News

Council ‘is doing its best’

Published

11 years ago

February 24, 2015

‘WE are still doing our very best with a very tight budget’.

That was the message from Cllr Sue Perkins at Monday’s Cabinet meeting as councillors discussed cuts to the Learning Pembrokeshire service.

The service, which provides essential skills and support for adult learners, has seen a huge drop in funding over the last couple of years.

In January 2015, the Welsh Government notified authorities that the funding would be reduced by £85,600 from April 1 this year with the possibility of a further cut for 2016/17.

The council has therefore been forced to reduce its learning provision and a plan has been put in place to maintain the service.

Cllr Sue Perkins said: “As you can see, last year the Learning Pembrokeshire grant was cut by 25% by the Welsh Government and this year there have been further reductions.

“Our Adult Education has had a huge amount of money removed from it so what we are trying to do is to provide all the adult education that we do now without cutting courses in the best way possible.

“We are trying to manage with the cuts we have had to make. We’ll still provide the basic skills courses and the courses that help in areas of deprivation like Spirngboard. So we are still doing our very best with a very tight budget.

“To move this forward we have two phases. In phase one, we are talking about rationalising the central part in Haverfordwest, we’re moving the education facility in Pembroke Dock to another location that is only 200 yards away. In Fishguard we are talking about relocating the delivery into other community venues.

“In phase two, we’re talking about ceasing to maintain the centres in Haverfordwest and Tenby. In Tenby it will have a knock on effect with the library and the youth centre so it’s going to take a lot longer.

“We’re trying to provide these facilities in a very shrinking budget”.

Cllr Pat Davies had also emailed members of Cabinet about her concerns for the Fishguard area and the Head of Performance and Community, James White, was asked to comment.

He said: “The maintenance and custodial costs of the four buildings total just over £170,000. If the money was to be saved then the only other option within Learning Pembrokeshire would be to stop doing the courses. To stop doing £170,000 worth of courses would have a major impact on the opportunities that we offer.

“In terms of the Fishguard building itself, the cost there is just over £25,000 and so there is a significant amount tied up in maintenance of these buildings.

“Until this paper is agreed we haven’t done anything in terms of conversations with stakeholders or the head teacher at Bro Gwaun School or anything like that, we didn’t have clearance to do that. Clearly, Councillors will be aware that consultation is about to start following a decision of full council about the future of education provision and changes that are being consulted on in the Fishguard area and it may well be that the future of the building there would probably be considered as part of that”.

Council Leader Jamie Adams said: “We either maintain the service or if we carry on as we are, the service will fall apart. There may be other areas in the community that would benefit from an element of service provision”.

James White added: “Learning Pembrokeshire is the second largest deliverer of adult learning after Cardiff in terms of the council. The Council runs/provides just over 80% of the totality of adult learning in the county. We’re very close to the point where Learning Pembrokeshire costs the council nothing. If you think that putting Learning Pembrokeshire somewhere else will save money then it won’t”.

Cllr Huw George said: “Let’s make sure that the services are out there, what the people want, it doesn’t matter who does it but now is the time to have that look”.

Cllr Keith Lewis said: “The Public consultation meeting we held in Fishguard in November (2014), one of the points that came up was that the people of Fishguard felt that they would prefer to maintain the services but that if building had to be rationalised they would go along with that. People do appreciate the situation we are, if it means we can maintain the service by moving and perhaps getting rid of some, I think that’s a good way forward”.

James White concluded: “Although the location of the youth centre may well change, we will still have a youth club in Tenby”.

Business

Llangwm brewery closes after entering liquidation

Published

5 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SMALL Pembrokeshire brewing company has been formally wound up after its owners concluded the business could no longer continue.

Black Tar Brewing Co Ltd, which was registered in Llangwm, entered creditors’ voluntary liquidation following a meeting of company members on February 27, 2026.

The meeting was held at the Swansea offices of Stones & Co Insolvency Practitioners, where Gareth Stones was appointed to oversee the closure.

