Community

The future of much-loved Memorial Pool in Cardigan remains uncertain

Published

6 mins ago

January 8, 2025

THE FUTURE of Cardigan’s well-used and much-loved Memorial Pool remains uncertain, with Ceredigion County Council unable to guarantee its inclusion in the proposed new wellbeing centre earmarked for the same site.

The pool, which served the community for over four decades, closed in March last year despite widespread local fundraising efforts. Trustees cited soaring energy costs, falling income, and substantial maintenance and repair expenses as reasons for its closure.

Since then, children have been forced to travel to Newcastle Emlyn, Crymych, or Llandysul for swimming lessons, while adults who relied on the hydrotherapy pool to manage arthritis and other chronic conditions have seen their health deteriorate.

The closure has also dealt a blow to Cardigan Swimming Club, which previously had 50 junior members, and Poppit Sands Surf Lifesaving Club, whose winter training depended on the pool. Concerns are mounting that the lack of local swimming facilities will prevent children from reaching the standards needed for sea-based training, undermining water safety in a coastal town known for its busy beaches.

Residents have taken to social media to express their anger and disappointment at the council’s inaction. One resident wrote: “How can a coastal town like Cardigan not have a swimming pool? Teaching children to swim is not a luxury—it’s a necessity. The council needs to wake up and prioritise our safety.”

Another frustrated parent said: “My son used to swim at the Memorial Pool every week. Now we’re travelling an hour for lessons. It’s exhausting and expensive. Why are families being left to pick up the pieces?”

Local campaigner Bethan Jones added: “The council’s lack of clarity is deeply worrying. We’ve heard nothing but vague promises and silence. The wellbeing centre sounds great, but it’s meaningless if a pool isn’t included.”

The council recently announced plans to develop a new wellbeing centre on the pool site, chosen over three other potential locations. The facility is set to accommodate Hywel Dda University Health Board services and other community health provisions. However, it remains unclear whether a swimming pool will form part of the plans.

A council spokesperson said: “The business case for the wellbeing centre is currently being developed. This work will identify the services that could be delivered at the centre and the facility mix required to accommodate them. At present, no decision has been made on what will and won’t be included.”

Despite repeated calls from the community for clarity, the council added that it is “unable to comment further at this time.”

With so much at stake for the health, safety, and wellbeing of local residents, the future of Cardigan’s much-missed Memorial Pool hangs in the balance. For now, the voices of concerned residents continue to grow louder, demanding answers and action from those in charge.

Exactly two years ago, The Memorial Swimming Pool and Hall have received a Capital Grant to undertake much needed renovation work.

The Sport Wales Capital Grant of £207,000 from Welsh Government was secured by Ceredigion County Council to fund essential capital works at Cardigan Memorial Swimming Pool and Hall.

The grant enabled the Swimming Pool to upgrade its Pool Plant Equipment and Air Handling Unit, insulate the roof above the toddler pool and purchase new Pool covers.

Matt Newland, Chairman of Cardigan Memorial Swimming Pool and Hall Trustees, said at the time: “The swimming pool and hall trustees are delighted to announce that we have received a grant from Sports Wales to carry out much needed works to the pool to enable it to continue running. The trustees would like to thank Ceredigion County Council for their assistance and support. Cardigan Swimming pool and hall is run by the trustees committee for the benefit of the community. It is an essential resource and this grant will help secure our future.”

Community

‘Collaborative effort’ to tackle fly-grazing but horses still on the loose

Published

40 mins ago

January 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRAFFIC was disrupted yesterday (Jan 7) after multiple loose horses were spotted on Lower Lamphey Road, Pembroke. Motorists and pedestrians were urged to approach the area with caution as the horses roamed freely on the road and nearby residential areas, causing delays and raising safety concerns.

Pembrokeshire County Council recently announced that it has teamed up with Dyfed-Powys Police to tackle the growing problem of horses being left on public land and highways, known as fly-grazing.

The move comes after a significant rise in incidents across the county, causing safety concerns and public disruption.

