News

Council u-turn over school closures following ‘attempt to bully’ charity trustees

Published

11 years ago

September 4, 2015

School changes: Council have made a U-turn on recent plans

A CONTROVERSIAL reorganisation of education provision in Haverfordwest appears to have been put on the back burner, following a number of protests and the threat of legal action.

Under the plans, Tasker Milward School would have been closed, and an 11-16 ‘superschool would have been created on the Sir Thomas Picton School site. A Welsh-medium school was to have been built on the Tasker Milward site.

The sixth form provision for the town would have been based at Pembrokeshire College.

The plans created uproar in Haverfordwest, with many people complaining that pupils in the town would have a lack of education choices compared to those living in areas of the county with school-based sixth form provision.

As The Herald revealed, the council also faced a possible legal battle with the trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton charity, which owns the land on which Tasker Milward is built.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Director for Children and Schools, Kate Evan-Hughes, wrote a reportwhich said that since July 16, when PCC realised the extent of the potential legal issues and the present ‘offers to meet with the Trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity have not resulted in a meeting.

‘In order to progress the development of education provision for pupils in north, west and south Pembrokeshire – a fundamental part of the strategy to improve standards, it is proposed to postpone the element relating to Haverfordwest to enable further discussion in pursuit of a mutually agreeable solution that meets the case for change and the imperative to improve standards of attainment for young people.’

BULLYING

Former council leader Maurice Hughes confirmed today that attempts to arrange a meeting between the trustees and the local authority had been taking place between the parties’ legal representatives.Mr Hughes praised Stephen Hill of Price and Son in Haverfordwest for his diligence in dealing with the Council and told our reporter: “The Council was not prepared to meet our conditions for a meeting, which was a promise to keep an 11-19 school in Haverfordwest. In addition, the Council wished to impose conditions of its own before any meeting took place.”Mr Hughes then proceeded to disclose that the Council had threatened to build a new 11-16 school on a third site in Haverfordwest in order to bypass the objections of the charitable trust: “Personally,” Mr Hughes said, “I regard that as nothing short of an attempt to bully and blackmail the Trust into giving way.”

He continued: “The Council mucked up the consultation and was told it had before it started. It seems to me that a lot of time, effort, and money is being spent by the Council trying to get itself out a mess it made itself and which was completely avoidable. If I was still Council leader, I would not be very happy with the officer responsible for that happening.”

However, Maurice Hughes was not condemnatory of the attitude and action of all council officers: “Ian Westley, the new Chief Executive, came to my house to see me one evening and stayed for over two hours as we chatted around the issues. He had been briefed, that is obvious, I guessed by Kate Evans-Hughes (Director of Education). We spoke informally about a few ways of resolving the difficulties. I told him what I’ll say to you, the Education Department should have sorted this out before the consultation and not tried to ride roughshod over the Trust and local people.

“When there are claims of seeking a mutually satisfactory outcome to negotiations, what the Education Department means is getting its own way.”

On the decision to site a Welsh-medium school in Haverfordwest at a third site, Maurice Hughes commented that it appeared to be a case of the Education Department cutting of their nose to spite their face and wondered whether it was a sign of trying to force the trustees to give way.

“Of course,” Maurice said, “we’ve never had any objection to a Welsh-medium school being based on trust land. That’s a red herring. The issue – the only issue – is the provision of 11-19 schooling on one site in Haverfordwest. It seems to me that talking about consultation with us and then telling parents of children in St Davids that their children will be going to Pembrokeshire College after the age of sixteen, gives the game away about just how much consultation and compromise the Education Department has in mind.”

The Saveour6thform campaign group are delighted to note that the Extraordinary Council Meeting scheduled for 10th September 2015 recommending the closure of both Haverfordwest Secondary schools will be postponed to allow for further considerations.

We trust that the new recommendation will incorporate the needs of the County town to continue with the provision of choice for the already viable 11-19 School in Haverfordwest.

News

Questions raised over delayed west Wales express coach as FOI row deepens

Published

1 hour ago

March 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Concerns mount over transparency after Transport for Wales delays response on key documents

QUESTIONS are being raised over the future of a long-promised express coach service linking north and south west Wales, after a Freedom of Information (FOI) request triggered a delay by Transport for Wales.

The proposed express route between Bangor and Carmarthen was identified in a Welsh Government-backed business case in early 2025 as a key project capable of cutting journey times by up to 90 minutes.

However, more than a year after a public consultation was held, there has been no clear update on funding, delivery, or timelines.

Now, a detailed FOI request submitted to TfW is seeking answers — including business case documents, internal communications, and consultation results — but the transport body has said it needs more time to respond.

