First Wales trailblazer launched as part of UK Government’s ‘Get Britain Working’ plan

A MAJOR £10 million boost to employment support in Wales has been announced as part of the UK Government’s drive to tackle economic inactivity and “Get Britain Working” again.

The first trailblazer programme in Wales, launched in Denbighshire on Monday (Apr 21), will roll out new tailored employment support including one-to-one mentoring, counselling, wellbeing services, and health condition management.

The programme was launched jointly by UK Minister for Employment Alison McGovern and Welsh Government Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership Jack Sargeant, marking a shift away from a ‘one size fits all’ approach in favour of support targeted to local needs.

The investment will help people with CV writing, job searching, mental health, and managing health issues that may be holding them back from employment. The trailblazer areas – Denbighshire, Blaenau Gwent, and Neath Port Talbot – were selected for their high levels of economic inactivity and will be among nine areas across the UK to pilot these reforms.

During their visit to Working Denbighshire, both Ministers met Work Coaches and saw first-hand the services being offered under the new scheme.

Minister for Employment Alison McGovern said: “Everyone deserves to thrive, including those living with long-term health conditions.

“No one will be written off. This £10 million investment will help connect health and employment services and deliver real change under our Plan for Change.

“Good work provides both dignity and security, and this trailblazer will help people across Wales access that support.”

Welsh Government Minister Jack Sargeant added:

“This investment is an important step in our joint approach to supporting people back into good employment.

“By integrating health and employment support, and tailoring it to each community’s needs, we aim to provide truly joined-up services.

“The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring no one is left behind.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens said:

“This £10 million trailblazer will deliver support where it’s most needed – in Blaenau Gwent, Denbighshire, and Neath Port Talbot.

“We know this targeted approach works and builds on the success of initiatives like the Young Person’s Guarantee.

“Helping people into work improves physical and mental health and raises living standards.”

The trailblazers are part of the UK Government’s wider £240 million Get Britain Working reforms, which include:

Transforming Jobcentres to focus on skills and careers

Guaranteeing young people the chance to earn or learn

Expanding mental health support to help people stay in work

The Wales trailblazer follows the first scheme launched earlier this month in South Yorkshire, which focuses on supporting employers to hire people with health conditions. Upcoming trailblazers will also launch in Greater Manchester, the North East, York and North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and three areas in London.

In parallel with the trailblazer initiative, the UK Government has also:

Increased the National Living Wage and Minimum Wage

Introduced the Employment Rights Bill to create more secure jobs

Committed to deeper devolution, supporting local and devolved governments to boost regional growth

The investment into Wales reflects the Prime Minister’s pledge to reset relationships with devolved administrations and empower them to play a leading role in economic growth under the UK’s Plan for Change.

Welsh Lib Dems slam water firms as millions of litres leaked daily

WELSH Liberal Democrats have criticised Dŵr Cymru and Hafren Dyfrdwy after new figures revealed widespread water wastage due to leaking infrastructure, with Dŵr Cymru alone losing an average of 251 million litres every day.

Research from the House of Commons Library, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, shows that between 2020/21 and 2022/23, an average of 3 billion litres of water were lost daily across England and Wales — the equivalent of 1,200 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Dŵr Cymru was the worst offender, leaking 171 litres per property per day — the highest in England and Wales. Hafren Dyfrdwy, which supplies Montgomeryshire, Wrexham, and parts of Radnorshire, ranked second worst, leaking 154 litres per property per day, or 16.4 million litres in total.

The Liberal Democrats estimate the annual cost of water leakage to customers at around £396 million.

Despite Dŵr Cymru’s not-for-profit model, the party has long raised concerns over executive pay, environmental failings, and high household bills. Water bills in Wales remain the highest in the UK, despite some of the lowest household incomes. Hafren Dyfrdwy bills are set to rise by 32% in 2025, with average charges increasing from £447 to £590.

