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The ‘rubber stamp’ appointment

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John Evans MBE - resigned as Audit Committee chairman

John Evans MBE – resigned as Audit Committee chairman

OPPOSITION members on Pembrokeshire County Council’s Urgency Committee have criticised the method used to appoint Swansea solicitor Mr Peter Jones as lay (noncouncillor) member to the council’s audit committee. 

Mr Jones has been drafted in to replace Mr John Evans who resigned in controversial circumstances earlier this year. In his resignation letter, Mr Evans claimed that his attempt to have his committee examine certain issues regarding the grants scheme in Pembroke Dock had been blocked by council officers and that he had come to realise that the authority’s “appetite for change” did not match his own vision when he took up the post. In order to at least give the impression that they are independent of the ruling group, audit committees are required by statute to have at least one lay member, so, following Mr Evans resignation the committee has been in limbo.

Next Monday, the committee is due to discuss a critical report by the council’s internal audit service which catalogues the flaws, first identified by Hakin councillor Mike Stoddart over a year ago, in the way these grants have been administered. It was therefore imperative that a lay member be appointed ahead of that meeting – hence the use of the sevenmember urgency committee to endorse the audit committee appointment panel’s choice of Mr Jones. The members of three-person appointments panel, which, is not politically balanced; meets in secret; and produces no minutes, are Cllrs Tom Richards (IPPG), Stan Hudson (Tory) and a lay chairman Lynette George. Speaking at last Tuesday’s urgency committee, Cllr Tessa Hodgson (unaffiliated) said members were being asked to “rubber stamp” the appointment with next to no information on the qualifications of either the recommended candidate, or the other applicants. Cllr Tom Richards assured urgency committee members that there had been a lengthy interview process and that the panel had come to a unanimous decision that Mr Jones was the best person for the job. But that didn’t satisfy Cllr Hodgson who retorted that the committee had no information about the calibre of any of the candidates, or the job specification.

“How can we ratify a decision if we have no information?” she asked. Cllr Tom Richards assured members that, during the interviews, Mr Jones “stood out above the rest”. Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding explained that council had delegated the appointment process to the panel, which is required to make a recommendation back to council (in this case the urgency committee acting as full council). Cllr Paul Miller (Lab) said he was concerned that the authority “seemed to delegate anything it likes to panels” and that he was unsure that the panel had any legal status. But Mr Harding said this was the process used throughout Wales, though head of legal services Huw Miller agreed that just because other authorities used this system didn’t make it right. Cllr Hodgson complained “This is a public role on a public body – why shouldn’t people know about it” But Leader Jamie Adams told her: “Your position is totally unreasonable” to which Cllr Hodgson retorted that this was another example of “the council’s closed door mentality”.

“We are in the dark, we are the decision making body, but we have no information. I find it bizarre” she added, And Cllr Paul Miller agreed: “That is the crux of the matter,” he said ,“just sticking your hand up in favour of recommendations without knowing all the facts is dangerous. The process needs to be more open and transparent – people need to know how it works”. Head of legal services Huw Miller said he accepted the view that more information needed to be provided. But after Cllr Tom Richards said he was “entirely satisfied with the recommendation” the four IPPG members on the committee voted to endorse Mr Jones. Cllr Hodgson asked that it be recorded that she had voted against the decision and Cllr Miller abstained. A Council Spokesperson told The Herald: “The new lay member of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Audit Committee is Peter Jones. “ Mr Jones is a former senior partner with law firm Morgan Cole, Mr Jones is a former chair of the Board of Swansea College.

He was formerly vice chairman of Swansea Building Society. While at Morgan Cole, Mr Jones acted on behalf of a wide range of clients, including Swansea University, BP, a number of colleges in the further education sector, a number of housing associations in Wales, Milford Haven Port Authority and Wales and West Utilities. A Council spokesperson also said: “The deadline for applications was extended by a week as it was felt an insufficient number of people had applied for the post.”

