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WATCH LIVE: Extraordinary Meeting

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Watch live:

http://www.pembrokeshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/127452

  1. 00:00:00Start of webcast
  2. 1 Apologies for Absence
  3. 2 Chairman’s Announcements/Personal Matters
  4. 3 Declarations of Interest
  5. 4 Minutes of Previous Meetings
  6. 4 a) 12 December 2013
    • Minutes , 12/12/2013 Council
  7. 4 b) 14 February 2014 – Extraordinary Meeting
    • Minutes , 14/02/2014 Extraordinary Council 
  8. 00:22:21Cllr Jacob Williams10:29
  9. 00:23:16Cllr James Llewellyn Adams10:30
  10. 00:23:52Cllr Jacob Williams10:30
  11. 00:24:28Cllr William John Arwyn Williams10:31
  12. 00:24:35Cllr Robert Michael Stoddart10:31

Planned

  1. 5 County Council Budget 2014/2015 and Summary Medium Term Financial Plan 2014/2015 – 2015/2016
  2. 6 Council Tax Resolutions 2014/2015
  3. 7 Pay Policy Statement 2014/2015
  4. 8 Family Absence for Members
  5. 9 Question submitted by Councillor W E Evans under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust
  6. 10 Question submitted by Councillor W E Evans under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Narberth Swimming Pool
  7. 11 Question submitted by Councillor W E Evans under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Bedroom Tax effect on Housing
  8. 12 Question submitted by Councillor O W James under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – New Pension Arrangements
  9. 13 Question submitted by Councillor O W James under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Additional Paid Functions for Staff
  10. 14 Question submitted by Councillor O W James under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Pay Policy Statements
  11. 15 Question submitted by Councillor O W James under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
  12. 16 Question submitted by Councillor O W James under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Community Electricity Generation Scheme
  13. 17 Question submitted by Councillor Mrs V M Stoddart under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Merlin House and Fir Tree Close, Merlin’s Bridge
  14. 18 Question submitted by Councillor Mrs V M Stoddart under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Council-Owned Empty Commercial Properties
  15. 19 Question submitted by Councillor Mrs V M Stoddart under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Payment of Business Rates on empty Commercial Properties
  16. 20 Question submitted by Councillor D M Bryan under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Police Inquiry
  17. 21 Question submitted by Councillor Jacob Williams under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – New Constitution
  18. 22 Question submitted by Councillor Jacob Williams under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Pension Payments Scheme
  19. 23 Question submitted by Councillor P N Miller under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Townscape Heritage Initiative and Commercial Property Grant Schemes in Pembroke Dock
  20. 24 Question submitted by Councillor Pat Davies under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Pay and Grading
  21. 25 Question submitted by Councillor Alison Lee under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Pembroke Dock THI & Commercial Property Grant Schemes
  22. 26 Question submitted by Councillor Tessa Hodgson under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Pension Scheme
  23. 27 Question submitted by Councillor Tessa Hodgson under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Mr Kerr
  24. 28 Question submitted by Councillor Tessa Hodgson under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Mr Watson
  25. 29 Question submitted by Councillor Tessa Hodgson under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Information given to Mr Kerr
  26. 30 Question submitted by Councillor J A Brinsden under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Cost of Legal Advice and Report
  27. 31 Question submitted by Councillor J A Brinsden under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Press Cuttings
  28. 32 Question submitted by Councillor D K Howlett under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Recent interactions with either the Hywel Dda Health Board or the Welsh Government on services
  29. 33 Question submitted by Councillor D K Howlett under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Damage sustained during the recent bad weather
  30. 34 Question submitted by Councillor R P Kilmister under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Public Interest Report
  31. 35 Question submitted by Councillor R P Kilmister under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Senior Staff Committee
  32. 36 Question submitted by Councillor R P Kilmister under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Decision of the Senior Staff Committee
  33. 37 Question submitted by Councillor R P Kilmister under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Extraordinary Council
  34. 38 Question submitted by Councillor R P Kilmister under Council Procedure Rule 9.2 – Council Reputation
  35. 39 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  36. 40 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  37. 41 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  38. 42 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  39. 43 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  40. 44 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  41. 45 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  42. 46 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  43. 47 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  44. 48 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  45. 49 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  46. 50 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  47. 51 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  48. 52 Notice of Motion relating to the Chief Executive
  49. 53 Notice of Motion relating to the Monitoring Officer
  50. 54 Notice of Motion relating to the Monitoring Officer
  51. 55 Notice of Motion relating to the Monitoring Officer
  52. 56 Notice of Motion relating to the Monitoring Officer
  53. 57 Notice of Motion relating to the Monitoring Officer
  54. 58 Notice of Motion relating to the Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism and Communities
  55. 59 Notice of Motion relating to membership of the Audit and Democratic Services Committees
  56. 60 Notice of Motion relating to the call-in procedure for Cabinet Decisions
  57. 61 Notice of Motion relating to Broadband Provision
  58. 62 Notice of Motion relating to Graduate Recruitment and Support
  59. 63 Notice of Motion relating to Housing Allocation – Local Connections Policy
  60. 64 Notice of Motion relating to the Planning and Rights of Way Committee
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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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News

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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News

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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