Arnold Phillips was banned for 3 years and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work

A FISHGUARD man has been banned from driving for three years after admitting that he failed to provide a blood sample during a police investigation.

Arnold Phillips, aged 35, of Pontfaen, Fishguard, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, July 23.

Phillips admitted failing without reasonable excuse to provide a specimen of blood for laboratory analysis in Cardigan on June 9.

The sample had been requested as part of an investigation into whether he had committed a road traffic offence.

Magistrates imposed a 12-month community order and ordered Phillips to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

He was disqualified from driving for 36 months and must pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £114 court surcharge.

Phillips also admitted failing, without good cause, to provide a non-intimate sample to establish whether he had a Class A drug in his body while being held in police detention.

No separate penalty was imposed for that offence.

A separate charge alleging that Phillips drove a BMW without due care and attention on the A4076 in Cardigan was dismissed after the prosecution offered no evidence.

RSPCA alleges dogs were not provided with suitable living conditions, adequate food, water or veterinary care

A PEMBROKE DOCK woman has appeared before magistrates accused of failing to meet the welfare needs of three French bulldogs.

Lisa Jane Tania Bridgeman, aged 42, of Queen Street, Pembroke Dock, is charged in connection with the care of dogs named Pad, Teddy/Bear and Zorro.

The RSPCA alleges that, at an address in Tir Einin, Llanelli, on December 24, 2025, Bridgeman failed to take reasonable steps to ensure the animals’ needs were met.

The charge alleges that the dogs were not provided with a suitable environment or an adequate diet, including fresh drinking water.

It is also alleged that Bridgeman failed to provide adequate and effective treatment for flea infestations and resulting skin conditions, failed to maintain the dogs at an appropriate body condition, and failed to provide reasonable daily care and supervision.

The prosecution further alleges that the animals were not given the opportunity to exhibit normal behaviour.

Bridgeman was not present when the case was called at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on July 23.

No plea was entered and the allegations have not been proved.

The case was adjourned until September 10, when Bridgeman has been ordered to attend court. Magistrates warned that a warrant could be issued, or the case could proceed in her absence, if she does not attend.

By Lisa Mytton, Strategic Director of the National Training Federation for Wales

WALES cannot tackle skills shortages and the growing number of young people outside education, employment or training as separate problems.

They are closely connected, and apprenticeships must be placed at the heart of the solution.

The new Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Cefin Campbell, has outlined plans for a business-led review of Wales’s skills system, with a greater focus on data, employer demand and the needs of the future economy.

That approach is both welcome and urgently needed.

Latest Welsh Government figures show that 11.6% of people aged between 16 and 24 in Wales were not in education, employment or training, known as NEET, in the year ending December 2024.

At the same time, employers across Wales continue to report difficulties finding people with the right skills.

These challenges are two sides of the same coin.

If Wales is serious about growing its economy, improving productivity and creating meaningful opportunities for young people, it must develop a skills system that responds directly to the needs of both employers and communities.

Businesses should have a strong voice in shaping that system.

Employers are on the frontline of economic change. They understand where shortages already exist and where new opportunities are likely to emerge.

The forthcoming Skills Audit and Future Skills Summit provide an important opportunity to ensure that training provision reflects the realities of the labour market.

Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways of turning that employer knowledge into genuine employment opportunities.

They allow people to earn while they learn, gain recognised qualifications and develop practical skills in a real working environment.

For young people who may not see university or further academic study as the right route, an apprenticeship can offer a clear and accessible pathway into a worthwhile career.

That is particularly important for those who have become disconnected from education or employment.

The long-term effects of the Covid pandemic on young people’s confidence, resilience and mental wellbeing should not be underestimated.

Re-engaging those young people will require more than simply offering another course.

They need clear pathways, supportive workplaces and opportunities that are visibly linked to stable and rewarding careers.

Apprenticeships can provide that structure.

They offer workplace mentoring, practical experience and the chance to build confidence through meaningful employment. They also help young people develop the behaviours, communication skills and experience needed to succeed at work.

Apprenticeships will also be essential if Welsh communities are to benefit from investment in the industries expected to drive future economic growth.

The Deputy Minister has identified green energy, advanced manufacturing, health and social care and the nuclear sector among the areas likely to create future jobs.

Wales must begin building the workforce needed to support those industries now.

That means developing apprenticeship routes aligned with emerging opportunities and ensuring that young people across the country can access them.

Apprenticeships should not, however, be seen solely as a route for school leavers.

They also have an important role in helping existing employees develop new skills, progress in their careers and respond to technological and economic change.

For businesses, they can support innovation, productivity and long-term workforce planning.

The Skills Audit represents an opportunity to take a fresh look at how Wales prepares its workforce for the future.

To succeed, it must keep employers at the centre of decision-making and recognise apprenticeships as a key way of delivering the skills the economy needs.

Wales has an opportunity to address youth disengagement and employer skills shortages at the same time.

By strengthening employer-led apprenticeship programmes and aligning them with future growth sectors, we can create clearer routes into employment, support Welsh businesses and unlock the potential of thousands of young people.

Apprenticeships are not simply training programmes.

They are an investment in people, businesses and the future prosperity of Wales.