News

District Enforcement deny using tactics and incentives for penalties

Published

7 years ago

November 22, 2018

A REPRESENTATIVE from the District Enforcement team has denied that their officers have been using tactics against members of the public when issuing Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

At a meeting of the Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday (Nov 22), members asked numerous questions about the issuing of notices and asked for assurances that children under the age of 18 weren’t being targeted.

District Enforcement Representative John Dunne denied that officers were using tactics describing them as ‘pro-active’ and said that they were not being offered incentives to issue notices.

A report to the council states that from September 10 until November 9, 945 fixed penalty tickets were issued, a high percentage of which (99.58%) were for littering.

Many of those involved cigarette butts while there have also been a few notices issues for general littering and dog fouling.

The Council have said that 323 tickets remain unpaid after ten days as of November 1 and that ten cases were ready to proceed court.

District Enforcement officers have been on patrol in Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, Goodwick and Narberth – amongst others.

The Council’s Head of Environment, Richard Brown said that although the majority of notices issued related to fag butts this was not their intention when it was first started.

He went on to speak about comments on social media which described the behaviour of some officers but said: “We don’t get complaints from people who don’t commit an offence.

“A lot of things on social media may not be entirely truthful and any enforcement activity will lead to a lash-back by members of the public and there are little direct complaints to us.”

John Dunne told members he had seen the impact that enforcement has had in other areas but added that it needed to be aligned with education.

Cllr Rob Summons led the questions asking if officers were targeting areas that produced the greatest number of penalty notices.

John Dunne said that officers patrolled the whole of the county and that their strategy would be determined by complaints from members of the public.

Asked about using tactics, John said: “I deny that, we are pro-active rather than reactive. We wouldn’t be serving the people, if we had that intelligence, if we didn’t catch that person.”

Cllr Summons asked if officers were given incentives but John added: “All officers are salaried, paid an hourly rate and they are not incentivised whatsoever. We are completely transparent on this and the local authority can log on to our system and check payslips.”

He also went on to say that children under 18 could not be issued with a notice but if someone was wrongly given a notice, all they would need to do was send identification through an email and the penalty would be cancelled.

Cllr Brian Hall said that the process was ‘well overdue’ and added: “If we’re going to do things we’ve got to get it right.”

He gave an example of someone who had been given a notice in a Tesco car park but had the notice cancelled as it was deemed not in the public interest.

Cllr Tim Evans also raised an issue where a homeless person had been given an FPN but John Dunne said that on reviewing the 16-minute interaction between the officer and the man, he did not say he was homeless but went on to say this was also cancelled.

Other members also talked about education being needed while Cllr Simon Hancock sought assurances that no child under the age of 10 would be issued with a penalty notice.

John Dunne gave that assurance and went on to say that there was a minimum of two officers patrolling a certain area of the county and that they would cover the whole county in a week.

He added that officer work from 7am to 7pm but added if they had intelligence of litter being dropped at later times they could go out at those times to catch people.

Cllr Summons concluded by encouraging members of the public to report any littering concerns to their local councillor for the information to be passed on.

He also requested that the committee receive an update in April about the service.

News

Wales name squad for Six Nations opener against England

Published

6 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Herald Sport

Lake to captain side at Twickenham as Macleod set for tournament debut

WALES national rugby union team have confirmed their starting XV for the opening match of the Six Nations Championship, with captain Dewi Lake leading the side into Saturday’s clash with England national rugby union team at Allianz Stadium Twickenham.

Kick-off is at 4:40pm, with live coverage on ITV1 and S4C.

Lake starts at hooker and anchors a front row that includes Nicky Smith at loosehead and Archie Griffin at tighthead, the latter having made his international debut against England during the 2024 campaign.

Dafydd Jenkins partners Adam Beard in the second row, while Josh Macleod earns a first Six Nations start at openside flanker. He is joined in the back row by Alex Mann on the blindside and Aaron Wainwright at No. 8.

Tomos Williams is selected at scrum-half alongside fly-half Dan Edwards.

In midfield, Eddie James makes his second Test start at outside centre, pairing with Ben Thomas. Out wide, Josh Adams and Ellis Mee are named on the wings, with Louis Rees-Zammit returning at fullback for his first Six Nations appearance since 2023.

Bench strength

Wales opt for a six-two split among the replacements.

Tomas Francis is set to make his first international appearance since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Liam Belcher and Rhys Carre providing additional front-row cover.

Harri Deaves, Ben Carter and Taine Plumtree complete the forward options, while Mason Grady and Kieran Hardy offer backline reinforcement.

Tandy: “We want to attack the game”

Head coach Steve Tandy said the occasion and rivalry would bring extra intensity.

“Wales v England is always special given the history between the two nations,” he said.

“We know they’re playing some outstanding rugby and they’re in great form, but representing Wales means everything to this group.

“The squad have trained brilliantly this week. We want to get out there, attack the game and give the best account of ourselves. Opening the Six Nations at Twickenham is historic and we can’t wait.”

Speaking about Macleod’s selection, Tandy added: “Josh has had tough luck with injuries, but the way he’s come back — his leadership, his preparation and the intensity he brings — has been excellent. It’s great to see him get this opportunity.”

Community

Community exhibition showcases ateb customers’ creativity at Torch Theatre

Published

21 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW pop-up exhibition celebrating local history, identity and creativity is set to open at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven, showcasing artwork created by customers and partners of ateb Housing Association.

The free exhibition brings together a year’s worth of creative work produced through the Wales REACH project, which encourages participants to explore Pembrokeshire’s heritage while building confidence, skills and social connections.

Through workshops, visits and shared activities, residents have developed a varied collection of personal and community-focused pieces reflecting their own experiences and the stories of the county.

Among the featured works is Museum in a Bag, a reflective look at identity and self; REACH for the Landsker Line, which examines Pembrokeshire’s cultural divide through Norman castles and the Welsh language; and REACH Back in Time, a textile sculpture inspired by the history of Milford Haven.

An interactive scroll will also be on display, inviting visitors to add their own memories and reflections, alongside an oral history recorded by an ateb customer and disability rights advocate, offering a powerful first-hand account of life and resilience.

Organisers say the project has had clear benefits beyond the artwork itself.

Rex, an ateb customer who took part, said: “I have enjoyed the planned sessions – being able to get out and about and take part in the activities where possible. I also enjoyed the social aspect, mixing with other residents, sharing our local knowledge of the area and learning new facts.”

Another participant, Joan, added: “It has revived my school-level love of history. I am loving all the given work with interest.”

Project Officer Anne Kerr-Hughes said she had seen noticeable improvements in wellbeing and confidence.

She said: “We’ve noticed so many positive changes – from people trying new things and learning new skills to gaining the confidence to travel independently. One lovely outcome has been more residents using the local bus service after trips to the archives in Haverfordwest. It’s been heart-warming to see.”

The Wales REACH project has been supported by funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with partners including Open University in Wales, Amgueddfa Cymru and People’s Collection Wales.

The exhibition runs from Tuesday, February 10 to Saturday, February 14, with visitors welcome to drop in during opening hours.

Entry is free and open to all.

Entertainment

Community film season launches at Torch Theatre with audience-picked programme

Published

24 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Grant from Ffilm Cymru Wales helps bring affordable independent cinema to Pembrokeshire

A SEASON of independent films chosen by local audiences is coming to Milford Haven this spring, as the Torch Theatre hosts a special programme designed to celebrate bold storytelling and community cinema.

Running from February through to mid-April, the Community Choices season has been made possible thanks to Wales-wide grant funding from Ffilm Cymru Wales. The scheme supports independent exhibitors to bring diverse and inspiring films to screens across the country.

At the Torch, audiences were invited to take part in programming workshops to help select the titles themselves. The final line-up reflects a mix of Welsh-language work, environmentally themed films and stories that break down social and economic barriers, ensuring something for all tastes.

Chelsey Gillard, the theatre’s Artistic Director, said: “We asked you, the people of Pembrokeshire, what films you wanted to see at the Torch – and we listened. There’s a terrific variety in this season, from family favourites to powerful dramas. We’re very grateful to Ffilm Cymru Wales for the funding that allows us to bring these wonderful films to the big screen, and we look forward to giving everyone a warm Torch welcome.”

The programme opens with Mr Burton on Sunday, February 8 at 4:15pm, followed by Flow on Tuesday, February 17 at 4:45pm. Fantastic Mr Fox screens on February 19 at 4:45pm, with Moonlight closing the month on Friday, February 20 at 6:15pm.

March’s line-up includes Born Free on March 4 at 2:15pm, Earth on March 12 at 11:00am, Sinners on March 15 at 7:00pm, Booksmart on March 22 at 2:00pm, and Gwledd (The Feast) on March 27 at 8:00pm.

The season continues into April with I Swear on April 2 at 2:00pm, One Battle After Another on April 5 at 4:00pm, and This is Spinal Tap on April 12 at 4:00pm, bringing the Community Choices series to a close.

All tickets are priced at £4 and include a free tea or coffee, helping to keep the screenings affordable and accessible for everyone.

For tickets and full details, visit the Torch Theatre website or call the box office on 01646 695267.