News

Haverfordwest: Police at Magistrates’ Court ahead of planned protest

Published

6 years ago

March 7, 2019

POLICE officers are guarding Haverfordwest Magistates court this afternoon (Mar 7)

Animal rights activists as well as concerned residents from the Pembroke Dock area are expected today to voice their anger about the treatment of animals at a local farm

Demonstrations have taken place over recent weeks after the local authority and animal charities worked together to remove a large number of animals from Bramble Hall Farm – the protests were over the animals which the protesters believed were still in situ at the farm – dubbed ‘Bramble Hell Farm’ by protestors.

Between 50 and 100 people attended two protests, it is not known how many will likely be in attendance at the court.

Sean Burns, of Rose Lodge, Ferry Lane is to attend court in order to answer to a request for by Pembrokeshire County Council that possession of 80 sheep, 58 dogs, 53 pigs, 21 horses and 3 goats be given up – and the animals sold or destroyed where necessary (If necessary to prevent suffering) under the provisions of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 section 20(1).

This is not a criminal charge, but a request for a civil order.

The case is listed for 2pm.

However, in light of legitimate public concerns about the welfare of animals at Bramble Hall Farm, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire County Council has released the following information which it is hoped will clarify the actions and legal processes taken so far, the current situation, and the roles of the various agencies involved.

Richard Brown, Head of Environmental Services and Public Protection, said: “Please be assured that we are continuing to monitor the welfare of animals that remain on site, and legitimate grounds for believing that the welfare of any animals is comprised will result in further action.

“An investigation into potential criminal charges is ongoing.”

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Animal Health and Welfare Team are generally responsible for monitoring the welfare of farmed livestock and taking action under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 where welfare standards are found to be deficient.

The Council is also responsible for licensing certain animal establishments, including dog breeding, and for animal welfare in these licensed establishments.

These welfare roles complement those of the RSPCA who generally take a lead in ensuring the welfare of companion animals (including dogs and horses) at other sites, with liaison taking place as appropriate.

Periodic, targeted visits are made by the Animal Health and Welfare Team to licensed operations and sites that present higher risk, and other sites are visited in response to intelligence received.

A warrant to enter Bramble Hall Farm was executed in 2017, which resulted in a prosecution and conviction in January 2018 for operating an illegal dog breeding establishment, animal welfare and animal by-product offences. Confirmation was subsequently obtained that dogs previously used for breeding had been rehomed pending a possible future application for a dog breeding licence, and no grounds remained for gaining access to the site.

On the 28th and 29th January 2019, the Council’s Animal Health and Welfare Team obtained and executed court warrants at Bramble Hall Farm with the support of other agencies and parties. The Council took possession of a large number of animals from the site on welfare grounds, as supported by veterinary opinion. All of the animals taken into possession were transported to pre-arranged, safe locations where they will be cared for appropriately, under the control of the Council, until a court determination has been made.

A small number of animals were not taken into possession during the operation as there was no veterinary evidence to suggest that their welfare had been compromised or that the animals would be subject to significant risk, at that time.

Steps have also been taken to ensure that any animal by-products remaining on site were removed. This has since been confirmed.

The Council is continuing to investigate a range of related offences in respect of a number of individuals. It is a large, complex investigation with multiple potential offences.

Meanwhile, the Council has applied to the Magistrates’ Court for the forfeiture (permanent confiscation) of animals seized. This procedure is independent of any potential criminal proceedings.

A court hearing is listed for the 7th March, for the court to consider this application. Depending on the outcome, a period of 28 days will be available for those with an interest, as owners, to lodge an appeal.

Council officers have been in contact with other people who have been identified as having a potential ownership interest in the animals taken into possession. Where evidence exists, these parties have been notified of the court hearing so that representations can be made.

Any persons who believe they have a right of ownership in respect of animals seized should notify the Council’s Animal Welfare team as a matter of urgency.

Despite legitimate public animal welfare concerns, Pembrokeshire County Council is unable to prevent any individual from acquiring or keeping animals. Only a court can do that.

If someone has been convicted for an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the court can make an order depriving/disqualifying them from owning, keeping, participating in keeping or controlling or influencing the way animals are kept, transporting or arranging the transportation of animals.

There is nothing stopping animals being brought to a site/kept on site until a disqualification is in place.

Council officers will take all reasonable steps to monitor the welfare of any animals that remain on site, along with other agencies as appropriate.

Legitimate grounds for believing that the welfare of any animals is comprised or that any illegal breeding activity is occurring will result in further action.

Should members of the public have any information to identify the ownership of any animals seized or about matters currently under investigation they should phone the Council’s contact centre on 01437 764551 and ask to speak to the Animal Welfare team.

News

County Hall lights up to mark Holocaust Memorial Day

Published

5 hours ago

January 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

COUNTY HALL in Haverfordwest will be lit in purple on Monday January 27 to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

This year Holocaust Memorial Day marks the 80^th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and remembers the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and those killed in genocides that followed.

The theme of this year’s commemoration is ‘For a Better Future’ and focuses on what everyone can do to create a better future.

This includes speaking up against Holocaust and genocide denial, challenging prejudice and encouraging others to learn about the Holocaust and more recent genocides.

