The Valleys Lead

Who benefits from extracting coal from Bedwas spoil tips?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 07:01:04 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Today, we are taking you to Bedwas, where there are talks about extracting coal from spoil tips. There are major concerns being raised, and we talked with the chair of Friends of Sirhowy Country Park to find what they are. This is a story we plan to continue to cover so please contact laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com if you have more on this.

The story is below, but first, thanks again for joining us this week. The Valleys Lead has been up and running for nearly six months, covering exclusive, in-depth stories from the south Wales valleys. We don’t do clickbait, but cover the stories that matter to you, stories that inform you, stories that impact you and your community.

The Valleys Lead is subscriber based - we keep producing with both free and paid subscribers, so please do consider supporting local journalism by subscribing. If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

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Finally, thanks to everyone who has been in touch thus far with story tips. Rest assured, if you come to me with a story, discretion can be guaranteed. We’d love you to get in touch at valleys@thelead.uk, laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com, or via Bluesky or Instagram with any stories you might have for us.

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Planned cuts to school transport in Caerphilly will not be revisited before the measure is due to come into force. The county borough council has proposed removing free transport for hundreds of children who live within two miles of their secondary schools along nine routes now considered “safe”. Plaid Cymru councillor Teresa Parry had attempted to secure a last-minute reprieve for the affected children by tabling an urgent motion calling for the cuts to be paused and the routes reviewed. But the council said its constitution means six months have to elapse before its decisions can be reconsidered – and the earliest possible meeting to discuss that motion will be in late September.
Concerns have been raised about the “absolute nightmare” of E-scooters and E-bikes in Rhondda Cynon Taf despite a review not supporting more controls. A report was presented to the local authority cabinet on Monday, 15 June, in response to a notice of motion agreed by full council in October 2025 which raised concerns around the use of E-bicycles and E-scooters across RCT. But a review of the legislative framework around E-bicycles and E-scooters has taken place which has found that while the concerns raised are valid and understood the current evidence does not support the introduction of additional local legislation at this time.
South Wales Police are investigating a serious assault in Merthyr Tydfil. A woman has been taken to hospital after being found at a residential address in Merthyr Tydfil, and a man was later found dead at Pontsticill Reservoir. We will continue to watch this story.

Who benefits from extracting coal from Bedwas spoil tips?

A long-standing problem for Bedwas, a town in Caerphilly County Borough, has been spoil tips - large mounds of waste rock, soil, and debris removed during mining operations - at Bedwas Navigation Colliery.

Since mining operations ended in 1985, at least two Bedwas coal waste tips have been surveyed by the Welsh Government and been given category D status, meaning they are tips with the potential to impact public safety, and must be inspected by Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC) at least twice a year.

The Welsh Government has said the tips aren’t necessarily ‘unsafe’, but due to the height and make-up of them, there is a risk that run-off water could cause an incident below.

Years ago, it was announced that the company Energy Recovery Investments Limited (ERI) had made proposals to mine coal left in the two tips and then remediate - to make safe – the tips afterwards.

“They claim that by remediating the tips they will restore grassland which was lost when the tips were created and create new areas of grassland,” Norman Liversuch, Chair of Friends of Sirhowy Country Park, told The Valleys Lead. “They claim that this will benefit the natural environment and nature conservation. But in doing so they will be carrying out a major open cast mining operation, removing tip spoil down to bedrock, spoil which has been in place for many years and which nature is reclaiming.”

According to Liversuch, ERI claims that the tips are at a risk of catching fire so coal (left over in the spoil tips from previous mining) needs to be removed.

“There is no evidence to support these claims,” he said. “The only recorded instance of a tip fire took place in the 1970’s when the colliery was still operating and this was in a tip which is not part of ERI’s scheme.”

ERI’s plan? According to Liversuch, the spoil will first be washed to separate the coal.

“The washery location is on the mountain ridge top above the Sirhowy valley and the village of Cwmfelinfach,” he said.

The washery will operate from 6 am to 10 pm, said Liversuch. “There will be lights, noise, dust and possible runoff into streams feeding the river Sirhowy,” he said. “This will detrimentally affect the local population and wildlife in the river and surrounding woodland. This new tipping will destroy a wide range of habitats which would be very difficult, if not impossible to recreate.”

Animals would lose their homes and grazing patches, and the public won’t be able to access the grounds for walking, according to Liversuch.

“Since the closure of the collieries the environment has improved dramatically, so much so that otters were seen swimming and catching fish in the river Sirhowy and a country park has been created for everyone to enjoy,” he said. “ERI’s scheme would destroy this.”

There are concerns about contaminants in the spoil.

“In 2010 CCBC engaged consultants to prepare a scheme to remediate the tips,” Liversuch said. “The scheme highlighted the presence of contaminants in the spoil and recommended that any work should involve minimal disturbance of the spoil to prevent release of the contaminants into the local environment. The contaminants are still in the spoil and the scheme proposed by ERI will release them.”

Waste from washing the spoil will then be dumped on Mynydd y Grug, a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC), and lorries will transport the coal for processing on a forest track (much of which is unpaved) running through the Sirhowy Valley Country Park, which passes through a local nature reserve, bisects a Community Farm, and runs adjacent to the Covid Memorial Woodland.

Locals near this track are worried about the impact on their health from the increased dust created from lorries, and the disruption caused.

“The number of lorries going through our village will make even more exhaustion than there already is,” Geoff Arnold, 77, told The Valleys Lead. “That exhaustion is probably going to kill me.”

Geoff has COPD, a medical condition involving the constriction of airways, worsened by vehicle exhaust, coal dust and smoke.

Geoff Arnold

And then the question remains of what happens with the extracted coal from the spoil tips. Will it stay within Wales, or be sent abroad?

Mother in Merthyr Tydfil whose son died in Pontsticill Reservoir raises awareness of risks

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 14 Jun 2026 07:02:10 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Twenty years ago, Maxine Johnson’s son died after experiencing cold water shock while swimming in a reservoir in Merthyr Tydfil. The Valleys Lead spoke with Maxine about how she is raising awareness about open water.

For more about how to stay safe in water, please visit Water Safety Wales.

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Lis McLean, newly-elected MS for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, has made her first contribution in the Chamber, urging the voice of the community in Merthyr Tydfil to be heard on decisions made about the open mine, Ffos-y-Fran, which The Valley Lead has reported on previously. “A mining legacy working group has been established to look at the future of the site, and as I understand membership of the group is still being discussed,” she said. “At present, there is no certainty that the voice of the community will be represented. If the restorication work is to meaningful, the community of Merthyr Tydfil has to be part of it.”
The Big Den Reuse Shop in Ebbw Vale has been open a few days and customers have been flying through the doors apparently. So much so, they really need donations of stock. Cabinet Member Councillor Tommy Smith paid a visit this week to see the shop and find out about the great work of the Wastesavers charity projects. “Pleased to pay a visit to Y Den Mawr (The Big Den Reuse Shop) in Ebbw Vale earlier this week,” Smith said. “It’s great to see items being given a second life while supporting sustainability and reducing waste. Every reused item helps make a difference.” The shop is located at New Vale Household Waste and Recycling Centre, Waun-y-Pound Industrial Estate.
Independent councillors in Merthyr Tydfil have said on Facebook that they are “deeply concerned” by the announcement that funding for Community Focused Schools has ended and that the entire team is now subject to redundancy consultation. “This service has supported some of the most vulnerable children, young people and families across our county borough, helping improve attendance, tackle the effects of poverty, strengthen links between schools and communities and engage families who often struggle to access support,” a post read. “What makes this particularly concerning is that the work undertaken by Community Focused Schools directly reflects many of the priorities set out by the current administration itself – leading on learning, increasing attendance, supporting vulnerable residents, focusing on looked-after children and working collaboratively with partners. The administration’s own Corporate Plan states that decisions should be made openly and that engagement and consultation should be enhanced. We therefore believe residents deserve answers about how this decision was reached, what alternatives were considered and, most importantly, how support for children and families will be maintained going forward.”

Mother in Merthyr Tydfil whose son died in Pontsticill Reservoir raises awareness of risks

On 17 June 2006, Maxine Johnson’s 15-year-old son, Reuben Morgan, drowned in Pontsticill Reservoir, just a few miles north of Merthyr Tydfil.

“It was a hot, summer day, and Reuben had been spending time with friends around the reservoir,” Maxine, who lives in Merthyr Tydfil, told The Valleys Lead. “Like many young people, they were unaware of the hidden dangers that can exist in open water.”

Reuben and a few friends had gone for a swim in the large reservoir, swimming quite a distance out.

“It was very deep and he had gotten into difficultly three quarters of the way across,” Maxine said. “His friends tried desperately to help him, but Reuben was experiencing the effects of cold-water shock. The shock of the cold water can cause panic; difficulty breathing and make it impossible for even confident swimmers to respond in the way they normally would.”

As Reuben struggled, he was pulling one of his friends under the water. Realising the danger to his friend, Reuben told him to let go and get himself to safety.

“His friends reached the shore, but Reuben disappeared beneath the water and never made it out,” Maxine said. “At the time, they did not understand the dangers of cold-water shock or appreciate how cold open water can remain, even during periods of very warm weather. They were simply young people enjoying a summer day and had no idea how quickly a situation could turn tragic.”

Reuben’s death changed Maxine’s life and the lives of Reuben’s other family and friends, forever.

Why are residents frustrated by the sale of a solar farm in Penyrheol?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:45 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Plaid Cymru councillor Aneurin Minton told The Valleys Lead why he is calling on Caerphilly County Borough Council to reveal the sale price of the Cwm Ifor Solar Farm, arguing that residents have been kept in the dark about the transaction. He says local people were originally promised benefits such as cheaper electricity and community investment, but claims those commitments were not delivered when the project was sold to Fuse Energy.

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There are plans to expand a caravan site in Rhondda Cynon Taf Councils by nine pitches to meet the need for Gypsy and Traveller accommodation. The Council is required to undertake a Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment (GTAA) every five years, and the most recent assessment from 2022 to 2027 has identified a need for additional Gypsy and Traveller pitches within RCT. The proposed expansion of the Beddau caravan site by nine pitches, alongside supporting facilities such as a site office and play area, represents a “practical and deliverable first phase in meeting this identified need” the cabinet report said.
Independent Councillor Candidate for Dowlais Pant in Merthyr Tydfil, Nick Meaney, has written asking why Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has the highest average Band D council tax in Wales, and whether services match the high price. “If the Council has more money than ever before, where is the additional funding being spent?” he asked, noting that since Covid, the Council's annual budget has grown from around £133 million to almost £184 million. “I want to be clear: this isn’t about political point scoring. Labour and Independent administrations have both approved council tax rises since Covid.
This is about asking reasonable questions on behalf of residents who are paying more every year and deserve to know where their money is going.”
A good news story: In Blaenau Gwent, young people helped to clean up a local skatepark. Organised by Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, the clean-up brought together the young people and their families, joined by local police and fire representatives, who all worked together to make a real difference. Armed with litter pickers, gloves and jet washing equipment courtesy of local fire officers, the group got stuck in. Afterwards, the area looked cleaner, safer and much more welcoming. Team Manager with Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, Kristian Gay, said:
“The young people who attend the club came up with the idea themselves. They spoke about wanting to improve the local area, especially the skate park, which is an important space for them but had become plagued by litter. Instead of just talking about it, they stepped up and decided to do something about it, and the results were great. We are very proud of them.”

Why are residents frustrated by the sale of a solar farm in Penyrheol?

In May, Plaid Cymru councillor for Penyrheol, Aneurin Minton, was informed by local media reports that a solar farm on the mountainside above his ward had been sold to a private company.

He told The Valleys Lead he found it “troubling” this was how he found out about the sale of such a “large public asset” within his ward.

“The Cwm Ifor Solar Farm was originally proposed as a public project,” Minton, who was elected as a councillor for Penyrheol in a by-election last year, told The Valleys Lead. “It was presented to the community with promises of tangible benefits, specifically cheaper energy bills and local investment opportunities, which brought real hope to Penyrheol.”

Aneurin Minton

Yet in May, the solar farm was sold by the Labour-run Caerphilly County Borough Council to a private firm, Fuse Energy, and the sale price has yet to be disclosed.

“As far as I am aware the Labour council has decided to sell the project as they don’t have enough financial resources to carry out the project,” he said. “This in my opinion is shortsighted. A great asset and opportunity for the local community have been wasted. This was sold to us on the basis of having very positive future impacts on the community, so what has changed?”

The 20-megawatt solar farm was approved in theory by Caerphilly Council Cabinet in October 2022 in light of the Council declaring a climate emergency in June 2019, and a commitment to becoming carbon neutral. The solar farm would be the first time Caerphilly Council invested in the energy sector, and was expected to cost between £12 million and £16 million, projected to power 6,000 homes if built on “low-grade” farmland in Penyrheol, and have an operational lifespan of 35 years.

Proposed solar farm land

At the time, no decision had been made on whether the council would develop the solar farm itself or sell the project on.

Public consultations for the Penyrheol Solar Farm started in November 2022.

The Welsh Government signed off on planning permission for the solar fam in May 2024, as the project required ministerial approval because its size made it a development of national significance.

“This could support community decarbonisation projects as well as wider support for the community,” according to the council report on the solar farm. “Not only will the project improve air quality and wellbeing, it will also bring in a revenue to support council services for the most vulnerable.”

Such “community benefits clauses will be included in the sale documents”, the report added.

Community responds to concerning suicide trends in Merthyr Tydfil

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 07 Jun 2026 07:01:11 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

We want to preface this edition with a trigger warning - the story involves mention of death by suicide. Should you need help to speak about your mental health please contact Samaritans 116 123 or the CALL Helpline: 0800 132 737.

The story is below, but first, thanks again for joining us this week. The Valleys Lead has been up and running for nearly half a year, covering exclusive, in-depth stories from the south Wales valleys. We don’t do clickbait, but cover the stories that matter to you, stories that inform you, stories that impact you and your community.

Just enter your email below to subscribe.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues.

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

A new Community Alcohol Partnership launched in Ebbw Vale this week, bringing local organisations together to reduce alcohol-related harm among children and young people and support safer communities where everyone can feel safe. The partnership is a key priority of the Blaenau Gwent Anti-Social Behaviour Taskforce, which has recognised the impact that underage drinking can have on young people’s health, wellbeing and life chances, as well as on the wider community. Partners pledged to educate and support young people about the risks of underage drinking and making responsible choices about alcohol, restrict access to alcohol, and provide positive alternatives.
Neath Port Talbot Council has approved plans to reduce the operating hours of its telephone lines in the council tax section following a recent review which stated that over the past 12 months, the council service handled more than 57,000 telephone calls. Access hours via telephone contact will be cut by around five and a half hours per week to encourage greater use of digital channels (online contact) and create additional staff capacity to work on priority, complex tasks and activities.
A former Santander bank in Blackwood will become a commercial space downstairs and two studio flats and a one-bedroom flat upstairs. No objections to the plans, applied for by Fesal Sohail, had been lodged with the council. During a recent public consultation period, supporters of the scheme praised the redevelopment opportunity, adding the new housing would be “perfect” for single people.

