Local Government

Dramatic U-turn: Full council to decide 2026 rent rises after Stoddart revolt

Published

6 months ago

December 1, 2025

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

Building better culture: Public invited to help shape regional vision

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS across Mid and West Wales are being invited to help shape a new cultural vision for the region.

Powys, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire councils have joined forces through the Mid and West Wales Strategic Culture Partnership, which is being led by Powys County Council.

The partnership is developing a long-term plan for culture across the region, following the Welsh Government’s Priorities for Culture, published in May 2025.

The project aims to bring communities together, celebrate Wales as a nation of culture and create new opportunities for residents, creative groups and organisations.

A regional Cultural Vision and four local Cultural Priority Plans are due to be completed by October 2026. These will support collaboration and investment in culture across the region over the next five years.

Public views sought

Residents, community groups, creatives and organisations are being encouraged to share their views on what culture means to them.

The consultation is being delivered through the Cwlwm project, Golwg Creadigol, with a series of drop-in sessions and evening workshops taking place during June.

Sessions will explore different interpretations of culture, including arts, theatre, heritage, libraries, local events, language and community life.

All sessions are open to everyone, with Welsh and English language options available.

Pembrokeshire sessions will take place at Fishguard Town Hall on Thursday (Jun 11), with a drop-in session from 11:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, followed by an evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

A second Pembrokeshire session will be held at Pembroke Dock Library on Monday (Jun 22), with a drop-in session from 11:00am to 5:00pm and an evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

‘Bursting with creativity’

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire Cabinet Member for Resident Services, said: “Mid and West Wales is bursting with creativity, heritage and community spirit, and this exciting partnership is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and build on that together.

“By working across four counties, we can be more ambitious, more innovative and create a cultural vision that truly showcases everything our region has to offer.

“We want to hear from as many people as possible — residents, community groups, artists and organisations — so that together we can build a cultural future that is inclusive, ambitious and rooted in what matters most to our communities.

“So please attend one of our sessions in Pembrokeshire or share your views via the online questionnaire.”

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism, Cllr Hazel Evans, said the partnership was “an exciting opportunity” to build a shared vision reflecting the region’s rich culture.

She said: “I would encourage residents, community groups and creatives to take part in the consultation and help shape the future of culture in our region.”

Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, Cllr Catrin M S Davies, said: “Our culture belongs to us, helps to define us, and is an integral part of our communities — locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“This is a great opportunity for the people of Ceredigion and beyond to have their say on culture in the future. We want to hear as many voices as possible.”

Powys Cabinet Member for Customers, Digital and Community Services, Cllr Raiff Devlin, said culture played an important role in strengthening local identity, supporting wellbeing and creating opportunities.

He added: “This is a real opportunity for people across Powys to help shape the future of culture across Mid and West Wales, so I’d strongly encourage everyone to take a few moments to share their views.”

How to take part

The full list of sessions includes:

Thursday (Jun 11): Fishguard Town Hall, drop-in from 11:00am to 1:00pm and 2:00pm to 4:00pm, and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Monday (Jun 22): Pembroke Dock Library, drop-in from 11:00am to 5:00pm and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Monday (Jun 29): Carmarthen Library, drop-in from 11:00am to 5:00pm and evening workshop from 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

Residents can also complete the online questionnaire through Ceredigion County Council’s website.

The closing date for responses is Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

Local Government

Pembroke Dock Market by-election notice to be published

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS in Pembroke Dock Market ward are being advised that a Notice of Election will be published on Thursday (Jun 4).

Anyone wishing to stand for election must submit nomination papers to the Returning Officer between Thursday (Jun 4) and Friday (Jun 12), between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

Further details about the nomination process will be included in the Notice of Election when it is published.

Nomination papers can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or by calling the Elections Helpline on 01437 775844.

The Statement of Persons Nominated will be published after nominations close. If the election is contested, polling will take place on Thursday, July 9.

Anyone interested in becoming a councillor can find more information on the Democratic Services section of Pembrokeshire County Council’s website.

Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Tuesday, June 23. Applications can be made online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Returning Officer Will Bramble said: “I would urge ward residents to register to vote and vote in the upcoming election.”

Poll cards will be sent to electors before polling day and will show which polling station they should attend.

Education

Tenby school needs new roof just ten years after opening

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

FURTHER discussion are to take place about where pupils from a Pembrokeshire school will go while its roof is rebuilt after failing when it was less than 10 years old.

Tenby VC School, a 3–11 English-medium primary school with an additional Learning Resource Centre (LRC) provision, was built in 2016.

Just a few years after its build, there were reports of water ingress.

In November 2024, a £75,000 feasibility budget to look at ways of tackling roof leaks at Tenby’s VC school, including a complete new roof, was backed by members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet.

The council implemented a series of urgent health and safety measures to mitigate immediate risks, including the installation of 510 ‘acro’ props to support vulnerable roof areas and the full closure of the Early Years/Playgroup wing, along with regular inspections.

At the November 2025 Cabinet meeting, members received a report detailing the findings of the feasibility study, with a favoured option of the replacement of entire roof, backing tenders for the works being sought.

It was warned there would need to be a “a comprehensive decant strategy” for pupils to go elsewhere while the works took place.

At the June 2026 Cabinet meeting, in a report presented by Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration Cllr Paul Miller, members were asked to approve the award of a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) for Stage 1 of the Tenby VC School Roof Replacement Project following tendering; Morgan Sindall Construction the most successful applicant.

Stage 2 construction contract will only proceed following a separate formal approval based on market tested packages, validated cost plans, and an assessment of value for money, a report for members said.

Members were also asked to consider which decant strategies are to be considered for detailed feasibility, in order to enable the roof replacement works to take place.

Seven initial options have now been narrowed down to five the report said.

Options include: decanting the whole school to Saundersfoot CP and Stepaside Schools while retaining Tenby VC as a separate entity at a cost of some £0.5m a year; distribute Tenby VC pupils across multiple local schools across the wider Tenby cluster; decant to nearby comprehensive Greenhill School which currently has 302 surplus places; establish a modular village at the northern boundary of Greenhill School, a self-contained modular village adjacent to Heywood Lane, comprising nine classrooms and associated facilities for Tenby VC; and a hybrid model combining the modular village and Greenhill accommodation.

Two earlier options of a modular village on alternative council owned land in Tenby and a modular village on the Tenby VC site have been discounted.

Members agreed to further consideration on the ‘decant’ strategy, subject to a more detailed feasibility exercise, a final decant proposal be brought to Cabinet for consideration, along with the setting aside of up to £75,000 to support the final proposal; Cllr Miller saying there were, in effect, two options for the building: to replace the roof “or don’t, and effectively abandon that site”.

“A roof completely failing on a 10-year-old building is completely bad news, but we have 180 children being educated in a building that is no longer fit for purpose, and we have to get on with it.”

A further report will be brought to Cabinet at the conclusion of Stage 1 to seek approval for entering the Stage 2 construction contract.