News

Pembrokeshire Alliance wants a coalition, but leader should go

Published

11 years ago

October 10, 2014

AT A SPECIALLY convened meeting of its governing Executive, the Pembrokeshire Alliance last night rejected Entering into any negotiations which would lead to a coalition with the current governing IPG led by Cllr Jamie Adams. The meeting was called after discussions last week between Cllr Adams and Pembrokeshire Alliance Leader, Cllr Bob Kilmister.

Pembrokeshire Alliance spokesperson, Andrew Lye, commented: “After a long, thoughtful and democratic debate which discussed the current crisis at County Hall, the Alliance’s Executive Committee voted to reject any coalition discussions with the IPG, called for the resignation of Cllr Jamie Adams as Leader of the Council, and called for cross-party discussions to form a Grand Coalition to resolve the huge and mounting problems within the Council.”

Pembrokeshire Alliance Leader, Cllr Bob Kilmister, added: “Our debate shows clearly that decisions made by the Pembrokeshire Alliance are made through an open democratic process. At the same time we are taking a considered and constructive approach on how to take the Council forward. That is why I had discussions last week with Cllr Adams.”

“However, our clear view is that the crisis facing the Council is now so serious that the only way forward is to create a Grand Coalition. This Coalition must elect a new Council Leader who can command the support of both Councillors and the community. There is no other viable way forward, especially in view of further potential defections from the ruling IPG. I am calling on Cllr Adams to put Pembrokeshire first and start the process by standing down as Leader. Time is running out for the Council to deal with its problems. We urgently need a stable and effective Ruling Administration which can tackle the problems and carry out wholescale reform of the way the Council operates. Nothing less will now do.”

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9 Comments

Flashbang

October 10, 2014 at 10:56 am

Sorry Bob but we saw your naked grab for the money last week so I for one still don\’t trust you or your unhinged mate Nutting.
Tomos

October 11, 2014 at 12:19 am

Flashbang – is that you Bryn?

must be, slating off councillors, complaining other ppl are concerned with money
Flashbang

October 11, 2014 at 9:13 am

I’m definitely not that clown BPJ, if I was I would have cleaned out the corrupt and incompetent years ago instead of helping them.
I’m just a humble Pembrokeshire boy who would like to see the corrupt jailed and the county governed by an honest bunch.
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:11 am

Well I am not Bryn. I am a disabled woman living in Pembrokeshire and brought up here. I don’t trust Bob either. I attended the second meeting of the PA’group’ something I do not do often is leave my house. It was blatant from before we walked in the door and was duped into giving our detail in order to attend the ‘open’ meeting or I could not go in and was charged Â£1 for the venue. I was assured that this was only for safety to know who was in the building ect and would not be put on any data base or mailing list or email list ect ect. During the meeting we then were told what that info was for was we had been singed up as paid up member of the ‘party’ and the £1 was my membership fee…. !!!! That was my first impression and that the Councillors had it all sown up. I had my name removed as a Member of the Pembrokeshire Alliance that night and was treated with disdain for even pointing out that they should have informed me I was Joining a Political Party. I had no manifestation to contract and was duped into it. Bob and his party lost all credibility last week when he had his secret “negotiations” with Jamie Adams. announcing it after the event is not democracy. More so when on their page the people of Pembrokeshire asked questions they were abused and dismissed by Jonathan Nutting and told “YOU ARE WORNG” ect. Several of us. The women were told they were venting and they did not understand. When support for the questions and opinions began to grow Jonathan’s behavior became more bizarre. After 27 people voting against his discriminatory bullying and condescending posts on comments, that did not answer one question, what Bob did was rip down all our, the people of Pembrokeshires questions and opinions, took away our right to reply, removed us from the page and then started another conversation about us without any of us being able to see. Bob Kilminster was making implications that we were IPG on the page to oppose then and that we had hijacked the page on purpose. Jonathan Nutting called me by name saying I Bob was sick of me “giving him a kickin” but I had no right to reply, why? I can assure you I have never Kicked Bob Kilminster and that is a false accusation by Jonathan Nutting. If he meant a verbal “kicking” then why was my and others question and opinions seen as an attack by a Party who say they are here to listen. As one of the others abused by Nutting that night said what is the pint of giving you opinion and getting involved when as soon as you speak on page you are told your opinion is “WRONG”. I was one of those people and luckily other people sent me screen shots of what they were saying about me, as they had stated we should have a right of reply and freedom of speech to voice our opinions and not be slated and have accusations thrown against our character when we had just been removed and all our posts removed. That person said that they were then also removed and their comments removed! Isn’t that censorship? I am not IPG I am just a Pembrokeshire woman voicing her opinion about Bob Kilminsters disgraceful behavior “negotiating” with Jamie in secret. That night their President and Secretary resigned because she was never been kept in the loop and the councilors made all the decisions without any consultation or even informing her from the start.I do not know how all the other people that were treated like myself feel, a few I do as we have talked. However I feel that calling me a IPG member who came on the page to deliberately cause trouble is deformation of my character and besmirching of my good name, done deliberately behind my back immediately after I had been removed. What right has Bob Kilminster got to tarnish my name by implication. He has no evidence because there is no evidence. For 20 years I have barley left my house and the Pembrokeshire Alliance is the first thing I had attended for over a decade. I have never attended IPG meetings nor have I ever had any communication with the IPG or Jamie Adams but I was not allowed a right to reply. That is not democracy that is bullying. 27 people upset by Jonathan Nutting and he is still on the page stating he will answer no more questions as he is misunderstood and someone more capable will do it form now on. No Mr Nutting your not misunderstood your patronizing, condescending and dismissive and the people are telling you that you are just not listening and neither is Bob if he is removing us and keeping you there after so many complaints.I have been asking for a copy of the Pembrokeshire Alliances complaints procedure and the name of the regulator since June this year and they are just ignoring my requests and denying me that right. How do I have my right to reply to these implications. I have asked the President and Bob Kilminster himself. Hayley Wood assured me she had sent them to all the councilors, I have asked for it over 20 times now and have not one reply from anyone. I have asked Bob and he is ignoring me. Why can I not take this through a formal complaints procedure when I have been asking for over 4 months? Where is the Openness, Transparency, Integrity in that stance Bob? I had great hopes for a alliance group in Pembrokeshire to speak up for our concerns and need. The Pembrokeshire Alliance in my opinion was corrupted when the councilors voted themselves elite and turned it into a Party and began Press Ganging members and feathering their nests. Now they are sticking with the IPG there will be little confidence in them as all the comments that have been ripped down disagreed with it and only sportive comments left… you know like they do in china and the like….. !I think the PA has let us the People of Pembrokeshire down badly ….
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:23 am

