Community

Park plans for starry, starry nights

Published

11 years ago

May 21, 2015

IN 2012 starysky /13, the Brecon Beacons achieved International Dark Sky Reserve status for the whole National Park. On a clear night in the Brecon Beacons, you can see the Milky Way, major constellations, bright nebulas and even meteor showers. It’s enough to make anyone starry eyed.

Now Pembrokeshire’s own National Park Authority has decided to try to create a number of Dark Sky Discovery Sites across the county.

The UK has some of the largest areas of dark sky in Europe. You can find dark skies near where you live, if you can get away from bright lights such as street lighting. That could be in your back garden, a local park, or getting out of town altogether. From a city centre location we might see about 100 stars with our naked eyes, and the further away from the streetlights you go, the better the view becomes. Under a really dark sky we can see over 1,000 stars. We can even see our own galaxy, The Milky Way, stretching across the sky.

Pembrokeshire Cost National Park does not particularly lend itself to being a Dark Sky Reserve or Dark Sky Park because it is relatively small, ribbon-like, and is affected by significant light sources on the Milford Haven. These factors would make Dark Sky Reserve and Dark Sky Park requirements very difficult to meet, and the associated improvement commitments onerous to maintain.

Instead, officers have sought to identify a series of potential Dark Sky Discovery Sites across the National Park. Dark Sky Discovery Sites are small, accessible observation sites with good night sky quality. Proposals for Dark Sky Discovery sites are submitted to and decided by the UK Dark Sky Discovery partnership, which is made up of national and local astronomy and environmental organisations.

There is currently only one Dark Sky Discovery site in the National Park: the National Trust’s car park at Broad Haven South. A spread of Dark Sky Discovery Sites across the National Park could help raise the profile of the Park, not only for stargazers and photographers but as part of more general “Park-at-night” type experiences (wildlife observation, John Muir/Duke of Edinburgh tasks, navigation, bushcraft and so on), potentially out of the main visit or season.

In order to qualify for Dark Sky Discovery (DSD) Site status, the proposed locations need to meet a number of criteria that make them safe and accessible as well as having suitably dark skies, in order to fully suppor t the above aims.

Dark Sky Discovery Sites are places that:

are away from the worst of any local light pollution

provide good sightlines of the sky

have good public access, including firm ground for wheelchairs.

The sites are generally freely accessible at all times The website sets out two clear categories of Dark Sky Discovery sites. The two darkness ratings are:

‘Orion’ sites. At these sites, the seven main stars in the winter constellation Orion are visible to the naked eye. Typically, this means away from, or shielded from, bright lights such as street lights, security lights or approaching car lights.

“Milky Way” sites. At these sites the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye. They are much darker sites found only in more rural areas.

The ten selected sites are: Poppit Sands Beach; Bedd Morris National Park car park; Bwlch Gwynt; Garn Fawr National Trust car park; Rhosfach Common; Abereiddi Bay car park; Martin’s Haven National Trust car park; Kete National Trust car park; Stack Rocks National Park car park; and Skrinkle Haven National Park car park.

Community

Secular Society backs council plan to remove church school status from Ysgol Cilgerran

Published

13 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A FURTHER secular group has backed Pembrokeshire County Council’s plan to redesignate a north county faith primary school as a nonreligious community school.

Back in May, Pembrokeshire County Council voted to remove Voluntary Controlled (VC) status from Welsh-medium Ysgol Cilgerran’s Church in Wales school despite 97 per cent of the responses to a consultation having opposed a change which the church describes as ‘entirely unnecessary’.

That consultation followed a review which “considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council has previously said.

Hundreds opposed the proposed changes, with a petition on the council’s own website gaining 391 signatures.

The Church in Wales has objected formally to the proposal and has warned it will take legal action on the grounds of “public misrepresentation and unqualified legal assertions made by Pembrokeshire County Council officers,” and “discrimination against faith schooling”.

At the council’s July meeting, Cilgerran parents, teachers, and students travelled to County Hall, Haverfordwest to protest.

Their colourful protest signs, made by students, carried messages such as “You can’t fix what isn’t broken”, “Leave our VC status alone”, and “Don’t take away our identity for a few £££”.

One of the protesters, an ex-pupil and governor, Sarah Moore, has said: “I’m here today because I’m horrified that the council are talking about taking the church status away from our school. The church gave that land for the school over 180 years ago.

“97 per cent have voted against this and yet they’re still trying to do it. If we want our children to stay in a church school, the nearest one is Letterston. So where will these children have that good education that they are getting now?”

The Church has said it has deep concern about what it sees as a pattern of the council’s recent actions regarding Church Schools.

In June, councillors voted to close Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, which was damaged by a fire in 2022.

It has also expressed concerns about VC status being lost for Tenby Church in Wales VC school after councillors backed a consultation on penitential education changes in the Tenby area.

Wales Humanists recently supported the council plans, writing to Pembrokeshire County Council expressing its support for the proposal “on behalf of the area’s substantial non-religious community”.

