News
Audit Committee to see key correspondence

Cllr Mike Stoddart
FOLLOWING a lengthy – and at times angry – debate, councillors voted to pass a motion from Cllr Mike Stoddart to allow the audit committee to have access to documents relating to the controversial Commercial Property Grants Scheme in Pembroke Dock. Cllr Stoddart’s original motion asked for all councillors to have access to correspondence between the authority and WEFO and Mr Cathal McCosker but he amended the motion so that Audit Committee members alone could have access. Many councillors in the chamber felt they should all have access to the information in order to make a proper decision. Cllr Stoddart said: “This is a matter of some importance because public money is at stake here.
“Mr McCosker has offered to pay back a rather large sum of money – £189,000 is the figure I’ve been given. “There is also a sum of money that this council has got to pay back in respect of administrative payments that WEFO have made to this council. “The audit committee have a duty to look into this to see just how much this is going to cost the council, that’s what the audit committee was set up for.
“I am not talking about the police disclosing information; this is about the council disclosing information that is already in its possession. I’m not asking for the police to disclose it. He added: “Suggesting otherwise is another red herring being dragged across the floor.” Cllr Bob Kilmister said: “This is very important information for the debate and we need to see it, but once again members are being asked to debate without seeing any of the information that is required.”
Cllr Jamie Adams said: “Any information will be made available to members on conclusion of the police investigation and we have a process in following that investigation and I believe it’s very important that we recognise effectively the polity that should remain around any evidence that should remain following legal proceedings from that situation. “Members will have full information but as a body of council we must recognise that there is a time limit on it in terms of when that information is appropriate. “It may be appropriate for the audit committee to consider that advice, but I would suggest that it’s not really the function of full council to undertake that, and I am confident in the ability and the desire that is held within audit committee to get to the bottom of these matters with the assistance of the police. “Now is not the time for us as members to discuss the matter.”
Cllr Jacob Williams said: “How times have changed! At our Christmas meeting in 2013, Cllr Stoddart put forward a very similar motion and Cllr Pugh gave a number of facts, and subsequently it was revealed he wasn’t telling the whole truth and he has since been sacked from the Cabinet. “At that stage everybody was in denial in the IPPG group and a vote was taken, but that vote was taken on duff information. “Everything Cllr Stoddart has said about the grant scheme has proved to be correct.
The police investigation is ongoing – I don’t know what stage it is at, but isn’t that a long way we’ve come? Information was denied and it’s still being denied now. “One thing remains constant, and that is the ethos of this county which is to keep elected members in the dark. “Cllr Pugh denied there was a problem but now there is going to be a loss to the authority and I think you should all know about that.” Cllr Paul Miller said: “Clearly we are responsible for the budget. There is a financial issue in terms of a loss or a reclaim and we need to understand that.
That is part of our core remit as members, and this information is key to understanding that. I don’t how we can be in a position when we are not given the information.” Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse said: “The committee was requested by the police not to divulge the information which the police are using during the investigation. The legality of this was confirmed to the committee by the acting head of paid service. Assurance was given that in due course, at the conclusion of the police investigation the documentation would be made available to all members of this council. It is no good listening to what people think, we need evidence.”
Retired senior police officer Cllr Tony Brinsden said: “I’m rather concerned that so many red herrings are being dropped across the floor in front of us. I’m surprised that our leader had to go to council to find out that simple fact.” Cllr Mike Evans said: “This is information that is with the council, this is what we are debating.” Indicating the advice given by officers, he continued: “We open up this advice here and the first line says: ‘In this case I have been asked to advise upon a request by councillors who have access to information obtained by the police. This is not the case.
“How much has this one question cost us? What is the point of asking a question about information in the possession of the police? We all know that we have no right to see their documents. Cllr Bob Summons, a former police constable for over thirty years, said: “An email came in yesterday from the sergeant who is running the investigation. It says: ‘As discussed the police investigation has commenced and as part of the investigation team it is important that we have all material in relation to this matter.”
He continued, quoting the email: “Until any trial it is good practice for all materials to be classed as confidential. I am aware that information is available within Pembrokeshire County Council, which councillors have asked to be disclosed to them. “I would recommend at this stage of the enquiry that this material is not disclosed upon this request.” Councillors were not deflected from their pursuit of the matter by the red herrings offered in response to Councillor Stoddart’s motion: it was passed by 28 votes to 24 with four councillors (Mike Evans, Brian Hall, Stan Hudson and Steve Joseph) abstaining.
News
Fresh storm hits Neyland Town Council over church ceremony outburst

