Politics

‘You’re not listening’: Committee grills housing secretary on building safety bill

Published

6 months ago

October 27, 2025

WALES’ housing secretary Jayne Bryant was bluntly told “you’re not listening” during a tense committee grilling over fears building safety reforms will “suppress” social housing supply.

Labour’s Lee Waters accused her of ignoring repeated, high-level warnings from the sector about pushing through a bill that risks curtailing construction amid a “housing emergency”.

A tense exchange highlighted “profound disagreement” as the minister and her officials pinned the sector’s concerns on a “misunderstanding” of the building safety bill.

Warning of a lack of policy “join up”, Mr Waters pointed to evidence from the sector that the post-Grenfell reforms risk suppressing their ability to bring forward homes for social rent.

But Ms Bryant gave little ground, insisting the average costs would be low and the Welsh Government would not solve supply problems by “allowing people to live in unsafe homes”.

Mr Waters explained social landlords have warned the additional cost burden will affect their ability to borrow and the number of properties they can develop.

He asked: “Why are you so dismissive of that clear evidence from the sector?”

Ms Bryant pushed back, stating the Welsh Government speaks to the sector regularly as she gave evidence to the Senedd’s housing scrutiny committee.

But her Labour colleague replied: “With respect, that’s not my question. I don’t doubt you’re talking to the sector. The sector has given evidence to this committee that says very clearly this will suppress their ability to bring forward investment and you are not addressing that.”

Ms Bryant argued social housing supply is being addressed through other policy levers, saying: “I’m very happy to listen to them, but I do not think—”

Mr Waters interjected: “Well, you’re not listening to them, with respect, because we’re telling you what their evidence is and you’re not engaging with it.”

He pointed to evidence from Community Housing Cymru, which warned it would cost one housing association £100,000 a year to do fire assessments for lower-risk buildings.

The former minister asked: “Why are you still insisting that the costs are trivial?”

Ms Bryant denied she was dismissing the costs as trivial, explaining a lower-risk third category with less onerous restrictions was added due to concerns about proportionality.

But Mr Waters suggested: “You’ve replaced one bad idea with another.”

He raised evidence from Trivallis housing association which warned of an extra regulatory burden and costs for lower-risk buildings already covered by fire risk assessments.

Steve Pomeroy, head of fire services in the Welsh Government

Pressed on whether the £100,000 figure is credible, official Steve Pomeroy said: “It’s not for me to say how they do business and what they think their costs are, but—”

Mr Waters cut in: “Well, it is for you to say. That’s the whole point of this session… we’ve had evidence, you’re saying it’s not right and you’re not telling us why.”

Mr Pomeroy, head of fire services in the Welsh Government, said: “I can’t personally see why there is £100,000 of extra cost there unless there is something that they are doing or not doing now that they maybe ought to be doing under the fire safety order.”

Mr Waters criticised the “awfully casual” accusation, with Mr Pomeroy rowing back on his suggestion that Trivallis is breaking the law. “We have no evidence to that effect,” he said.

Tania Nicholson, deputy director for housing quality, pledged to pick the issue up with Trivallis to ensure “absolute clarity” in terms of expectations under the bill.

Mr Waters said: “With respect, this is the consistent answer: ‘We’re talking to the sector. We’re listening to the sector’. But you’re not, are you?”

Ms Nicholson added: “I think there’s probably some misunderstanding in terms of the expectations under the bill and the current arrangements.”

But Mr Waters was dissatisfied: “You can’t expect us to pass a law of this gravity on the basis that there are some problems and, ‘We’ll sort it out; we’re talking to them’.

“This is law. We can’t put into law things that are going to make things worse and you’re not giving us any good reason not to.”

During the fiery exchange on Wednesday (October 22), the Labour politician concluded: “It seems there are klaxons being sounded by the sector here that the Welsh Government appears deaf to – I’m really troubled by it.”

Business

Pembroke Power Station National Grid shutdown power plans

Published

14 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to site specialist diesel generators at Pembroke Power Station to help keep the lights on in the event of a National Grid shutdown has been lodged with county planners.