Here here FlashBang .. I am wondering how long my comment will be allowed to stay up lol ….
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:35 am

here here Flashbang
michael williams

October 11, 2014 at 8:28 pm

Kilmister squirming. Not an edifying sight. He has just seen his Deputy Leaders salary drifting away,poor dab. So much for principles and democracy. The Alliance was never a serious option, with a seriously flawed leader, who, as soon as money became available ditched his so called principles.
Tomos

October 12, 2014 at 9:44 am

Oh dear, already infighting and Jamie and BPJ still in power, still being paid loads of money – couldn’t we just fight them first to ensure they leave and then start fighting amongst ourselves?
Jonathan nutting

October 13, 2014 at 10:18 am

Jilly J did they make an error in spelling, changing your comment into kizzy j ?

News

Woman dies after collision in Tumble as police renew appeal for witnesses

Published

24 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information after a woman died following a collision in Tumble on Tuesday (Dec 2).

Officers were called to Heol y Neuadd at around 5:35pm after a collision involving a maroon Skoda and a pedestrian. The female pedestrian was taken to hospital but sadly died from her injuries.

Dyfed-Powys Police has launched a renewed appeal for witnesses, including anyone who may have dash-cam, CCTV footage, or any information that could help the investigation.

Investigators are urging anyone who was in the area at the time or who may have captured the vehicle or the pedestrian on camera shortly before the collision to get in touch. (Phone: 101 Quote reference: DP-20251202-259.)

News

Greyhound Bill faces fresh scrutiny as second committee raises “serious concerns”

Published

27 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE PROHIBITION of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Bill has been heavily criticised for a second time in 24 hours after the Senedd’s Legislation, Justice and Constitution (LJC) Committee published a highly critical Stage 1 report yesterday.

The cross-party committee said the Welsh Government’s handling of the legislation had “in several respects, fallen short of the standard of good legislative practice that we would normally expect”.

Key concerns highlighted by the LJC Committee include:

Introducing the Bill before all relevant impact assessments (including a full Regulatory Impact Assessment and Children’s Rights Impact Assessment) had been completed – a step it described as “poor legislative practice, particularly … where the Bill may impact on human rights”.
Failure to publish a statement confirming the Bill’s compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The committee has recommended that Rural Affairs Minister Huw Irranca-Davies issue such a statement before the Stage 1 vote on 16 December.
Inadequate public consultation, with the 2023 animal-licensing consultation deemed “not an appropriate substitute” for targeted engagement on the specific proposal to ban the sport.

The report follows Tuesday’s equally critical findings from the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport and International Relations Committee, which questioned the robustness of the evidence base and the accelerated legislative timetable.

Industry reaction Mark Bird, chief executive of the Greyhound Board of Great Britain (GBGB), described the two reports as leaving the Bill “in tatters”.

“Two consecutive cross-party Senedd committees have now condemned the Welsh Government’s failures in due diligence, consultation and human rights considerations and evidence gathering,” he said. “The case for a ban has been comprehensively undermined. The responsible path forward is stronger regulation of the single remaining track at Ystrad Mynach, not prohibition.”