Community responds to concerning suicide trends in Merthyr Tydfil

At the start of the pandemic, Gareth Clement felt desperately low and isolated in the house with his young child. When he heard the announcement that he wouldn’t qualify for furlough payments from the government, “it was the nail in the coffin.”

“I felt under so much pressure because I was just trying to cobble together money to pay the bills,” Gareth, 37, told The Valleys Lead. “I already felt pressure trying to care for my son and stay grounded in a world that no one will probably ever experience again. It just all got to be too much. I just wanted a way out.”

Gareth phoned his GP and spoke to his receptionist two weeks prior to an attempt to take his life, telling her he was struggling with his mental health.

“The receptionist told me I wasn’t severe enough – that there was no help,” he said. “I wasn’t signposted. She didn’t tell me to try and call again. There was nothing they could do, is what she said.”

Gareth Clement

From 2021-2023, Merthyr Tydfil County had the highest suicide rate among all other local authorities in Wales. While the average suicide rate in Wales was 11.7 suicides per 100,000, in Merthyr Tydfil, the rate was 18.4 per 100,000. Blaenau Gwent came next (and had the highest suicide rate subsequently in 2024/25).

The majority of those who end their lives by suicide in Wales are men, with the Centre for Policy Research on Men and Boys stating that “suicide is the biggest killer for men under 50 in Wales.” The rate of suspected suicides in Wales in people who were reported to be unemployed was 150.8 per 100,000, which was over 12 times higher than in any other employment status group, in 2024/25. 61% of people were reported to have had a mental health condition and 29% were known to mental health services in the 6 months prior to death.

In April’s Scrutiny Committee Report on the Overview of Adults and Children’s Mental Health Services in Merthyr Tydfil, which should go on to provide Scrutiny Members with an overview of Mental Health Servies in Merthyr Tydfil to support strategic understanding for scrutiny and partnership, suicide prevention was briefly noted.

“Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board held a workshop in March 2026 to gain views from all in attendance around the National Suicide Prevention and Self Harm Strategy,” the report stated. “The workshop was key to considering the next steps in delivering this strategy locally.”

The Wales-wide Suicide Prevention and Self-harm Strategy (2025-2035) replaced the previous strategy and aims to reduce the number and rates of suicide deaths that have happened in Wales over recent years. It also aims to establish a pathway to support people who self‑harm and to improve support for those bereaved by suicide.

The strategy has six main aims:

listening and learning: developing a robust evidence base and hearing from people with lived experience
preventing: addressing risk factors
empowering: removing stigma, helping everyone to talk and listen to each other about suicide and self-harm and to help find support when needed
supporting: improving services for people with self-harm and suicidal thoughts
equipping: making sure services which support people at higher risk across Wales identify people in need and work together to provide support
responding: providing timely, compassionate and person-centred support to those affected following suspected suicides

“By working across government departments and with our partners, we’re tackling the root causes while ensuring immediate help is available to those who need it,” then Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Sarah Murphy, said of the launch of the strategy.

Looking back, Gareth said he didn’t receive support from local services when he felt at his very lowest.

Gareth phoned once more days before his suicide attempt, and was told the same – that he wasn’t unwell enough, and there was no support.

“That was really tough,” he told The Valleys Lead. “It took a lot of courage to speak out. And then I was just brushed off.”

In the end, Gareth sought the only way out he could see, his own death.

In the aftermath, Gareth found help from a charity – Let’s Talk Men’s Mental Health – who referred him for counselling.

“They helped me to set about rebuilding myself,” he said.

In the last five years, Gareth has shared his story to offer hope for people struggling with thoughts of suicide, and to urge systemic change in supporting people with mental health problems in Merthyr Tydfil and the wider south Wales valleys. As part of sharing his story, he founded the Grumpy Dumpty Foundation, an initiative supporting people to recover and rebuild after crisis.

The project focuses on mental health awareness, addiction recovery support, suicide prevention, and signposting people towards trusted services.

“In the valleys, there is a lot of poverty, and unemployment rates are high,” Gareth said. “This contributes to poor mental health. I also think a lot of men that are quite tough and old school – not wanting to speak about how they feel because from a young age, they’ve been told to ‘suck it up and carry on with life.’”

He’d like to see earlier mental health interventions and education in schools. “To lower suicide rates in the valleys, a new generation of youngsters should be able to be open and honest speaking about how they feel,” he said.

In the short-term, Gareth thinks easier accessibility to mental health support centres would be effective at reducing the number of deaths by suicide. “We need case support and drop-in centres,” he said. “We need people that know how to signpost from these drop-ins. Front facing people – receptionists, barbers, hairdressers, pub owners – could all be trained in mental health and where to direct people to.”

A father disappointed with mental health services in Merthyr Tydfil has also set up a support service he believes to be part of the solution for people struggling with their mental health in Merthyr Tydfil following the tragic death of his son by suicide.

Increased recycling production in Wattsville has led to residents becoming "crazy with rage"

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:01:15 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

We’re taking you to Wattsville in Caerphilly County Borough today, to hear from people who are worried about a 50 percent production increase at a recycling factory that can only be accessed using a narrow residential road.

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The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

A former pub in Pontllanfraith will be turned into new homes after plans have being given the green light by members of Caerphilly County Borough Council. GHR Developments Ltd will demolish the old Tredegar Junction Hotel on Commercial Street, and build 36 self-contained flats. Before the committee agreed unanimously to back the project, Councillor Mike Adams – who represents the Pontllanfraith ward – said he hoped the new homes would support people on the council’s lengthy housing waiting list. The Valleys Lead is keen to cover stories about housing solutions in the south Wales valleys. If you’d like to share what is happening around you, please email laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com.
Now that David Hughes, a former Reform UK councillor in Merthyr Tydfil, has been elected as a Reform UK MS, a by-election will be held to fill his spot as a councillor for Dowlais and Pant. The list of people standing will be: Dean Barrett of Welsh Labour, James Cushen of Plaid Cymru, Janeen Davies of the Wales Green Party, Terry Donegan of Reform UK Wales, Nick Meaney who is an Independent, and Roxanne Richardson of the Welsh Conservatives. The by-election will be held on Thursday, 25 June. Information on how to vote can be found here.
The candidates for the Treorchy by-election have also been named. The poll is being held to replace Sera Evans, the former Plaid Cymru councillor for the area, who was elected to the Senedd in May representing Afan Ogwr Rhondda. Candidates are Daniel Buck of the Wales Green Party, Richard Clarke of Plaid Cymru, Craig Ford of Reform UK, David Morris of Welsh Labour, and Cerys Walker of the Welsh Conservatives.

Increased recycling production in Wattsville has led to residents becoming “crazy with rage”

Seven years ago, community members in the Ynysddu ward of Caerphilly campaigned against a planning application that had been put in to build a recycling factory in the narrow, steep sided village of Cwmfelinfach.

“We lost and the recycling factory on Nine Mile Point Industrial Estate was built,” Janine Reed, councillor for the Ynysddu ward, told The Valleys Lead. “It wasn’t wanted in this valley in the first place. To service all the waste (which comes mostly from England rather than Wales), large HGV lorries must go through our very narrow valley.”

To get to and from the Oakleaf recycling factory in Cwmfelinfach, Alorries must drive on a small residential road through the village of Wattsville, leaving people feeling unsafe, worried about their health from dust residue, and frustrated by the noise in the early mornings and late evenings.

A lorry drives through the narrow roads of Wattsville every three minutes

Dust covers many of the cars near the recycling plant

“The pollution in the village is just below the legal limit,” said Reed. “When they dry the waste, the dust comes down as a fine layer and settling on a lot of the cars parked near the plant. People are breathing in this dust. The HGVs often mount the curb, especially if there are two coming towards each other. I have a video from a disabled chap who watched as a lorry mounted a curb just yards from where he was. The high speed from the lorries creates a suction effect.”

Currently, HGVs go through the village every three minutes according to a traffic survey conducted by Caerphilly Council.

And it’s about to get worse following a pre-planning application that has just gone into the council, according to Reed and her fellow Ynysddu ward councillor, Jan Jones.

Micro hydroelectric scheme to power a school in Rhondda Cynon Taf

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 31 May 2026 07:03:12 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

We are waiting with baited breath to hear what Plaid Cymru will deliever for Wales when it comes to renewable energy. While we wait, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council continues pushing forward to create more renewable energy.

The story is below, but first we wanted to share some very exciting news with you. The Lead’s local coverage (of which The Valleys Lead is included) has been shortlisted in this year’s Publisher Newsletter Awards. We’re all super excited.

Off the back of such wonderful news, we just wanted to say thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who has been in touch thus far with story tips. Rest assured, if you come to me with a story, discretion can be guaranteed. We’d love you to get in touch at valleys@thelead.uk or via Bluesky or Instagram with any stories you might have for us.

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The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Campaigners against planned library closures in Caerphilly will have their legal challenge heard on Thursday June 4 after the council has proposed shutting ten of its smaller libraries to deliver a better service. People in communities with planned closures have said local libraries are vital lifelines for small villages and closures would disproportionately impact younger residents. Although the closures of ten libraries was due to occur in August, closures were paused following a legal challenge, which will be heard in Cardiff’s High Court for a judicial review next week.
Though this is Wales-wide news, we just had to mention it. Tour de France is coming to Wales! Around 1,000 volunteers will be needed in Wales for the third leg of the men's race on 4 July 2027. The leg will start in Welshpool, passing through iconic landscapes, magnificent valleys and bustling town centres, before finishing in Cardiff. The application portal is open and will be open until Tuesday 1 September 2026 - www.letourgb.com/volunteer .
Blaenau Gwent Council’s new Family Support Hub launched last week with a a family fun day at Bedwellty Park in Tredegar. The Family Support Hub brings together a wide range of early years and family support services and provides a single point of contact for anyone seeking guidance or assistance. A “no wrong front door” approach ensures that anyone reaching out is directed to the most appropriate support, advice, or information for them. Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, Councillor Sue Edmunds said: “Making sure every child in Blaenau Gwent has the opportunity to have the best start in life is a top priority for us, and as part of this we want to make the process of reaching out for support or advice as easy and comfortable as it can be. The new Family Support Hub brings all early years support, activities and advice under one roof, which is easy to access and more parent/carer friendly.”

Micro hydroelectric scheme to power a school in Rhondda Cynon Taf

In March, the previous Labour-run Welsh Parliament announced the Renewable Energy Sector Deal, applauded by Renewable UK Cymru, who said the deal would unlock a £10 billion opportunity for Welsh businesses, 8,000 jobs and £183 million in community benefits.

Renewable UK Cymru previously warned Wales was failing to capitalise on its “world-class natural resources.”

Clydach Vale Country Park from Google Maps

While Scotland has secured more than £18bn in new investment support for clean energy in the last ten years, Wales has attracted less then £1 billion.

Rising electricity demand to support the switch to electric vehicles, heat pumps, data centres and AI-driven industries meant without “a major increase in clean power generation, Wales risks higher bills, weaker energy security and falling further behind economically,” according to Renewable UK Cymru.

Although the deal was announced by the previous government, Plaid Cymru, the new leaders of the Senedd, said at the time: “In our first 100 days in government, we would build new partnerships between government and key stakeholders and develop Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru (Welsh for ‘Green Electricity Wales’) into a single, consolidated energy company to develop renewables and to help reduce energy bills.”

We are waiting and watching to see what Plaid Cymru will deliver when it comes to renewables in Wales, but until then, a recent proposal hopes to deliverable renewable energy to a school in the south Wales valleys.

A proposed micro hydro development in Clydach Vale in the Rhondda would harness water from Nant Clydach Lake, with a pipeline running from an intake near the Lakeside Café to a new turbine house.

The planning statement submitted with the application said the scheme ultimately aims to progress the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council carbon reduction targets as well as national net zero targets.

The hydro power scheme would include a pipeline running from the intake adjacent to Lake Side Cafe (close to Nant Clydach Lake in Clydach Vale) to a proposed turbine house, with a cable running from the turbine building to the connection point at Ysgol Nantgwyn.

Most of the routes would be run underground but one section of the pipeline across the Clydach Lake car park will be micro bore tunnelled into place while the rest will be “open trench buried.”

As trees will need to be removed to build, site proposals include new tree-planting in the replacement works.

A similar, but smaller hydro power system had previously been approved by the council in 2008, and was then implemented by a community group, who has said they are fully supportive of further hydropower schemes locally.

The council seems to be leading the way in hyrdro power.

In March, plans were submitted to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council for a new micro-hydro plant to power a football club, Cambrian United FC. If approved, it would become the first in the county to power its home ground through hydropower.

In a region shaped by the historic coal industry, the head of the proposed project said the effort is part of their “journey from black to green.”

“I would say if you’ve got the potential to develop a micro-hydro plant within your community then it’s a no-brainer,” The Cambrian Village Trust (the trust behind the plans) director, Phillip Williams said. “The coal industry left deprivation. When the mines all shut there was deprivation, scarred landscapes, and the valleys have obviously struggled to regenerate themselves from those days.”

He hopes that community energy projects like this one will give back to communities left behind.

Chris Blake, former director of Green Valleys, which helped install renewables in south Wales, said there was “enormous potential” in using water for power. “There’s enormous potential,” Blake said. “We did a study which identified 20 potential hydro sites in Rhondda Cynon Taf alone. Community energy projects bring people together to harness their own landscape for creating energy. But they can also produce financial returns for local investors and for the social enterprises that organise them.”

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Can Welsh Labour avoid extinction in the south Wales valleys?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 24 May 2026 07:02:50 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Thanks so much again for reading this week. Although The Valleys Lead aims to bring you exclusive, in-depth journalism every Wednesday and Sunday, our journalist, Lauren Medlicott, will be taking her children to north Wales next week, so you won’t hear from us Wednesday. We’ll be back up and running next Sunday - don’t fret.

As the new Welsh Government begins to govern, The Valleys Lead wanted to hear from long-serving Welsh Labour MS in the south Wales valleys, Alun Davies, about whether he thinks Welsh Labour has a chance to govern again in the future.