FOI delay sparks concern

In a reply dated Friday (Mar 27), TfW said it was relying on Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act, which relates to commercial interests, and that it required additional time to carry out a public interest test.

The authority has indicated it will respond fully by April 28.

But the applicant, Dr John McTighe, has challenged that position, arguing that most of the requested information — including meeting dates, consultation documents, and performance data — cannot reasonably be considered commercially sensitive.

He has warned that failure to provide the non-sensitive material promptly could result in a referral to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Contrast with north Wales rollout

The FOI request also highlights the introduction of the TrawsCymru T51 service between Wrexham and Rhyl, which was launched in 2025 and is set to receive a fleet of new vehicles this year.

Critics argue that while the north Wales route has progressed quickly, the west-coast express proposal — described as a “headline ambition” for improving north–south connectivity — appears to have stalled.

The Herald understands that the Bangor–Carmarthen route was backed by a positive business case and formed part of wider plans to improve long-distance public transport links across Wales.

Transparency questions

The request seeks details of meetings, internal correspondence, and consultation analysis — including the results of a public consultation which TfW said would be assessed using specialist software.

It also asks for information on how passenger numbers and performance data are monitored across the TrawsCymru network.

Concerns have been raised that key performance data, including annual passenger figures and punctuality statistics, are not routinely published in full.

Calls for clarity

The delay has prompted fresh calls for transparency over how decisions are made on publicly funded transport services in Wales.

There is particular concern in west Wales that strategic investment may not be progressing at the same pace as elsewhere, despite longstanding commitments to improve connectivity along the western corridor.

A spokesperson for Transport for Wales said the organisation is considering where the balance of public interest lies before releasing the requested information, and confirmed a full response will be issued by April 28.

The Welsh Government has been approached for comment.

Local Government

Oil spill alert after pollution hits Pembroke stream and Castle Pond

Published

1 hour ago

March 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Heating oil believed to have entered water via culvert as investigation and clean-up continue

AN UGENT investigation is underway after a suspected heating oil spill contaminated the Commons Stream and spread into Castle Pond in Pembroke.

Pembroke Town Council first raised the alarm, warning residents of a potential pollution incident affecting the watercourse. Officers from Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team and Natural Resources Wales are now on site working to identify the source and contain the spill.

Further information from local county councillor Aaron Carey suggests the oil likely entered the stream through a culvert near Foundry House, indicating the source may lie somewhere to the south of that location.

The substance is believed to be domestic heating oil. It is not yet known whether the spill was accidental or the result of a possible attempted fuel theft.

Residents in St Daniel’s Hill, South Road and Orange Gardens are being urged to check their heating oil tanks for any signs of damage or unexplained loss.

Witnesses reported seeing a blue-green sheen on the water near the castle side earlier today, raising concerns about the extent of the contamination.

Clean-up efforts are ongoing, and members of the public may notice increased activity around the stream and pond while teams work to manage the incident.

Anyone with information or concerns is advised to contact the relevant authorities.

News

Reform UK candidate quits days after Nazi salute row

Published

2 hours ago

March 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Corey Edwards stood in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg and appeared at national hustings shortly before stepping down

REFORM UK Senedd candidate Corey Edwards has stepped down from the upcoming election, just days after controversy over a photograph appearing to show him making a Nazi salute.

The party confirmed on Thursday (Mar 27) that Edwards had withdrawn from the race, citing mental health issues. A spokesperson said: “Corey Edwards has informed us that he is stepping down as a candidate for the Senedd election this May, citing issues with his mental health.

“We wish him well for the future and hope his privacy can be respected at this difficult time.”

Edwards had been selected as Reform UK’s lead candidate for Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg, meaning he was in a strong position to be elected if the party secured a seat in the constituency.

His withdrawal comes shortly after a photograph emerged, first published by Nation.Cymru, which appeared to show him performing a Nazi salute. Edwards said the image, taken in 2019, could be “misinterpreted” and claimed he had been imitating either a scene from Fawlty Towers or Welsh footballer Wayne Hennessey, who was previously involved in a similar controversy.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the image “looked terrible” but confirmed Edwards would not be removed as a candidate at the time, describing him as “a human being” and referencing the sitcom scene as context.

Edwards had also appeared publicly as a Reform representative at a national youth hustings event in Cardiff on Thursday (Mar 19), alongside politicians from other major parties.

In a statement, Edwards said: “Like many young people, I have made mistakes. But I am proud of the person I am today and the values I stand for.”

The Herald understands that Reform UK has not yet confirmed whether a replacement candidate will be selected for the constituency.