WALES saw the cost of rural crime fall by 21 per cent last year, but farmers are being warned not to become complacent after a rise in tractor and livestock thefts.

New figures from NFU Mutual show rural crime cost Wales an estimated £2.2m in 2025, down from £2.8m the previous year.

The fall mirrors the UK-wide picture, with the total cost of rural crime across the UK dropping from £44.1m in 2024 to £41.5m in 2025.

NFU Mutual said the reduction showed the impact of investment, police work and closer collaboration between farmers, insurers and rural crime teams. However, the insurer warned that organised criminals continue to target the countryside for high-value farm machinery, livestock and equipment.

In Wales, the cost of agricultural vehicle theft rose by six per cent, with criminals targeting tractors across the country. Livestock theft also increased by almost seven per cent compared with 2024.

NFU Mutual said the rise was particularly concerning in Wales, where livestock farming plays a central role in the rural economy and food production.

The company said rural crime remained a serious issue for farming communities, not only because of the financial loss but because of the emotional impact on farmers and their families.

Nick Turner, Chief Executive of NFU Mutual, said: “For more than 20 years, NFU Mutual has called for a stronger response to rural crime, and we know the financial and emotional toll it takes on farmers.

“As a mutual, our support goes beyond paying claims: last year we invested over £500,000 in rural crime initiatives, including ongoing funding for the National Rural Crime Unit and the UK’s first dedicated livestock theft officer.

“We also collaborate with the unit to identify at-risk areas and support recovery efforts.

“In addition, we worked with local police forces to install 13 ANPR cameras across rural hotspots in England and Wales to track suspicious vehicles and disrupt criminal activity.”

Hannah Binns, Rural Affairs Specialist at NFU Mutual, said rural crime was becoming increasingly organised.

She said: “Rural crime is more organised than ever, with criminals prepared to go to extreme lengths, and 2025 proved no exception.

“Yet targeted investment in rural crime initiatives alongside industry collaboration with law enforcement is helping drive down crime, with our latest figures highlighting a 21 per cent fall year-on-year in Wales, to an estimated £2.2m.

“The impact of rural crime extends beyond financial loss, undermining trust and connection, often leaving a trauma that can remain with farmers, their families and wider communities for a lifetime.

“But we cannot afford to be complacent. With proposed policing reforms on the horizon, it is crucial rural crime teams receive fair resources and specialist support to empower local forces to respond quickly to countryside incidents caused by organised and serious criminals.”

Across the UK, the highest rural crime cost was recorded in the North East at £7.6m, followed by the South East at £6.8m, the Midlands at £6.4m and the South West at £6.2m.

Wales recorded the joint-lowest estimated cost alongside Northern Ireland, although Northern Ireland saw a 24 per cent increase.

A survey of 119 NFU Mutual agents found that 91 per cent believed rural crime was disrupting farming in their area, while 79 per cent knew farmers who had been targeted repeatedly.

Almost a third said they had seen farmers change practices or leave the industry altogether because of rural crime.

NFU Mutual said the figures were based on claims statistics rounded to the nearest £100,000.

COUNCIL workers, carers and school support staff in Pembrokeshire could be drawn into a growing UK-wide pay dispute after GMB members rejected a 3.3 per cent local government pay offer.

The offer, made through the Local Government Association as part of the national NJC “Green Book” pay negotiations, covers local authority workers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, including school support staff, care workers, refuse and recycling staff, highways workers and other council employees.

GMB said almost 150,000 school staff, carers and council workers were balloted, with members voting to reject the 2026/27 offer.

The union said the deal failed to address long-running concerns over grading for school support staff working with children with special educational needs and disabilities.

That issue is particularly relevant in Wales, where councils have repeatedly warned that schools, additional learning needs and social care are among the biggest pressures on local authority budgets.

In Pembrokeshire, the dispute comes only months after the county council approved its 2026/27 budget, including extra funding of £4.7m for schools and £5.9m for social care.

Council tax in Pembrokeshire is rising by £1.46 per week for a Band D property this year, with council leaders saying the increase was needed to protect key services.

But any improved pay offer would add further pressure to council finances unless additional funding is provided by government.

Unions argue that low-paid public service workers have seen living standards squeezed by rising bills and years of pressure on local services.

