News
Pembrokeshire County Council: Leader’s coronavrius update, Thursday, 9th April
Pembrokeshire County Council Leader, Councillor David Simpson,
has provided a further coronavirus update for Thursday, 9th April, as
follows:
‘Once again I want to reinforce this week’s message which is: “stay at
home and help stop the virus spreading.”
‘I appreciate that the lockdown is difficult and I want to thank you for
sticking to the rules. We are all making sacrifices each day. However,
it is vital that we continue to do so in order to beat this pandemic. Now
is not the time to ignore the advice.
‘Easter weekend is a special time so please spend time with your
family at home, enjoy the garden but please stay at home.
‘Most people are sticking to the rules but, frustratingly, some people
are ignoring the advice. Sadly many have died after catching
coronavirus. If we all do not act now more lives will be lost.
‘Your actions and decisions over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend
and coming weeks will shape our county – so Stay at Home!
‘I can confirm that we will be working with the Police to monitor “hot
spots” over the Easter weekend to ensure people are complying with
government advice and legislation. Enforcement officers will also be
working over the weekend.
‘‘During these unprecedented times we are asking people not to visit
Pembrokeshire now. Please visit us later when the crisis is over.
‘I now want to highlight some key items.
‘Safeguarding children and adults at risk is a critical area for social
services which remains fully operational.
‘Our Children and Adults duty teams remain in operation to receive
calls about children and adults at risk of harm, abuse or neglect. We
all have an important role to play in helping to protect children, young
people and adults from harm.
‘If you think a child or young person is being abused, or at risk of
being abused, please report it by ringing the Child Care Assessment
Team on: 01437 776444.
‘If you think an adult is being abused, or at risk of being abused,
please report it by ringing the Adult Safeguarding Team on: 01437
776056.
‘If you have concerns outside of office hours, you should contact the
Emergency Duty Team on: 0300 333 2222.
‘I want to confirm that there are no changes to the waste and
recycling kerbside collections over the Bank Holiday weekend. These
services continue to run as normal.
‘Please help our collection crews by minimising the amount of
household waste you create over the Easter weekend. With pressure
on services and with waste and recycling centre’s temporarily closed,
try and avoid any big clear-outs at home or undertaking any DIY or
garden projects which are likely to generate large amounts of waste.
‘And please do not burn household waste at home. This creates air
pollution that could harm people nearby who may already have
breathing difficulties due to Covid-19. There is also the danger that
fires could get out of control. Fire services around the country are
reporting an increase in call-outs due to garden fires.
‘I want to end my newsletter by wishing everyone a Happy Easter
weekend. I appreciate we are all facing difficult times. However, we all
need to pause and reflect and ensure we act collectively to beat this
pandemic
‘Remember: together we are stronger and together we will get
through this.
‘Public Health Wales is updating and adding to their resources
regularly. Please find all assets here:
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-
covid-19/coronavirus-resources/
‘Press releases issued since my update yesterday are:
Hundred Helped By Coronavirus Hub Team:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/hundreds-
helped-by-coronavirus-hub-team
Police And Council Work Together:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/police-and-
council-work-together-to-enforce-coronavirus-restrictions
Council Staff To Work Easter To Keep Grant Cash Flowing:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/council-staff-to-
work-easter-weekend-to-keep-grant-cash-flowing
Next Batch Of School Meal Vouchers On Their Way:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/next-batch-of-
free-school-meals-vouchers-on-their-way
Council Kick-Starts PPE Facemasks Project:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/county-council-
kick-starts-ppe-facemasks-project
Pembrokeshire Extends Suspension of Parking Charges:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom/pembrokeshire-
extends-suspension-of-car-park-charges
‘Public Health Wales is updating and adding to their resources
regularly. Please find all assets here:
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-
covid-19/coronavirus-resources/
‘Also, please keep an eye on our newsroom at:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/newsroom
‘And to get daily email updates, log onto our website and sign into My
Account at:
https://myaccount.pembrokeshire.gov.uk
‘Stay Safe. Thank you.’
Useful links:
www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/coronavirus
www.sir-benfro.gov.uk/coronafeirws
https://phw.nhs.wales/
Iechyd Cyhoeddus Cymru – Coronafeirws Newydd (COVID-19)
– Cyngor hunan-ynysu
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-
19-list-of-guidance
News
Too many children in Wales living in poverty – Lib Dems want action
THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats renewed their demands for the implementation of child poverty targets.
According to a report from the Bevan foundation, 29% of children living in Wales are currently experiencing poverty (an estimated 190,000 children).
The same report highlighted that the largest percentage of children living in poverty are from working households or in couple households.
The Welsh Lib Dems are now renewing calls for the Welsh Government to create a set of targets for reducing child poverty, which the party argues will allow for more accountability.
The party has previously called for the implementation of targets, citing recommendations from the Calling Time on Child Poverty Report published in November last year.
Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “The latest statistics on childhood poverty in Wales paints a very distressing image of families across the country struggling to make ends meet.
Over the course of the last six years, the proportion of children in poverty has skyrocketed. Fuelled by worsening economic conditions and a complete lack of action from both governments in Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
We cannot act complacent about these figures nor accept the clear lack of progress in fighting child poverty, behind each statistic is a child that the state has failed.
