News
Award Nomination for Innovative Home Safety Partnership
MID AND WEST WALES Fire and Rescue Service together with Pembrokeshire County Council have been nominated for an APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Award for their innovative collaboration. The project involved the provision of targeted Home Fire Safety Checks for over 2300 people who are receiving some form of care support.
Head of Community Safety for Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue, Group Manager Karen Jones said: “Pembrokeshire’s Community Fire Safety team in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council have succeeded in providing this valuable service to those who need it most in the County and its fitting that the hard work has been recognised by this nomination.” In order to deliver the safety checks eight temporary positions were created to augment the work already being undertaken by Fire and Rescue Service teams and partner agencies. Pembrokeshire County Commander Steve Bryant said: “I am extremely proud of the innovative approach my Community Safety team have taken to complete this project ahead of target. There were some unique staffing and logistical challenges which the Pembrokeshire Community Safety team overcame by utilising some ground-breaking approaches which are now being utilised as models of good practice in other areas of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.” Angela Watwood, Head of Community Health and Social Services for Pembrokeshire County Council added: “Through clear thinking and positive action a valuable service has been delivered to our citizens. There were a number of challenges to overcome in the early stages of the project which were resolved by the excellent joint working between the Adult Services team and the Pembrokeshire Community Fire Safety team. The outcome is that over 2000 people are safer in their homes.” Angela added: “Pembrokeshire County Council has also benefited from specific training provided by the local Community Fire Safety Manager to the Domiciliary Care Forum and Housing Officers. This will ensure that the project maintains momentum and protects Pembrokeshire’s communities in the future.” The APSE Awards will be held in London in September – where the team will find out if they have been successful in their award category. Free Home Fire Safety Checks, which include the fitting of smoke detectors are available to all members of the public; to register your interest please contact Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service on 0800 169 1234
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
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.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
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.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
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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