News

Can Pembrokeshire still afford Wales’ lowest council tax?

Published

6 years ago

October 20, 2018

PEMBOKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S Finance Director, Jon Haswell said council tax would need to rise significantly to meet service needs in the wake of a 0.4% cut in Welsh Government funding.

Although its the smallest cut out of all the councils in Wales, the cut puts the authority £600,000 out of pocket

He was effectively saying that the councils coffers will be empty and that something has to change, and change fast.

Last year Pembrokeshire’s council tax went up by 12.5% – the first double-digit increase in Wales since 2004 – but Pembrokeshire’s Council Tax bills are still the lowest in Wales.

At the Audit Committee meeting on Thursday (Oct 18), Mr Haswell warned that on current predictions, based on the Welsh Government’s standard spending assessment of what it thinks the council needs, council tax would need to rise by 28% or more unless services were cut.

That is 2% less than Plaid Cymru councillor Mike Williams’ said it would be at Full Council the week before (Oct 11), but it’s pretty close.

As we reported on Friday in our print edition, Cllr Williams turned his own fire on the previous administration for placing Pembrokeshire into its current financial position, pointing out that the actual rise in Council Tax needed to address the funding gap in March this year was in excess of 30%.

He said: ‘It’s about time some members had a wake-up call’ as to the current state of the Council’s finances and the previous administration’s totemic policy of having the lowest Council Tax in Wales. Firmly pointing the finger at Cllrs Adams and Davies following their earlier questions, he suggested they needed to look to themselves to find the origins of the authority’s current difficulties.

RECAP – WHAT WE REPORTED LAST WEEK

A 0.5% cut in funding to Pembrokeshire County Council will result in significant and potentially devastating cuts to public services.
As we previously reported, the Welsh Government announced its budget settlement for Welsh local government last week.
While that settlement shows ‘only’ a 0.5% cut in the Pembrokeshire’s Revenue Support Grant, the reality behind that headline figure is grim.
And there is little comfort to be taken in the news that Pembrokeshire’s cut is smaller than that inflicted on neighbouring Carmarthenshire. Pembrokeshire’s budget is far smaller in proportion to Carmarthenshire’s. Our County’s resources are stretched to breaking point following years of the folly of the ‘lowest Council Tax in Wales’ policy in twenty-two years of rule by the ‘Independent’ group, most lately under Jamie Adams.
While money was washing around local government that policy was sustainable. However, once systemic cuts came in 2008 – and persisted for ten years and rising – there was no fat to trim and cuts are now deep into the bone of frontline services.
The Welsh Government funding takes little or no account of the Council’s obligation to pay wage increases negotiated centrally which far outstrips the money provided to meet them, changes in National Insurance, changes to teachers’ pensions, the effects of inflation, and the impact of regulations affecting buildings’ maintenance.
Hit seven ways from Sunday by a barrage of deep cuts to its budget delivered year-on-year for the last decade and in the teeth of the fallout of a Council Tax policy which has left the Council’s cupboard bare, there is no way for the Council to resolve its financial position without making even deeper cuts than those already contemplated and revealed exclusively in this newspaper last week.
The social care budget’s ‘protection’ by the Welsh Government has left all Councils floundering; because Pembrokeshire has a high proportion of older residents, it has been hit hard. The Council has even less money to spend on other services as the proportion of a smaller revenue ‘pie’ is taken up by protected budgets.
The devastation being wreaked by cuts is unsurprising. In 2014 dire warnings were given about the cumulative effects of continuing cuts before that year’s budget. Almost five years’ on, the situation is even worse than predicted.
With the Cabinet unwilling to ask for a further large Council Tax increase for next year, real savings will be hard to find. Something somewhere has to give.
The only hope is that the UK Government actually delivers real relief from austerity instead of tinkering at the edges.

Education

South Hook delivers vital safety lessons to Pembrokeshire children

Published

1 hour ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE’S CRUCIAL CREW event returned earlier this month, delivering essential safety lessons to year six pupils from across the county.

Now in its 31st year, Wales’ longest-running Crucial Crew programme hosted nearly 1,300 children from 44 schools at Scolton Manor Park’s Barn – the event’s first time at this venue. The initiative, organised by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Road Safety Team, is supported by South Hook LNG Terminal.

