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Council u-turn over school closures following ‘attempt to bully’ charity trustees

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School changes: Council have made a U-turn on recent plans

School changes: Council have made a U-turn on recent plans

A CONTROVERSIAL reorganisation of education provision in Haverfordwest appears to have been put on the back burner, following a number of protests and the threat of legal action.

Under the plans, Tasker Milward School would have been closed, and an 11-16 ‘superschool would have been created on the Sir Thomas Picton School site.  A Welsh-medium school was to have been built on the Tasker Milward site.

The sixth form provision for the town would have been based at Pembrokeshire College.

The plans created uproar in Haverfordwest, with many people complaining that pupils in the town would have a lack of education choices compared to those living in areas of the county with school-based sixth form provision.

As The Herald revealed, the council also faced a possible legal battle with the trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton charity, which owns the land on which Tasker Milward is built.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Director for Children and Schools, Kate Evan-Hughes, wrote a reportwhich said that since July 16, when PCC realised the extent of the potential legal issues and the present ‘offers to meet with the Trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity have not resulted in a meeting.

‘In order to progress the development of education provision for pupils in north, west and south Pembrokeshire – a fundamental part of the strategy to improve standards, it is proposed to postpone the element relating to Haverfordwest to enable further discussion in pursuit of a mutually agreeable solution that meets the case for change and the imperative to improve standards of attainment for young people.’

BULLYING
Former council leader Maurice Hughes confirmed today that attempts to arrange a meeting between the trustees and the local authority had been taking place between the parties’ legal representatives.Mr Hughes praised Stephen Hill of Price and Son in Haverfordwest for his diligence in dealing with the Council and told our reporter: “The Council was not prepared to meet our conditions for a meeting, which was a promise to keep an 11-19 school in Haverfordwest. In addition, the Council wished to impose conditions of its own before any meeting took place.”Mr Hughes then proceeded to disclose that the Council had threatened to build a new 11-16 school on a third site in Haverfordwest in order to bypass the objections of the charitable trust: “Personally,” Mr Hughes said, “I regard that as nothing short of an attempt to bully and blackmail the Trust into giving way.”

He continued: “The Council mucked up the consultation and was told it had before it started.  It seems to me that a lot of time, effort, and money is being spent by the Council trying to get itself out a mess it made itself and which was completely avoidable. If I was still Council leader, I would not be very happy with the officer responsible for that happening.”

However, Maurice Hughes was not condemnatory of the attitude and action of all council officers: “Ian Westley, the new Chief Executive, came to my house to see me one evening and stayed for over two hours as we chatted around the issues. He had been briefed, that is obvious, I guessed by Kate Evans-Hughes (Director of Education). We spoke informally about a few ways of resolving the difficulties. I told him what I’ll say to you, the Education Department should have sorted this out before the consultation and not tried to ride roughshod over the Trust and local people.

“When there are claims of seeking a mutually satisfactory outcome to negotiations, what the Education Department means is getting its own way.”

On the decision to site a Welsh-medium school in Haverfordwest at a third site, Maurice Hughes commented that it appeared to be a case of the Education Department cutting of their nose to spite their face and wondered whether it was a sign of trying to force the trustees to give way.

“Of course,” Maurice said, “we’ve never had any objection to a Welsh-medium school being based on trust land. That’s a red herring. The issue – the only issue – is the provision of 11-19 schooling on one site in Haverfordwest. It seems to me that talking about consultation with us and then telling parents of children in St Davids that their children will be going to Pembrokeshire College after the age of sixteen, gives the game away about just how much consultation and compromise the Education Department has in mind.”

The Saveour6thform campaign group are delighted to note that the Extraordinary Council Meeting scheduled for 10th September 2015 recommending the closure of both Haverfordwest Secondary schools will be postponed to allow for further considerations.
We trust that the new recommendation will incorporate the needs of the County town to continue with the provision of choice for the already viable 11-19 School in Haverfordwest.
3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Dave unwin

    September 5, 2015 at 10:02 am

    We just have to stick with it until next May then we have a golden opportunity to kick this shower into touch. I hope that the local press will list the voting record of councillors especially the governing council just before the election so that the voting public can make a judgment call on how well their local Councillor has represented their interests.

  2. tomos

    September 5, 2015 at 1:07 pm

    surely if your councillor is an IPiG councillor then that’s all you need to know ? 🙂

  3. tomos

    September 5, 2015 at 1:13 pm

    PS bullying? surely that’s standard operating procedure at PCC – FULL STOP!

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Crime

North Court drug dealer who offered NHS and OAP discounts jailed

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A DRUG dealer who styled himself as a “professional businessman” and offered so-called discounts to NHS workers and the elderly has been sentenced to a total of three years and four months in prison.

Nathan Murdoch, previously of North Court, Haverfordwest was given his custodial sentence at Swansea Crown Court after police dismantled his drug distribution network, which involved cannabis, cocaine, and MDMA.

Police uncover drugs and cash in raid

On June 16 last year, officers visited Murdoch’s property, where he initially admitted to possessing “a small amount” of cannabis. However, a detailed search revealed over £3,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine, £2,800 in cash, and digital weighing scales, according to prosecutor Sian Cutter.

