News
Extraordinary council meeting: Six councillors allowed to speak but not vote
SIX County Councillors have been allowed to speak but not vote at next Tuesday’s Extraordinary Council Meeting on Post-16 education.
The decision was made by the Standards Committee on Thursday April 9.
All six councillors declared prejudicial interests at a previous Extraordinary meeting on January 29 and had to leave the room.
They have since applied for dispensation to speak and to vote on the subject next Tuesday but members of the committee felt that a number of councillors would be placed in an awkward position due to the nature of their interests.
All councillors were granted permission to speak at the meeting but they have not been allowed to vote.
Cllr Stan Hudson said that it was an important issue and that all members should be allowed to vote but that view was not supported.
Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding said: “The issue being discussed has become contentious.”
Committee member Andre Morgan said: “This is an awkward situation. It is of massive public interest and I feel that they should be able to speak.”
Cllr Stan Hudson said: “This is such a big issue in the county, particularly in Haverfordwest as there are three members representing a large number of the electorate who are at the moment not able to speak and vote. With an issue as big this, education throughout the county, they should have the ability to speak on behalf of their constituents and vote.”
Committee Chairman David Morgan said: “This will be an extremely emotional debate. It would be difficult to come up with solid reasons why some of them can’t speak or vote. There are quite different circumstances for each individual and I would say that they can speak but not vote.”
Crime
Court hears man exposed his flaccid manhood ‘by accident’
A 21-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has appeared before magistrates charged with intentionally exposing his genitals in a public place.
Thomas Jones is accused of carrying out the act at a property in New Moat, Clarbeston Road, on November 9, 2022.
“The defendant knocked on the door of a female and offered his gardening services,” Crown prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.
“She accepted his offer and moved her car so that he could move his van, but when she turned around, she could see his flaccid penis was outside his trousers. When she pointed this out to him, he said he didn’t know that it was exposed.”
Jones denies the charge. He was released on unconditional bail to await his trial at Haverfordwest magistrates court on January 6.
Crime
Regular cocaine user from Milford Haven taken off the road
A MILFORD HAVEN resident who admits to being a regular cocaine user has lost his driving licence after being found behind the wheel when he was 15 times over the legal Benzoylecgonine limit.
Teifion Morse, 41, was stopped by officers just before midnight on May 1 following reports that he was driving his Vauxhall Insignia along the A477 at excessive speeds.
“The vehicle was travelling westwards towards Kilgetty, and Teifion Morse was the driver and the sole occupant, “ Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.
A roadside drugs wipe proved positive while further blood tests carried out at the police custody suite showed that Morse had 800 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system (the legal limit is 50), and 20 mcg of cocaine. The legal limit is 10.
Ms James said that when Morse was spoken to by officers, he told them that he knew the readings would be positive. “I’ve done stupid amounts today,” he said.
Morse, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug driving. A probation report stated that since leaving the military five and a half years ago, Morse has suffered from mental health issues.
He’s been using cocaine as a coping mechanism,” said the probation officer. “He freely admits that he uses cocaine to help him cope, but it’s spiralled and is getting more and more out of control. He would like support to kick this habit.”
Morse chose to be legally unrepresented when he appeared before magistrates.
“It was my stupid fault and I’m trying to take the correct steps to get on the right path,” he said in mitigation.
Morse was sentenced to an 18-month community order during which he must carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and must pay a £140 court surcharge and £85 costs.
News
Haverfordwest motorist ‘was well and truly over the limit’
A MOTORIST , described by the Crown Prosecution as being ‘well and truly over the limit’, has been banned from driving by Haverfordwest magistrates.
Police were called to the County Hall car park, Haverfordwest just before midnight on Hallowe’en following reports of the way in which an Alfa Romeo was being driven along Old Hakin Road.
When officers arrived, they discovered Ashley Horrocks, 32, behind the wheel.
“When officers spoke to him, he was displaying the demeanour of someone who was intoxicated,” said Crown Prosecutor Nia James.
A roadside breath test was positive and subsequent breath tests carried out at the police station showed that Horrocks had 78 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.
“He was well and truly over the limit,” added Ms James.
Horrocks, of Rack Hill Terrace, Hawthorn Rise, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge. He was legally represented by Mr Michael Kelleher.
“It was an incredibly stupid decision on his part to drive, but he hasn’t drunk any alcohol since,” he said.
Horrocks was fined £250 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £100 surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 20 months.
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Alan
April 12, 2015 at 10:09 pm
This is why councillors should be barred from sitting on any other community organisation. They should stick to one role and that is serving the people who elect them as best they can
Malcolm Calver
April 17, 2015 at 7:47 am
So according to the Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding “The issue being discussed has become contentious.”
I would appreciate being informed what prejudicial interest each councillor who declared an interest had and after being given permission to speak but not vote, which one`s actually spoke.