05/12/2025
This is great news!
๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐! ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฎ๐น'๐ ๐ณ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ต๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด
We're thrilled to share the breakthrough we've been campaigning for โ announced late Thursday night by the Welsh Government.
The Welsh Government has announced the following:
"The funding will support a vital water supply agreement...
The Welsh Government will provide cover for up to ยฃ400,000 every year, for the next five years.
The Canal & River Trust will also contribute up to ยฃ100,000 annually, while discussions will continue with other partners to secure further contributions over the long-term."
As you will know, we have been campaigning hard since the end of February for a resolution to the water abstraction crisis that has threatened the future of the Mon & Brec Canal. We organised the Senedd Rally on 9th July 2025, which preceded the Senedd Petitions Committee debate that saw overwhelming cross-party support for action. Following the rally and debate, the Welsh Government announced the creation of the Task & Finish Group on 17th July 2025.
Since the Welsh Government announced the Task & Finish Group in July, there has been considerable work going on behind the scenes. The Group was due to meet early in September, but this was delayed. We exerted as much pressure as we could directly and via MSs emphasising that a sustainable solution was needed as soon as possible. The Task and Finish Group finally met on 17th November over 2 weeks ago, bringing together representatives from Welsh Government, CRT, NRW, Dลตr Cymru, local councils and others.
We believe that this announcement represents a significant step forward in securing the canal's future for the next five years and beyond.
We very much welcome this announcement. While we await further details, this agreement means that CRT can focus its resources on maintaining and improving the canal rather than spending nearly ยฃ1 million a year simply to keep water in it.
This outcome would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of so many people. We want to thank everyone who has been part of this campaign โ our colleagues at the Inland Waterways Association, the Mon & Brec Canal Commercial Operators Group (COG), Brecon Beacons Tourism, the Bridge 46 to Five Locks Canal Group, Cllr Jan Butler, and of course all of you who signed the Senedd Petition, wrote to your MSs and MPs, and kept up the pressure.
This result shows that collaboration between all of us can really have an impact.
We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will update you as more details emerge.
Thank you all for your support.
Photo shows Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, Ben Cottam of CRT, and Nigel Curtis (member of our PPMB group, Chair of COG and owner of Road House Narrowboats) at Gilwern Thursday morning. Photo courtesy of Road House Narrowboats.
The Welsh Government announcement can be found here - https://www.gov.wales/future-historic-monmouthshire-and-brecon-canal-secured
