News

Can Pembrokeshire still afford Wales’ lowest council tax?

Published

8 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.

Local Government

Calls grow for independent investigation into Manorbier school closure

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Councillor alleges misleading figures, inadequate insurance and poor treatment of staff

CALLS for an independent investigation into the controversial closure of Manorbier Church in Wales VC School are gathering pace ahead of a full council meeting next week.

Local member Cllr Phil Kidney has submitted a Notice of Motion calling for a full and impartial inquiry into the way Pembrokeshire County Council handled the closure process.

***Protests have taken place outside County Hall over the future of the school***

The proposed investigation would examine the length of time taken, alleged broken promises, insurance arrangements and the involvement of the council’s Human Resources department.

Cllr Kidney says the review should be carried out by someone who is not employed by the authority and should have the power to recommend disciplinary action where appropriate.

He said: “A full impartial review should hopefully stop another school being treated so appallingly.”

***Questions are being raised about the length of time taken, alleged broken promises, insurance arrangements***

The call has now been backed by Milford Haven Hakin Reform councillor Scott Thorley, who launched a strongly worded attack on the authority’s handling of the school.

Writing on Facebook, Cllr Thorley said: “The council’s treatment of this school is shocking. Misleading figures, manufactured pupil numbers, totally inadequate insurance and the worst thing was the treatment of the staff.”

The claims have not yet been independently established, but they add to growing pressure on the council to explain how the school’s closure was handled and why the fire-damaged building was not fully reinstated.

Manorbier School and the adjoining schoolhouse were severely damaged by fire in October 2022, with pupils subsequently moved to a temporary “school from school” at Jameston Village Hall.

Although campaigners had hoped the original school would be rebuilt, councillors later backed a statutory process to discontinue it.

The proposal attracted strong opposition, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition calling for the school to be rebuilt and more than 90 per cent of consultation respondents opposing closure.

At a special meeting on June 15, councillors voted by 30 votes to 23, with four abstentions, to proceed with the final steps towards closure.

***Pembrokeshire County Councillors recently backed a proposal to close the school***

The Diocese of St Davids also opposed the decision and warned that legal action, including judicial review, could follow.

Questions remain over the insurance cover in place at the time of the fire, the true cost of rebuilding or closing the school, disputed pupil and surplus-place figures, and the treatment of staff during the process.

Pembrokeshire County Council has previously said the Leader has asked the Governance and Audit Committee to review the authority’s insurance position.

Cllr Kidney is also seeking an apology from Cllr Paul Miller, the council’s deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Education.

He has asked whether Cllr Miller will apologise to staff and parents for comments made at the June meeting, including claims that children would receive a better education at St Florence and that Manorbier pupils were being taught in one room.

Cllr Kidney described those comments as factually wrong and insulting to staff who had worked to maintain education standards after the fire.

Both the motion for an investigation and the request for an apology are due to be considered when full council meets on Thursday (Jul 16).

Local Government

Memorial bench unveiled in honour of former councillor Mike Stoddart

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AN EMOTIONAL gathering was held at Hubberston and Hakin Community Centre as family, friends and volunteers came together to remember the late Mike Stoddart last week.

Members of Mike’s family joined Community Centre trustees and volunteers to commemorate a memorial bench installed in the centre’s Memorial Garden.

Mike, affectionately known as “Old Grumpy”, died on January 4, 2026, aged 85.

Alongside his many years of service as the county councillor for Hakin, Mike was also a dedicated trustee of the Community Centre and worked tirelessly on behalf of local residents.

The inscription on the bench describes it as “a place to sit and remember” and recognises Mike’s contribution as a centre trustee.

The Community Centre said it had been an emotional but special evening and thanked everyone who attended to pay tribute.

Similar memorials are also being planned to honour the late Eric Harries and John Morgan, recognising their own service and contribution to the community.

Community

Fire service issues safety warning as extreme heat raises wildfire risk

Published

6 hours ago

July 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE is urging residents and visitors to take extra care as extreme heat and prolonged dry conditions increase the risk of wildfires and water-related emergencies.

The warning follows the issuing of a red extreme heat alert for parts of Wales, with exceptionally high temperatures forecast and emergency services preparing for added pressure in the days ahead.

Fire chiefs say the hot, dry weather has left grassland and vegetation particularly vulnerable, meaning even a small spark could develop into a fast-moving countryside fire.

Aled Griffiths, Head of Community Safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “With very high temperatures forecast across Wales this week, it’s important that we all take extra care to stay safe and reduce avoidable risks.

“We want everyone to enjoy the sunshine, but these conditions can increase the likelihood of incidents, including fires and water-related emergencies.

“Small actions can make a big difference, whether that’s using barbecues safely, disposing of smoking materials responsibly or taking extra care around open water.”

Barbecue and outdoor fire safety

Anyone using a barbecue is being advised to place it on a flat, non-combustible surface, well away from buildings, fences, dry grass and shrubs.

Barbecues should never be left unattended and must be completely extinguished and allowed to cool before ashes are disposed of.

The public is also being asked not to light campfires or other open fires, particularly in rural areas where dry vegetation can allow flames to spread rapidly.

Cigarettes, matches and glass bottles should never be discarded in the countryside.

The fire service has also reminded residents that burning grass or garden waste is prohibited at this time of year.

Open water warning

The hot weather is also expected to encourage more people to swim in lakes, rivers, reservoirs and other open water.

However, the fire service warned that water temperatures can remain dangerously cold even during periods of extreme heat.

Cold water shock can cause an involuntary gasp, rapid breathing, panic and a sudden loss of swimming ability, significantly increasing the risk of drowning.

People are advised never to jump or dive into unfamiliar water and not to enter open water after drinking alcohol.