Community

MPs should be ‘a bloody nuisance’

Published

11 years ago

January 28, 2015

A nuisance: Simon Hart

SIMON HART arrives for his interview with the air of a man eager to get cracking with business. That does not, however, stop him from taking time to chat about his experiences as a surveyor in and around Tenby and the deep connection he feels to his home locality. With a message sent on his mobile phone to explain he would be late for his next stop on a journey that had seen him visit a trampoline factory in Pembroke Dock before heading to The Herald offices and then off to visit Llawhaden, he gives the impression of being a man constantly active and on the move.

The same habits permeate his speech: he is, by turn, measured and bubbling with infectious enthusiasm as he warms to a subject. We start off with a subject featured in last Friday’s edition of The Herald. A couple of weeks ago, our columnist Badger offered an assessment of how the local seats in the coming election would pan out. In that column he described Mr Hart, whose chances he did not fancy, “a humane and committed constituency MP of a type becoming increasingly rare at Westminster”.

Badger’s words were met with correspondence from those who wished to draw attention to their contention that Mr Hart’s past as Chief Executive of the Countryside Alliance made the word “humane”, at best, moot. That correspondence was featured, as was Badger’s somewhat pithy response. Mr Hart said: “I am interested that those who are opposed to hunting are those who appear to be obsessed about it and are constantly raising it.

“My priorities in my constituency are, I hope, basically the same as everyone else: jobs, housing, health, the future of Withybush. Of course, I have never made any secret about what I did before I was an MP.I am proud to have been associated with a 200 year old Pembrokeshire institution – the South Pembs Hunt. So, I have no problems. People must make their own judgements and if they found what I did before I was an MP too much to stomach, then I have to live with that.”

He continued: “The usual thing you hear about MP’s is that we are all the same and nobody knows what anyone stands for. I personally think that voters these days would prefer to vote for somebody who has beliefs and opinions and is prepared to stand by them. “It was not my party who spent 700 hours of parliamentary time debating hunting. In this Parliament not a single hour of debate has been devoted to the issue. I am not going to be accused of devoting time to a subject which, as I say, I never raised and which I never would have raised.”

We asked Mr Hart whether he was optimistic about the prospects for economic regeneration in his parliamentary constituency. He said: “I’m always somebody with a positive demeanour. Entering 2015, and trying to be realistic about the obstacles some families face, I am immensely proud of the fact that we have great businesses around here. Some of them are long-standing and some of them relatively new. This morning, I was at Atlantic trampolines in Pembroke Dock, who have sold 50,000 trampolines over the last few years and are selling their goods across the UK and worldwide.

“There is a lot to be positive about with small and medium-sized business opening up: the manufacture of the ZANO drone based at the BIC, in Pembroke Dock, puts us at the forefront of new and developing technologies. The lists of these new businesses is endless.” Simon Hart paused to take a sip of tea and continued: “It is fantastic we are seeing unemployment fall in the area. I hate it when people talk about jobs in tourism as “not proper jobs”.

If you are working on that caravan site or in that hotel, earning your own money and spending it in your community: that’s a proper job. I did that once and I think it is condescending of people to suggest that they are not proper jobs.” Looking at the loss of manufacturing jobs, at Murco and Cambrian Windows, Mr Hart acknowledged the challenges but remained upbeat: “There are career prospects in the County: I don’t want it to seem that I am looking at things through rose-tinted spectacles. There are a signifi cant number of new jobs being created and maintained. People are fi nding Pembrokeshire is a very good place to do business.”

In terms of what he has done for his constituents he replied: “My ambition is to provide a voice for people that they otherwise would not have. I like sticking up for the small guy. I think the role of an MP is become a bloody nuisance on behalf of people in need of help. “If that means knocking on the doors of the Welsh Government, the County Council and the Health Board, so be it. I know that there are times when the phone rings at County Hall when people go ‘oh no not him again’. Good!”

Moving on to discuss Withybush Hospital and the actions of the Health Board in respect of health services within Pembrokeshire, Simon Hart was very clear: “My frustration with Hywel Dda, and that should indicate how I feel about it, is that its communication is poor. It does not think it communicates either its intentions or its decisions effectively, either its staff or the public. This creates an information void which can be alarming.”

