News

Councillor ‘right’ to question chairmanship

Published

11 years ago

February 24, 2015

Are you a lawyer? Audit Chair Peter Jones asked Cllr Williams

THE WALES AUDIT OFFICE has determined that Cllr Jacob Williams was right to question whether Cllr Mike James could chair the December meeting of the Audit Committee.

Lay member and Chair, Peter Jones did not attend December’s meeting of the key Council committee and Vice Chair Mike James stood in for him. Legal advice from the Acting Head of Legal Services, Claire Incledon, was that Cllr James could chair the meeting in Mr Jones’ absence, despite being a member of the ruling group. The relevant rules state no member of the ruling group can chair the Audit Committee.

Cllr Williams questioned Ms Incledon’s advice at the time and at Thursday’s (Feb 5) meeting of the Audit Committee the Wales Audit Office said that his assertion that Cllr James’ membership of the IPPG debarred him from chairing the committee was correct.

In the interim period since December, the Council sought advice from Bristol barrister Simon Morgan, of St John’s Chambers. Acting Head of Legal Services, Claire Incledon, declined to go through the report prepared for the committee members and asked for questions straight away.

Cllr Jacob Williams asked that the legal advisor take them through the report. but that was not supported.

Richard Harris from the Wales Audit Office said: “We’ve seen the legal advice that has been given to the council, we haven’t taken legal advice. We have spoken to the Welsh Government; In terms of the letter of the law we think that the process does need to be refined.

“The Welsh Government have spoken to us and they’re looking at the guidance they provided and from what they are saying it is not clear. Their view was that the person who chaired the meeting shouldn’t be part of the ruling group.

“The Welsh Government are going to look at it again, there are three other counties across Wales who are in the same position and they will try and clarify the guidance they put forward”.

Chairman Peter Jones said: “It’s not as good as it should be, it needs improvement and that is in hand”.

Claire Incledon said: “I welcome the challenge from Cllr Williams. It has brought this to our attention, I have given my interpretation on the law and that’s also been supported by this advice from the council and as the WAO has explained has enabled us to see that there are matters lacking in regards to the implementation and the wording used with regards to the 2011 measure. It needs addressing and leaves us in a position with regards to the recommendations in the report whether we want to seek steps as suggested or waiting for the outcome of the update”.

Cllr Jacob Williams said: “I am disappointed with what’s happened here. The Local Government Measure is clearly designed to prevent a member of a ruling group from chairing a committee.

“We would all agree that this is the committee but under this lawyer’s external opinion that is not the case, he says this is not a committee, it’s a meeting of the committee. You or I wouldn’t make that distinction. It’s a wacko distinction, in my view, because when Cllr James sat in the chair at the start of the December meeting, I was aware of the measure which intended committees not to be chaired by members of the ruling group. I raised an objection and Ms Incledon’s view was that the rule requiring the meeting to be chaired by a non-ruling group member only applied to you chair, Mr Jones, as the appointed chair and that it didn’t apply to anybody else.

“I find it interesting that Mrs Incledon would come today and say that her view was supported, because that isn’t what the external barrister says. The external barrister says that rule didn’t apply to Councillor James because he was not chairing the committee, he was only chairing a meeting of it. That, to me, is bizarre: I don’t accept that this is a loophole because the measure also says that if, for instance, myself or Cllr Woodham had not been there, a member of the ruling group could chair the meeting if there were no other alternatives, but a member of the executive group could not under any circumstance. The reason for this is that the Welsh Government, when they made this legislation, wanted to drive a wedge between the executive and this important committee.

“I also find it a bit of a concern that Mr Harding said that the rule doesn’t apply to Cllr James. I find it concerning that Mr Harding couldn’t understand the intention of the measure and I don’t think that’s good enough.

“The external barrister makes five points, only one of which is now relevant, and that’s whether there is a distinction between chairing the committee and chairing the meeting. He finds that there is a distinction to be made. I don’t think there is a distinction to be made. ‘It is my view that the chairing of the meeting is very different from the chairing of a committee’, that’s what he says, I cannot believe that. Basically the council has gone to this barrister and he’s provided a report to back up the internal lawyers who said that I was wrong to raise this. I am pleased that the Wales Audit Office recognises I was exactly right.

“This is an easy way out in my view and the external barrister provided a wacko report”.

