05/03/2017 BBC Wales Today

Wales' Finance Secretary has urged the Treasury to abandon austerity -

and boost cash for public services and the economy ahead

Mark Drakeford says there could be a ?175 million cut

Here's our Political Correspondent, Arwyn Jones.

The budget is the big chance for the UK Government

So, it's a the first run out for the new Chancellor, Philip Hammond.

In the past, it's meant that big-ticket items like the M4 relief

road can get the green light, although motorists will know these

Now Wales' finance secretary has written to his counterpart in the UK

Government urging him to announce extra funding for health

and social care services, which he said had faced significant

Well, there are ?3.5 billion worth of unallocated cuts.

Cuts that have already been announced, but where the Chancellor

has not yet said were those cuts will fall.

Now, a share of those cuts could be as much as ?175 million.

And I urge the Chancellor to turn his back on those cuts, to say, "No,

Mr Hammond said this morning there wouldn't be a big spending

spree and that the job of reducing the national debt is

Those who know the Chancellor said the challenge will be

This is where the challenge is for Welsh politicians in terms

of securing more investment into Wales, make winning

With George Osborne, it was much more about the politics,

particularly in the run up to the 2015 general election.

We are now in a phase where actually cold hard economic arguments

will sway the Treasury, probably little else.

Many politicians in Swansea will be hoping that the Tidal Lagoon gets

the nod, but they will have to wait until Wednesday,

It isn't just about the huge billion pound projects.

Carolyn Harris's eigh-year-old son Martin died after being

She had to borrow money to pay for his funeral and now won

the Chancellor to help families in a similar situation.

I tried to give him an insight into just how painful that time

is and how you don't consider the cost and anything,

you just consider how you're going to get through every day.

So, to remove the cost would be doing such a marvellous

thing for any family, not even have to consider that.

So, on Wednesday, all eyes will be on 11 Downing St to see

what Philip Hammond manages to pull out of his red box.

One person has died and another injured in a crash on the A470

North Wales Police were called just before two o'clock to the collision

outside the visitor centre at Coed y Brenin forest park, involving

The road was closed in both directions.

A man and woman have been airlifted to safety

after being seriously injured at a Brecon Beacons beauty spot.

Rescuers say the two walkers, thought to be in their twenties,

were washed over the top of a waterfall while on trails

Teams from Central Brecon Mountain Rescue were joined by firefighters

and police in a four hour operation.

More than 300 taxi drivers in Denbighshire have completed

training to help spot the signs of child sexual exploitation.

The council introduced the compulsory course last year -

after the Rotherham abuse inquiry found taxi drivers had played

Ice Hockey - and the Cardiff Devils lifted the Challenge

Cup trophy tonight - beating the Sheffield Stealers 3-2.

The Welsh side were trailing by two goals to one,

but managed to get ahead, in front of a packed home crowd.

It's the third time the Devils have won the Challenge Cup.

Unbelievable. Unbelievable. The fan base, everybody involved, to do it

at home, in front of our own fans, is something I will never forget. I

was just excited to be part of it. It was a great atmosphere, the fans

were amazing. It was a big win. And thousands of runners braved

the rain this morning in separate More than 2000 people took part

in the Newport Half Marathon; the Anglesey half-marathon took

place in Menai Bridge, and around 3000 people descended

on Cardiff's Bute Park The weather forecast -

and apart from some parts during the morning,

it'll be a dry and bright day - with some good sunny spells -

and a few isolated showers. We're back in Breakfast

with updates from 6.25. Good evening. We have seen all sorts

today. Some rain, some hail, some snow and even a bit of sunshine.

Things are calming down for the most part but still a bit damp