A COALITION of leading Welsh democracy and civil organisations has declared the approval of new legislation to expand the Senedd a ‘pivotal moment’ for devolution in Wales, suggesting it will significantly enhance accountability in Cardiff Bay.

According to a statement released by ERS Cymru, the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA), and the Women’s Equality Network (WEN) Wales, the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill is crucial in addressing the long-standing inequality where Wales remained the only UK parliament incapable of managing its increasing duties due to its small size.

Under the new bill, the number of Senedd representatives will rise from 60 to 96, allowing the Welsh Parliament to more effectively oversee its annual public spending of over £23 billion, and ensure the Welsh Government is held accountable.

The legislation also introduces a shift in the Senedd’s electoral system from the Additional Member System (AMS) to a closed list system of proportional representation, where voters will select a party instead of an individual candidate.

Jess Blair, Director of ERS Cymru, stated, “This is a pivotal moment in Welsh devolution’s history. Twenty-five years after the first elections to the Senedd, this bill corrects a historical disparity, aligning the Welsh parliament with other devolved assemblies in the UK.” She highlighted that the initial 60-member assembly was formed when the Welsh parliament lacked legislative and tax-raising powers. Blair noted the expansion as “an investment in better accountability so that issues are identified sooner and public funds are utilised more effectively.”

However, Blair expressed concerns over the new closed list voting system, urging a review and reform post-election to allow voters more choice.

Joe Rossiter, Co-Director of the Institute of Welsh Affairs, commented on the importance of the Senedd’s growth in capabilities to match its increased responsibilities. “As the powers of the Senedd have expanded, so too must its capacity and capability,” he said, acknowledging the need for further electoral reform to better reflect voter preference.

Victoria Vasey, Director of WEN Wales, described the legislation as a historic step towards a more effective Welsh parliament, emphasising the importance of representation. “An effective parliament is one that represents its population, ensuring women and all marginalised communities have a voice,” she said. Vasey also called for continued vigilance regarding the closed list system, which could potentially enhance party power over voter choice.

This legislative milestone marks a significant advance in the democratic process in Wales, though it appears the conversation around optimal electoral systems and representative democracy is set to continue.

A CALL for Haverfordwest’s transport interchange to come under the scrutiny of full council was defeated by just one vote, but the project as a whole will see a cheaper version built, to the tune of more than £10m.

The second stage of building Haverfordwest’s transport interchange was backed by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet last month, with members hearing it could cost the council more to not support it.

The transport interchange, which includes an integrated bus station and construction of a new multi-storey car park, is part of a wider series of regeneration projects in the county town.

The total cost of the Welsh Government grant-supported scheme in the approved budget is £18.881m, £1.987m coming from Pembrokeshire County Council.

At the April Cabinet meeting, a report for members warned that if the scheme was not backed then Welsh government could withdraw its grant funding, with some £3.376m spent on the project to date, which could be reclaimed.

After that meeting, a successful ‘call-in’ for the matter to be discussed at the council’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of May 7 was made by the council’s Welsh Conservative group, led by Cllr Di Clements.

It asked for “full and proper scrutiny” of the decision, saying the Cabinet decision had “little discussion on how the ‘value engineering’ of this project will affect the project overall”.

At the May 7 meeting, deputy leader Cllr Paul Miller labelled the ‘call-in’ politically motivated, saying: “The council had a car park that wasn’t very good, and we’re building a better one,” adding: “Cabinet didn’t vote for something they didn’t understand, every member in that room knew what they were voting for.

“It’s going to cost a lot more not to do this project than to do it; I think this is a purely political exercise, nonsense really, if Pembrokeshire County Council can’t rebuild a knackered carpark in its county town centre what is going on?”

Following a successful call by Cllr Aled Thomas for some confidential details of the ‘value engineering’ reductions in costs were made public; the cost of the overall project reduced by some £10m-plus, from an early estimate figure of £25m for the original scheme highlighted in the now-public documents.

The ‘value engineering’ includes a reduction in size of the scheme, from 320 to 290 larger parking spaces, including the removal of a ‘green roof’ and other infrastructure.

“I struggle to see how you can take £10m off a project and it fundamentally be the same project,” Cllr Thomas said.

Cllr Miller told members: “This has been an exercise in cutting our cloth, but we think we found the right balance.”

Councillor Tony Wilcox said: “We’re getting basically the same scheme for £10m less, virtually like-for-like, it’s good all round; I only wish it was in Pembroke Dock.”

The issue of the changed figures drew the ire of former council leader Cllr Jamie Adams, who said: “Part of the scandal surrounding the project is the figures [over time] have been so wildly fluctuating, £8m then £18m, we never really had an explanation as to why that was; then up to £25m, and now down to £14.5m.

“The public are rightly asking ‘what an earth is going on?’.”

