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Kurtz calls on UK Government to rule out reuse of Penally Camp

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PEMBROKESHIRE MS Samuel Kurtz has written to the Home Secretary urging the UK Government to rule out any future use of Penally Camp to house asylum seekers.

The move comes after The Herald’s report this week highlighted national plans to use former military sites in England and Scotland for asylum accommodation, raising local concern that the disused training camp near Tenby could once again be considered.

In a letter sent to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Tuesday (Nov 4), Mr Kurtz said he was “deeply concerned” that the site could be revisited under the UK Government’s new approach to asylum housing.

Wants Penally Camp ruled out: Sam Kurtz MS

“I wish to make clear my strong opposition to any proposal to reuse the former Penally Training Camp for this purpose,” Mr Kurtz wrote.

He reminded the Home Office that Penally had previously been branded “unsuitable for long-term accommodation” by inspectors from HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

“These findings are a matter of public record and demonstrate that Penally is not an appropriate environment for housing asylum seekers,” he said, citing the camp’s rural location, limited infrastructure and distance from essential services.

Mr Kurtz also urged ministers to commit to “full and transparent consultation” with local authorities and the Welsh Government before any sites in Wales are considered.

“My constituents, and the wider Pembrokeshire community, deserve reassurance that lessons from previous experience have been learned,” he said.

Background

Penally Camp was used by the Home Office in 2020 and 2021 to accommodate several hundred male asylum seekers. The decision drew national controversy, with local residents complaining of poor communication and inadequate facilities.

A subsequent inspection described the camp as overcrowded, unsanitary and poorly managed. It was closed in spring 2021 and returned to the Ministry of Defence.

Political debate

Mr Kurtz’s intervention follows a Voice of Wales podcast discussion prompted by The Herald’s article, in which local commentators raised fears that Penally could again be earmarked as part of the UK Government’s wider review of asylum accommodation.

A Home Office spokesperson told The Herald earlier this week that “there are currently no plans to reopen the Penally site” but confirmed that “all accommodation options remain under review.”

Crime

Two arrested after woman rescued from Main Street building in Pembroke

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POLICE have arrested two men on suspicion of rape and false imprisonment following a serious incident on Main Street, Pembroke, on Sunday morning (Nov 9).

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers were called at 9:45am to reports of a woman in distress at a property above Mehfil’s Indian restaurant. The woman was taken to hospital by ambulance.

Two men, aged 36 and 27, were arrested at the scene. They have since been released on bail while police enquiries continue.

Officers remained outside the premises for much of the morning, with several police vehicles and ambulances attending. A cordon was placed around the entrance to Willings Walk shopping arcade as forensic work was carried out.

The Herald understands that the woman’s condition is stable, and police have confirmed that an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police, quoting reference DP-20251109-132.

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Crime

Two arrested after late-night assault in Milford Haven

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POLICE have confirmed that two men were arrested following a serious late-night assault on Charles Street, Milford Haven, on Saturday (Nov 8).

Officers were called to the scene at around 11:30pm after reports of an assault near Market Square.

A 62-year-old man was taken to hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening.

Benjamin Cullen, aged 19, was arrested and later charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court today (Nov 10).

A second man, aged 36, was also arrested on suspicion of assault and has been released on bail pending further police enquiries.

Anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police, quoting reference 433 of November 8.

🖥️ Contact police online
📧 [email protected]
📞 101

Alternatively, information can be shared anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Health

Nine GPs for 22,500 patients — “Residents deserve better,” says Kurtz

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SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE MS Samuel Kurtz has warned that patients in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are being left behind amid what he calls a “growing GP crisis” in the area.

During Health Questions in the Senedd, Mr Kurtz raised concerns about Argyle Medical Group in Pembroke Dock, now the second-largest GP practice in Wales, caring for more than 22,500 patients with just nine GPs — an average of around 2,500 patients per doctor.

By comparison, Sketty and Killay Medical Centre in Swansea has 18 GPs for just under 22,000 patients — almost double the workforce for the same population.

Mr Kurtz said patients were facing long waits for appointments and staff were under “unsustainable pressure”. He accused the Welsh Government of failing to plan properly for the healthcare needs of rural and coastal communities, calling for urgent action to boost GP recruitment and retention, fair funding for rural practices, and timely access to care.

Samuel Kurtz MS addressed the Health Minister about Argyle Medical Group in Pembroke Dock during Health Questions in the Senedd last week.

Speaking after the exchange, he said: “Patients in Pembrokeshire deserve the same access to GP care as those in other parts of Wales, yet they’re being left behind.

“Doctors and staff at Argyle Medical Group are doing their very best under immense strain, but they simply don’t have the numbers to meet demand. This is a workforce crisis that needs immediate attention.

“The Welsh Government must recognise the unique challenges faced by rural healthcare providers and act now to ensure communities in west Wales aren’t forgotten.”

Mr Kurtz added that he had requested an urgent meeting with the Health Minister, Argyle Medical Group and Hywel Dda University Health Board to address what he described as “the number one issue of concern” raised by his constituents.

Earlier this year, The Herald reported that GP shortages in Wales had left patients per doctor at nearly double the European average, with Argyle Medical Group specifically cited as one of the most overstretched practices in the country.
At that time, the practice was treating around 25,000 patients with nine GPs, highlighting long-standing recruitment difficulties in the county.

Hywel Dda University Health Board has previously said that it continues to work closely with local practices to improve capacity and maintain patient access to services, including through cluster working and recruitment incentives for hard-to-staff rural areas.

Watch: Video of Samuel questioning the Health Minister in the Senedd


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