ive new railway stations could be built in south-east Wales to improve transport links with western England.
The UK and Welsh governments announced they are working together on a £2.7 million study to develop options for new stations and services on the South Wales Main Line.
This follows Lord Peter Hendy’s review of UK transport connectivity in 2021 which highlighted the need to reduce congestion on the M4 motorway to ease cross-border journeys.
A series of options will be considered as part of the study, including the creation of five new stations between Cardiff and the Severn Tunnel.
Good transport connections between South Wales and western England are essential for the economy in Wales
Richard Holden, a transport minister for the UK Government, said: “Delivering better transport links is a vital part of how we transform opportunities for people from across the United Kingdom.
“That’s why I am so delighted that, working with the Welsh Government, we are getting the ball rolling on in-depth work to boost connectivity and drive growth.”
Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said: “Good transport connections between South Wales and western England are essential for the economy in Wales, enabling businesses to grow and flourish, and making life easier for people to travel for work and leisure.
“This funding from the UK Government is vital in exploring how best to relieve congestion across South Wales.
“I’m pleased to work with the Welsh Government on plans that could have a huge impact on the many thousands of people who use the transport network in South Wales every day.”
The Welsh Government’s deputy minister for climate change with responsibility for transport, Lee Waters, said: “This is a key step to tackle congestion around Newport and was one of the main recommendations of the Burns Commission, which was endorsed by Lord Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review.
“The business case is compelling and we are keen to make progress so that we can get more people onto South Wales Main Line trains, complementing the Welsh Government’s investments in improving access to rail.”
The South East Wales Transport Commission, chaired by Lord Burns, published a report in November 2020 to investigate sustainable ways to tackle congestion on the M4.
Lord Hendy’s review also proposed improving transport links between North Wales and north-west England, better connectivity between Wales and HS2 services, and a package of measures to cut train journey times between Cardiff and Birmingham.
A 7.4% hike in the money that council taxpayers contribute to South Wales Police is being proposed as the force faces a budget gap of more than £20m. The precept proposal for next year (2023-4) which is due to go before the South Wales Police and Crime Panel would see an increase of £1.86 per month for band D properties marking a 7.4% increase for these properties on the 2022-23 rate.
The force is facing a £20.8m budget gap which the police and crime commissioner said must be made up through cuts and the precept. Alun Michael, the police and crime commissioner for South Wales, said his proposals to the panel are only sufficient if they find ways of cutting another £9.6m of spending this year.
He said that to maintain current funding across all requirements it would require a precept increase of more than 13%, which he “cannot even contemplate”, but with additional pressures it is now “impossible” to keep the level of increase down to the 5% projected in the midterm financial plan. He concluded that it will be “unsafe” to propose a precept less than 7.4% for the coming year which will provide a “workable budget” but not without considerable cuts and savings made in a variety of different ways to balance the books.
He added that most people will not pay the full increase because the figures are based on a band D property but said he is “not happy” about having to propose this specific increase in the precept but also added that he cannot put the people of south Wales at risk and that he would be failing in his duty if he did not ensure that they not only maintain the service but continue to tackle the big issues on which the public want and expect South Wales Police to deliver.
The background
The report from the commissioner which is going before the panel on Tuesday, February 7, said; “Setting the precept for 2023–24 has been the most difficult in the 10 years I have had the responsibility of proposing the level of local support for policing in South Wales. The cost-of-living crisis is hitting every individual and every service, but having a greater impact on the most vulnerable in society which is why I want to avoid increasing the level of the preserved any further than is absolutely necessary.
“But the police budget has to be at a level that enables our officers and staff to keep people safe in the community – preventing crime and harm, responding to crime and a host of other challenges and working with partners to support safe, resilient, communities in the way that we have worked together so effectively before during, and since the Covid-19 pandemic. The core element of police finance is the Police Grant which is announced every December by a Home Office minister – I regret to say that the UK Government has failed to maintain the Police Grant at a level that would enable us to set a modest precept.” He said that the last period of austerity, had a major impact on police capacity. South Wales Police lost some 400 police officers and 100 PCSOs (police community support officers) as well as many police staff which took the force to a number of police officers that was fewer than the then chief constable, Peter Vaughan, described as “safe”.
