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Tax cut for over a million Welsh workers

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welsh workersWELSH CONSERVATIVES welcomed a tax cut for over a million Welsh workers on Wednesday as part of a package of measures to sustain the long term economic plan.

The Budget announced another rise in the personal allowance to £10,500. Since 2010, 155,000 of the lowest paid workers in Wales have been taken out of tax altogether.

Since 2010, Labour’s budget deficit has been cut by more than a third, unemployment is falling and the UK economy is now the fastest growing in Europe. The Budget announced good news for Welsh pubs with a cut in beer duty and help for savers with the tax-free ISA allowance rising to £15,000.

The Welsh Air Ambulance will benefit from the waiving of VAT on fuel. Later on Wednesday, Welsh Conservatives led a debate highlighting how the UK economy is on the rise and called on the Welsh Government to start playing its part in promoting economic growth in Wales.

Paul Davies AM, Shadow Finance Minister, said: “This Budget shows how, under the Conservatives, Britain is on the up with rising growth, rising employment and action to pay down the deficit. This is a Budget that supports hardworking people with tax cuts, frozen fuel duty and help for savers with a rise in the ISA allowance. Many pubs in Wales have been struggling to stay afloat but this second cut in beer duty will be welcomed across the country and is a shot in the arm for pubs, breweries and everyone who enjoys the occasional pint. Last year, Labour Ministers were gleefully talking down the Welsh economy and predicting a triple-dip recession, but now the UK is the fastest growing economy in Europe. Labour politicians must now accept that the UK Government’s long-term economic plan to get the country back on its feet is working. The last Labour government went on a debt-fuelled spending spree, racking up the biggest budget deficit since the Second World War. Labour politicians still owe the country an apology for taking a wrecking ball to the UK’s economy.”

 

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Community

New corporate member joins Narberth & Whitland Rotary

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NARBERTH & Whitland Rotary has welcomed its first Corporate Member.

On Wednesday (Feb 11), Stephen Vale, Insurance Broker Manager with Lloyd & Whyte in St Clears, was formally inducted at the club.

The induction ceremony was carried out by South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, following an introduction by Narberth & Whitland Rotary President Robin Bradbury.

Corporate Membership recognises the increasing emphasis businesses place on corporate social responsibility, enabling companies to give back to their local communities through Rotary’s established structures and projects.

Rotary says corporate membership also offers opportunities for staff development, leadership experience, and involvement in fundraising and volunteering activities that deliver tangible benefits to the community.

Pictured (left to right): South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, Corporate Member Stephen Vale, and Narberth & Whitland President Robin Bradbury.

 

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Second Milford Haven webcam launched after 1.3m views and US TV feature

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Twin live feeds from Herald roof now showcase both marina and Milford Haven Waterway

A SECOND live webcam overlooking Milford Haven has gone live from the roof of 11 Hamilton Terrace — home of The Pembrokeshire Herald — expanding the town’s growing global digital footprint.

The original harbour-facing camera, streamed worldwide via EarthCam, has already clocked up more than 1,300,000 views. It even featured on ABC News in the United States, where the Milford Haven view was broadcast live ahead of a national weather forecast.

That first stream — listed on EarthCam as “Wales Waterway” — looks across Milford Marina and the busy lower reaches of the Haven, capturing ferry departures, commercial shipping, leisure craft and the changing light across the Pembrokeshire skyline.

Now, a second camera has been added, offering a complementary perspective further up the Milford Haven Waterway towards the Cleddau.

A global window on Wales’ largest port

The new feed captures daily activity along the largest port in Wales — from the twice-daily Wales–Ireland ferry sailings to petroleum, oil and gas tankers moving more than 60 million tonnes of cargo each year. Thousands of smaller vessels, from yachts to powerboats, also pass through the Waterway annually.

Together, the two cameras provide twin live perspectives of one of the UK’s most strategically significant maritime corridors.

