Politics
Ten years of the Senedd celebrated
TUESDAY (Mar 1) was the tenth anniversary of the opening of the Senedd, the home of the National Assembly for Wales.
To mark that occasion the Presiding Officer, Dame Rosemary Butler AM, hosted a lunchtime reception for external stakeholders and partners who have contributed to the work of the National Assembly during the Fourth Assembly (2011-16).
People attending the event included those who have made a direct contribution to the work of the Assembly’s committees in scrutinising the Welsh Government and Welsh laws.
Also included were young people who took part in the Assembly’s Votes@16 national conversation about lowering the voting age and women who have supported or benefited from the Presiding Officer’s #POWiPLWomen in Public Life development scheme
During the event, Dame Rosemary delivered a keynote address on the achievements of the National Assembly during the Fourth Assembly – a record of “continuous improvement and innovation” in the delivery of parliamentary services.
“From my unique position as Presiding Officer, I could see opportunities for change,” Dame Rosemary told the audience.
“I have initiated and driven a number of alterations to our practices to ensure greater scrutiny of the Welsh Government.
“That is our job as the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales and holds the Welsh Government to account.
“Effective scrutiny is an essential part of any democratic culture so taking a fresh look at how we could open up opportunities to invigorate our practices and procedures has been very important to me.”
News
Brynderwen beach hut to remain operating as an Airbnb
A call to allow an airbnb beach hut once sited on a Dorset sandbank to continue to be used for holiday accommodation on the edge of a Pembrokeshire village has been approved.
In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council planners, Mr and Mrs Bazeley sought permission for a retrospective change of use of a timber hut to a glamping holiday accommodation with outdoor kitchen and services at Brynderwen, St Dogmaels.
Local community council St Dogmaels objected to the application on the grounds that the proposal is outside the boundary of the village.
A supporting statement through agent Llyr Evans Planning Ltd said: “Brynderwen has been in the ownership of the applicants’ family for 150 years, originally by the applicants great-great-great-grandfather, before being handed down through the generations.
“When the applicants father died in 2022 Mr and Mrs Bazeley moved back to Brynderwen to manage the holding and make it financially viable. This includes recently gaining planning permission for two bespoke holiday cottages to the northeast of this site.”
It adds: “The hut was sited on Mudeford Sandbank in Dorset from 1962 to 2007 where it was a holiday destination for the applicants’ family. In 2007 the hut was moved from Dorset to its current position at Brynderwen.”
It says the hut was originally used as a feed storage and then a family day hut/ leisure use for BBQs and campfires before being renovated in 2022, subsequently offered for short-term lets between Jun and September of last year.
The statement adds the tourism development would contribute to the small-scale agricultural operations of 13-acre Brynderwen and “would make a valuable contribution towards the provision of tourism accommodation in the area, to economic development and to the resilience of the rural economy”.
The beach hut, called Salad Days, is listed on Airbnb, where it has already attracted 50 reviews, with an overall 4.98 out of five.
An officer report recommending approval said the small scale of the accommodation “provided within such close proximity to the settlement is considered acceptable in regard to the impact on the area,” and “Due to the location of the building being some distance from any neighbouring properties the development does not have a significant impact on neighbouring amenity.”
The application was conditionally approved by county planners.
News
Open day at new St Davids housing development
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is celebrating the completion of Phase 1 Llys Glasfryn, St Davids.
The development was built by GRD Homes, and Phase 1 consists of 4 x 2 bed bungalows, and 3 x 1 bed bungalows.
Phase 2 consists of 11 x 2 bed bungalows, which it is hoped will be completed early 2026.
All properties within Phase 1 have been allocated, and Phase 2 properties will be available for bidding a few months before completion.
A Local Lettings Policy is used to allocate these properties, which was created in conjunction with local members, St Davids City Council, and the local community.
To celebrate the completion of Phase 1, Pembrokeshire County Council is holding an open day in one of the newly completed properties.
This will be held on Tuesday 28th January 2025, from 2pm – 6pm. This is for members of the public to view the site and one of the properties, ask questions, and provide feedback.
Cllr Michelle Bateman, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations, said: “These high quality homes will provide much needed housing in St Davids and form part of our wider development programme.
“Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key priority for Cabinet and I look forward to meeting new tenants and the wider community at the open day event.”
For more information on Pembrokeshire County Council’s housing developments, or this event, please call 01437 764551, or email [email protected]
News
Welsh Conservatives mark Holocaust Memorial Day
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY is a time for reflection and remembrance. It allows us to honour those who suffered and renew our commitment to combating hatred and prejudice in all its forms.
Reflecting on the day, Welsh Conservative Leader Darren Millar MS, said: “Holocaust Memorial Day serves as a solemn reminder of the unimaginable suffering endured by millions during the Holocaust. It is a day to honour the memory of those who were murdered and to reflect on the persecution faced by Jewish people, Gypsies, Roma, disabled individuals, and members of the LGBT community.
“By hearing the voices of survivors and acknowledging this dark chapter in history, we strengthen our commitment to building a world that rejects hate and discrimination in all its forms.
“Eighty years after the liberation of the concentration camps, I urge everyone in Wales to take time today to reflect on these lessons, stand firmly against antisemitism, and challenge racism wherever it persists.”
Also Commenting, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Equalities, Dr. Altaf Hussain MS, said:“We cannot forget the unimaginable horrors that millions of people faced during the Holocaust. Tragically, the scourge of genocide continues to plague humanity.
“The millions of Jews, Roma, disabled individuals, and members of the LGBT community persecuted by this evil regime deserve to have their stories preserved as a timeless lesson for us all.
“It has been eighty years since the liberation of the concentration camps and now more than ever we must deeply reflect on the powerful accounts shared with us by the remaining survivors. May their bravery and commitment to speaking out against the horrors committed during the Holocaust continue to inspire the change we need, so that we may all live in society that is fully respectful of people’s religion, race, gender and sexual orientation.”
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