Local Government

Report warns austerity has hit council services across Wales

Published

1 day ago

December 16, 2025

A NEW report commissioned by UNISON Cymru has warned that years of austerity and ongoing funding pressures have had a damaging impact on local government services across Wales.

The report, titled The Future of Local Government Services in Wales, examines the pressures facing councils and frontline staff working in areas including social care, housing, leisure services and youth provision. It was produced by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) and published on Wednesday (Dec 17).

According to the report, repeated reductions in funding and short-term financial settlements have made it increasingly difficult for councils to plan ahead, retain experienced staff and maintain service standards. It argues that cuts to preventative and early-intervention services can lead to higher costs in the longer term as problems escalate.

UNISON Cymru says councils are struggling to meet rising demand for services while managing tight budgets and workforce pressures. The union is calling for a shift to multi-year funding settlements to give local authorities greater financial stability and allow them to rebuild services.

Gwawr Eilian, UNISON’s Gwynedd branch secretary, said councils had been “stretched to the limit” after years of funding constraints.

“Councils have been starved of funding for years and suffered from multiple rounds of job cuts,” she said. “We’re stretched to the limit just trying to cope with the increased demand for our services.”

Darron Dupre, UNISON Cymru’s head of local government, said sustained investment in council services was essential to community wellbeing.

“As this report shows, failing to fund local government just stores up problems down the line,” he said. “It will now take proper funding and long-term planning to fix the problems of austerity and rebuild public services. There are no short cuts or easy answers.”

Local government funding has been a long-running issue in Wales, with councils warning in recent years of growing pressures linked to rising social care costs, inflation, pay awards and increased demand for services. Welsh councils receive most of their funding through a combination of Welsh Government grants and council tax.

The Welsh Government has previously said it is operating within tight budgets set by the UK Government and has pointed to real-terms pressures across public services. Ministers have also highlighted that councils in Wales have been protected from some of the deepest cuts seen elsewhere in the UK since austerity measures were introduced after 2010.

The report will be formally launched at an event at the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay on Wednesday afternoon. Copies of the full report and a summary guide are available in both English and Welsh.

UNISON is the UK’s largest trade union, representing more than 1.3 million members working across public services, including local government, education, the NHS and emergency services.

In Pembrokeshire, the financial picture has been more mixed. Pembrokeshire County Council has reported a budget surplus in recent financial years, driven by a combination of higher-than-expected council tax income, strong performance from some services, reserves carried forward from previous years, and short-term factors such as unspent allocations and delayed capital projects.

Council leaders have previously stressed that a surplus does not mean services are fully funded in the long term, warning that rising costs in social care, education and pay awards continue to place pressure on future budgets. The authority has also said that reserves are often held to manage risk and cannot be relied upon to fund ongoing services indefinitely.

Pembrokeshire County Council has argued that while careful financial management has helped it remain more stable than some authorities, it still faces significant challenges ahead as inflation, demand-led services and uncertainty over future Welsh Government settlements continue to affect local government finances.

Local Government

Mayor visits Milford Haven Library Christmas event

Published

3 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE MAYOR of Milford Haven, Cllr William Elliott, paid a visit to Milford Haven Library on Tuesday morning to attend its festive Mince Pie and a Cuppa event.

The event brought together library staff and local residents, with the Mayor thanking staff for their work supporting the community throughout the year. During the visit, Cllr Elliott also spent time speaking with residents who had come along to the event or were visiting the library to borrow books.

Milford Haven Library is part of the Pembrokeshire Libraries service, which provides access to books, information, and community activities across the county.

The Mayor wished residents a Merry Christmas at the close of his visit.

Community

Fate of Cosheston gypsy traveller site to be decided

Published

6 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SCHEME for a gypsy traveller site near a south Pembrokeshire village will be decided by councillors rather than officers after a call for it to do so was narrowly backed.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Ryan Boswell and family seek permission for two traveller family pitches, and associated works, at Greenwells, Cosheston Bridge, near Pembroke Dock.

