WELSH Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds has called on the next Welsh Government to do more to support small businesses, after new figures showed that less than half of public procurement spending goes to small and medium-sized enterprises, despite them making up more than 99 per cent of all businesses in Wales.

Figures obtained by Ms Dodds through a Written Question to the Welsh Government show that of the £777 million spent through Welsh Government procurement in 2023/24, only £260 million went to SMEs. In comparison, more than £319 million was spent with large firms, while almost £198 million went to public sector or unidentified suppliers.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats say they want to put small and medium-sized Welsh businesses at the forefront of government procurement if they are in a position to influence the next Welsh Government.

The figures also show a drop in the proportion of spending retained in Wales, falling from 51 per cent in 2023/24 to 45 per cent in 2024/25, raising concerns that more public money is flowing to suppliers based outside the country.

Over the past five years, the proportion of Welsh Government spending going to SMEs has remained below 40 per cent, despite small and medium-sized firms dominating the Welsh economy and employing people in communities across the country.

Jane Dodds said: “These figures show that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy, yet they are being short-changed when it comes to government contracts.

“At a time when local firms are under pressure from rising costs, energy bills and red tape, the Welsh Government should be doing far more to make sure public money supports jobs and growth here in Wales.

“It is deeply concerning to see the proportion of spending staying in Wales fall so sharply. The Government says it backs Welsh businesses, but these figures suggest otherwise.

“Small firms tell me they feel locked out of procurement opportunities and burdened by unnecessary bureaucracy. There is huge potential for the Welsh Government to use its spending power to drive local prosperity, but too much of it still goes to large companies outside Wales.

“If we want a thriving Welsh economy that rewards hard work, innovation and community roots, we must put small businesses at the heart of government policy. The Welsh Liberal Democrats would make it easier for SMEs to compete, reform business rates and create a fairer, simpler procurement system that works for local enterprises.”

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Charity says families caring for loved ones at the end of life are being left without the support they urgently need

UNPAID carers across Wales are being pushed to breaking point, Marie Curie has warned, as fresh scrutiny from the Senedd piles pressure on the next Welsh Government to deliver urgent change.

The end of life charity has backed a new report from the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee, which highlights the immense pressures facing unpaid carers and calls for major improvements in the support available to them.

Marie Curie said the findings reflect what it hears repeatedly from families caring for dying relatives behind closed doors, often with little training, limited respite and nowhere near enough practical help.

Natasha Davies, Marie Curie Cymru’s Senior Policy Manager, said: “Marie Curie welcomes today’s report highlighting the immense challenges that unpaid carers throughout Wales continue to face. We add our voice to calls for the incoming Welsh Government to make the recommended changes, to significantly improve the support that unpaid carers can access.

“While the report does not specifically reference the needs and experiences of end of life unpaid carers, in our evidence to the inquiry we highlighted how this group have distinct needs and experiences.

“The support available to them has to be responsive to this, which is why, as a leading end of life charity, Marie Curie continues to call for the development of training in the essential skills needed to care for someone at the end of life.

“A system that is overly reliant on unpaid care is far from ideal and must change. But for as long as this is our reality, we must ensure that unpaid end of life carers are supported far better than they currently are.”

The committee’s report paints a stark picture of life for carers in Wales, with concerns over poor access to respite care, inconsistent assessments and the growing toll caring responsibilities can take on mental health, finances and family life.

Marie Curie said that for those supporting someone at the end of their life, the pressure can be even more intense. The charity argues that end of life carers have distinct needs, but these are too often overlooked in wider policy discussions.

It says carers in these situations need better access to training, clearer support from professionals, and a system that recognises just how demanding and distressing this role can be.

Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “We have long been the voice championing unpaid carers, and this report confirms what carers across Wales have been telling us for years, they are at breaking point and being badly let down.

“It is unacceptable that hundreds of thousands are propping up our care system while so few receive even the most basic support. No one should have to fight or beg for help after dedicating their lives to caring for others.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats would treat this as an urgent priority, delivering proper respite care, faster assessments and real financial support so carers are no longer taken for granted.”

The intervention adds to growing calls for unpaid carers to receive greater recognition and more meaningful help, rather than being left to prop up a system under severe strain.

With Senedd elections on the horizon and a new Welsh Government strategy on unpaid carers under discussion, the issue is likely to become an increasingly sharp political test in the months ahead.

New crime series Old Town Murders and supernatural thriller The Witch Farm will both be filmed and set in Wales as BBC Cymru Wales backs a fresh wave of homegrown storytelling

THE BBC has announced two major new Welsh drama commissions, with Tenby set to take centre stage in a new prime-time crime series.

Old Town Murders and The Witch Farm will both air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, in a move the broadcaster says reflects its commitment to telling more stories from across the devolved nations.

For Pembrokeshire audiences, the biggest local interest will be Old Town Murders, a six-part crime drama set in Tenby and filmed in Tenby, Cardiff and along the South Wales coastline.

The new series stars Mark Lewis Jones and Steffan Rhodri as DI Glyn Walsh and DS Sion Dearden, two detectives and old friends brought together by personal hardship as they investigate a string of disturbing murders in the seaside town.

The BBC said the drama would be witty and twist-filled, combining dark crime stories with humour, friendship and second chances. The opening investigation centres on the murder of a respected university professor, before the detectives are drawn into further baffling cases, including the poisoning of a head teacher and a mysterious death linked to a triathlon.

The series has been written, created and executive produced by Welsh writer Matthew Barry, whose recent credits include Men Up and The Guest. It will also feature James Bamford, Bethan Mary-James, Catherine Ayers and Julie Graham.

The second commission, The Witch Farm, is a four-part ghost story and mystery based on Danny Robins’ successful podcast of the same name.

Set in South Wales in 1989, it follows Bill and Liz Rich, played by Gabrielle Creevy and Michael Socha, as they leave London for a remote farmhouse in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons in search of a fresh start. But after Liz believes she has seen a ghostly figure during a traumatic home birth, the couple find themselves drawn into a chilling sequence of unexplained events.

The BBC said the series is inspired by real events, theories and first-hand accounts explored in the original podcast, although some characters and elements have been changed for dramatic purposes.

Danny Robins, who has built a strong following through paranormal hits including Uncanny and The Battersea Poltergeist, has written and created the television adaptation. The Witch Farm will be directed by Stacey Gregg and produced by Mammoth Screen.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales, said the two dramas formed part of a rich season of content for viewers in Wales.

He said: “We’re heading into such a rich season of content for audiences in Wales – stories which resonate deeply here but will ricochet across the UK and beyond.”

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said the BBC was delighted to announce two productions that would both be filmed and set in Wales.

She said: “With fabulous writers Matthew Barry and Danny Robins, we’re extremely proud to have these two fantastic series coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One, as part of our commitment to produce distinctive, must-see dramas across the UK.”

The announcement will be seen as another boost for Wales’ growing television industry, with both productions adding to a run of high-profile dramas made in the country.

For Pembrokeshire, however, the spotlight will fall most sharply on Old Town Murders, with Tenby’s streets, seafront and scenery expected to reach a UK-wide audience when the series airs.

With murder mysteries unfolding in one of Wales’ best-known seaside towns and a haunting tale set deep in the Welsh countryside, the BBC is making clear that Welsh stories are moving firmly into the mainstream.