:00:00. > :00:14.Now on BBC One, it's time for the news where you are.
:00:15. > :00:19.The owners of this refinery want to invest ?100 million but it's
:00:20. > :00:22.Valero say the plans could be at risk.
:00:23. > :00:24.And on the high street, worried shop owners give
:00:25. > :00:36.us their verdict on the scheme to help with rising business rates.
:00:37. > :00:41.It's one of west Wales' biggest employers but tonight,
:00:42. > :00:43.the owners of a Pembrokeshire oil refinery have told this programme
:00:44. > :00:48.that future investment is at risk, unless plans for a ?100 million
:00:49. > :00:53.1,200 people work at Valero, but the company says
:00:54. > :00:58.the Welsh Government needs to process planning applications
:00:59. > :01:01.efficiently, to stay competitive in the global energy market.
:01:02. > :01:07.Milford Haven, the third biggest port in the UK
:01:08. > :01:14.From ferries to fishing, sailing boats to enormous tankers,
:01:15. > :01:17.the Cleddau estuary supports thousands of jobs, but it
:01:18. > :01:22.At one time, there were five refineries in this area.
:01:23. > :01:28.Murco, the last to close in 2014 took 1,400 jobs with
:01:29. > :01:32.it and according to the man in charge of this port, they are
:01:33. > :01:38.It's no good saying to a board in San Antonio,
:01:39. > :01:43.we can we can do this investment in Milford Haven, we'll
:01:44. > :01:47.get the consent in four years' time or we can do this consent in
:01:48. > :01:51.San Antonio and get the consent in six months' time.
:01:52. > :01:55.The money will go to San Antonio so unless we are
:01:56. > :01:57.mindful of the competitive position, we're going to continue to lose some
:01:58. > :02:01.Across the estuary, the biggest employer in the
:02:02. > :02:03.area and the only refinery left here, Valero.
:02:04. > :02:06.In November, they announce plans to invest ?100 million in a
:02:07. > :02:10.new combined heat and power generation unit.
:02:11. > :02:13.It's currently going through the early stages of the
:02:14. > :02:16.planning system and they say it's vital that it's an efficient
:02:17. > :02:21.The onus is on the Welsh Government to work with us to
:02:22. > :02:26.This is a development of national significance here in Wales and we're
:02:27. > :02:29.What's at stake if it's not a swift process?
:02:30. > :02:32.Well, if it's not a swift process, it ties up
:02:33. > :02:37.The cost starts to rise and we have to look at future
:02:38. > :02:43.It's about making sure the future of the refinery's secure for
:02:44. > :02:45.jobs here and for the future as well.
:02:46. > :02:47.Ports are not devolved to Cardiff Bay, but
:02:48. > :02:49.areas like the economy, planning and infrastructure
:02:50. > :02:54.are in the hands of the Welsh Government.
:02:55. > :02:59.Mainstay Marine are in the business of building boats.
:03:00. > :03:02.This week, Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths announced that the company
:03:03. > :03:04.had won the Welsh Government's contract to build two
:03:05. > :03:08.No planning required there but as the minister responsible for
:03:09. > :03:12.the planning system, she told me just like
:03:13. > :03:15.in the rest of the UK, it needs to be efficient.
:03:16. > :03:18.We brought forward the planning act in 2014.
:03:19. > :03:20.I am now implementing various parts of
:03:21. > :03:23.that but it is really important that businesses feel it works for them.
:03:24. > :03:28.It's there for the development and use of our land.
:03:29. > :03:31.Shakespeare wrote of Milford Haven, "Tell me how Wales
:03:32. > :03:33.was made so happy as to inherit such a haven."
:03:34. > :03:36.But how we take advantage of such a legacy will ship
:03:37. > :03:46.A 23-year-old barman from Cardiff has been found guilty
:03:47. > :03:48.of murdering his girlfriend, who'd come to the UK
:03:49. > :03:53.24-year-old Xixi Bi was attacked by Jordan Matthews
:03:54. > :03:56.in what Cardiff Crown Court heard was a vicious, sustained
:03:57. > :04:03.She had a cardiac arrest and died in hospital,
:04:04. > :04:05.after being attacked at their flat in Llandaff last August.
:04:06. > :04:07.Matthews is due to be sentenced on Tuesday.
:04:08. > :04:11.A deputy head teacher has been banned from schools
:04:12. > :04:16.for a minimum of ten years, for having sex with teenage girls.
:04:17. > :04:19.A disciplinary panel found 17 out of 20 allegations of unacceptable
:04:20. > :04:22.professional misconduct proved against Jonathan Norbury, who's 35.
:04:23. > :04:26.Swansea Council has launched an inquiry into his dismissal,
:04:27. > :04:34.which included an ?8,000 payoff and a positive reference.
:04:35. > :04:36.On Wednesday, we were in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan talking
:04:37. > :04:39.to high street shop owners, worried about the increase in their
:04:40. > :04:46.There was concern there'd been little detail so far
:04:47. > :04:48.about a new rate-relief scheme designed to help cut costs.
:04:49. > :04:51.Well, today the Welsh Government published more information
:04:52. > :04:53.about the ?10 million it will provide in support.
:04:54. > :04:55.So we sent our political correspondent Arwyn Jones back
:04:56. > :04:59.to Cowbridge to see what small businesses there make of it.
:05:00. > :05:03.Business rates are a tax that owners of businesses like these on the high
:05:04. > :05:06.street in Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan pay on their property
:05:07. > :05:11.such as a shop, cafe or restaurant.
