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Western Telegraph’s complaint against The Herald dismissed

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Pleased with result: Herald editor, Thomas Sinclair

A COMPLAINT made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about The Pembrokeshire Herald’s media pack and marketing by the Western Telegraph’s publisher, Dean Merrick, has been rejected.

In his complaint, Mr Merrick alleged that information provided to customers regarding the number of copies being printed per week were ‘untrue’. Mr Merrick also challenged the Herald’s weekly readership figures.

An investigation by the ASA confirmed that the Pembrokeshire Herald correctly advertised that the publication prints 10,000 copies per week.

The regulatory body is also allowing The Herald to advertise a readership figure of 17,000, on the basis that it is made clear to readers that this is an estimated figure.

Herald publisher Thomas Sinclair said: “At the time of the complaint I said that it was a pretty desperate act. Now, the Advertising Standards Authority reviewed both our print run and circulation figures and they were satisfied that we were able to substantiate both. So my view remains the same about Dean Merrick’s actions.”

Mr Sinclair added: “The number of readers a paper has every week is calculated by the average number of people a newspaper is seen by; that is called the “pass on rate”. We checked our position against the accepted industry benchmark and erred on the side of caution when calculating our total readership.  If anything, we underestimate our readership and did this knowing that our figures would be eventually audited.

“Other papers claim a higher pass on rate than we do. If you read some advertising features in some other papers, they bear no relation to the pass on rate. One feature in a rival claimed something like 50,000 plus readers. That would mean a pass on rate far in excess of what can be justified by reference to industry standard practice and would mean they were selling almost twice as many papers as they actually do.

Clear message: 17000 readers on banners at Milford Carnival this year.

Clear message: 17000 readers on banners at Milford Carnival this year.

“I am pleased that, subject to a very minor change that we have agreed pending the end of year audit, the ASA have determined the complaint to be groundless and will take no further action.

“It makes you wonder just how desperate multinational newspaper groups are if, rather than give their advertising customers a positive message about themselves, they allow the outsiders they parachute in to run their supposedly “local” brands to attack competitors.

Mr Sinclair concluded: “I think what has happened shows the difference between something produced by a soulless corporation without roots in the community and a real local newspaper concentrating on real local issues.”

Sales Director Tim Evans added: “We sell our product positively. It’s a pity that some others lack the confidence and ability to do the same with their own.”

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Business

Stephen Crabb leads inquiry on retaining community bank services  

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PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP, and Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Stephen Crabb is leading an inquiry in Parliament that will investigate the closure of high street banks in Wales, as well as access to cash.

In November 2023, Pembrokeshire saw the closure of Lloyds Bank in St Davids, and in the coming months both Barclays Bank and Halifax in Haverfordwest are set to close. In recent years, Wales has experienced a rapid decline in the number of high street banking services available to the public. Already in 2024, 23 high street bank closures have been announced in Wales, while automated teller machines (ATMs) declined by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2023.

The Committee willconsider how declining high street banking services are impacting vulnerable people and small businesses across Wales, who are often more reliant on cash than digital banking. It will also examine how Wales is being affected by the loss of high street bank services, and whether the problem is worse in Wales than other parts of the UK.

Mr Crabb is a staunch advocate for retaining community banking facilities, especially in rural communities like Pembrokeshire where many local branches remain the only source of face-to-face banking provision for miles.

Recently Mr Crabb challenged Barclays Bank senior management on their decision to close the bank branch in Haverfordwest– a move that will see Barclays not only pull out of the county town, but means they won’t have a branch left anywhere in Pembrokeshire. He has also engaged with LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – and continues to campaign on the basis that a Banking Hub is established and that ATM machines should be retained or installed, especially in areas worst affected by the closures.  

Following the launch of the inquiry, MP Crabb added: “It is really sad to see so many banks across Wales closing as online banking grows in popularity. Despite the advantages of online banking, for a rural community with an ageing population like Pembrokeshire, bank branches hold huge importance as they offer face-to-face customer service.”

“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience that the bank closures locally have already caused following hundreds of replies from constituents to my ‘online banking survey’ ”

“I am looking forward to gathering further evidence on this subject through the committee’s inquiry, and will continue to put pressure on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that adequate alternative provisions are made through the establishment of banking hubs as well as the instalment of ATM machines where necessary.”

“In this inquiry, we are particularly keen to hear from those likely to be directly affected by the shift away from cash and physical banks. I encourage anyone with first-hand experience of losing banking services to give evidence to the Committee”

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Business

Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

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TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

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News

Welsh Water has increased sewage discharges into waterways ‘by 40%’

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NEW figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Dwr Cymru discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 23,354 hours last year, a 40% increase on 2022. 

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in Welsh waterways.

The party has also called for a halt on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis.

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into our nation’s rivers and waterways without consequence.

“It’s beggars’ belief that both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour government are allowing water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“We as a party are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local waterways. We have also called for a halt on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways.”

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