The company’s registered address was at Gail Rise in Llangwm, near Haverfordwest, and official records listed its activities as beer manufacturing.

No public details have yet been released about the size of the business, the value of its assets or the amount owed to creditors.

As liquidator, Mr Stones will now take control of the company’s affairs, identify any remaining assets and determine whether funds are available for those owed money.

Creditors are expected to receive further information as the process develops.

The liquidation was initiated by the company rather than through a court order, meaning its members voted to bring trading to an end and place its finances in the hands of an insolvency practitioner.

A public notice connected to the closure directs creditors and other interested parties to Stones & Co for further information.

The winding-up brings an end to the Llangwm-registered brewery, although the company’s recent level of trading and the number of people connected to the business remain unclear.

Crime

Murder investigation launched into death of Pembrokeshire man in 1991

Published

7 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A 67-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after new potential evidence emerged in connection with a death more than three decades ago.

Dyfed-Powys Police have launched a murder investigation into the death of 58-year-old Bentley Mathias, who died in hospital in 1991.

Mr Mathias died at Morriston Hospital on November 19, 1991, with his cause of death recorded at the time as a brain haemorrhage.

His death was not initially treated as suspicious. However, police said new potential evidence had since come to light, prompting the case to be investigated as a murder enquiry.

On Wednesday, July 22, officers arrested a 67-year-old man from the Llandewi Velfrey area of Pembrokeshire on suspicion of murder.

He has since been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers were not looking for anyone else in connection with the investigation.

The enquiry remains ongoing.

Education

Haverfordwest pupils impress judges with eco-friendly cleaning business

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Ysgol Preseli also represented Pembrokeshire among five finalists at an all-Wales green skills competition

A TEAM of Haverfordwest pupils has earned national recognition after developing a range of environmentally friendly cleaning products aimed at hotels and tourism businesses.

The Sustainables, from Haverfordwest High VC School, presented their idea to business leaders, Welsh Government representatives and sustainability experts at the Tomorrow’s Changemakers Hackathon 2026.

The pupils gave a live demonstration of their product and explained how it could be priced and marketed to businesses across the hospitality sector.

Their combination of environmental thinking and commercial awareness impressed the judging panel, which awarded the team a Highly Commended prize.

Pupils from Ysgol Preseli also reached the final, meaning Pembrokeshire was represented by two of the five teams selected from across south and west Wales.

The competition, held at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in Carmarthen, challenged Year 8 pupils to find practical solutions to environmental problems affecting tourism, hospitality and the built environment.

The overall winners were the Green Guardians from Llangatwg Community School in Neath Port Talbot.

Their design for a more sustainable school included an outdoor learning centre which could also operate as a pupil-run garden café.

The hackathon marked the end of a year-long programme in which pupils worked alongside teachers, employers and community organisations to research problems, develop ideas and present their solutions.

More than 1,000 Pembrokeshire pupils have taken part in the Tomorrow’s Changemakers programme since it was introduced in the county in 2023.

The Port of Milford Haven is the programme’s main partner in Pembrokeshire.

Anna Mullarkey, the Port’s stakeholder engagement and communications manager, said: “The creativity and innovation shown by these learners is truly inspiring.

“They transformed their ideas into practical solutions that could help build a more sustainable future.

“We’re proud to support young people in reaching their full potential and delighted to see schools across Pembrokeshire creating environments where ideas and talent can flourish.”

The programme has now worked with more than 3,000 young people across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Neath Port Talbot.

It is due to expand further from September, with Ysgol Harri Tudor and Ysgol Caer Elen joining the Pembrokeshire programme alongside schools in Swansea, Powys and Bridgend.

Cymbrogi Futures founder and chief executive Liza Lort-Phillips said Pembrokeshire remained at the heart of the initiative.

She said: “The county has extraordinary young people with bold ideas about the future of their communities.

“Our job is to give them the space, the tools and the confidence to act on those ideas.”