The Conservatives called on councils to utilise “usable” reserves of more than £2bn, with taxpayers in Wales facing an average bill increase of 7.3% next year.
Author: Chris Haines - ICNN Senedd Reporter
‘Severely flawed’ vulnerable customer lists delayed storm response
Inaccurate lists of vulnerable people led to delays in responding to storms, with staff sent to non-existent homes and a customer who had died years earlier, a committee heard.
MS calls out sexual harassment and shares her experiences
Hannah Blythyn shared her own experience of sexual harassment in the workplace as she urged ministers to accelerate action to stamp out the blight on society.
‘Wales isn’t a nation of millionaire farmers’: Plaid Cymru demands pause to farm tax
Plaid Cymru urged the UK Government to pause and review planned changes to inheritance tax for farmers, warning the impact could be destructive in rural Wales.
Senedd laments loss of iconic theme park
The owners of Oakwood Theme Park have said it will not reopen for the 2025 season.
Half of secondary schools must do better on teaching – Estyn
Estyn warned teaching must improve in half of secondary schools in Wales, with the inspectorate raising serious concerns about the quality of leadership.
Welsh Government’s £26bn budget passes with Lib Dem support
The Senedd signed off on the Welsh Government’s £26bn budget for the coming year after ministers struck a deal with the Liberal Democrats.
Senedd votes to end tax relief for private schools
From April, private schools in Wales will no longer be eligible for charitable relief but an exception will be introduced for independent special schools.
UK at serious risk of chronic democratic decline, ex-counter-extremism tsar warns
A former counter-extremism chief warned the growing threat of online disinformation and misinformation creates a “permissive environment” for extremism to flourish in the UK.
RCT Council hit with £13m bill for storm damage
Andrew Morgan gave evidence to a Senedd inquiry into the response to storms Bert and Darragh, which wreaked havoc across Wales at the end of 2024.