News
MSs warned public notice changes could have ‘catastrophic’ impact on local papers
PLANS to scrap a legal requirement for public notices of council tax changes to be published in newspapers risk damaging local journalism and democracy, a committee heard.
Senedd members took evidence on the Local Government Finance bill which would remove a requirement to publish details of council tax changes in newspapers.
Instead, councils would only be required to publish a notice on their own websites.
Gavin Thompson, regional editor at Newsquest, which owns newspapers such as the South Wales Argus, warned the bill would have catastrophic unintended consequences.
Mr Thompson told MSs the proposals would set a worrying direction of travel for other public notices, such as for planning or licensing.
Emphasising the importance of the revenue, he said six of Newsquest’s ten local newspapers in Wales would have been loss-making last year without public notices.
He warned that the business, which employs around 182 people in Wales, would not be able to continue printing loss-making titles.
Mr Thompson said removing public notice requirements would create a worse climate for local news than in England despite a greater need in Wales
He told the committee: “What we need is the Welsh Government and the Senedd to support local journalism – and to not make it more difficult to produce.”
John Griffiths, who chairs the Senedd’s local government committee, said the annual spend on council tax-related notices has been estimated at about £33,000 across Wales.
Rob Taylor, founder of Wrexham.com, raised the declining reach of local newspapers and stressed that the legal requirement is an indirect subsidy propping up the industry.
He said: “Back in the day, yes, circulations were huge and points of reference for many, many people – but the landscape has changed and it’s a bad law, it’s an out-of-date law.”
Saying public notices are becoming more expensive while circulations dwindle, Mr Taylor argued the requirement to publish public notices is no longer providing value for money.
He asked committee members: “Are we making a law here in Wales for the olden days or are we going to make one for the future?”
Mr Taylor said Wrexham.com does not want to get on the gravy train: “We don’t want the money for statutory notices – it’s a terrible law, a terrible way of communicating.”
He added that the website would be willing to carry such notices for free.
Steffan Rhys, audience and content director for Wales at Reach, which owns the Western Mail as well as WalesOnline, also raised concerns about the proposals.
He warned that the commercial media sector is facing many headwinds that directly impact its revenue, including the dominance of Google and Facebook in advertising markets.
Mr Rhys said: “If you remove the requirement to put public notices in print titles, you are removing that information from a certain part of the public – there’s no two ways about it.
“You’re also removing revenue from publishers, that means publishers are able to do less journalism and that means the public is even less informed, so it’s almost a circular effect.”
He said £33,000 may not be a huge amount but when you add in all other public notices, it becomes a very large sum which is critical to the revenue of publishers.
Mr Rhys warned transparency would vanish if public notices retreated onto council websites as he raised concerns about the so-called democratic deficit in Wales.
He said: “The more challenged revenues of news publishers become, the more difficult they are going to find it to produce that sort of public-interest journalism that Wales really needs.”
Rachel Bowen is director of policy at the office of the older people’s commissioner for Wales, which this week published a report, entitled Access denied, about digital exclusion.
She told the committee meeting on January 31 that the proposals are yet more evidence of a “creep towards digitalisation and increasing exclusion”.
Ms Bowen raised concerns about the “grey, ambiguous” wording of a requirement for councils to make suitable, alternative arrangements.
“There’s just no clarity about what that means,” she said, pointing out that other groups such as disabled people and those on lower incomes can be digitally excluded.
Carolyn Thomas, a Labour MS for North Wales, who has had The Leader delivered for 25 years, said the text of public notices is so small that she could not read them.
Ms Bowen agreed that current arrangements could be more accessible but she criticised a “rush” to as-yet ill-defined alternatives.
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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