Since its inception in 1993, more than 40,000 Pembrokeshire schoolchildren have taken part in the interactive workshops designed to teach critical safety skills. Aimed at year six pupils, the programme continues to play a key role in preparing children for a safer future as they transition to secondary school.

Covering a wide range of everyday scenarios, the workshops provide guidance on water, fire, road, and rail safety, as well as school bus evacuation, electrical hazards, internet safety, and handling dogs. The programme also addresses serious topics such as domestic violence. Through these hands-on scenarios, children develop practical knowledge that can stay with them for life.

Hamad Al Samra, General Manager of South Hook LNG Terminal, expressed pride in supporting the initiative: “Having backed Crucial Crew for the past fifteen years, we are incredibly proud to continue our involvement in a programme that teaches our children such diverse and valuable safety skills. Our thanks to all the dedicated individuals from various agencies who make this event possible.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, echoed this sentiment: “Pembrokeshire County Council is proud to be a partner in this fantastic scheme, supporting our young people to be safer now and in the future. We are grateful for the commitment of everyone involved in delivering Crucial Crew.”

This year’s event featured contributions from key organisations, including:

Pembrokeshire Domestic Abuse Services
Road Safety and School Transport teams
National Grid and Network Rail
Welsh Ambulance Service
Dyfed Powys Police
Mid and West Wales Fire Service
John Burns Foundation
HM Coastguard and the RNLI

Charity

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society donate £1,400 to all-Wales charity

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

WALES AIR AMBULANCE has continued to benefit from being the chosen charity of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s president Adam Thorne.

Throughout the year the society has come together to raise much-needed funds for the Wales Air Ambulance.

Adam chose the Wales Air Ambulance Charity because of how valuable the service is to the rural and farming community in West Wales.

Following a successful harvest festival service and pre-Pembrokeshire County Show service, donations were made towards the charity of £1,400.

Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

The Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million every ensure to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road.

Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s fundraising journey will continue, with a carol concert on 16 December and a luncheon in February.

Mike May, the Charity’s Regional Fundraising Manager for West Wales said: “Firstly a huge thank you to President Adam Thorne for picking our Charity as Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s Charity of the Year. Thank you to everyone who has helped to raise the funds and will continue to assist with fundraising events for Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.

“The Charity relies on donations, like these to be able to continue to provide our lifesaving service for the people of Wales. We hope the up and coming concert and luncheon is just as successful as their previous fundraisers.”

Business

Millin Brook Luxury Dog Boarding wins three top industry awards

Published

2 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Tom Sinclair

MILLIN BROOK Luxury Dog Boarding, a family-run business in Wiston, has received three major industry awards this year, cementing its place as a leader in pet care services.

The first accolade came in September when the business was named Business Service of the Year at the PetQuip Awards. Co-owner Sian Smith said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been awarded Business Service of the Year. We put our heart and soul into providing the highest possible level of service to our wonderful clients, and it’s great to have this recognised by industry experts.”

THE UK’S BEST

On November 7, Millin Brook was crowned Best Kennels in the UK at the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards. These awards, which celebrate excellence across the pet care sector, saw Millin Brook score highly in customer satisfaction.

Nigel Baker, CEO of the Pet Industry Federation, said:

“Millin Brook particularly impressed the judges. They scored very highly on their customer satisfaction scores.”

Co-owner Dave Smith added: “This is the biggest accolade we can receive in the pet industry, and we are so very proud.”

A LONDON CELEBRATION

The year was rounded off on November 21, when Millin Brook won the Kennel and Home Boarding category at the Dog Friendly Awards, held at the Kennel Club in Mayfair, London.

Mrs Smith reflected on the occasion, saying: “It is such a beautiful venue and full of history. Following the award ceremony, we were treated to a fabulous spread of afternoon tea. One of the highlights was meeting Ted, the dog from Gone Fishing. We finished the day with a tour around the Kennel Club museum and enjoyed a few celebration drinks.”

These three awards highlight Millin Brook’s commitment to providing outstanding pet care and confirm its status as a standout name in the UK pet industry.