Lee Bridges says senior vacancy should prompt a review of management costs as frontline services face financial pressure

A MILFORD HAVEN town councillor has questioned whether Pembrokeshire County Council needs to appoint a new deputy chief executive at a time when local services are under growing financial pressure.

Councillor Lee Bridges spoke out after the authority advertised for a Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Place, with a salary of between £132,063 and £145,050.

The successful candidate would also receive a £9,576 annual lease car allowance and a relocation package, taking the potential overall package above £154,000.

Cllr Bridges stressed that his concerns related to the position itself and were not intended as criticism of the person currently holding, or previously holding, the role.

He said: “At a time when local authorities across Wales are facing significant financial pressures and frontline services are under increasing strain, I do question whether this role is really necessary.

“The council already has a chief executive, directors responsible for each service area, together with multiple layers of senior managers, middle managers and team leaders.

“When opportunities arise through senior vacancies, they should also be seen as opportunities to review and streamline management structures rather than simply replacing like-for-like.”

The senior post carries responsibility for areas including regeneration, economic development, planning, transport, environmental services, climate change and major capital projects.

The successful applicant would also support major investment opportunities linked to the Celtic Freeport.

Cllr Bridges said strong leadership remained important, but argued that the cost of senior management needed to be balanced against the pressure on council services.

He said: “Every pound spent on senior management is a pound that cannot be invested in frontline services that residents rely upon every day.

“Over recent years, we have repeatedly heard that difficult financial decisions have had to be made, with services being reduced or placed under increasing pressure because budgets are stretched.

“If that is genuinely the case, then it seems entirely reasonable that senior management structures should be reviewed with the same level of scrutiny as every other area of council spending.”

He said the vacancy should have prompted the authority to consider whether the responsibilities could be divided among existing senior officers.

Cllr Bridges added: “I would have welcomed a strategic review of whether this post is genuinely essential, or whether its responsibilities could be absorbed within the existing leadership team.

“Any savings could then be redirected towards protecting services for Pembrokeshire residents, whether that is highways, social care, education, environmental services or other frontline functions.”

He said his comments were intended to encourage debate about council priorities rather than criticise individuals.

“This is not about personalities,” he said. “It is about ensuring that, when opportunities arise through natural vacancies, the council asks whether there is a better way of structuring itself for the future.

“At a time when every public pound counts, I think residents would expect those questions to be asked before another senior appointment is made.”

A SECTION of a south Pembrokeshire seaside coastal path, closed once again after a landslide at the weekend, has now reopened.

After a landslide on July 12, Dyfed-Powys Police reported delays on the footpath between Coppet Hall and Wiseman’s Bridge, advising people to use alternative routes where possible or allow extra time for their journey.

The section of the south Pembrokeshire beach-side coastal path has been closed several times since late 2023 after it experienced ‘substantial rock falls’.

The footpath was last closed in January 2025, following a number of landslips in the space of one week.

The path, known as the Tramway, which connects Wiseman’s Bridge to Coppet Hall in Saundersfoot is a popular and accessible stretch of the Wales Coast Path.

Following Sunday’s rock fall, Pembrokeshire County Council has said: “The footpath between Coppet Hall and Wiseman’s Bridge has re-opened following a rock fall at the weekend.

“The rock fall has been assessed as localised and from a low level. The path has therefore re-opened and work to remove the fallen material will be carried out in due course.”

The path was previously closed after it experienced ‘substantial rock falls’ in late 2023 and early 2024, with substantial investment made by the council to reopen the route.

In January 2025 a further fall happened towards the western end of the Wisemans Bridge to Coppet Hall cycleway, between the Coppet Hall and Wisemans Bridge tunnels, affecting access between Wisemans Bridge and Coppet Hall beach.

Costs of the works for the multiple incidents had, back in March 2025, amounted to nearly £700,000.

During 2024’s works, local councillor Chris Williams hit out at “selfish” path users putting others at risk by repeatedly cutting open safety barriers and fencing while the repair works were being undertaken.

A CALL to replace a Pembrokeshire village school classroom that had reached the end of its life with a modern facility has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, the local authority itself, through agent Williams-Architects Ltd, sought permission for the erection of a new modular classroom building at the site of Llandissilio’s Ysgol Brynconin Welsh Medium 3-11 school, along with the demolition of the existing modular classroom building.

A supporting statement said: “In addition to the main school building, some classroom and library facilities are located in a prefabricated hut within the school grounds constructed under the historical HORSA programme.

“Despite various upgrades over its lifespan including insulation and new windows, the building is no longer fit for purpose, and a replacement is required to ensure the school can continue to provide its pupils with modern, suitably equipped and compliant facilities that enable high quality education.”

HORSA buildings were originally designed as temporary structures, typically constructed using prefabricated concrete, timber, and steel to facilitate rapid assembly.

Although intended for short-term use, many HORSA buildings have remained in operation for decades. Over time, these structures have surpassed their intended lifespan, leading to significant structural issues, such as weakened frames, deteriorating roofs and external facades.

The statement added: “The primary use of the replacement building will remain as currently; it will include a single classroom alongside a multifunctional space which will be used as a library, staff and group room as required. It will also include an additional toilet, new accessible toilet, a cleaners’ store and formal classroom storage.

“The intention of the proposed building is to replace an existing classroom facility which is no longer fit for purpose, and whilst a simple replacement will significantly improve the day-to-day experience of the staff and pupils who currently use this building.”

An officer report recommending approval said that, while the proposed replacement building would not result in any greater impact on the visual amenity in terms of its design, scale and overall appearance, the proposal includes the demolition of an existing building which could have an impact on the local amenity during the demolition process.

It said that, since local concerns were raised, a Demolition and Construction statement has set out the proposed demolition methodology and construction process, including details of the sequence of works, hours, and anticipated timeframe, and it is considered that the proposed demolition and construction “will have no significant detrimental impact upon the locality amenity”.

The application was conditionally approved.

Back in July 2025, members of the council’s Cabinet backed approval for a new modular building at Ysgol Brynconin, members hearing that “the external structure has rapidly declined, with the render board failing and allowing water ingress into the areas of external wall insulation”.