:05:12. > :05:13.Like council tax, they pay for services provided
:05:14. > :05:18.Concerns have been raised from across Wales that the
:05:19. > :05:20.increase in April could make life difficult for retailers with some
:05:21. > :05:25.fearing they could go under, so today, the Welsh Government set out
:05:26. > :05:27.set out details of its ?10 million fund
:05:28. > :05:32.to help. My ambition has been to try and design
:05:33. > :05:35.a scheme that is workable and deliverable and we're confident now
:05:36. > :05:39.that even in the very few weeks they've had to design it, that that
:05:40. > :05:45.We've been hearing been concerns from business owners like Sally
:05:46. > :05:47.Stevenson, who are trying to balance the books.
:05:48. > :05:50.She owns the Pencil Case shop in Cowbridge and on Wednesday
:05:51. > :05:52.told us that the business rates increase would make life difficult
:05:53. > :05:57.As a small-business owner, she qualifies for an extra ?500 to
:05:58. > :06:00.to be knocked off their in April, meaning she won't really be worse
:06:01. > :06:05.However, the interdiction of the increase is
:06:06. > :06:07.being phased in over three years, so next year,
:06:08. > :06:11.If I were in England, then I wouldn't be
:06:12. > :06:13.paying any more rates at all.
:06:14. > :06:16.So I've now got to find nearly ?1000 a year to pay
:06:17. > :06:20.the rates bill because I'm in Wales and I could use that ?1000 to invest
:06:21. > :06:22.in the business, to employ any member of staff.
:06:23. > :06:25.in the business, to employ a new member of staff.
:06:26. > :06:29.Businesses like Sally is with the rateable value of
:06:30. > :06:31.between 6-?12000 would get ?500 off their bill.
:06:32. > :06:33.Those from ?12,000- ?50,000 will get a ?1500 reduction
:06:34. > :06:35.but if it's over ?50,000, you'll get nothing.
:06:36. > :06:38.Julian Hitchcock owns two restaurants and a hotel on the high
:06:39. > :06:43.street and expects to pay thousands of pounds more in April.
:06:44. > :06:46.My rates are going to be increasing by about
:06:47. > :06:51.?40,000 a year for the businesses in Cowbridge and we're going to get
:06:52. > :06:54.an extra ?1500 reduction, so I suppose 1500 is better
:06:55. > :06:56.than nothing but in the scheme of things, it's
:06:57. > :06:59.not going to make a massive amount of difference.
:07:00. > :07:01.Now, there are concerns about which businesses will
:07:02. > :07:07.For example, what constitutes a high street.
:07:08. > :07:09.Now, what the Welsh Government has done is left that for
:07:10. > :07:11.the councils to decide but the Conservatives
:07:12. > :07:13.say that could lead to some confusion
:07:14. > :07:17.and when you consider that the rates will go up in April,
:07:18. > :07:20.of this year, time is of the essence.
:07:21. > :07:22.The Welsh Government says it's confident there'll be plenty
:07:23. > :07:26.of time to get the scheme in place while it works on developing a new
:07:27. > :07:31.permanent scheme be introduced next year.
:07:32. > :07:33.In rugby, the Scarlets have maintained their position in the top
:07:34. > :07:39.four of the Pro12 with a bonus-point win over bottom-placed Zebre.
:07:40. > :07:41.The Scarlets dominated, but met with tough resistance before
:07:42. > :07:44.claiming a fourth try in the 50th minute.
:07:45. > :07:54.Let's get the weekend weather forecast now, with Derek.
:07:55. > :08:02.Greetings! It's going to stay on the mild side over the weekend, a little
:08:03. > :08:06.rain and drizzle but a decent amount of dry weather as well. If you're
:08:07. > :08:10.lucky, you'll see a little sunshine. Tonight a few showers dotted about,
:08:11. > :08:17.otherwise, most places dry, some mist, a few quick that is, -- fog
:08:18. > :08:21.patches. Most of the country dry tomorrow morning, some low cloud,
:08:22. > :08:25.mist and fog patches will lift, bright in parts of Powys and the
:08:26. > :08:30.north-east. Some very rich in Anglesey and Snowdonia. Across the
:08:31. > :08:34.rest of the UK, low cloud and fog patches in southern England will
:08:35. > :08:37.left, leaving a die Dei Thomas and sunshine in Portsmouth, further
:08:38. > :08:42.north, available Lee-Lo spread Southeastern to north-west England,
:08:43. > :08:44.behind that, wet and blustery north-west Scotland, at 513 in
:08:45. > :09:10.London. In Wales, tomorrow afternoon, guide increasing, a
:09:11. > :09:12.little rain and drizzle in the North and West, spreading further across
:09:13. > :09:14.the country but part of the South and East could well stay dry,
:09:15. > :09:16.temperatures again above-average, slightly cooler in Snowdonia, with a
:09:17. > :09:18.south to south-westerly breeze. Tomorrow evening, spattered drizzle
:09:19. > :09:20.will clear, most places dry overnight, some misty, low cloud and
:09:21. > :09:23.then for Sunday, some dry weather, a little sunshine in Welshpool and
:09:24. > :09:25.Newport but later in the day, it looks like turning down, misty and
:09:26. > :09:30.murky from the West. Temperatures on Sunday around 10-12 C. Next week,
:09:31. > :09:34.some tropical maritime IE -- air on Sunday and that could send
:09:35. > :09:38.temperatures soaring up to 15 Celsius. Not quite a record for
:09:39. > :09:42.February, but unusually mild for this time of year. Some rain next
:09:43. > :09:45.week. The wind is picking up as well. Later in the week, turning
:09:46. > :09:48.brighter and colder. Other nicely done.
:09:49. > :09:54.We're back tomorrow at 5.20pm tomorrow afternoon.