Response from supporters of the Bill Luke Fletcher MS (Labour, South Wales West), who introduced the Member-proposed Bill, said he welcomed thorough scrutiny and remained confident the legislation could be improved at later stages.

“I have always said this Bill is about ending an outdated practice that causes unnecessary suffering to thousands of greyhounds every year,” Mr Fletcher said. “The committees have raised legitimate procedural points, and I look forward to working with the Welsh Government and colleagues across the Senedd to address those concerns while keeping the core aim of the Bill intact.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “The Minister has noted the committees’ reports and will respond formally in due course. The government supports the principle of the Bill and believes a ban on greyhound racing is justified on animal welfare grounds. Work is ongoing to finalise the outstanding impact assessments and to ensure full compatibility with the ECHR.”

The Bill is scheduled for a Stage 1 debate and vote in plenary on Tuesday 16 December. Even if it passes that hurdle, it would still require significant amendment at Stages 2 and 3 to satisfy the committees’ recommendations.

News

Conservatives reject calls for more Senedd powers amid Labour devolution row

Published

42 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WELSH CONSERVATIVE leader Darren Millar MS has dismissed renewed Labour calls for further Senedd powers, warning that the Welsh Government should “stop making excuses” and focus instead on tackling crises in health, education and the economy.

His comments follow an extraordinary intervention earlier this week by 11 Labour backbench MSs, who wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on 3 December accusing his government of “rolling back” devolution. The signatories — including former ministers Mick Antoniw, Lesley Griffiths and Lee Waters — said they were “increasingly concerned” by the lack of progress on key commitments such as reforming the Barnett formula, devolving rail infrastructure, policing and justice, and transferring the Crown Estate to Wales.

The letter singled out the UK Government’s new “Pride in Place” funding scheme — which sends regeneration money for town-centre improvements directly to Welsh councils — as a “constitutional outrage,” arguing that it sidesteps devolved powers through the UK Internal Market Act 2020. Although First Minister Eluned Morgan has raised the issue with Starmer, no Welsh ministers added their names to the letter, laying bare internal tensions as Labour falls back in polls ahead of the 2026 Senedd election.

Opposition parties seized on the dispute. Plaid Cymru’s Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said it showed Labour “falling apart,” while Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds criticised Westminster’s “deep lack of understanding” of the devolution settlement.

At a Council of the Nations and Regions summit on Thursday, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones — standing in for Starmer — defended the UK Government’s record, saying Labour in Westminster had been “delivering at pace” in partnership with Wales. The 26 November Budget provided £508 million in additional resource and capital funding for Wales over the Spending Review period, alongside commitments to Port Talbot brownfield remediation, a South Wales semiconductor cluster, nuclear investment at Wylfa and a £547 million Local Growth Fund devolved to the Welsh Government. Welsh ministers welcomed many of these as having “generational” value, though the Labour MSs’ letter said they fell short of promised constitutional reform.

The Welsh Conservatives have consistently opposed further Senedd powers, arguing that Cardiff Bay already holds significant authority under the existing settlement established in 1997 and expanded in 2011, 2014 and 2017. Millar, who became Welsh Conservative leader in 2024, has previously ruled out abolishing the Senedd as unrealistic, while urging ministers to “transform people’s lives with devolution” by using existing powers more effectively.

Pointing to record pressures in devolved services, Millar said Labour was fixated on constitutional arguments while outcomes worsen. NHS waiting lists in Wales stood at 789,929 pathways by mid-2025 — nearly one in four residents — with first outpatient waits in parts of Rhondda Cynon Taf stretching from 28 to 68 weeks or more. Public satisfaction with the Welsh NHS averaged 5.1 out of 10 in the year to March 2025, down from 6.3 in 2021–22. Education attendance figures for 2023–24 showed slow post-pandemic recovery, while youth employment (16–24) fell to 52.5% in the year to March 2025. Wales’ unemployment rate rose to 4.1% in the year to June 2025, slightly above the UK’s 4.0%, with areas such as Swansea reaching 8.2%. Economic inactivity among 16–64-year-olds remained high at 24.1%.

Darren Millar MS said: “One Labour Government damaging Wales was bad enough — now we have two, and things are twice as bad.

After two damaging budgets, Welsh Government ministers are focused on infighting about Senedd powers instead of fixing the everyday problems families are facing.

The Senedd doesn’t need more powers. What we need is a government that accepts responsibility, stops making excuses, and uses the extensive powers already available to get to grips with the crisis in our NHS, improve standards in our schools, and tackle Wales’ spiralling unemployment.

Only a Welsh Conservative Government will fix Wales.”

The dispute reflects wider public debate on whether devolution is delivering results. Polling suggests consistent support for having a Senedd, but growing frustration over service performance. With the 2026 election approaching and Reform UK and Plaid Cymru gaining ground, Labour’s internal split over devolution exposes fresh vulnerabilities as the party tries to navigate its relationship with Westminster.