News
Rural schools to be protected from closure

RURAL SCHOOLS in Pembrokeshire are set to receive a boost after the Education Secretary announced new rules which will protect them from closure.
Between 2006-07 and 2015-16, seven state schools in Pembrokeshire were closed due to financial pressures or surplus places.
The Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams, has said that closure will now be considered as a last resort, only once all other options have been considered.
She went on to say that federations with other schools should also be considered.
That has already happened in Pembrokeshire with Tavernspite and Templeton CP Schools becoming a federation.
Two schools in Milford Haven, The Meads Infant and Nursery School and Milford Haven Junior School, are also set to close in 2018 with the aim of creating one new school.
Three rural schools in the Angle peninsula, Angle, Stackpole and Orielton, are also being closed to make way for a new school in Hundleton, but concerns have been raised out transporting kids to the new school.
Under the rules, authorities must now consider the impact of closure on a child’s education, the wider community and travel arrangements.
They will also have to explain why closure would be seen as the best option.
Speaking in 2016, Kirsty Williams said: “Small and rural schools play an important role in our national mission in raising standards and extending opportunities for all our young people.
“Pupils in rural schools deserve the same opportunities as children in other areas of Wales. However, they face particular challenges including small pupil numbers, budget and resource pressures and greater difficulty in recruiting head teachers and teaching staff.
“Let me be clear – this isn’t simply about keeping all schools open. This is about raising standards in all of our schools, no matter where they are based, and ensuring all schools get a fair hearing when their future is being considered.
“These changes set out a presumption against closing rural schools and new incentives for rural schools to link up and work together for the benefit of both teachers and pupils. I want to see rural schools working more formally together and across the country, forming federations and looking into the possibility of sharing buildings with other services to ensure school buildings remain viable.”
Responding to the new rules, Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru shadow education secretary, said: “I welcome the commitment by the government to consider all options and consult fully before closing any school. The change of direction should mean less pressure on councils to close rural school. Previously the emphasis was on dealing with ’empty places’, which meant that councils were forced to close rural schools. There was no flexibility to cope with variations in population that happen in rural communities periodically. That is the nature of rural communities.
“But, if the government wants to assert keep small schools open, it must also recognise the additional cost for councils at a time of hardship and cuts. I will be seeking assurances that the new Code here means money will not be lost for our more urban schools. The £2.5m funding promised amounts to just £110,000 for every county in Wales – that will not go very far.
“The new code offers an opportunity to ensure the community has a greater voice and, if local people want to keep the school open or federate, then the Welsh Government should respect that opinion wherever possible to ensure the best education for our children.
“That said, the new Code does not mean that rural schools will not be closed and each must be considered individually. I really hope that we see a situation where thriving rural schools are never closed again. Full details of the plan will need to be scrutinise of course before reaching a final judgement about what is being offered.”
Business
Beggars Reach Hotel sold to local business family for £950,000

A WELL KNOWN countryside hotel and event venue has been sold to local operators in a deal brokered by specialist business property adviser Christie & Co.
Beggars Reach Hotel, located in the village of Burton and set within seven acres of landscaped gardens, has been acquired by a local business family with a strong track record in hospitality and retail. The family also owns an established fish and chip restaurant in the seaside town of Tenby, as well as other commercial property interests in the region.
The popular hotel features 30 en-suite bedrooms, a restaurant, bistro-style breakfast room, and several function and event spaces – including a light-filled Orangery. With its sweeping views of the surrounding South West Wales countryside, Beggars Reach has become a sought-after venue for weddings, leisure breaks, and corporate events.
The property also holds planning permission for twenty additional guest rooms and a spa facility, offering the new owners scope for further development.
The transaction was supported by Christie Finance, who secured funding for the buyers within weeks of the sale being agreed.
Sam Roberts, Senior Broker at Christie & Co, said: “After the previous owner acquired the business through us early last year, unforeseen personal circumstances led to the need for a resale. We launched a full marketing campaign, which attracted strong interest, and we were able to secure a suitable buyer quickly. It has been a pleasure to assist with the sale of Beggars Reach for a second time, and we wish the new owners every success in taking the hotel forward.”
Tamara Ryan, Finance Consultant at Christie Finance, added: “It was an absolute pleasure to support our client with this acquisition. As an experienced and ambitious local business partnership, they have exciting plans for the hotel. We secured highly competitive funding within a few weeks of the offer being accepted, reflecting the strong appetite in the market for hotel investment.”
The hotel was sold off an asking price of £950,000.
Crime
Man avoids jail despite possessing child abuse images

