News
Neyland: Precept goes up by £2 per household
MEMBERS of Neyland Town Council, at a council meeting held last night (Jan 10), voted to increase the precept by £2.00 per household to £62.00, an increase inline with inflation of a little over 3%.
Apart from a small increase in the usual administration and running costs of the office and staff, the increase is necessary in order to repay the monies borrowed in order to contribute towards the Neyland Community Hub.
It is hoped construction will begin on this exciting new development by the spring of this year and once completed, the Town Council will have use of an up to date dedicated office for the Town Clerk and access to modern meeting rooms and facilities, something which is sadly lacking at present. The Hub will also provide an impressive new sports/conference/meeting facility for the people of Neyland and the surrounding area.
The Town Development budget has been set at £5,000 and this is a fund set aside to assist clubs, groups and other organisations within the Town to purchase new equipment or to introduce a new facility for its users.
Forms to apply for a grant are available from the Town Clerk’s office in High Street or on the Neyland Town Council website at the bottom of the Development Grant page.
The Twinning budget remains at £2,000 in order to assist groups wishing to take part in Twinning exchanges to our twin town of Sanguinet in France and a budget of £5,000 has been set for the maintenance of green spaces, in anticipation of the Council taking over the management and maintenance of the playpark at Victoria Court and the field at Belle Vue plus any other green or planted areas that require attention.
The Council is still contributing 50% towards the cost of keeping the public conveniences open at Brunel Quay and for fully funding the Christmas lights and Santa’s gifts for the children of Neyland.
The Council, along with Llanstadwell Community Council, also contributes towards the maintenance and management of Honeyborough Cemetery ensuring that it remains a well-kept and well managed burial ground which is a credit to the town.
The Mayor Cllr Simon Hancock commented: “In terms of a weekly sum per household, £62.00 equates to an approximate payment of £1.20 per week which in terms of the services provided offers good value for money.”
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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