News

Tenby talks: did Adams listen?

Published

12 years ago

June 4, 2014

AT a meeting in the mayor’s parlour on Tuesday, May 27, IPPG Leader Jamie Adams responded to an invitation to meet with Town Councillors and respond to their concerns about the conduct of business at County Hall.

Expressing concern about the services being delivered to Tenby, Cllr Christine Brown told the meeting: “People in Tenby feel that they are not getting the service they should from Pembrokeshire County Council because of the stories they are hearing in the media. Is it right when services are being cut that the local authority is paying for a top barrister to defend its actions over the Chief Executive’s pension? “We give YOU the money – each person who pays tax – and it is being used wrongly in my opinion!” she added. Seeking to mollify the Town Councillors, IPPG leader Jamie Adams gave a remarkable account of the pension fiasco: “In terms of the Authority’s position, we were challenged by the Welsh Audit Office about process. The Auditor had a different view to us after they had taken legal advice, and when the Public Interest Report had been published there was an exchange of legal views. “The Council did not want to be standing accused without checking its legal position. The Audit Office said they didn’t mind that” he told councillors. Going on and not mentioning that the County Council had conceded that its actions were unlawful, the IPPG leader suggested: “The Local Government Act 1972 is clear on the responsibilities which officers and members have, and the Auditor’s interpretation of that law is now different.” Cllr Christine Brown responded to the IPPG leader: “What we all have in our hearts is the standards of our town. They need to be as high as we can make them. We are been drip fed comments and cuts, and this is affecting us badly.” Cllr Brown added: “This all stemmed from us having no warning of cuts. Pembrokeshire County Council is seen as a failing authority. You can read it in the press, and you can watch it on TV. Tenby is the premier town for tourism, and we see no future at the moment. Why PCC decided to side automatically with the CEO strikes me as incredible. “ Jamie Adams said: “The pension scheme was never about individuals, we have 30 senior staff. There was a police consideration to evaluate any wrong doing by any person, it terms of process – it was not the best in terms of the way that it was undertaken.” Pension decision was ‘clumsy and clunky’ Jamie Adams said that members of the Town Council just needed “a little bit of understanding” and that this would be “useful” to members in appreciating how the decision was made. Councillor Adams then repeated the discredited tale he had told County Councillors about the unlawful payments scheme being concocted as the Council had found it too difficult to recruit senior officers and that three prospective appointees had not reported to their posts because packages had not been competitive enough. He added: “I admit that it was a clunky and clumsy decision. Hindsight is a great thing and in the future we will do things differently.” He tried to placate councillors by saying: “I have no intention of implementing the pension scheme again in the future.” Move forward ‘as one team’ Jamie Adams continued: “What worries me is that there now seems to be more focus on process than on the delivery of services to the people of Pembrokeshire. When people see one side of decisions, and money spent to defend decisions people see that it is linked [that services could be cut because of them].” Astonishingly, a less than contrite Cllr Adams then appeared to fix the blame for the scandals engulfing the Council as the responsibility of those Councillors and others trying to pierce the veil of secrecy at County Hall to investigate them: “The [pensions] matter could have been dealt with sooner, but it has suited some people to drag it on. Our focus should be on services. This and other matters have been a distraction.” Continuing to claim that the ends justify the means, the IPPG leader continued: “My focus is on outcomes above process. I communicate this with great regularity. Some members are more focussed on process than on the people of this county. I’d like to see the council move forward as one team without internal strife.” ‘Killing the goose’ Referring to the Council’s cut to gardening services and its effect on Wales in Bloom, Mayor of Tenby, Cllr Sue Lane said: “At times we get the perception that we are an annoying distraction and not a full partner in the delivery of services. The local authority could work more effectively with us. We have worked together but the cuts were a bolt from the blue. We are not privy to everything that was happening. “Revenue from Tenby is vital to the county and we can’t let standards drop. We are not getting the real deal at the moment” Jamie Adams responded by suggesting that after cutting the service he wished to shuffle its burden onto others: “I am aware of the impact of Wales in Bloom. This Authority is struggling with watering flowers and we should engage with community partners to help with this work, or change the plants.” Cllr Mike Evans said “The slashing, slashing, slashing is now killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Cllr Christine Brown asked why Pembrokeshire County Council wants to have the lowest council tax in Wales, but then struggles to pay for services. To this question Cllr Adams said that people were struggling and could not afford higher taxes, adding: “If this challenge of finances is about anything it’s about making the Authority fit for purpose.” Councillor Adams’ appearance before Tenby’s Town Council follows hot on the heels of the vote of no confidence in the County Council by Pembroke’s Town Council reported in last week’s Pembrokeshire Herald and the strongly-worded letter sent to the IPPG leader by Solva Community Council, which stated that the County Council was bringing the whole of local government in Pembrokeshire into disrepute. Dissatisfaction with the County Council has been caused by a series of revelations about the way in which the IPPG-led authority has continued to insulate its highest paid officers from the effects of deep cuts in budgets – including funding a luxury German sports saloon for its CEO – while effecting deep cuts in services to the general public and to the wages of its lowest paid employees. The IPPG leader’s eagerness to rewrite history also appears to have permeated into the officer cadre at County Hall, with European Manager Gwyn Evans disciplined for doctoring reports of meetings of a grants panel. The question that has to be asked is which town or community council will be next to express its own concerns about the effect IPPG governance is having on the County.

Education

Pembrokeshire school named second in Sunday Times guide

Published

43 minutes ago

December 5, 2025

Luke Sinclair

A Pembrokeshire secondary school has been recognised among the very best in Wales, securing a leading position in a major national education guide.

