poll puts Plaid and Reform level ahead of Senedd vote

Labour faces historic setback as new modelling points to a hung Senedd PLAID CYMRU and Reform UK are projected to...

News2 days ago

West Wales coracle fishermen raise alarm over suspected sewage pollution

A CENTURIES-old fishing tradition on the River Towy could be under threat after coracle fishermen reported suspected sewage pollution entering...

Community3 days ago

Scooter rally brings colour and nostalgia to Tenby

TENBY is buzzing with the sights and sounds of classic scooters this Bank Holiday weekend as the Welsh National Scooter...

Entertainment3 days ago

Haverfoodfest returns to Haverfordwest town centre today

HAVERFORDWEST town centre is expected to be busy today as Haverfoodfest 2026 returns for a full day of food, drink,...

Crime4 days ago

70-year-old denies assault and restraining order breach

A PENSIONER from Pembroke Dock has denied breaching a restraining order and assaulting another man. Henry Howlett, 70, of Market...

News5 days ago

Conservatives target two seats in new Ceredigion Penfro constituency

Paul Davies and Sam Kurtz say health, farming and transport are key as they seek return to the Senedd CONSERVATIVE...

Community5 days ago

Milford Haven Beer Fest returns to waterfront this May

EVENT WILL FEATURE 34 DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC AND STREET FOOD MILFORD HAVEN is preparing to raise a glass as Beer...

Community6 days ago

Cancer patients targeted with parking fines outside Haverfordwest support centre

Adam’s Bucketful of Hope says vulnerable users, elderly volunteers and charity drivers have paid more than £1,000 after Ateb introduced...

Charity6 days ago

Row erupts at Spitfire museum after Reform poster displayed at charity premises

A HAVERFORDWEST museum has become caught up in a political row after Reform UK campaign material was photographed inside the...

Popular This Week