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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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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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New bus services announced by Pembrokeshire County Council

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A NUMBER of changes to local bus services will be introduced in the coming weeks as a result of a shake up to bus funding. 

From April 2024, the funding which has been provided directly to bus operators by the Welsh Government to keep services going in the wake of the Covid pandemic will cease. 

Additional funding will instead be provided to Local Authorities to support their local bus network.

In total, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government will provide over £3million in support for bus services in Pembrokeshire during the coming year.

As part of this process, all Pembrokeshire’s local bus services have been re-tendered. 

A public consultation, receiving over 300 responses, helped to inform decisions about which services should be prioritised. 

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services said: “I am delighted to be able to report that we are able to maintain the whole of Pembrokeshire’s current local bus network in the coming year.

“We have also secured key improvements such as reinstating an hourly service on the 349 route between Haverfordwest and Tenby via Pembroke Dock, and the popular Strumble Shuttle and Puffin Shuttle coastal bus services during the summer.”

The changes will also see two key services, the 302 Haverfordwest to Milford Haven and 349 Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock, brought under Council oversight for the first time. 

This will give the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.  Pembrokeshire residents will also benefit from a new fare structure on all First Cymru services, due to be introduced from 1 April 2024. 

This will use Tap On Tap Off to allow passengers to pay the cheapest fare depending on the number of journeys they make or distance travelled, and will cap the maximum adult fare at £3 single and £5.40 return. 

More information about these fares can be found on the First Cymru website

A number of additional service changes and improvements are being considered for introduction during the course of the coming year in response to feedback received from the public consultation.  

The following bus service changes have been confirmed:

From 23 March 2024:

  • The Celtic Coaster (403) on the St Davids peninsular will restart for the 2024 season on Saturday 23 March and will run until Sunday 29 September. This is an hourly service, increasing to half-hourly during the whitsun half term and school summer holidays. There will be no service departing Caerfai Road at 13.00 and 13.30.
  • The 351 (Tenby to Pendine via Amroth) will return to its summer timetable.

From 1 April 2024

  • An hourly service will return on the 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) service (April to September only).
  • The 356 (Milford Haven to Monkton) service will no longer call at Waterston and Hazelbeach due to operational issues caused by the narrow lanes in this area. The Fflecsi service will still be available.
  • A Saturday service, between 07:30 and 18:30, will be reintroduced in the Fflecsi Mid Pembrokeshire zone (formerly known as Bwcabus). This zone covers the area between Letterston, Crymych, Clunderwen and Wiston.  Passengers can also travel from this zone to Fishguard and Haverfordwest. 
  • The 302 (Haverfordwest to Milford Haven) and 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) services operated by First Cymru will come under Pembrokeshire County Council control, giving the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.
  • The 322 (Haverfordwest to Carmarthen) and 381 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Narberth) services will be run by First Cymru. The 322 timetable will remain the same. The 381 timetable will remain the same from Haverfordwest to Tenby but journeys from Tenby to Haverfordwest will depart slightly earlier (37 past the hour instead of 45).
  • The X22 and X61 services which provided journeys at the start and end of the day between Pembroke Dock and Kilgetty, and Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest will be withdrawn.
  • The 410 (Fishguard Town) and T11 (Haverfordwest to Fishguard via St Davids) services will be operated on a commercial (T11 part commercial) basis by Richards Bros. An improved connection with the ferry at Fishguard Harbour will be provided at 12.30.

From 19 May 2024

  • The Tenby Coaster service between Tenby and Saundersfoot will return for the summer season.

From 25 May 2024

  • The 400 Puffin Shuttle and 404 Strumble Shuttle services will return to the coast between Marloes and St Davids, and St Davids and Fishguard. These services will operate 7 days a week until 29 September 2024.  The Fflecsi service is also available in this area throughout the year.
  • The 387/388 Coastal Cruiser service around the Angle Peninsula will also return to its summer timetable, operating 7 days a week until 29th September 2024.

Further information about all Pembrokeshire bus services can be found on the Council’s website.

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