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Councillors given new school plan

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screen-shot-2016-10-24-at-12-22-55PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL (PCC) met with members of Estyn this week (Oct 11) for a confidential seminar on the future of secondary school education provision in Pembrokeshire.

Just months after councillors voted against the proposed plans to reorganise Pembrokeshire’s secondary school structure in May this year, plans for a new sixth form provision in the county have surfaced once again.

A major aspect of the newly proposed plans include an 11-19 school to be sited in Haverfordwest – this is in addition to the 3-16 Welsh medium school which will be sited at Withybush, Haverfordwest.

The specific site of the new secondary school is still unknown; there is several in contention, including the site of Tasker Milward, Sir Thomas Picton, or a new site entirely. Also discussed as a possibility was a split site; however, this is now increasingly unlikely.

The new school will feature sixth form provision with ‘delivery to be in line with any future arrangements for Pembrokeshire’.

Three smaller 11-19 schools to be sited in Milford Haven, Greenhill and Pembroke also feature in the newly proposed plans. The current school of Pembroke had been hoping for a new vocational centre as an off-shoot of Pembrokeshire College; however, decisions taken by PCC in July have likely brought such plans to a close.

Presenting at the seminar, Director for Children and Schools Kate Evans-Hughes also stated the need for a ‘revised federation model’ for secondary school provision in Pembrokeshire.

Reiterating this point, and largely proposing a new set of guidelines regarding sixth form provision, was Frank Ciccotti of the Pembrokeshire Association of Secondary Headteachers (PASH).

In what seemed to suggest a consolidation of post-16 education in the county, PASH said: “The larger the school, the more viable, allowing greater investment in A level teaching.”

PASH also stated, in its presentation, that ‘no sixth form can survive alone and offer the full range of subjects’, and furthermore suggested that there would be ‘significant benefits from a school of 500+ in sixth form, as regards the ability to offer more subjects and deliver surpluses’.

With reference to the financial viability of the current model, it was suggested that subjects currently require at least 15 students to achieve viability.

Taking only AS level into account, in the north of the county, Ysgol Bro Gwaun currently has no subjects which fill this quota. Ysgol Dewi Sant has four (out of 11 subjects); English Literature, Chemistry, Maths and Religious Studies.

Institutions in Haverfordwest fare slightly better, with Pembrokeshire College achieving the 15 students mark in 13 out of 15 subjects offered, while Sir Thomas Picton currently meets the target in 12 out of 19 subjects. Tasker Milward, however, only achieves the target in three subjects; Chemistry, Biology and Psychology.

The south of the county appears in a similar situation to the north, with Milford Haven, Greenhill and Pembroke collectively offering 11 subjects which have 15 students or more – out of a collective subject count of 56.

With the figures to hand, Mr Ciccotti suggested ‘there is limited strategic planning of what is taught where’ and, as such, went on to echo the words of Kate Evans-Hughes in calling for a ‘federation model’ and a ‘duty to collaborate’.

Justifying the need for a federation model, Mr Ciccotti said that the current situation means there is ‘no consistency of subjects offered across the county’, with subjects often based on ‘historic legacy’. He also added that the best teachers may not be available in each school. This has resulted in duplication of subjects and resources being stretched, and students being forced to ‘travel to get their choice, or select subjects based on logistics’, Mr Campion added.

Also expressing concern over financial sustainability, Mr Campion went on to list further justifications for a federation model. These included insufficient investment for existing facilities and technology, as well as professional development of staff. He also added that resources are diverted away from 11-16 teaching in order to support A level teaching, which is ‘not fair or appropriate’.

Mr Ciccotti has previously called on PCC in the past, repeatedly questioning the sustainability of the current secondary provision model.

Mr Ciccotti also made reference to the need for greater ‘access to technology’, suggesting that the way in which students learn is changing: “No longer are libraries the way students study.” He added that a rural community such as Pembrokeshire requires teaching methods that allow for remote learning.

In the closing stages of his presentation, speaking in regard to some form of consolidation across the county, Mr Ciccotti expressed how ‘on a combined basis, 30 subjects are viable; however, even more could be offered’.

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Business

Thousands of homes in rural Wales gain from faster 4G boost

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RURAL Wales is seeing a major upgrade in mobile connectivity, with faster 4G now live in several areas. Seven locations across North, South West, and West Wales are benefitting from new 4G mast upgrades funded by the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN), aimed at closing the digital gap between rural and urban areas.

The upgrades, which went live on Thursday (Nov 14), bring improved 4G coverage to communities including Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park, and Bontgoch. Local businesses, emergency services, and residents are expected to benefit from faster internet access, which supports daily communication, business opportunities, and economic growth.

There is a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for modern life and should be available from Cardiff to the remotest parts of Wales. Today’s upgrades bring us closer to making this a reality.”

SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION

As part of the rollout, Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visited Ebbw Vale to discuss digital inclusion with charity and industry leaders. They met with representatives at BGfm, a digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, to learn about how connectivity impacts daily life in Welsh communities.

Telecoms Minister Bryant said: “We are working tirelessly to make sure rural communities aren’t left behind online.

“These upgrades mean businesses can now operate without connectivity limitations, 999 services are better equipped to respond, and residents and tourists can stay connected across the Welsh countryside.”

ADDRESSING CONNECTIVITY GAPS

An estimated 1.5 million homes across the UK remain without internet access, limiting people’s ability to access essential services such as banking and healthcare. In addition to the SRN upgrades, the Chancellor has allocated over £500 million in next year’s budget for digital infrastructure expansion, targeting these underserved areas.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly for rural Wales, where fast, reliable internet can be transformative.

“Connectivity is critical for day-to-day life in rural areas – from supporting local businesses to ensuring emergency services are just a call away,” Stevens said.

The upgraded masts, previously limited to EE customers and emergency 999 calls, now serve a wider user base, bringing essential internet access to more people without requiring new infrastructure.

Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, said: “With the activation of five new SRN sites, Wales is seeing the tangible benefits of the Shared Rural Network, bringing crucial connectivity to rural communities.”

GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN REMOTE WALES

The improvements come alongside a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties, helping future-proof digital access in even the most isolated locations.

The latest upgrades mark another step in the Government’s mission to improve mobile coverage and close the connectivity gap across Wales, creating opportunities and supporting economic growth across rural communities.

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Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children

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A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.

The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.

There were protests outside MacDonald’s house in September 2024 (Pic: Herald)

Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.

During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.

MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.

Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.

Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.

Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.

Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.

MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.

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Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home

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A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.

Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).

In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.

PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”

This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.

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