News

Advice of officers ‘changed’ on grants

Published

11 years ago

March 14, 2014

CABINET Spokesperson for Economy, Tourism and Communities David Pugh has confirmed to Councillors what The Pembrokeshire Herald previously told its readers: the method of auditing the multi-million pounds schemes DID NOT ensure the integrity of all transactions. Speaking at Full Council yesterday, Cllr Pugh did not reveal how the sample of transactions used to justify payments under the scheme were selected. Cllr Pugh did confirm that it was only after a referral to the Director of Finance and Leisure by Councillors Mike Stoddart and Jacob Williams in relation to an irregularity in the documentation relating to the redevelopment of 10 Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock, that a referral to the Police was made.

Cllr Pugh appeared to misspeak himself and state that there was confusion by Cllrs Stoddart and Williams as to the nature of the information they had uncovered.

Councillor Pugh also confirmed that advice tendered to Cabinet members by senior officers had changed in light of the detailed examination of the documents ordered by independent Audit Committee chair John Evans MBE.

Cllr Paul Miller had earlier prompted the leader to explain why Councillors were repeatedly told there were no problems with the scheme and why the IPPG had tried to stymie debate and slur Cllr Stoddart’s good name. Defending his administration, Cllr Adams suggested that the advice given to Cabinet by officers was contrary to the allegations raised by Cllr Stoddart.

Responding to Cllr Pugh, Cllr Jacob Williams raised a point of order in which he clarified that it appeared to him that two copies of the document concerned had appeared on the file. One with handwritten annotations highlighting a number of arithmetical “errors” and one without.

In another petty dig at Cllr Mike Stoddart, IPPG leader Jamie Adams pointed out that it was the local authority which had referred the matter to the Police and not the member for Hakin.

The referral to the Police, as revealed in the Pembrokeshire Herald, was not made at 17:15 on Tuesday February 11, 2014, as claimed by Cllr Adams. A Council spokesperson previously confirmed to the Herald that a formal referral had been made only after the EGM on February 14, 2014.

News

Car crashes into house in St Davids

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).

Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | [email protected]
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.