Politics
Labour AM urges mass participation in Labour leadership contest
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MID AND WEST WALES AM Eluned Morgan has urged those who share Labour’s vision of a fairer, equal and greener society to come together and join the Labour movement either as a registered supporter or a full member of the Party.
The experienced Labour politician made her call as the deadline to sign up to the Party neared for the contest to elect a new Leader and Deputy Leader to replace Jeremy Corbyn and former MP Tom Watson, who stood down at the last General Election.
At a time of continuing uncertainty over the performance of the UK economy, Britain’s departure from the European Union and rising international tensions, Eluned Morgan who is also Labour’s Minister for International Affairs and the Welsh Language in the Welsh Government said it was more important than ever that the Labour Party continues to be a welcoming and open political movement, ready to champion the causes and concerns of ordinary people across Wales and the whole of the United Kingdom.
Eluned Morgan said: “The message since the General Election has been clear. The country needs a strong and effective opposition to the new Tory government led by Boris Johnson. The leadership election will give the Party an opportunity to reflect on that dreadful result in December and to look ahead to how we can rebuild, regain trust and win for those communities that have been and will continue to be tossed aside by the Government in Westminster.”
Citing the divergence between political priorities in Westminster and Cardiff Bay, Eluned Morgan highlighted how Welsh Labour has put investment and sustainability at the heart of its delivery plan for the people of Wales: “Despite savage cuts to our budget, as a Government, we have continued to invest and take innovative steps to sustain public services. It hasn’t been easy, but importantly we have shown that we can do things differently in Wales, we can do things better – especially when we work together to make real change happen.”
“As we start a new decade, Wales needs a renewed sense of optimism because we have already proven that we are different. Wales has been resilient in dealing with yet another Tory government that has ignored the needs of the Celtic nations – and it continues to do so at its peril” continued the AM who through her links with Parliamentarians across the British Isles senses a growing unease at the One Nation Conservatism that puts only England first.
“Whatever the reason for voting Conservative last December, devolution means that Wales is always one step removed from the most extreme Tory policies outside of the cruel changes to welfare system, that has exacerbated poverty across Wales.”
Different policies have set Wales apart from the rest of the UK, with some of Welsh Labour’s leading achievements recognised in the UK Labour manifesto too.
As a recognisable face in front line politics in Wales, the UK and the EU, Eluned Morgan knows that it is at a grass roots level where real change is made and the policies of tomorrow are tested and developed.
“Since the election on December 12th, Labour membership has grown across all constituencies in Wales. For all the doomsday commentary and predictions about the end of the Labour Party, not winning the election has reinforced our membership support, the message that the Tories in government must and can only be opposed by a strong Labour Party is clear. For longstanding and new members alike, those who are increasingly frustrated with British politics, it is the start of a new beginning. So if you vote Labour and want us to rebuild our communities for the future now is the time to take your vote one step further. We are about to have a whole new conversation in our movement and I am looking forward to being part of that.”
Members of the public are being given two opportunities to take part in the leadership election contest. A 48 hour window to vote for a one off fee of £25 closes on Thursday 16th January at 5pm. New members to the political party, who join before Monday 20th January will also be able to participate in the election which will take place in early spring. The new leader and deputy leader will be announced on April 4th.
News
Community asked for views on allocation of new St Davids homes
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Glasfryn3-scaled-e1721980963591.jpg)
THE FIRST phase of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Glasfryn housing development in St Davids is progressing well with the second phase also underway.
The development being built by GRD Homes Ltd, began in November 2023, with a first phase completion date of Winter 2024 looking hopeful, ahead of the scheduled plans.
The first phase consists of seven properties, including a mixture of one and two bedroom bungalows
As completion draws closer the properties will be advertised via Pembrokeshire Choice Homes.
Ahead of this, the Council’s housing team will be holding community engagement on the 13th August 2024 at the Ty’r Pererin Centres, Quickwell Hill, St Davids, SA62 6PD, 5pm-7pm.
This will be a chance for officers to liaise with the local community about the allocation process for these properties.
Glasfryn’s second phase is well underway, with the initial groundwork already completed. This phase includes a further 11 two bedroom bungalows, with a completion date in late 2025.
These bungalows will meet the latest Welsh Government’s Development Quality Requirement, and will be energy efficient, built to EPC A specification and include solar panels to help tenants with running costs.
The Glasfryn development is funded in partnership with Welsh Government.
Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “We are really keen to work with the community on a local lettings policy for these new properties, as we have done for our developments in other parts of the County.”
If you have any queries please email the Customer Liaison Team on [email protected], phone them on 01437 764551, or visit Housing’s Facebook page.
Business
Legal call to stop £6m expansion of holiday park still ongoing
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A LEGAL request to overturn a Pembrokeshire County Council-granted approval for a £6m expansion of a south Pembrokeshire holiday park is still ongoing despite a previous announcement it had been turned down, county planners heard.
Back in February, Pembrokeshire planners were informed a legal challenge to a November 2023-granted application for works at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley/Stepaside had been launched.
The holiday park scheme had previously been backed twice by county planners after a ‘minded to approve’ cooling-off period was invoked as it was against repeated officer recommendations to refuse.
The controversial scheme by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd includes the installation of 48 bases for holiday lodges, a spa facility at a former pub, holiday apartments, a café and cycle hire, equestrian stables, a manège and associated office, and associated works.
It is said the scheme, next to the historic remains of the 19th century Stepaside ironworks and colliery, will create 44 jobs.
Officer grounds for refusal, based on the Local Development Plan, included the site being outside a settlement area.
Along with 245 objections to the current scheme, Stepaside & Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group (SPVRG Ltd) – formed to object to an earlier 2019 application which was later withdrawn – also raised a 38-page objection, with a long list of concerns.
A failed legal challenge to try and overturn a council decision to approve three separate planning applications at Heritage Park was launched in 2021 by SPVRG Ltd, which failed in early 2022; the council awarded costs of £10,000 despite external legal fees paid totalled £34,000 plus VAT.
At the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee members were told the recent judicial review call by SPVRG Ltd had been refused by the high court, the grounds put forward “not considered to be reasonably arguable”.
Committee chair Cllr Simon Hancock said a council request for SPVRG Ltd to pay costs incurred by the county council in defending the claim had now been submitted.
Following that, at the July planning meeting, in his chair’s announcement, Dr Hancock gave a clarification on the position.
“I can advise that whilst the application for judicial review was refused by the High Court Judge on May 31, 2024, the appellants have challenged this decision.
“This matter is listed for a renewal hearing, and accordingly the legal challenge is still in progress; I’m hoping that’s a clarification from the announcements I made back in June.”
Responding to the clarification, Trish Cormack of SPVRG Ltd pointed out it was not “an appeal,” adding: “Firstly, we are ‘requesting the decision to be reconsidered at a hearing,’ which is a bit less dramatic than ‘challenging the decision’.
“Secondly, the claim remains open for seven days after the decision on the papers in expectance of you requesting the hearing, and the form 86B comes attached to the decision with the case number already filled in for you. This is just part of the process for a judicial review. If the Judge really thought there were no merits to the case, he was free to issue a ‘without merits refusal’.
“That would have ended the claim there and then. The only way to resurrect it would have been to take it to the appeal court. But he didn’t.
“Thirdly, the announcement makes it sound like our ‘challenge’ had happened after their previous announcement, whereas in fact we only had seven days from May 31 in which to make the request, so they knew the moment we did (June 7) because we had to simultaneously email it to the court, PCC and the developer’s agent. So, they knew full well that there would be a renewal hearing.”
Farming
Farm building scheme near Lawrenny given go-ahead by planners
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AN APPLICATION for a storage building at a south Pembrokeshire farm, made by a family member of an officer on Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning service, has been given the go-ahead by the authority’s planning committee.
In an application recommended for approval at the July 23 meeting of the authority’s planning committee, Laura Elliot sought permission for the erection of an agricultural storage building at Tedion Farm, a dairy farm near Lawrenny.
The application had been brought to committee, rather than being delegated to planning officers, due to the family connection.
The farm, near to the Pembrokeshire coast National Park border, comprises 270 milking cows and dairy heifer replacements kept on the farm comprising land over 138 hectares. The farm is mainly down to grass and the cows are paddock grazed in order to utilise grass efficiency.
No objections had been received from local community council Martletwy.
A report for members said: “The application seeks consent for the erection of agricultural storage building. The erection of an agricultural building will be used to store stay, hay and farm machinery.
“The building would be located within the existing farm complex, to the north-east of the site, adjacent to the main farm dwelling. The building will measure 18 metres in length by 13.6 metres in width, with a pitched roof height of 5.71 metres.”
Approval was moved by Cllr Alistair Cameron, seconded by Cllr Brian Hall.
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