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(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Christina Harrhy left her role as Caerphilly Council chief executive in October 2024, just over six months into the 2024-25 financial year. Harrhy had been on long-term special leave for 11 months – on full pay – when she left the council. It was reported at the time that she received a pay-off of £209,000. The final bill for council taxpayers’ following the departure of Harrhy can be revealed at £280,000. Caerphilly Council’s statement of accounts for 2024-25 show that this was made up of £98,656 in salary, £165,871 covering a settlement payout and lieu of notice payment with the rest made up by local authority pension contributions of £16,127, making a total of £280,654. Lindsay Whittle, Senedd Member for Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni, who was leader of the Plaid Cymru group on Caerphilly Council when Harrhy left, said: “To say I am staggered is an understatement. It’s worse than I thought. This is the equivalent of a lottery win and people struggling with cost of living and higher council taxes will rightly be shocked.”
Vikki Howells, Labour MS for Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, has joined Ken Skates’ frontbench team as Chief Whip and spokesperson on Environment, Rural Affairs, Energy and Transport. “It’s a big portfolio covering policy areas that I care deeply about – as do so many people here in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr and around Wales,” she said.
Blaenau Gwent Council has secured over £20,000 in funding to further enhance the district heat network at The Works, Ebbw Vale. The network provides heat from a central energy centre through around 4km of pipework to key buildings on site, including Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, Ebbw Fawr Learning Community, Coleg Gwent, the General Offices, Gwent Archives, Hybrid Units and Regain 2. The energy centre uses a mix of gas boilers, combined heat and power (CHP), and two biomass boilers. Together, these systems already supply most of the heat from lower-carbon energy sources. “We’re committed to working with partners and our communities to reduce carbon emissions and move towards a more sustainable, greener Blaenau Gwent,” said Blaenau Gwent Council’s Cabinet Member Neighbourhood Services and the Environment, Councillor Tommy Smith. “The heat network in Ebbw Vale has been very successful, and we’re delighted to secure this funding to look at how we can make it even more efficient, and cost-effective and to potentially connect more buildings to it in the future.”

How will Welsh Labour avoid extinction in the south Wales valleys?

As the dust settles following a historic Senedd election at the start of May, The Valleys Lead spoke to with Alun Davies, who served as a Member of the Senedd for Welsh Labour from 2007 to 2026, before losing his seat in the most recent election for the new Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni constituency.

“On a personal level, it’s obviously very disappointing to lose the opportunity to represent your home community,” Davies told The Valleys Lead.

Born in Tredegar and having spent years representing Blaenau Gwent in the Welsh Parliament, Davies said that while he was disappointed by the loss, he knows “democracy demands winners and losers.”

Alun Davies. Source: Welsh Labour

“You can’t support the extension and deepening of our democracy if you’re not prepared to be a victim of that democracy,” he said.

Following the election, only three seats in the whole of the south Wales valleys went to Welsh Labour – Vikki Howells (Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr), Huw Irranca Davies (Afan Ogwr Rhondda), and Jane Bryant (Casnewydd Islwyn).

Given the severe loss for Welsh Labour in the south Wales valleys, and the rest of Wales, Davies reflected on Welsh Labour’s mistakes, and told The Valleys Lead what needs to happen now if Welsh Labour is going to avoid extinction.

“A party that has been in power 27 years is a party that does need to review its performance in power, what it delivered, and how it governed,” he said. “What has Welsh Labour done well, and what hasn’t it done well? It’s important we have honest conversations amongst ourselves and the electorate.”

“Fostering has made me a better person”

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:02:12 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

The south Wales valleys needs more foster carers as there are rising numbers of looked-after children and not enough people to take care of them. The Valleys Lead spoke with one foster carer in Tredegar about her 20 years of fostering, and looked into big changes ahead as Wales plans to remove profit from children’s care.

If you’d like to speak to The Valleys Lead about social care stories in the valleys, please email valleys@thelead.uk. We’re always up for hearing from readers.

Before you read the story, we just wanted to say thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who has been in touch thus far with story tips. Rest assured, if you come to me with a story, discretion can be guaranteed. We’d love you to get in touch at valleys@thelead.uk or via Bluesky or Instagram with any stories you might have for us.

Just enter your email to support exclusive local journalism in the south Wales valleys.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

We’d love you to support our local, exclusive journalism in the south Wales valleys

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

More than £1.4m has been spent by Caerphilly Council to remove fly-tipping since April 2015 and Plaid Cymru believes changes to waste collections, recycling rules and access to tips have worsened the situation. A Freedom of Information request by Plaid Cymru also revealed there had been a staggering 23,914 fly-tipping incidents over the same period. Caerphilly Plaid Cymru group leader Charlotte Bishop said: “When it becomes harder, more confusing or more restrictive for people to dispose of waste legally, the impact does not disappear — it ends up dumped in lanes, woodland, riversides and communities across the county borough. The environmental damage caused by fly-tipping is serious. Dumped rubbish pollutes soil and waterways, harms wildlife, attracts rats and vermin, increases the risk of toxic materials leaking into the environment and destroys the natural beauty of our valleys and green spaces.” She highlighted the fact that plastic waste and household rubbish could remain in the environment for years with contamination of streams and land. Dangerous materials dumped illegally can contaminate streams and land. “Beyond the environmental impact, there is also the human cost. Residents in Caerphilly county are fed up seeing their communities repeatedly blighted by rubbish, black bags, furniture and waste dumped near homes and beauty spots.”
A council by-election is set to be held in Merthyr Tydfil after Reform UK’s David Hughes stood down from his role after being elected in the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr Senedd seat.
Plans for 28 homes for social rent have been lodged with Blaenau Gwent at the site of a former care home in Brynmawr. The development would be made up of 16 one-bedroom apartments, two three-bedroom bungalows, two three-bedroom semi-detached house, two four-bedroom semi-detached houses, and five two-bedroom terraced houses. A decision is expected by July 24. If you would like to speak with us about transforming buildings into social housing in the valleys, please email valleys@thelead.uk.

“Fostering has made me a better person.”

In 2006, Caroline Jones first considered the option of foster care when a social worker dining at her bakery asked if she’d ever thought about it as a possibility.

“They were desperate for foster carers,” the now 62-year-old told The Valleys Lead. “My husband and I had just gotten married – it was our second marriage. We each had children, but they had all flown the nest. It was kind of like empty nest syndrome.”

After giving it some thought, Caroline and her husband agreed to train as foster carers for the local authority, and when Caroline was 41 years old, the couple started welcoming children into their home in Tredegar.

Caroline and her husband have been fostering for over 20 years in Tredegar.

They had initially thought the foster children they had to stay would “be like their children,” but quickly realised it was a “totally different ball game.”

“There had been no boundaries – a totally different life,” she said.

But Caroline wouldn’t let a challenge stop her. “If I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability, otherwise there is no point,” she said. “You’ve got to be prepared to take everything. They’ve got to learn to trust you.”

Whoever was staying with them, Caroline and her husband made sure to treat them as “family.”

Over their decades of fostering, Caroline recalled several young people who she vividly remembers having to stay, including a young girl who came to her when she was ten. “She couldn’t read or write,” Caroline said.

The girl stayed with Caroline for years and went on to pass her GCSEs, despite everyone’s doubts. “She tried to go to university for nursing, but couldn’t get in,” Caroline said. “Instead, she did health and social access in Pontypridd for two years, and then trained in paediatrics, and she has now been a nurse in the Grange for six years. We are so proud.”

Caroline said these years of fostering have made them better people and given them an “understanding about what is going on in the world.”

“These children are human beings, and they deserve the world,” she said. “Children are our future.”

A need for more foster carers

It isn’t new news that Wales needs more foster carers like Caroline. There has been an upward trend of looked after children in Wales for years (the number of children in care has increased by 28.4% in a decade, although has remained fairly stable in the last five or six years) with most recent reports stating there are around 7,200 children in care. But there are only about 3,538 foster carers to have them, according to Foster Wales.

"The health board's lack of urgency is shameful"

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 17 May 2026 08:02:13 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Health visitors in the south Wales valleys are still on strike, and have been since February, over a dispute with the health board about banding and pay. The Valleys Lead spoke with Unite the Union, representing over 100 health visitors striking, and a mother who has been impacted by the strike. What needs to happen for the strike to end? We ask that question below.

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The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

A defence contractor has announced it will move its manufacturing more than 200 miles from Cambridge to Merthyr Tydfil by 31 March 2027. Marshall Land Systems was sold by the Marshall Group, founded in Cambridge in 1909, to Canadian investment firm, Flowing River Capital Partners, last November.
Moving manufacturing would reduce costs and provide longer term sustainability, according to Flowing River Capital Partners. The Welsh Government said it welcomed the move, saying it showed Wales was “an attractive location for investment”. If you’ve got thoughts on this move, please do share them with us at valleys@thelead.uk or using the comment button at the end of the edition.
Caerphilly Plaid Cymru group leader Charlotte Bishop is demanding the council rethink controversial changes to home to school transport because of the danger to children having to walk along “unsafe” roads. Many routes have been ruled safe by the council leaving 340 learners no longer qualifying free school transport from September but Aber Valley councillor Charlotte Bishop has lobbied the local authority over the changes between Senghenydd in her ward and St Cenydd Community School. “I have serious concerns regarding the suitability and safety of this route for children as young as 11 years old, particularly during winter conditions and periods of darkness and poor weather,” she said. Changes announced by Caerphilly County Borough Council tighten the criteria for free home-to-school transport by assessing whether a walking route is available.
Under Welsh Government guidance, routes must be assessed not only on distance but on whether they are “reasonably safe” for children to walk. Factors such as traffic speed, lighting, pavement width and isolation should all be considered.
An HMO (houses in multiple occupation) has been approved by Caerphilly councillors. Housing organisation D2 Propco had applied to convert its property at 26 Maindee Road into an HMO for three people. Ynysddu ward councillor Janine Reed told Caerphilly County Borough Council’s planning committee about a string of alleged incidents she claimed “brings into question D2 Propco’s ability to manage” the property. There have been concerns about noise, antisocial behaviour and parking pressures, and that two other HMOs are nearby. Planning agent James Driscoll defended D2 Propco’s record, telling the committee the firm houses more than 600 people in around 150 temporary accommodation units in Wales. He said the Cwmfelinfach property had been “identified for use as temporary accommodation for single adults within Caerphilly County Borough”. The Valleys Lead is exploring a story on HMOs so if you have opinions and experiences involving HMOs, please email valleys@thelead.uk.

“The health board’s lack of urgency is shameful.”

Carly Kennard’s daughter was born on February 19 and was discharged home the following day. Due to the health visitor strikes in the south Wales valleys, which have been happening since the end of February, Carly’s daughter didn’t see a health visitor to be weighed. When Carly was concerned about her daughter’s weight, she asked a friend, a health visitor not striking, to weigh her.

“She noticed severe delays in my daughter’s eyesight, that she couldn’t smile, and that she was apparently floppier than other babies her age,” Carly said to The Valleys Lead. “These were all things I had put down to her slow weight gain.”

Soon after, Carly’s daughter was diagnosed with Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus passed from a pregnant person to their baby. The virus can lead to long-term health problems such as hearing loss, developmental and motor delay, vision loss, and seizures.

“It’s something that should have been diagnosed a lot earlier than it was,” Carly said. “I feel if the health visitors hadn’t been on strike, they would have noticed her delays sooner and we could have gotten the help we needed. I am absolutely devastated to say the least. My mental health has been dreadful, and I feel resentment that no one was there to weigh my child and potentially notice these symptoms earlier.”

Health visitors at the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) who are part of Unite the Union have been striking since February, and due to ongoing disputes over banding and pay (which The Valleys Lead covered in detail), have extended their strike from May 13 to July 17.

Health visitors on strike in the south Wales valleys.

The industrial action will see essential, mandatory appointments go unfulfilled due to the “stubbornness of their employer who is refusing to pay them the correct salary based on their qualifications,” which is costing workers between £8000 to £9000 per year.

Over 100 health visitors in the south Wales valleys participated in industrial action from the start of the strike, and no more than a handful have dropped out since.

“Since the strike started on February 23, we have had 5 meetings with CTMUHB, all of which have been meaningless with no offer or attempt at resolving the dispute, Paul Seppman of Unite the Union told The Valleys Lead. “The meetings have been set up as a sham in an attempt to demonstrate negotiations are on-going.”

Seppman said that the strike is continuing due to the “health board’s inaction to resolve the dispute.”

"People aren't getting enough money to afford the essentials."

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:01:46 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

It has been quite the week for Wales with the Senedd election results, and more excitement is to come as the Welsh Parliament convenes.

But we are moving on from our election coverage to bring you a story about food poverty in Rhondda Cynon Taf, which could be a story about any county in the south Wales valleys. The story is below.

If you want to share about food poverty near you - perhaps if you have experienced it personally, volunteered at a foodbank, or know of community initiatives to combat it - we’d love to hear from you at valleys@thelead.uk.

Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who has been in touch thus far with story tips. Rest assured, if you come to me with a story, discretion can be guaranteed. We’d love you to get in touch at valleys@thelead.uk or via Bluesky or Instagram with any stories you might have for us.

Just enter your email to support exclusive local journalism in the south Wales valleys.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Alex Davies-Jones, Labour MP for Pontypridd and Minister for Victims and Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, resigned from her role yesterday as she joins others calling for the Prime Minister to resign. In her resignation letter she wrote: “It is with a very, heavy heart that I feel I have no choice but to resign. The scale of the electoral defeats at the Senedd Cymru and across the United Kingdom have been catastrophic. The country has spoken and we must listen. We waited 14 years to get into power and change the lives of those we represent. The time now is for bold, radical action. I know you to be a good and honest man. I implore you to act in the country’s interest and set out a timetable for your departure.”
In Merthyr Tydfil, a plan has been formed to deal with parking issues around Cyfarthfa Park Primary School on Brecon Road. A report has highlighted how drivers parking at school time on the road causes traffic flow issues and reduces visibility for drivers. To alleviate the parking issues and improve safety, it is being recommended that loading and unloading at any time is prohibited. If you would like to talk to The Valleys Lead about parking/loading and unloading/safety around schools near you, please do get in touch with us at valleys@thelead.uk.
Alun Davies, a long-serving Labour MS for Blaenau Gwent, wasn’t elected in last week’s Senedd election. There isn’t one Labour MS representing the county. After election results were announced, he reflected on why Labour has suffered such a defeat in Wales: “This is the first time in modern history where there is no Labour representatives elected in the valleys of Gwent. Labour has clearly lost the trust of the people from whom we were born. It happens because the party has lost its way and its ability to speak for and with the people we sought to represent. This is also a defeat manufactured in Downing Street. It’s clear to me from the conversations I had over the last few months that Downing Street has walked away from the people that we are seen to represent. If Welsh Labour is serious about turning a corner, it needs to recognise that its own organisation has been part of the problem in this campaign. We cannot simply have a reset – we need to look hard at what we are and what we seek to do. Welsh Labour needs to stand up for Wales, whoever is in Downing Street, or we are nothing. Welsh Labour must rediscover what Welsh Labour was born to be and to do.”

“People aren’t getting enough money to afford the essentials.”

Tucked away in an industrial estate in Pontyclun is a foodbank packing and distribution centre preparing parcels for people in crisis.

Since opening in 2010, this foodbank in Rhondda Cynon Taf has “gotten busier and busier” each year, with food poverty “skyrocketing” during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Matthew Stevens, one of the staff at the foodbank.

“Since then, need has remained consistently high,” Matthew told The Valleys Lead.

