News
Consultation calamity continues


Controversial: School shake-up plans were met with protests
FOLLOWING the Council’s decision to cease its consultation into the future of post-16 education in Haverfordwest, having also aborted its previous consultation, The Pembrokeshire Herald contacted the Welsh Government. We asked for information on its Schools Reorganisation Guidance and the extent of any difficulties local authorities had encountered in relation to it.
The Welsh Government refused to disclose the information requested. This was not on the basis that it did not have it, but on the principle that its publication would affect its role as the final arbiter of reorganisation proposals presented by Welsh local authorities.
Herald staff thereafter made a series of Freedom of Information Act requests to the other 21 Welsh local authorities to establish whether there was any pattern to the difficulties Pembrokeshire County Council has evidently encountered in both running the consultation properly and following the Welsh Government’s statutory guidance on its obligations.
Perhaps the guidance was just too complex for officers to follow. The results of our inquiry reveal that is not the case. We were surprised that a number of local authorities, notably Ceredigion, were able to respond to our queries not only well within the twenty-day limit but by return of email.
The Herald asked the following questions of individual councils:
· How many consultations has the Council carried out under the terms of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013?
· Has the Council discontinued or ceased any consultations once it has started?
· Has the Council received any legal challenge in respect of their proposals published under the terms of the Act and Code?
In relation to the first question, Councils (excluding Pembrokeshire) had held 85 consultations.
Only one other Council had discontinued or abandoned more than one consultation, Bridgend. Denbighshire also discontinued a consultation, having reassessed its business case.
Interestingly Bridgend Council has discontinued or abandoned three consultations. It pools its legal expertise with Pembrokeshire.
Three other Councils had received legal challenges, Bridgend, Denbighshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Unless the position is markedly and significantly different at the sole remaining Council to respond, Pembrokeshire and Bridgend are alone in having to halt or abandon consultations once started. Pembrokeshire IS alone in having to halt what amounted to a re-run of a previous consultation on the same grounds as it had discontinued the original.
It appears that the complexity of the regulations is not such that the legal and institutional minds of other local authorities are bewildered and bewitched by them.
Jamie Adams is fond of pointing out Pembrokeshire’s exceptional status as an authority, a county, and a brand. Now something else has distinguished Pembrokeshire County Council from other Welsh local authorities.
The Council is yet to embark on a further consultation about the future of Haverfordwest’s secondary schools. Events appear, however, to indicate that there are going to be few surprises when it is announced.
News
Car fire closes Market Street in Haverfordwest

FIREFIGHTERS were called to tackle a vehicle blaze in the centre of Haverfordwest on Monday afternoon (May 19).
The incident occurred at around 2:50pm on Market Street, where a car was reported to be alaze.
A crew from Haverfordwest Fire Station responded swiftly and brought the fire under control within half an hour. The road was temporarily closed while emergency services dealt with the situation.
A spokesperson for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 2:51pm, firefighters from Haverfordwest attended a car fire on Market Street. The vehicle was well alight on arrival. One hose reel jet, a thermal imaging camera, small tools and a breathing apparatus set were used to extinguish the blaze.
“The crew left the scene at 3:24pm.”
No injuries were reported.
Education
Excellent progress on the construction of new lower school building at Portfield School

PUPILS from Portfield School have had the exciting opportunity to leave their mark on history as work continues at pace at their fantastic new school.
The pupils attended an event to mark the reaching of the highest point of the new building, traditionally known as the ‘topping-out’ ceremony. The event gave pupils a chance to sign one of the first steel beams, and leaving handprints on a wall, symbolising their role at the heart of the school community and the bright future ahead.
The event was hosted by Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd and was attended by staff, pupils, governors, senior Council officers and officers from the project team to celebrate the key milestone.

Headteacher Sarah Hartley said: “We were thrilled to involve our pupils in this important moment. The new building represents a new chapter for Portfield School, and it’s wonderful that our children could be part of its foundations.”
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language, Cllr. Guy Woodham, said that he was extremely pleased at the progress being made.
“Whilst I was unable to attend the event myself, my colleagues have shared with me their experience of the event, and the excellent progress being made on the new building at the school.
“This development will provide much needed modern, inclusive accommodation for the learners, and I am particularly pleased that the project remains on budget, and on programme, which means that Portfield School will be in a position to move into the building in December 2025.”
Following their visit, pupils made the following comments: “We had to wear protective clothing before entering the building site. Being able to write my name on one of the walls in the new building was really cool. I am very grateful to have been chosen to write my name in the new build it is extremely cool. Even though I am leaving this year my name will be there for ever.”
“Oh it was fun! I put my hand in paint and then put it on the wall.”
The project is being funded by Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council as part of the Sustainable Communities for Learning Capital programme.
Charity
Woman spared jail after drunken assault on two police officers

A PEMBROKESHIRE woman battling a complex range of mental health issues has narrowly avoided prison after spitting at and assaulting two police officers while heavily intoxicated.
Elisha Callen, 25, of Glenview Avenue, Pembroke Dock, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates this week for sentencing after admitting two counts of assaulting emergency workers and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.
The court heard that on April 21, Callen was found in a severely intoxicated state on Larch Road, Milford Haven. Officers attempted to calm her, but she became increasingly aggressive.
“She was told to behave herself, but she failed,” said Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies.
Following her arrest, Callen lashed out at officers at the station—striking one and spitting in the face of another.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, one of the officers said: “As a police officer, we expect to face conflict on a daily basis, but I don’t expect to be spat on by someone I’ve never met before.”
Callen later told officers she had no recollection of the incident.
Her solicitor, Tom Lloyd, urged magistrates to impose a suspended sentence, arguing she had significant mental health issues and was engaging with support services.
“Letting her attempt to seek help on her own hasn’t worked,” he said. “If you look at the marks on her neck and hands, you can see this is someone with far more going on than just anxiety and depression.”
“This is an individual with complex needs who is extremely upset by what happened and wants to apologise to every officer involved,” he added.
Magistrates imposed an 18-week custodial sentence, suspended for 24 months. Callen must also comply with a mental health treatment requirement, attend 25 rehabilitation activity days with drug and alcohol support, and complete a 120-day alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement.
“I can’t emphasise enough that this is your last chance,” the presiding magistrate warned. “You’ve come that close to custody.”
Callen was also ordered to pay £85 costs, a £154 victim surcharge, and £100 in compensation to each of the two officers.
As she left court, Callen said: “Thank you so much. This won’t happen again. I just need support.”
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Tomos
February 2, 2016 at 5:37 pm
sad to see that despite paying the most to get the best (hollow laugh) it appears the best in PCC STILL cannot manage a drink up in a brewery
Kelvin Griffiths
February 4, 2016 at 11:06 pm
Hi,
I like your paper. last week Adam reported on on our campaign against the closure of Tenby SAC, it was a great report, I’m trying to find in on line in your paper but you have no search window, why is that.
Kind Regards
Kelvin
Dayne Stone
February 5, 2016 at 10:25 am
Hi Kelvin,
If you click on the magnifying glass on the menu bar it will open up a search box for you.
Thanks