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Nothing on the telly

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badgertellyLAST Saturday evening, Badger was sitting in his sett putting up his paws after a hard day making worm and grub chutney. Badger flicked across the channels looking for something to divert his poor, fatigued brain. There was nothing on Badger’s favourite channels and somewhere along the way he must have got lost in the maze of broadcasters with names like 5+24+1 (yes, Jamie, that makes 30. Have a green star for effort), because all at once he found the Eurovision song contest. Now, Badger hasn’t seen that particular televisual oddity since Ken Rowlands was last a loyal member of the Labour Party.

Yes, readers: THAT long! Hasn’t Eurovision changed? Whatever happened to bell bottoms? Where were the middle-aged men and women shoe-homed into too tight costumes like so many Day-Glo polyester wrapped sausages? Where was the obligatory song that sort of went oom-pah, oom-pah, oom-pah-pah? And where was the country that always used to do quite well, the one called Whyommonnyee deece pwants? It had all become a bit flashy and sparkly. Never has so much confetti been expended, not even at a royal wedding. The light show was dazzling and some of the performances were, frankly, startling. I did not know, for example, that in Ukraine, singers’ backing tracks were powered by men running around in giant hamster wheels. As a commitment to green energy, that takes some beating. And as for Poland: well, Badger will never think of Poland in the same way again and for some reason has a yearning to visit it soon.

So many of the contestants had the good sense to sing in English, too. Tragically for the French, the lingua franca of modern popular music is the language of les Rosbifs who live over what the rest of the world still calls the ENGLISH Channel. No, readers, the French sing in a language that interacts with the modern world in the same tenuous way as How George interacts with science. Tangentially, and with every sign of pronounced confusion. One thing that impressed Badger hugely was the sheer grim-faced detennination of some of the contestants to demonstrate how pleased they were to be flying the flag. These were people not only having fun, but hell bent on showing the viewers at home just how much fun they were having. When singers were performing upbeat numbers, their teeth were blindingly white, eyes sparkly bright, and their demeanours rather like those of children who had been handed the keys to the sweetie shop. It brought to Badger’s mind, nothing more than the delighted expressions there must have been on the faces of Rob Summons and Keith Lewis when Jamie made room for them at the IPPG Cabinet trough.

Then there were the more serious numbers, sung by balladeers wearing expressions that recalled the agonised, constipated uselessness more usually associated with passing a particularly large kidney stone. The last time Badger saw that expression on a face it was on Sue Perkins’ face when well, when hmmm Ah! Okay, readers: the same sort of expression Sue Perkins always uses; the one that so successfully masks her happy-go-lucky charm and lack of self-righteousness. A bit like Reverend Lovejoy’s wife in The Simpsons. Then it came to Badger: our IPPG Councillors have much in common with Eurovision contestants.

So many of them deliver material that have as much in common with their average constituent as the average Eurovision contestant has to do with popular music in their respective homelands. The Netherlands as the home of Country music, compared to John Allen-Mirehouse (family crest a peasant possibly a pheasant, probably both – crushed under a wind turbine) representing well anyone really. There is an identikit sameness to the words uttered by IPPG Councillors in the same way as there is to the lyrical sensibilities of the average Eurovision song.

There’s a certain sameness to the insincere cant that !PPG cabinet members use to justify slashing services to the bone while making room for more trotters round their swill as there is to the constant burning, yearning and gaming of a Eurovision contestant. How many times can those charged with looking after the services delivered to the most vulnerable sit in the Council Chamber or Cabinet room lying to each other, themselves and the Pembrokeshire people that “times are hard” while they carry on defending favouring well-paid officers and divvying up the proceeds of their racket between themselves and their faithful acolytes? Holy-roller Simon Hancock struck a particularly pious note in the last Full Council meeting. Too much Methodism in his madness for Badger’s taste.

Yes, Simon it is better one sinner repenteth. Pity Keith didn’t and doesn’t. Let us all pray while Simon keeps watch over a series of disastrous cuts to adult social services provision. Perhaps Simon the Saint is just too busy with his other interests and responsibilities to notice what has happened to the adult social care budget on his watch. Up with charges; down with services; shut this; slash that; give Bryn a break; find money to let your chums round the Cabinet table; serve yourselves, not your fellow man; cut the wages of the lowest paid; preside over a pay system that penalises part time workers. Simon is to equality what Herod was to child care. Yes, readers, at the end of the day Simon’s transformation from Labour Party idealist to IPPG stooge is even more complete than the transformative experience undergone by the winner of this year’s Eurovision.

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Rugby Weekly – Tenby’s promotion push continues

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It’s crunch time for all rugby clubs around the county, whether promotion is their aim or fighting relegation or even just trying to improve their league position, it’s now or never. 

Last weekend saw an important win for Fishguard in division two west which should put any relegation fears to bed completely. James Griffiths added an impressive 18 points for the Seagulls as they defeated Nantgaredig 33-19. 

Elsewhere in the second division, Milford were beaten 32-8 by a good Lampeter outfit. The Mariners are still a little too close for comfort with the drop zone but should have enough quality to see them safe. 

At the other end of the table Tenby sit in second place and have played fewer games than leaders St Clears and third place Lampeter. They won impressively again last weekend, beating Pontyberem 64-19 at Haywood Lane. Fletcher Broadhurst impressed with two tries as did Hywel Baker who also grabbed himself a brace. Another excellent performance in an outstanding season so far in which promotion would be the absolute icing on the cake. 

In Division Three West, Pembroke were well beaten by Laugharne 74-15 in which the outstanding Liam Price and Nico Setaro both crossed the whitewash 4 teams a piece. The latter also added 7 successful conversions. 

There was a local derby at Pill Parks where Llangwm hosted Pembroke Dock Quins and it was an exciting clash. The visitors won narrowly 28-23, Craig Barnett and Gethin Bradney both scored two tries for the Quins. The Wasps battled hard and will be proud of their performance, Gethin Thomas impressed for the hosts with two tries of his own but it wasn’t enough to secure the points. 

St David’s hosted the high flying Cardigan outfit and were unable to score in reply to the visitors 20 points, with it ending 20-0. The Saints however won’t be losing too much sleep over it as they have had a great season so far. 

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Stephen Crabb leads inquiry on retaining community bank services  

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PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP, and Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Stephen Crabb is leading an inquiry in Parliament that will investigate the closure of high street banks in Wales, as well as access to cash.

In November 2023, Pembrokeshire saw the closure of Lloyds Bank in St Davids, and in the coming months both Barclays Bank and Halifax in Haverfordwest are set to close. In recent years, Wales has experienced a rapid decline in the number of high street banking services available to the public. Already in 2024, 23 high street bank closures have been announced in Wales, while automated teller machines (ATMs) declined by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2023.

The Committee willconsider how declining high street banking services are impacting vulnerable people and small businesses across Wales, who are often more reliant on cash than digital banking. It will also examine how Wales is being affected by the loss of high street bank services, and whether the problem is worse in Wales than other parts of the UK.

Mr Crabb is a staunch advocate for retaining community banking facilities, especially in rural communities like Pembrokeshire where many local branches remain the only source of face-to-face banking provision for miles.

Recently Mr Crabb challenged Barclays Bank senior management on their decision to close the bank branch in Haverfordwest– a move that will see Barclays not only pull out of the county town, but means they won’t have a branch left anywhere in Pembrokeshire. He has also engaged with LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – and continues to campaign on the basis that a Banking Hub is established and that ATM machines should be retained or installed, especially in areas worst affected by the closures.  

Following the launch of the inquiry, MP Crabb added: “It is really sad to see so many banks across Wales closing as online banking grows in popularity. Despite the advantages of online banking, for a rural community with an ageing population like Pembrokeshire, bank branches hold huge importance as they offer face-to-face customer service.”

“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience that the bank closures locally have already caused following hundreds of replies from constituents to my ‘online banking survey’ ”

“I am looking forward to gathering further evidence on this subject through the committee’s inquiry, and will continue to put pressure on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that adequate alternative provisions are made through the establishment of banking hubs as well as the instalment of ATM machines where necessary.”

“In this inquiry, we are particularly keen to hear from those likely to be directly affected by the shift away from cash and physical banks. I encourage anyone with first-hand experience of losing banking services to give evidence to the Committee”

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Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

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TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

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