In a screening application to Pembrokeshire County Council, RWE Generation UK PLC, through Ove Arup & Partners Ltd, wants to site up to six containerised diesel generators, diesel storage tank(s) and electrical connections at Pembroke Power Station, Pwllcrochan, near Pembroke.

The application site is within the site of the existing Pembroke Power Station, a combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) station which began commercial operation in September 2012, with a gross consented capacity of about 2,199 megawatts electric (MWe), replacing the previous oil-fired power station which operated for almost 30 years and was decommissioned in 1999.

A supporting statement says, subject to confirmation, it is considered to comprise permitted development, the scheme “a standalone plant, with its own fuel supply, capable of starting up, operating and shutting down independently from the power station”.

It adds: “It is required only in an emergency to maintain plant status and keep the power station operationally ‘ready’ in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system. It is not required for the normal operation of the power station and does not extend its capacity, which remains as already consented, therefore it is not considered a change or extension.”

On need, it says it is mandatory that all electricity generators of over a megawatt have to adopt a new minimum standard of asset resilience; power stations “must be capable of restoring demand on the National Grid electricity transmission system in the event of a total or partial shutdown of the National Grid system”.

“The Power Station does not currently meet this new asset resilience standard, therefore new back-up power, control philosophy and on-site services that support site critical systems enabling the power station to remain ready to operate must be implemented.

“RWE is required to install a new enhanced emergency site auxiliary solution (diesel generators and diesel storage tanks) at the power station for resilience against the failure of the interconnected electricity distribution network into which it is normally connected in order to satisfy the Grid Code requirements by the mandated implementation deadline of December 31, 2026.

“RWE will make operational and fuelling provision, within its new resilience design at Pembroke power station of up to 120 hours, in order to provide capability to a slightly enhanced standard known to be valued by the National Energy System Operator (‘NESO’) in certain emergency network scenarios.”

It says construction is hoped to start in July 2026, lasting approximately nine to 12 months, the main part across the summer months.

The call will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Business

Pembrokeshire St Brides Castle biomass and solar scheme

Published

17 hours ago

May 1, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a green energy scheme at a Pembrokeshire former country house which is now holiday apartments have been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, HPB Ltd, through agent Acanthus Holden Architects, sought permission for a biomass boiler plant and installation of 16 rows of solar panels to the south of the tennis courts, St Brides Castle, St Brides, along with the removal of two tennis courts, two polytunnels, two sheds and relocation of a container.

Marloes and St Brides Community Council: Supporting

An officer report recommending approval said: “St Brides Castle. Listed Grade II* is a former country house (now holiday apartments) just south-west of the small settlement of St Brides.

“The house and its listed ancillary buildings stand prominently within a large grade-II-registered park and garden. The development site lies immediately south of the registered asset, outside of its boundary.”

It added: “Although in a sensitive location, the proposed scheme is well-screened, utilising an existing hedged enclosure. The proposed panels do not protrude over the hedge line, the proposed extra planting to the south and west providing further screening. The proposed building, also well-screened, is of traditional design, proportions and materials.”

The application was conditionally approved by park planners.

News

UK terror threat level raised to severe after Golders Green attack

Published

1 day ago

April 30, 2026

Tom Sinclair

THE UK’S terrorism threat level has been raised from substantial to severe, meaning an attack is now considered highly likely.

The decision was taken by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre on Thursday (Apr 30), following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, North London, which has been declared a terrorist incident.

The Home Office said the change was not based solely on that attack, but reflected a wider increase in the threat from Islamist and extreme right-wing terrorism in the UK.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the attack was an “abhorrent, antisemitic” act of terrorism and said her thoughts were with the victims and the Jewish community.

There are five terrorism threat levels in the UK: low, moderate, substantial, severe and critical.

Severe means an attack is highly likely, while critical means an attack is highly likely in the near future.

Threat levels are set independently by JTAC and MI5, based on intelligence and analysis. They do not have an expiry date and can be changed at any time.

Police say the public may see an increase in visible patrols and other security measures, including Project Servator deployments, where specially trained officers patrol public areas to identify suspicious behaviour.

The public is being urged to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to police. In an emergency, people should always call 999.

Verified against the Home Office update published today.