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Police and Crime Commissioner demands halt to movements of asylum seekers to Penally

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THE LOCAL Police and Crime Commissioner is calling on Home Secretary to halt further movements of asylum seekers to Penally site amid concerns of suitability of site, and lack of local infrastructure

Dafydd Llywelyn has today written a second letter to Priti Patel, calling on the Home Office to halt further movements of asylum seekers to Penally, Pembrokeshire following a site visit this week.

On Tuesday, PCC Dafydd Llywelyn visited the site at Penally, and met with local community representatives in the area, and in a letter to Home Secretary today, Mr Llywelyn has raised concerns about the suitability of the site to house asylum seekers.

PCC Mr Llywelyn told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Following numerous meetings and briefings, including a visit to the Penally site, I am now even more concerned about the decisions which have been made by the Home Office.

“Specifically, I am concerned about the suitability of the dilapidated site, the lack of local infrastructure for the intended residents, the potential for this to become a focal point for far right attention and finally, the lack of strategy which for me, has echoes of the Windrush scandal.”

Over the last 10 days, the PCC has attended several multiagency meetings involving Police, Unitary Authority, Health and Welsh Government colleagues, requesting for greater planning to take place and for the original arrangements in relation to the pace of occupancy to be slowed.

Mr Llywelyn said: “In my letter to the Home Secretary at the beginning of the week, I asked for support of my position of wanting detailed planning, community engagement and transparency of decision making.

“Following a visit of the site in Penally – where I observed accommodation which is in a poor state of repair and is not adequate for housing 230 young men through the winter, I now ask that the Home Secretary halt any further movements to the Penally site until such time that progress can be made to fully consider unintended consequences, community impact assessments and that all key stakeholders can be engaged to consider all available options to support these vulnerable individuals”.

Meanwhile, police have confirmed that A 50-year-old man arrested on suspicion of public order offences following disturbances during the protest at Penally on Monday night has been released on police bail with the condition that he does not enter Pembrokeshire.

Superintendent Anthony Evans, Divisional Commander for Pembrokeshire said: “A peaceful protest was held last night with around 20 people in attendance and minimal disruption.
“We will maintain a presence in Penally to facilitate peaceful protests and continue to engage with the community.
“We are in conversation with our partners across Pembrokeshire and are grateful to those in Penally and the surrounding community who are engaging with our officers on the ground and sharing concerns and information with us.”

Against Penally plans: Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn

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Sewage spills: Carmarthenshire the most affected area in the UK

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IN a recent analysis of environmental data, Carmarthenshire has been identified as the UK region most plagued by sewage spills, according to research conducted by the Reboot SEO agency, highlighting a concerning escalation in pollution incidents across the nation’s water bodies. The study, leveraging data from the Environment Agency, underscores a disturbing trend with sewage spills into rivers and seas more than doubling in the past year, rocketing from 1.75 million hours in 2022 to a staggering 3.6 million hours in 2023.

Carmarthenshire, a picturesque county in Wales known for its breathtaking landscapes and rich history, now faces an environmental challenge of considerable magnitude. The locality recorded an alarming 11,195 sewage spills over the course of last year, cumulatively amounting to 86,603 hours of spillage. This surpasses figures from other affected regions across the UK, spotlighting a dire need for robust interventions and sustainable wastewater management practices.

This surge in sewage spills paints a grim picture of the state of the UK’s rivers and seas, with potential ramifications for public health, wildlife, and tourism. The data sheds light on the pressing issue of aging infrastructure and the capacity of existing sewage systems to handle storm overflows, particularly in times of heavy rainfall.

The spotlight on Carmarthenshire’s predicament also prompts a broader discussion on the accountability of water companies, with the study revealing significant disparities in the performance of these entities across the country. For instance, Severn Trent Water was found to have the highest number of storm overflows, with United Utilities not far behind in terms of the total spill hours contributed to the environmental crisis.

