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Hundreds of county businesses eligible for rate relief

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MORE than 500 small and medium-sized businesses in Pembrokeshire can apply for rate relief of up to £2,500 thanks to a new scheme approved by Pembrokeshire County Council’s cabinet on Monday.

The extended High Street Rate Relief Scheme for 2019-20 will be funded by the Welsh Government and administered by Pembrokeshire County Council.

It aims to provide targeted support for businesses affected by the independent revaluation and by the growth of Internet sites.

The Council estimates that 534 occupied high street businesses and retail properties such as shops, restaurants, cafes and drinking establishments will be eligible to apply.

Cllr Paul Miller, Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism, Leisure and Culture, said: “It’s obvious to everyone that the retail landscape in particular is changing and taxes on bricks and mortar retail premises are, without doubt, in need of review given the dominance of internet shopping.

“As an administration we are committed to supporting the Pembrokeshire Economy in every way we can. Working with our partners in Welsh Government, we are able to offer up to £2,500 rate relief to retail properties with a rateable value of £50,000 of less. That’s in addition to Small Business Rate Relief for those businesses with a rateable value of £6,000 of less.

“Business rate relief is not a magic bullet and we are committed to doing far more to support enterprise through our ambitious economic development programme. This relief will however, provide some immediate support to business in Pembrokeshire.”

Unlike previous years, the 2019-20 scheme is not limited to high street premises but will include all properties meeting the wider retail criteria.

The level of support will be up to £2,500 towards non-domestic rates bills for retail properties with a rateable value of £50,000 or less on the 1st April 2019 subject to State Aid limits.

Those with a rateable value of £6,000 and below will receive Small Business Rate Relief.

For more information on the scheme, please view https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-rates/wales-high-street-rate-relief-scheme

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

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ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

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Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

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THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

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News

Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university

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CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.

The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.

The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.

Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”

Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.

The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.

The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.

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