Crime
Pay boost for over 1,000 Pembrokeshire school support staff pledged by Labour
WELSH LABOUR says more than 1,000 school support staff in Pembrokeshire could see a pay boost if the party forms the next Welsh Government after the Senedd election in May.
First Minister Eluned Morgan is due to make the commitment at UNISON’s Labour Link conference in Cardiff on Saturday (Jan 24), after visiting a Cardiff school on Friday (Jan 23) with Education Secretary Lynne Neagle to discuss the proposal with support staff and the headteacher.
The pledge centres on ending “term-time only” pay arrangements for school support staff by moving to year-round pay, alongside creating a School Support Staff Negotiating Body in law to set national frameworks for pay, conditions and training.
Welsh Labour says the plan would cover a wide range of roles, including teaching assistants, administrative staff, caretakers, lunchtime supervisors and others who help keep schools running day to day.
Figures quoted in the party’s briefing, drawn from a recent UNISON report, suggest there are 1,090 school support staff in Pembrokeshire, with 92% of the workforce said to be women. The same report notes the number does not include cleaning, catering and grounds staff, meaning the total number affected could be higher.
Supporters of the plan argue it would tackle in-work poverty among staff who carry responsibility in schools but are often on low wages and insecure arrangements.
In her prepared speech, Ms Morgan is expected to say school support staff are “the backbone” of the education system and that it is “not fair” so many are among the lowest-paid public sector workers and are not paid year-round. Ms Neagle said Labour would boost pay and broaden opportunities, adding that “standing side by side with trade unions is at the heart of the Labour Party”.
UNISON Cymru regional secretary Jess Turner welcomed the pledge, saying term-time only pay means “tens of thousands” of workers endure in-work poverty despite being essential to education, while a Cardiff-based higher level teaching assistant, Cath Rowlands, said support roles have changed “dramatically” but pay and conditions have not kept pace.
However, the announcement is also likely to raise questions about cost, implementation and timing — and whether councils and schools would receive additional funding to meet any new national settlement.
Education budgets in Wales remain under pressure, with local authorities and headteachers already warning about difficult financial decisions, including staffing reductions, as they balance rising costs with tight settlements. Critics may argue that any new pay commitment would need clear costings, a delivery timetable, and guarantees that schools would not be forced to make cuts elsewhere to meet higher wage bills.
There may also be scrutiny over how quickly a new negotiating body could be set up in law, and whether it would apply uniformly across Wales or allow for local flexibility.
Welsh Labour has linked the proposal to a wider “fair work” package, including a promise to update the Welsh Government’s Economic Contract so that businesses receiving Welsh Government support must pay the Real Living Wage, curb exploitative zero-hours contracts and recognise trade unions.
The school staff pledge is the second major policy announcement highlighted by the party this month, following its proposal for a £2 cap on adult bus fares and 100 new routes.
The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council for comment on how many staff locally are currently on term-time only arrangements, and what the potential cost implications could be for schools and the local authority if a year-round pay model were introduced.
Crime
Pembrokeshire hairdresser avoids prison after pub assault
When a Fishguard mobile hairdresser was branded a chav in her local pub, she took umbrage by throwing a glass of gin at the woman who had spoken the words.
But this week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that when the glass shattered into the victim’s face, the woman sustained lacerations to her neck and chin.
Appearing before the Bench was 43-year-old Donna Thomas of White Lodge, Dyffryn, Goodwick, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Hannah Llewellyn, causing her actual bodily harm.
The court was told that Thomas arrived at The Royal Oak pub in Fishguard, at around 8pm on October 18, accompanied by her husband. Approximately an hour later, Hannah Llewellyn arrived.
“The defendant began speaking to the victim and an argument broke out,” said Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies.
“The defendant hit the victim to her face with a glass which smashed against her face, neck and skin, causing lacerations.”
Photographs of the lacerations were shown to the Bench.
But the probation service stressed that the assault had been prompted by a derogatory remark made to the defendant by Hannah Llewellyn.
“The defendant had had two drinks earlier that evening, she drank two more at the pub prior to the incident, and was tipsy but was aware of what was happening around her,” commented the probation officer.
“She went over to the table where the victim was sitting, her husband introduced her to the victim who he’d known since his school days, and they began discussing land on friendly terms. But the victim then laughed at the defendant’s job, which is a self-employed mobile hairdresser, and called her a chav.
“Without thinking, Donna Thomas went to throw the drink over the victim’s face but she knocked the glass. She didn’t intend to hurt her physically, but just wanted to throw the drink.”
Thomas was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months. During this time she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. She was ordered to pay £750 compensation to Hannah Llewellyn, a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.
Crime
Farm worker overturns Mercedes when over drink-drive limit
A Pembrokeshire farm worker has lost his licence after overturning his Mercedes when he was over the drink-drive limit.
This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that at around 3.40pm on January 10, police received reports that a black Mercedes had been involved in a single vehicle road collision on the A487 at Roch.
When officers arrived, they discovered the overturned Mercedes with its driver, Richard James, 45, trapped in the driving seat.
At around 5 pm James was arrested and transported to Withybush hospital where blood samples were carried out. These gave a reading of 112 mcg of alcohol, the legal limit being 80.
James, of Bryn Seion, Solva, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill who informed magistrates that the defendant had collected items for work on the afternoon in question.
“He’d consumed alcohol the night before and had also taken some prescribed medication,” she said. “He believed he would be safe to drive the following day, but obviously this wasn’t the case.”
Jess Hill added that James is expecting to lose his employment as a farm worker, as the mandatory driving ban will prevent him from driving the vehicles involved with his work.
James was disqualified from driving for 14 months and ordered to pay a £346 fine, a £138 court surcharge and £85 costs.
Crime
Pembrokeshire man charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children
A PEMBROKESHIRE man has appeared before magistrates charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children.
David Lewis, 42, is accused of making 261 of the most serious category A images of a child together with 71 category B images and 51 category C images of a child. The offences are alleged to have been committed between March 19, 2025 and August 6, 2025.
He is further accused of distributing one indecent category A image of a child at an undisclosed location in Llanteg, Narberth, on July 27, 2025.
This week Lewis – formerly of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke but now residing at Hoopers Guest House in Swansea – appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates where he submitted no pleas to all four charges.
Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told magistrates that a total of 81,000 images and videos are currently being investigated in respect of the defendant, with the result that the police enquiry is not yet complete.
“A lot of these photographs are of babies, with the result that their severity is not suitable for the magistrates court,” Dennis Davies told the Haverfordwest Bench.
As a result of the Crown’s comments, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the matter will now be dealt with by Swansea Crown Court, commencing on May 29. Lewis was released on unconditional bail.
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