Apology and acknowledgement of misreporting

In March 2024, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water issued a public apology after it was found to have misreported leakage and per capita consumption figures over a number of years. An Ofwat investigation concluded that the company significantly understated the extent of its water losses, prompting accusations of misleading customers and regulators.

The company admitted to failures in governance and management oversight and agreed to a redress package worth £39.4 million, including a £10 rebate for every customer.

Chief Executive Pete Perry said: “We are very sorry that this happened. We proactively brought this issue to Ofwat’s attention… Our review identified governance and management oversight failures that led to the issues identified which have now been addressed. Achieving the planned reduction in leakage will be challenging, but we have committed a substantial increase in expenditure in this area and strengthened the relevant operational teams to recover performance.”

Welsh Water also pledged to invest an additional £59 million during the current 2020–25 price review period to tackle leakage and reduce consumption.

Ofwat Chief Executive David Black condemned the misreporting: “For five years, Welsh Water misled customers and regulators on its record of tackling leakage and saving water. It is simply indefensible, and that is why we are making Welsh Water pay this £40 million to benefit its customers.”

The findings sparked renewed criticism from campaigners and politicians alike, who say the apology and investment commitments are long overdue and insufficient given the environmental damage and costs to consumers.

Political pressure mounting

Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for the abolition of Ofwat, arguing that the regulator has failed to hold water companies properly to account. They propose the creation of a new, more powerful watchdog.

Their demands include:

• A single social water tariff to protect vulnerable customers
• A ban on executive bonuses at failing water companies
• Stronger environmental oversight from the Welsh Government, particularly regarding Dŵr Cymru

David Chadwick, Liberal Democrat MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, said: “It’s scandalous that Dŵr Cymru is wasting millions of litres of water every year, while customers are saddled with sky-high bills. The government cannot sit idly by as water companies exploit the system.

“Ofwat must be replaced with a regulator that will hold these polluters to account. The Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for customers who have been taken for granted for far too long.”

Glyn Preston, Senedd candidate for Gwynedd Maldwyn and Llanidloes County Councillor, added: “Communities across Gwynedd and Montgomeryshire are being failed by a system that rewards mismanagement and punishes ordinary people.

“When companies like Hafren Dyfrdwy waste millions of litres daily, it’s not only an environmental catastrophe but a betrayal of public trust.

“We need urgent reform to fix our broken water system, protect the environment, and ensure no one is forced to pay through the nose for such poor service.”

Despite recent commitments, campaigners argue that water companies in Wales continue to fall short on both environmental and consumer expectations. Critics say tougher regulation and greater transparency are essential to restore public confidence.

A Welsh Water spokesperson said: “Our performance on leakage when measured per property isn’t a true reflection of the overall situation, due to the sparse population we serve in rural areas and the length of our pipe network.

“Welsh Water is close to the industry average when measured on leakage per kilometre of pipe and this remains a more relevant comparison.

“However, leakage performance is not where we want it to be and we have invested an additional £54m over the past two years above what was planned to identify and reduce leakage as quickly as possible to improve our performance further.

“This has meant that we have made significant improvements in performance, and we expect this to be evident in our figures for 2024/25 that will be released in a few weeks’ time.

“Our aim is to continue this improvement over the next five years where we will reduce leakage by a further 25% with considerable investment planned in pipe replacement and leakage repairs.”

ENTREPRENEURS in north Pembrokeshire are invited to attend a business support drop-in event at Fishguard Town Hall next month.

The session, which takes place quarterly, is supported by PAVS and Futureworks, with Pembrokeshire County Council’s Business Development Team also in attendance. A range of other organisations offering business support will also be present.

The next event takes place on Tuesday, May 13 from 10:00am to 12:00pm.

Established businesses, freelancers, and anyone considering starting a new enterprise are welcome to attend. Topics for discussion include accessing finance, writing a business plan, joining social enterprise networks, and finding the right support at each stage of the business journey.

In addition, Pembrokeshire’s Business Support Team runs regular networking events at the Bridge Innovation Centre in Pembroke Dock on the last Friday of every month from 9:00am to 12:00pm.