News

Calamity as joint committee cancelled

Published

11 years ago

March 19, 2015

A ROW between councillors and officers has escalated this week after a meeting intended to scrutinise the decision to close

Truth seeker: Jacob Williams

Community Learning Centres was postponed at the eleventh hour.

The proposed joint meeting of the Older Persons’ Health & Well Being and the Children & Families Overview and Scrutiny Committees was called by Head of Legal Services, Claire Incledon. Her decision followed a call-in of the Cabinet’s decision to shut Community Learning Centres in Fishguard and Pembroke Dock by members of the Older Persons’ Committee.

Due to meet on Wednesday (Mar 3) the meeting was cancelled late on Tuesday (Mar 2).

The Pembrokeshire Herald became aware of a potential difficulty when preparing its preview of the joint committee meeting. The council’s constitution provides only for the Head of Legal Services to summon one committee to consider a call-in request.

We put our detailed observations on the point to the council. A council spokesperson told us subsequently that: “The Head of Legal and Committee Services has provided advice to members in relation to the call-in The advice clarifies that it is not a Joint Committee (or ‘new’ Committee) that has been created and that the calling of both committees to sit concurrently is not unconstitutional.”

A lengthy explanatory note from Ms Incledon, which The Herald has seen, was emailed to councillors at noon on Tuesday. That note maintained the position that the meeting was constitutional, but appeared to suggest that both committees would sit as two separate committees in the same room at the same time to discuss the same subject.

That note received a strong response from Cllr Mike Stoddart. Cllr Stoddart pointed out the express provision of the constitution and pointed out that: “The constitution does not allow the head of legal services to declare it a dead-heat and call a meeting of both committees.”

Ms Incledon’s advisory note also states that calling the meeting in the way would save ‘on officer and member time and unnecessary duplication, and ensures consistency in consideration of the matter; and provides a sensible and reasonable way forward’.

The Herald understands that the decision to cancel the meeting was reached following an intervention from Acting Head of Paid Service Ian Westley, citing ‘further consideration of Procedure Rules’.

The subsequent council statement read: “It was felt that procedurally the meeting would have been overly bureaucratic.”

After the publication of that statement, Cllr Jacob Williams said: “I think the public deserves to know the truth – that, as councillors have pointed out, the handling of this vital call-in was hopelessly flawed and the meeting, had it gone ahead, would have been unconstitutional.”

Responding, soon-to-depart Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding wrote: “The reason for the cancellation is not related to the fact that there was to be concurrent meetings of the O&S committees but due to perceived difficulties in the procedure for such a meeting.”

Mr Harding – whose role as Monitoring Officer was subject to a vote of no confidence following his interference in the debate on Bryn Parry-Jones’ future held on February 14 2014 and who has had a prickly relationship with some councillors – denied there were any problems with the constitutional position.

Undeterred, Jacob Williams wrote to the Monitoring Officer stating that Mr Harding’s rationale lacked credibility. He said: “I think that just about sums up the total reluctance to hold hands up at County Hall.”

Cllr Williams continued: “It would have been better to have said nothing at all than to have tried to spin the meeting’s cancellation on the claim that it would have been ‘overly bureaucratic.’ To expect anybody – let alone members – to believe that, especially when they are fully aware of the background and prior reluctance to accept that the matter was handled wrongly just insults our intelligence.”

The last word on the matter was given by Cllr David Simpson: “Mr Harding’s advice which members received yesterday seems to imply that the constitution can be interpreted anyway he, or the head of legal services, likes.”

He continued: “The way forward is to admit that a mistake was made in calling for a joint meeting and to refer this matter to Older Persons O&S as soon as possible.”

Cllr Simpson concluded: “Many members and the public have been hoping for a new dawn in Pembrokeshire, unfortunately it seems that while some of the players have changed the culture remains the same.”

Community

Weather presenter spotted filming in Pembrokeshire

Published

44 minutes ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WELL-KNOWN Welsh weather presenter was spotted in Pembrokeshire as he filmed scenes for a new series celebrating the county’s coastline.

Derek Brockway, who has been a familiar face on BBC Wales since 1995, was in St Davids recently working on another instalment of his popular walking series along the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Local resident Thomas Tudor said it was “lovely” to meet the broadcaster during filming, posing for a photograph alongside his mother, Beryl Tudor, and sister, Bethan Thomas Price.

Brockway, who is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, is widely known not only for his weather forecasts across television, radio and online, but also for his programmes showcasing Wales’ landscapes and coastal paths.

The latest filming in St Davids is expected to form part of an upcoming series highlighting the natural beauty and walking routes of Pembrokeshire, an area long regarded as one of the jewels in Wales’ tourism crown.

Ministry of Defence

Defence families in Wales to save up to £6,000 under new childcare scheme

Published

1 hour ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Today, 19/03/2026 The Secretary of State for Defence John Healey visited Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, home to 3rd Battalion the Rifles. He met with families to launch a new scheme for Defence Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.

Community

Broad Haven volunteers secure ‘national asset’ status for nature reserve

Published

1 hour ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SMALL stretch of woodland and former opencast coal mine has been transformed into a nationally recognised biodiversity site, in a major first for Wales.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve has been awarded ‘Naturfa’ status, becoming the first community-managed site in Wales to receive the designation.

The recognition, confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, classifies the reserve as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). This means the volunteer-led work of the Support the Boardwalk group will now contribute directly to Wales’ 30×30 target – the global commitment to protect 30% of land, freshwater and sea for nature by 2030.

In a further boost, the site has also been included in the National Forest for Wales, recognising its role in strengthening a connected network of woodlands and habitats across the country.

Once a simple local walkway, the Slash Pond has developed into a thriving wildlife haven. The reserve now supports a wide range of species, including critically endangered European eels, otters, ten species of bat, and more than fifty species of birds, alongside diverse aquatic plants and insects.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “These special places are a testament to the care and dedication of people working on the ground – securing a legacy for future generations. Nature can only thrive where habitats are resilient, protected and effectively managed.”

The new status is expected to unlock future funding opportunities, supporting long-term plans for maintaining the boardwalk, monitoring biodiversity and water quality, installing new signage, and expanding environmental education work with Broad Haven Primary School and the wider Havens community.

Andy Drumm, a volunteer with Support the Boardwalk, said: “We’ve always known how special the Slash Pond is, but this recognition puts it firmly on the map as a national asset. It’s a tribute to years of hard work and shows that local communities can lead the way in tackling the nature crisis.”

To mark the achievement, a Spring Family Fun Day will take place on Friday (May 9) from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Slash Pond car park.

The event will feature guided nature walks, pond dipping, a wildlife treasure trail, live music, and family activities including crafts and face painting. The official unveiling of the Naturfa certificate and new reserve branding will also take place, alongside the launch of a new book, From Culm to Calm: A History of the Slash Pond by local author David Meanwell.

Karen Riggs, a long-time volunteer, said: “This achievement belongs to everyone in Broad Haven who has supported the site over the years. We’re not just celebrating a new title – we’re celebrating what our community has built together.”

The day will also see the installation of new benches at the observation decks and the launch of a floating island habitat to support wildfowl and other bird species. Visitors will also be invited to share feedback on plans for an improved picnic area designed to withstand local flooding.

Naturfa is a Welsh Government initiative recognising areas outside traditional protected sites, such as SSSIs, that are managed in ways which deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve is managed by the Support the Boardwalk group in partnership with The Havens Community Council, and is maintained entirely by volunteers.

Further information and updates are available via the Support the Boardwalk Facebook page.