As December arrives and the year draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on recent progress and to look ahead to everything still to come before we step into 2026. This month’s Wales Monthly Update recaps November’s activity and highlights what’s on the horizon across Wales in December, keeping you informed and connected with all the latest updates!
Campaigning and Policy Activity
As you will all be aware the Chancellor of the Exchequer delivered the UK Government’s Autumn Budget was announced on Wednesday 26th November.
FSB UK’s response was mixed, noting that “The tax burden at a record high is the cost of failure to get growth and trim spending” and called on the UK Government to “follow this Budget through with serious, pro-growth measures that restore the confidence small businesses need to grow, invest and hire.”
FSB Wales has given a mixed response to the UK Budget, welcoming major investments in Wales, including two AI Growth Zones (over 8,000 jobs) and Wylfa’s small modular reactors (already announced), but warned that UK-wide tax rises will add further pressure on small businesses already facing high costs.
Head of FSB Wales, Joshua Miles, urged Welsh Government to use its extra £505m funding and new borrowing powers to cut business rates and boost infrastructure, particularly by matching the UK’s permanent lower tax rate for retail, hospitality and leisure properties.
FSB Wales have also said:
• Welcomed the stability and £380m unallocated headroom in the 2026/27 Draft Budget but warned it risks a 40% rates hike for many firms by scrapping retail, hospitality and leisure relief.
• While support for Business Wales, skills, planning and creative industries is maintained, FSB said this is not enough. It urged cross-party talks to protect rates relief and deliver bolder measures so Wales’s 200,000+ small businesses, the backbone of the economy, can prosper and grow.
• FSB Wales hailed the UK Government’s decision to build the country’s first small modular reactors (SMRs) at Wylfa on Anglesey as a “once-in-a-generation”boost for North Wales.
• The £2.5bn project will create up to 3,000 jobs, power three million homes and deliver major supply-chain opportunities. Head of FSB Wales, Joshua Miles, said small local firms must be prioritised in procurement from day one to keep investment in Welsh communities. He also called for urgent upgrades to roads, rail and broadband, plus targeted training with local colleges, to maximise the lasting economic benefits for Ynys Môn and the wider region.
• FSB Wales has welcomed the UK Government’s announcement of a second AI Growth Zone in South Wales, spanning the M4 corridor from Newport to Bridgend. The £10bn investment is set to create at least 5,000 jobs in construction, AI research and development, with up to £5m in support to help businesses adopt AI and build skills. Head of FSB Wales, Joshua Miles, hailed it as a major boost that puts Wales at the heart of UK AI ambitions.
• He urged partners, including Vantage Data Centers and Microsoft, to prioritise local firms in procurement and supply-chain opportunities, ensuring the benefits flow to South Wales communities and the wider Welsh economy.
Joshua Miles also gave evidence last week to the Senedd Finance Committee on what we want to see in the Welsh budget following the UK Budget. With FSB Head of Wales new to the role, Joshua Miles, continued to meet some key stakeholders over the last month, including Members of the Senedd from across the political spectrum, the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens MP, and the chief Executive from the Development Bank of Wales.
In other activity, we are working on our manifesto to be released early in the new year for us –and hopefully, you! - to push a business focus for the next Welsh Government after the Welsh Senedd Elections in May. We will use the results of our Big Small Business Survey Wales to reflect the voice of small businesses in Wales in our manifesto.
In other work we will be looking at the Government’s new Local Growth Fund aimed at building more competitive and productive businesses’ in Wales, and are working on a paper on how digital can better support SMEs. Our Head of Policy, Llyr ap Gareth also gave evidence on Tourism and accommodation licensing at the Senedd.
FSB Wales is now on Instagram, so please give us a follow at: www.instagram.com/fsb_wales/. We haven’t posted yet, but we will be in the new year!
Stay connected with FSBWales across ouractivesocial media channels tokeep up withthelatest policy updates, event invitations, and advocacy for small businesses. Follow us on X (@FSB_Wales / @FSBNorthWales / @FSBSouthWales), Facebook (@fsb.north.wales / @fsb.south.mid.wales), on Bluesky (@fsb-wales-cymru), and on LinkedIn (@fsb-walesfederation-of-small-businesses).
North Wales Update: Mike Learmond
FSB has a long-standing relationship with Further and Higher Education institutions in North Wales, so we were delighted to attend two significant launch events this month. Grŵp Llandrillo Menai officially opened its latest Busnes@LlandrilloMenai site at St Asaph Business Park, expanding its reach across the region with dedicated training and professional development services. The new centre complements the organisation’s existing facility at Parc Menai in Bangor and will provide tailored support to employers through workforcetraining, upskilling and business development programmes. A new suite of short training courses was also unveiled, specifically designed to support time-poor small businesses.
