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Commissioner defends policing levels in Dyfed Powys

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THE DYFED-POWYS Police and Crime Commissioner has defended police numbers but confirmed work is underway to take an in-depth look at resources across the force area.

Dafydd Llywelyn was responding to a member of the public at this week’s meeting of the Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel, who asked if he had plans to appoint additional police officers following an increased precept for police in the recent Council Tax setting.

Mr Llywelyn said police funding should not necessarily equate to police numbers, pointing out that there are more police officers and staff employed in Dyfed Powys now, than when he took over as Commissioner in 2016.

He was also keen to point out that the Dyfed Powys precept remained the lowest in Wales – the average Band D property contributes around £250 a year to policing currently, collected as part of Council Tax.

“The Chief Constable has more resources at his disposal now since when I came in to the force,” he said.

“I’m really pleased to state that Dyfed Powys police has not suffered the level of cuts that have been seen nationally.

“Since 2009-19, the average number of police officers has been 1145 – it stood at 1186 in 2009-10, prior to austerity, and was at its lowest in 2012-13, at 1103.

“The most recent figures for 2018-19 show that there are currently 1135 officers.

“But it isn’t all about police officer numbers – there were 1859 police officers and staff when I took over and there are 1930 now. Staff have a very important role in terms of digital policing and dealing with cyber enabled crime, and as investigators and analysts – it’s not just warranted officers.

“We also have 148 PCSOs forming part of the wider neighbourhood policing teams. A special grant from Welsh Government equates to half of the cost. The ratio at present is one PCSO to 10 warranted officers.”

Mr Llywelyn explained that a large proportion of this year’s precepts was to help the force take on the unexpected burden of pension contributions, passed on by the Treasury, adding a £4.2million bill to the force budget.

He, and his Chief Constable Mark Collins, explained particular issues around recruitment in the north of the force area, saying that a large piece of work is underway to look at demand and resources.

CC Collins said: “There are problems in north Powys. We have asked for volunteers to relocate, and have offered incentives. But there are five new recruits and a recruitment campaign is about to launch.

“An agile workforce and being able to flex our resources is what we are working towards. “We’re doing a complex piece of demand work to ensure we have the right resources, but I will point out that we are very healthy in terms of our response times and are still the safest place in England and Wales.”

The Dyfed Powys Police and Crime Panel is made up of representatives from the four counties of the force area.

It is the Panel’s duty to hold Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn to account.

The Panel meets at least four times a year, and can put questions to the Commissioner on behalf of members of the public.

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Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash

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THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.

Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.

The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.

Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”

The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.

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Firefighters tackle blaze at block of garages in Monkton

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ONE person was injured as a result of a sunday afternoon garage fire in a block of garages in Monkton.

A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service told The Pembrokeshire Herald said: “At 1.31pm on March 17, Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven crews were called to extinguish a fire in an alight central garage and were forced to use two breathing apparatus and two hose reels.

“The firefighters reportedly left the scene at 3.02pm after continuing to dampen the fire and check for fire spread.

“The casualty was treated by ambulance service personnel also in attendance.”

The police confirmed that a garage fire had been dealt with by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Welsh Ambulance Service attended.

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Air ambulance called following incident at Aldi Pembroke Dock

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THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE, along with the Welsh Ambulance Service and police were called on Monday morning to an incident at the Aldi supermarket car park in Pembroke Dock.

The Herald understands that the alarm was raised after a car hit a person in the car park after 9am.

We have been told that the incident involved a local taxi.

The emergency services have been asked for a comment.

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