News
Leisure centres and libraries to close
ALL Pembrokeshire County Council leisure centres and libraries will close at 3.15pm on Friday, 20th March until further notice.
The Pembrokeshire Archives and Local Studies ceased its front-line service at 5pm last night (Wednesday, 18th March).
At Scolton Manor, the Museum, Tea Room and Visitor Centre will close at 3.15pm on Friday, but the grounds and play areas will remain open.
The closures are as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, the need to increase social distancing and the requirement to redeploy staff.
- Leisure
Leisure centre users have been reassured that all existing memberships will be frozen and no further deductions taken from direct debits during the closure period.
Club and pre-paid bookings / will be refunded or alternatively be moved to other suitable, future dates.
- Libraries
The libraries closure includes the Mobile Library service.
All existing items on loan from the library service will be extended for the period of closure.
There will be no need to return items during the closure period and there will not be any overdue fines for these items once normal service is resumed.
Library users can access ebooks, audio books, emagazines and ecomics online, 24-7 at www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/
- Archives
The research room has closed until further notice.
However, the service will continue to respond to remote enquiries and correspondence, although responses may be delayed.
Archives users are encouraged to keep in contact via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/
Paul Miller, the Cabinet Member for Economy, Tourism, Leisure & Culture, said: “I have today, based on the best advice available to me, agreed to the closure of the county’s libraries, leisure centres, and the Manor House museum at Scolton with effect from 3.15pm on Friday 20th March.
“In addition, I have also agreed to the closure of the archive search room from 5pm Wednesday 18th March.
“This has been done firstly to minimise the risk in relation to the spread of the coronavirus and secondly to enable us to release non-critical staff to support the Council’s wider response to the Coronavirus pandemic.
“All leisure members will have their direct debits frozen (we will not collect payment for services that are not available) and these will resume when service is restored. For those customers who have paid for an annual membership, an extension to that membership in line with the closure period has been agreed. We will also refund any payments for bookings which will not now take place.
“These closures will be reviewed regularly and services will resume once the advice suggests it is safe to do so.
“We will continue to do all we can to keep our communities safe.”
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.
Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.
The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.
The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.
The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”
The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.
Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”
NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.
“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.
“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”
The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”
This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.
The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.
Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.
With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.
“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”
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