GMB National Officer Kevin Brandstatter said: “GMB members have massively rejected this meagre offer.

“With international crisis leading to rising bills, hard working public servants deserve better.

“Staff are fed up with being undervalued and overstretched.

“The LGA has shown complete and utter contempt for workers doing their best to deliver services despite insufficient resource.”

UNISON has also rejected the 3.3 per cent offer and is preparing an industrial action ballot in England and Cymru/Wales between July 9 and August 6.

If strike action is eventually supported, disruption could affect schools, council offices, social care support, refuse collection, highways, libraries, leisure services and other local authority functions.

The political difficulty for Welsh councils is that they are caught between two pressures: unions demanding higher pay for essential workers, and local taxpayers already facing higher council tax bills.

Welsh Government ministers have acknowledged that councils are under significant financial pressure, particularly in education and social care.

The Welsh Local Government Association has also warned that local authorities across Wales face hundreds of millions of pounds in budget pressures, with social care, schools and additional learning needs among the most serious challenges.

For Pembrokeshire, the issue is likely to be watched closely by parents, council staff and residents who rely on frontline services.

A prolonged dispute could place further strain on schools already dealing with budget pressures, while any disruption to care or waste services would quickly become visible across the county.

GMB’s Local Government and Schools Committees are now expected to meet to decide the union’s next steps.

A SECOND phase of public consultation is to be held on the future of stroke services across Hywel Dda University Health Board’s four main hospitals.

The Health Board endorsed the move on May 28, as part of its wider Clinical Services Plan, which is looking at fragile hospital services and how care can be made safer, more sustainable, accessible and kind.

At an extraordinary board meeting in February, decisions were made on eight of the nine services being reviewed. However, no final decision was taken on stroke services, after board members agreed that further work and engagement were needed.

The Health Board says its current stroke services do not consistently meet national clinical standards. Services are currently spread across four hospital sites, with no specialist stroke cover available seven days a week, which can affect patient outcomes and recovery.

Since February, further work has been carried out to develop and test a preferred option for stroke services.

The proposal combines elements of two alternative options put forward by communities during the first phase of consultation last summer.

The preferred option includes a 24-hour acute stroke and rehabilitation unit at Glangwili Hospital, a stroke rehabilitation unit at Bronglais Hospital, and treat-and-transfer services at Bronglais, Prince Philip and Withybush hospitals.

Under the model, patients would be transferred to Glangwili Hospital or to a specialist thrombectomy centre where appropriate.

The Board heard that the proposal had been assessed in the same level of detail as previously considered options, met the required criteria, and had support from clinical and operational representatives.

The second phase of consultation will run for eight weeks, from May 28 until July 26.

People will be asked whether they support the preferred option and why. They will also be able to comment on the other options previously considered by the Board, including Option A, Option B, Option 106 and Option 210.

The consultation will also seek views on any other issues that should be considered, including potential impacts on equality and the Welsh language.

Dr Neil Wooding, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Today’s decision means we can now return to our communities to ask their views on a preferred option. The option was developed using suggestions put forward by our communities in the first place. This is an important step before any final decision on stroke services is made.

“As a Board, we are committed to working together to ensure we provide the best possible care for our patients, including the best outcomes for people who suffer a stroke. Change can be challenging, but we must adapt to ensure our services meet stroke standards and enable people to have the best possible recovery from this life-altering condition.”

The Health Board said a range of engagement opportunities will be offered, including public drop-in events, online sessions, community outreach, hospital site visits, staff briefings and targeted engagement with community groups.

Information will also be made available in accessible formats and different languages.

Mark Henwood, Executive Medical Director, said: “We know how important stroke services are to the people we serve and to our staff. This second phase of consultation represents an important stage in shaping the future of stroke services across Hywel Dda.

“I encourage everyone to get involved – whether by completing the questionnaire or attending one of our events. Your experiences and feedback will play a vital role in helping us make well-informed decisions to deliver the best possible outcomes for patients.”

The Health Board will consider feedback from both phases of the consultation, alongside evidence, data, clinical advice and impact assessments, before making a final decision later this year.

Further information, including event details, the questionnaire and documents in accessible formats and languages, is available on the Health Board’s consultation webpage.