News
Police admit ‘regrettable’ and ‘unfortunate’ delays in investigating grants scheme

DYFED POWYS-POLICE has rejected Pembrokeshire County Council’s appeal against the delayed outcome of the investigation into the Pembroke Dock Commercial Property Grant Scheme, but the police have admitted that there were delays, and have apologised.
In June this year, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it would not be prosecuting anybody about the scheme.
Its announcement came – entirely coincidentally – after Baron of the Bedsits Cathal McCosker made a large final payment to the Council in respect of overpaid grant monies.
The Council has called on the CPS to reconsider their decision and had also submitted a complaint to the police about the delay in the investigation.
The investigation commenced in 2014 but several councillors have become unhappy about the time taken and how it has been handled. Repeated attempts to hold the Police to account were given the brush off by a succession of senior Police officers claiming arrests, charges, and prosecutions were imminent.
Their assertions were all drivel.
The Police have finally apologised for the fact that the Council were dissatisfied while it was also accepted that there were ‘regrettable’ and ‘unfortunate’ delays in investigating the matter.
That non-apology apology (i.e. ‘we’re sorry you’re disappointed’) is contained in a letter to John Haswell, dated August 22.
Its author, Detective Superintendent Davies, states that although the appeal was upheld due to three inaccuracies in the police’s outcome letter, they were not so significant to change the outcome.
He goes on to formally apologise for those inaccuracies.
The letter also states that although the appeal is ‘significantly’ out of time, it was allowed in the interests of partnership working with the Council
The reason why it was ‘significantly out of time’ caused considerable anger among councillors.
At a meeting of the Audit Committee in October 2018, former Audit Chair Tony Baron raised his concerns at the failure of internal communications to notify members of their right to appeal the complaint’s refusal.
Councillors’ dissatisfaction was put into sharper focus when it emerged that a letter formally appealing their complaint’s rejection had not been sent in time; no internal email trail existed to show which officers had prepared it; the letter was ‘placed’ in the briefcase of then-Council Chair Paul Harries by an unnamed officer, with no indication of its urgency; the
Police’s rejection of the complaint was hopelessly complacent, claiming correspondence to an earlier complaint by the Audit Committee was a full and final response to an entirely separate letter.
In a stormy meeting of the Audit Committee this January, the Council’s Chief Executive Ian Westley apologised for the five-week delay in the appeal letter being sent adding there had been an ‘oversight’ and that it was not an attempt to keep members ‘in the dark’.
Several members expressed their strong reservations about the Council’s lack of transparency and the casual fashion in which a serious issue had been dealt with by officers.
The Police letter concludes that there is no further right of appeal and that any further dissatisfaction should be communicated by way of a judicial review.
Pembrokeshire County Council has been asked for its response to the letter.
News
A40 closed after serious crash near Wolfscastle

AIR AMBULANCE LANDS AT SCENE AS TRAFFIC DISRUPTED
THE A40 between Wolfscastle and Haverfordwest was closed in both directions on Friday afternoon (Apr 11) following a serious road traffic collision.
The crash, which was first reported at 12:10pm, prompted a significant emergency services response, including Dyfed-Powys Police and the Wales Air Ambulance, which was seen landing at the scene shortly after the incident.
AA Roadwatch confirmed that the road was shut in both directions, with slow-moving traffic and congestion reported in the surrounding area for several hours after the collision.
Police urged motorists to avoid the area and to seek alternative routes while emergency crews dealt with the incident.
At the time of writing, no official update has been given on the number of vehicles involved or whether there were any injuries. Dyfed-Powys Police have been approached for comment.
Traffic disruption remains ongoing, with live road maps showing long delays approaching Haverfordwest from the east.
More updates will follow as information becomes available.
Crime
Police investigate alleged assault at Milford Haven property

OFFICERS from Dyfed-Powys Police have been maintaining a presence at a property on Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, as part of an ongoing investigation into an assault.
The Herald understands that the front door of the property has been boarded up with plywood, prompting concern and speculation from local residents.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Officers have been undertaking scene preservation in relation to an investigation of assault.”
No further details have been released at this stage, and it is not yet known whether any arrests have been made.
Residents told The Herald they noticed police activity at the address earlier this week, with officers attending the property and cordoning off the area.
The Herald will provide further updates as more information becomes available.
Business
Haverfordwest opticians celebrate 100 years of long service

WALES’ LARGEST Specsavers store is celebrating a series of individual long service milestones, with nine team members collectively marking a century of long service in 2025.
At the heart of the celebrations is Andy Britton, ophthalmic director at Specsavers Haverfordwest, who has worked at the company for 20 years.
Since becoming a partner in 2006, Mr Britton has overseen the store’s transformation from a small site with just four test rooms to a state-of-the-art £1.2 million premises at 21 Riverside Quay. The enhanced store now boasts 14 test rooms equipped with cutting edge technology and a significantly larger team, growing from 11 to 45 employees.
Haverfordwest residents benefit from Mr Britton’s clinical expertise – he holds multiple postgraduate diplomas that allow him to prescribe medication directly to customers, helping to ease pressure on local GP surgeries and hospitals. He has also led the introduction of enhanced services, including glaucoma monitoring, ensuring more people can access specialist care closer to home.
Reflecting on his career, Mr Britton says: ‘It’s been a privilege to serve the Haverfordwest community over the last 20 years. I’m proud of the team we’ve built and the progress we’ve made – all with the aim of delivering the best possible care for our customers.’
Mr Britton’s anniversary was celebrated alongside colleagues Elise Evans, Gareth Riley and Carrie Lewis-Jones – each marking 15 years with Specsavers – as well as other team members celebrating 10 and five-year milestones.
Fellow director, Wayne Jones, was among those celebrating five years with the business, after joining the Haverfordwest store in 2020. He was named a finalist for Optometrist of the Year at the Optometry Wales Awards in 2023 and then in 2024, joined forces with Mr Britton as retail director of the store.
Commenting on the milestone, Mr Jones says: ‘Our team’s experience and dedication are what makes Specsavers Haverfordwest so special. Reaching 100 years of individual long service milestones in 2025 is something we’re incredibly proud of. It’s a real testament to the commitment of our colleagues, and we look forward to many more successful years ahead.’
To mark the occasion, the directors hosted an in-store awards ceremony, presenting certificates and bottles of champagne to the nine long-serving team members celebrating.
Specsavers Haverfordwest is open seven days a week. To find out more information about Specsavers in Haverfordwest, request an appointment or browse the online store, visit https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/haverfordwest.
Additionally, to make eye health accessible to all, the store offers a Home Visits service for those unable to leave their homes unaccompanied due to disability or illness.
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