Councillor demands mayor’s resignation after ‘diatribe of hatred’ in chapel
NEYLAND TOWN COUNCIL has been thrown into fresh controversy following a furious email from Councillor David K. Devauden, who has accused the town’s mayor of delivering a “sick diatribe of hatred” during a civic ceremony held in a local church.
The incident occurred on Sunday (July 6) during a service attended by members of the council, dignitaries, and members of the public, including the Reverend Alan Chadwick and representatives of local organisations.
Cllr Devauden, in a strongly worded email sent to the full council and copied to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, said he was left “in total shock” at the mayor’s remarks, which he claims caused “stress and distress” to himself, two former councillors, and the community.
The Herald understands that some attendees were so offended by the tone of the mayor’s comments that after they left the service, they refused to attend the refreshments afterwards. One source described the atmosphere as “toxic”.
Cllr Devauden has now called on the mayor to publicly apologise on the council’s official website, not only to the residents of Neyland but also to Rev Chadwick, who he said was left embarrassed by what occurred during his service.
He also demanded the mayor resign immediately from both his ceremonial post and his elected role, claiming he is “not fit to hold your trousers up let alone the office of representing the people of Neyland.”
In his email, Cllr Devauden alleged a longstanding campaign of personal attacks, including “mendacious complaints to the Ombudsman” and false claims made in open council. He cited one instance in which the mayor allegedly said the Milford Town Band objected to Cllr Devauden’s participation in a Remembrance Day parade – something the band later denied when contacted.
“This email is like that light chilly buff of wind that is a sure sign a storm is on its way,” he wrote. “So go before you are blown away.”
The Herald understands that internal divisions have dogged Neyland Town Council for some time, with previous rows drawing the attention of the Ombudsman and the wider public.
The mayor has yet to make a public statement in response to the allegations.
Crime
Full justice devolution ‘not on the agenda’

A UNITED Kingdom minister appeared to “row back” on a commitment to devolve powers over probation and youth justice to Wales, with Westminster set to retain responsibility.
In 2019, an independent commission – led by Lord Thomas, the former head of the judiciary recommended that justice policy should be “determined and delivered” in Wales.
But, nearly six years on, devolution has stalled, with Welsh and UK ministers suggesting a phased and piecemeal approach to transferring powers as happened in Greater Manchester.
In November, a report set out three options for devolution: transfer of executive powers, full law-making and executive responsibilities, or an agreement on commissioning services.
And, giving evidence to the Senedd equality and social justice committee today, ministers implied the Welsh and UK Governments will pursue the co-commissioning model.
Lord Timpson, the UK prisons and probation minister, intimated that devolution would not be a priority amid “massive pressures” on the justice system.
Mick Antoniw, the former counsel general or chief legal adviser to the Welsh Government, pointed to “volumes of evidence” that devolution of probation “needs to happen and quickly”.

Lord Timpson, who lives over the border but near HMP Berwyn, one of the UK’s biggest prisons, said colleagues have had a meeting on local delivery options for youth justice.
He told the committee UK ministers would look at the Greater Manchester model but he cautioned of “huge” pressures and a need for stability.
“If we lurch from problem to problem, we are just going to put sticking plasters all over everything,” he said, advocating “sensible, sustainable and evidence-led” policy instead.
Lord Timpson stated he was more concerned about challenges in probation than prisons – warning the service is unstable, with probation officers having an average caseload of 35.
Mr Antoniw pressed his Labour colleague about the need to transfer powers over probation, given that many of the levers for keeping people out of prison are devolved.
“It seems to me there’s no logical response to that other than we’ve had a decade of delay on actually looking at the enormous accumulation of evidence,” he said.
“What you seem to be suggesting is that we’re going to go through that process of just continually looking at the evidence without ever really coming to a proper conclusion.”
Lord Timpson – who was chief executive of Timpson, the retailer founded by his father Sir John, until 2024 – warned probation remained “bruised” from previous reforms.
“We need to be in a much more stable position before we can start talking about further changes,” he said, referring to the Conservatives’ “transforming rehabilitation” programme.
Pressed by Adam Price, the former MP and ex-Plaid Cymru leader, Lord Timpson suggested devolution will not be a priority until “massive pressures” stabilise.

Mr Price pointed out that powers over budgets and making laws would remain at Westminster under a co-commissioning model similar to Manchester’s.
He asked: “Are you saying that… the full devolution of executive and legislative powers, that’s not something that is on your agenda?”
Lord Timpson reiterated his focus on making prison and probation services sustainable. Pinned down on the point, the politician replied: “I’m not ruling anything out, I’m not ruling anything in. What I’m focused on is trying to sort out the crisis in our justice system.”
Labour’s Jenny Rathbone questioned why more than 25% of the 5,000 Welsh prisoners are held in English jails when Wales has nearly 6,000 prison places of its own.

Lord Timpson pointed to capacity pressures with prisons 98.2% full, security in terms of organised crime, and the lack of a category A (high risk) or women’s prison in Wales.
He told the committee: “We need to use the estate really efficiently and that means, unfortunately, some Welsh prisoners are not in prisons in Wales.”
Jane Dodds, leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, expressed concerns about research showing Wales has the highest imprisonment rate in western Europe.

Lord Timpson replied: “80% of offending is reoffending and, clearly, something has been going wrong for a long time. Our prisons are growing and we’re going to have more people in prison by the time of the next election than at any other time in our history.”
In 2019, a Cardiff University report warned of the “jagged edge” of justice, with intersecting responsibilities and Wales often overlooked by Westminster.
Ms Rathbone, who chairs the committee, warned: “I’m concerned about stabilising a broken system because it’s costing a fortune to the taxpayer and the individuals caught up in it.”
She called for an explanation of “no progress” on matters that have been “discussed endlessly for decades”, citing the example of a women’s residential centre in Swansea.
Lord Timpson said: “I think we need to look at the options, we need to look at the costs,” adding that the key is how to divert women from the justice system in the first place.
Altaf Hussain, a Conservative Senedd Member, expressed concerns about deaths at HMP Parc amid a “serious decline in standards” at the prison in Bridgend.

Lord Timpson, whose younger brother was a Tory MP, replied: “They’ve obviously had a terrible number of self-inflicted deaths at the prison but I think things feel far more stable.”
He said the governor told him 98% of problems are down to drugs, with drone-proof windows set to be installed by August 2026. “That will make a significant difference,” he said.
Ms Dodds raised wider problems: “The prison inspectorate reported there’s not enough food to eat, prisoners are stuck in their cells 21 hours a day [and] self harm has gone up by 60%.”
Lord Timpson stressed the Labour UK Government inherited a system in crisis. “I’ve never known it so bad,” he said, pointing to “big strides” over the past 12 months.
He left the scrutiny session more than 20 minutes early to vote in the House of Lords.
Following the meeting on July 14, the Senedd’s equality and justice committee criticised the “deeply disappointing” evidence from Lord Timpson.
Ms Rathbone said “We are very disappointed to hear Lord Timpson say that the UK Government could row back its promises on the devolution of youth justice and probation.
“These policies were supported by several significant constitutional reports and endorsed by the independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales.
“The report from Gordon Brown’s commission on the UK’s future said new powers over youth justice and the probation service should be made available…
“The Welsh Government has already started the groundwork to prepare because it believed there was a realistic prospect that these aspects could be devolved soon.
“This is in stark contrast to Lord Timpson’s evidence before the committee today which seemed to pour cold water on the prospect.”
Business
Improved trade rules to support businesses and boost UK growth

New reforms aim to cut red tape, empower devolved governments, and protect £129bn internal market
BUSINESSES across the UK’s four nations will benefit from updated trade rules aimed at making it easier to operate across borders, following reforms to the UK Internal Market Act announced on Monday (July 15).
The changes, brought forward ahead of schedule, are designed to remove unnecessary trade barriers, enhance collaboration between governments, and provide greater clarity for businesses. The move is part of the UK Government’s wider Plan for Change, which seeks to unlock investment, raise living standards, and drive long-term economic growth.
Responding directly to feedback from companies, the UK Government has completed a statutory review of the Internal Market Act, originally introduced to safeguard trade following the UK’s exit from the European Union. The revised approach places business needs at the centre while allowing devolved governments greater flexibility to legislate in line with local priorities.
The reforms aim to reduce red tape, simplify rule-making, and promote transparency. Where proposed regulatory changes have limited economic impact, they can now be fast-tracked through a streamlined process. Broader considerations — such as environmental protection and public health — will also now be factored in when assessing whether exceptions to internal market rules are appropriate.
The changes will support cooperation on shared rule-making across sectors like chemicals and pesticides, and help protect the UK’s internal market — worth over £129 billion in 2019, the equivalent of 6% of GDP. In Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, trade with the rest of the UK accounts for around 60% of external sales.
Minister for Trade Policy, Douglas Alexander, said: “A thriving internal market is essential to the UK’s economic success, so we’ve listened to what businesses want — and we’re acting ahead of schedule.
These reforms will keep trade flowing, reduce friction, and unlock growth across all four nations. We’ve also worked closely with devolved governments to ensure they can deliver on their priorities.”
Jane Gratton, Deputy Director of Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, added: “Trade between the nations of the UK is vital to the health of our overall economy and a key driver of growth.
This new streamlined approach to rulemaking will give businesses the certainty they need so they can grow, invest, and prosper.”
The announcement follows a public consultation launched in January 2025 and a statutory review in December 2024. Nearly 100 responses were received from businesses, academics, devolved governments, and environmental groups, informing the final set of reforms.
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Tomos
December 30, 2014 at 10:54 pm
used to be an accountant and I’d have thought any decent company IF they’d been overpaid would have refunded the money without auditors, police etc getting involved – If I’ve overpaid british gas they’d let me know – why didn’t mccosker?