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been spared immediate custody after police found almost 70 indecent images of children on his mobile phone — including one image of a child aged around three whose hands and ankles were bound.
Andrew Davies, aged 36, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday (Apr 1), having earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent photographs of children.
The court heard that officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a search warrant at Davies’ home on Brewery Street in November 2022. Davies was present at the property and handed over a mobile phone along with the PIN code to unlock it.
Upon examination of the device, officers discovered 67 illegal images. These included nine category A images — the most serious classification — 14 category B images, and 44 category C images. The images had been downloaded and stored in a password-protected application.
Prosecuting, Sian Cutter said one of the images showed a child estimated to be three years old with their limbs restrained. She told the court that all of the material was accessible on the device and had been intentionally downloaded.
In mitigation, defence barrister Ryan Bowen said Davies was “under no illusion as to the seriousness of his offending”. He said the offences dated back to 2019, and that the matter had been hanging over Davies for several years.
Mr Bowen added: “He has no previous convictions and is of otherwise good character. He accepts responsibility for his actions and has shown insight and a willingness to address his behaviour. There is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.”
Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Catherine Richards told Davies: “The possession and viewing of child sexual abuse images causes direct harm to real children. It is a very serious aggravating factor that some of the images involve children as young as three.”
Davies was handed three prison terms of eight, four and two months, to run concurrently, making a total of eight months. The sentence was suspended for two years.
He must complete 200 hours of unpaid work and attend 25 rehabilitation activity days. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
Business
Valero refinery escapes Trump’s new tariffs

Fuel imports spared as US tries to avoid price hikes
THE VALERO oil refinery in Pembroke has escaped the impact of Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on UK and EU goods, following confirmation from the White House that all oil, gas and refined fuel imports will be exempt from the new trade restrictions.

On Wednesday (Apr 2), Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports into the United States, with higher duties targeting key trading partners including Britain and the European Union. The move has sparked fears of a deepening global trade war, with UK manufacturers, farmers, and exporters among those facing fresh barriers to the American market.
However, a White House official told Reuters that energy imports would be excluded entirely from the tariff measures. The exemption, which applies to crude oil, natural gas, petrol, diesel and jet fuel, is designed to prevent supply disruptions and price spikes in the United States, particularly on the East Coast, where fuel imports from Europe play a vital role.
Relief for Pembrokeshire
The announcement is a major relief for Pembrokeshire, where the Valero refinery at Rhoscrowther remains one of the area’s largest employers. Hundreds of local jobs depend directly on the refinery, with many more supported through contractors, hauliers, suppliers and businesses tied to the energy sector.
A local business owner in Pembroke Dock said: “This is brilliant news for the area. Valero keeps a lot of people in work around here, and the last thing we needed was more uncertainty from across the Atlantic.”
While other Welsh exports—including lamb, steel and whisky—face an uphill battle under the new tariffs, Pembroke’s key fuel production facility has been spared thanks to a combination of its strategic importance and ownership.
American-owned, Atlantic-focused
Valero Energy Corporation, which owns the Pembroke site, is a US-based multinational headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. The company is one of the largest independent refiners in the world, and acquired the Pembroke refinery in 2011 from Chevron for $730 million.
The deal also included a vast logistics and retail network across the UK and Ireland, including four product pipelines, 11 fuel terminals, a 14,000-barrel-per-day aviation fuels business, and more than 1,000 Texaco-branded forecourts—making it the largest branded dealer network in the UK.
At the time of the acquisition, Valero’s Chairman and CEO Bill Klesse said the move would allow the company to supply the US East Coast market more competitively, particularly after exiting US East Coast refining operations in 2010. “The Pembroke refinery remained profitable even during the depths of the economic downturn,” Klesse said. “We expect that it will be immediately accretive to earnings per share.”
Fuel to flow when economics align
The Pembroke refinery has a processing capacity of 270,000 barrels per day, making it one of the most complex and flexible in Europe. It produces around 3.6 million gallons of petrol and 2.2 million gallons of diesel daily and can process more than 60 different types of crude oil.
While exact export volumes to the United States are not publicly disclosed, the site is considered a key part of Valero’s Atlantic Basin margin optimisation strategy—designed to move fuel between Europe and the US when market conditions are favourable. Europe remains a major supplier of refined fuel to the US East Coast, where refining capacity has declined.
An energy analyst told The Herald: “Even if Pembroke isn’t exporting to the US every day, it’s a crucial part of Valero’s strategy. When the economics make sense, diesel or jet fuel from Wales can and does flow to the US. That’s why the White House exemption matters—it keeps those channels open.”
Wider Welsh economy still exposed
While Valero and the Pembroke refinery are protected under the exemption, other Welsh sectors are now facing harsh realities. Exports such as Welsh lamb, whisky, steel and car components are now subject to tariffs that could reduce competitiveness in one of Wales’ most important markets.
Welsh Liberal Democrat MP David Chadwick said: “Donald Trump has launched a destructive trade war that threatens the jobs and living standards of people right across Wales. This needs to be brought to an end quickly, and the Prime Minister should be forming a coalition of allies—Canada, Australia, the EU—to stand against this. If the Government gives in to Trump’s threats, it will only encourage more bullying tactics in future.”
Looking ahead: volatile politics, stable demand
Although energy has been exempted for now, industry insiders warn that volatility remains high.
“The US exemption is about fuel supply and domestic prices,” the analyst added. “If demand or political calculations shift, exemptions could change too. Wales can’t afford to be complacent.”
One refinery worker put it more bluntly: “We’ve dodged this bullet, but with Trump, the safety’s always off.”

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