22/07/2014 BBC Wales Today

Falling passenger numbers and poor value for money for the taxpayer.

That's the conclusion from a committee of Assembly members

on the air-link service between Cardiff and Anglesey.

A report by the Public Accounts Committee says improvements

will need to be made if the subsidised service is to continue.

Here's our political reporter, James Williams.

Time to check in for this afternoon's Cardiff

to Anglesey flight, but with fewer of us doing so, could it be

At its height in 2009, the flight between Cardiff and Anglesey had

But now the 18-seater service is regularly

running at less than half full, as passenger numbers have dropped by

But for some of this afternoon's 13 passengers, it's a valued service.

More importantly for us is the time, with all of the travelling back

Otherwise, it would be a full day and have a

knock-on effect on your ability to do a full day's work the next day.

In terms of lifestyle and business costs, it would be significant to a

Up to April last year, around 65 passengers used the service, which

has received more than ?9 million in public subsidy, costing the

This isn't value for money according to the Assembly's

It's all very well having a service, but I think it's the extent

of the public subsidy and in the current economic climate, the cuts

to the health service and social services, we have do make sure we

to the health service and social services, we have to make sure we

Launched in 2007, the flight was soon dubbed

a reference to the then Transport Minister, Ieuan Jones,

who was also an Assembly member for Ennis Moor.

A lack of detail over how many public service officials are using

the flight is raised as a concern in the committee's report.

It also says a strong marketing campaign is needed to reverse the

But what are the people of Mennai Bridge in Anglesey think of the

flight, which reduces travelling time by more than four hours?

Any improvements you can make to Anglesey always worth it,

I think it is a good idea but it is to be expanded to the Isle

of Man, Scotland, be more of a regional thing.

We live in a country that is quite small geographically

but has very long journey times, in making visionaries from the north to

but has very long journey times, in making these journeys from the north

to the south or vice versa, and it is very important that people in the

But the current contract is due to end in December.

The Welsh government has told us today it has started a fresh

tendering process, suggesting there is the political will

Meanwhile, the airline Flybe says it will not be renewing three of the

four ski-destination routes it ran last winter from Cardiff airport.

It'll resume weekly Saturday flights to Geneva from December to April,

but has no plans to continue flights to Lyon, Grenoble and Chambray.

Hospitals in Wales have the lowest number of patients

Hospitals in Wales have the lowest number of beds in Europe for

patients with acute life-threatening illnesses.

That's according to a report written for Welsh ministers.

It says inappropriate use of these beds

also contributed to cancelled operations

and patients leaving critical care when it was unsafe.

Ministers say more beds would be provided by better use of resources.

A light aircraft has made an emergency landing

South Wales Police say they were called to Jersey Marine

late this afternoon. The three people on board were not injured.

Gwent Police is the only force in Wales -

and one of only three in the UK -

to be criticised for the way it's dealing with budget cuts.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary said that

while more officers may need be cut to save money, the force could be

putting crime fighting at risk as it tries to find savings.

Patrolling the streets of Newport as budget cuts bite.

Across the Gwent area, like other parts of Wales and

England, the police force here have been receiving less and less money

But in the last 12 months, inspectors say there has been

a notable decline in the Gwent force's response to crime.

Her Majesty's Inspectorate Constabulary says it is concerned

that by simply not replacing staff as they leave, to save money,

it may mean the service to force provides could suffer.

It also says Gwent Police wasn't recording how long it took

its officers to respond when someone called with an emergency.

But do people in Newport city centre today care whether response

I do think they should keep a record of how long they get to

I don't think they are doing their job right.

You don't think they are doing their job right?

You never see anybody, you hardly see them around.

We've asked them to come to the store, they've always responded

I always say speak as you find and from personal experience,

One policing expert says Gwent could look at what neighbouring

Gwent should certainly be looking at what other forces have done

in order to crack this conundrum they are facing.

To try and do these reforms in a context where there is no more money

and no one is expecting any more money in the future really does just

sharpen the nature of the challenge and it is going to be quite

difficult for the senior manager team to deliver on this.

It also points out that the huge amount of planning

Gwent Police have to do for the NATO summit here at the Celtic Manor

in September could have an effect on their ability to address some of

No one from the Police and Crime Commissioner's office or the force

In a statement, they said they were confident in the

leadership of the force and their ability to balance their budgets.

With just one day to go until the opening of the Commonwealth Games

in Glasgow, another blow for Team Wales tonight.

One of their top boxers, Olympic silver medallist Fred Evans,

the Games organisers refused to give accreditation

after Home Office checks revealed a recent criminal conviction

Three world champions have already pulled out through injury,

is suspended after a failed drugs test.

It has been a lot of hard work for a lot of different agencies over the

last few weeks, because they know the quality and calibre of the boxer

Fred is. We have taken it as far as we can as late as we can because we

believed in Fred, we knew his potential and so did a lot of other

people. So it is not an embarrassment, he is a fantastic

athlete. Plans to set up Wales' first

"software university" are being prepared by businesses,

concerned about skill shortages BBC Wales has learned

a team based in Newport, is already designing two-year degree

courses for the project. Scottish companies should

relocate to Wales if Scotland becomes independent, according

to some business leaders here. Cardiff's Business Council has

written to companies like RBS, Standard Life and Scottish Widows

to make the case for a Welsh move if there's a yes

vote in September's referendum. Football and Welsh involvement

in the Champions League is over The New Saints lost 2-0 to

Slovan Bratislava of Slovakia in the second leg

of their qualifier, played in Rhyl - Gardeners are hoping for rain, let's

see what Sue Charles can offer. Not much, I'm afraid, it was warm

and dry across Wales today. Not much, I'm afraid, it was warm

and dry across Wales today. 26 was the height in Cardiff and we are in

for another fine and under warm day tomorrow. Tomorrow remains dry,

Cloud Inland melting away. Some mist and fog may roll onto the West Coast

and another muggy night, with temperatures holding up at 16

Celsius. Tomorrow, the sunshine will burn away any early mist and fled to

leave another fine day and it is a largely fine day across the UK.

Maybe a shower in Northern Ireland, and a zone of thick cloud will

develop through the afternoon, but largely fine and very warm, in their

20s right across the UK. 28 possible across the south-east of England. A

very warm end to the day across Wales, maybe some thicker cloud

building up through the afternoon and very humid, 20 Celsius possible

in Cardiff and Newport. Later tomorrow, that heat and thicker

cloud could trigger a thundery shower in the South and West but

turning very mild again overnight. Thursday, once again plenty of fine

weather, sunny spells and very warm in an easterly breeze and later on,

a few showers could break out in the south and west. They could be heavy

with Thunderbird hit and miss, most places will stay dry. -- with

thunder, but hit and miss. Most places staying warm over the weekend

but temperatures not quite as high. Sunny spells and the chance of a

shower. Next week, turning cooler. We're back in Breakfast from 6am

tomorrow morning. That's Wales Today,

thank you for watching.