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School reassures parents after drugs incident

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pembrokesdrugsPEMBROKE SCHOOL has been seeking to reassure families following a serious incident involving drugs at the school. 

Headmaster Mr Frank Ciccotti wrote to all parents and guardians on Wednesday following seven students becoming unwell after experimenting with a legal high. Some students were treated at the scene, and others were taken to Withybush Hospital on May 14. Mr Ciccotti wrote: “I know that some parents are worried about drugs following the incident last week which had so much media attention. “I would like to reassure you that this was an isolated incident. One year 10 pupil had brought a ‘legal high’ into school to share with his group of friends at lunchtime. He bought this the previous evening in the local area, not on the school site. This group of 10 friends went to a secluded woodland area, a long way away from the school building, and shared the drug. “Unfortunately, one student had a very severe reaction to it. This was reported to us by responsible students. He was so unwell that we called for an ambulance and they in turn called the air ambulance as a precautionary measure, although ultimately it was not used to take him to hospital. “Together with all the pupils who had taken the drug, he was checked in hospital and released later that evening. All are now well. “All the pupils involved in this incident have received fixed term exclusions. This is our standard practice for the very few incidents involving drugs or alcohol on the school site. It is our way of sending a strong message that Pembroke School does not tolerate drugs and alcohol. “We also co-operate fully with the local police. For example, we recently agreed that the police could come to the school with drug sniffer dogs as a deterrent. This was not because we had an issue with drugs, as has been reported in some newspapers, but as part of a police initiative involving several local schools. It was a very effective exercise. “The police are talking to pupils in special assemblies this week, and I am emphasising to pupils that these drugs are not safe and that we take disciplinary action if ever pupils are found with drugs on site. “I hope this reassures you. Pembroke School takes a strong stand against drugs, and our PSE programme brings in expert speakers to emphasise the risks and dangers of both legal and illegal drugs.” This, however, was not the first letter to parents about drug use at the school, Mr Ciccotti wrote to parents at the beginning of April, warning that legal highs were being taken at the school. The April letter stated: “You will be aware that we are currently cooperating successfully with the police on a programme to raise awareness of illegal drugs. However, there are some problems we are currently facing with a small number of students using other substances which are not currently illegal. I am writing to make our position on these clear.” The letter added: “These are drugs which are often as dangerous as illegal drugs but which have not yet been classified. They result in the same outof- control behaviours and the same risks to students. We will treat them in the same way as illegal drugs both in relation to supply and consumption in school time.” Police attended the school to offer support and reassurance on the day after the incident. Officers carried out further inquiries at the school regarding the “psychoactive substance”. A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Although the majority were taken to Withybush Hospital as a precaution, none were admitted and soon returned to their parents. “Officers will be visited the school to provide advice, support and reassurance, and conduct further inquiries.” Police said so-called legal highs frequently contained substances that were not legal and could not be assumed safe. “These substances have not been properly tested to see how toxic they are to humans so there is no way of telling how a psychoactive drug will affect you,” added the spokesperson.

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Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

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A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

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News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

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THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

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Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

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RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”

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