News

Cabinet to vote on Lower Priory flood prevention scheme

Published

1 year ago

January 9, 2025

ON MONDAY, January 13, the County Council’s Cabinet will decide whether to make an application to the Welsh Government to fund works to reduce the risk of flooding at Lower Priory and Havens Head.

The proposed scheme focuses on the Havens Head culvert.

It is recommended that the Cabinet approve the application after spending time and money investigating the project’s viability.

If the Council’s application succeeds, it must part-fund the project from its capital budget.

***Emotional moment: Ian Bannister from Lower Priory clearly upset by the damage caused in a flood a few years back. He is speaking to the then MP Stephen Crabb (Pic: Herald)***

Lower Priory and Havens Head have suffered from extensive flooding in recent years. In 2018, a row erupted after heavy rainfall caused water levels to rise rapidly, threatening residential properties and businesses along the low-lying area of the partially reclaimed salt marsh and river valley. Milford Haven Port Authority, which had built over the former marshy area at Havens Head, was accused of being responsible for the damage after building over and tarmacking a substantial area of formerly tidal soakaway.

The Council and residents blamed the Port Authority. The Port Authority denied liability.

However, after the Port Authority invested in improved flood prevention and water attenuation measures, similar inundations have been avoided, despite several instances of even heavier rainfall than that which caused extensive flooding in 2018.

***The Priory Inn pub has flooded time and time again. (Pic Herald)***

Now, the Council proposes to step in with further measures to reduce the risk of flooding even further.

The estimated total cost of construction is £1,657,861. The total amount requested from the Welsh Government is £1,409,182, which amounts to 85% of the cost of construction.

Within its formal expression of interest, the Authority has requested £845,510 for the financial year 25/26 and £563,672 for the year 26/27.

If its application is successful, the Authority will be invited to apply for funding for the construction phase of the scheme through the Welsh government’s Flooding and Coastal Erosion Management grant stream.

The Welsh Government has supported the scheme to date, including fully funding the preparation of a Full Business Case and design stages. However, grant funding is not guaranteed, as the scheme will compete with other demands for funding from the same pot from other areas of Wales affected by flooding. Given that many of those other areas are more populous (and form part of Labour’s electoral core vote), the Welsh Government may choose to allocate resources to them instead of Milford Haven.

A sticking point for the current administration could be councillors’ preparedness to invest in capital projects. The Council’s Cabinet has received much criticism over its approach to capital projects, including some ill-informed and disingenuous posturing that suggests grant funds for building things can be used to fund services.

Whether councillors believe that putting the brakes on this potential capital project is justified depends on whether a majority of them think reducing the risk of flooding is worth the hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money that the Council must contribute to it if it proceeds.

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

10 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.

News

Man arrested after suspected drugs-related death in Haverfordwest

Published

10 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police say death not suspicious as 46-year-old arrested over alleged Class A drug supply

A MAN has died following a medical emergency at a property in Haverfordwest, police have confirmed.

Emergency services were called at 3:18pm on Wednesday (March 18) after a report of a medical incident.

A man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

The death is not being treated as suspicious at this time.

However, police confirmed that a man, aged 46, was arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

He has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

No further details about the deceased have been formally released.

Crime

Illegal dog breeders ordered to pay over £129,000 after council probe

Published

11 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FOUR people from Mynyddygarreg, Kidwelly, have been ordered to pay more than £129,000 following a successful prosecution for illegal dog breeding.

At Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Mar 10), before His Honour Judge Thomas KC, Stacey May June Edwards, Peter John Edwards, Sian Eleri Thomas and David Malcolm James Thomas, all of Sea Breeze, Mynyddygarreg, pleaded guilty to offences under the Breeding of Dogs (Wales) Regulations 2014.

The court imposed confiscation orders totalling £129,873.41 under the Proceeds of Crime Act across the four defendants. They were also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs, while each defendant received a £2,000 fine.

The investigation began in April 2021 after Carmarthenshire County Council’s Animal Health team received an enquiry from Peter Edwards about obtaining a dog breeding licence. Although licensing guidance was provided and a partial application was submitted in February 2022, this was later withdrawn.

In March 2024, the council received a complaint that puppies were being advertised for sale without the required licence. Officers subsequently contacted online advertising platforms and issued data requests to assess the scale of activity.

Analysis of records from Pets4Homes, Freeads and Gumtree revealed multiple litters being advertised by members of the same household.

Correspondence under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act confirmed that up to 25 dogs were kept at the property, including between 16 and 19 breeding females.

While some defendants claimed joint ownership of the dogs, others attempted to minimise their involvement.

The Herald understands that numerous puppy advertisements were posted between July 2020 and April 2025, demonstrating a sustained pattern of unlicensed breeding.

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, said: “This case demonstrates the council’s firm stance against unlicensed and illegal dog breeding.

“These regulations are in place to protect animal welfare and ensure that breeding activities are subject to proper oversight. The scale of activity uncovered at this property was entirely unacceptable, and we welcome the court’s decision to issue significant confiscation orders under POCA.”

He added: “We urge anyone with concerns about illegal dog breeding to report it. Our Animal Health officers will continue to investigate thoroughly and take action against those who disregard the law.”

Residents are reminded that anyone breeding and selling dogs must comply with licensing regulations designed to protect both animal welfare and consumers.