Chairman Peter Jones then questioned whether Cllr Williams was a qualified lawyer.

Cllr Williams said he wasn’t but went on to say: “On this occasion I have been vindicated and I was entirely right”.

Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse leapt to the officers’ defence, claiming: “The guidelines are ambiguous and the interpretation we received from our legal adviser at the time was in fact legally accurate. It was on this advice that the committee voted.”

Using his own extensive legal experience, Cllr Mirehouse continued: “If the guidelines change in the future that will not affect the legality of that decision we took that day. The committee was properly constituted, under the law with legal advice.

Graciously acknowledging Cllr Williams’ contribution to highlighting the issue, the Hundleton representative concluded: “He raises a good point that the measure is ambiguous. The Welsh Government have said they are going to re-draft it. I can see what he is saying that the legislation is ambiguous but that was not the law”.

Chairman Peter Jones added: “We are where we are; the committee took advice and acted on that in good faith.”

Ignoring the findings of the Wales Audit Office, he concluded: “The advice was supported and my advice to this committee is that we should await the outcome of the ongoing deliberations and then we will revisit the issue”.

It was not clear whether Mr Jones’ advice was intended as legal advice to the Committee members.

Mr Jones’ proposal was supported by his former client Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse and by Council Chair Tom Richards; Cllrs Guy Woodham and Jacob Williams voted against it.

Community

St David’s Day parade brings colour and celebration to Haverfordwest

Published

14 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST town centre was a hive of activity today (Friday, Feb 27) as hundreds of children from schools across Pembrokeshire took part in a special St David’s Day celebration.

The popular parade, organised by the Pembrokeshire Language Forum, returned to the county town once again, with smiles all round from participants and spectators who lined the streets to watch.

Children paraded down High Street, through Bridge Street and along Quay Street, led by Samba Doc, before gathering at Picton Playing Fields for songs and dancing during an open-air jamboree with entertainer Tomos Tanllyd.

Pembrokeshire County Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey said: “St David’s Day is always a special occasion in Pembrokeshire, and it was wonderful to see so many young people coming together to celebrate our language, culture and national identity.”

Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language, Cllr Guy Woodham added: “The annual St David’s Day parade is a shining example of what schools in Pembrokeshire do to celebrate the Welsh language and culture, and they are certainly enthusiastic about it.”

Council Vice Chairman and Champion for the Welsh Language and Children and Young People, Cllr Delme Harries said: “It was fantastic to see such enthusiasm from pupils across the county, proudly celebrating St David’s Day.”

Local member Cllr Tom Tudor also praised the event, adding: “It really was a great celebration of St David’s Day and a highlight for Haverfordwest.”

Welsh Language Development Officer Catrin Phillips said the event continues to grow each year.

She said: “The St David’s Day parade, organised by the Pembrokeshire Language Forum, is always a highlight of the year and it’s wonderful to bring schools together to celebrate Welsh language and culture in such a joyful way.

“It has been especially encouraging to see new schools joining us this year, helping the event continue to grow.”

Crime

Axe gang stormed home as couple feared they would be killed, court hears

Published

2 days ago

February 26, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Five masked men smashed their way into property during terrifying late-night raid

A COUPLE feared they were about to be murdered when a masked gang armed with axes burst into their home, a jury at Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Five men dressed in dark clothing and balaclavas forced entry to the property shortly before 9:00pm on May 29, 2021, in what prosecutors say was a planned aggravated burglary. An emergency call was made at 8:51pm.

Prosecutor Mr Wright read to jurors a police statement from homeowner David Davies, who said he had been sitting with his partner, Carmen Bailey, when he heard loud banging at the front door.

“As I got to the entrance, the glass in the door was smashed and the men came through,” he said.

He described five intruders, all carrying axes. One of the men shouted: “Lay face down on the floor.”

Moments later, another voice yelled: “She’s on the phone,” after Ms Bailey contacted police. A further shout of “Let’s go boys” was then heard before the gang fled.

Mr Davies told officers that drawers throughout the property had been opened. Around £3,000 hidden in a spare room was not discovered, but two £50 notes were stolen along with a sanitary item and a Lloyds Bank paying-in book.

He attempted to follow the men as they left and saw the rear of a white SUV. Although his mobile phone had been smashed, it was still functioning.

In a later statement he described one suspect carrying a yellow-and-black rubber-handled axe, adding that another man “hopped out like a kangaroo” as he entered the property.

