1 Hydref – Polling shows that crucial ‘swing voters’ are abandoning a party that has turned its back on the environment. 88% of this group have voted with their feet to back other political parties.
3 Hydref – A £180k fund has been made available to support Welsh language films with international, big screen potential. Recent ffilmiau Cymraeg with strong reviews include Gwledd, Y Llyfrgell, Yr Ymadawiad and Y Sŵn.

4 Hydref – With immediate effect, bowel cancer screening is now available to everyone in Wales aged 51 and above, bringing the age qualification down from 55. Early detection of bowel cancer leads to very high survival rates. Free screening is only available to those over 60 in Northern Ireland or England; in Scotland the age threshold is 50.
10 Hydref – The Welsh Government published a White Paper on Homelessness, stating its intention that homelessness should only ever be “rare, brief and unrepeated”.
17 Hydref – The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales added its considerable influence to the multitude of calls for Crown Estate functions and revenue to be fully repatriated to Cymru, as part of its recommendations into better development of renewable energy in Cymru.

17 Hydref – Wales became the first of the countries of the UK to ban outright the use of snares and glue traps. Snares, which overwhelmingly trap non-target species, are used predominantly by the shooting industry, with 50,000 in the countryside here at any time. As from today, imprisonment and an unlimited fine await those breaking this law. If you find any snares do take a record and report it to the appropriate authority.

19 Hydref – River Action was granted leave for a Judicial Review of Environment Agency inaction on phosphate pollution of the Wye. The agency’s interpretation of the guidance is “arguably unlawful” according to the Judge. Watch this space – possibly significant implications for Natural Resources Wales and other rivers in Cymru.
19 Hydref – BBC Wales forced an admission from Dŵr Cymru that dozens of its wastewater treatment sites have been unlawfully spilling raw sewage for years. An example of the result of pollution from the worst offending site, Aberteifi, is shown below. Photo taken by Aberteifi Town Councillor Philippa Noble.

20 Hydref – The Welsh Government announced a new Nature Recovery Action Plan for the strategic highways estate in Wales. Actions include:
- Embed biodiversity and ecosystem resilience considerations in all decision making in the operation and maintenance of the Strategic Road Network.
- Reduce the indirect impacts of procurement activities on biodiversity.
- Use nature–based solutions to build climate change resilience in the Strategic Road Network’s infrastructure, mitigate climate change and deliver a range of ecosystem services and benefits
- Deliver habitat creation and regeneration measures to increase connectivity and contribute to Wales’ ecological networks on a landscape scale, as well as protect and support designated sites and priority habitats and species.
- Embed a presumption against the loss and degradation of irreplaceable
and priority habitats, including non–priority habitats that support priority species. - Avoid the fragmentation of populations from road improvement projects and improve wildlife connectivity where severed by existing roads.
- Develop alternative methods of weed control to minimise and eventually eliminate our use of herbicides. See this author’s exposé on Cardiff Council’s liberal use of herbicides in Cardiff Bay here.
- Minimise new and historic pollution, including litter, chemical, particulates, light and noise pollution of air, water and land.
- Improve our detection, monitoring and control of invasive non–native species and pathogens.

24 Hydref – The Welsh Housing Quality Standard has been updated. Included in the new rules:
- By 1 April 2024, all social housing must have external lockable storage for bicycles
- Also by 1 April 2024, all such housing needs to have adequate space for storing waste for recycling collections
- By 31 March 2030, all social housing in Wales must be SAP 75 – EPC ‘C’ rated, with Target Energy Pathways setting the course for SAP 92 – EPC ‘A’ rating
25 Hydref – The Welsh Government announced £4.6 million for a Natural Flood Management Accelerator Programme, designed to enhance the natural environment, expand wetland and woodland habitats, and reduce flood risk to up to 2,000 properties.

30 Hydref – The Welsh Government’s ban on single-use plastic items came into force. It is now unlawful for any of the following items to be offered for sale:
- Single-use plastic plates – this includes paper plates with a laminated plastic surface
- Single-use plastic cutlery – for example forks, spoons, knives
- Single-use plastic drinks stirrers
- Cups made of expanded or foamed extruded polystyrene.
- Takeaway food containers made of expanded or foamed extruded polystyrene
- Single-use plastic balloon sticks
- Single-use plastic-stemmed Cotton buds
- Single-use plastic drinking straws – with exemptions so people who need them to eat and drink safely and independently can continue to have them

Gadael Ymateb