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High risks identified at Mill Pond

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A NUMBER of ‘High Risks’ have been identified at Pembroke’s Mill Pond, after three people drowned in the pond in 2015.

That is despite Pembrokeshire County Council’s own assessment which describes them as ‘low risks’.

The charity, Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership, commissioned a report on behalf of the family of Robert Mansfield who sadly died in the Mill Pond, also known as the Castle Pond.

57 year old Robert Lyall and 52 year old Wayne Anthony Young also died after falling in the pond in separate incidents.

Pembrokeshire County Council owns the land surrounding the pond and its own assessment was presented to coroner Mark Layton at the inquest into the death of Mr Mansfield.

During the inquest, Mr Layton said he was concerned about the Council’s assessment and that there was a need to consider fencing and warning signs.

The report, which has been done Dr Cliff Nelson of the national drowning prevention charity the Royal Lifesaving Society, has found a number of high risks which are described as ‘not acceptable’.

Those include slipping and falling, and the depth and temperature of the water.

Outcomes of the risks are drowning, hypothermia, limb injury, and illness through water-borne pollution.

While the report states that the risk of falling into the pond is ‘generally low’ it goes on to say that there are a number of ‘pinch points’ where the path runs close to the edge of the river bank.

Dr Nelson adds that the path is in need of improvement and that railings and improved lighting around the pond should be considered.

The charity was set up in memory of Cameron Comey, from Carmarthen, who has not been found since he fell into the River Towy two years ago.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “The Council has always taken these matters very seriously and has formerly responded to the Pembrokeshire Coroner at the time and, since then, Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership.

“We have also previously undertaken a review of the walkway around the Castle. The public footpath is inspected regularly and is considered to meet the intervention levels set for maintenance purposes.

“Nevertheless, in dialogue with the Carmarthenshire Water Safety Partnership last summer, we acknowledged they may well wish to undertake an independent review and noted that we would be happy to review such a study.

“In the earlier communication with the Partnership, the Council fed back on both the Castle and Mill Ponds, noting – in particular in relation to the Castle Pond – the mixed ownership issues, with not all land being under the Authority’s control.

“The Council was saddened to learn of the incidents on the ponds and in our formal response to the Pembrokeshire Coroner (following Mr Mansfield’s inquest) we undertook to review safety.

“We also re-provided flotation devices – which had been removed on a number of occasions – and erected signs at various points around the Castle Pond advising against swimming due to the poor water quality.

“There is already lighting on the footpath below the Castle and the installations were considered generally adequate.

“There is a mixture of old and new lighting columns and lanterns which might benefit from upgrading to ensure consistent lighting.

“The Partnership’s report acknowledges that the risk of falling into the water around Castle Pond is ‘generally low’ although there are a number of pinch points on the Castle side of the pond where the path runs close to the riverbank.

“Now that the report has been issued, the Council is happy to review the Partnership feedback and continue to explore appropriate enhancements and improvements.”

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Business

Stephen Crabb leads inquiry on retaining community bank services  

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PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP, and Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Stephen Crabb is leading an inquiry in Parliament that will investigate the closure of high street banks in Wales, as well as access to cash.

In November 2023, Pembrokeshire saw the closure of Lloyds Bank in St Davids, and in the coming months both Barclays Bank and Halifax in Haverfordwest are set to close. In recent years, Wales has experienced a rapid decline in the number of high street banking services available to the public. Already in 2024, 23 high street bank closures have been announced in Wales, while automated teller machines (ATMs) declined by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2023.

The Committee willconsider how declining high street banking services are impacting vulnerable people and small businesses across Wales, who are often more reliant on cash than digital banking. It will also examine how Wales is being affected by the loss of high street bank services, and whether the problem is worse in Wales than other parts of the UK.

Mr Crabb is a staunch advocate for retaining community banking facilities, especially in rural communities like Pembrokeshire where many local branches remain the only source of face-to-face banking provision for miles.

Recently Mr Crabb challenged Barclays Bank senior management on their decision to close the bank branch in Haverfordwest– a move that will see Barclays not only pull out of the county town, but means they won’t have a branch left anywhere in Pembrokeshire. He has also engaged with LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – and continues to campaign on the basis that a Banking Hub is established and that ATM machines should be retained or installed, especially in areas worst affected by the closures.  

Following the launch of the inquiry, MP Crabb added: “It is really sad to see so many banks across Wales closing as online banking grows in popularity. Despite the advantages of online banking, for a rural community with an ageing population like Pembrokeshire, bank branches hold huge importance as they offer face-to-face customer service.”

“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience that the bank closures locally have already caused following hundreds of replies from constituents to my ‘online banking survey’ ”

“I am looking forward to gathering further evidence on this subject through the committee’s inquiry, and will continue to put pressure on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that adequate alternative provisions are made through the establishment of banking hubs as well as the instalment of ATM machines where necessary.”

“In this inquiry, we are particularly keen to hear from those likely to be directly affected by the shift away from cash and physical banks. I encourage anyone with first-hand experience of losing banking services to give evidence to the Committee”

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Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

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TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

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Welsh Water has increased sewage discharges into waterways ‘by 40%’

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NEW figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Dwr Cymru discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 23,354 hours last year, a 40% increase on 2022. 

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in Welsh waterways.

The party has also called for a halt on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis.

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into our nation’s rivers and waterways without consequence.

“It’s beggars’ belief that both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour government are allowing water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“We as a party are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local waterways. We have also called for a halt on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways.”

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