Mr Michael added: “We took every possible step to restore numbers in subsequent years. The government has – belatedly – provided the money to employ more police officers, restoring the total to only just under the number employed by South Wales Police in 2010. That is welcome, although it will be some time before those new officers are fully experienced. Today 54% of officers have less than five years’ experience which poses challenges to police management.
“And in future years we will have to find money from elsewhere to pay their increments and maintain their capacity because that is not being funded by central government. And the Police Grant for 2023-24 includes no allowance for the 2023 staff pay award which will have to be found from cuts. Our ambition to strengthen neighbourhood, policing and respond to local community needs has been helped enormously by the provision of additional PCSOs funded by Welsh Government. There too we have an expectation and obligation to maintain the PCSO numbers that are funded from the Police Grant at our full establishment.”
Mr Michael said that the key problem is that the additional “uplift“ funding is provided on top of the basic police grant, which is only at “flat cash“ level. He said that this – in reality – is a significant cut. He said they will be penalised should they reduce the police establishment from its current total and that removes the flexibility that was used to balance the books during the past decade.
Mr Michael said: “I am one of a number of police and crime commissioners who wrote to the home secretary pleading for a level of police grant that would maintain a fair contribution from the exchequer to local policing. We object the way that ministers have shifted the burden away from the exchequer and onto local council tax payers, but the reality of this year’s Police Grant settlement is a further shift in that direction. The government’s sums simply do not add up and yet I have a legal obligation to bring forward a balanced budget and the obligation which stands above all others to keep the communities of south Wales safe by ensuring that the chief constable has the resources to do the job. ”
He said prevention is better than cure and compared to similar forces South Wales Police is the “most successful in reducing crime which brings a reduction in victims, clear value in avoiding costs to our communities and success in the central responsibility of policing – to prevent crime and harm. Of course, that does not bring a return into the police budget, but it is something that we are desperate to continue doing. So today we face a £20.8 million funding gap which must be made up through cuts and precept.
“My proposals to the panel are only sufficient if we find ways of cutting another £9.6m of expenditure this year. And while the whole South Wales Police team is devoted to doing everything we can to find savings to ensure that the burden on local people is as low as it can be there is a limit to what is possible. While we will cut costs to get within budget there is no way the savings can be sufficient to fill the gap especially as we have to deal with inflation and the increased cost of fuel, energy, IT systems and building costs.”
He said that over the past 10 years, through the previous period of austerity, the force found £62m in savings and despite that South Wales Police has “continued to perform impressively, to a very high standard” adding that it is “delivering one of the top performing police forces across the UK” as well as “protecting the most vulnerable, at a time when the most vulnerable are going to need us most” and “keeping local policing and problem solving at the heart of what we do.” Mr Michael said: “Even in these tough times I believe we achieve more with others than we can achieve alone so we continue to work with partners in Local Government, Welsh Government and in particular with others in the criminal justice system to deliver core services. We are determined to make the criminal justice system in Wales ‘the most effective, the most efficient and the fairest that it’s possibly can be.’
“That is not just an aspiration, but something on which we are making real progress. And against all of this background, demand is increasing in relation to public needs that would not normally be regarded as police responsibilities, but on which the public look to the police in times of need. To maintain current funding across all requirements would require a precept increase of over 13% which I cannot even contemplate, but with the additional pressures described above, it is now impossible to keep the level of increase down to the 5% projected in the midterm financial plan which was presented to the previous panel last year. I have therefore concluded that it will be unsafe to propose a precept less than 7.4% for the coming year and the implications of that are spelt out below. That will provide a workable budget, but not without considerable cuts and savings made in a variety of different ways to balance the books.
“It is important to note that most people will not pay the full increase outlined below because the figures are based on a band D property. I am not happy about having to propose this specific increase in the precept, but I cannot put the people of South Wales at risk and I would be failing in my duty if I did not ensure that we not only maintain the service but continue to tackle the big issues on which the public want and expect South Wales Police to deliver.” If approved, next year’s revenue budget for South Wales Police would be £358,698,700 and the capital programme would be worth £35.5m.
Alex Davies-Jones during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons. Photo UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor
Police are investigating “abusive and grossly offensive” messages sent to Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones, who said they followed her speaking out against the divisive online influencer Andrew Tate.
Ms Davies-Jones told the Commons on Tuesday she has been “bombarded” with messages containing death and rape threats after she made comments critical of Mr Tate, who has a large social media following.
A South Wales Police officer said the force was “investigating the origins of abusive and grossly offensive social media messages and emails aimed at a local MP”.