Ms Bailey said she was left utterly traumatised by the ordeal.

“I was absolutely petrified,” she said. “I felt like I was going to get murdered.”

She told police she could only see the men’s eyes through their balaclavas as she grabbed the house phone and called emergency services. A male voice shouted: “Where’s the money?”

The force of the attack shattered glass up to two metres into the hallway, the court heard.

A third witness, Doreen Jones, said she had phoned Mr Davies during the incident and heard male voices shouting: “Get down, get down.”

The investigation

Jurors were told that a white Nissan Juke — stolen in the Manchester area and fitted with cloned number plates — was later recovered near Paradise Nightclub in Pontardawe after the registration plates had been removed.

Several other men have already pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, but Mohammed Mills and Michael Quinn deny involvement.

When Mills was arrested, officers recovered £235 in cash and a black iPhone. A vehicle linked to him was searched, leading to the discovery of a machete with an orange handle, black gloves and a balaclava.

Quinn was arrested in November 2021. Officers recovered a gold iPhone and a machete, while a large knife was found under his bed at home. A Nokia handset seized from him contained very little data, most of which had been deleted.

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras placed vehicles linked to the defendants in the Bryncethin area at 6:40pm. Both vehicles were later seen at McDonald’s in Morriston at 7:35pm and at a Tesco service station at 8:32pm — around twenty minutes before the burglary.

There is no CCTV footage of the break-in itself.

The prosecution case

The prosecution allege the burglary was carefully planned, including what they describe as a “dry run” the previous day. They say the vehicles travelled together from Manchester and that the meeting in the area had been pre-arranged.

Jurors were told telecommunications evidence, including phone activity and satnav data, places devices linked to the defendants in relevant locations.

The defence

Mills claims he had recently started taxi work and was paid to drive men to Wales, saying he did not know their intentions. He denies wearing a balaclava and says the machete recovered was not his. His barrister told the court he cooperated fully with police and provided access to his phone.

Quinn maintains he travelled to Wales to sell his Vauxhall Insignia and denies any knowledge of the burglary. He says the knife found under his bed was used for dismantling furniture.

The judge reminded jurors that emotion must play no part in their deliberations and that the verdict is theirs alone.

The trial continues.

News

NRW invites feedback on draft decision to issue Withyhedge landfill permit variation

Published

2 days ago

February 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NATURAL RESOURCES WALES (NRW) is seeking public feedback after reaching a draft decision to approve changes to the environmental permit for the Withyhedge Landfill site in Pembrokeshire.

Following what it described as a detailed technical assessment, NRW said it is “minded to” grant a permit variation requested by the site operator, Resources Management UK Ltd. The variation would amend the environmental permit that controls how the site operates (permit number EPR/MP3330WP, application reference PAN-025929).

A four-week public consultation has now opened and will run until Thursday, March 26, 2026. NRW said all responses will be considered before any final decision is made.

The operator is proposing several changes, including alterations to the final shape of the land once the landfill is capped, updates to monitoring and management arrangements for groundwater, surface water and leachate, and the addition of up to 50,000 tonnes of waste soils for restoration purposes under a new waste recovery activity.

The application also includes consolidation and modernisation of the permit, including a review of existing improvement and pre-operational conditions.

NRW said it considers the proposed changes acceptable and believes they could help ensure the site operates without causing harm to the environment or nearby communities.

Residents are being encouraged to provide feedback on issues such as emissions, potential health impacts, environmental risks and how waste is managed at the site.

However, NRW stressed that certain matters fall outside its remit and cannot be considered as part of the consultation. These include planning issues handled by the local authority, such as the site’s location, traffic levels, visual impact, land use, access arrangements and operating hours.

Huwel Manley, Head of South West at Natural Resources Wales, said: “We know the community has a long-standing interest in what happens at Withyhedge Landfill, and we take that responsibility seriously.

“Given the history of the site and the concerns people have previously raised, we promised to take an approach that goes further than our usual consultation process for a permit variation.

“Being ‘minded to’ issue this variation means our specialists are satisfied the operator can meet the required standards, but before we make any final decision we want to hear from the people who live and work nearby. We encourage anyone with an interest in the site to take part in the consultation.”

Details of the draft decision and information on how to submit comments are available via NRW’s Consultation and Engagement Hub.