News
Council Chairmans message
The Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor Dr Simon
Hancock, has issued the following message:
‘We are living through unprecedented times as society battles the
greatest public health crisis of the past hundred years.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones or
have had family members and friends taken ill from this awful virus.
‘But we are also witnessing some remarkable things. The
professionalism, dedication and selflessness of our National Health
Service and social care staff is beyond praise.
‘We also are mindful of the excellent work of our police who have to
enforce the lockdown and get to grips with new regulations during
these exceptional weeks.
‘Our County Council staff are working very hard indeed in catering for
the needs of Pembrokeshire residents and especially those who work
on the interface with health.
‘What has been truly inspiring has been the response of the
population and communities of Pembrokeshire.
‘Countless acts of kindness for neighbours and especially for
complete strangers is nothing short of inspiring.
‘The Community Co-ordination hub which went Iive on 26th March
has already dealt with more than 1000 calls and a some 50
community groups been registered with the Pembrokeshire
Association of Voluntary Services.
‘The third sector has done exceptional work in helping to promote
community resilience and providing information.
‘People continue to donate to food banks, volunteer to their local
community support group, remotely befriend, shop for necessities and
collect prescriptions for the elderly and vulnerable.
‘Communities are really coming together.
‘Every crisis produces different responses from people but I believe
the spirit of caring and compassion has intensified and grown.
‘We will move beyond this crisis and hope that a better society waits
for us beyond it.
‘As you will know, we are now entering a further minimum three
weeks of lockdown. I urge everyone to please follow the rules of
staying home and only going out if is absolutely essential to do so.
‘We must all play our part in tackling this virus.
‘I extend my best wishes to you and your families and let us
remember ‘You have not lived today until you have done something
for someone.’
‘These sentiments have certainly been taken to heart by the people of
Pembrokeshire.’
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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