News

Deputy Council leader is suspended for misconduct

Published

12 years ago

March 31, 2014

COUNCILLOR Rob Lewis has been suspended for two weeks by the Standards Committee after they found that he was in breach of the code of conduct.

After receiving an anonymous DVD entitled ‘IPG election campaigns 2008 and 2012’ Councillor David Bryan made a complaint and in September 2012 the Public Services Ombudsman was called in to investigate.

‘lewisrob’ is shown as the author or last person to save the files, all of which were created between March and May of 2012. The first 16 files included election posters and documents encouraging voters to support Independent Group councillors Clive Collins, David Simpson, Elwyn Morse, Ken Rowlands, Lyndon Frayling, Pearl Llewellyn, Peter Stock and himself and former councillors Jim Codd and John George.

Cllr Lewis, who is also the Cabinet spokesperson for Highways, Planning, Transportation and Major Events, accepted that he had used the council’s computer system inappropriately in those 16 circumstances, but had disputed that the context of a further five instances were improper use. Cllr Lewis disputed the other five because he believed that they “relate to the management of the political structure of the council and are directly connected to the running of the council, and is therefore not a breach of the Code of Conduct”.

At the hearing, Cllr Lewis said: “I was asked by members to prepare a speculative view of how the authority would look after the elections.

“Maybe in hindsight I should have picked up my laptop, instead I used the machine which I had sat in front of for six or seven years.

“The five files are split into two sections: Pre election files and actual files. The pre-election ones could be deemed inappropriate, but the post-election ones are to do with the formation of the council.

“The files before you were stored in the council system, taken without my permission, and used against me.”

However, after deliberating the issue for over an hour, the committee considered that the documents that were disputed did not relate to council business. The council’s Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding said: “They were not appropriate uses of the council’s resources”.

Committee leader, Mr Ian Williams said: “Cllr Lewis will be suspended for two weeks. Cllr Lewis has been very forthright in his responses, but he is a senior member of the council and should have ensured that he fully understood the rules.

“The whole subject of the use of the council’s IT resources needs to be completely reviewed in light of the issues raised in this hearing and members must be provided with clear rules governing the use of IT resources and facilities”.

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

27 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

43 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

13 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include: