News

Pembroke Dock: Residents say no to waste facility

Published

7 years ago

June 5, 2019

RESIDENTS and Pembroke Dock Town Councillors have said they do not want a waste transfer facility in the town.

At a meeting of the Town Council on Thursday (May 30), members discussed the plans having previously met with the Port Authority while Natural Resources Wales have also held a consultation evening in the Town.

It is planned to store waste which will be used to produce energy. Usually this is processed baled waste and loose processed wood waste. It would contain non-hazardous waste from homes and businesses, which can be used as fuel to produce electricity in offsite energy-from-waste facilities.

All waste sites must have a permit before they can operate. To be granted a permit the operators must show that they have the right infrastructure, management techniques and equipment to deal with the waste in the proposed area.

In a statement released in May, Andrea Winterton, Operations Manager from NRW said: “The Milford Haven Waterway, as well as being a key hub for the energy industry, is a rich habitat for wildlife, and part of the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation.
“Our experts will now begin their assessment, but local knowledge is incredibly valuable to us. All comments we receive as part of our consultation will be considered when it comes to making our decision.”

Many at the meeting said there were a number of unanswered questions and Cllr Josh Beynon said he didn’t think anybody in the building would be able to answer them. He suggested a meeting be set up with members of the Council and the Port Authority for them to outline their plans to members of the public.
Some people said the smells coming from the site when it was previously operated had put tourists off and that there had been problems with flies.

Cllr Beynon read out an email from the Council’s Strategic Project Manager who said that since August 2018 the site had been used as a waste transfer station for orange bags and that there was no processing of materials on the site.
It also said that since PCC had taken over the facility, NRW had been happy with the current practice.

Cllr Paul Dowson said he had visited the Port Authority but said that they didn’t seem to know an awful lot about what was being planned.
He added that there didn’t seem to be any details and that unless they didn’t invite the Port to a meeting it would just be a ‘rubbish tip that smells’.

Cllr Dowson went on to say: “The Port Authority have a long lasting legacy of not being very good with the truth. They have denied the operation, the staff have been told not to mention it. What are they up to? There are so many grey areas and we are a long way off before saying we do support it.
“Pembroke Dock isn’t the waste bin of Wales. I will be opposing this and we have to represent the views of the people of the town of Pembroke Dock.”

One resident, Peter Cox, spoke of the proximity of the rubbish to South Pembrokeshire Hospital and said they had to put fly traps up outside it because they didn’t have the resources to do so.

Another said that looking for information was like an ‘iron curtain’ adding: “This was thrown out from Swansea, if Swansea don’t want it, why the hell are we going to have it?”

Cllr Murton added that when RDF operated the site previously it was a ‘scandalous disgrace’ and that she was ‘delighted’ when it was closed down.
Cllr George Manning said: “We need to meet with PCC and the Port to explain their plans in more detail. We don’t want it in Pembroke Dock. This is not the place to have it, just 300 yards from the town centre. We have to use the Dock as it should be used.”

Chris Page said he had difficulty downloading documents from the NRW website during the consultation and that the Port needed to explain their plans before a permit was given.
Another resident said that when they moved to the area from Suffolk there were no flies but when RDF operated the site they were getting more and more flies.

Cllr O’Connor said: “It has been made very clear, we have to be united as a council and say no to waste dumping in Pembroke Dock.
“If they want to store waste somewhere, find somewhere suitable because Pembroke Dock says no.”
Others commented that they didn’t want to be ‘prisoners’ in their own home and that Pembroke Dock would become the ‘capital of waste’.
One person from the Shipwright Inn said that tourism was really good but added they had seen some families walk out because of the smell saying it was not only ‘embarrassing’ for them but for the town as well.

Some at the meeting spoke of doing a protest if it went ahead and making a petition against putting waste on the site.
Mayor, Cllr Gordon Goff concluded by saying: “Nothing will be passed by the Town Council until all the questions are answered. This is Pembroke Dock not Pembroke Dump.”
A spokesperson for Natural Resources Wales said: “We are currently assessing an application for an environmental permit for a waste facility, reference PAN-003929, from Milford Haven Port Authority. The application is for:

The temporary storage of baled fuel derived from waste, namely Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) and Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), pending onward transfer.
The temporary storage of wood waste pending onward transfer
The maximum amount of RDF, SRF or wood proposed to be stored is to be less than 9000 tonnes at any one time
The annual throughput of waste proposed is 80,000 tonnes per annum.

“Our public consultation window, which has now closed, has generated responses from both technical consultees and members of the public. We are in the process of assessing the responses and all relevant comments will be taken into consideration.

