Community

Ajay Owen confirms key Herald reporting in lengthy online tirade

Published

4 months ago

November 28, 2025

In a 5,000-word website blog post described as a “corrective measure”, the SARS Cymru director has confirmed several of the most serious points raised in last week’s Herald investigation.

SINCE The Herald published its investigation into SARS Cymru on 25 November, director Ajay Owen has issued a lengthy public rebuttal.

In that statement, posted on Friday, Mr Owen confirmed that he reposted photographs of children without parental consent in order to “show residents how it felt to have their privacy invaded”. He also announced that he will “in the coming days” publish private messages and screenshots linked to the dispute.

Mr Owen’s new statement follows significant local concern about SARS Cymru’s activities, including volunteers attending incidents without invitation, the use of amber beacons on private vehicles, and the administration of several large local Facebook groups.

Three key admissions

On reposting photographs of children

“I reposted public images from their profiles to show them how it felt to have their privacy invaded. Was it the right choice? I apologised and removed it.”

This directly confirms the accounts of parents and residents who spoke to the Herald last week.

On plans to release private messages

“In the coming days, I am releasing the screenshots that the newspapers were too afraid to print.”

Police and Meta have been informed of the stated intention to publish large quantities of private correspondence.

On the safeguarding referral

Mr Owen again states that a Section 5 safeguarding referral was “unsubstantiated”. This confirms that a formal referral and threshold assessment took place, exactly as the Herald reported.

Additional resident concerns

Following publication of the Herald’s initial article, further residents have contacted this newspaper and commented publicly on social media.

One resident, Jerome Bartens, claimed Mr Owen attempted to stop farmers accessing livestock during snowy conditions by creating an unauthorised road block.
Mr Bartens said: “He blocked the road himself and told people they needed a permit to get through because the sign was covered. He was doing traffic management without authority.”

Another resident, commenting on Nation.Cymru’s report, described confusion about SARS Cymru’s appearance at a recent flood response.
Roger Thomas said: “Their uniform is very police-like. In a major incident with fire and ambulance crews, they were confusing. I still don’t know what role they played.”

Claims that collapsed

In his rebuttal, Mr Owen accuses this newspaper of suggesting he posted “inappropriate images of children”. The original Herald article made no such claim. It reported only that images of children were posted without consent and later removed.

Mr Owen also states that journalists “refused to look at hundreds of screenshots”. In fact, the Herald published his complete 5,000-word response verbatim.

It is also worth noting that the responses Mr Owen sent to the Herald, presented as a detailed rebuttal, were the same statements he had already posted publicly on his own Facebook page.

Statutory services restate their position

Dyfed-Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, and Pembrokeshire County Council have all reiterated to the Herald that SARS Cymru has no formal partnership, memorandum of understanding, or delegated authority.

Herald response

Mr Owen states in his post that he will “not stop” and that SARS Cymru “will not stop”.

The Herald considers the public interest in this matter fully served by the original investigation, read more than 100,000 times in its first four days, and by Mr Owen’s own subsequent confirmations.

We have no plans for further commentary unless significant new evidence emerges.

Community

Town hall takeover plan questioned as cost figures conflict

Published

1 day ago

March 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CONSULTATION DRAWS JUST 25 RESIDENTS AS RUNNING COST ESTIMATES VARY BY TENS OF THOUSANDS

THE PROPOSED transfer of Fishguard Town Hall to the town council has come under scrutiny after documents revealed conflicting estimates of the building’s running costs.

Freedom of Information responses and council documents suggest the historic building could cost tens of thousands of pounds a year to operate, raising questions about whether Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council can afford to take on responsibility for it.

Budget links tax rise to town hall plan

A budget report prepared by Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council shows the authority planning £166,336 in spending for the 2025–26 financial year, an increase on the previous year.

Within the administration section of the proposed budget, the council confirms that £20,000 has been allocated towards the proposed Community Asset Transfer of Fishguard Town Hall from Pembrokeshire County Council.

The document also links a proposed 16 per cent increase in the council’s precept directly to the takeover proposal.

After two years with no increase due to the cost-of-living crisis, the report states the rise is “directly related to the proposed CAT of Fishguard Town Hall.”

The council plans to request a £147,070 precept for the coming year.

Dispute over running costs

However, debate over the plan has intensified after different figures emerged for the building’s running costs.

Pembrokeshire County Council has said the average annual cost of utilities — including gas, electricity, water and sewage — for the building over the past three years was between £25,000 and £30,000.

