News

Council workers criticise bumper pay-off for chief executive

Published

5 years ago

September 13, 2020

COUNCIL workers employed by Pembrokeshire County Council have expressed their shock at the bumper pay-off for the authority’s out-going chief executive, according to the public services union.
UNISON says it is outraged such an enormous sum has been agreed at a time when Pembrokeshire residents face the greatest social and economic uncertainty of recent times.
The trade union has criticised council executives for a lack of transparency in the decision and said paying thousands of pounds was offensive to low paid care workers, school support staff and others, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic.

Jonathan Lewis, UNISON Pembrokeshire branch secretary, told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “£95,000 is a lottery-size win and an incomprehensibly large amount of money for the thousands of low paid council staff who have continued to serve their community throughout the lockdown in very difficult circumstances.
“This deal was agreed behind closed doors and gives the impression the council is awash with money when the reality is key community services have been reduced by spending cuts.
“Council executives need a reality check. Their decision represents a crass lack of awareness for what their employees and local people have been going through for the last six months. UNISON is calling for an immediate review of the pay-off.”
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Conservative Group said would be the first to thank and acknowledge the huge contribution of Mr Ian Westley in nearly two decades of service to the Council.

In a statement, the group said: “£95,000 is being reported as a settlement which has been authorised by the Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr David Simpson. Clearly the council tax payers of Pembrokeshire will want to know, and deserve to know, why the Leader agreed this.

“Since the current political leadership of Pembrokeshire County Council took office in May 2017, they have presided over an inflation busting Council Tax increase of 27.4% over just 3 years, and this settlement again prompts serious questions about their spending priorities that are being paid for by the hard-working tax payers of Pembrokeshire.”

As we reported in our print version of The Herald on Friday (Sept 11), the agreement for the payoff was reached through negotiation and is the maximum pay-out available for departing public sector employees.
Mr Westley’s payment was a matter delegated through the Council’s internal procedures to its leader, Cllr David Simpson, who authorised the agreement – executed by Director of Finance and Transformation Jon Haswell on Tuesday, September 1.
Settlement agreements are legally binding contracts which can be used to end an employment relationship on agreed terms. They are voluntary and parties do not have to agree to them or enter into a discussion about them. There can be a process of negotiation during which both sides make proposals and counter-proposals until an agreement is reached or both parties decide no agreement can be reached.

Negotiations regarding settlement agreements are confidential and neither party can disclose their content.

The existence of a Settlement Agreement works both ways. They are not proof of any legally actionable misconduct by either party and can be used to end employment for a variety of reasons, whether proposed by the employer or employee.
Speculation about what led to the negotiation is just that; although, as we reveal in this week’s paper, there were problems between Mr Westley and several members of the Cabinet and a blistering row between Mr Westley and another member of the Council’s senior management in the last few months.
In Mr Westley’s case, the Council – as Mr Westley’s employer – disclosed both the payment and settlement agreement’s existence (though not its other content or the negotiations) voluntarily at the time it was entered into.
Previous practice at Pembrokeshire County Council was to disclose the sums subject to such agreements either in response to a general request under the Freedom of Information Act or buried in the Council’s annual accounts – as was the case regarding the former Director of Education Graham Longster amongst other officers who left before 2017.
The case of previous CEO Bryn Parry Jones, and the amount of money sought by Carmarthenshire’s former CEO Mark James when he volunteered for redundancy directly contributed to the Welsh Government’s decision to cap senior staff’s pay-outs.

Crime

Jury told to continue deliberations in historic child sex abuse trial

Published

37 minutes ago

December 18, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Judge says majority verdict may be accepted after jurors report deadlock at Swansea Crown Court

A JURY has been told to continue its deliberations in the trial of a Milford Haven man accused of historic child sex offences after indicating it could not reach a unanimous verdict.

Thomas Kirk, aged 50, of Meyler Crescent, Milford Haven, is on trial at Swansea Crown Court accused of oral rape and sexual assault of a child. The offences are alleged to have taken place in Pembrokeshire between 2007 and 2009, when the complainant was aged between thirteen and fifteen.

At midday on Wednesday (Dec 18), the jury returned to court to say they were unable to reach a verdict on which all jurors agreed.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told the jury that while he would be prepared to accept a majority verdict if at least ten jurors were in agreement, he still wanted them to continue deliberations in an effort to reach a unanimous decision.

The jury was then sent back out to continue considering its verdict.

The trial continues.

Crime

Police appeal to locate 69-year-old man wanted in harassment investigation

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a man from the Ammanford area who is wanted in connection with a harassment offence.

Alan Tait, aged 69, is being sought by officers as part of an ongoing investigation.

Police believe he may currently be in the Derbyshire area, but say he also has links to South Wales and Gwent.

Anyone with information that could assist officers in locating him is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police.

Charity

Bluestone Foundation marks year of impact with more than £60,000 for local causes

Published

1 hour ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE BLUESTONE FOUNDATION, the charitable arm of Bluestone National Park Resort, has marked a significant year of community investment after raising and distributing more than £60,000 to support projects across Pembrokeshire in 2025.

Run in partnership with the Pembrokeshire Association for Voluntary Services (PAVS), the Foundation has continued to expand its reach, backing a wide range of charities and community organisations working at the heart of the county.

During the year, the Foundation’s Community Fund delivered three rounds of grants, supporting projects focused on wellbeing, inclusion, creativity, and environmental protection.

Environmental organisations including BlueGreen Cymru, Greener Growth CIC and Sea Trust Wales received funding, alongside wellbeing and inclusion groups such as ASD Family Help, Get the Boys a Lift, No Shame Foundation and Silbers CIC.

Creative, youth and heritage organisations including Little Grebe Creative CIC, Pater Hall Community Trust, Milford Haven Community Society, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and VC Gallery also benefited.

In total, £32,968.57 was awarded through the Community Fund in 2025.

Fundraising events held at the Blue Lagoon Water Park generated a further £19,500 in unrestricted income. Under the Foundation’s funding model, 75 per cent of that money is passed directly to charities, with the remaining 25 per cent placed into a flexible fund to support causes that fall outside the Community Fund’s criteria.

Flexible funding totalling £4,500 was used this year to support initiatives including Sport Pembrokeshire’s Fit and Fed project, refurbishment work at Martletwy Young Farmers Club hall, Bloomfield Bus and Green Dragon Bus services, and Nacro’s Christmas appeal, providing food, warm clothing and essential items to people in crisis.

The Foundation also supported the PATCH Christmas Toy Appeal, encouraging staff and visitors at Bluestone to donate gifts for families referred to the charity during the festive period.

In addition, more than one hundred fundraising events across the region were supported through prize donations from the Foundation, including over 200 family passes to the Blue Lagoon Water Park, 32 overnight spa breaks and nine Bluestone holiday breaks.

Marten Lewis, Chair of the Bluestone Foundation said: “This year’s achievements reflect the heart of who we are at Bluestone. The Foundation exists to uplift the people and places that make Pembrokeshire such a special community.

“The impact of our partners, grant recipients and fundraising efforts in 2025 shows what is possible when we work together, and we are proud to see the difference it continues to make across the county.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the Foundation has confirmed continued support for Sport Pembrokeshire’s Fit and Fed project and will act as gold sponsor of the DPJ Foundation’s Macchu Picchu trek.

Five further Blue Lagoon fundraising events are already scheduled between February and August, supporting Local Cadets, Belles Story, Martletwy YFC Hall, Blue Horizons Coastal Adventure and Friends of Portfield School.

Tickets for those events are available via the Bluestone Foundation’s Eventbrite page.

For more information about the Bluestone Foundation, visit the Bluestone website.