News

Health Board will be ‘open and transparent’

Published

11 years ago

January 29, 2015

SUE LEWIS, the County Director for the Local Health Board, told a meeting of the Community Health Council, held on January 8 at Milford Haven Town Hall: “What we don’t want to do is provide services that are not going to be sustainable, so services that move to the area will be services that are required.” Facing questions about Tenby Cottage Hospital, Ms Lewis said: “We have talked about opportunities to use the Tenby facility differently. We’ve looked at proposals and have come up with revised plans.

“We’re still considering whether Tenby will provide an Ophthalmology hub but at this moment in time that is not linked to the development of our Chemotherapy Day Unit. “In terms of the services currently provided at Tenby – there is a view that we are not providing an extensive range of services – but there are a number of clinics being provided there.

“It isn’t being under-utilised and there is sufficient evidence to suggest that we will continue to run services from there. “We will be using the space, it’s not that we’ve mothballed it and closed it all down”. Among the information given at the meeting was the disclosure that the state of the art Renal Unit finished at Withybush last year at an estimated cost of £7.5m is operating at a significant under-capacity.

Regarding the absence of patients from the Renal Unit, Ms Lewis disclosed: “There are actually only four patients who will transfer to the service from Carmarthenshire. Those four patients, for whatever reason, haven’t transferred yet but they will and part of that is down to the fact that those patients have developed a relationship with the services in Carmarthenshire and there may be some reluctance to want to transfer over.

I am reliably informed they will be transferred in the next couple of weeks. “The other units aren’t open because the patient numbers aren’t there. The availability is there.” While there was a shortage of registered nurses at Withybush equivalent to over 36 full-time posts, Ms Lewis stressed that the Board had tried to find appropriate staff.

She confirmed that candidates had been interviewed for posts, but been unsuccessful, and that the Board is considering a bigger recruitment drive. Asked by outgoing Health Council Chief Ashley Warlow whether there were specific challenges facing Pembrokeshire with regard to recruitment, Ms Lewis responded: “The difficulties within Withybush are particularly around where we are. Carmarthenshire can draw from Swansea, they can draw from Pembrokeshire.

“Pembrokeshire, geographically, is not that easy to commute to from either Swansea or Carmarthen.” She concluded by saying: “It’s not just nursing staff. We are working very hard to promote a positive image and we need to have people on board with us and to do that we need to be open and transparent about service changes.”

News

Fire crews at large house fire in Letterston as road closed

Published

25 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Emergency services respond in Station Road area while firefighters tackle blaze

FIRE crews are dealing with a large house fire in the Station Road area of Letterston this afternoon (Apr 15), with the road currently closed off while emergency services remain at the scene.

The Herald understands firefighters are in attendance at the property and efforts to bring the blaze under control are ongoing.

Motorists are being urged to avoid the area while the incident is dealt with.

There is currently no official word on whether anyone has been injured.

The Herald has approached the emergency services for comment.

Community

Police investigate reports of door-to-door salespeople in Milford Haven and Johnston

Published

39 minutes ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Residents urged to stay alert as officers carry out patrols and work to establish whether the callers are legitimate

MILFORD HAVEN and Neyland Police said they are aware of concerns raised by residents following reports of door-to-door salespeople operating in the Milford Haven and Johnston area.

Local officers, together with neighbourhood policing and prevention teams, are working to establish the legitimacy of those involved and will be carrying out patrols while enquiries continue.

In the meantime, members of the public are being advised to familiarise themselves with crime prevention advice relating to unwanted visitors, which is available on the force’s website.

Anyone with information that could assist enquiries is asked to get in touch online, by email at [email protected], by direct message on social media, or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting its website.

News

Haverfordwest County AFC escapes winding-up order but ordered to pay costs

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Club avoided liquidation in case remained live until it came before a judge at the High Court in London

A WINDING-UP petition brought by HM Revenue & Customs against Haverfordwest County AFC Ltd reached the High Court in London before being dismissed on Wednesday (Apr 15).

The case was heard at 12:00pm at the Rolls Building.

Court officials later confirmed to The Herald that the petition had been dismissed, with the company ordered to pay costs.

While the dismissal means the club has avoided compulsory liquidation, the fact that the matter progressed to a High Court hearing – and resulted in a costs order against the company – underlines the seriousness of the proceedings.

Before the hearing, the club had repeatedly sought to downplay the issue. Last week, chairman Rob Edwards described the petition as “a non-story”, stating it related to “a VAT offset against PAYE that wasn’t recorded”. He insisted the matter had been rectified, that no debt was owed to HMRC, and that a request to withdraw the petition had already been submitted to the court.

***High court costs bill: Chairman Rob Edwards***

The club subsequently issued a statement claiming there was “no debt owed to HMRC” and that the petition “has been withdrawn by HMRC”.

However, HM Courts & Tribunals Service twice confirmed to The Herald prior to the hearing that the petition remained active and listed for 12:00pm on 15 April. The case remained listed until it came before the judge on Wednesday.

The imposition of a costs order is particularly notable.

It represents a formal court direction requiring Haverfordwest County AFC Ltd to meet the legal costs arising from the petition.

Thankfully, Haverfordwest County AFC has avoided the most severe outcome – a winding-up order that would have threatened the club’s future.

However, the High Court proceedings make clear that this was never a dormant or inconsequential entry on the court list. It was a live HMRC petition that required judicial attention at the Rolls Building and has now left the company with legal expenses to pay.