“We will endeavour to reach a draft decision as quickly as possible, however we do need to make sure that all required information is gathered and assessed appropriately

“We will only grant an environmental permit if we believe that the application achieves the standards of the environmental legislation and the operator has the ability to meet the conditions of the permit. Any permit we may grant will include appropriate conditions to protect human health and the environment.”

Speaking after the meeting, Andy Jones, Interim CEO, said: “We met with Pembroke Dock Town Council a few weeks ago to discuss our application to NRW for a temporary waste storage permit. The feedback we received at the time was largely positive. The meeting prompted further questions from individual councillors which we have responded to and since there has been no response to the answers provided we assumed we had addressed any concerns. We are surprised, therefore, to read that Town Councillors have said, in their most recent meeting on 30th May, that they are not supportive of our plans.

“The comments made by Town Councillors are generally referring back to memories of an unpleasant and unacceptable experience during the previous operation which was not run by ourselves, but by a third party. This time we are confident things will be different. If we didn’t have this confidence we would not be making this application.

“The following mitigation measures will be put in place. It is important to note that these were not in place during the previous operation:

Minimum 8 layers of bale wrap

Fine mesh net covering bales

Contact insecticide distributed on board around stack

5m screen surrounding stack with netting = secondary fly net and site screen

Pesticide control regime primarily focusing on larvicides

Stock tracking e.g. oldest bales shipped first

Stringent acceptance and monitoring procedures

Odour neutralising technology

Bale reception procedure to identify non-compliant waste

“As a Trust Port, we exist to create opportunities for the people and businesses of Pembrokeshire. We are a catalyst for economic growth and our mission is to build prosperity across the Haven. As we have mentioned before, our staff are local people, many of them living near the Port and very much part of the community. We, as much as the Town Council and local residents, do not want Pembroke Dock to be the waste bin of Wales. This is not, and will never be, what we are proposing. We are very proud of Pembroke Port’s historical significance as a Dockyard, and we are simply trying to expand trade to increase our abilities as a Port and provide more jobs for the local community. But, we are in competition with other Ports who transport the same waste bales generated across the UK. We must be able to compete with these Ports or jobs will be lost to those areas that are able to deliver the services needed in today’s society.

“We are ultimately trying to raise Pembroke Port’s profile in the industry so that it is recognised, in its own right, as a port that has the capacity and capability to handle a variety of trades. When speaking with colleagues in the industry about Pembroke Port, it is clear that its profile has been overshadowed by Milford Haven’s reputation as a well-regarded oil and gas port. The more trades we can attract to Pembroke Port, bearing in mind there are limitations due to our location and hinterland, the more opportunities we will have to promote what the Port can offer.”

CLARIFICATION FROM COUNTY COUNCIL

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) would like to clarify the following facts surrounding this proposal and permit application by the Port Authority.

“Pembrokeshire County Council has had no involvement with the application, the proposed activities will not involve waste collected by Pembrokeshire County Council, and it should be noted that our residual waste is contracted to an Energy from Waste facility, in Cardiff, up until 2027.

“It is felt that the confusion may have arisen due to the fact that Pembrokeshire County Council has a Waste and Recycling Transfer Station at Gate 4, Pembroke Port. The operations and permit surrounding this facility were transferred to Pembrokeshire County Council in August 2018 following the termination of the RDF processing contract.

“Since August 2018 PCC have used the facility as a Waste Transfer Station for Dry Mixed Recycling (Orange Bags), Food Waste, Glass and Residual Waste collected in Pembrokeshire. Materials are delivered to site in recycling and refuse collection vehicles, bulked in internal designated bays before being loaded onto artic vehicles prior to onward transportation to reprocessors. No processing of materials is undertaken on site and there is no external storage of waste at this location. Since Pembrokeshire County Council took on the facility at Gate 4, and the operations within, NRW have confirmed they are happy with the current operating practices.

“We are in the process of reviewing the operations of the site and are about to submit a permit variation surrounding our operations at Gate 4 Pembroke Port. This variation is actually requesting to remove the permit activities surrounding RDF production and storage as this is not an operation which PCC are planning on undertaking in the future. All current and future plans are focused on short term bulking of material prior to onwards transportation to other facilities in Wales or the wider UK.”

Charity

Vincent Davies raises £13,682 for air ambulance charity

Published

6 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Independent Haverfordwest store backs lifesaving crews with year of community fundraising

A WEST WALES department store has raised more than thirteen thousand pounds for a lifesaving emergency service after a packed year of community fundraising.

Staff at Vincent Davies Department Store collected £13,682 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, after voting the organisation their Charity of the Year for 2025.

The independent retailer organised events throughout the year, including an Easter bingo, bake sales, quizzes, raffles, staff sales, Christmas jumper days and a festive wreath-making workshop. Charity jam jars placed in Café Vincent also helped gather steady donations from customers.