It remains painfully clear that the Welsh Government is failing to make any meaningful progress in this fight, which is why they must follow through with the implementation of clear set targets that will allow for further accountability.
We as a party have continuously called for the creation of these targets and we will not be silenced. For the sake of future generations we urge the Welsh Government to listen.”
Crime
Welsh constabulary areas record another increase in shoplifting
RETAIL trade union Usdaw is deeply concerned by today’s police recorded crime statistics showing that in 2023 there were significant increases in shoplifting across all constabulary areas in Wales. In the whole of England and Wales there has been a persistent upward trend since the pandemic, which continued with a 37% increase and has now risen to the highest level in 20 years.
The Office for National Statistics released figures showing a 39% increase in shoplifting incidents across Wales and by constabulary area as follows:
- Dyfed-Powys +11%
- Gwent +47%
- North Wales +23%
- South Wales +51%
Usdaw’s 2023 annual survey of over 5,500 shopworkers found that 60% had suffered incidents of violence, threats and abuse that were triggered by shoplifting and armed robbery.
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary says: “Shoplifting is not a victimless crime, theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shopworkers. Having to deal with repeated and persistent shoplifters can cause issues beyond the theft itself like anxiety, fear and in some cases physical harm to retail workers. This 39% increase in shoplifting across Wales is further evidence that we are facing an epidemic of retail crime, which is hugely concerning.
“Our members have reported that they are often faced with hardened career criminals in the stores and we know that retail workers are much more likely to be abused by those who are stealing to sell goods on. Our latest survey results show that 7 in 10 retail workers suffered abuse from customers, with far too many experiencing threats and violence. 60% of respondents said theft from shops and armed robbery were triggers for these incidents.
“The scale of assaults, abuse and threats towards shopworkers and extent of the retail crime epidemic has been a disgrace for many years. This has been made worse by police cuts and a failure to legislate to protect retail staff. Usdaw has long called for action that includes a standalone offence for assaulting a shopworker and that has been vehemently opposed by this Government and their Conservative MPs on many occasions.
“Recently the Government performed a long overdue U-turn after many years of sustained campaigning by Usdaw and others. Our members have had to wait too long for their voices to be heard and common sense to prevail. We will have to see the detail of what Ministers are proposing and we are clear that it must be at least what we won in Scotland three years ago. It also cannot fall short of Labour’s commitments to 13,000 more uniformed officers, patrols on high streets, banning repeat offenders and ending the perverse £200 threshold for prosecuting shoplifters.
“The dither and delay by this Government on this issue over many years, has led to thousands of shopworkers needlessly suffering physical and mental injury. Today’s stats should ensure that their promise to legislate is done speedily. We hope that whatever the Government is proposing will be substantial and effective in giving shopworkers, key workers in every community, the respect that they have long deserved and regrettably too often do not receive.”
Business
Paramount’s key role in transformation of McArthurGlen Designer Outlet
FAST-growing Welsh company Paramount is relishing the challenge of creating an “irresistible dining destination” after winning the contract to play a key role in the multi-million transformation of the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend.
The Cardiff-based design, build, fit-out and refurbishment specialist will spearhead the re-development project of the shopping centre after being handed responsibility for revamping its popular food court over the summer.
In the coming months, the development will see the Food Court transformed into three modern, and bright restaurants, welcoming new food and beverage brands to the centre and creating more than 100 new job opportunities for the local community.
Paramount’s Construction Director, Paul Thomas, said: “The team behind the scenes at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend have fantastic plans for the future and we’re delighted to have been entrusted with the mission to help turn their exciting vision into a reality.
“Paramount prides itself on creating places where people want to be, and my team are relishing the opportunity to help create what will be an irresistible dining destination. It’s certain to be a complex project, but we have the expertise and local knowledge to deliver outstanding results in close collaboration with our project partners.”
The owners of the shopping centre, which has been attracting local people and visitors for more than 25 years, have promised a “substantial investment to redevelop the Food Court area and replace it with new and exciting restaurants”.
Now the Paramount team is ready to lay the groundwork by removing some existing structures around the Food Court and will then introduce a series of new features as part of the overall facelift. These include new glazed entrance doors within glazed curtain walling shopfront, render and a new entrance lobby with new stairs and lifts.
The work to completely develop the Food Court in the shopping centre starts this week, and is expected to be completed in late autumn. As a result, customer favourites including Nando’s, McDonald’s and Chopsticks will be closed while work is under way.
Patrick Finney, Head of European Construction, McArthurGlen Group, said: “After celebrating our 25th anniversary last year, we’re extremely pleased to welcome Paramount on board in this important step of revitalising the Food Court area.
“These are exciting times for everyone at one of South Wales’ best-loved retail complexes and we know Paramount will work closely with us to create a truly special place for diners and shoppers of all ages.”
Paramount, whose turnover reached £45 million in 2023, employs 60 people who own a majority shareholding of the business – 51 per cent – following completion of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) scheme in 2021, a deal which marked a major milestone for Paramount after a period of sustained growth.
The company is well known across Wales and England where it has created high-quality inspirational space for a number of leading companies. These include the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Hodge House and Fusion Point One in central Cardiff, and the fit out of Par 59 bars in South Wales and South West.
Over the next few months, Paramount’s construction team will also be completing on a multi-million-pound social housing development in Porthcawl, Mid-Glamorgan with Valleys to Coast.
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