Community

Excitement for Narberth as new Library opens at former Old School

Published

3 months ago

October 12, 2024

THE 0latest chapter in Narberth Library’s story has started with a soft opening at its new purpose built premises.

The informal opening at the recently redeveloped Old School site happened on Thursday, 26^th September, with a formal opening to come later in the year.

The library was previously housed in a former Wesleyan Church on St James Street and now enjoys a much better position, with ample parking available at the adjacent Town Moor car park.

Building the library to a basic shell and core standard was incorporated into the construction works for the whole Old School site, led by two of the school’s former pupils.

A grant of almost £150,000 from the Welsh Government, together with match funding from Pembrokeshire County Council then enabled the library to be completed and fitted out to a high standard, including new state-of-the-art technology, which will significantly extend opening times.

***Cllrs Tierney, Sinnett and Walters check out the new library***

The long-standing partnership between Narberth Town Council, the Friends of Narberth Library and Pembrokeshire County Council, continues at the new library.

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new library opening its doors to serve local people again.

“While it’s taken a little longer than we might have hoped, it’s been a complex project with several organisations working in partnership to ensure that we have a sustainable and successful library for the people of Narberth.

“As they say, good things are worth waiting for.”

Narberth Town Council’s Mayor, Councillor Chris Walters said: On behalf of Narberth Town Council we are finally excited to say we have crossed the t’s and dotted the i’s and I would like to thank all members of the public for their patience whilst we have been going through this extensive legal process. I would like to thank the cooperation of PCC’s solicitors and our Solicitor at Hains and Lewis.

“This is such a fantastic opportunity for the Town and it is great to see a new community facility being opened with the help of PCC and Welsh Government. I would also like to thank the developers for donating this building to the Town.

“I know that the late Cllr Sue Rees would have loved to have seen this in person so I dedicate the opening day to her when we finally cut the ribbon and welcome in old and I hope new members to Narberth Library.

“With the friends of Narberth Library running the library, I know members of the public are in good hands and I again congratulate all members for finally getting this project completed.”

The Chair of The Friends of Narberth Library, and County Councillor for Narberth Urban, Marc Tierney said: “Since 2016, FoNL has supported our towns much loved library service. Now, after years of planning with our partners and with Welsh Government funding, we are pleased that local library users will benefit from this major investment in our town.

“Narberth has a library we can all be proud of. The Friends of Narberth Library volunteers look forward to welcoming familiar faces and new to our brand new home on the Town Moor.”

Cover image: Cllr Marc Tierney, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cllr Chris Walters and Catherine Rawlings, Vice Chair of the Friends of Narberth Library, outside the new library.

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

12 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

13 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.

       London Northeastern Railway
       LUMO
       TransPennine Express
       Northern
       Grand Central
       Avanti

Community

Mid and West Wales Fire Service launches recruitment drive

Published

14 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE has announced it is halfway through its recruitment window for Wholetime Firefighters. The service is actively seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds to join their ranks and contribute to the safety and well-being of communities across Mid and West Wales.

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM emphasised the evolving nature of the firefighter’s role, stating, “The role of a Wholetime Firefighter goes far beyond tackling fires, road traffic collisions and water rescues. Modern-day firefighters play a crucial part in educating the public and working to prevent risks to life and the environment.”

The MAWWFRS is keen to attract applicants with a wide range of skills and experiences, recognising the diverse challenges faced by today’s fire service. “We encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply, emphasising the diverse skill set needed for this challenging yet rewarding career,” added Thomas.

This recruitment initiative is seen as a vital step in ensuring the service has the necessary personnel to respond effectively to emergencies and maintain safety standards across the region. The MAWWFRS covers a vast area, encompassing nearly two-thirds of Wales, making it the third largest Fire and Rescue Service in the United Kingdom.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the MAWWFRS website for detailed information on fitness requirements, the application process, and how to apply. The online registration window closes at 12pm on Monday, 27th January 2025.

As the service continues its mission to create safer communities, this recruitment drive offers an opportunity for individuals to become part of a team that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

Citations:
[1] http://eastwoodacademy.co.uk/docs/How%20to%20write%20a%20newspaper%20article.pdf
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_and_West_Wales_Fire_and_Rescue_Service
[3] https://midwestwalesfire.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s5689/HR%20People%20and%20Well-Being%20Update%20Report.pdf
[4] https://nickdale.me/2023/05/31/how-to-write-a-newspaper-article/
[5] https://www.gov.wales/find-your-local-fire-and-rescue-service
[6] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/current-vacancies/
[7] https://www.superprof.co.uk/resources/questions/english/broadsheet-articles.html
[8] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk
[9] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/
[10] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/mid_and_west_wales_fire_and_rescue_service