One of the most popular attractions was the store’s charity singing penguin trio, which drew smiles from shoppers of all ages and boosted collections.

Sarah John, Joint Managing Director at Vincent Davies, said: “Raising £13,682 for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity is something we are extremely proud of at Vincent Davies Department Store. As a director, it’s wonderful to see our community come together to support a charity that makes such a lifesaving difference.”

The air ambulance is consultant-led, delivering hospital-level treatment directly at the scene of serious incidents and, when needed, transferring patients straight to the most appropriate specialist hospital.

Working in partnership with the NHS through the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service, crews can provide advanced critical care including anaesthesia, blood transfusions and even minor surgical procedures before reaching hospital.

Operating across the whole of Wales, its teams travel the length and breadth of the country by helicopter and rapid response vehicle to reach patients quickly in both rural and urban areas.

This is not the first time the Haverfordwest store has backed the cause. In 2016, staff previously raised £5,831 when the charity was also chosen as their beneficiary.

Mike May, the charity’s West Wales Regional Fundraising Manager, said: “We are so grateful to Vincent Davies Department Store for raising an incredible amount for our charity. Throughout the year they put on a variety of different events and what a successful fundraising year it was.

“The charity needs to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. By raising £13,682, the staff and customers have played an important part in saving lives across Wales.”

The store says it will announce its Charity of the Year for 2026 in the coming weeks.

Crime

Police assess complaints over Mandelson–Epstein links

Published

6 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Met says allegations will be reviewed to see if criminal threshold is met following release of US court files

SCOTLAND YARD is reviewing a series of complaints alleging possible misconduct in public office after fresh claims emerged linking former UK ambassador Peter Mandelson to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Metropolitan Police Service confirmed it has received “a number of reports” following the publication of millions of pages of material by the United States Department of Justice, and will now decide whether any alleged conduct reaches the level required for a criminal investigation.

Commander Ella Marriott said the force would assess each report individually, stressing that a review does not automatically lead to formal proceedings.

The documents, widely referred to as the “Epstein files”, appear to show Mandelson corresponding with Epstein while serving as business secretary during the government of Gordon Brown at the height of the global financial crisis.

According to reports, Epstein was allegedly given insight into internal policy discussions, including proposals around banker bonus taxes in 2009 and details of a eurozone bailout package shortly before it was announced publicly.

Payments questioned

Bank records cited in the US disclosure reportedly show payments totalling 75,000 US dollars made to Mandelson between 2003 and 2004. It is also claimed Epstein paid for an osteopathy course for Mandelson’s husband.

Mandelson has denied any wrongdoing and said he has “no record or recollection” of the alleged transfers.

On Sunday he resigned his membership of the Labour Party, saying he did not want his continued association to cause further difficulty for the party.

In interviews, he dismissed suggestions that Epstein influenced his decisions as a minister and said nothing in the released files pointed to criminality or misconduct on his part.

Pressure mounts

The political fallout has intensified, with Downing Street confirming Keir Starmer has asked Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald to carry out an urgent review into Mandelson’s historic contacts with Epstein while in office.

Brown has also called for an examination of whether any confidential or market-sensitive information was improperly shared during the financial crisis.

The case is the latest in a series of controversies linked to Epstein’s long-standing relationships with powerful figures on both sides of the Atlantic.

Police emphasised that no charges have been brought and that Mandelson is not currently under criminal investigation, but said the complaints process would be handled “thoroughly and impartially”.

Community

Councillor meets chief constable to address Monkton and Pembroke concerns

Published

7 hours ago

February 2, 2026

Tom Sinclair

COUNTY COUNCILLOR Jonathan Grimes has met with the new Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police to discuss crime, antisocial behaviour and wider community issues affecting residents in Pembroke and Monkton.

Cllr Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the meeting followed his invitation for senior police leaders to visit the area and hear first-hand about local concerns.

The Chief Constable, Ifan Charles, attended alongside officers from the Pembroke Neighbourhood Policing and Protection Team, meeting the councillor in Monkton for what were described as open and constructive talks.

As part of the visit, they also spoke with Monkton Priory Community Primary School headteacher Dylan Lawrence and Danny Nash from Pembrokeshire County Council Housing Services to gather views from education and housing professionals.

Discussions covered a range of issues raised by residents, including domestic abuse, drug and alcohol misuse, antisocial behaviour and environmental concerns such as littering, dog fouling and dangerous or inconsiderate driving.

Cllr Grimes acknowledged recent police successes, particularly in tackling drug-related activity, but said enforcement alone would not solve the area’s challenges.

He said closer cooperation between the police, council services, schools and the wider community would be needed to deliver longer-term improvements.

The councillor added that he plans to encourage residents to form a local community group in the coming weeks, aimed at developing practical solutions and strengthening partnership working across the area.