Analysis of Murdoch’s mobile phone exposed text messages detailing his drug dealing, which had been ongoing since at least October 2021. The messages suggested he had also enlisted someone else to distribute drugs, with records of threats and demands for payment.

Targeting NHS workers with deals

The court heard that 35-year-old Murdoch referred to himself as a “businessman” and ran his operation with a veneer of professionalism. He promoted discounts for NHS workers, pensioners, and individuals facing financial hardship.

Defence barrister Dan Griffiths argued that Murdoch had turned to drug dealing after experiencing personal difficulties, describing the venture as “financially motivated.” Griffiths added: “He acknowledges the seriousness of his actions and views his arrest as a turning point.”

Judge: ‘Your choices have consequences’

Judge Paul Thomas KC told Murdoch: “You made a calculated decision to profit from illegal drug sales. You saw it as easy money, but the reality is clear: you gambled, and you lost. Now, you must face the consequences.”

Murdoch, now residing in Swansea, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, as well as being involved in the supply of cocaine, MDMA, and cannabis. The court heard he had five prior convictions for six offences.

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Community

Thousands still without power as storm recovery continues

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THOUSANDS of homes across Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire remain without power as recovery efforts following Storm Darragh face significant challenges. Tree-cutting specialists are working around the clock in some of the toughest conditions seen in decades to clear fallen trees from power lines.

Jeff Birch, director of Birch Utility Services

Speaking exclusively to The Pembrokeshire Herald, Jeff Birch, director of Birch Utility Services, detailed the scale of the task his team faces.

“This is one of the most challenging periods we’ve seen in years,” he said. “I can understand people’s frustration as we rely so heavily on electricity, but the devastation is immense. I’ve been in this job for 40 years, and the last time I experienced anything like this was during the hurricane of October 1987.”

Birch Utility Services, established 16 years ago in Pembrokeshire, has grown to become the UK’s largest utilitarian tree-cutting company, with over 300 employees. Their work supports National Grid by clearing trees from power lines, a task made harder by widespread road blockages.

“A lot of the equipment is on the ground, and many power lines are at the end of long private lanes,” explained Birch. “In some cases, we spend an entire day clearing debris before we can even start on the trees. It’s not just about reconnecting wires — the work requires isolation, shutting off power, earthing, and permits. This all takes time, and we’re dealing with thousands of incidents across a vast area.”

Non-stop recovery efforts

Birch’s team has been working 24/7 since the storm hit on Friday night, bringing in additional teams from the Midlands to assist.

“Our staff are rotating shifts to maintain round-the-clock operations,” Birch added. “Their dedication is remarkable. They’re motivated by the knowledge that people out there have no power, no heating, and may be feeling scared. We’re doing everything we can to restore power as quickly as possible.”

National Grid response

National Grid confirmed that 26,959 customers across South Wales are still without power, with teams working tirelessly to restore supplies.

“Our engineers, control rooms, contact centre, and support teams have been working around the clock to maintain power,” said Emma Philpin, National Grid’s director of Customer Excellence.

“We’ve seen extremely high call volumes, and it’s taking longer for customers to get through. We thank everyone for their patience and understanding. Rest assured, we are doing everything possible to restore power across the region as quickly as we can.”

Storm Darragh’s aftermath has left communities grappling with widespread disruption, but recovery teams remain committed to restoring essential services under challenging circumstances.

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News

Carmarthenshire issues Storm Darragh update

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THE AFTERMATH of Storm Darragh continues to disrupt life across Carmarthenshire, with many residents still without power and essential services despite the storm having passed.

Since Friday evening, Carmarthenshire County Council staff, alongside local communities, have been working tirelessly to address the extensive damage caused. Efforts to clear approximately 300 fallen trees have seen significant progress, with most A and B roads now reopened. However, work on minor and unclassified roads is expected to take several more days.

Support centres open late
To assist those affected, Carmarthenshire’s leisure centres in Amman Valley, Carmarthen, Llandovery, Llanelli, Newcastle Emlyn, and St Clears are open as drop-in centres until 10:30pm tonight.

Services available include:

  • Warm spaces and hot drinks
  • Charging points for electronic devices
  • Hot water for filling flasks
  • Shower facilities

Community effort praised
Council home care staff have been commended for going beyond their usual duties to support vulnerable residents. However, the Council has reported an unprecedented number of property-related issues following the storm. Residents are encouraged to report non-urgent repairs online and to contact the emergency line at 01267 234567 for urgent concerns.

Cllr Darren Price, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, praised the dedication of staff and residents:

“I am humbled by the efforts of our staff who have gone above and beyond to deliver essential services during this challenging weekend of Red, Amber, and Yellow Weather Warnings. On behalf of the County Council, I want to thank them for their incredible work. You are a credit to Carmarthenshire, and we are deeply proud and grateful. Diolch o waelod calon.”

Stay updated
Residents are urged to follow the Council’s website and social media channels for the latest updates on recovery efforts and available support.

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