Over the Christmas period, both agencies will work collaboratively in an operational effort to address the issue.

This joint approach responds to ongoing community concerns and forms part of a wider initiative to enable partner agencies to deal more effectively with fly-grazing.

The situation comes just days after authorities announced their initiative to tackle the issue through a coordinated approach, highlighting the urgency and importance of addressing fly-grazing concerns.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any concerns about fly-grazing by contacting [email protected] or calling 01437 764551.

Community

Waste chaos continues in Pembrokeshire as council admits ‘resource challenges’

Published

1 hour ago

January 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE households are facing ongoing disruption to waste collections as the county council struggles with persistent ‘resource challenges’ following the festive period.

Residents across the county have reported overflowing bins and missed collections, with the council admitting approximately five per cent of collection rounds were disrupted last week due to staff shortages, vehicle breakdowns, and an increase in waste volumes.

A council spokesperson said: “The operational issues are resulting in many households not having their waste collected on their scheduled day. We are working to rectify this as soon as possible, but resource challenges remain.”

Residents are being urged to store waste and recycling materials where possible until their next scheduled collection. The council has also promised to keep its waste and recycling disruption webpage updated with the latest information.

Despite scheduling additional resources to cope with the expected increase in waste over Christmas, the council has been unable to meet demand. Councillor Rhys Sinnett, cabinet member for residents’ services, issued an apology to those affected.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to residents,” he said. “Staff have been working throughout the festive period to manage collections, but vehicle breakdowns and staff availability have significantly hampered our efforts.”

In a bid to ease the backlog, residents are permitted to place one additional black bag of waste out for collection on their first residual waste collection day after Christmas. Recycling centres remain open, but pre-booking is required.

Latest Disruption Updates:

Saturday, 4th January 2025:

Milford Haven Area: Multiple streets, including Murray Road, Milton Crescent, Pill Lane, Warwick Road, Robert Street, and Dale Road, faced incomplete recycling collections due to resource issues. Some streets had food waste collected, while others saw partial or no recycling collections.
St Ishmaels, Sandy Haven, Marloes, Dale, Talbenny, Hasguard, Walwyns Castle: Collections were either incomplete or missed entirely.

The council has advised affected residents to store recycling until the next scheduled collection day or take it to local recycling centres.

Friday, 3rd January 2025:

Haverfordwest and Surrounding Areas: Key streets and neighbourhoods, including Cherry Grove, Queensway, Prendergast, Merlins Bridge, and St Thomas Green, experienced widespread disruption to recycling collections.
Rudbaxton, Poyston Cross, and parts of Crundale: Missed recycling collections were reported, with limited recovery achieved.

The council has stated that recollection efforts will continue into the following week.

Thursday, 2nd January 2025:

Stackpole, Manorbier, Freshwater East, Lamphey, and Monkton: Residents reported missed recycling collections, with some streets receiving food waste collection only.

Moving Forward:

The council assures residents that efforts to clear the backlog are ongoing. However, persistent resource challenges mean delays may continue.

Residents are encouraged to:

Store recycling where possible until the next scheduled collection.
Pre-book slots at local recycling centres.
Regularly check the council’s disruption webpage for updates.

For real-time updates on waste collections, residents are encouraged to visit the Pembrokeshire County Council website. The situation remains fluid, and further updates are expected as the council works to stabilise services.

Community

Firefighters rescue Shetland pony from stream in Haverfordwest

Published

1 hour ago

January 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

AT 2:05pm on Monday (Jan 6), crews from Haverfordwest Fire Station responded to an incident in Merlin’s Bridge, Haverfordwest, where a Shetland pony had become stuck in a stream.

Although the pony was not in distress, the cold water posed a significant risk, and urgent intervention was required to prevent further harm.

With assistance from the RSPCA, the fire service’s animal rescue team utilised specialist equipment and their expertise to successfully free the pony from the stream. The animal was unharmed and safely returned to its owner.

The crew left the scene at 3:25pm.