News

Row over council’s schools newsletter

Published

11 years ago

May 14, 2015

councilmil A COUNCIL newsletter is a ‘sign of it’s desperation’, school pupils have said.

The newsletter, which relates to the council’s ongoing consultation on secondary education in mid and north Pembrokeshire, publishes an equal number of positive and less positive comments about the council’s plans to overhaul 11-19 education.

The publication was sent out to town and community council clerks for circulation to members and also to all county councillors.

After being contacted by a prominent county councillor who queried the newsletter’s balance, The Herald contacted County Hall and asked whether the distribution of comments within the newsletter reflected the actual balance of comments, for and against the council’s proposal, it had received regarding the consultation.

A council spokesperson confirmed that the comments were NOT representative of responses received by the Council, and told The Herald: “The point that we are making in the newsletter is that we are presenting a range of views and certainly not all are against the council’s proposal. We have not indicated anywhere in the newsletter that this position is equal. We have merely provided examples of the views being received. At its meeting in July, council will be provided with all responses received as part of statutory consultation. At that time Elected Members will be able to gauge for themselves the respective levels of support or opposition to the proposal.”

We spoke to a member of Save our Sixth Forms, the pressure group formed to preserve sixth form education within secondary education in Haverfordwest. They told us: “It is shocking but not surprising that the quotes supporting PCC have been specifically selected and given at least equal weight to those opposed, despite the fact that they are almost certainly heavily out-numbered. This document is a demonstration of how desperate they are becoming. When all of the responses are published as they were last time it will become apparent that the vast majority of responses are against the PCC proposal.”

The continued to point out that the document originated in the department which is responsible for the parlous state of Pembrokeshire’s schools: “We should not forget that this document has been written by an Education Department that has presided over Pembrokeshire’s poor performance on secondary education over many years.”

Questioning whether officers and councillors who had presided over decades of relative failure were in a position to make the best decisions, they said: “The recent fall In standards must question PCC’s ability to select the correct choice for the future and should have alarm bells ringing in councillors’ ears when they come to make a decision that will affect not just their grandchildren but their great grandchildren.”

The spokesperson concluded: “PCC are in grave danger of at best gambling with our children’s future and at worst destroying this county on the altar of a leap in to the transformational unknown. Let us hope that the combined fury of the people of Pembrokeshire combined with the noise of the bells is enough to persuade our elected representatives to put the county’s future before that of Jamie Adams’.”

Crime

Drug and weapon charges after Pembroke Dock arrest

Published

2 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Court Reporter

Man remanded in custody following Diamond Street vehicle search

A MAN has been remanded in custody after appearing at Swansea Crown Court charged with drug, weapon and driving offences following an arrest in Pembroke Dock.

Dyfed-Powys Police said officers from Pembrokeshire Roads Policing and response teams searched a vehicle on Diamond Street on Saturday (Apr 4).

Following the search, Zamurd Hussain, 43, was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

Hussain was later charged with possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of Class A, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and driving a motor vehicle otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

He appeared at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Apr 6), where he was remanded in custody.

His next court appearance is due to take place at Swansea Crown Court at 9:00am on May 8.

Crime

Woman fights order taking four dogs from her

Published

3 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Swansea Crown Court hears appeal after long-running barking dispute in Trefin

A PEMBROKESHIRE woman has told Swansea Crown Court that complaints about her dogs are unfair as she appeals against the sentence imposed on her by magistrates, including the order that led to four of her dogs being taken from her.

Julia Goodgame appeared before His Honour Judge Simon Hughes on Friday (Apr 10) in the latest stage of a long-running case arising from complaints by residents in Trefin about persistent dog barking.

The appeal follows a ruling by Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court in December, when Goodgame, of Bryn Y Derwydd, admitted breaching a Community Protection Notice issued by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Magistrates ordered the immediate forfeiture and seizure of four Border Collies, which Goodgame said were the only dogs in her possession.

The court heard on Friday that residents had complained of constant barking, with only short breaks of around 30 minutes, sometimes continuing until 10:00pm.

The dogs have reportedly remained in kennels since December while the appeal is dealt with.

Goodgame told the court: “My dogs are exceptionally well behaved.”

She also raised concerns about the conditions the animals are being kept in, saying the kennels were exposed to the weather and did not provide a suitable environment.

Goodgame said she had attended conflict resolution classes and had tried her best to resolve the issues raised by neighbours, but said she could not understand why the dogs had not been returned.

The original case followed months of complaints from residents in Trefin about dog noise and control. In addition to the forfeiture order, magistrates imposed a fine, costs and a Criminal Behaviour Order.

The case continues.

News

Plaid Cymru commits to review 182-day rule

Published

3 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SUPPORTING local tourism businesses is key, Plaid Cymru said as it launched its manifesto and confirmed it would review the 182-day threshold for holiday accommodation in Wales.

The party said it would also introduce clear and reasonable national exemptions in cases where accommodation should not be treated as a private home.

Plaid Cymru says many holiday-let business owners in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire are struggling to meet the 182-day threshold each year due to factors beyond their control, including poor weather, and that this is having a serious impact on both their businesses and their wellbeing.

Under the party’s proposals, national exemptions would be introduced to ensure genuine holiday-let operators are treated fairly and given the support needed to help their businesses succeed.

Kerry Ferguson, Plaid Cymru Senedd candidate for Ceredigion Penfro, said: “As a business owner myself, I know how much financial pressure small businesses are under at the moment and the toll that can take on owners, their friends and families.

“We have heard directly from many furnished holiday-let owners in both Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire that lowering the 182-day threshold for overnight stays would make a huge difference to their businesses.

“I am pleased that Plaid Cymru has committed to reviewing the 182-day rule for non-domestic rates in Wales and to introducing national exemptions to help genuine businesses that are unfairly affected by the rule, while excluding self-catering accommodation that cannot be used on the open housing market.”