News

New thinking key to tackle budget

Published

11 years ago

March 3, 2015

Tom Sinclair

New plan: Cllr Bob Kilmister

IN A FIRST for Pembrokeshire, and possibly Wales, an opposition group has produced alternative proposals for the county’s budget for the coming financial year.

At a County Hall meeting, the Pembrokeshire Alliance unveiled its plans to rejuvenate Pembrokeshire’s town centres by slashing car parking charges, introducing free Wifi and employing two town centre managers to encourage and facilitate promotional activity and commercial opportunities.

The services will be paid for by a small increase in Council Tax.

Alliance leader Bob Kilmister outlined the plans, which have been costed with the input of Council officers to ensure that the plans are deliverable and financially viable.

Targeting Pembrokeshire’s ailing town centres in particular, Cllr Kilmister told The Herald: “The council has received a number of reports and drawn up a number of plans setting out its intentions, but has delivered little more than words. These plans seek to ensure that the council takes an active and constructive role in our town centres’ future. I understand that council approved the setting up of free WiFi in town centres in 2012. I believe it was vetoed by the then Chief Executive without explanation. It should be a priority to set this up within the next twelve months. The benefits for retail and tourism should be obvious.”

He continued: “My own experience in retail tells me that car parking is a significant issue. If it was possible, I would scrap car parking charges altogether. It is, however, right to be cautious; so, by cutting parking charges to a nominal level, in the event footfall in town centres does not increase or there is no improvement in trade, we maintain the option of increasing the parking charges in the future without incurring the massive costs of having to create parking orders all over again. We want car parking to be a reason to come to Pembrokeshire’s town centres and not be a reason to stay away. We have over a million pounds unspent in earmarked reserves for regeneration. What is that money for? It is there to be used and it should be used for the purpose for which it is set aside. As a council, we can and must do more to help our town centres.”

One of the eye-catching proposals is that the council dispose of its interest in Withybush Airport. Cllr Kilmister repeated the sentiments expressed in the motion before council as part of the wider budget proposals: “Running an airport is not a suitable function for a local authority. A purchaser should be found at the earliest possible opportunity for the airport or the Council should find an operator who can move it to the much more suitable site at Brawdy, where the runway can take much larger aircraft.”

Highlighting the potential benefits of disposing of Withybush Airport, Cllr Kilmister said: “I understand that Brawdy can accommodate aircraft up to the size of a 737; far better to use those existing facilities than throw money at what will always be a compromise solution. The Withybush Airfield site is listed as an asset worth £14m. The Council should maximise the gain to be had from disposing of the site. As it is, it has badly miscalculated the take up for commercial units at Withybush and appears to be prepared to do the same next year.”

The budget proposals also suggest cutting the car allowances for senior officers and reducing the budget spend on them year on year, while allowing Pembrokeshire to remain competitive in the local government jobs market: “I don’t agree that the car allowance scheme should be scrapped,” Cllr Peter Stock said. “That is going too far. We must be able to recruit the best people we can. That does not mean paying through the nose for cars for senior managers, however; I think the way the system has been milked in the past is outrageous.”

Peter continued: “In the same vein, we need to look to save money where we can, as councillors. The proposal to end the chauffeur-driven service is an acknowledgement that in an age of austerity, when things like libraries are operating on reduced hours, or possibly being closed, it is only right and fair that it be scrapped.”

Both Cllrs Stock and Kilmister agreed that the Council should provide communities with adequate notice when it proposes cuts to services locally, or the closure of buildings and facilities: “People should know, they should be told, well in advance of what is proposed and not have it dropped on them as a minor item on a Cabinet agenda when a decision has already been made. We must be open and transparent. People have a right to know and, if they want to, lobby for the services to be retained or take over the running of facilities themselves, as has happened at Theatr Gwaun and Narberth Swimming Pool. The Council must be open about these matters.”

One topic that the Alliance is particularly keen to move forward is an increase in scrutiny of the Council’s own budget. Bob Kilmister said: “The amounts being shuffled around without any scrutiny at all by councillors are huge. The 21st Century Schools reserves are being inflated by drawing down from other reserves not in the thousands but in the millions. In addition, money is routinely juggled in the reserves to shore up departmental budgets. All of this needs to be subject to proper scrutiny by councillors. The Wales Audit Office has already said we should do this and we must follow their lead.”

The budget amendments are to be discussed at Full Council alongside the budget already proposed.

Crime

Man charged with attempted murder after Carmarthen park incident

Published

14 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

57-year-old due in court following alleged knife and stalking offences

A MAN has been charged with attempted murder following a serious incident in Carmarthen town centre last week.

Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed that James McKenna, aged 57, from Carmarthen, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and stalking.

The charges relate to an incident in Carmarthen Park on Thursday (Jan 29), which prompted a significant emergency services response and caused concern among residents.

Police have not yet released full details of the circumstances, but officers were seen in and around the park area for several hours following the incident while enquiries were carried out.

McKenna is due to appear before Llanelli Magistrates Court on Thursday (Feb 5).

The Herald understands the case involves allegations of both violence and targeted behaviour towards an individual, with stalking listed among the charges.

Public concern

Carmarthen Park is a popular and busy public space used daily by families, dog walkers and joggers, and incidents of this severity are rare.

The news has prompted concern locally, particularly as the alleged offences include possession of a knife in a public place.

Residents have previously raised questions about safety in parks and open spaces across west Wales, especially during darker winter evenings.

Court proceedings

At this stage, the charges remain allegations and the case will now proceed through the courts.

Magistrates will decide whether the case is sent to Crown Court due to the seriousness of the attempted murder charge.

Further details are expected to emerge during Thursday’s hearing.

The Herald will be attending court and will provide updates as they become available.

Crime

Sex offender jailed after living off grid in Pembrokeshire and refusing to register

Published

14 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Court Reporter

Man walked into police station after months avoiding authorities

A CONVICTED sex offender who told police he intended to live “off grid” rather than comply with legal monitoring rules has been jailed after handing himself in at a Pembrokeshire police station.

Christopher Spelman, aged 66, of no fixed address, appeared for sentence at Swansea Crown Court after admitting breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

The court heard Spelman was released from prison in Dorset on July 4 last year but immediately refused to provide police with an address, despite being legally required to do so within three days.

Instead, he indicated he planned to buy a tent and live outdoors.

Prosecutor Brian Simpson said officers subsequently launched a nationwide search when Spelman failed to make contact with police. Public appeals were issued and his case featured on the television programme Crimewatch.

Detectives believed he had been travelling around the UK using public transport and staying at campsites. He was known to have links to several areas including Merseyside, Manchester, Devon, Cornwall and Hampshire.

His whereabouts remained unknown until January 3 this year, when he walked into Haverfordwest police station and was arrested. It is unclear how long he had been in Pembrokeshire.

Spelman previously served seven years in prison after being convicted in 2014 of 12 counts of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 14. He was placed on the sex offenders register for life.

The court heard this was not the first time he had failed to comply with the rules. After an earlier release in 2016, he again failed to register his address and avoided police for around five years before being caught.

He has 11 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Defence barrister Andrew Evans described the case as unusual and said his client had long disputed his original conviction and had expressed a wish to live “outside society”.

However, he said Spelman had gradually accepted that he remained subject to court orders and now wanted more stable accommodation and a chance to rebuild his life. The defendant asked the court to impose a custodial sentence so arrangements could be made for his future release.

Judge Geraint Walters noted there were signs Spelman wished to change but warned that any further breaches would result in longer prison terms.

With credit for his guilty plea, Spelman was sentenced to 10 months in prison. He will serve up to half in custody before being released on licence.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

20 hours ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.