News

Labour accuses Independents of making a ‘Huw-turn’ over second homes tax

Published

1 month ago

October 18, 2024

PEMBROKESHIRE’S Conservative councillors, and the majority of members of the Independent Pembrokeshire Group have voted to reduce the tax burden for second home owners in a vote at a meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council this week.

The Pembrokeshire cabinet, comprised of unaffiliated, Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru members put forward plans to retain the premium at the current rate of 200% – securing investment in new homes and supporting expenditure on front line public services.

Labour says that Pembrokeshire County Council already faces a financial black hole next year – with current estimates showing a funding shortfall of more than £30million.

Earlier in the meeting the Pembrokeshire Conservatives led by Cllr Di Clements put forward a proposal to slash the premium by 100% which councillors were told would cut £5.2 million from next years budget.

In putting forward the case for continuing with a 200% premium, Cabinet Member for Finance, Cllr Josh Beynon said: This policy enables the council to raise funds that are then split between affordable housing and funding frontline services, in particular, those services that have been negatively impacted by the number of second homes, particularly, schools. In the 2024/25 budget, 6.5 million of those funds raised went to local schools, money that will not be available in the same numbers for the next year. This funding for 24/25 also included more money for public toilets, street cleansing and parks. Now we have a situation led by Cllr Huw Murphy that means the gap for the budget is £2.6 million larger than it was yesterday.’

Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Paul Miller asked for evidence that, since the introduction of the premium, there had indeed been a negative impact on the tourism industry. He said: Tourism is an important industry for Pembrokeshire and one we are of course keen to support. That said, given that by definition the accommodation units affected by this premium are either sporadically occupied second homes or holiday let’s which are empty at least half of the year, I’ve not yet heard an argument that clearly articulates the negative impact of this policy on the tourism sector. More often the concerns I hear from tourism operators are around the lack of labour supply, which is absolutely linked to housing supply, that concerns about this policy.

Cllr Marc Tierney said that he had sympathy for second home owners who had inherited a property and the council should continue to support them where possible, however he cautioned the opposition that they will need to take seriously discussions around the forthcoming council budget and be realistic that council tax rises were inevitable given the tax break given to second home owners.

Supported by the Pembrokeshire Conservatives, Cllr Huw Murphy on behalf of the Independent Group put forward a reduction in the second home premium to 150% voted through by a small margin. Cllr Murphy strongly supported the introduction of the 200% premium which came into effect only 7 months ago.

Business

Wolfscastle Country Hotel crowned Wales’ best boutique wedding venue

Published

7 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa has been named Wales’ Best Boutique Wedding Venue for 2024 at the prestigious Welsh National Wedding Awards.

The ceremony, held on Sunday (Nov 10) at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, welcomed more than 600 guests for its 13th annual celebration. Thousands of votes were cast by brides, grooms, and supporters to determine the winners from over 300 shortlisted nominees.

Double victory

The Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa not only won the regional title for west Wales but also secured the national accolade for the second time in three years.

Known for its glamorous reception spaces and elegant ceremony room, the hotel offers a comprehensive bridal package. This includes wedding accommodation and a private spa experience featuring a hot tub, sauna, and various treatments.

Celebrating success

Taking to social media, the hotel expressed gratitude to its guests and staff for their role in achieving this prestigious honour.

Hotel owner Andy Stirling said:
“We’re very proud to have been nominated and voted winners in both our local and national categories.

“I have the pleasure of seeing how tirelessly Lowri, and my wife Mandy Stirling, our wedding coordinators, work on every wedding to tailor the experience to suit the couples we have joining us.

“We pride ourselves on offering exquisite in-house catering provided by head chef Seb, head pastry chef Adama, and our excellent kitchen team, backed up by first-class table service from our highly experienced waiting staff.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful for the support of our guests and couples who have wedded with us in helping achieve this award.

“I know that myself and the team all look forward to hosting many more phenomenal weddings in the future.”

Welsh National Wedding Awards

The awards celebrate the best wedding venues and services across Wales, with attendees from all regions of the country.

***Celebrations: Andy and Mandy Stirling with wedding co-ordinator Lowri Nicholas (Pic: Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa)***

Community

Special guests for Torch showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’

Published

14 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY was the most appropriate day for the screening before a Pembrokeshire audience of a remarkable film, narrated by the last surviving ‘Dambuster’ of the RAF’s 617 Squadron.

The RAF’s Air Officer Wales, Air Commodore Rob Woods, and World War II Veteran Duncan Hilling, of Saundersfoot, were chief guests at the Torch Theatre for the showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’, one of three large dams in Germany attacked by 617 Squadron in May 1943.

They were joined by service representatives, air cadets and many locals – the evening being a fundraising event for the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincolnshire.

Exquisitely created in digital format, the film describes the story of Avro Lancaster bomber AJ-T which attacked the Sorpe Dam, with the narration by the late Squadron Leader Johnny Johnson, who died in 2022. He was the bomb aimer on the aircraft which dropped an ‘Upkeep’ bomb on the dam.

It is the culmination of six years of work by film producer Andrew Panton and Pitor Forkasiewicz and is now part of the IBCC archive. Also shown was a short film ‘Remembering the Avro Lancaster’ in which four wartime aircrew visit a preserved Lancaster at a Lincolnshire museum. The film was launched that day by the IBCC, with the Torch audience being the first to see a live screening.

The event was organised by Andrew Panton’s brother, Ian, of St Davids, who commented: “There was no doubt that many found this a very special occasion for Remembering Them, and so many others, on Remembrance Sunday.”

On display during the evening was a Lancaster bomb aimer’s panel, re-created by Dr Andy Watkin, a Trustee of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Entertainment

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.

Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

Expanded event

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:
“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

Festive treats and unique gifts

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

Community effort

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:
“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.