The Valleys Lead met Matthew Stevens at a foodbank distribution centre in Pontyclun.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, the county in which Pontyclun is located, is one of the most deprived counties in Wales, where 23.4% of people are living in poverty as compared to the 21.5% Wales average, and where Trussell foodbanks distributed over 16,500 food parcels in 2024/25. The county consistently ranks towards the top of The Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, and 22% of pupils in the County Borough are eligible for Free School Meals compared to the Wales average of 20.3%.

This comes as no surprise to Matthew.

“What we are seeing is that social security – whether that be Universal Credit, Carer’s Allowance, or Disability Support – isn’t covering the essentials,” Matthew said. “These payments haven’t kept pace with the cost of living.”

While not as common, there are a number of people who access foodbank who are working – typically those who are on zero-hour or part-time contracts.

“At the end of the month, their pay packet isn’t covering essentials,” he said.

Everything has gone up in price, and yet social security payments and salaries haven’t risen at the same rate, leaving people debating whether to go hungry or pay their bills.

“When you’re faced with various essentials you’ve got to cover, it’s easier to cut out food than to not pay your water or electricity bill,” Matthew said. “People are having to make really difficult choices.”

Matthew said that on average, about 85% of people who access their foodbank are those who rely solely on benefits.

Inside Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr on a historic day for the Senedd and Wales

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Fri, 08 May 2026 19:02:13 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

It’s a very special edition today, and we can’t wait to hear about your reactions after you have read.

The story is below, but first, we wanted to let you know we are hoping to continue to build a community of readers in the south Wales valleys, and you would be doing local journalism a massive favour by reading, and then sharing these newsletters on your social media feeds, or just sending them to people you think might be interested.

If you’re enjoying and/or finding these newsletters helpful and informative, we’d love you to keep joining us every week by subscribing (there are free and paid options). And if you want to receive our exclusive reporting in full, there is just a small yearly fee (more on that below).

If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so below - there are free and paid options. We’d be over the moon if you financially supported local journalism by paying just a small yearly amount when you subscribe.

Just enter your email here to support local, exclusive journalism in the south Wales valleys. Free and paid options available!

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If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Lead

Six sort-of lessons from the local elections: Democracy, but make it volatile

Britain has spoken…

a month ago · 12 likes · Zoe Grunewald

Your new Senedd representatives in the south Wales valleys are...

The 2026 Senedd election results are in, and the results, as expected, have made history.

The votes have ended a century-long run of Labour election success in Wales, with Plaid Cymru winning the most seats (43), followed by Reform UK (34), Labour (9), Conservative (7), Greens (2) and Liberal Democrats (1).

The Valleys Lead went along to the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr vote count in Aberdare, where we listened to speeches of candidates who won seats and asked for their reactions to the results.

That’s below, but very quickly, here are the results from constituencies in the south Wales valleys:

Afan Ogwr Rhondda (Treorchy, Tonypandy)

Sera Evans (Plaid)
Alun Cox (Plaid)
Elyn Stephens (Plaid)
Benjamin McKenna (Reform UK)
Steve Bayliss (Reform UK)
Huw Irranca Davies (Labour)

Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr (Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Abercynon)

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru)
Jason O’Connell (Reform UK)
Lis McLean (Plaid Cymru)
David Hughes (Reform UK)
Sara Crowley (Plaid Cymru)
Vikki Howells (Labour)

Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni (Abertillery, Bargoed, Tredegar, Rhymney, Caerphilly)

Delyth Jewell (Plaid)
Lindsay Whittle (Plaid)
Niamh Salkeld (Plaid)
Llyr Powell (Reform UK)
Catherine Cullen (Reform UK)
Joshua Kim (Reform UK)

Casnewydd Islwyn (Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, Risca, Caerphilly)

Dan Thomas (Reform UK)
Peredur Griffiths (Plaid Cymru)
Art Wright (Reform UK)
Lyn Ackerman (Plaid Cymru)
Jayne Bryant (Labour)
Natasha Asghar (Conservatives)

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd (Neath, Ystradgynlais)

James Evans (Reform UK)
Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru)
Ian McIntosh (Reform UK)
Rebeca Philips (Plaid Cymru)
Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrats)
David Mills (Reform UK)

The Valleys Lead at the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr vote count

At the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr vote count this afternoon in Pontypridd, the Sobell Leisure Centre in Aberdare was filled with candidates, their teams, families, and reporters – all waiting to hear the results.

After the candidates were taken into a private room to be made aware of who had seats, the air stilled and quieted. When they returned, six candidates were smiling, even crying, with joy and relief. Others were understandably disappointed.

Plaid Cymru won three seats after the party received 28,687 votes (39.5%). The seats went to three women – Heledd Fychan, Lis McLean, and Sara Crowley. Heledd said she was ready to get to work now that she had be re-elected, and that she’d work for residents, no matter if they had voted for Plaid Cymru or not. Lis remarked she has been so proud to be a Merthyr girl. Sara spoke about standing together on the brink of change, and that we are a people who take care of each other.

When The Valleys Lead spoke to Plaid Cymru candidates after the speeches, they said they were glad that “all that work paid off,” and it is now about “where we go from here.”

“I have everything to this campaign,” Lis told The Valleys Lead. “It meant so much to all of us and I’m so pleased it paid off. I think this campaign was won on the ground. We have not stopped knocking doors. Our team was out trying to earn trust and I’m grateful we did that. I think this is a great day for Wales. I’m ready. I’m over the moon. I want more people to feel they can belong in the political system, and I hope people see that from the fact I gave it a go.”

The Valleys Lead’s Lauren Medlicott went to the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr vote count in Aberdare.

Reform UK pushed strongly this week to get votes in the constituency, hosting a rally at Trago Mills in Merthyr on Tuesday night, which The Valleys Lead covered here. They had two seats in the end, with 22,217 votes (30.6%). Jason O’Connell, a Torfaen councillor has been appointed, as has David Hughes, a Merthyr Tydfil councillor.

Jason said it took “a lot of courage” to put oneself forward as a candidate, and promised to deliver, after mentioning his family is moving house today (could it be to the constituency he has been standing for election in?). David said that he thanked God for this success, and that young people have lost hope. “I will deliver hope,” he said.

Unlike in other constituencies around Wales, Labour held onto a seat in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr. Vikki Howells, who has been an MS for the Cynon Valley since 2016, won the sixth seat. In her speech, she spoke of what Labour had achieved – the extension of the A465, upgrades to hospitals and colleges, and deliver of the Cross Valley Link. She said that will in many ways, it had been a disappointing day for Labour, this is now a chance to hold the new government to account for promises made. “We achieve more together than alone,” she said.

After her speech, Vikki told The Valleys Lead that the loss for Labour throughout the country is part of the “ebb and flow” of politics, and that being the opposition is an important part of politics and democracy that she was looking forward to being a part of.

The Valleys Lead also spoke with Gerald Jones, Labour MP for Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, who said Labour is ready to “rebuild,” and the party is ready for that.

Below, you’ll find snapshots from the speeches and afternoon. And then, more about what is next for the valleys and Wales.

Waiting for results

News from other constituencies in the south Wales valleys

In Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, Labour didn’t win one seat. This means that Labour’s Alun Davies, who has served as an MS since May 2007, did not win a seat in his constituency. There was a recount in the constituency before Alun said he had lost his seat with Plaid and Reform both claiming three seats in the constituency.

After the recount, the gap between Alun and the sixth seat was even larger than it had been after the first count. It’s understood the gap was around 111 after the first count but around 200 after the second count.

Plaid Cymru’s Lindsay Whittle spoke to The Valleys Lead about the result in Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni: “Plaid Cymru is very exciting that we have three representatives elected to the Senedd. We’re looking forward to the prospect of working hard as a strong team for the valleys.”

In Casnewydd Islwyn, Dan Thomas, leader of Reform UK in Wales, won the first seat, despite his history of outsourcing of public services, which The Valleys Lead covered last week.

There was only one Liberal Democrats seat won in the valleys, and that went to Jane Dodds in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd.

Only one Conservatives seat was won in the valleys – by Natasha Asghar in Casnewydd Islwyn.

Big news for Wales that isn’t specific to the south Wales valleys?

Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan lost her seat. She said: “Welsh Labour has today suffered a catastrophic result. It ends a century of Labour winning in Wales, and the party will need to take a really hard look at itself and understand the depth of the challenge that we face. I’ve lost my seat here in Ceredigion Penfro and I will be standing down as leader of Welsh Labour. I take responsibility for the Labour result in Wales.”

What now?

Since no party has won the majority – a party would need to have won 49 seats – it’s up in the air what will happen next. Plaid Cymru may choose to govern in a minority government supported by smaller parties on key votes, an option Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorweth has already expressed he would be open to. Or parties will turn to coalition agreements to secure a majority.

Follow along, and we’ll continue to keep you updated on stories from the south Wales valleys as the new government forms.

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Senedd election 2026: Everything you need to know to vote today

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Thu, 07 May 2026 05:46:00 GMT

Today is the day, election day.

The Valleys Lead wanted to give you the chance to have one last chance to review all the information to prepare you for if and how you will vote today. Consider this a one-stop-shop to give you confidence as you vote today.

You’ll find it below and it’s free to read today.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

Photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash

Everything you need to know to vote - TODAY.

Without further ado, your guide:

What’s different about this year’s Senedd election?

There have been, as you’ll know, some major changes to devolved elections in Wales. Constituency boundaries have changed, as has the voting system and the number of politicians who will be elected.

There will be sixteen constituencies throughout Wales, and each will elect six Senedd Members. Instead of the current 60 Senedd members, there will be 96. You will no longer have two votes for a constituency and regional member, but one vote for a party or independent candidate you want to represent your constituency in the Senedd.

If a party wins enough votes, they will win one or more seats in the Senedd. So, for example, if a party wins three seats in a constituency, the top three people on their list will become Members for that area. If an independent candidate wins enough votes, they will also win a seat in the Senedd for their constituency.

The seats will be allocated based on the share of votes each party or independent candidate gets. So, if Party A gets 50% of the votes in a constituency, they will likely get three of the six seats. If Party B gets 30%, they will likely get two of the six seats. If an independent candidate has enough votes, they will also win a seat.

For a deep dive (you can fit it in before you vote!) on how the voting works (because it is a bit more complicated than we have written above), the Senedd has a handy explainer here.

@theleaduk Who will the South wales valleys vote for in this week’s Senedd elections? The Lead went to Pontypridd to find out #southwales #thevalleys #pontypridd #wales #seneddelections #senedd2026 #localpolitics #ukpolitics #welsh #reformukparty #labourparty #plaidcymru #theleaduk

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What are the constituencies in the south Wales valleys?

Most of the valley towns and villages are included in one of five constituencies:

Afan Ogwr Rhondda (Treorchy, Tonypandy)

Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr (Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Abercynon)

Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni (Abertillery, Bargoed, Rhymney, Caerphilly)

Casnewydd Islwyn (Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, Risca)

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd (Neath, Ystradgynlais)

If you want to find out which candidates are standing for each party, you can find our handy lists here and here.

Which party is likely to win the most seats?

There has been a lot of polling released in the last few months, but the most recent polling by ITV Cymru Wales shows that Plaid Cymru (who we spoke with earlier in the year) has jumped ahead of Reform UK (who visited Merthyr Tydfil Tuesday night) to be the predicted largest party in the Senedd Election. According to MRP modelling by YouGov for ITV Cymru Wales in partnership with Cardiff University, under the new voting system, this round of results means Plaid Cymru would win 43 seats and Reform would take 34.

Labour continues to come in at third place, at 12%, which would yield 12 seats. The Welsh Conservatives have seen a small increase in their vote share at 9% placing them in fourth which would translate into four seats. The Green Party has dropped down to fifth place at 8% which in this round of results would only net them two seats.

“However, Labour, the Conservatives and the Greens are all polling with a level of vote share that, with just a few percentage points difference either way, would have a huge impact on the number of seats won within constituencies, and then across Wales,” the ITV Cymru Wales Poll results stated. “The drop in the number of Green seats could be completely reversed if just a few thousand more votes go their way across the constituencies they are most competitive in but not currently projected to pick up the sixth seat.”

To our knowledge, there isn’t a way to know who is likely to win in the south Wales valleys.

@theleaduk The are the issues people in south Wales are voting on this Thursday #southwales #thevalleys #pontypridd #wales #seneddelections #senedd2026 #localpolitics #ukpolitics #welsh #reformukparty #labourparty #plaidcymru #theleaduk #southwales #southwalesvalleys

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Should I vote tactically?

Tactical voting is when a voter supports a candidate they wouldn’t normally choose to prevent a more undesirable candidate from winning - for example, you might want to stop Reform winning in the valleys. There’s websites dedicated to trying to tell you what the best tactical vote would be in a certain area.

Should you do it? Political journalist Will Hayward wrote yesterday on tactical voting, and made a few helpful points for consideration. Here is a short breakdown but read in more depth here:

If there is a party that fits your values and speaks to your priorities, vote for them.
If you don’t care who wins, but you just really don’t want party in power, your best option mathematically (under the D’Hondt system of voting) is to vote for the biggest party that is opposed to them. If you want to stop Reform, then Plaid is mathematically the best option, Hayward said. If you want to stop Plaid Cymru, Reform is mathematically your best option. “However, this DOESN’T NECESSARILY mean that if you want to stop Reform you should vote Plaid or vice versa,” said Hayward. “This is because things will vary from seat to seat. It could be that lots of people leaving the Greens to go to Plaid in one area, causes the Greens lose out on the 6th seat, which allows Reform to get it. The key point is that you can’t be certain.”
If nothing at all matters to you except keeping a particular party from winning, the one the, according to Hayward, that you can do is not vote for a party with no chance of winning. “Under this system a party has to get at least 10% of the vote (though probably nearer 12.5%) to have a chance of a seat,” Hayward said. “If you really want to stop a party, then voting for another party that is likely to win 3% of the vote is probably not a good tactic. If a party is polling under 5%, then I would suggest they are highly unlikely to win a seat.”

How do I vote in the Senedd election?

To vote, you’ll need to register in advance (hopefully, you’ve already done this). You’ll have received a poll card in the post which will tell you where to go to vote (your polling station) on the day of the election. You can also check where you should go to vote here or here. You do not need to bring ID or poll card when you vote in a Senedd election. At your polling station you will be given a ballot paper and will have one vote for the party or independent candidate you want to represent you in the Senedd. Your ballot paper will show the full list of candidates in your constituency, so you can still see who is standing for election.

@theleaduk Preserving the Welsh language is at the heart of Plaid Cymru's policy. As we edge closer to this week's Senedd elections, we asked voters in the south Wales valleys whether it's a priority for them. While some people said that Welsh language is part of our culture and should be protected, others think budget priority should go to things like housing, health and social care, and education. #Welsh #Cymraeg #welshtok #wales #cymru #senedd2026 #localpolitics #southwales #southwalesvalleys #plaid #plaidcymru

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Want to know what’s happening elsewhere?

