News

Pembrokeshire County Council spent £880k on pothole repairs in just three years

Published

9 months ago

March 17, 2025

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has spent more than £880,000 on pothole repairs over the past three years, according to newly released figures. This comes as the number of compensation claims for pothole-related damage has surged by 286 per cent since the 2021/22 financial year.

An investigation by Accident Claims Advice revealed that the council has received 107 legal claims regarding pothole damage in the past three years. In 2022, the council dealt with 14 claims, but this figure has risen significantly, reaching 54 claims in 2024. Over this period, the council has paid out a total of £2,500 in compensation to claimants whose vehicles or property were damaged by potholes.

Despite the sharp increase in claims, the council’s spending on pothole repairs has decreased, from £325,000 in 2021/22 to £286,000 in 2023/24. This reduction in expenditure raises concerns about the ability of local authorities to maintain road surfaces adequately in the face of financial pressures.

A public liability specialist at Accident Claims Advice, Beverly Faulkner, commented on the findings, stating: “Councils and local authorities have a duty of care to ensure the safety of people using public spaces, such as parks, highways, and footpaths. A crucial part of this responsibility is making sure the land under their control is properly maintained. Failing to do this can put people at risk. The damage caused by potholes can be catastrophic, leading to serious injury and costly vehicle repairs. It is vital that roads are properly maintained and councils are held accountable for the roads they oversee.”

At the start of 2024, Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed that there were 447 potholes in need of repair across the county. The authority has emphasised its commitment to road maintenance, citing proactive measures such as surface dressing and other preservative treatments to prevent road surfaces from deteriorating further.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council provided further clarification on the issue, saying: “The annual costs of road repairs have remained relatively stable over the time period, despite inflationary price increases. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the volume of repairs carried out has decreased over this timescale. Similarly, claim numbers, which remain exceptionally low, have not notably increased over the past 10 years, with an average of 13 claims settled each year at an average annual cost of £11,750. The rise in claims last year is significantly higher than in previous years, but this may be attributed to external factors such as the cost-of-living crisis rather than a notable deterioration in road conditions.”

The issue of potholes has become a growing concern for residents and road users across Pembrokeshire, with many highlighting the potential risks posed by poor road conditions. Motorists have reported costly vehicle repairs, while cyclists and pedestrians have expressed concerns about safety hazards.

The Welsh Government has previously acknowledged the challenge of maintaining roads across rural areas, pointing to budget constraints and adverse weather conditions as contributing factors to road degradation. In recent years, councils across Wales have faced increasing financial strain, leading to calls for greater investment in road maintenance.

Residents concerned about potholes are encouraged to report them via Pembrokeshire County Council’s contact centre on 01437 764551 or through the PCC My Account portal on the council’s website. The council states that response times for repairs vary depending on the severity of the pothole and road classification, with priority given to more hazardous defects. Repairs may take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks, but the council asserts that all

News

BBC apologises to Herald’s editor for inaccurate story

Published

18 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Staff Writer

THE BBC has issued a formal apology and amended a six-year-old article written by BBC Wales Business Correspondent Huw Thomas after its Executive Complaints Unit ruled that the original headline and wording gave an “incorrect impression” that Herald editor Tom Sinclair was personally liable for tens of thousands of pounds in debt.

The 2019 report, originally headlined “Herald newspaper editor Tom Sinclair has £70,000 debts”, has now been changed.

The ECU found: “The wording of the article and its headline could have led readers to form the incorrect impression that the debt was Mr Sinclair’s personal responsibility… In that respect the article failed to meet the BBC’s standards of due accuracy.”

Mr Sinclair said: “I’m grateful to the ECU for the apology and for correcting the personal-liability impression that caused real harm for six years. However, the article still links the debts to ‘the group which publishes The Herald’ when in fact they related to printing companies that were dissolved two years before the Herald was founded in 2013. I have asked the BBC to add that final clarification so the record is completely accurate.”

A formal apology and correction of this kind from the BBC is extremely rare, especially for a story more than six years old.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines
docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon last week, marking the start of physical
deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock on
shortly after 4pm on Wednesday 26th November, bringing tower sections and other heavy
components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the
existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, has arrived in Pembroke Port today is
due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-
loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through
Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the
latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived last week yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are
expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be
blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with
a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG
terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to
power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven
throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock.

Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

The Weather conditions are currently were favourable for this morning’s the arrival of
the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are
expected to begin early next year, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-
bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery
programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.