Politics
Welsh Government Transforming Towns funding approval for South Quay Project

MAJOR plans by Pembrokeshire County Council to transform a derelict site in the centre of Pembroke have been endorsed by the Welsh Government.
The project to redevelop the South Quay site into a vibrant heritage centre with associated landscaping and public realm improvements has secured £901,590 of Welsh Government Transforming Towns funding to support delivery of the enabling works.
Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Hannah Blythyn said: “Supporting and securing the future of our towns is a priority for the Welsh Government, with the pandemic reinforcing and reigniting our commitment to town centres in Wales through our Transforming Towns Agenda.
“I am pleased to see how Welsh Government funding is transforming and breathing new life into an unused and derelict site and bringing it back into use as a heritage and visitor centre, café and Library.
“This funding will revitalise the South Quay site and the centre of Pembroke and I look forward to seeing how this regeneration benefits the town and surrounding communities.”
The first phase of the project will consist of the refurbishment of three derelict properties at Castle Terrace and the creation of the new heritage centre, which will include a library and café.
Further improvements include landscaping the gardens (known as burgage plots) behind Castle Terrace and a public realm scheme designed to revitalise the surrounding area by connecting Northgate Street to the new café.
The Council’s proposals received excellent feedback when they were shared with the community earlier this year.
Cllr Paul Miller, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economic Development, welcomed the support from Welsh Government.
“Renewing and transforming our town centres is a priority for this administration but we don’t underestimate the scale of the challenge,” he said.
“Working in partnership with Welsh Government is critical to making interventions on the scale required and the South Quay scheme is an important part of securing a prosperous future for Pembroke Town.”
Local member Cllr Aaron Carey said: “I’m very happy that Welsh Government and the current administration at Pembrokeshire County Council are following through with their commitment to revitalise Pembroke. It will be a lot of work but worth it in the end.”
Work is due to start later in the autumn on enabling works to ready the site for wholesale development. This will include the work needed to stabilise the Castle Terrace buildings.
Politics
Dowson dissents on new CEO

A PEMBROKESHIRE county councillor has come forward to oppose the appointment of the authority’s new Chief Executive despite not voting against it when an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council considered.
Controversial Pembroke Dock Central county councillor Paul Dowson issued a press release in which he said that the new CEO had ‘no track record’ in the role.
Last Wednesday (March 31) Pembrokeshire County Council overwhelmingly voted in favour of Major-General Will Bramble’s appointment.
Councillors voted 48 votes for with two abstentions and one against.
Milford Central councillor Stephen Joseph’s was the sole vote against the appointment.
Cllr Joseph is a noted booster of former CEO Ian Westley, whose departure with a £95,000 pay-off caused controversy.
An Audit Wales investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr Westley’s pay-off is due to report within a few weeks.
Major-General Bramble is currently the Senior British Officer in Italy and Deputy Commander of the NATO Corps in Italy.
His track record was not enough to impress Cllr Dowson, however.
Cllr Dowson said: “He has no experience in a local authority having spent his career entirely in the military.
“I felt that the massive responsibility that comes with this role and the salary level requires more than just one candidate at final stages.
“Cllrs Josh Beynon and Di Clements both stated, ‘give him a chance”.
“I’m afraid at this level you don’t give someone a chance,especially one with no track record in the job.
“He was a very good candidate but I’m not prepared to make a decision on an option already chosen by the senior staff committee and presented to the full council for approval.
“The candidate was strong but the post should have been readvertised and he should have been put forward for the final round when others were competing for the job too.”
Politics
Criticism of Labour’s water pollution policy grow

RIGHT OBJECTIVE WRONG METHOD
Fraser McAuley, CLA Policy Advisor, said: “The Government’s laudable objectives can be better met by an approach which focuses attention where it’s most needed. Where a problem doesn’t exist, we should not be imposing unnecessary costs on a hard-pressed sector in a future of uncertainty.
WG HASN’T LISTENED TO THE SCIENCE
Janet Finch-Saunder said: “CLA Cymru is bang on the money here over Labour’s unfair stance on nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZ).
‘CULTURE WAR’
Carmarthen East & Dinefwr’s MP, Jonathan Edwards, went further and accused the Welsh Government of stoking a ‘culture war’ between farmers and the environmental lobby for electoral advantage.
“The Labour Government have also failed to consider the emergence of innovative slurry management technology.
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES
Plaid Cymru’s candidate for Preseli Pembrokeshire, Cris Tomos, said: “It is concerning that the Labour Welsh Government continues to ignore farmers and the farming unions.
“These regulations could be detrimental to the farming community, especially to the Welsh family farm.
A TIGHT TIMETABLE
If Labour intends to plough on with its legislation, it really has to get its skates on.
‘GREEN’ CREDENTIALS
Having promised a Clean Air Act for Wales in its 2016 manifesto, it is nowhere near bringing any such legislation forward. It appears it’s more in the presentation and consultation than in the statute book.
As Jonathan Edwards notes above: you’d think there was an election coming.
Suppose Labour cannot form a majority government propped up by votes from individuals like Dafydd Elis Thomas. In that case, it will need to haggle over its future plans or face legislative deadlock.
Education
Senedd approves Wales’ National Curriculum

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