News

Harding bungles on constitution

Published

10 years ago

December 9, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Got it wrong: Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding pictured centre

IN AN EMBARRASSING incident at a Corporate Governance Committee meeting on Monday( Nov 17), Council Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding was forced to withdraw an objection he had raised to a proposal for the annual election of the Council Leader. In a deathly hush, in which a pin could have been heard to drop, Mr Harding flicked desperately through the pages of the folder in front of him after being repeatedly asked to justify the advice he had tendered to councillors to reject a proposal for an annual leadership ballot presented by East Williamston’s Jacob Williams.

The quiet was a welcome respite from lengthy and sometimes testy exchanges between councillors on the opposition and IPPG sides of the committee. The meeting started badly with recriminations about the lack of trust between the opposition leaders and Council Leader Jamie Adams, with the matter being batted back to a meeting of the leaders’ group to try and move on. The level of nit-picking debate scarcely improved over the following two hours. The last item of business, on the annual election of a council leader, divided members sharply.

Jacob Williams’, whose proposal it was, first addressed the issue of the objection to his proposal by council officers. He told the meeting that having spoken with Acting Head of Paid Service Ian Westley, he was happy to clear any misapprehension about his motion and was happy to agree a minor amendment to its wording to progress the matter. Bizarrely, there then followed a protracted discussion about the existing constitutional provision which Cllr Williams wanted to replace.

After long and tortuous discussion which resembled a debate about how many angels danced on the head of a pin, Cllr Williams fixed Monitoring Officer Harding with a direct challenge to advice he had given that the present rules already encompassed the substance of Cllr Williams’ proposal.

Cue a very, very long silence. At the end of his reverie, Laurence Harding was – to his evident mortification – compelled to concede Cllr Williams’ point that the current constitution did not permit the leader to be subject to annual election on a normal notice of motion. With that fox shot, the IPPG representatives finally got the crux of their objections to Cllr Williams’ plan.

They were unanimously concerned that such an arrangement would prevent the strong leadership upon which they felt the Council depended. The self-interest of their group to divvy up allowances and positions was more important than a Leader having the confidence of Council members. Cllr Jamie Adams said that he could not imagine anyone willing to take up the leadership on the “temporary and short-term” basis proposed by the motion.

Bob Kilmister pointed out that the IPPG’s stance was the same as prevented the Council following its working together agenda, from which he and others had withdrawn due to a lack of trust between the opposition leaders and IPPG leader Adams. Keith Lewis from the IPPG, while admitting he had lost track of the debate, argued that the Council needed consistency and continuity.

Responding that Cllr Lewis appeared to envisage a position in the cause of continuity where a leader was a lame duck without backing from the Council’s membership, Jacob Williams pointed out that Jamie Adams was quite prepared to go along with Laurence Harding’s position, which if it had been correct would have amounted to the same, if not a less secure position. Paul Miller pointed out that Councillor Adams’ only mandate as leader came from arrangements within the ruling group, without any manifesto or input from the people of Pembrokeshire.

The Committee’s arguments on the point were brought to an unsatisfactory close by the expedient of calling a vote which proceeded to divide on party lines. The “Independent” group carrying the day by acting together to defeat the proposal 7-6.

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

3 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”