News

Clash of the councillors over ‘phantom’ grant improvements

Published

12 years ago

December 12, 2013

A WAR OF WORDS broke out at Pembrokeshire County Council’s monthly Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, as the row over grant money awarded to controversial Irish property developer, Cathal McCosker, escalated.

Members of the Cabinet discussed backbench member Cllr Mike Stoddart’s request for the authority to make available all information to councillors relating to the Pembroke Dock property grants schemes after serious doubts have been raised over their administration.

Cllr Stoddart addressed the cabinet meeting in support of his request, and said that as a member of the council the information he is requesting – bills of quantities, tender reports, and final accounts – should be available to him as a matter of course, however officers and the cabinet disagree and hope to keep the information under wraps.

Cllr Stoddart explained that he had a lengthy career in the building trade, and had concerns that public money had been given out for building works which had ‘simply never taken place’, and that he had been hampered in his quest to ‘get to the truth’ by officers.

Council Leader Cllr Jamie Adams, and other cabinet members were less than sympathetic to the request, and became hostile to the idea that there was something going on which the council’s internal auditors, among others, had failed to pick up on. At one point Cllr David Pugh, cabinet member with responsibility for the portfolio under which the grant scheme operates, shouted at Cllr Stoddart, during a tirade in which he said that there were no problems with the awards and that the necessary works referred to had either taken place or were not paid for by public money.

According to Cllr Stoddart, money from both the National Lottery funded Townscape Heritage Initiative, and the European funded Commercial Property Grant scheme has been spent on certain construction work which has never materialised, on Pembroke Dock properties owned by Mr Cathal McCosker or companies which he is a director of.

He believes that there could be administrative shortcomings in relation to the grant payments, and that the Council is further trying to cover it up, backed by councillors and officers at the highest level in the authority, and preventing him from ‘getting to the truth’.

In a lengthy presentation, Cllr Stoddart told the meeting: “My attempts to obtain further information via Freedom of Information requests have met stubborn resistance from the Council. When I did receive some of the information, black redactions were included in the reports. All financial information had been blacked-out.”

Emphasizing that the redactions were not due to an over-careful council, but an attempt to hinder Cllr Stoddart’s attempts to uncover the truth, he said: “During the public inspection of the accounts I found sheets readily available for inspection with even the bank details of the developer, Cathal Mc Cosker, and his signature, there for all to see.”

However, the cabinet committee was having none of it, and Cllr Stoddart’s attempts seemed to be falling on deaf – or bunged – ears.

“All I want is the access to information that I require so that I can get to the truth” he said; adding:

“I am entitled to these documents as an elected member of the Council.”

To explain the difficulties he had been faced with, holding up one document, which was blank except for several large areas with black rectangles, Cllr Stoddart said:

“Look at this sheet. These are the names of the tenders I requested. Look here, all information has been blacked out. All this is cloak-and-dagger stuff about hiding behind the Data Protection Act, when really it is about not wishing to disclose the information.”

Cllr Stoddart added: “If the amount of money claimed for all of the building works has actually been spent on 29 Dimond Street then, in the famous words of Private Eye editor Ian Hislop, ‘I am a banana’.”

“In respect of 16-19 Commercial Row, Pembroke Dock, £41,900 is said to have been spent on 427 square metres of “New Spanish slates” at a price of £98.25 per square metre. This is already an expensive price, however, seven-eighths of the roof currently does not have new slate on it, yet the developer has been paid for the work.”

Cllr Stoddart told the committee: “With respect to 25 Dimond Street, there was a tender of £222,000 for a small shop of 35 metres squared retail space. You could easily knock it down and rebuild it twice completely for that price. In fact, for little more than that, Persimmon Homes would fit you up with a pair of semi-detached houses including the plot of land, road, and sewerage connection.”

Several decades ago, Cllr Stoddart ran his own construction company which employed thirty people at its peak. His company built many large developments in the county including commercial buildings and schools. Attempting to discredit Cllr Stoddart’s judgement and knowledge of the work conducted on the Pembroke Dock properties, Cllr Adams attacked his record as a builder, saying: “I have received information that you were not so successful in the building trade,” though he refused to say any more after being brought to task about it.

When pushed by Cllr Stoddart, the leader would not say what he had heard or from whom, and asked to ‘move on.’

In defiance, Cllr Stoddart said: “No, I will not move on. You have not addressed the snide innuendo you’ve just made about my career in the building industry.”

Cllr Adams barked back: “I am chairing this meeting – I will ask you to stand down”, and said he thought Cllr Stoddart was ‘confused’ over which works he referred to were eligible for grant funding, and those which were not eligible.

He also added: “And, from some of the submissions you have made, your understanding of the building trade is not what I would have expected. The fact that you consider it appropriate to make some sort of comparison between Persimmon Homes and restoration work on important heritage properties shows you have a lack of understanding. Nevertheless we will move on.”

Following the meeting Mike Stoddart told The Herald: “This is Cllr Adams’ usual tactic. He uses smears when he can’t think of anything intelligent to say. As you can imagine, he uses this tactic quite often.”

