Local Government
Dramatic U-turn: Full council to decide 2026 rent rises after Stoddart revolt
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has executed a humiliating climbdown over who gets the final say on council house rents. Cabinet this morning formally agreed to hand the decision back to full council on 11 December, explicitly admitting that earlier legal advice – which said Cabinet could impose the rise alone – was wrong.
The reversal comes after weeks of fierce criticism led by Independent warhorse Cllr Mike Stoddart.
Cabinet member for Housing, Cllr Michelle Bateman, opened the crucial item at this morning’s (1 December) meeting with a candid admission that will delight backbench rebels.

“At the time of the Policy & Precepts Scrutiny Committee the advice was that this was a Cabinet decision,” she told members. “This advice has now changed, and today Cabinet are asked to make a recommendation to council for a decision at the December council.”
The climbdown ends a bitter row that erupted when senior officers first proposed that Cabinet alone should set rents for 2026–27, effectively sidelining the other 50-plus councillors who do not sit in the ruling group.
Independent councillor Mike Stoddart, who represents a ward with one of the highest proportions of council tenants in the county, led the fightback. He branded the original plan “a disgrace” at last month’s Scrutiny Committee and fired off a strongly-worded letter to the council’s Monitoring Officer warning that a Cabinet containing few or no members with significant numbers of council tenants could set rents with zero democratic accountability.
Speaking exclusively to The Pembrokeshire Herald minutes after Cabinet rubber-stamped the U-turn, Cllr Stoddart said: “I’m absolutely delighted that Cabinet has finally come round to my point of view. “It could never be right that members like me, with a high proportion of council tenants in their wards, should be deprived of any real say in the amount of rent their constituents were being called upon to pay. At Scrutiny I called it a disgrace that members were being denied the opportunity to determine their constituents’ rents, and I’m glad common sense has prevailed.”
Cabinet unanimously backed Cllr Bateman’s six recommendations, which now go forward to full council on 11 December. They are:
- A base “compliant” option: standard rents up by 3.6% plus up to £2.55 per week for any tenancy currently below the council’s target “standard rent”.
- Cllr Bateman’s preferred “aspirational” option (subject to Welsh Government dispensation): 4.3% across the board plus up to £5 per week on lower rents. Cabinet indicated support for pushing this higher figure.
- Garage rents to rise 4.3% from 1 April 2026.
- Properties upgraded to the highest energy ratings (EPC A or B) to move progressively to a new higher “improved homes” rent band, agreed case-by-case.
- All changes to be collected over 48 weeks, with existing tenancies starting 1 July 2026 and new ones from 1 April 2026.
- Minor drafting amendments allowed before full council.
Cllr Bateman told the meeting that Pembrokeshire’s historic rent anomalies – some identical properties differ by tens of pounds a week – combined with Welsh Government’s strict overall income cap, are preventing the authority from achieving fair “convergence” without falling behind other councils and housing associations.
She revealed she has already spoken directly to Wales’ Cabinet Secretary for Housing and that officers are in active talks seeking special dispensation to breach the income cap for at least 12 months.
Both the HRA Working Group and the Policy & Precepts Scrutiny Committee had backed the recommendations, she added.
The decision means every one of Pembrokeshire’s 60 councillors will now vote on exactly how much extra the county’s roughly 5,800 council tenants will pay from next spring – restoring the democratic link that Cllr Stoddart and others insisted must never be broken.
Reacting to the outcome, Cllr Stoddart said: “This was always about basic democracy. Council tenants deserve to know their local councillor still has a proper voice on their weekly budget – and today we’ve won that back.”
The Pembrokeshire Herald first revealed the controversial attempt to centralise rent-setting powers earlier this autumn, prompting the Scrutiny Committee showdown that ultimately forced today’s reversal.
Full council meets in December to make the final call.
Local Government
Tenby Loungers Lansio Lounge work done without permission
A RETROSPECTIVE call for works associated with the new Loungers beachfront venue in Tenby has been given the go-ahead.
In an application approved by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Loungers UK Limited, through agent Richard Pedlar Architects, sought retrospective permission for new fascia signage, a new wall-mount menu board and a free-standing menu board at the new Loungers based at the former Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant, Battery Road.
Back in January, UK-wide hospitality company Loungers plc announced it was planning to open a new beachfront Lansio Lounge at Tenby’s South Beach, with the promise of 30 jobs created, on March 25.
Lansio Lounge is based at the former Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant on Water’s Edge, South Beach.