Ysgol Bro Preseli in Crymych has been ranked the second-best state secondary school in Wales in the 2026 Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, a long-established benchmark for academic performance across the UK. Only Cowbridge School placed higher.

The annual guide, regarded as one of the country’s most authoritative assessments of school standards, compiles data from more than 2,000 state and independent schools. It also offers a range of practical advice for families, including guidance on scholarships, the 11-plus, and choosing the right school.

Helen Davies, editor of the Parent Power Guide, acknowledged the pressures facing the education sector but praised the commitment shown by schools nationwide. She said: “The educational landscape is testing – budget challenges, rising student mental health issues, special educational needs and an increasingly uncertain future.

“But there is also so much to celebrate from the dedication of teachers who are finding ever more innovative and impactful ways to enrich their students and give them the very best start in life.

“As well as celebrating the academic excellence of the top schools, it is uplifting to see how they are shaping their students to be ready for the 21st century, and instilling a lifelong love of learning.”

In addition to its strong showing within Wales, Ysgol Bro Preseli secured 263rd place in the UK-wide rankings. Elsewhere in the state secondary table, Ysgol Gyfun Penweddig was placed third in Wales, with Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay following closely behind.

Now in its 33rd year, the Parent Power Guide was published online on Friday, 5 December, with the print edition set to appear on Sunday, 7 December. Final positions are determined by year-on-year performance, supported by editorial judgement.

The full rankings and analysis are available via The Sunday Times digital edition, and the guide remains a trusted resource for families seeking a clear picture of school performance across the UK.

Crime

Swansea man dies weeks after release from troubled HMP Parc: Investigation launched

Published

12 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man has died just weeks after being released from HMP Parc, the Bridgend prison now at the centre of a national crisis over inmate deaths and post-release failures.

Darren Thomas, aged 52, died on 13 November 2025 — less than a month after leaving custody. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) has confirmed an independent investigation into his death, which is currently listed as “in progress”.

Born on 9 April 1973, Mr Thomas had been under post-release supervision following a period at HMP/YOI Parc, the G4S-run prison that recorded seventeen deaths in custody in 2024 — the highest in the UK.

His last known legal appearance was at Swansea Crown Court in October 2024, where he stood trial accused of making a threatening phone call and two counts of criminal damage. During the hearing, reported by The Pembrokeshire Herald at the time, the court heard he made threats during a heated call on 5 October 2023.

Mr Thomas denied the allegations but was found guilty on all counts. He was sentenced to a custodial term, which led to his imprisonment at HMP Parc.

Parc: A prison in breakdown

HMP Parc has faced sustained criticism throughout 2024 and 2025. A damning unannounced inspection in January found:

Severe self-harm incidents up 190%
Violence against staff up 109%
Synthetic drugs “easily accessible” across wings
Overcrowding at 108% capacity

In the first three months of 2024 alone, ten men died at Parc — part of a wider cluster of twenty PPO-investigated deaths since 2022. Six occurred within three weeks, all linked to synthetic drug use.

Leaked staff messages in 2025 exposed a culture of indifference, including one officer writing: “Let’s push him to go tomorrow so we can drop him.”

Six G4S employees have been arrested since 2023 in connection with alleged assaults and misconduct.

The danger after release

Deaths shortly after release from custody are a growing national concern. Ministry of Justice data shows 620 people died while under community supervision in 2024–2025, with 62 deaths occurring within 14 days of release.

Short sentences — common at Parc — leave little time for effective rehabilitation or release planning. Homelessness, loss of drug tolerance and untreated mental-health conditions create a high-risk environment for those newly released.

The PPO investigates all such deaths to determine whether prisons or probation failed in their duties. Reports often take 6–12 months and can lead to recommendations.

A system at breaking point

The crisis at Parc reflects wider failures across UK prisons and probation. A July 2025 House of Lords report described the service as “not fit for purpose”. More than 500 people die in custody annually, with campaigners warning that private prisons such as Parc prioritise cost-cutting over care.

The PPO investigation into the death of Darren Thomas continues.

Crime

Woman stabbed partner in Haverfordwest before handing herself in

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Court Reporter

A WOMAN who stabbed her partner during a drug-fuelled episode walked straight into Haverfordwest Police Station and told officers what she had done, Swansea Crown Court has heard.

Amy Woolston, 22, of Dartmouth Street in Milford Haven, arrived at the station at around 8:00pm on June 13 and said: “I stabbed my ex-partner earlier… he’s alright and he let me walk off,” prosecutor Tom Scapens told the court.

The pair had taken acid together earlier in the day, and Woolston claimed she believed she could feel “stab marks in her back” before the incident.

Police find victim with four wounds

Officers went to the victim’s home to check on him. He was not there at first, but returned shortly afterwards. He appeared sober and told police: “Just a couple of things,” before pointing to injuries on his back.

He had three stab or puncture wounds to his back and another to his bicep.

The victim said that when he arrived home from the shop, Woolston was acting “a bit shifty”. After asking if she was alright, she grabbed something from the windowsill — described as either a knife or a shard of glass — and stabbed him.

He told officers he had “had worse from her before”, did not support a prosecution, and refused to go to hospital.

Defendant has long history of violence

Woolston pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard she had amassed 20 previous convictions from 10 court appearances, including assaults, battery, and offences against emergency workers.

Defending, Dyfed Thomas said Woolston had longstanding mental health problems and had been off medication prescribed for paranoid schizophrenia at the time.
“She’s had a difficult upbringing,” he added, saying she was remorseful and now compliant with treatment.

Woolston was jailed for 12 months, but the court heard she has already served the equivalent time on remand and will be released imminently on a 12-month licence.