My colleagues over at the national edition of The Lead have this great analysis on the key battlegrounds in the local elections in Wales and beyond Wales too. Westminster Editor Zoë Grünewald will have a special edition on Friday too breaking down what’s happened, so well worth signing up.

And that’s a wrap from us at The Valleys Lead. We’ll see you on the other side of the election!

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Chinese chicken and the 20mph speed limit as Reform UK rally - and counter protest - hits Merthyr Tydfil

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 06 May 2026 07:01:56 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Tomorrow is election day! A big day for Wales.

Last night, The Valleys Lead visited both an anti-racism protest and a Reform UK rally in Merthyr Tydfil. We want to tell you about what we saw and heard (it’s below!), but first, we wanted to let you know we are hoping to continue to build a community of readers in the south Wales valleys, and you would be doing local journalism a massive favour by reading, and then sharing these newsletters on your social media feeds, or just sending them to people you think might be interested.

Just enter your email to support exclusive local journalism in the south Wales valleys.

Subscribe here by just entering your email!

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It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

A new director of Eduction for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (MTCBC) has been announced. Ryan Morgan will replace Sue Walker, whose letter regarding ALN children sparked controversy in February. We covered the letter and the reaction to it, here. Morgan previously worked as the Chair of Headteacher Federation for MTCBC for six years before taking the new role.
Will Hayward’s newsletter recently published a deep dive asking what the future was for steel in Port Talbot. We think you’ll like it.
New polling from ITV Cymru shows that Plaid Cymru has jumped ahead and is predicted. The findings, released two days before polls open, show Rhun ap Iorwerth’s party with 33% of the vote share, four percentage points ahead of Reform UK at 29%.

Chinese chicken in schools and the 20 MPH limit

Tomorrow is election day, when people living in Wales have the chance to vote for which party they want to represent them in the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament.

Last night, Reform UK finished off their campaign trail in Merthyr Tydfil, outside of Trago Mills, with Nigel Farage, Dan Thomas, and Laura Anne Jones speaking to a crowd of hundreds expectedly awaiting for change in Wales, change in the south Wales valleys.

The Valleys Lead wanted to find out what would be said at the rally, and what the general feel would be among those attending, but before venturing past the multiple security guards, we stopped to talk to anti-racism protestors at the edge of the event.

“The south Wales valleys are full of migrants,” one of the protestors, a Merthyr Tydfil native, told The Valleys Lead, questioning why Reform is opposed to migrants.

Another said that the valleys were “built on immigration.”

They held placards and signs. The valleys are anti-fascist. Keep Reform out of Cymru. Furious grandma against fascist gobshites. Refugees welcome here. Reform are racist.

Protestors outside of the Reform UK rally in Merthyr Tydfil

As cars pulled in past their protest, there were a number of middle fingers held up from people in cars. Honked horns. Laughing.

“In the valleys, we’re definitely seeing an increase in quite openly racist and xenophobic behaviour,” Caspar Harris, a campaigner for Stand Up to Racism Valleys, told The Valleys Lead. “There’s an increase of behaviours in person, but also online. It’s quite shameless.”

He said that not everyone who thinks about voting for Reform is racist. “People are just disillusioned,” Harris said.

The protestors stood their ground as Reform supporters drove into the rally.

Once in line at the Reform UK rally, attendees spoke amongst themselves about the protestors, joking that they didn’t know what fascism was.

Lining up to get into the Reform UK rally

Applause for Nigel Farage

After a late start, Dan Thomas, leader of Reform UK in Wales, and first place candidate for Casnewydd Islwyn, spent quite some time talking about the needs of rural farmers in Wales, and the hope that his children would grow up in nature as he had. Dan Thomas was born in south Wales, but left at 18, serving as a councillor in Barnet for years until he moved back to Wales (reportedly) in 2024.

There is a lot of rural land area in Wales (82% of the land area in Wales is considered rural), but these rural areas are home to only 32% of the population. The south Wales valleys are generally not considered rural.

Thomas promised caps on council tax rises. A roaring response from the audience came when he spoke about roads – improving them, better access to them – and getting rid of the 20 MPH limit. People loved this.

He questioned why our children were being served “Chinese chicken” in schools when Wales has plenty of chickens to serve from local farms. He spoke about the need for better accountability for public services, an interesting point considering Thomas outsourced huge numbers of public services to private companies when he worked on the council in Barnet.

Laura Anne Jones, the only Reform UK representative in the Senedd, said we need to get rid of the Nation of Sanctuary, a Welsh Parliament initiative to integrate refugees and asylum seekers into Wales. If Wales were to drop the initiative, asylum seekers and refugees would still come to Wales (because immigration isn’t devolved), but without the initiative, there would be less integration into our communities.

Nigel Farage was welcomed to the stage with a standing ovation. He started off his speech mocking the anti-racists protestors, the audience chuckling.

He called Wales a “basket case” early on, before launching into his promises for Wales. The crowd cheered and clapped.

In between his promises, which can be found in their manifesto, were, comments.

He said that he and Angela Rayner were some of the sexiest politicians in the UK, but that nothing had happened. He said that Wales had an “insane addiction” to net zero. He said he had to be less “mean,” and the audience shouted, “no.” He said we can “tolerate” other religions, but that we are built on Judeo Christianity values.

What people were waiting to hear was his view on “illegal” immigration, and when he offered it, the crowd cheered. He didn’t deny previous statements that Channel crossings are an invasion, and that this invasion poses a threat to our finances, and also to the safety of women and children.

Near the end of the speech, he reminded his listeners that they were part of the “people’s army” built by Reform UK, and that they should march for the party in the lead up to the election.

As we left the rally, people driving in their cars exiting the car park, a group of children could be heard at the entrance, mocking a woman with a headscarf. “She’s an immigrant,” they shouted, pointing, laughing.

While Caspar has heard first-hand accounts of racism in the south Wales valleys (stoked quite often by Reform UK), he also noted the welcoming generosity so many in the valleys are known for.

“There are a lot of problems we face in the valleys with increased racism and xenophobia, but overall, our experience of campaigning has been a positive one, with people mainly supporting us,” Harris told The Valleys Lead. “Most people want to push back against racism and racist narratives, and we have a great community here in the valleys. I think that our strength lies in building support among these different groups and organisations and continuing to build on the community solidarity that exists here.”

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1,409 people in Merthyr Tydfil are waiting for a one-bedroom property

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 03 May 2026 08:02:35 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Merthyr Tydfil’s Affordable Housing Development Policy 2026-2030 says that the latest review of housing need confirms “acute shortage of one bedroom, general need accommodation.”

We spoke with one Merthyr Tydfil resident about the impact of the one-bedroom property shortage, local councillor Geraint Thomas, and a spokesperson from Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council to find out why the problem exists, who is impacted, and what can be done.

Just enter your email to support exclusive local journalism in the south Wales valleys.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Senedd elections are this week - Thursday. If you are in the valleys and want to know the candidates for each party, the changes to the Senedd, and how to vote, we’ve done a round up for you here and here.
Projects vital for Blaenau Gwent might need to be put on the “back burner” if funding from the new Welsh Government doesn’t materialise. At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Corporate Governance and Resources scrutiny committee, councillor received a report following an Audi Wales Review of Capital Planning in Wales. Audit Wales had looked at how all 22 councils in Wales managed their capital budgets and had provided recommendations on how to make improvements. Capital budgets are allocations of money given to councils by central government to use on long-term assets and projects to invest in services - like building new school and maintaining roads. One of the councillors asked whether changes to the council budget could be expected after the election. The answer from Director of corporate services? Essentially, priorities the council might have to change with a new Welsh Government.
The new leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will be Ann Crimmings, to replace Andrew Morgan, who decided to step down from the role earlier this year. Morgan said of Crimmings: “Ann brought a wealth of experience with her before entering local government and has been a member of Cabinet since 2014. She has played a key role in taking forward the services for which she has been responsible, including the largest investment in leisure facilities and significant improvements in recycling. Ann’s experience, dedication and values make her the right person to lead Rhondda Cynon Taf Council forward.”

1,409 people in Merthyr Tydfil are waiting for a one-bedroom property

For the last five years, one mother in Merthyr Tydfil has been watching on as her son struggles to access one-bedroom accommodation.

“Nathan had previously rented privately in Aberfan after he and his wife separated,” Paula Phillips-Hurt, a 61-year-old in Merthyr Tydfil, told The Valleys Lead. “But after the pandemic, he was diagnosed with hereditary spastic paraplegia, and his legs stopped working. Nathan was assessed by the Occupational Therapist who works for Merthyr Housing, and he agreed Nathan needed an accessible property.”

Nathan was placed on the housing register five years ago, and still hasn’t been housed, despite being moved from a Band 3 (low priority) to a Band 2 (medium priority).

“There aren’t enough one-bedroom properties available,” Paula said. “When he bids, there are typically over 100 people before him bidding on the same property.”

A report has found what Paula and many others in Merthyr Tydfil already know – that there isn’t enough one-bedroom accommodation available.

Nathan

In Merthyr Tydfil’s Affordable Housing Development Policy 2026-2030, set to go before a scrutiny committee, it says that the latest review of housing need confirms “acute shortage of one bedroom, general need accommodation.”

As of July 2025, there were 1,409 active applications for one-bedroom homes, representing 60% of all housing need in Merthyr Tydfil. Of these, 261 households have the highest priority (Band 1 or 2), but the majority remain in Band 3, reflecting non-statutory need.

Historically, Merthyr Tydfil’s social housing stock has been made up of family sized homes rather than one-bedroom properties.

Which party will people in the south Wales valleys vote for on May 7?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 07:00:59 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Last week, a sunny week for everyone in the south Wales valleys, The Valleys Lead spoke with people in Pontypridd about politics, the election, which party they’d vote for, and - of course - about the food at the iconic, The Prince’s.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

For a bit of local, happy news Blaenau Gwent Youth Service’s girls’ football team are preparing to depart for Mexico City to represent Wales at the Street Child World Cup. They’ll play football matches with team from around the world, experience shared cultures, and participate in a youth-led International Congress to speak directly about issues impact children and young people. “This opportunity means so much - not just for the girls individually, but for all of us as a team,” Lucy Hill, the coach, said. “We’re not only representing a small borough like Blaenau Gwent, but we’re also carrying the pride of Wales onto a global stage.”
Jamie Bevan is currently on a 2500 mile journey walking from Merthyr Tydfil to Istabul, raising money for Cylch Meithrin Y Gurnos, a Welsh-language Early Years setting based in one of Wales’ most deprived communities. He’s now been walking for 22 days. “Cylch Meithrin Y Gurnos is more than a childcare setting,” he wrote on his GoFundMe page. “It’s a lifeline for families in the Gurnos, Merthyr Tydfil, an area where poverty, social challenges, and lack of opportunity can shape a child’s future before they’ve even started school. At Cylch Meithrin Y Gurnos, children are given a real chance to thrive. They’re welcomed into a safe, caring space where they can play, learn, and grow. Through the medium of Welsh, the setting offers them the gift of bilingualism, a lifelong advantage proven to enhance cognitive ability, cultural connection, and future opportunity.”
Caerphilly councillor, Brenda Miles, who criticised library closures and was frozen out from the council’s Labour group last summer, has joined Independents. Miles said she felt “condemned” for speaking up for her community. The library closure plan is currently on hold pending a legal challenge from campaigners.

What party will people in the south Wales valleys vote for on May 7?

In just over a week, polling will open for the 2026 Senedd election. It is already historic because it represents the most significant overhaul of Welsh democracy since devolution began in 1999.

The size of the Senedd is increasing from 60 to 96 members, and voters now cast a single vote for a political party or independent candidate rather than a specific local person. The seats are allocated based on the share of votes each party or independent candidate gets. For example, if a party wins three seats, the top three people on their list will be elected to those seats.

Pontypridd train station

If you want to find out the candidate lists in your constituency in the south Wales valleys, we have created a guide for you here (for Afan Ogwr Rhondda, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, and Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni) and here (for Casnewydd Islwyn and Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd).

The latest YouGov MRP modelling projection is that 37 seats will go to Reform UK and 36 seats for Plaid Cymru.

Explaining the polling, Dr Jac Larner from Cardiff University’s Welsh Governance Centre, said that “all polls come with a margin of error, and we should be cautious about reading too much into a single result.”

“But taken alongside the broader polling trend, the signal is clear: the race for the largest party remains between Plaid Cymru and Reform UK, with every other party - including Labour, who were dominant in Welsh politics not two years ago — competing for a distant third place and below,” Larner said.

With the polling results in mind, The Valleys Lead wanted to gauge what people in the south Wales valleys are thinking about politics, the election, and which party they intend to vote for next week.

To do that, we headed to Pontypridd, a historic market town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, spending a sunny day walking around Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, the high street, and Pontypridd Indoor Market speaking with anyone who was up for a chat.

Ponypridd high street

Here’s what we heard.

Will the devastating legacy of Reform UK's Dan Thomas follow him to the valleys?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 07:00:46 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Dan Thomas is the first place candidate for Reform UK in Casnewydd Islwyn, in the south Wales valleys, and the party’s leader in Wales. A new report from Unison says that the leader’s outsourcing track record in Barnet, where he served on the council for 19 years, should be a warning for the south Wales valleys, and the rest of Wales. We spoke with a John Burgess, of Barnet Unison, and other candidates in the Casnewydd Islwyn constituency to find out if we should be concerned that the same will happen here.

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

In Deri, a village in Caerphilly, a church will be converted into two homes. The church closed in early 2023 due to “being surplus to requirements as a result of a declining congregation.” No objections were raised to the proposals to the council during a recent public consultation period. Is this one solution to the housing crisis? We’d love to hear what you think.
This is a story we must give mention to as so many in the valleys are talking about it. South Wales Police Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, and Bridgend have issued a statement that they received a report of a dog - Zak, a terrier - being stolen from its owner in Mountain Ash. The owner is reportedly a vulnerable adult. The dog was found dead the next day. There was widespread community concern following the news of Zak’s disappearance and death, with many criticising initial response time. #Justice4Zak started trending, with residents demanding accountability.
Tourism brought in more than £156 million towards the local economy in Merthyr Tydfil, new figures show. 1.31 million visitors came to Merthyr Tydfil in 2024. The economic impact of tourism in the town has been rising post-pandemic, bouncing back from the pandemic more effectively than the majority of the other 21 local authorities in Wales. Merthyr Tydfil Council is currently developing a destination management plan which is the third iteration of a dedicated tourism strategy for Merthyr Tydfil.

The devastating “legacy” of Dan Thomas in Barnet. Will it be the same in the valleys?

A new report from Unison reveals how Dan Thomas, first place candidate for Reform UK in Casnewydd Islwyn and the party’s leader in Wales, left a London council spending “years dismantling” a mess of mass outsourcing of public services.

