THE NEW SENEDD committees have been decided, meaning detailed scrutiny of the Welsh Government’s decisions can begin.

The titles, remits, and which party will chair each of the new committees have now been approved by Senedd Members – but which members will be sitting on these committees is yet to be decided.

Existing to check and challenge the work of the Welsh Government, Senedd committees scrutinise laws both before and after they are passed, proposing changes when needed.

They are made up of Senedd Members from different party groups who work together to examine the areas of law that are devolved to the Welsh Government.

For the new Senedd term, the business committee has proposed the formation of 13 committees – one more than in the previous term.

So what are the committees for this Senedd term and what do they cover?

For this Senedd term there will be eight policy and legislation committees, with each having nine members from across the political groups.

The representation in the committees for each group depends on their level of representation in the Senedd.

In the nine-member committees, Plaid Cymru will have four members and Reform three, while Welsh Labour and the Conservatives will have one each.

The committees are: early years, children, young people and education; health and social care; climate change; environment, sustainability and rural affairs; equality, human rights, and social justice; economy, energy, and connectivity; culture, communications, Cymraeg and sport; local government, housing and planning; and constitution, justice and external affairs.

The constitution, justice, and external affairs committee splits the remit of the legislation, justice and constitution committee from the previous Senedd, adding external affairs and electoral matters to its brief.

There will also be committees for finance; legislation; public accounts and public administration; and petitions.

Each will have seven members as opposed to nine for the policy and legislation committees.

The party-group representation in each of the seven-member committees will be three Plaid Cymru members, two Reform, and one each for Labour and the Conservatives.

Senedd standing orders – the written rules that govern Senedd proceedings – also require the establishment of a standards of conduct committee.

This committee has responsibility over complaints and the conduct of members more generally. It is also cross-party, meaning members from each of the political groups may sit, and it will have five members in total.

As with the party makeup of the committees, chairs are also allocated to reflect the size of the political groups represented in the Senedd.

In line with the current makeup of the Senedd, Plaid Cymru will have six chairs, Reform five, and Welsh Labour and the Conservatives will have one each.

Plaid Cymru will chair the committees for early years, children, young people and education; equality, human rights, and social justice; economy, energy, and connectivity; culture, communications, Cymraeg and sport; constitution, justice and external affairs; and standards of conduct.

The committees for climate change; environment, sustainability and rural affairs; local government, housing and planning; public accounts and public administration; legislation; and petitions will be chaired by Reform.

Labour’s sole chair position will be on the committee for health and social care, while the Welsh Conservatives will chair the finance committee.

The Senedd approved the creation of these committees and the allocation of committee chairs to party groups in plenary on Tuesday June 16, with no objections.

There are also three more committees to be formed – the scrutiny of the First Minister committee, Llywydd’s committee, and chair’s forum – but these are governed by different rules and will be formed once the chairs of the other committees have been elected.

The first committee meetings will be held later in the Senedd term.

A CALL to convert a former Pembrokeshire farmhouse and guesthouse into housing units has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Dan Hildebrand, through agent GMW Design, sought approval for the subdivision of Torbant Farmhouse, Croesgoch, near Haverfordwest, to form four residential units.

A supporting statement through Johnston Planning on behalf of the applicant and agent said: “The property has historically been run as a successful guesthouse for a number of years but has recently come under new ownership. The new owner wishes to maximise the potential of the existing residential floor space through the subdivision of this generous property into four units.”

It added: “Whilst the intention is to utilise the subdivided property for residential purposes due regard is given to the 2022 changes to the use class order which in effect created new residential classes for new development in an effort to control unrestricted holiday uses in sensitive locations.

“As such a ‘free use’ is sought within use classes C3 (use as a sole/main residence), C5 (use as otherwise as a sole/main residence) and C6 (use as a commercial short term let).

“These proposed uses, which are considered to be reasonable and to be fully compliant with current planning policy (especially when one has regard to the existing use) will provide the owner with flexibility in terms of proposed occupation. Ensuring full and meaningful use of the property in the future.”