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader, Cllr Jon Harvey, said: “This year’s Holocaust Memorial Day is particularly poignant as we remember the moments that Auschwitz-Birkenau was liberated and the horrors of the Holocaust revealed to the world.

“We all have an opportunity to take action for a better future. A better future where people are not suffering prejudice or persecution because of their faith, ethnicity or other characteristic.”

Council Presiding Member, Cllr Simon Hancock added: “On Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the Jewish victims of the Holocaust and all the others who suffered under Nazi persecution and the genocides that have followed.

“As we honour their memories, we also pledge to fight prejudice, discrimination, and antisemitism in society today.”

You can see more information on Holocaust Memorial Day at: https://hmd.org.uk/

News

Pembrokeshire cottage extension expected to be refused

Published

6 hours ago

January 25, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS adapt an outbuilding at a north Pembrokeshire cottage, which has had two previous extensions, to provide additional space for visiting family members are expected to be refused.

In an application recommended for refusal at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee meeting of January 29, Mr and Mrs Lewis seek permission for the park to allow habitable rooms in a consented building, along with a link to the existing dwelling at Lleine, near Moylegrove.

A supporting statemen through agent Harries Planning Design Management says: “This planning application follows a previously submitted planning application for extension to the dwelling and the rebuilding of existing outbuildings.

“It also follows a pre-application advice enquiry for an extension and to allow habitable rooms in the outbuilding and a refusal for an application of a similar nature. Following the refusal, we met with officers at the [national park] offices in Pembroke Dock to discuss a way forward for this proposal given the reason is to enable relatives to stay with the family. We therefore have followed the advice of the officers and provided amended plans following their response.”

An officer report for planners says Lleine, on a minor coastal road linking Newport and Moylegrove, is a traditional single-storey cottage that has been extended on two occasions previously.

It adds: “This application seeks consent to allow habitable rooms in an outbuilding which previously gained planning permission, together with the erection of a link to the existing dwelling. The current application follows the refusal [of a previous application], which also sought consent to allow habitable rooms in the previously consented building, and the construction of a link to the main dwelling.

“It was considered by officers that the proposal represented an over-development of the original dwelling by introducing additional accommodation and built form over and above that which was granted.”

It says that while the revised proposal is smaller, “it is still considered that the further additional built form would be an over-development of the existing dwelling, which already been extended extensively”.

The application has been brought to committee consideration rather than decided by officers at the request of the local councillor.

Crime

Dyfed-Powys Police tax bill could rise by nine percent

Published

6 hours ago

January 25, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

THE POLICE part of the council tax bill in Dyfed and Powys is expected to rise by nearly nine percent, meaning the average household could be paying £360 for that element alone.

The overall council tax bill for residents in the counties of Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Powys is made up of the county council element of the council tax, the Dyfed-Powys Police precept, and individual town or community council precepts.

In a summary before the January 24 meeting of the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel, held at County Hall, Haverfordwest, Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn calls for a raising of the precept by nearly nine per cent for the 2025-’26 financial year.

The summary says: “After extensive scrutiny by the Police & Crime Panel (P&CP), I was unanimously supported in setting a council tax precept for 2024/25 in Dyfed-Powys of £332.03 for an average band D property, once again being the lowest in Wales.

“At every stage within the series of precept and medium-term financial plan meetings, and indeed through my scrutiny and review of the in-year financial position, I critically question and constructively challenge aspects of the revenue budget requirement and organisational delivery structure to assure myself of the requirements, progress and ultimate delivery. I also undertook a series of challenge and scrutiny sessions specifically reviewing the Estates, ICT and Fleet Strategies and future capital programme.

“To inform my considerations for 2025/26 and to fulfil my responsibilities as Commissioner, I consulted with the public to obtain their views on the level of police precept increase. It was pleasing to see an increase in respondents since 2024/5 with 76 per cent supporting a precept increase above Nine per cent.”

It added: “I am painfully aware of the pressures that the cost-of-living crisis continue to put on our communities. There is a fine balance between ensuring an efficient and effective, visible and accessible Policing Service, addressing operational services demands to ensure the safety of the public, whilst also ensuring value for money for the taxpayers and sound financial management.

“Having undertaken a comprehensive process, I am confident in the robustness of this MTFP, but this does not underestimate the difficult decisions or indeed mitigate the financial challenges and uncertainties which are outside of our control.

“I therefore submit my precept proposal for scrutiny by the Dyfed- Powys Police and Crime Panel, which will raise the average Band D property precept by £2.39 per month or £28.65 per annum to £360.68, an 8.6 per cent increase. This increase will raise a total precept of £86.366m.

“This will provide a total funding of £153.304m, representing a £9.4m/6.5 per cent increase on the revised funding for 2024/25.”

For the individual council tax bands of A-I, the proposed levels, and increase on last year, are: £240.46 (+£19.10), £280.53 (+£22.29), £320.61 (+£25.47), £360.68 (+£28.65), £440.84 (+£35.02), £520.99 (+£41.39), £601.14 (+£47.76), £721.37 (+£57.31), and £841.60 (+£66.86).

Ceredigion is currently mooting a near-10 per cent increase in that element of the overall council tax bill.

Anyone paying a premium on council tax, such as second home-owners, also pay the premium on the police precept, meaning their bills for this element are proportionately higher.