The revelation of these statistics has ignited calls for action from environmentalists, local communities, and policymakers alike. There’s a growing consensus on the urgent need for infrastructural upgrades, alongside more stringent regulatory oversight to ensure water companies adopt more sustainable practices.

Local authorities in Carmarthenshire, in concert with environmental agencies and water service providers, are now faced with the critical task of devising and implementing comprehensive strategies to mitigate the impact of sewage spills. This includes investing in modern wastewater treatment solutions, enhancing the resilience of sewer systems against extreme weather conditions, and fostering greater transparency and accountability in the environmental stewardship of water companies.

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Surrogacy: Carmarthenshire solicitor calls for legal reform

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ON the anniversary of the Law Commission’s call for surrogacy law to be overhauled, JCP Solicitors’ Angela Killa, Director in the Family team, is calling on prospective surrogates and parents to better understand the legal rules around this complicated path to parenthood.

Proposing a new regulatory route for surrogacy arrangements in the UK, the Law Commission’s recommendations for the Government puts forward a change to the law so that intended parents would become parents of the child from birth in certain circumstances. Currently, intended parents must wait months to obtain a parental order ¾ which causes stress and anxiety, not to mention administrative difficulties when registering the child.

A Surrogacy Register would also be created under the new proposals, allowing surrogate children to trace their birth origins later in life. Overall, the recommendations laid out in the report would improve regulation of domestic surrogacy to dissuade UK residents from going abroad, as international surrogacy agreements can bring greater risk of exploitation of women and children in some countries.

A year on from the reform suggestions, surrogacy rates continue to rise in the UK – surging by 350% over the past 12 years. Now, legal experts say it is more relevant than ever to understand the full implications of entering a surrogacy agreement.

Angela Killa, Director in the Family team at JCP Solicitors, explains: “In the UK, a surrogate (and her husband or male civil partner, if relevant) are considered the mother (and father) of a child at birth. Intended parents must apply for a Parental Order, which is heard before the Court ¾ making it highly advisable for those involved in surrogacy cases to appoint a Solicitor.

“We often see immense stresses from both the parents and the surrogate, as the current law means that the parental order can take months to obtain which can be incredibly anxiety-inducing.

“For example, intended parents may worry that the surrogate will change her mind or will not give her consent freely, whereas surrogates may also worry that the intended parents may change their mind(s) or make unreasonable demands during pregnancy.

“This feels particularly difficult given the fact that many intended parents are likely to have dealt with a lot of trauma before considering surrogacy: many have faced fertility struggles and may even have dealt with the devastation of failed pregnancies or baby loss. For LGBTQ+ couples, there may have been additional challenges faced due to discrimination or prejudice. Therefore, empathy and consideration is of paramount importance when discussing this issue.”

The government published an interim response to the report in November 2023, with Maria Caulfield MP stating: “While we appreciate the importance of this work, parliamentary time does not allow for these changes to be taken forward at the moment.” Despite this response, legal experts working in surrogacy encourage the Government to take action and fully consider the proposed amendments. 

Angela explains: “The reforms laid out in the Surrogacy Reform Act by the Law Commission may help to ease the stress and pressure for all involved. The Government are encouraged to provide a full response as soon as possible so progress can be made in this important area of law”.

Angela Killa is a member of Resolution, a family law organisation advocating for a constructive approach to family issues.

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Mayor of Bergen visits Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

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IT was a Mayoral gathering when the Burgermeisterin of Bergen, in Germany, paid a visit to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in the company of Councillor Aden Brinn, the Mayor of Bergen’s twin town, Pembroke.

There to meet Burgermeisterin Claudia Dettmar-Muller and her colleague Silvia Bothe were two former Mayors of Pembroke Dock, Councillors Pam George and Maureen Colgan, and trustees and volunteers who run the Centre. Joining them was Pembroke’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann Mortenson.

Trustee Peter Mitchell and colleagues gave a guided town of the Centre which has extensive displays on Pembroke Dock’s rich maritime and military history spanning just over two centuries, and its connections with RAF flying boats.

Pic By Martin Cavaney.

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