Visibly warming to a subject upon which he has campaigned vociferously, Mr Hart continued: “We need to know what the longterm is and whether the Board sees a future for Withybush. Without that we cannot plan for our families or our businesses. “One thing the Board says is an issue is recruitment, and it has blamed a lot of things for that being a problem for it, but the real issue affecting recruitment is the lack of certainty about Withybush’s future.

How does the Board think it will attract professionals to Pembrokeshire if nobody knows whether the jobs on offer are permanent? “The Board has created a selffulfi lling position for itself in recruitment. Until we have certainty about the future of the hospital for the next ten or fifteen years, we are still going to encounter that problem.”

Discussing the Welsh Government’s role in the NHS, Simon Hart expressed concerns that the Welsh NHS had not had its funding protected in the same way as the NHS in England. Speaking of a meeting he had the previous day with Mark Drakeford he said: “Mark Drakeford made some sensible points about the treatment of patients, but it worries me that the budget has been cut and that the public is losing confidence in the NHS.

“In relation to comparisons between the performance of the NHS in England and Wales, Mark Drakeford said that comparisons were unfair, and then proceeded to make some to illustrate his argument. “Whether it is true or not, people believe that the Welsh NHS is not as good and it has a signifi cant economic impact on Wales. We are trying to encourage people to come to Wales with their businesses and families, and the negative perception of the Welsh NHS is discouraging them.” The Herald will reveal part two of this interview next week.

Community

Withybush hospital Welsh Government intervention call

Published

1 hour ago

April 3, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SENIOR member of the Welsh Government has been accused of “passing the buck” for declining a call to directly intervene in contentious changes to Withybush hospital.

Last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology.

It said its Clinical Services Plan focuses on nine healthcare services that are “fragile and in need of change”.

The proposed changes included an option for Withybush patients needing specialist critical care being transferred to Glangwili.

At a recent two-day meeting, the board, amongst its many other decisions, backed changes into emergency general surgery which will see no emergency general surgery operations taking place at Withybush, but a strengthening of the same-day emergency care (SDEC).

Members stressed the changes would not happen overnight.

Following the decision, calls for intervention have also been made by local Senedd members Paul Davies and Sam Kurtz, who wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Health & Social Care to urge him to intervene and stop the Health Board removing services from Withybush.

That response from the cabinet secretary has been criticised by Mr Kurtz.

In his letter of response, Cabinet Secretary for Health and social Care Jeremy Miles MS stressed planning and delivery of local health services, in this case “scheduled to begin in the next Senedd term, with a time horizon of up to four years to complete,” were, under statutory arrangements for NHS Wales, “the responsibility of health boards”.

Responding, Sam Kurtz said: “The response from the Welsh Health Minister is regrettably, though perhaps unsurprisingly, deeply disappointing. Rather than demonstrating leadership and using the powers that he has as Health Minister, he appears to be passing the buck to the health board despite the profound impact these decisions will have on services in Pembrokeshire.

“There is clear and justified concern among residents. After years of cuts to services at Withybush Hospital, this response will do little to reassure our communities.

“People deserve clarity, accountability, and a meaningful voice in decisions affecting vital services. Paul Davies and I will continue to stand firmly in defence of healthcare provision across West Wales.”

The Minister’s letter added: “Since the decision was taken, both the First Minister and I have set out the Welsh Government’s position in answers to questions from members of the Senedd and in debates. We have been very clear that decisions of this nature rest with the health board.”

It went on to say: “In your letter, you raise points about services within the scope of the [Clinical Services Plan] as well as the future of the emergency department at Withybush Hospital. I want to be very clear that emergency department services were not part of the CSP decision.”

The county council has also debated the downgrade plans for Withybush.

A petition to the Senedd against the changes has been created by Crymych resident Ajay Owen, entitled Urgent Pembrokeshire Healthcare & Resident Safety – Withybush Hospital & Health Board Intervention.

The petition, running to August 23, has attracted more than 11,000 signatures to date.

Community

Sycamore Gap legacy takes root at Carew Castle

Published

15 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SAPLING descended from the famous Sycamore Gap tree has been planted at Carew Castle, giving fresh life in Pembrokeshire to one of Britain’s most cherished natural symbols.