The ongoing saga of the notorious Pembroke Dock grants scheme and the council’s attempts to deny access to the necessary information to establish the truth has even attracted the attention of the national media.

In its ‘Rotten Boroughs’ column, last week’s edition of the satirical news magazine, Private Eye, reported on a statement it had received after approaching the council for its view on the “phantom building works.”

Private Eye published: “A statement explained that the chimney and playground (non) works had not been paid for with public money but “by the developer ” . How generous! As for the roof, it was indeed grant-funded: “The whole roof was stripped of and re-covered in a mixture of new and recycled natural slate on new felt and battens” in 2010, according to the council statement . Achieving such an “aged” look on a brand-new roof must require restoration skills of the very highest order!”

The cabinet’s unanimous vote, to deny Cllr Stoddart’s request “that all information (Bills of quantities, tender reports, final accounts, etc) on the Pembroke and Pembroke Dock commercial property grants scheme is made available on a confidential basis to all Council Members”, is not the final decision. That decision ultimately rests with full council at its 10am meeting on Thursday December 12.

Community

£500,000 share offer launch to revive Milford Haven lido

Published

10 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Sarah Jane Absalom

A major £500,000 fund-raising drive has been launched to salvage Milford Haven’s 50-metre outdoor swimming pool.

Following a five-year consultation initiative to bring the modern outdoor swimming facility back to the town, the Milford Haven Lido Park Society is now poised to launch a community share offer later this Spring,

Chairman Michael Allen said the project had recently seen a breakthrough after what many viewed as a period of inactivity.

“We’ve been working on this for nearly five years,” Michael Allen told The Pembrokeshire Herald. “There have been many unkept promises around the site in the past, but we’ve been quietly working with the council to advance the community asset transfer.”

The group hopes to transform the site into a major community and tourism facility centred around a 50-metre outdoor pool, alongside an infant paddling pool and splash play area.

Community investment drive

The society is preparing to launch a community share offer in April, and aims to raise £500,000.

Residents and supporters will be able to invest from £100 upwards, which is a funding model already applied successfully ithroughout Pembrokeshire to support community shops, farms and chapels.

Mr Allen said the offer would be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, ensuring a secure framework for investors.

“We want to raise half a million pounds to show Pembrokeshire County Council we have the capability to manage the site,” he said.

The funding will help the society secure control of the site through a Community Asset Transfer (CAT). However, Mr Allen acknowledged there was no guarantee the transfer would be approved.

A long-term vision

If successful, the society estimates it will ultimately require around £20 million to transform the site into a year-round facility capable of attracting visitors and boosting tourism.

“It’s not easy,” Mr Allen admitted, “but other lidos across the UK have done it.”

Future funding could come from organisations such as the National Lottery Heritage Fund, government programmes and major charitable donations.

Summer heating and cold water swimming

The proposed pool would be heated during the summer months using a ground-source heat pump, but not during the winter. This would allow the site to support the growing cold-water swimming community.

“Heated swimming pools are a national challenge because of energy costs,” Mr Allen explained.

The plans also include a smaller heated rehabilitation pool, which would operate all year round.

The project has also secured support through a Perthyne grant, administered by Bryn Teg Consulting, to explore using the existing building as a Welsh-language community hub.

The facility would operate as a café open to all, but run primarily through the Welsh language with the help of volunteers from local groups including Hwb Aberdaugleddau and Caffi Pal (Friends Café).

Mr Allen said the project had recently secured cross-party backing from local politicians, including local MP Henry Tufnell. Sennedd Member, Paul Davies, Cris Tomos Chris and Scott Thorley. Support has also been expressed locally by town councillors and community organisations including Milford Youth Matters and the VC Gallery.

The society stresses the pool will not rely on town or county council funding, but will operate as a community-owned asset.

Michael Allen went on to say that the number of new lido projects opening across Britain has increased significantly in recent years.

“The opening of lidos is accelerating,” he said. “That means creating a credible business plan is far easier now because there are successful examples to follow.”

Historically, the original pool used water from the Cleddau Estuary, which was then returned to the river, however Mr Allen said that ensuring the project meets environmental regulations remains one of the project’s most complex elements.

“By law the water cannot cause any harm to the environment,” he said.

Despite the challenges ahead, the society remains determined to bring outdoor swimming back to Milford Haven.

“There will be no visual eyesores,” he added. “We want this to be something the whole community can be proud of.”

News

Reform energy policy raises questions for Milford Haven and Celtic Freeport ambitions

Published

12 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PLANS outlined in Reform UK’s Welsh manifesto have sparked debate over how the party’s energy policies could affect the future of Milford Haven’s rapidly expanding role in the UK’s energy transition.

The party’s manifesto, launched on Thursday (Mar 5), includes proposals to ban new onshore wind farms and large-scale solar developments in Wales — a stance which has drawn criticism from the renewable energy industry.

RenewableUK Cymru warned that such policies could undermine investment in the country’s growing clean energy sector, potentially affecting thousands of jobs and billions of pounds of planned investment.