Earlier this month, at a session of Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms Davies-Jones raised concerns over the impact of Mr Tate’s content on schoolboys.
She said: “Teachers are now having to develop their own resources to re-educate boys who are being brainwashed online by his deeply toxic messaging.”
Death threats
On Tuesday she told the Commons “my own inbox and my office have been bombarded with death threats, rape threats”, which she said occurred “after I have spoken out about the horrendous abuse and behaviour of Andrew Tate online”.
Local policing Inspector Leigh Parfitt, of South Wales Police, said: “We are investigating the origins of abusive and grossly offensive social media messages and emails aimed at a local MP.
“Keeping people safe and confident in their homes and communities is a key priority for us and we take all reports of online abuse and malicious communications extremely seriously.
“Before sending any form of communication, members of the public are advised to consider whether their post, text message, letter or phone call could be breaking the law.”
Mr Tate, 36, a former kickboxing world champion, amassed millions of followers across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok for his controversial content, before his arrest in Romania, where he is being detained.
He is facing allegations of human trafficking and being part of an organised crime gang, allegations he denies.
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Pontypridd MP Alex Davies-Jones said she received the abuse to her “inbox and my office”.
The Labour MP was speaking during a Commons debate on neighbourhood policing, and thanked her own police force for its support.
She said: “I’d like to put on record my own thanks to… all of the local police in my south Wales area who have been an immense support to me in the recent weeks after I have spoken out about the horrendous abuse and behaviour of Andrew Tate online.
“As a result, my own inbox and my office have been bombarded with death threats, rape threats.”
The MP said the police response had been “brilliant”, but added “sadly this isn’t the case for everyone who experiences the same”.
Ms Davies-Jones raised concerns over the impact of Tate on schoolboys at a session of Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this month.
She said: “Teachers are now having to develop their own resources to re-educate boys who are being brainwashed online by his deeply toxic messaging.”
The former kickboxing world champion, who amassed millions of followers across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and TikTok for his divisive content, is facing allegations of human trafficking and being part of an organised crime gang.
He denies the allegations.
Following his arrest in Romania, he will remain in detention until late February after a judge granted a request to extend his detention by 30 days for a second time.
The freehold of two multi-let industrial estates in South Wales have been sold to a property investment firm in a deal supported by advisers at Alder King and Savills.
Springfall Properties has sold Dyffryn Court and Withey Court in Caerphilly to MVJ Capital. The sale price reflects a net initial yield of 7.75 per cent.
The two assets combined comprise 276,704 sq ft of industrial space on 14.7 acres and are let to 23 tenants including Direct Healthcare Group, Dustandthings, Star Linen, Get Set Scenery, Landscapes for Learning and Fastenal.
The total combined passing rent is £833,739 per annum, reflecting a low average rent of £3.00 per sq ft. Both estates offered asset management opportunities to improve the income profile and drive rents.
Alder King acted for the vendor while Savills represented the purchaser.
Owen Young, partner at Alder King in Cardiff, said: “Acting for a family owned business, who originally purchased and subdivided these large buildings, it was pleasing to receive interest from a number of parties, all wishing to cash in on the potential to increase income in this strong sector of the market. The family will be using the proceeds to concentrate on new development opportunities.”
Ross Griffin, director at Savills, added: “We were pleased to act for MVJ capital on this transaction which gives the opportunity to further asset manage and add value for my client.
“The attractive income return proved attractive in a sector they felt confident in with a lack of occupational space available in South Wales.”
Crews from the emergency services were spotted in Beatty Road, Ringland tonight.
The Argus contacted Gwent Police who said the Newport incident was a false alarm due to a hoax call.
A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: “We received a call at 18:54 from a member of the public who believed there may be a person trapped in a sewage tunnel.
“However, no person was trapped in the sewage tunnel and the person concerned for was found safe nearby.”
Gwent Police and the South Wales Fire and Rescue service attended the scene.
One eyewitness said they saw Search and Rescue services with torches at the top end of Howe Circle, along the reen and opposite Ringland Labour Club.
The Department for Education has issued guidance for schools and parents as thousands of teachers across England and Wales are set to strike.
The National Education Union (NEU) has voted to take industrial action on seven days across February and March.