The young tree was planted on Thursday (Apr 2) as Pembrokeshire Coast National Park joined the UK’s other National Parks in a shared act of remembrance and renewal.

The original Sycamore Gap tree, which stood beside Hadrian’s Wall for more than 150 years, was felled in 2023, sparking sadness across the country. Cuttings and seeds salvaged after its destruction were carefully nurtured by the National Trust at its Plant Conservation Centre before being distributed to all 15 UK National Parks.

Now, one of those saplings has found a new home at Carew Castle, linking Pembrokeshire with landscapes across the country through a living symbol of resilience, heritage and hope.

The planting was attended by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Chair Dr Madeleine Havard, Vice Chair Cllr Claire George, Authority Member and local county councillor Vanessa Thomas, Chief Executive Tegryn Jones, and Director of Nature and Tourism James Parkin. Local children also took part in the event.

The Park Authority said the planting reflected a shared duty to care for special places and to pass them on to future generations.

Dr Havard said: “The Sycamore Gap tree was a powerful symbol of our connection to nature and heritage. While we cannot replace the landmark that was lost, planting this sapling at Carew Castle ensures its legacy grows here in Pembrokeshire.

“It serves as a living reminder of our role as guardians of these landscapes and our commitment to the generations who will enjoy them in the years to come.”

Carew Castle was chosen as the planting site because of its rich history and its importance within the National Park.

National Parks said each of the 15 saplings will be cared for by local teams, creating a lasting symbol of the enduring strength of nature in some of the UK’s most treasured places.

Caption: A descendant of the Sycamore Gap tree is planted at Carew Castle by National Park representatives and local children.

Charity

Homelessness remains high in Wales despite slight fall, says Crisis

Published

18 hours ago

April 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HOMELESSNESS in Wales remains at worrying levels despite a small drop in official figures, according to charity Crisis.

New Welsh Government data published on Thursday (Apr 2) shows that 6,426 households were living in temporary accommodation on September 30, 2025 — a one per cent fall on the same point last year, but still the third highest figure on record.

The statistics, covering the period from April to September 2025, also show that just over a third of households in temporary accommodation were being housed in bed and breakfast accommodation. That figure fell from 41 per cent to 35 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier.

During the six-month period, 3,645 households were threatened with homelessness, down 10 per cent on the previous year. In 58 per cent of those cases, homelessness was successfully prevented for at least six months, compared with 56 per cent the year before.

A further 5,556 households were assessed as homeless and owed a duty to help secure accommodation, a drop of 14 per cent. Of those, 28 per cent were successfully helped to secure accommodation, compared with 25 per cent last year.

Crisis said the figures do not capture the full scale of the problem, warning that many people experiencing hidden homelessness are not included in council records.

Ahead of the Senedd election in May, the charity is calling on all political parties in Wales to make ending homelessness a priority.

Crisis said the recently passed Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations (Wales) Act, which received cross-party backing in the Senedd, could help reduce homelessness in future. However, it warned that the next Welsh Government would need to back the new law with proper investment and a clear plan for delivery.

Debbie Thomas, Head of Policy and Communications at Crisis in Wales, said: “While today’s statistics show a welcome decrease in the numbers of people experiencing homelessness, this is certainly no time for complacency.

“The picture in Wales remains deeply troubling as thousands of people are still living in instability, with the numbers of people living in temporary accommodation being the third highest on record.

“Behind these numbers are families and individuals stuck for months in temporary accommodation, often without basic cooking or washing facilities, unsure when they will have a stable place to call home.

“Through our services, we see every day the impact homelessness has on people’s lives, including their physical and mental health. No one should have to experience long-term trauma because of insecure housing.

“With housing services across the country struggling with continuously high caseloads, we need the next Welsh Government to commit to ending homelessness for good.”

She added that the new homelessness law offered hope, but said meaningful change would depend on firm commitments after the election.

“We must see a clear plan to end homelessness, investment in actioning the new homelessness law, and building the social homes we so desperately need,” she said.

“With the right action and political will, we can build a future where everyone in Wales has a safe, secure place to call home.”