We also attended the launch of Canfod Au, Wrexham University’s new centre for engineering and innovation. Funded by the North Wales Growth Deal, the facility will serve as a regional hub for collaboration and skills development in sustainability, renewables and high-value manufacturing.
Also in November, we brought together members of the business community for a roundtable with Claire Lomardelli, Deputy Director of Monetary Policy at the Bank of England.
This provided an excellent opportunity to share the challenges and opportunities facing businesses in North Wales directly with the Bank.
Other highlights this month included our regular networking meetings (with a great presentation from Rob Boyns, Boyns Information Services, on the fantastic charity work he leads), the North Wales Tourism Awards, the Mersey Dee Alliance business breakfast and manufacturing expo, and much more.
Look out for more events coming up in December!
South Wales Update: Rob Basini
In early November it was good to attend the Ministry of Defence Employer Engagement event at Cardiff City Stadium, and also to share the experiences of small businesses around skills at the South West Wales Regional Learning and Skills Partnership Business Engagement event in Swansea.
It was good to discuss supply chain opportunities for small businesses at an event focused on the UK Industrial Strategy in Pembrokeshire, and to be
involved in our national FSB Women in Business Virtual Networking event, which this month was hosted by, and featured guest speaker slots, by some of our Welsh FSB members.
It was good to exhibit at the Zokit Business Expo, and also at the Torfaen Business Expo, as well as getting to meet businesses at the Blaenau Gwent evening business drop-in session.
Facilitating a round table of small businesses and stakeholders, focusing on how to ensure that small businesses can access more public sector work, was productive and, as always, hosting our FSB National Disabled Entrepreneurs Networking virtual event was a pleasure. The month ended with us supporting the Pembrokeshire Business Drop-in Session, and it's always a delight to meet existing members and new businesses alike at this regular event.
As we move towards the end of the year, we are looking forward to hosting our last South East Wales and our last West Wales networking events of the year. We’re looking forward to building on the success of this year’s events, and this month will see us finalising a series of events for the start of the coming year. Please do keep your eyes open for more events taking place in the New Year!
Upcoming Events
South East Wales In-Person Business Networking, Thursday 4 December, 9.00am – 11.30am
Always a popular one, our in-person networking event returns so come and expand your network within the local area. Hear from special guest speaker, Karen Howell, Zebroid Marketing, who will be asking the question ‘How Do I Know if my Marketing is Working?’, alongside sharing simple tools and metrics that will help small businesses measure success, make informed decisions and grow with purpose. Taking place in the historic and dynamic Space2B co-working space in Cardiff, this opportunity is open for both FSB members and non-members to attend, tickets always sell quickly for this one so make sure you don’t miss out!
North Wales Business Networking, Wednesday 10 December, 9.30am-11.00am
Our in-person networking in North Wales returns with our popular regular monthly North Wales Business Networking events. This monthly networking meet-up, this month taking place in Coleg Cambria, Northop, offers a prime opportunity to forge meaningful business connections, in a professional environment. Our guest speaker this month will be Dr Llyr ap Gareth, FSB Wales Head of Policy who will be discussing the results of our recent ‘Big Small Business Survey for Wales’, identifying what matters to SME’s across Wales from high streets to innovation, skills to
tax and the economy. Come along and network, collaborate, promote your services and support each other. Free to attend and open to all, both FSB members and non-members.
FSB Connect in West Wales, Thursday 11 December, 9.00am – 11.45am
Come along to our final in-person event of the year as we return to The Queens Hall in Narberth, and take the opportunity to expand your network with other business owners from across Pembrokeshire. Join us in welcoming Lydia Fasham, Founder & Client Relationship Builder at Henler, as the guest speaker at this event, who will be discussing ‘Being Human: How Client Relationships Are Your Most Valuable Business Asset’ and what this really means in business. Don’t miss the final chance of 2025 to engage with others at a relaxed and informal event, everyone welcome!
Wales Virtual Networking, Thursday 11 December, 1-2pm
Join us at our final virtual networking event of the year and enjoy being part of our wonderful online networking community at our Wales Virtual Networking sessions, the perfect dynamic and engaging setting to grow and diversify your business connections. Held fortnightly on a Thursday afternoon, this is your chance to expand your network, share valuable insights and collaborate with our diverse virtual community of business professionals from Wales and across the UK. The event is open to all and FREE to attend
Meet The Team
If you need any further information about any of the information or events covered here, your Wales contacts are:
Mike Learmond, Senior Development Manager (North Wales)
Rob Basini, Development Manager (South & Mid Wales)
Shona Holmes-Berry, Operational Support Co-Ordinator (Wales)