As dawn broke over Milford Haven this morning, the Waterway lay still beneath a clear sky, the first light spilling across rooftops and masts before stretching out over the wide expanse of the Haven.

From the vantage point of Hamilton Terrace, the scene felt both intimate and expansive — a quiet town waking gently while a major working port prepared for another day of movement and industry.

It is moments like these that help explain the worldwide appeal of the EarthCam streams. Viewers tuning in from across the UK, Europe and North America are not simply watching ships pass; they are witnessing the rhythm of tide and trade, the sweep of weather systems, and the subtle beauty of West Wales unfolding in real time.

From dramatic winter steam plumes rising from power station chimneys to calm summer sunsets over the marina, Milford Haven’s live feeds have become a constantly changing digital canvas.

Watch live

Original harbour view (1.3 million+ views):
https://www.earthcam.com/world/uk/wales/?cam=waleswaterway

New up-the-Waterway view:
https://www.earthcam.com/world/uk/wales/?cam=waleswaterway2

The Herald hopes the second camera will prove just as popular — continuing to put Milford Haven on the global map, one sunrise at a time.

 

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Welsh rugby faces ticket slump as Six Nations sales stall

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WALES’ Six Nations campaign is facing an unexpected off-field challenge, with thousands of seats still empty for upcoming home fixtures at Cardiff’s 74,000-capacity Principality Stadium.

Figures from the Welsh Rugby Union ticketing platform show significant availability remains for all three remaining championship games in the capital. The shortfall is most noticeable for March’s meeting with Italy, while seats are also still on sale for clashes with France and Scotland.

For a tournament traditionally regarded as the crown jewel of the Welsh sporting calendar, such availability is unusual. Home internationals in Cardiff have long been considered near-guaranteed sell-outs.\

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/1024/cpsprodpb/3d67/live/400bc7f0-296e-11ef-951f-bfad685c889d.jpg

Grassroots clubs counting the cost

Several community clubs allocated ticket packages are now scrambling to avoid financial losses.

Some club officials have taken to social media to try to shift surplus tickets. Others say they are facing invoices for thousands of pounds despite not selling their full allocations.

One grassroots representative told The Herald that unsold tickets could leave his club thousands of pounds out of pocket — a significant blow for volunteer-run organisations already balancing tight budgets.

Matchday prices range broadly depending on seating category, with some fans questioning whether the cost of attending still represents value for money.

Performance and politics

On-field struggles have coincided with uncertainty off it.

Wales endured a prolonged losing streak before breaking the run last summer and have not lifted the Six Nations title since 2023. A heavy opening defeat in this year’s championship has done little to restore confidence among supporters.

Away from results, tensions remain over the future structure of the professional regional game, with debate continuing about funding, governance and the long-term direction of Welsh rugby.

Sports economist Calvin Jones said sustained under-capacity crowds would be concerning, noting that international gate receipts form a major part of the sport’s financial model in Wales.

“The stadium is critical to the game’s financial health,” he has previously warned. “If reduced attendances became a trend rather than a one-off, that would raise serious questions.”

WRU confident of late surge

The Welsh Rugby Union insists supporter loyalty remains strong and says sales have accelerated since the tournament began.

Officials point to changing purchasing habits, with more fans buying closer to matchday rather than months in advance.

They remain confident that the atmosphere in Cardiff will remain vibrant when France visit, with hopes that traditional matchday traditions — from the anthem to the post-match celebrations — will continue to draw supporters through the gates.

Lowest crowds?

Historically, Six Nations matches in Cardiff have rarely dipped far below capacity. The lowest attendance in the tournament at the Principality Stadium came against Italy in 2002, while recent fixtures have generally drawn well over 60,000 spectators.

Whether the current dip reflects temporary frustration or a deeper shift in supporter behaviour may become clearer by the end of the championship.

For now, Welsh rugby finds itself fighting for momentum — both on the pitch and in the stands.

 

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