Senedd Members demand immediate investment in Withybush and Bronglais as election campaign intensifies

SENEDEDD Members Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz have launched a fresh attack on Welsh Labour’s renewed pledge to deliver a new regional hospital for west Wales, branding the proposal a “desperate pre-election distraction” from mounting pressures on frontline services.

The intervention follows comments from First Minister Eluned Morgan, who indicated that plans for a new hospital serving west Wales would be progressed ahead of the Senedd election in May.

The concept of a new regional hospital has circulated for decades. Potential sites have previously been explored, but the project was effectively paused by Hywel Dda University Health Board, with delivery widely understood to be many years away due to financial and economic constraints.

Davies and Kurtz argue that communities in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion cannot afford to wait while uncertainty continues over services at Withybush Hospital and Bronglais Hospital.

Paul Davies MS said: “People in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion do not need vague long-term aspirations. They need certainty and investment now. Services are being centralised and downgraded while we are told to wait for something that is neither fully planned nor properly funded.

“Instead of chasing headlines, the Welsh Government should focus on safeguarding and strengthening services at Withybush Hospital and Bronglais Hospital. The message from our communities is clear: invest in the hospitals we have so people can access the care they need closer to home.”

The two MSs contend that immediate capital and workforce investment in existing facilities is the only credible way to guarantee patient safety, reduce excessive travel times for rural residents, and provide sustainable healthcare across west Wales.

They are calling on the Welsh Government to publish a fully costed and deliverable plan to protect core services at Withybush and Bronglais, rather than relying on what they describe as “recycled promises that never materialise.”

Samuel Kurtz MS added: “Just ahead of a Senedd election, the First Minister dusts off a decades-old plan and tries to sell it to local voters who can see straight through this empty promise.

“When 10,000 local people sign a petition demanding the Welsh Government intervene on Withybush, and all they can do is issue a press release about a plan that may not happen for another decade, it shows Labour are not serious about supporting the communities of west Wales.”

Government response

The Welsh Government maintains that long-term transformation of NHS services is necessary to secure sustainable healthcare provision across rural Wales. Ministers have argued that ageing hospital estates, recruitment pressures and increasing demand require modern infrastructure and strategic planning.

Labour has pledged significant capital investment in NHS facilities as part of its wider health strategy and says any future regional hospital would form part of a long-term programme designed to improve clinical resilience and patient outcomes.

The debate over the future configuration of hospital services in west Wales has intensified in recent years, particularly around emergency and specialist provision, with campaigners arguing that protecting local access must remain the priority.

Davies and Kurtz said confidence in local healthcare will continue to erode unless immediate, visible investment is made in frontline services at Withybush and Bronglais.

The Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board have been approached for further comment.

THE STRADEY PARK HOTEL in Llanelli has closed with immediate effect, less than two years after controversial plans to house asylum seekers there were scrapped following months of protests.

The four-star hotel reopened in 2024 after the Home Office abandoned proposals to accommodate up to 241 asylum seekers at the site in 2023. The plans sparked 100 days of demonstrations, a makeshift protest camp outside the entrance, and a major policing operation.

Councillor Stephen Williams said staff were left in tears after being told the hotel would shut immediately.

He visited the hotel on Monday evening and said residents had been asked to leave.

“Local staff have been kicked in the teeth by a business or organisation which is based out of the town, which has led to this,” he said.

“To see them there in tears yesterday was really heart-breaking.”

BBC Wales has contacted the hotel and its owners for comment.

The hotel had been due to house 241 asylum seekers under Home Office plans announced in 2023. The proposals prompted significant local opposition, with Carmarthenshire County Council, the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, and Hywel Dda University Health Board raising concerns at the time.

Protests began in July 2023 and escalated over the summer. Large rocks were placed across the entrance, a protest camp was established, and fires were reported near the site. Around 40 arrests were made between mid-August and early October.

In October 2023, the Home Office confirmed the plans had been dropped, saying it was working to reduce the “unacceptable use of hotels” by moving asylum seekers into alternative, cheaper accommodation.

The hotel later underwent renovations and reopened to the public in 2024. At the time, management said it intended to rehire staff and resume trading as soon as possible.

It later emerged that the policing operation linked to the protests cost Dyfed-Powys Police more than £1 million.

Sean Rees, leader of Llanelli Town Council, described the hotel as an “important part of Llanelli’s economy and identity”.

“This abrupt closure will cause significant financial and personal anxiety for those employees and their families, and they must now be our priority,” he said.

He added that he had written to the leader of Carmarthenshire County Council to ensure affected staff receive clear information about redundancy rights and access to benefits, retraining and possible redeployment.

Councillor Williams said the town was now in “shock and dismay” at the sudden closure.

Police increase presence as enquiries into school incident continue

PUPILS at Ysgol Maesydderwen will return to class tomorrow (March 4) after the school was closed for a day following a second threat.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that officers are continuing to work closely with Powys County Council after threats were received by the school on Monday (March 2).

A second threat, sent via email, was reported to police later that evening.

The school remained closed on Tuesday (March 3) while enquiries were carried out. Following a review of the circumstances, a decision has been made to reopen the school on Wednesday.

Superintendent Gareth Grant said: “We understand this is a very unsettling time for the school’s pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community.

“I want to reassure the public that there is no evidence to suggest any threat against any other schools or businesses in the local area.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety of pupils and teachers at the school, and we are working closely with Powys County Council and the senior leaders at Ysgol Maesydderwen to this end.

“I want to thank the community for their understanding and patience while we carry out our enquiries. The impact of school closures on parents and carers cannot be underestimated, and I extend my thanks to everyone who has supported us to this point.

“You will see an increased police presence in the area as we continue our enquiries and provide reassurance to the local community.

“We will continue to share more information as soon as we are able to.”

Police have confirmed that enquiries remain ongoing.