The announcement for the Loungers plans for the former Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant were revealed shortly after the application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for Loungers signage at Salty’s.
Family-run venue Salty’s Beach Bar and Restaurant announced its closure on social media, confirming that Sunday, January 4 was its final day of trading.
An officer report recommending approval for the signage said the call for the retrospective installation and associated works “has attracted numerous third-party representations, primarily raising concerns in relation to potential light pollution and the colour treatment of the existing windows and doors”.
It went on to say consultation responses from relevant statutory consultees “confirm that the proposed halo illumination is acceptable and would not give rise to unacceptable levels of light pollution, nor would it adversely affect nearby designated sites or sensitive landscapes,” adding: “A planning condition has been attached, requiring the submission and approval of revised details to secure a more neutral colour finish for the external joinery and menu boards, to ensure an appropriate visual appearance in the context of the surrounding area.”
The application was conditionally approved by Park planners.
Local Government
Dog bin misuse causing mess at Haverfordwest Racecourse
Town council says general litter is blocking dog waste bins and leaving walkers with nowhere to dispose of bagged waste properly
HAVERFORDWEST TOWN COUNCIL has urged Racecourse users to dispose of rubbish responsibly after repeated misuse of dog waste bins.
The council said it provides both general waste and dog waste facilities at the Upper and Lower Racecourse, as well as at most other green spaces it owns or maintains.
However, it has received ongoing reports — backed by photographic evidence — of general litter, including coffee cups and other rubbish, being placed in dog waste bins at Haverfordwest Racecourse.
Council officials say this misuse is causing the bins to become blocked and appear full when they are not. As a result, dog walkers are sometimes left with no option but to place bagged dog waste beside the bins, creating what the council described as an avoidable and unpleasant environment for everyone.
The council said this was not acceptable and could easily be avoided.
Dog waste bins are intended for bagged dog waste only and should not be used for general litter.
The council is asking all users to avoid putting general rubbish in dog bins and instead either take litter home or use the appropriate general waste bins available elsewhere on the Racecourse.
The town clerk thanked the majority of responsible users for their cooperation and said their support helps keep the Racecourse clean and welcoming for everyone.
Local Government
Haverfordwest faces weeks of road disruption as resurfacing works roll on
Closures, temporary lights and phased schemes across key routes are set to affect drivers, businesses and town-centre traffic into May
DRIVERS in Haverfordwest are facing weeks of disruption as a programme of resurfacing works hits key roads in and around the town.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s roadworks listings show temporary traffic lights on Haven Road and Portfield from Tuesday, April 22 to Tuesday, April 29 as resurfacing work is carried out. At the same time, motorists are already dealing with delays on Main Street, where temporary lights have been in place since March 25 because of a dangerous structure.
Town council information also shows High Street is due to close for two days from Saturday, April 25, adding to concerns about congestion in the town centre and disruption for shoppers, businesses and local traffic.
And the disruption is not expected to end there. Further resurfacing works are also planned at Merlins Hill, Winch Lane and St Thomas Green during the weeks that follow, meaning drivers could face a rolling programme of delays into May.
The works form part of the council’s annual road maintenance programme and come after Pembrokeshire County Council said its newly approved 2026-27 budget would direct extra funding towards front-line services including road repairs, gully clearing and highway maintenance.
While many motorists will welcome smoother and safer road surfaces in the longer term, the timing is likely to frustrate residents and businesses already coping with traffic issues in Haverfordwest. With several schemes either under way or imminent, the impact could be felt well beyond the roads directly affected as drivers look for alternative routes.
The overlap between resurfacing works and existing restrictions is likely to increase pressure on surrounding roads, particularly at busy times of day and as spring visitor numbers begin to rise. Businesses in the town centre may also be concerned that closures and delays could affect trade.
Motorists are being urged to allow extra time for journeys and to check for updated traffic information before travelling.
-
Community7 days agoDoorstep warning issued after reports of suspicious callers in Pembrokeshire
-
Business5 days agoMilford Haven dry dock pitched as home for giant £480m superyacht yard
-
Crime7 days agoRomino’s licence revoked after illegal workers found and fire risks exposed
-
Politics6 days agoWelsh Lib Dems promise childcare boost, social care reform in manifesto launch
-
News6 days agoHaverfordwest County AFC escapes winding-up order but ordered to pay costs
-
News6 days agoLabour split over Brawdy defence project as Eluned Morgan calls for project halt
-
Community6 days agoFamily safe after major house fire in Letterston, community told
-
Crime6 days agoWoman who called for help spared jail over blade offence