He added: “We’ve had a fait accompli and such wildly conflicting reports about how much it’s going to cost; you would struggle to find 10 per cent of the people I’ve spoken to say they were in support of this scheme.

“We’re simply reflecting the views we’re being given; we’ve become a bit of a laughing-stock because the costs of this have gone up and down, up and down.”

Cllr Miller finished by saying: “Here we are, half way down the road to building this car park, it’s £1.9m to deliver, if we don’t deliver we’ll have to spend much more to have a gravel car park we have now.”

A call was made by Cllr Thomas for the scheme to return to full council, along with potential revisions to the scheme.

“The issue here isn’t the car park in itself, it’s the way it’s been handled; the fact is the Cabinet meeting was done and dusted in 10 minutes.”

He formally proposed: “Given the significance of this project, the committee wish for full council to provide full scrutiny of this project at a council level before returning its recommendation to the cabinet.

“The committee request that Cllr Miller engage with the Welsh Government as to whether it is possible for a revision to be made to this project and its funding as a result of town centres changing drastically post Covid-19, and that should also be discussed at the council meeting.”

That call was defeated by seven votes to six, the original Cabinet decision standing.

PEMBROKESHIRE’S largest council political group has elected new leaders today, May 8, who promise to be “a critical friend” of the ruling administration rather than “opposing for the sake of opposition”.

Councillor Huw Murphy of Newport & Dinas Ward and Cllr Anji Tinley of Garth Ward, Haverfordwest said they are both “delighted and honoured” to be elected as the new leader and deputy leader of the Independent Group (IPG).

In a joint statement they said: “The IG whilst in opposition will play a critical role in holding any administration to account, but will also support policies that are to the betterment of the lives of Pembrokeshire residents.

“The IG will not oppose for the sake of opposition but will always be a critical friend in representing the views and concerns of county residents, wherever they reside, be it fighting against public toilet closures or speaking up in strong support of retaining critical care at Withybush Hospital, to name but two.

“The IG will challenge decisions made which have a negative impact on residents where they believe alternative options exist and will challenge and scrutinise policy decisions when a change of priorities for the authority should be considered, when working with finite resources.”

The issue of Welsh language representation was also raised on the eve of the May 10 council leadership battle between unaffiliated councillor Jon Harvey and leader of the Conservative group Di Clements, following leader Cllr David Simpson announcing he is to step down.

“It has not gone unnoticed that the soon-to-be-former administration led by Cllr David Simpson has no fluent Welsh speakers and few councillors in Cabinet and senior roles (such as Chair & Vice Chair of Council and Presiding Member) that represent the northern or indeed the rural areas of Pembrokeshire.

“Indeed, most Cabinet members are from South Pembrokeshire, and will this change after Friday?

“The IG sincerely hopes that the new Cabinet formed by whoever becomes Leader on Friday will form a Cabinet to better reflect the cultural and geographical identities of Pembrokeshire thereby recognising the importance of Pembrokeshire’s rural economy and with it the Welsh Language as both are very much intertwined. Action does speak louder than words.”

They added: “The IG is a political group which places the needs of Pembrokeshire residents at the heart of their decision making, not beholden to any political party whose national policies may not always align with what’s best for Pembrokeshire.”

They also promised to work towards a “positive change” for Pembrokeshire people.

“The role of the IG is to work towards creating a positive change within Pembrokeshire to improve the lives of residents and enhance opportunities for everybody irrespective of their background. This can only be attained through open and honest dialogue with fellow councillors and not through frivolous sound-bite politics.

“There needs to be an improvement in political behaviour, and the recent elections in England which saw a considerable increase in the number of independent councillors being elected indicates a clear disconnect with mainstream political parties.

“Pembrokeshire is a wonderful county with much to be proud of, but the council also faces significant pressures that can only be dealt with through working together to make it an even more vibrant and inclusive place to live, work and visit.

“[We] are confident that the IG will be integral to the development of lasting solutions to the many issues and concerns held by residents which can be achieved through collaboration and fostering innovation to create a better today and a positive legacy for future generations.

“The IG since the elections of May 2022 is the only political group within PCC to have grown in numbers to reflect all areas of Pembrokeshire from the more urban/industrial areas of South Pembrokeshire to the rural and more Welsh speaking heartland of Preseli Pembrokeshire with talented councillors from a diverse range of backgrounds and there is every belief that over time the IPG will continue to grow in numbers.”

Cllr Murphy replaces IPG leader Jamie Adams, leader of the council from 2012-17, and leader of the now-17-strong IPG in opposition from 2017-’24, while Cllr Anji Tinley replaces Cllr Elwyn Morse.

Cllr Murphy and Cllr Tinley extended their thanks for the appreciation and support from their predecessors, adding: “We look forward to their ongoing contribution to PCC debates in the weeks, months and years ahead,” saying of Cllr Adams: “His oratory and debating skills in chamber are very well known and respected both within Pembrokeshire and further afield”.