It said the property was once part of Torbant Farm, now been broken up into a number of separate properties, including Torbant Caravan Park immediately to the north.

It added the works to the property “are minimal and will have a negligible impact externally,” adding: “Internally whilst the layout will alter marginally no structural works to the property are proposed.

“In character terms therefore, there will be no discernible physical impact either to the dwelling itself or to the wider locality.”

Six objections to the scheme were received, raising concerns including harm to visual and residential amenity, ecological impact, infrastructure constraints, and claimed inaccuracies in the submitted application, as well as the application overstating available parking space “which would encroach onto shared access areas, causing obstruction and conflict between users”.

An officer report recommending approval said the scheme was amended to move car parking provision within land under the applicant’s control.

It concluded the scheme represented “an efficient use of the existing building stock,” and it “would not result in any external alterations to the host building and would not give rise to unacceptable harm to the character or appearance of the building or its wider rural setting nor the residential amenities of neighbouring occupiers”.

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.

PEMBROKESHIRE councillors have backed the closure of a small rural school which has left campaigners “heartbroken” and “let down by those elected to represent them”.

At its March meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council members backed a recommendation that Director of Education be authorised to publish a Statutory Notice to discontinue Ysgol Clydau, Tegryn.

Councillors had previously heard here has been a significant decline in the school’s pupil population during the period 2015-2025, with no indication that this will be significantly reversed during the next five-six years.

The statutory notice followed a consultation on the proposals, and a hearing of a petition opposing the potential closure, which had generated 648 responses on the council’s own website, with impassioned pleas to keep the school open.

Ysgol Clydau has been described as “more than just a school; it’s a hub for community life, offering a safe and welcoming space for children, families and residents of all ages,” with those opposing closure warning: “Its closure will isolate our community, leading to a decline in population and a weakening of our social fabric.”

At a special extraordinary council meeting held on June 15, members of Pembrokeshire County Council were asked to consider a report on a summary of 126 objections received in respect of the proposal to discontinue Ysgol Clydau, which included an option to halt the closure.

However, it was recommended, in a report present by deputy leader Cllr Paul Miller, who now also has responsibility for education, for the discontinuation be proceeded with.

The decision for Ysgol Clydau followed an earlier agenda item where members backed a recommendation to discontinue Manorbier school in the south of the county.

At the meeting, local member Cllr Iwan Ward – who has championed the fight to keep Ysgol Clydau open – questioned the value of the consultation, saying it was “supposed to be an opportunity to listen and reflect on alternative viewpoints,” adding: “They deserve to know their voices matter.”

He said viable alternatives to closure had “not been fully explored,” adding: “This decision will have consequences that last longer than any council term; today we have an opportunity to send a message that rural communities matter, and that Welsh education matters, and that rural schools matter.”

Cllr Huw Murphy, whose ward is nearby said he would find it difficult to attend this year’s national Eisteddfod which is being held close to Tegryn, knowing a Welsh language school had been closed, before quoting the Manic Street Preachers rock band lyrics: “If you tolerate this then your children will be next.”

Cllr Miller stressed alternative Welsh language provision for the pupils, with the longest any pupil would have to travel was just over three miles.

Members voted by 32 votes to 21, with one abstention, to back the recommendation to discontinue Ysgol Clydau.

Speaking after the meeting, campaign group Save Ysgol Clydau – Cadw Clydau yn Gardarn said: “Many of us feel that those making this decision spoke about budgets, statistics and percentages, but failed to understand what Ysgol Clydau truly is.

“It is not simply a school. It is a community. It is the heart of a Welsh-speaking rural area. It is a place where children felt safe, supported, understood and valued. Today, that has been taken away.”

It added: “What happened today should concern every rural community in Wales. If it can happen here, it can happen elsewhere. This is bigger than Ysgol Clydau. It is about the future of rural schools, rural communities and the Welsh language.”

It ended by saying: “Today we are grieving. Today we are heartbroken. Today many people feel let down by those elected to represent them.

“But history will record that this community fought with dignity, passion and determination for its children. And we will continue to speak up for rural communities and rural schools, because what happened today should never become normal.”