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Haverfordwest: Council halts schools consultation

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Schools protest earlier this year at County Hall

Schools protest earlier this year at County Hall

AMID a swirl of rumour and counter-rumour, The Herald is able to confirm that the future of secondary education in Haverfordwest remains in doubt.

The Herald received a tip off on Wednesday (Nov 18) that Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) was considering its position in respect of continuing the consultation.

On checking with others and a reliable source at County Hall, we asked PCC to confirm what was happening.

Just before our deadline, we received a response from County Hall.

The statement was brief and to the point: ‘Pembrokeshire County Council can confirm that the Director for Children and Schools, Kate Evan-Hughes, will recommend to a meeting of Extraordinary Council next Thursday (Nov 26) that the current consultation on a review of secondary education in Haverfordwest is to be discontinued’.

The Herald is aware that the solicitor acting for the trustees of the Tasker-Milward & Picton Charity has lately been in correspondence with PCC and it’s solicitors, Messrs Geldards of Cardiff. Stephen Hill, of Price and Son Haverfordwest, has pointed out flaws in the way PCC has conducted itself both in the original consultation and during its attempt to rectify the errors made in that process by launching a second consultation.

The Herald also understands that key consultation documents were not circulated to either St Mark’s School or Tasker-Milward School as required by the Welsh Government.

The turn of events is a major embarrassment to PCC and its Head of Education, both of whom have spent considerable time and money pursuing the PCC’s objectives.

In March Jamie Adams told County Councillors that any delay in progressing the schools consultation would be fatal to the PCC’s plans. There have now been two resets of the process thanks to PCC blunders in handling it.

The Director for Children and Schools is to recommend to a meeting of Extraordinary Council next Thursday (Nov 26) that the current consultation on a review of secondary education in Haverfordwest is discontinued.

Kate Evan-Hughes will put forward slightly modified proposals to Councillors and recommend that they approve the launch of a new consultation on those proposals.

She will also inform Councillors that the procedure followed in relation to the statutory consultation is considered to be challengeable, and that it is advisable to discontinue statutory consultation and recommence formal consultation with the Trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity prior to commencing a new consultation.

If the Director’s recommendation is approved by Councillors, this will be the third statutory consultation on secondary education in Haverfordwest.
“We are very aware that this is the third time we are seeking to consult on education in Haverfordwest, but we are determined to get this process absolutely right for the sake of our children’s education,” said Kate.

“As ever, we are very grateful for the public’s input to the process and ask them to persevere with us as we endeavour to get the very best outcome for our schools.”

As a result of the new recommendations to be put to members, the public meetings due to take place in Haverfordwest on the current consultation have been cancelled.

The meetings were due to take place on November 23 and 30 at the Archives. All those who have reserved places are being contacted.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Keith mcniffe

    November 19, 2015 at 5:41 pm

    How much tax payers money has this cost everyone in Pembrokeshire

  2. Charlie Mapp

    November 19, 2015 at 7:38 pm

    Too be busy discussing how much they can get away with paying themselves to have any time left to actually do anything correctly?

  3. Charlie Mapp

    November 19, 2015 at 7:40 pm

    I think we’ve “persevered” with this shambolic bunch for long enough

  4. Tomos

    November 20, 2015 at 3:14 pm

    they really are a bunch of incompetent time wasters

    They often talk about salary comparisons with industry (the real world)

    In the real world they’d have been kicked out on their a****s years ago

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News

Pembrokeshire tree surgeon ‘hits a nerve’ after derogatory remarks about his mother

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A NARBERTH pub dispute left a local tree surgeon with a suspended sentence after he reacted to offensive comments made about his mother.

The incident unfolded on October 18 at The Dragon Inn, Narberth, where Ashley Williams, 34, allegedly retaliated after fellow pub-goer Paul Deary made provocative remarks about his mother. Both men had been drinking when, around 10:00pm, Deary reportedly launched into derogatory comments about engaging with Williams’ mother, according to Williams’ solicitor, Tom Lloyd.

“Out of nowhere, the complainant directed significant and completely inappropriate comments at the defendant,” said Mr. Lloyd.

In response, Williams, of Stoneyford Farm, Narberth, confronted Deary, pushing him backward and causing him to hit his head against a wall. The impact left Deary with a serious head wound requiring 45 stitches, which will leave a permanent scar, as confirmed by Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

In a victim impact statement, Deary expressed feeling “unsafe in my hometown” following the altercation and shared that he has since resorted to “sofa surfing” to avoid returning home.

The court also heard that Deary’s mobile phone and necklace were damaged in the confrontation.

Williams, who pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm, was represented by Mr. Lloyd, who highlighted the provocatory nature of Deary’s comments. “It wasn’t his intention to inflict such injury,” said Mr. Lloyd. “However, it’s crucial to consider the degree of provocation.”