But other figures circulating locally suggest the costs may be far higher.

One estimate cited by residents claims energy bills alone could be around £47,000 a year.

Separate operational figures released through a county council Freedom of Information request indicate that when staffing, maintenance, utilities and business rates are included, the total cost of running the building could exceed £70,000 annually.

Consultation numbers raise questions

Consultation figures released by the Town Council also show relatively modest public engagement with the proposal.

According to the council, 25 people attended the public consultation meeting held at the Town Hall.

A further 93 paper survey responses and 17 online responses were submitted through the council’s consultation process.

The council has not yet published the draft business plan or energy survey relating to the building, stating the documents are still under review.

Transfer still undecided

The potential Community Asset Transfer of Fishguard Town Hall from Pembrokeshire County Council to the town council has been under discussion since 2024, but the arrangement has not yet been formally agreed by either authority.

If the transfer goes ahead, responsibility for operating and maintaining the building would pass from the county council to Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council.

Supporters of the proposal say it would give the community greater control over the future of the historic building.

However, critics argue the long-term costs could place significant pressure on the town council’s finances.

Community

Community football club raises £1,000 for Withybush Hospital

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A COMMUNITY football club has raised £1,000 for Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital following a successful charity guest speaker night.

New Hedges Saundersfoot United Football Club organised the annual event at the Regency Hall in Saundersfoot on Saturday (June 28), welcoming supporters for an evening of entertainment and football stories from former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

The club said the event was held in memory of Gareth Allen, a much-loved former player who died in 2023.

Simon Brace and Stuart McLaren from the club said: “New Hedges Saundersfoot United Football Club is a local amateur junior and senior football club serving the Saundersfoot community.

“This year’s event was organised in memory of Gareth Allen, a much-loved former player of the club who sadly passed away in 2023. We wanted to honour Gareth and show our appreciation for the care he received by donating the proceeds to Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital.”

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer for Hywel Dda Health Charities, thanked the club for its support.

She said: “Thank you so much to Simon, Stuart and everyone at New Hedges Saundersfoot Football Club for selecting Ward 10 as one of the beneficiaries of your charity night.

“Your generosity is a lovely tribute to Gareth, and the donation is truly appreciated by the team on Ward 10. We are so grateful for your amazing support.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide across the three counties of Hywel Dda, and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

For more information about the charity or how to support local NHS patients and staff, visit www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk.

Community

Local charity hosts cancer awareness event in Cardigan

Published

2 days ago

March 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SUPPORT organisations from across Ceredigion will gather at Cardigan Guildhall Market next week to raise awareness about cancer and the importance of early detection.

The event, organised by HAHAV Ceredigion, the county’s volunteer-led hospice-at-home charity, will take place on Thursday (Mar 19) between 10:00am and 3:00pm.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about local cancer support services, speak directly with specialists and pick up information about screening programmes which can help detect cancer at an earlier stage.

While one in four people in Wales sadly die from cancer, survival rates have doubled over the past 50 years. Health experts say this improvement is largely due to earlier diagnosis through national screening programmes.

HAHAV Ceredigion’s Living Well Manager, Susie Scott said: “A significant reason for the increase in survival rates is the success of screening programmes. Early detection saves lives and can mean shorter treatment times.

“However, survival rates in rural communities, of which we have many in Ceredigion, are still lower. That means it is even more important that people have access to the right information and support.”

Several organisations will be attending the event alongside HAHAV Ceredigion, including Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Cancer Information Support Service and the Lingen Davies Cancer Champions.

Susie added that a recent grant from the Lingen Davies cancer charity has helped HAHAV deliver important awareness and prevention work across rural communities.

Other groups attending include Cardigan Cancer Care and Knitted Knockers, a charity that creates handmade breast prostheses for women recovering from breast cancer surgery.

Susie said: “Breast cancer screening is a great example of how awareness and early detection can improve survival, with more women now reaching the five and ten-year survival milestones.

“But bowel cancer cases are increasing in people under fifty, and deaths from kidney and liver cancer are also rising. That makes it vital that people know where they can go locally for advice and support.”

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the event to speak with support organisations and learn more about cancer prevention, symptoms and local services.

Photo caption: Susie Scott, HAHAV Ceredigion’s Living Well Manager, with a giant breast model created by Ann Shrosbree of Small World Theatre in Cardigan. The model will also feature in the Lingen Davies ‘Titty Trail’, an 11-mile awareness walk highlighting the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.