Thomas was a Conservative councillor in Barnet from 2006 to 2025, serving as leader of the council from 2019 to 2022.

Under his leadership, alongside others, core services were outsourced, costs rose sharply, scrutiny was weakened, and hundreds lost their jobs.

Before outsourcing commenced, Thomas’s cabinet “spent a fortune on consultants to advise them on what type of outsourcing they should do,” John Burgess, of Unison’s Barnet Branch, who witnessed every step of Thomas’s action in the council, told The Valleys Lead. “They spent millions on consultants.”

Dan Thomas visits the south Wales valleys

Unison, and the community “tried everything to convince” Thomas, and “submitted hundreds of reports” urging Thomas not to “go down this road.”

“But he’s very ideological, and arrogant,” Burgess said. “Once he’s into it, he’s into it. You can’t say anything.”

In 2013, with the promise of “saving money,” Barnet signed two ten-year contracts with Capita worth about £500 million to the company.

“The contracts covered HR, finance, payroll, council tax, IT, building control, public health, planning, environmental health, call handling, highways, and regeneration,” Burgess said.

Burgess distinctly remembers dealing with “mass redundancies on a scale you can’t imagine.” The report revealed that 790 jobs were transferred into the private sector.

The contracts promised £165 million in savings, but by 2022, Barnet’s incoming Labour leadership said the council had paid £229 million more than originally planned.

Pensions administration, which had been outsourced, became so poor that Barnet was the first local authority fined by the Pensions Regulator.

“And Thomas couldn’t accept that it was a failure,” Burgess said.

Who are the candidates for each party in the south Wales valleys? Part two

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 07:02:27 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Today is the second week of our guide to the 2026 Senedd election. Here, we will give you a list all the candidates in the south Wales valleys, with as much detail about each that we could find. We want to make it easier for you to know what candidates are standing, and thought this was the best way. We hope you find it helpful.

We’ll be looking at Casnewydd Islwyn and Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd. Head over to Sunday’s edition for others.

The guide is below, but first, we wanted to let you know we are hoping to continue to build a community of readers in the south Wales valleys, and you would be doing local journalism a massive favour by reading, and then sharing these newsletters on your social media feeds, or just sending them to people you think might be interested.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so below! We’d be over the moon if you financially supported local journalism by paying just a small yearly amount when you subscribe.

We’d love you to subscribe. There are free and paid options available.

We’d love you to subscribe to support local journalism in the south Wales valleys (free and paid subscriptions available!).

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

According to polling released yesterday from ITV Cymru, Reform UK has closed the gap on Plaid Cymru in the race to became the largest party in the Senedd. The two parties have consistently been neck-and-neck in polls, but Reform UK has increased its vote share, while Plaid Cymru has seen a drop, since the last polling by ITV. Both parties are now tied at 29%.
Proposals for a wind farm could see the first ever 200m high turbines in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The plans are for the construction, operation, and decommissioning of up to eight wind turbines and solar panels with a battery storage facility and associated infrastructure on land north east of Porth and south of Llanwonno. There were mixed responses from councillors in response to the announcement, with one councillor saying that while she favours wind turbines, each window she looks out of in her house, there are wind turbines.
Reform MS Laura Anne Jones posted on social media that “contrary to the lefty media,” Nigel Farage had a “wonderful welcome in Merthyr last week.”
Peppers, a restaurant in Aberdare, posted that the costs for their small business has increased significantly. They have asked that if “you believe in supporting local and small businesses, your support means more to us than you may realise."

Who are the candidates for each party in the south Wales valleys? Part two.

With the Senedd election coming up on 7 May, The Valleys Lead has dedicated two editions to being a one-stop-shop for readers to find out who is running for each party. This is the second edition in the series.

There have been, as you’ll know, some major changes to devolved elections in Wales. Constituency boundaries have changed, as has the voting system and the number of politicians who will be elected.

To vote, you’ll need to register in advance (hopefully, you’ve already done this). You’ll get a poll card in the post which will tell you where to go to vote (your polling station) on the day of the election). You do not need to bring ID when you vote in a Senedd election. At your polling station you will be given a ballot paper and will have one vote for the party or independent candidate you want to represent you in the Senedd. Your ballot paper will show the full list of candidates in your constituency, so you can still see who is standing for election.

To avoid total overwhelm, we’ve just focused on the candidates from two constituencies for today. Three others were covered on Sunday, so feel free to have a look.

You’ll notice that for some candidates, we couldn’t find much information at all. Please do get in touch with us if you have any details about a candidate we can weave in, and we’ll update our list.

Photo by Cyrus Crossan on Unsplash

Casnewydd Islwyn (Blackwood, Pontllanfraith, Risca)

Conservative and Unionist Party

1. Natasha Asghar – The first woman of colour elected to the Senedd as MS for South Wales East. She was elected to the Senedd in May 2021. She has a background working in media. British Vogue named called her a “force for change,” and the BBC said she was one of the world’s 100 most influential and inspiring women. She previously ran in UK parliamentary elections in 2015 and 2017, but was not elected. She was named the Welsh Conservative’s Shadow Minister for Transport and technology and is working to see the creation an all Wales travel card similar to the Oyster card in London. Has said it is time to “rebuild trust” after “botched job of devolution.” Has been accused of engineering matters that that Senedd Conservative staff member would secure the nomination.

2. Toby Jones – Ran in Newport local elections in 2022, but was not elected. A close friend of Natash Asghar, and it is suspected Natasha campaigned for him to get a spot on the list for the Senedd elections.

3. Jake Enea – First time standing for election.

4. Georgie Webb – Has run twice in Newport local elections in 2017 and 2022, and then in Cardiff local elections in 2022, but was not elected.

5. Adam Morris – First time standing for election.

6. Rebecca Mamhend – First time standing for election.

Green Party

1. Lauren James – Newport Councillor elected in 2022. Ran in the 2021 Senedd elections and in the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election, but was not elected.

2. Philip Davis – First time standing for election

3. Zaynab Greengrass – First time standing for election

4. Kerry Vosper – Previously active in trade unions. Stood for Bristol City Council election in 2016 and the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election, but was not elected.

5. Julian Mayer – First time standing for election.

6. Andrew Were – Stood for election in 2022 Monmouthshire local election but was not elected.

Heritage Party

1. Mike Ford – Has stood for election five times since 2016 in both local, Parliamentary, and Senedd elections, but was not elected. He’s been part of UKIP and Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party before joining Heritage Party. Supports the stance to end net zero, and wants to put a stop to relationships and sex education in primary schools.

Labour Party

1. Jayne Bryant – Newport West MS since 2016. Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, after previously being the Minister for Mental Health and Early Years. As a backbencher, Jayne was elected by the Senedd as the Chair of the Children, Young People and Education Committee and the Standards of Conduct Committee. Was “grilled” during a committee meeting over fears building safety reforms would suppress social housing supply.

2. Rhianon Passmore – MS for Islwyn since 2016. Has chaired the Welsh Labour’s Women’s Committee and Policy Forum and is a Welsh Woman of the Year Finalist. Previous county councillor.

3. Chris Carter – First time standing for election. Considers himself a Labour activist. Been involved in local campaigns to get streetlights back on at night and fill in potholes.

4. Rhian Howells – Newport councillor. Cabinet member for infrastructure and assets. Chartered surveyor by trade.

5. Julie Sangani – Cardiff councillor. First Indian woman to serve on Cardiff City Council.

6. Stephen Marshall – Newport councillor.

7. David Chinnick Martin – Previously stood for local elections in 2022, but was not elected.

Liberal Democrats

1. Mike Hamilton – Previously an engineering officer for the Merchant Navy. Obtained his Ph.D. in archaeology in Cardiff. Has been a Newport Councillor, cabinet member and deputy leader of Newport City Council. He has stood for Parliament and the Senedd on three occasions and achieved the best LibDem result in Wales when he stood for the Police and Crime Commissioner in 2024.

2. John Miller – Has stood for election in Newport and Torfaen, two UK Parliamentary general elections, the Senedd in 2021, and Gwent Police and Crime Commissioner.

3. Nurul Islam – Previously stood in Newport local election in 2022 but was not elected.

4. Harun Rashid - Previously stood in Newport local election in 2022 but was not elected.

5. Mary Lloyd – Former member of the Royal Air Force.

6. Jeff Evans – Previously stood in local elections but was not elected.

Plaid Cymru

1. Peredur Owen Griffiths – Current Plaid Cymru MS for South Wales East since 2021. He’s been a councillor in Caerphilly since 2017. Worked in the financial and charity sector. Acted as Board of Directors for Displaced People in Action, a charity working to place refugees, and then worked with the many faith groups across Wales.

2. Lyn Ackerman – Plaid Cymru Caerphilly councillor.

3. Rhys Mills – Blackwood Town councillor.

4. Joshua Rawcliffe – Has previously stood in a number of elections as part of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, and Independent. Worked in the charity sector. A community councillor.

5. Jonathan Clark - Has been Regional Vice President/Regional Co-ordinator for Plaid Cymru in South East Wales and was Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Monmouth for the 2005 General Election and the 2007 National Assembly Election. Political interests include affordable housing, public transport and economic development.

6. Sarah Henton – First time standing for election.

Reform UK

1. Dan Thomas – Leader of Reform UK Wales. Previously has stood in elections as part of the Conservative and Unionist Party in UK Parliamentary and local elections. He served as a Conservative councillor, deputy leader and council leader. A UNISON report showed the consequences of his nearly two decades in senior roles at Barnet Council, where the report said core services were outsourced on a “huge scale.” Although originally from Blackwood, he had been working, prior to 2025, in London. He defected from the Conservative to Reform UK in 2025.

2. Art Wright – First time standing for election

3. Marie-Claire Lea – First time standing for election

4. Nick Jones - A former Conservative Parliamentary candidate who defected to Reform UK.

“The Conservative Party in Wales has stopped listening and has run out of ideas,” he said. “In order to better represent my community and the aspirations of the hard-working people of this nation, I have joined Reform UK.” Previous Councillor in Torfaen.

5. Rebecca Senior – Previously worked in public and private sectors and started her own business in 2023. Was stood for election in local elections but not elected.

6. Tomos Llewellyn – First time standing for election. Head of Strategy & Press Secretary for Reform MS James Evans.

Open Party

1. Justna Muhith - First time standing for election.She has seven degrees, a doctorate in neuroendocrinology, an MBA, a law degree, and several master’s-level leadership qualifications. She said: “a two-tier system protects the privilege while punishing ordinary people.”

2. John Horan – First time standing for election. An engineer by trade.

Independents

· Taran Clayton - First time standing for election. “I believe in local representation like that of the Chartists who believed in representation for their voice for their community. Like them I believe in representation not policy, not options laid before you to pick and choose from, to divide you, to parties promising change but rather represent your voice and scrutinise on your behalf,” he said.

Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd (Neath, Ystradgynlais)

Conservative and Unionist Party

1. Tyler Chambers – First time standing for election

2. Liz Hill O’Shea – Has worked in community leadership for 20 years. Has stood for election on several occasions in Neath Port Talbot, but not elected.

3. Jane Lyons – Has stood in Parliamentary and local elections. Was previously a councillor in London area. Former CEO of Cancer52. Now lead governor in an NHS Trust.

4. Matthew Gilbert – Worked as a teacher, police response officer, and in residential lettings.

5. Hannah Jarvis – Stood twice as a candidate to be Gwent’s police and crime commissioner. Former deputy chair of Monmouthshire Conservatives. Community councillor. Has historically been part of the Conservative and Unionist Party, but reportedly defected to Reform in August. However, she is running once again as part of the Conservative party in the Senedd election.

6. Amanda Davies – First time standing for election.

Gwlad

1. Philip Owen – First time standing for election. “I joined Gwlad as Brexit made it clear that the UK economy was going to be managed for the benefit of the City of London.”

Heritage Party

1. Jennifer Roberts – First time standing for election.

Green Party

1. Nathan Goldup-John - Neath Port Talbot councillor since 2022.

2. Charlotte Ajomale-Evans – First time standing for election.

3. Amerjit Dhaliwal – Has stood in local election and in the 2024 UK Parliamentary election, but was not elected.

4. Eric Rosoman-Matthews - First time standing for election.

5. Kathy Oakwood – Stood in a local by-election in Neath Porth Talbot in 2024 but was not elected.

6. Imogen Elisabeth da Silva - First time standing for election.

Labour Party

1. Mahaboob Basha – Freelance international business consultant. Chairs Labour’s BAME Committee. Founded the Sketty Youth Club. Stood for a 2022 local election and the 2021 Senedd elections but was not elected.

2. Alex Sims – Neath Port Talbot councillor. Currently words for MS Jenny Rathbone. Formerly the Head of Policy for Wales for Union Cymru.

3. Sarah Amber Thomas – Neath Port Talbot councillor. Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance, and Social Justice.

4. Elliot Wigfall - First time standing for election. Community councillor and trade union representative.

5. Cyriac George - First time standing for election.

6. Chelsea Edwards - First time standing for election.

Liberal Democrats

1. Jane Dodds - Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats since 2017. Elected as MP for Brecon and Radnorshire at the seat’s 2019 by-election, but was an MP for only three months before being defeated in the general election later the same year. In May 2021, elected MS for mid and West Wales. Has secured additional funding for dentists and campaigned against cuts to local public services.

2. Jackie Charlton – Powys councillor. Non-Executive Director of Powys NHS Trust from 2000-2003. Has been Vice Chair of the Trust and Local Health Board.

3. Phoebe Jenkins – Previously stood in the 2024 UK Parliamentary elections but was not elected. As a working mother, wants to lift barriers preventing families from accessing childcare.

4. Will Lloyd – Stood for local election in 2022 but was not elected.

5. Peter Chapman – Worked in the manufacturing and travel industry, and then spent 19 years volunteering to support criminal and family justice systems and the school admission process.

6. Dylan Calved - First time standing for election.

Plaid Cymru

1. Sioned Williams – MS for South Wales West since 2021. Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Social Justice and Early Years. Has said she has helped achieve a fairer Wales by expanding free childcare and tackling child poverty. Formerly a BBC journalist.

2. Rebeca Phillips – Neath Port Talbot councillor. Chair of the Education, Skills, and Wellbeing committee.

3. Andrew Jenkins – Previously served as a Neath Port Talbot councillor. Has held policy and research roles within Age Cymru.

4. Justin Horrell – Stood in the 2022 local elections but was not elected. IT consultant. Town councillor.

5. Kate Heneghan – Stood in the 2017 UK Parliamentary general election but was not elected.

6. Chris Williams – Neath Port Talbot councillor.

Reform UK

1. James Evans – Previously part of the Conservative and Unionist Party who defected to Reform. Was sacked by Welsh Conservative leader Darren Millar after he reportedly said he had spoken to Reform UK about joining the party. But the Reform leader said he had not spoken to Evans personally. Previously representing the Welsh Conservative Party as MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, he is not listed as “not affiliated to a political group” on the Senedd directory, and is now standing in the 2026 Senedd election for Reform UK.