A supporting statement through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd says: “The applicant and his father’s lifestyle and traditions fall within the statutory definition of Gypsies as defined in Welsh Assembly Government Circular 005/2018 ‘Planning for Gypsy, Traveller and Showpeople Sites’.

“Following the death of the applicant’s mother he, and his family need to return to cultural and traditional accommodation living in caravans. This site has been purchased by the applicant and is available for immediate occupation to enable the family to live in a tranquil and safe environment close to friends and acquaintances.

“There are no public or private pitches available within the county and unlikely to be so in the immediate future. The applicant has therefore identified and demonstrated an urgent need for appropriate alternative accommodation.”

It said it was not considered “this small-scale development for one family pitch for two static units in this location will cause any significant harm considering the more permissive approach provided by [planning circulars]”.

A call for a decision on the scheme to be made by councillors at a future planning committee rather than being delegated for officers was made at the December 16 meeting of the council’s planning delegation panel by local member Cllr Tessa Hodgson.

In her submission, Cllr Hodgson said: “This application has implications for the whole of Pembrokeshire, and this is reflected in recent decisions to refer earlier similar applications to committee.”

Her submission included references to a similar scheme at Pincheston, south Pembrokeshire, which had been referred to committee.

Cllr Hodson’s submission added: “This application for two gypsy traveller pitches will have an impact on the local community and is finely balanced between the competing interest of providing gypsy traveller sites against development in open countryside on a site which is not within the identified development boundaries in either the currant local development plan or LDP 2.”

It was recommended a decision on the scheme remain delegated to officers; a report for members outlining a list of criteria where it could be decided by committee, which it said were not met.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Hodgson said there was little difference between this scheme and some other applications in the Cosheston area which had gone to committee, suggesting it warrants committee consideration on the grounds the proposed scheme, which has attracted a petition of concern of some 178 signatures, was outside the settlement boundary, in the open countryside.

Councillor Phil Kidney moved Cllr Hodgson’s call be approved, against officer recommendation, so both sides could have their say.

“There’s community concern regarding this; I think if it goes to committee it gets a fair hearing all sides can make their representations. Sometimes these applicants are demonised, it gives an opportunity to make their case at committee. I’m quite happy to support it going to committee so everyone can get a fair hearing.”

Cllr Kidney’s call, against the recommendation of officer delegation was supported by three votes to two, with one abstention, Cllr Hodgson, on the grounds she had made the call.

The application will be heard at a future planning committee.

Local Government

Changes to bus services coming in the New Year

Published

6 hours ago

December 17, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CHANGES are being introduced to several local bus services in Pembrokeshire from January, including new early-morning journeys aimed at improving commuter and school travel.

From Monday (Jan 5), First Cymru will make timetable changes to the 302, 349 and X49 services.

On the 349 route between Haverfordwest and Tenby via Pembroke Dock, two new morning peak journeys will be added in both directions. The changes are intended to improve access to work and school in Tenby and Pembroke Dock, and to address a gap in early services travelling back towards Haverfordwest.

The first additional service will depart Haverfordwest at 06:25, travelling via Neyland at 07:02 and Pembroke Dock at 07:17, before arriving in Tenby at 08:16. A second new journey will leave Tenby at 07:20, passing through Pembroke Dock at 08:30 and Neyland at 08:44, arriving in Haverfordwest at 09:14.

Further minor adjustments will also be made to the 349 timetable to help improve punctuality.

As a result of these changes, the X49 service between Haverfordwest and Tenby via Narberth will depart an hour earlier from Monday (Jan 5), with the first journey now leaving Haverfordwest at 06:30.

Amendments will also be introduced to the 302 timetable from the same date, with the aim of improving reliability on that route.

Updated timetables are now available online.

In addition, Pembrokeshire County Council has launched a public consultation on proposed changes to several other bus services around the Haverfordwest area. The proposals are designed to improve reliability and provide better connections with other bus and rail services.

The consultation covers the following routes: