Community

21 council houses to be bought for Saundersfoot village

Published

3 months ago

September 13, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SCHEME costing £2.4m scheme to provide council houses for local people in a Pembrokeshire seaside village which has a high number of holiday and second homes has been backed.

At the September meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to enter into a package deal arrangement for the purchase of 21 affordable homes, along with an option for four ‘intermediate’ affordable units on land at Sandyhill, Saundersfoot.

The 25 affordable units form part of a 2024 approved scheme for 71 homes through Persimmon Homes Ltd at the site, through a Section 106 legal agreement, with discussions with the council taking place since then.

Members were asked to enter into a package deal consisting of a ‘golden brick’ agreement of £301,967.82 for the land purchase, £1,207,871.30 for the construction phase of the 21 units, and a separate purchase contract and cost up to £896,000 for the four ‘intermediate’ units.

A report for members presented by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “Pembrokeshire faces serious housing challenges, including a distinct shortage of affordable housing to meet local needs and high levels of homelessness associated with unaffordable private rentals and house prices.

“Pembrokeshire’s natural beauty means the county has high levels of second home ownership and combined with the significant number of holidays lets in coastal towns this has reduced the availability of housing for local people. This has resulted in long housing waiting lists with high numbers of households in homeless temporary accommodation and many households having limited chances of having their housing needs met.”

It said the current costs for the 21 units, made up of 12 one-bedroom flats, three three-bed houses and six two-bed houses, equates to an average of £71,897 per unit; the four intermediate properties, at 70 per cent of market value.

“At present, this gives an estimated total cost of £2,405,839 for 25 units so an average cost of £96,234 per unit,” the report said, adding: “It is anticipated that the purchases will span two-to-three financial years but this will partly be dependent on the progress of open market sales to progress site works to the later phases of the development.”

Cllr Bateman, who moved approval, told members the scheme for “21 council houses” and socially rented properties would “offer high quality accommodation for local people in an area with a high proportion of second homes and holiday accommodation”.

“The local member is fully supportive; these opportunities are part of a wider range of measures to increase the supply of affordable housing,” she added.

The proposal was supported by Leader Jon Harvey and Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett, who said it was “a really good step forward in an area that’s particularly challenging in getting affordable living space for people”.

Cllr Harvey, who described the £71,00 per unit cost as “a very good deal that will go some way to alleviating housing pressures,” added: “We are looking at all sorts of ways of increasing the affordable housing stock; we are building our own council houses and acquiring houses, we are purchasing properties on the open market and using all sorts of funding to do that.”

Members unanimously backed the recommendations to enter into the deal, with delegated authority to the Head of Law and Governance to agree the final terms.

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

20 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

Published

21 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush

A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.

The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.

He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”

Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.

The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.

Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.

Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).