2. Iain McIntosh – Powys councillor. Previously part of the Conservative and Unionist Party but defected to Reform UK for the Senedd 2026 elections.

3. David Mills - First time standing for election.

4. Moira Charles - First time standing for election.

5. Dewi Thomas - First time standing for election.

6. Celfyn Furlong – Previously stood twice for local elections representing the Conservative and Unionist Party but defected to Reform UK for the Ynys Gybi ward in a by-election in February 2026. He was sacked from the Welsh Conservative shadow cabinet and had the whip withdrawn.

The Christian Party

1. Jeff Green - Leader of the Welsh Christian Party. Stood for several elections since 2010, but has not been elected. In 2014, he and his wife Sue were accused of discrimination when they refused a gay couple a double room.

2. Sue Green – Suspected to be the wife of Jeff Green

Independents

· Dai Richards – Stood in the 2024 UK Parliamentary elections representing Reform UK, but was not elected.

· Beverley Baynham – Powys councillor.

· Joe Hale – Swansea councillor. Previously representing the Labour Party prior to running in the 2026 Senedd election as Independent.

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Who are the candidates for each party in the south Wales valleys?

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:31:05 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Today begins our guide to the 2026 Senedd election. Over the next two editions, we will give you a list all the candidates in the south Wales valleys, with as much detail about each that we could find. Today, we’ll be looking at Afan Ogwr Rhondda, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, and Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so below! We’d be over the moon if you financially supported local journalism by paying just a small yearly amount when you subscribe.

We’d love you to subscribe. There are free and paid options available.

Subscribe now

We’d love you to subscribe to support local journalism in the south Wales valleys (free and paid subscriptions available!).

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Nigel Farage and Reform UK’s Wales leader Dan Thomas visited the south Wales valleys on Thursday and Friday, speaking with locals and reporters. He stood beneath a statue of Keir Hardie as part of his visit. There were and are mixed responses to his visit on social media, some welcoming, some opposed. While on the visit, Farage visited a local Welsh cafe, and the visit lost the cafe owner thousands of followers on social media in response. In response, the owner said: “I wasn’t meant to endorse Reform. I wasn’t meant to endorse Nigel Farage or any of his strategies. My political views are not important – I don’t actually have any. I run a hospitality company — no time to have any.”
John Pritchard owns a car dealership, Riverbank Car Sales in Treforest, which has been in existence for the last 50 years. Now he faces his business having to close because a new hydroelectric scheme planned on the River Taff would require the demolition of his garage for it to go ahead. The scheme would provide electricity for the Lido in Pontypridd. He said the council had been vague with him when it approached him, and had not committed to anything in terms of an offer. “I am a one man band. It is everything I’ve got. It is my livelihood. They (the council) are leaving me high and dry. It is my only source of income. I literally don’t know what to do.”
Pontypridd could become the UK’s town of culture in two years. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and Pontypridd Town Council are expected to submit an expression of interest to the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) competition for Pontypridd to be the UK Town of Culture in 2028.
The competition aims to spotlight the cultural contribution of towns to the national story. The winning town will be awarded £3 million to deliver a cultural programme in 2028 of around six months and the two finalists will receive £250,000 each to deliver elements of their bid.

Who are the candidates for each party in the south Wales valleys?

With the Senedd election coming up on 7 May, The Valleys Lead is dedicating our next two editions to being a one-stop-shop for readers to find out who is running for each party.

There have been, as you’ll know, some major changes to devolved elections in Wales. Constituency boundaries have changed, as has the voting system and the number of politicians who will be elected.

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

To avoid total overwhelm, we’ve just focused on the candidates from three constituencies for today, and will finish off the list on Sunday.

Today, we’ll be looking at Afan Ogwr Rhondda, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, and Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni.

Afan Ogwr Rhondda (Treorchy, Tonypandy)

Conservative and Unionist Party

1. Abigail Mainon – A Conservative Party worker who reportedly lives in Bodelwyddan, Denbighshire.

2. Peter Crocker-Jacques – Has stood in three elections since 2016, and has yet to be elected.

3. Anthony John Kear – A Monmouthshire Councillor

4. William Robert Martin

5. Rachel Astle – A former member of staff to Dr James Davies when he was an MP. She lives in Prestatyn, North Wales.

6. Barbara Elizabeth Jones

Green Party

1. Nigel Pugh - For the past two decades Nigel has been politically campaigning both on social and environmental justices issues, both voluntarily and professionally in Wales. This is his first election. He believes that empowering community wealth, their wellbeing and cohesion, and assisting the public to restore their natural environment is key to our collective, positive future.

2. Anna Tuney

3. Stephanie Woodhouse – Ran in the 2024 by-election for Briton Ferry East, but wasn’t elected.

4. David Wade

5. Abby Rees

6. Ellis Thomas

Heritage Party

1. Kimberly Isherwood – Said her party is new, but it’s the “party of integrity.” “Anyone telling you their party is honest & for the people, have been manipulated or they are liars,” she said on Facebook. “Either way that’s not my problem because my job is to expose the parties and share with you the reality of challenging the government.”

2. Logan Jenkins – Said that “as an individual concerned about the actions of his own government, and its carelessness towards the wishes of the people, my only course of action is to learn, learn how it works, learn why it works and most importantly, learn why it hasn’t been working and why the change we so desperately need has never happened.”

Labour Party

1. Huw Irranca-Davies – A former MP and current MS for Ogmore. Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs.

2. Buffy Williams – A current MS for Rhondda since beating former Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood in 2021. Prior to politics, she worked in the voluntary sector, has been awarded the British Empire Medal for her services to Rhondda communities, and been awarded the Pride of Wales Award for her voluntary work in Rhondda communities.

3. David Rees – Has been the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Senedd since 2021. He has served as an MS for Aberavon since 2011. Advocates for steelworkers, sitting on the current TATA Transition Board and chairing the Cross-Party Groups on Steel, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) and Cancer. He is the current Chair of the Scrutiny of the First Minister and Member Accountability Bill committees.

4. Stephanie Grimshaw – Aberavon Councillor. Advocate against violence against women and girls.

5. Lisa Pritchard – A Bridgend councillor with a strong local government background.

6. Elaine Denise Winstanley

7. Dilwar Ali

8. Tamasree Mukhopad Hyay

Liberal Democrats

1. Dean Ronan – Teacher supporting children in residential care and rugby coach. Priorities are clear: giving our communities a stronger local voice, ensuring no area is left behind, and empowering people through education, wellbeing, and opportunity.

2. Cen Phillips – Neath Port Talbot Councillor since 2022. Cabinet member for nature, tourism and wellbeing.

3. Gerald Francis

4. Helen Thomas - Chair of Governors at a Primary school and a parent governor at a secondary school.

5. Jim Hehir

6. James McGetrrick

Plaid Cymru

1. Sera Evans – A local councillor for Treorchy. An Oxford graduate in modern languages and linguistics. She chairs the Education and Inclusion Scrutiny Committee and serves on key panels covering scrutiny, governor appointments and child poverty. Associate director of UK student recruitment and admissions at the University of South Wales. She is vice-chair of governors at two Rhondda schools, continuing her commitment to supporting young people and families.

2. Alun Cox – Lives in Porth. A trade unionist working as Unison’s deputy branch secretary and is a governor at two Rhondda schools. He’s an experienced campaigner, and Plaid Cymru member for 45 years.

3. Elyn Stephens - At 25, she was elected to RCT Council, where she led the campaign to secure free period products in schools. She’s worked in frontline public services at the DWP. She has worked for both an MEP and an MS

4. Danny Grehan – Rhondda Cynon Taff Councillor. Works as a community contact officer for Heledd Fychan MS.

5. Luned-Mair Barratt

6. Wendy Allsop

Reform UK

1. Benjamin Hodge McKenna – Has said new “safer” technologies could be used to extract Welsh coal which is of the “highest quality.” Although he said he understands the concerns about climate change, emissions that are produced in Wales on a global scale “are absolutely minuscule” meaning any changes would have “virtually no impact”.

2. Steve Bayliss - Chair of Reform’s Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore branch, Steve was originally set to stand in third place on the party’s list in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr but is now Reform’s number two candidate in Afan Ogwr Rhondda.

3. Darren James – Ran in the 2024 general election and was not elected.

4. Louise Musgrave

5. Catrin Thomas – Has previously said immigration was “much more of an issue” in England. Has spoken of freezing non-essential immigration, but said there would be exceptions in healthcare.

6. Zak Weaver - was elected to Penarth Town Council in a by-election on February 19 after defecting from the Welsh Conservatives to Reform just days before the vote. Due to the timing of his defection, Mr Weaver still appeared as the Conservative candidate on the official ballot paper.

Independents

Captain Beany – A charity fundraiser in Sandfields, Port Talbot, South Wales. His manifesto: The people of Wales deserve more than to be subjected to external imported baked bean products. I have decided that if I am duly elected, I shall commandeer the entire Senedd Building to be converted into a fully functional ‘Baked Bean Canning Installation’ and in the process, ensure that this country shall solely feast on Welsh baked beans! DON’T BE MEANY! VOTE FOR BEANY

Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr (Pontypridd, Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare, Mountain Ash, Abercynon)

Conservative and Unionist Party

1. Adam Robinson – Llantrisant Councillor. Engineer by trade.

2. David Jones – Said he would scrap the 20MPH limit, fix services, and give the valleys a voice.

3. Roxanne Rees

4. Lee Davies

5. Oliver Morgan

6. Jayne McKenna – Monmouthshire Councillor.

Green Party

1. Angela Karadog – Cilfynydd Councillor who have lived in Pontypridd since 2004. Previously a teacher and manager of education research company.

2. James Bennett

3. John Dane

4. Georgina Budd – A doctor who has raised awareness about disability issues following a car crash that resulted in full time wheelchair use.

5. Zara Siddique

6. Jeffrey Baxter

Gwlad

1. Stefan Morgan – First-time candidate. Spend seven years as RAF electrical engineer. His statement: I bring a varied career background to my candidacy, ranging from seven years as an RAF electrical engineer, and a year spent in Australia doing farm work and bar work. I’ve also helped build the new Ajax army scout vehicle and am now working as an aircraft electrical fitter. I support GWLAD because they hold the same core values as myself.

Heritage Party

1. Julie Lloyd

Labour Party

1. Vikki Howells – MS for the Cynon Valley since 2016 and Minister for Further and Higher Education. In the Senedd, has chaired committees, cross-party groups and the Welsh Labour group of MSs.

2. Lloyd Watkins - Worked as a civil servant for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Completed a PhD on the impact of A.I., Robotics and automation on government.

3. Chris Binding – Has worked as an Rhondda Cynon Taf Councillor, a trade union shop steward, a volunteer, and a caseworker for Labour MPs and Senedd members.

4. Mitch Theaker – At the age of 21, elected as a Councillor for the City and County of Swansea. Later appointed as a Cabinet Member in Swansea Council. Former special advisor to Mark Drakeford and Welsh Government diplomat who was shortlisted as a Labour candidate without telling the members he had been appointed the new Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales.

5. Mustapha Maohoub – Cwmbach Councillor

6. Anna Williams-Price – Merthyr Tydfil Councillor. Cabinet Member with Portfolio for Financial Sustainability, Assets & Commercial

7. Jane Gebbie – Bridgend Councillor. Cabinet Member Social Services, Health and Wellbeing

Liberal Democrats

1. Neil Feist – Llanharan Councillor since 2022. Has a background in outdoor education.

2. David Seale – Lives in Abercanaid. Became involved with the Liberal Democrats during the Brexit campaign and is passionate about international cooperation, animal welfare, and strengthening local communities. David is particularly committed to tackling littering, antisocial behaviour, and the misuse of off-road motorbikes, and strongly supports greater investment in community policing.

3. Alec Dauncey – Previously ran in the general election for Clwyd East, but wasn’t elected.

4. Nick Beckett – Has ran in the 2024 general election for Caerfyrddin and in the 2022 Carmarthenshire local election. He wasn’t elected.

5. Chris Passmore – Ran in the 2024 general election for Llanelli and in the Carmarthenshire local elections in 2022. He wasn’t elected.

6. Hayden Stephen Matthew Lewis

Plaid Cymru

1. Heledd Fychan – A Welsh politician, who has represented South Wales Central since May 2021. She is a former director of policy and political education for Plaid Cymru, and currently Plaid’s spokesperson on Finance, Culture, Sport and the Welsh Language.

2. Lis McLean – Runs Canolfan Soar in Merthyr Tydfil, home to a number of local Welsh language organisations. Passionate about keeping wealth in local communities.

3. Sara Crowley - Originally from Penrhiwceiber and now living in the Cynon Valley. She’s worked in schools, prisons, and the NHS. An Equal Power Equal Voice graduate dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and marginalized groups.

4. Ian Gwynne – Has campaigned to be elected in the 2021 general election and 2022 in Merthyr Tydfil local election, but was not elected.

5. Farrell Perks – Has a background in journalism, and is a foster carer.

6. Ioan Bellin – Former journalist and office manager for Welsh politicians.

Reform UK

1. Jason O’Connell – Previously an Independent and Conservative Councillor, Jason lives in Torfaen. This has caused a stir among Reform members in Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr, where some see Jason as a candidate who has been parachuted into the constituency because he is favoured by the party leadership. It’s been reported he failed to declare he’s employed by a Senedd Member, Laura Anne Jones. The original plan had been for Andrew Barry to be the first seat for Reform UK, but he pulled out of the election in March, saying the experience had broken his “belief in politics.”

2. David Hughes – A Merthyr Councillor who didn’t appear on the list in March.

3. Mark Lawrence

4. Martin Roberts – Local businessman. Ran for local government seat in Pontypridd Town by-election, but wasn’t elected.

5. John Ball

6. Jamie Loftus – Also didn’t appear on the list of candidates in March

Independents

Dai Williams – In his 80s. A trained marriage guidance counsellor. He said he has good experience of housing, and assists two local landlords with tenant support in the Merthyr area. Has said he has “become increasingly dissatisfied with the performance of the Senedd as a whole – both Government and Opposition.” He said he will “never surrender principal in favour of dancing to the tune of any party fiddle.”
Beth Winter – Worked as MP for the Cynon Valley from 2019 to 2024. She has a PhD in disadvantage among older people in rural communities. In 2025, Beth announced support for Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn’s Your Party, but is no longer apart of the party.
Joseph Anthony Biddulph

Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni (Abertillery, Bargoed, Rhymney, Caerphilly)

Conservative and Unionist Party

1. Gareth Potter – Previously worked in the charity sector. Ran in the Caerphilly by-election in 2025, but was not elected.

2. Janet Elizabeth Butler – Monmouthshire Councillor from 2022.

3. John Child – Ran in the 2022 Caerphilly local election and was not elected.

4. David John West

5. Martin Newell– Monmouthshire Councillor since 2024.

6. Fay Bromfield – Monmouthshire Councillor since 2022. Organised a petition opposing a 304-acre solar farm on the grounds of losing agricultural land.

