News
Controversy over Cleddau cash
A DISPUTE about tolls on the Cleddau Bridge has delayed the council’s accounts being signed off by its external auditors.
Councillors have been kept in the dark about the argument and the fact the council has had to seek external legal advice on the issue.
It is alleged that the council has been funnelling between £1.5m and £2m per annum into the council’s revenue services account and not accurately accounting for either the income it receives or the deficit it claims the vital transport link has accumulated over time.
The Pembrokeshire Herald can confirm that the council has been in dispute with the Wales Audit Office (WAO) about the way it accounts for revenue from tolls on the Cleddau Bridge.
The spat turns on the interpretation of part of an Act of Parliament from 1987, The Dyfed Act, which sets out how the Council is supposed to deal with the revenue from bridge tolls it collects. The dispute is also about how the council’s own figures show a large accumulated deficit for operating the bridge, which is more a work of accounting fiction than a true reflection of its financial position.
The Herald has spoken to a person close to the dispute who has told us that one way the council has used the revenue from tolls is to subsidise its Council Tax figures, using the money gathered in tolls to drive down Council Tax bills so that Pembrokeshire has apparently lower Council Tax than other councils.
The Herald further understands that the accumulated deficit shown in the council’s accounts is an issue which is under discussion between the council and the WAO. The picture is obscured by the fact that while the bridge was commissioned in the 1960’s under one local government settlement, there have been two subsequent re-alignments of the local government landscape. Those reorganisations have contributed to the confusion about how to draw up the profit and loss schedule for the bridge, how much it has received in tolls, whether a profit has accrued and, in the event it has, what the council and its predecessors have done with the money.
Our source told us that it’s fair to say the situation is a mess and one partly created by the 1987 Act’s unclear drafting.
With local government re-organisation a hot topic at the moment, the effect of any merger will be that the council will need to both strike a more realistic position in respect of the Bridge’s financial status.
At the same time, in the event of merger with neighbouring authorities the effect of the backdoor subsidy given to Pembrokeshire’s Council Tax will unwind as a sudden and significant rise in Council Tax for the county.
Significantly, members of the council appear to have been kept in the dark about the situation and the potential impact it will have on the council’s financial position going forward.
The Herald understands that the council has sought external legal advice on how to sort out the dispute, which both it and the WAO are keen to resolve.
The Herald asked for a comment from the council about the position of its accounts. A spokesperson told us: “We anticipate the matter will be resolved at the next meeting of the Corporate Governance Committee which will be held before the end of the financial year.”
The WAO said: “We had a formal objection in regard to the accounting for the Cleddau Bridge. This delayed the accounts opinion. That has recently been resolved with the Council and we are awaiting an updated set of accounts, so we can check and certify them in March.”
A TEENGAGE girl has tragically died following a medical emergency at Amman United Rugby Football Club in Ammanford on Friday evening (Nov 15).
Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed they were called to the scene, where the teenager became unwell. She was taken to hospital but, despite advanced medical efforts, passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning.
A police spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with the family at this difficult time.” The death is currently being treated as unexplained, and a report will be prepared for HM Coroner.
The Welsh Ambulance Service confirmed their attendance, stating that emergency crews were dispatched at approximately 9:55pm.
A spokesperson said: “We sent an emergency ambulance, supported by a Community First Responder and Cymru High Acuity Response Unit paramedics. Advanced critical care was delivered by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, with support from the Wales Air Ambulance charity helicopter.”
As a mark of respect, Amman United Rugby Football Club postponed all games over the weekend. In a statement posted on social media platform X, the club said: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, the club will be closed, and all games are postponed, out of respect.”
MEGAN EVANS, 14, was found dead at her Milford Haven home on February 7, 2017, after what her family described as relentless online bullying. The inquest, held today, heard how Megan had attended a school meeting about a trip to France earlier that evening and appeared in good spirits.