Probation officer Julie Norman informed the court that Williams had consumed around eight pints after finishing work that evening. “Those comments hit a nerve. Had he not been drinking, he’d likely have walked away,” she said.

Williams was handed a 26-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to Deary, including £200 for the damage to his mobile phone and necklace. He must also pay a £154 court surcharge and £85 in costs. Additionally, he is required to complete ten rehabilitation activity days and will be fitted with an alcohol monitoring tag for 120 days.

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Business

Stena announces redundancy plan amid uncertainty for Pembrokeshire

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FREIGHT carrier and ferry operator Stena Line, which runs services between Fishguard and Rosslare, has announced plans to cut up to 80 staff members following an internal review.

Uncertainty looms over whether any of these redundancies will impact staff operating our local ferry services.

Stena CEO Paul Grant shared the news in an email to employees on Monday, citing a need to “future proof the company.” He explained that an internal assessment revealed the company’s current organisational structure as “too big and expensive” compared to its revenue.

The decision comes amid rising costs and increased competition in the freight and travel sectors.

According to Mr. Grant, “Cost pressure due to higher inflation has led to our customers having less money to spend, and with the introduction of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), increasing our prices, we see a decline in volumes for both travel and freight.” Additionally, disappointing sales during the summer season and unmet market growth expectations for 2024 contributed to the restructuring.

The program, designed to strengthen Stena’s long-term business viability, includes a reduction of costs, prioritization of investments, and staff cuts that will primarily impact support functions and consultants. The workforce will be reduced by 80 positions by early 2025, along with 30 consultants also set to leave the company. Discussions with unions and work councils are expected to last several months, with all affected staff to be informed of their status by January 31, 2025.

In response to this announcement, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has demanded a meeting with Stena Line to clarify the impact of these cuts, particularly on their members.

TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust expressed disappointment over the handling of the announcement, stating: “Our members are shocked by this news and outraged that Stena has chosen to sidestep established industrial relations processes. Stena must meet with us urgently to clarify who is at risk and address the potential impacts on our members.”

The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at securing Stena Line’s future amid sustainability challenges. CEO Niclas Mårtensson acknowledged the difficult decision, stating, “Stena Line has been a successful company over the past few years; however, we need to ensure a lower cost base to be able to future proof the company. With 40 vessels in Europe and the Mediterranean, we have significant sustainability challenges ahead of us, and this program will enable us to make necessary investments for the future.”

The TSSA’s letter to Stena reiterates the union’s commitment to supporting affected employees and calls for an immediate discussion to clarify the situation, especially for staff at Fishguard who may be impacted.

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News

UK government to appoint first Wales Crown Estate Commissioner

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FOR the first time, the UK government will appoint a Crown Estate Commissioner dedicated to advising on matters in Wales, further integrating Welsh interests in board-level decisions. This move supports existing efforts to ensure that Wales benefits from the push for clean energy, following an agreement facilitated by the Welsh Secretary.

An amendment to the Crown Estate Bill, with cross-party backing from Labour, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats, and crossbenchers, will be accepted at today’s Lords Report Stage (Nov 5). This change mandates the appointment of a Wales-specific Commissioner through the Public Appointments process, with input from the Welsh Government. The appointee will bear “an additional responsibility” to represent Welsh conditions and interests, amplifying Wales’s voice within the Crown Estate.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has collaborated with the Treasury, The Crown Estate, House of Lords members, and the Welsh Government to secure this legislative advancement. The Crown Estate, instrumental in drawing international investment to Wales, supports projects like Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea, which promises cleaner energy and job creation.

The introduction of a Wales-specific Commissioner strengthens The Crown Estate’s mission to serve the entire UK while averting potential market fragmentation and protecting international investor confidence critical to the net-zero transition.

In a related effort, Great British Energy, the government’s new public energy firm, recently partnered with The Crown Estate to expedite renewable energy advancements. This initiative could attract up to £60bn in private investment, boosting the UK’s journey toward energy independence.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens stated: “This is a landmark step toward ensuring that Welsh prosperity is at the heart of the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower. Our nation stands to benefit hugely from investment in floating offshore wind, and we now have the representation we need to help seize that moment. This demonstrates how Wales benefits directly from its two governments working together, and I’m grateful to Lord Livermore, The Crown Estate, and others for helping to make this happen.”

Sir Robin Budenberg CBE, Chair of The Crown Estate, said: “In seeking to increase the number of Commissioners from eight to twelve, The Crown Estate welcomes the opportunity now presented by this amendment to bring even more direct knowledge and understanding of the areas in which we operate and further strengthen our ability to deliver benefit to the whole of the UK.”

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