This is when and where NEU affiliated teachers are on strike in the next two months:
Wednesday, February 1 – England and Wales
Tuesday, February 14 – Wales
Tuesday, February 28 – The following English regions: Northern, North West, Yorkshire & Humber
Wednesday, March 1 – The following English regions: East Midlands, West Midlands, Eastern
Wednesday, March 15 – England and Wales
Thursday, March 16 – England and Wales
The Department for Education has issued its guidance for parents who may be affected by the strikes.
They said: “Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their school-registered child of compulsory school age attends school regularly.
“Therefore, all school-registered children of compulsory school age in classes open on days when strike action is being taken are still required to attend school, regardless of parental choice or the closure of other classes in the school.”
The guidance also says that there is “no express right for a member of the public who is affected by a lawful strike to receive financial compensation.”
The Department for Education said that while schools will “take all reasonable steps to keep the school open for as many pupils as possible” to remain open, some may be more seriously affected on strike days than others.
Some schools may have to restrict attendance in some year groups, but the advice is that schools prioritise vulnerable children, children of critical works and children who are preparing for exams.
Dr. Bronstein works in Ancient Greek philosophy, and has interests in ethics, epistemology, philosophy of science, logic, and metaphysics in Plato, Aristotle, and beyond. He was recently awarded a 2023 Future Fellowship by the Australian Research Council. Valued at $777,019 over four years, the grant will support his research on “Virtue with Aristotle: Recovering an Ancient Ethical Theory for Our Time” The project aims to show how Aristotle’s theory of virtue can guide our individual and collective attempts to live good human lives in challenging times. You can learn more about Dr. Bronstein’s work here and here.
Hidden within the beautiful valleys and across our natural landscapes, there is a growing concern that pollution is casting a shadow over our wonderful area.
We are lucky in Islwyn to have such beautiful natural landscapes surrounding our valley. However, it is our responsibility to protect our local environment. My inbox is constantly filled with residents expressing their concerns about the environment and reducing pollution.
I know that many people care about our area and are fighting hard to protect our natural environment for future generations.
I have never forgotten the pollution that was in our rivers as I grew up, I am proud of how far we have come in cleaning up our environment and we cannot allow this progress to be put at risk by pollution, sewage or harmful chemicals.
The reports that water companies have been pumping raw sewage into our sea and rivers are extremely concerning. We have a duty to act to prevent any harm to our natural landscapes and environment from manmade pollution.
There are so many groups out there who work tirelessly to clean up our local areas. For example, the Friends of Nant Gwyddon Forest have come to me in the past and shared their concerns about the impact of off-road biking in the area.
People come from all over the country to take in the views of the valleys and explore them either on foot or bicycle. Ensuring people can access these spaces safely is vital. The work of groups like the Friends of Nant Gwyddon, and so many others, means these green spaces are protected and can thrive once again. We must continue the vital work these groups do to protect our green spaces.
Here in Islwyn, the growth of tourism and the business that comes with it has been a welcome development, but I fear if we do not protect access to our outdoor spaces and maintain them so they are open and safe places to visit, people will no longer come.
Furthermore, with pollution growing and reports that water companies are dumping sewage into rivers across the country, these will only add to the destruction of these outdoor spaces and slow growth in tourism.
Over the last couple of years, the importance of access to shared outdoor spaces has become clearer. In the times when we stayed inside, having a place to go for fresh air and for children to play was lifesaving.
We know that our community is home to such beautiful landscapes, it is time we all joined together to protect them, for our generation and many more to come.
THE Welsh Secretary of State has marked Holocaust Memorial Day by urging people to “tackle hatred and prejudice in all its forms”.
David TC Davies, who is the Conservative MP for Monmouth, visited the Cardiff United Synagogue yesterday.
He met members of the Jewish community, including 95-year-old Holocaust survivor Terry Farago-Nogaidi, who re-told the horrors that she endured during Nazism.
Following the visit, Mr Davies MP said: “Holocaust Memorial Day is an incredibly important opportunity for us to remember the horrors of the Holocaust, as well as subsequent genocides.
“What I heard today from the Jewish community moved me greatly and it re-confirmed that Holocaust education is more important now than ever before.
“It’s vital that we continue to inculcate the next generation about the horrors of Nazism.
“It’s imperative that each and every one of us renews our commitment to fight hatred and prejudice in all its forms.
“Doing so will ensure the horrors of the Holocaust and other genocides are never forgotten or repeated.”
by Staff