Later that night, her parents left for Cardiff with her four youngest siblings while the four older siblings stayed at home. At 9:59pm, Megan’s brother called their parents, unable to find her in the house. His father told him to continue searching, and Megan was discovered in a locked upstairs bathroom. Despite the efforts of her family, paramedics, and hospital staff, Megan could not be saved.
A statement from her family described Megan as an intelligent, kind, and vibrant teenager. “She had a big heart and would do anything to help anyone,” the statement read. “She bought love and laughter into our home and was always full of energy. Her friends adored her, and she always stood up for what she believed in.”
The inquest was told Megan was a talented artist and hockey player who had been looking forward to attending a Justin Bieber concert. She was deeply loved by her family, who said she “poured so much love into everything and everyone around her.”
Megan’s mother, Nicola Harteveld, has previously spoken openly about the struggles her daughter faced in silence.
Nicola admitted she hadn’t recognised the signs of Megan’s distress at the time, including disrupted sleep and a secretive attachment to her phone.
In the years following Megan’s death, Nicola has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of mental health and the dangers of social media bullying. She founded the Megan’s Starr Foundation, which provides free professional counseling and peer support to vulnerable young people in Pembrokeshire.
Nicola reflected: “I see things now that I didn’t understand back then. I thought mental health struggles were always visible, but I was wrong. Megan was the life and soul of the house, and I never imagined the pain she was in.”
Through campaigns like “Step into January,” Nicola has turned her grief into action, creating a legacy for Megan that focuses on kindness and support for others.
The inquest continues.
MEGAN EVANS, 14, a talented and kind-hearted teenager from Milford Haven, was found dead at home on February 7, 2017, following what her family believes were bullying messages on social media, an inquest has heard.
Described as intelligent, capable, and full of energy, Megan was a passionate artist, county hockey player, and beloved by her six siblings and parents.
On the night of her death, she had been in good spirits after attending a school meeting about a trip to France.
Later, she was tragically discovered in a locked bathroom at home.
Her family remembered Megan as brave, thoughtful, and endlessly loving, someone who brought joy and positivity to everyone she met. They vowed to honor her memory by promoting kindness and love.
The inquest continues.
Inquest hears social media bullying was factor in teen’s tragic death
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Louis Riel
March 4, 2015 at 4:24 pm
\”I need to seek external advice\” said the Head Of Legal Services when asked if she took her tea with sugar.
Tomos
March 5, 2015 at 9:37 am
So the one “excuse” to pay BPJ a fortune – lowest taxes in Wales – was down to us having to pay to cross the bridge i.e we were paying is now shot to pieces as well.
Now we’re in a position to ask – Why on earth was BPJ ever taken on, why was he not sacked, why was he protected – You have no reasons, no justifications – we need to learn from IPiGs mistakes otherwise we are eestined to make the same mistakes again and again
ieuan
March 8, 2015 at 1:47 pm
As head of Legal services she should know here job, it’s what she’s paid for!
I smell a cover up
John Hudson
March 24, 2015 at 8:03 am
Given that the Leader is on record at the last Council meeting as saying that the Council’s Accounting methodology for the Bridge has not changed:-
why The Auditor required The Council to seek Legal advice to substantiate the accounting entries in respect of the Bridge, an unusual step.
Why the Statutory Trading account for the Cleddau Bridge
was amended from the Draft 2013/14 Accounts figures by the exclusion of an amount in respect of a “notional” annual deficit, changing an annual net loss of £4.3m to a profit of £1.1m.
If, as the Leader would like us to believe, that Council is as usual, infallible, why it is taking so long to issue the report so that the Council’s Corporate Governance Committee can meet in order approve the Council’s 2013/14 Accounts and The Auditor can sign off the Accounts.
Why surplus toll income, over and above that required to meet annual Bridge operational expenses is applied to reduce the Council’s budget requirement and hence Council Tax.
Prior to the Auditor’s refusal to sign off the Accounts in respect of the Bridge, The Council had completed an in depth scrutiny and review of the financial prospects for the Bridge which concluded the exercise had covered all issues to do with the Bridge and all was well.