A HAVERFORDWEST museum has become caught up in a political row after Reform UK campaign material was photographed inside the premises.

The Welsh Spitfire Museum, based in Bridge Street, is now facing the threat of a peaceful protest after campaigners objected to what they described as political propaganda being displayed at the heritage attraction.

A photograph sent to ‘The Pembrokeshire Herald’ shows a Reform Wales poster on a wall inside the museum, alongside other aviation-related material. The poster includes the words “Wales needs Reform” and urges people to vote Reform UK.

On Wednesday morning (April 29), museum manager Ray Burgess (pictured), received a message from a woman identifying herself as Emma Flavell, who informed him that campaigners were in the process of organising a peaceful protest outside the museum.  In the message, she claimed the protest was aimed at stopping charitable organisations from being able to “openly advertise political agendas”.

She also alleged that Reform was an “extreme right wing party” and accused it of promoting division and racist policies.

Commenting on the escalating row Scott Thorley, the recently elected Reform county councillor and Haverfordwest town councillor, claimed the incident had ‘intimidated and bullied’ Mr Burgess.

“Emma Flavell called him a racist, she began filming him, and the irony is striking,” he said.  “The museum window was previously defaced with ‘Vote Plaid’ graffiti, and then 80-year-old Ray Burgess was intimidated and bullied into supporting their views.  This kind of behavior has more in common with fascism than with democracy.”

Cllr Thorley went on to say that Mr Burgess and his team at the Spitfire Museum ‘proudly support Reform’.

“They  believe it’s the party best placed to save our country,” he said. “We at Reform, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire stand firmly with him. There is no place in politics for bullying, intimidation and harassment.”

The Pembrokeshire Herald is unable to confirm whether Plaid Cymru was responsible for the alleged window defacement.

Meanwhile the incident has raised questions about whether political campaign material should be displayed in a charity-linked museum, particularly during an election period.  According to a government website, the Charity Commission states that  a charity must not support, oppose, promote or appear to promote any political party or candidate.  This applies even if the charity strongly agrees or disagrees with that party’s policies.

The Commission also says that ‘charities must be, and must be seen to be, independent from party politics’.

DOG owners are being reminded that seasonal restrictions on some of Pembrokeshire’s most popular beaches come back into force from Friday (May 1).

The restrictions run each year from May 1 until September 30 and apply to a number of beaches across the county during the busiest months of the visitor season.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s current guidance states that some beaches are subject to either full or partial dog bans during the summer period. Maps showing where dogs can and cannot be walked are available online and are also displayed at the affected beaches.

The council says the restrictions are in place primarily to protect the interests of bathers and other beach users during the summer season, when beaches are at their busiest.

There are only two beaches in Pembrokeshire where a total summer dog ban applies.

From Friday (May 1), dogs are not allowed on Tenby North Beach or Whitesands, St Davids, until the restrictions are lifted again on October 1.

Partial bans are in place at Lydstep, Newgale beach and promenade, Saundersfoot beach and promenade, Tenby Castle and South Beach, Amroth beach and promenade, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven North, and Dale.

Visit Pembrokeshire also lists dog restriction maps for Coppet Hall, which has previously been described by the council as a voluntary restriction area.

Check signs before walking

THE restrictions do not mean dogs are banned from the whole of every beach listed under the partial ban.

In many cases, parts of the beach remain available for dog walking, but owners are urged to check the signs and maps before heading onto the sand.

The signs at each location show the areas where dogs are banned, areas where dogs are allowed, and areas where dogs must be kept on leads.

At Tenby, the rules affect several beach areas. Tenby North Beach is subject to a full seasonal ban, while Tenby South Beach and Castle Beach are covered by partial restrictions.

At Newgale, the restriction also includes the promenade and pebble bank. At Saundersfoot and Amroth, the restrictions include the promenade areas.

Poppit Sands, Broad Haven North, Dale and Lydstep are also covered by partial seasonal restrictions, with mapped areas showing where dogs are allowed.

Majority of beaches still dog-friendly

DOG owners are also being reminded that the majority of Pembrokeshire’s beaches remain dog-friendly throughout the year.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority says dogs are welcome on more than 50 beaches in the county, although some have seasonal restrictions or restricted areas between May and the end of September.

Guide dogs are exempt from the restrictions.

The current council list of affected beaches is:

Total dog bans from May 1 to September 30

Tenby North Beach
Whitesands, St Davids

Partial dog bans from May 1 to September 30

Lydstep
Newgale beach and promenade
Saundersfoot beach and promenade
Tenby Castle and South Beach
Amroth beach and promenade
Poppit Sands
Broad Haven North
Dale

Additional mapped restriction

Coppet Hall — listed by Visit Pembrokeshire among the dog restriction beach maps and previously described by the council as voluntary.

Enforcement over summer

Pembrokeshire County Council says leisure staff enforce the bans throughout the summer months.

Breaches of the byelaws can lead to enforcement action, and the council has previously said the maximum penalty is £500.

The council has also reminded dog owners that they must clean up after their pets on all Pembrokeshire beaches, whether or not a seasonal restriction applies.

In recent years, the council has said officers would focus on education in the first instance, with warnings issued for first offences before fixed penalty notices were considered for repeat breaches or failure to leave a restricted area when asked.

Owners are being urged to check the beach signs, follow the marked zones, keep dogs under control, and clean up after them.

The restrictions will remain in place until Wednesday, September 30. Dogs will be welcome back on the restricted beaches from Thursday, October 1.

Town council objected over highway safety and parking, but PCC says policy issues are not part of the certificate process

CONCERNS raised by Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council over a proposed children’s home at Bryn Delyn, Y Fraich, may not be considered in the same way as objections to a normal planning application, Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed.

The town council’s planning committee discussed application 25/0948/CL on Monday (Apr 20), relating to the proposed use of Bryn Delyn as a children’s home.

Members are understood to have objected on highway safety and parking grounds, amid concerns about the suitability of the site and surrounding roads.

However, Pembrokeshire County Council has clarified that the application has been submitted under section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

This means the applicant is seeking a Certificate of Lawfulness to determine whether the proposed use of the property would be lawful and would not require planning permission.

A council spokesperson said the purpose of the submission was to determine whether the proposed use of Bryn Delyn, as described in the documents, would be lawful.

They said: “The onus lies with the applicant to provide sufficient evidence for the Local Planning Authority to determine the application on the balance of probabilities.

“Adopted planning policy and the planning merits of the proposed use/development are not for consideration by the LPA.”

The council also confirmed that, unlike ordinary planning applications, there is no statutory duty for the Local Planning Authority to publicise or consult on submissions made under section 192.

No formal consultation has been carried out with the council’s Highways Department.

However, the council said it had used its discretion to advertise the certificate of lawful development submission by displaying a site notice.

The spokesperson added that this was done in case members of the public had their own evidence to present which could be of value when determining the submission.

The clarification means the council’s decision will focus on the legal position and the facts of the proposed use, rather than wider planning policy, parking concerns or highway safety issues in the usual planning sense.

The application remains under consideration.

Cover image is a rough artists impression created by The Pembrokeshire Herald