News
Tenby: Avenue Centre decision put on hold
Tenby Avenue Centre: decision put on hold (Pic. Mike Hillen)
AFTER months of campaigning from carers, attendees and local residents, a decision on Tenby’s Avenue Centre is to be put on hold by Pembrokeshire County Council.
A report going before Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet next week recommends that no decision is to be taken for the time being on the future of the Social Activity Centre (SAC) in Tenby.
Popularly known as The Avenue, it is one of three Council centres for people with a learning disability. A petition to keep the centre open was presented to the council last month and had been signed by more than 2500 people, with 1300 people signing the petition online at change.org and over 1200 being on paper at various locations throughout the town and the surrounding area.
Its future has been under review and it has been at the centre of a much publicised 12-week consultation period with stakeholders, including customers, their families and carers.
In a report to the Authority’s Cabinet meeting next Monday (14th March), Director of Social Services and Leisure, Pam Marsden, says: “After a great deal of consideration and taking all of this feedback into account, it is considered premature to make any recommendation at this time with regards to the future of Tenby SAC.”
Her report continues: “In order to ensure that any future recommendation is fully informed, we will continue with our plan to have up-to-date assessments on all of our service users with a learning disability.
“We will also spend time in a range of meetings with service users/carers and stakeholders over the next few months agreeing service priorities and developing a shared vision.
“We plan to undertake a further consultation in the future which will involve all three centres and be in the context of a wider review of day opportunities across Pembrokeshire.
“At the end of this period, a report will be brought back to Cabinet setting out recommendations for the future provision of this service.”
County Councillor Simon Hancock, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Health and Well-Being and Equalities said: “I do hope that this will be recognised as the Council listening and that we can continue to work with our service users and their carers to agree the future of services within this very difficult financial climate.”
Lanterns and balloons released in emotional acts of remembrance
FAMILY, friends and members of the local community came together to remember Corrina Baker at a series of moving events held across west Wales this week.
Corrina’s funeral took place on Monday (Dec 15), a month after her death, with a public service held at St Mary’s Church. Mourners lined the route as her coffin was carried on its final journey in an elegant horse-drawn carriage, before a private cremation later took place at Parc Gwyn crematorium in Narberth.
Later that evening, shortly after 6:00pm, friends and relatives gathered at the Quayside in Cardigan for the first of two acts of remembrance to celebrate her life. Lanterns were lit and released into the night sky above the town as some of Corrina’s favourite songs were played.
On Tuesday afternoon (Dec 16), a second tribute was held near the location where Corrina was found. Twenty-one pink balloons — one for each year of her life — were released into a clear blue sky, each carrying personal messages in her memory.
Floral tributes continue to be laid at the Netpool, while a GoFundMe appeal set up in Corrina’s memory has raised more than £2,300. She has been described by those who knew her as “funny and bright”.
Dyfed-Powys Police have confirmed that their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Ms Baker’s death is ongoing. A 29-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of murder has been released on bail while inquiries continue.
(Photos: Stuart Ladd/Herald)
SIX untaxed and abandoned vehicles were seized during a joint roads policing operation in Milford Haven on Tuesday morning.
Officers from the Milford Haven Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Team (NPPT) worked alongside the Pembrokeshire Roads Policing Team as part of targeted enforcement across the town.
In addition to the vehicle seizures, a number of traffic offence reports were issued to drivers during the operation.
Police said the action formed part of ongoing efforts to improve road safety and tackle vehicle-related offences in the Milford Haven area.
ST KATHARINE and St Peter’s Church in Milford Haven hosted its annual Candlelit Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, bringing together members of the community for a traditional celebration of Christmas.
The service featured readings from the Mayor of Milford Haven, representatives of the Soroptimists, Milford Haven Amateur Operatic Society, the Headteacher and Head Prefects of Milford Haven School, Milford Haven Town Band, and NCI Wooltack Point.
Music for the evening was provided by organist Seimon Morris, Milford Haven Town Band and the Milford Haven Cluster Band, whose performances added to the atmosphere of the candlelit service.
The Friends of St Katharine and St Peter’s Church thanked all those involved and wished the community a happy Christmas.
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John Hudson
March 8, 2016 at 8:18 am
As this centre has been given a temporary reprieve, does the Council’s 2016/17 budget, as recommended by Cabinet, require a small adjustment, if savings from an earlier closure date had been anticipated?
Budget reductions approved by Council for 2015/16, the current year are anticipated to be grossly underachieved to the tune of some £2,000,000.
( £1m Adult Social Services, £1m across other services) This has been largely attributed to delays in implementation. However, this will be rectified when Councillors approve the new Revised Budget for 2015/16 with the Budget for 2016/17.
The unachieved savings from last year are to be rolled over into next year, with the new additional savings to be approved for 2016/217.
Somehow these non achieved savings, nodded through by both Scrutiny Committees and Cabinet can be wrapped up within an approved Revised 2015/16 Budget envelope the same as the original approved Council 2015/16 budget. Its a good trick if you can continue to keep rolling up under achieved approved savings to be delivered in the next financial year..
Is there any effective financial control or scrutiny exercised by councillors in this Council?