Green Party

1. Anne Baker – A lifelong campaigner and former trade unionist. Ran in the general election in 2024 but was not elected.

2. Alexis Celnik – Ran in the Caerphilly local election in 2022, but wasn’t elected.

3. Rachel Roberts

4. Hannah Garcia

5. Aidan Dempsey

6. Jamie Payne

Gwlad

Heritage Party

1. Jared Burgess – Promises to “question large-scale energy developments that impact landscape,” and to not use taxes “for items that invest support to foreign belligerent nations. No to foreign involvement in conflicts that don’t matter to us.” He aspires to be a citizen journalist, and writes on the intersections of shamanism and Christianity.

Labour Party

1. Alun Davies – MS for Blaenau Gwent since 2011, and formerly Mid and West Wales from 2007 to 2011. He has served in several Welsh government offices, including Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language, and Minister for Natural Resources and Food. He also worked in the energy sector, nuclear industry and TV before establishing his own business before being elected. Has spoken honestly about Labour’s shortcomings and what they must do turn things around.

2. Richard Tunnicliffe – Founded a Welsh language publishing company with his wife, and was worked as a banker and chartered accountant. Ran in the Caerphilly by-election in 2025 but was not elected.

3. Keiran Russell – A business leader and manager who “has supported thousands of local people to start and grow businesses in the last 10 years.”

4. Sara Beard – Ran in the 2022 Merthyr Tydfil local elections but was not elected.

5. Simon Dancey

6. John Pettit – Caerphilly Councillor

7. Hero Marsden

Liberal Democrats

1. Steve Aicheler – A small business owner education enterprise specialist. Caerphilly Councillor. Said that through his “involvement in entrepreneurship and innovation” he understands the importance of listening to customers and he would apply this design thinking methodology in government to develop public services which are efficient and effective. “I know that I don’t know everything, and therefore that as a politician I have to listen to those who have more experience than I do.”

2. David Scullin

3. Catherine Dowden-King

4. Steve Lloyd – Ran in the 2022 Caerphilly local election but was not elected. Works as Secretary of his local Welsh Liberal Democrat party.

5. Ivan William Westley

6. Juliet Price – Has worked as a case officer for a Liberal Democrat MP. Previously ran for Ceredigion local election but was not elected.

Plaid Cymru

1. Delyth Jewell – In 2014, she won the ‘Researcher of the Year’ Award for her work in paving the way for legislation on stalking and coercive control. She later worked for Citizens’ Advice and Action Aid. MS for South Wales East since 2019. Party spokesperson on climate change, transport and energy.

2. Lindsey Whittle – Former housing manager. Former leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council. An MS between May 2011 and April 2016, October 2025 and April 2026.

3. Niamh Ffion Mai Salkeld – University degree in international politics, and political researcher for social justice, education, and the arts. Her campaign priorities focus on tackling child poverty, supporting people through the cost-of-living crisis, reducing the attainment gap and improving prosperity across Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney.

4. Catrin Moss

5. Charlotte Bishop

6. Steven Skivens

Reform UK

1. Lllŷr Powell – Has worked in political communications and public affairs. Has been active in UKIP, the Brexit Party, and now Reform UK. Reported to have previously been part of Young Independence, which has multiple links to the far-right. While he was head of communications and engagement at Scouts Cymru, Lllŷr was investigated for sharing posts that were anti-trans, homophobic, and politically biased.

2. Catherine Cullen – Has said she backs Reform UK because they are the party that puts the country first. She stood as a Reform UK candidate in 2024 Derbyshire elections, and finished third.

3. Joshua Kim – Works as a teacher in Cardiff. Said that “as a non-white immigrant Reform MP, my very existence would nullify the fallacious argument that being anti-mass immigration is racist. Immigration is too high. And no: immigrants are not all doctors and engineers. Our public services clearly cannot cope. It is plain common sense that any government should put its own citizens first.”

4. Jonathan Parker – Ran in the Caerphilly local elections for the Conservative and Unionist Party in 2022, but wasn’t elected.

5. Glenda Davies – Has previously stood for UKIP and the Brexit Party in 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2021, but has not been elected.

6. Barclay Nickels

Open Party

1. Karen Horan

Independents

Mike Whatley – Ran in the general election in 2024 but was not elected. “Free from the constraints of a party whip, I will be answerable only to you, the people who live and work in this region.”
Jordan Brace – Former NHS staff who has said he gives more than 30 hours a week to helping local residents.·
Steve Wright
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Glyncoch voices 'haven't been heard' in quarry expansion controversy

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:01:49 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Today, we’ve got a story for you from Glyncoch, near Pontypridd, about the expansion of a quarry less than 200 metres away from a small, financially-deprived village. Despite months of protest, the expansion started in 2024, and residents have said their health and wellbeing has suffered as a result.

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The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

Nelson councillor Brenda Miles has resigned from the Labour Party, nearly a year after being frozen out after she objected to Caerphilly Council’s library closure plans. She said she had been waiting ten months for an appeal hearing she claimed should have been convened within two weeks. Miles criticised the decision to push ahead with cost-cutting proposals to close down ten libraries across the borough, and was promptly kicked off council committees and had the Labour whip removed. In a Facebook post explaining her decision to ultimately quit the party, she said delays to her appeal were “taking the proverbial” and had “dragged on for far too long”. Backers of the library closures argue the shake-up will lead to a better service for the borough’s residents, who will be able to access a wider range of council and other services at fewer “hubs” located in larger towns.
But critics say closing “vital” smaller libraries will cut off communities in smaller villages.
The race for the Senedd is on. The final lists of candidates in the south Wales valleys (and Wales as a whole) have been published, ready for the elections taking place on Thursday, May 7. Look out for The Valleys Lead explainer of representatives in each party in the next two weeks.
A petition to conduct a feasibility study with regard to reopening Nelson railway station has nearly 400 signatures. The petition’s author explained the reason why Nelson residents request a feasibility study: “As a first step, an option to create an express bus service to the nearby railway stations should be explored. The line, which was used by freight trains until recently, runs between Ystrad Mynach railway station and Merthyr Tydfil, passing through Nelson, Trelewis, and Bedlinog. Connecting Nelson to the network would make sense and would ease the pressure on our busy roads.” The petition has been briefly suspended in the lead up to the Senedd Election.

Glyncoch voices ‘haven’t been heard’ in quarry expansion controversy

Midday on Monday, residents of Glyncoch, near Pontypridd, heard and felt a blast from a quarry less than 200 metres away.

“The blast was horrendous,” Chris Whiles, a resident and father of three young children living in Glyncoch for the last 15 years, told The Valleys Lead. “But it’s nothing new. This has been an ongoing issue for years.”

When Chris moved to the small village, one of the 5% most deprived areas in Wales, he remembers often hearing a “rumble” and a “bang” accompanied by dust in the air.

He quickly came to find out it was coming from Craig Yr Hesg quarry, just a ten-minute walk from his house.

Chris Whiles at a protest regarding the quarry expansion

In 2022, Craig Yr Hesg quarry (in operation since 1949) was given the green light for further expansion by Welsh Ministers, after Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (RCTCBC) rejected the expansion twice due to concerns about the community’s wellbeing.

When expansion began in 2024, residents rallied together to protest against the expansion of the quarry, citing concerns that while planning regulations identified a buffer of 200 metres being a suitable minimum distance between quarries and residential areas, this quarry’s expansion would bring the work only 109 metres from the nearest property.

“The blasts would get bigger and bigger,” Chris said. “They’d be closer to our primary school (only 134 metres) and the rest of our community.”

Residents were scared about the toll further expansion would have on their mental and physical health, their homes, and their access to green spaces.

Before the expansion, Chris recalls going up into the mountains regularly. “There were huge, historical trees on the mountain,” Chris said. “But in February 2024, the operators started erecting fencing where we all go to walk, where the trees were. We haven’t got much here, so this green space means a lot to us.”

Residents set up a camp outside the gates to the quarry, not allowing operators access. “These protests lasted for three days, day and night,” Chris said. “It was a peaceful protest, but there was so much passion from the people there.”

An enforcement agency was hired by quarry operator Heidelberg Materials to issue warrants for protestors’ removal, according to Chris. “People were physically dragged off,” Chris recalled.

Fearful but determined, residents continued protesting daily. “The protests continued at the entrance making HGVs come to a standstill for ten minutes each delivery before being allowed in the quarry,” Chris said. “This was approved in person by South Wales Police who attended each day.”

But on 5 June 2024, the mining company “put out a 12-month injunction” to “unknown persons.” This injunction was renewed a year later.

In July 2024 a march was arranged to the RCTCBC head office in Pontypridd with over 250 supporters from the community attending with banners.

And yet, the quarry expanded, and so has the despair of residents.

The impact of the blast

“When there is a blast, windows are rocking, dust is everywhere,” Chris said.

Kids, including Chris’s, ask their parents: “Is my school going to fall down?”

“It has caused COPD and cancer,” Chris said. “But we can’t pinpoint it’s 100% caused by the quarry.”

Residents gathered samples from several locations for testing at a regulated laboratory, and revealed the samples contained crystalline silica, also known as quartz.

Heavy and prolonged exposure to respirable crystalline silica can cause serious respiratory diseases.

“All the lorry drivers have masks when they come in – they’re protected,” Chris said. “They have their wheel washers on to make sure the dust doesn’t follow when they come out of the quarry. But then you’ve what looks like a nuclear bomb – a mushroom cloud – going up into our village.”

Despite their concerns and their protests, the blasts continue in Glyncoch.

Patients being treated in chairs for days at Prince Charles Hospital

Lauren Crosby Medlicott — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:02:51 GMT

Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.

Thanks as always for joining us this week. Today, we are telling you another story of another hospital struggling under a crumbling NHS. This isn’t the fault of nurses or doctors tirelessly doing their best for patients, but of an overstretched system that needs reform.

The story is below, but first, we just wanted to say thanks for joining us again this week. If you’re enjoying and/or finding these newsletters helpful and informative, we’d love you to keep joining us every week by subscribing (it’s free!). And if you want to receive our exclusive reporting in full, there is just a small yearly fee (more on that below).

We are hoping to continue to build a community of readers in the south Wales valleys, and you would be doing local journalism a massive favour by sharing these newsletters on your social media feeds, or just sending them to people you think might be interested.

If you haven’t subscribed yet, please do so below! We’d be over the moon if you financially supported local journalism by paying just a small yearly amount when you subscribe. There’s a sale on right now so seize the day!

Please consider subscribing (there are paid and free options) to support exclusive, local journalism in the south Wales valleys.

Subscribe now

We’d love you to subscribe to support local journalism in the south Wales valleys (free and paid subscriptions available!).

If you want to support The Valleys Lead, it’s free to subscribe. Paid subscribers get a bit more for only £4.99 a month, or £49 a year.

It’s also free to share. And it would be a hugely appreciated if you did share The Valleys Lead with all your friends, acquaintances, and colleagues. Thank you!

The Valleys Briefing

(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys.)

The RSPCA is looking for information about a dog who was described as “skin and bones” when rescued from a back garden in Merthyr Tydfil. The male lurcher cross was found in a property in Ash Crescent on February 24 by police, rushed to a vets in Bridgend by an RSPCA worker, and received emergency treatment. The lurcher could barely stand up and was chained to a filthy shed. His spine and ribs were visible and he was suffering from a wound to a back foot. The brindle-coloured lurcher, who was not microchipped, was initially treated with fluids and antibiotics. Over the past month the dog, who has been renamed Reggie, has made a good recovery and he has found a loving new home with one of the veterinary nurses that cared for him. The charity is asking that anyone who might know the owner come forward with details. People can contact the RSPCA on 0300 1238018 and quote reference number 01737766.
The Green Party’s only councillor in Caerphilly has said that the UK should consider making plans for World War II-style rationing of resources in the event of “protracted” hostilities in the Middle East. He made the statement at a council meeting on Tuesday, warning resources were already “becoming more scarce.” The leader of the Council, Jamie Pritchard, said the election period leading up to May 7 would curtail his ability to respond fully, and suggested the matter should be debated when the council convenes again after the Senedd elections.
The number of cremations held without a ceremony is on the rise in Rhondda Cynon Taf according to a report from the council. The number of “direct” cremations (cremations that takes place with no ceremony and no mourners present) in RCT rose by 43 from 110 in 2023/24 to 153 in 2024/25. In the UK, 20% of bodies are disposed of by direct cremation, with predictions that 50% of the UK population will choose direct cremation within 20 years. 80% of people are cremated in the UK. These statistics suggest that people can’t afford funerals and burials, with a simple funeral service now costing up to nearly £10,000.

Patients are being treated in armchairs for days at Prince Charles Hospital

When Gareth Eife, 69, attended his GP on Tuesday, 17 March for painful cellulitis on his legs and a rash all over his body, the doctor advised him to head to his nearest A&E at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil. Gareth was told by his GP that he should have a minimum of 48 hours of IV antibiotics.

“Then he waited in A&E, sitting in a hard, broken, metal chair, for 12 hours,” Gareth’s brother-in-law, Paul Smith, told The Valleys Lead. “He was in agony. He told the staff he needed to elevate his legs because the pain was excoriating, but he was told by the nurse on duty that there were no beds, no chairs, no trolleys, and nowhere for him to elevate his legs.”

Paul tried to Gareth help, imploring a nurse for help, but the nurse told Paul: “Don’t blame us – blame the politicians.”

When it came time for Gareth to be seen and treated, there weren’t any available beds to place him in, even though the GP had phoned ahead to ensure a bed would be available for Gareth.

“The hospital has put hand chairs in the back of A&E and treat them as clinical care chairs,” Paul said.

One of these chairs were offered to Gareth, along with 25 other people who he sat alongside.

Gareth was treated for three days in an armchair in Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil.

“Some of them had been in those armchairs for three or four days, and some for just a day,” Paul said. “There were no washing facilities, so they had to use a sink in the toilets. They had no bedding, and people were complaining about needing blankets because they were cold. Their meals were served on paper plates with a wooden spoon and fork, but there were no trays or tables – they had to eat the food on their laps. They were all wearing the same clothes they came in with. The place was filthy with so much rubbish on the floor. They have drip stands and various acute and serious illnesses, but they are being treated in an environment which isn’t conducive to improving care.”

For three days, Gareth sat in the armchair, suffering with lymphedema.

“His legs were purple, filled with liquid that was weeping onto the floor,” Paul said. “He was in absolute agony.”

Gareth’s wife, Jennifer, went to the shop to buy puppy pads to place under Gareth’s legs to stop the water and puss from soaking the floor. When Gareth asked a nurse to put his prescribed cream on his legs, he was told they “weren’t ward nurses,” and that they don’t rub cream or dress wounds.

“It’s a disgrace,” Paul said.

Gareth isn’t the only one who has been treated in armchairs at Prince Charles Hospital.