Freeport and floating wind ambitions

The issue is particularly relevant for Pembrokeshire, where Milford Haven sits at the heart of the Celtic Freeport, a major economic initiative designed to transform the area into a hub for green energy and advanced manufacturing.

Central to those plans is the development of floating offshore wind farms in the Celtic Sea, with ports such as Milford Haven expected to play a key role in assembling, servicing and supporting large turbine installations.

Industry leaders believe the Celtic Sea wind projects could bring tens of billions of pounds of investment into Wales over the coming decades, alongside thousands of jobs in engineering, manufacturing and port services.

Supporters say the Freeport could position Pembrokeshire as one of the UK’s most important centres for the renewable energy supply chain.

Renewable industry response

Responding to Reform’s manifesto, RenewableUK Cymru director Jess Hooper said restricting renewable energy projects would be a mistake at a time when Wales has major opportunities in the sector.

She said: “Homegrown renewable energy has been a shield, not a burden. Investing in a renewable energy system is a sensible and pragmatic choice for billpayers.

“The manifesto commitment to ban new onshore wind and solar would only lead to higher bills, weaker energy security, and Wales would miss out on the huge opportunity to secure new jobs and investment.”

The organisation estimates that Wales could secure £10bn of business investment and create around 8,000 jobs through renewable energy projects if development continues at scale.

Offshore wind not directly targeted

However, Reform’s manifesto does not propose banning offshore wind developments, which form the core of the Celtic Sea plans.

Floating wind projects are widely expected to be developed far out to sea, using specialised turbines anchored to floating platforms.

As a result, analysts say the Freeport strategy centred on offshore wind could still move forward even if onshore wind and solar projects were restricted.

Energy debate intensifies

Reform argues its policies are designed to protect rural landscapes and reduce energy costs by shifting the focus away from what it describes as “subsidy-heavy” renewable schemes.

The party says Wales should prioritise reliable and affordable energy sources while ensuring the country benefits economically from its natural resources.

But critics say limiting renewable development could weaken investor confidence and slow the growth of Wales’ emerging clean energy sector.

Pembrokeshire at the centre of the debate

With Milford Haven already home to the UK’s largest LNG terminals and now positioning itself as a centre for offshore wind development, Pembrokeshire finds itself at the centre of a growing political debate about the future of Wales’ energy system.

As the Senedd election campaign gathers pace ahead of polling day on Thursday (May 7), the question of how Wales balances energy security, environmental policy and economic growth is likely to remain a key issue — particularly in communities like Milford Haven where the stakes are especially high.

News

Plaid Cymru launches manifesto promising ‘new direction’ for Wales

Published

17 minutes ago

March 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PLAID CYMRU has launched its manifesto for the 2026 Senedd election, setting out a programme the party says would deliver a “new direction” for Wales after more than two decades of Labour-led government.

Party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth unveiled the manifesto earlier this week, outlining proposals focused on strengthening public services, boosting the Welsh economy and increasing powers for Wales.

The launch marks a key moment in the campaign ahead of the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7), with Plaid positioning itself as a credible alternative government.

Health and public services

Improving the NHS in Wales is one of the central themes of Plaid Cymru’s manifesto.

The party says it would prioritise reducing waiting times and invest in expanding the healthcare workforce.

Plaid also wants to strengthen community healthcare services and improve access to treatment in rural areas.

The party argues that long waiting lists and growing pressure on hospitals show the need for major reform of the Welsh health service.

Economic plans

The manifesto sets out a range of economic proposals aimed at supporting Welsh businesses and creating new jobs.

Plaid Cymru says it would focus on developing green industries and renewable energy projects while also strengthening local supply chains.

The party also proposes measures designed to help small businesses and boost economic development in rural communities.

Housing and communities

Housing affordability is another major focus.

Plaid says it would expand the supply of affordable homes and introduce stronger measures to address housing shortages in many parts of Wales.

The party has also repeated its calls for greater control over housing policy and planning decisions in order to better respond to local needs.

Welsh language and powers for Wales

The manifesto also places strong emphasis on protecting and promoting the Welsh language.

Plaid Cymru says it would introduce policies designed to increase the number of Welsh speakers and strengthen the use of Welsh in public services and education.

The party has also reaffirmed its long-standing support for greater powers for Wales, arguing that decisions affecting Wales should increasingly be made within the country.

‘A government ready to lead’

Speaking at the launch, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said the manifesto demonstrated that the party was ready to take responsibility for governing Wales.

He said: “This manifesto offers a clear plan to build a stronger, fairer Wales.

“For too long Wales has been held back by a lack of ambition and a failure to deliver real change.

“Plaid Cymru is ready to provide the leadership Wales needs.”

Election campaign intensifies

The manifesto launch comes as campaigning intensifies ahead of the May election.

Labour has governed Wales since the creation of the Senedd in 1999, but opposition parties hope voter dissatisfaction with public services and the cost of living could reshape the political landscape.

With Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives and Reform UK all seeking to challenge Labour’s dominance, the election is expected to be one of the most competitive since devolution began.