It says, according to the 2021 Census, almost half of people in Pembrokeshire identified as having no religion.

Since then, another secular group, The National Secular Society (NSS), has expressed its support for the council.

The NSS campaigns for publicly funded faith schools to be phased out, and for religiously selective admissions to be abolished.

Welcoming the move, the NSS praised the council’s “secular approach to education” as the “best means of ensuring publicly funded schools are equally welcoming to all children, regardless of their backgrounds”.

The NSS added: “Inclusive schools which educate pupils together are one of our best means of promoting community cohesion, whilst faith schools which divide children on the basis of religion and are entirely out of step with the irreligious and religiously diverse Wales of today.

“Schools we all pay for should be managed in the best interests of everyone, not used as a vehicle for the agenda of religious institutions.”

Community

‘Warn and inform’ approach for breaches of dogs on beach restrictions to continue

Published

13 hours ago

July 24, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PEMBROKESHIRE is continuing to operate a “warn and inform” approach to tackling to dog owners bringing their pets to beaches where they are restricted, councillors heard.

Bylaws connected to restrictions on dogs on Pembrokeshire beaches are to come under the spotlight later this week in a series of questions to be heard at full council.

Traditionally running from May 1 to September 30, there are total bans on dogs at Tenby’s North Beach and Whitesands in St Davids.

Partial bans are in operation on parts of Lydstep, Newgale, Saundersfoot, Tenby Castle and South Beach, Amroth beach, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven North, and Dale.

There is also a voluntary dog restriction on the beach at Coppet Hall between 10am and 6pm.

Guide dogs are welcome on Pembrokeshire’s beaches all year round.

In a three-pronged series of submitted questions heard at the July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor Rhys Jordan asked for details surrounding dogs on beaches bylaws.

“Can the relevant Cabinet Member confirm where the operative beach dog bylaws, schedules, amendments and deposited plans are currently published, and whether all public-facing maps, signs and webpages accurately reflect the legal restrictions in force?

“Can the relevant Cabinet Member confirm who formally approved the council’s 2026 approach to beach dog restrictions, including any warning-led or ‘warn and inform’ approach, and who is currently authorised to enforce the byelaws following the end of WISE’s ([Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement)] involvement in enforcement for Pembrokeshire County Council?

“Given the lack of substantive response to requests for this information, the apparent difficulty in producing relevant and legal governance documents, and the need for residents and visitors to understand any legal restrictions with certainty, will the relevant Cabinet Member agree to suspend enforcement and active promotion of the 2026 beach dog restrictions until the byelaws, deposited plans, decision records and enforcement arrangements have been verified and published in one accessible location?”

Cllr Jordan has previously said he felt that “blanket bans” on some of the county’s beaches were “overly punitive on dog owners”.

Responding to the submitted question Cabinet Member for Residents Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said the authority “remains satisfied the current restrictions continue to operate lawfully and doesn’t consider there to be grounds to suspend enforcement relating to these restrictions”.

He said, however, the council is reviewing enforcement implementation and wider authorisations as part of ongoing work relating to antisocial behaviour and public protection matters, adding the information was available on the council’s website.

In a series of supplementary questions, Cllr Jordan asked: “If a member of the public ignores dog beach restrictions today, what statutory enforcement will Pembrokeshire County Council take?”

Cllr Sinnett said the council was continuing a “warn and inform” approach as it had since the cessation of the WISE contract, adding: “Officers provide advice, guidance and warnings as a primary approach; for known or persistent offenders the authority retains the ability to utilise statutory measures such as community protection warnings or community protection notices.

“While breaches of a bylaw may result in a financial penalty it’s important to note this is not automatic and any decision will be proportionate and evidence-based; no Fixed Penalty Notices are being issued this season.”

Community

New women’s support hub opens at Parc Dewi Sant

Published

1 day ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WOMEN across the Dyfed-Powys area are set to benefit from improved access to specialist support following the opening of a new Women’s Centre Hub at Parc Dewi Sant.

Operated by The Nelson Trust, the hub forms part of the continued development of trauma-informed services for women experiencing multiple disadvantage.

It provides a safe and supportive environment where women can access practical advice, guidance and specialist help to address the challenges they face.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has worked alongside The Nelson Trust and partners from the Local Criminal Justice Board to support the development of the facility.

The project forms part of the board’s wider commitment to improving outcomes for women throughout the Dyfed-Powys area.

The hub was officially opened on Friday, July 3, bringing together organisations involved in delivering support and recognising the partnership work that helped establish the new service.

Peer support will also play an important role, with volunteers drawing on their own lived experiences to help women facing similar circumstances.

Referrals to the Dyfed-Powys service are currently made through the Community Rehabilitation Service via probation. The hub is not presently accepting self-referrals.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Women experiencing multiple disadvantage deserve access to the right support at the right time.

“By working closely with our partners, we can help ensure that women across our communities are able to access the specialist services they need to address the challenges they face and build safer, more positive futures.

“This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations come together with a shared commitment to supporting vulnerable members of our communities.”