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Welsh ‘Fire-break lockdown’ to end on November 9, Mark Drakeford confirms

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  • Pubs and restaurants reopen
  • English lockdown announcement raises new questions
  • For the two week period that follows November 9, the national rules will be implemented across Wales

MARK DRAKEFORD today confirmed Wales will exit the ‘fire break’ lockdown on November 9.

The First Minister relayed the Welsh Government’s decision during a press conference at lunchtime on Monday, November 2.

Mr Drakeford said the unexpected announcement of an English lockdown on Saturday meant the Welsh Government had to take account of what Boris Johnson’s decision means for Wales.
Ian Price, CBI Wales Director, said: “Firms under severe strain will be relieved. For those in the hard-hit hospitality sector, the next step is to get clear guidance on how businesses can re-open again as swiftly and easily as possible.

“The First Minister has placed great emphasis on personal compliance and changing individual behaviours as we continue to live with the pandemic. Having already invested significant sums in making workplaces safe for staff and customers, business stands ready to play its part in making that a success.”

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS LIFTED

When he announced the end of travel restrictions within Wales, the First Minister said that no travel could take place from Wales to England unless it was essential or had a reasonable excuse.
He also emphasised that the Welsh Government relied on people in Wales limiting their travel to essential journeys only.

Steps would be taken, Mr Drakeford said, to stop people from England coming to Wales to avoid the English lockdown.

Existing travel restrictions to curtail travel from England to Wales enforced by Welsh Government laws would be mirrored over the English border during the month-long lockdown there, Mark Drakeford explained.

Welsh travel restrictions end on November 9. English restrictions on travel come in on Thursday, November 5.

The overlap between the two periods should – both governments hope – prevent any efforts to ‘break’ the lockdown by trying to get around the rules.

DON’T LOOK TO BEND THE RULES

The First Minister emphasised ending the lockdown and making sure a further lockdown was unnecessary largely boiled down to people abiding by the spirit of the restrictions which would follow its lifting.

He warned against people trying to find ways of getting around the restrictions and said people should do the minimum to keep themselves and others safe from potential harm.
Mark Drakeford emphasised that a great deal of responsibility rested upon individuals’ preparedness to avoid selfish and self-serving actions.

He said: “Rather than us asking what we can or can’t do, we need to ask ourselves what should we be doing to keep our families safe.

“Government rules and regulations are here to help. But the real strength we have is in the choices we make and the actions we take together.

BACK TO WORK

Mr Drakeford said all businesses forced to close throughout the firebreak lockdown could reopen on November 9.

He encouraged as many workers as possible to continue to work from home.

Because of the English lockdown announcement, the Welsh Government will continue to consider what arrangements will be made for hospitality and tourism businesses, although he said they would also be allowed to reopen.

A formal announcement in respect of hospitality businesses will be made as soon as the Welsh Cabinet have a chance to unpick the impact of the English announcement on hospitality businesses near the border.

Mark Drakeford said the decision was complicated because of the length of Wales’ ‘porous border’ with England.

He wanted to avoid using Police resources to control breaches of English travel restrictions to use pubs, hotels, restaurants and leisure facilities on the Welsh side of the border.
All Schools and places of worship in Wales will reopen next Monday.

CARE HOMES

Mr Drakeford accepted that visits to relatives in care homes were important to the well-being of homes’ residents.

He expressed hope that a new rapid-response test, would allow visits to take place.

The First Minister said one new test being trialled in Wales could provide test results within half an hour.

He suggested that test’s administration, at a drive-through centre (for example), before a planned visit would allow visits to relatives in care homes to go ahead, depending on each home’s policy on visits.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Mr Drakeford recognised the strain lockdown put on families in Wales and announced a relaxation of restrictions on meeting with other members of your own family.

People should only meet with their ‘bubble’ in their own home and only two households will be able to form a ‘bubble’.

If one person from either household develops symptoms, everyone should immediately self-isolate

Up to 15 people can take part in an organised indoors activity and up to 30 in an organised activity outdoors, providing all social distancing, hand hygiene and other COVID safety measures are followed.

With schools returning from next Monday, young people will be able to meet with their friends in school but not within each others’ homes unless they are part of the same two-household ‘bubble’.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

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THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.

The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.

Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

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Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

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A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.

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Local Government

Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works

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Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure

SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.

“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.

Urgent works underway

Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.

Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.

Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.

Further updates are expected later this week.

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