Politics
Home Office in court: Asylum seeker’s legal team argue Penally Camp conditions are ‘unlawful’

A COURT CASE has been filed in the High Court against the Home Office by a resident of the Penally Asylum Seeker Accommodation Centre.
The 20-year-old Iraqi national at the centre of the case has mounted a legal challenge arguing the way that he has been treated is “plainly unlawful”.
His lawyers are arguing on his behalf that an ex-army camp holding hundreds of asylum seekers is in breach coronavirus guidelines, and places residents at risk of suffering degrading treatment.
The asylum seeker’s legal team have also said that the conditions in the camps are breach the government guidelines on Covid-19 precautions, as well as placing residents at risk of suffering from “degrading” treatment due to unhygienic conditions and a lack of access to medical care.
It was revealed in court on Friday that an asylum seeker recently tested positive for the coronavirus in Penally barracks – and there was no indication that others who were in close contact were allowed, or required, to self-isolate, nor that anyone who might have been in contact had been tested and treated as required.
The Home Office has already faced a number of individual challenges from asylum seekers – at least 10 of which the department conceded before the case went to court, resulting in the claimants being moved out.
Submissions were made in the High Court on Friday (Dec 4).
The Iraqi says he was one of the first to arrive at the camp, having been moved to Penally barracks soon after it opened. He was previously housed in various hotels since he arrived to the UK in March this year.
The legal team argues that his continued stay at the camp has posed a “real risk” to his health and that there had been “no lawful or reasonable justification for removing him from suitable accommodation to the facility”.
The court was told that conditions at the camp did not allow for social distancing nor for compliance with the six-person rule, and that there was “no indication” that residents had proper access to medical care or masks, unless provided by a charity.
In documents submitted to court, the legal case is put forward as follows: “The [Home Office’s] failures arguably amount to a breach of Article 3 [of the] European Convention of Human
Rights and amount to serious mistreatment, neglect and general poor care on the part of the secretary of state,”.
They went on to state that while it was accepted that there was an “added burden” on the Home Office because of Covid-19, the department’s actions were nonetheless “plainly unlawful”.
A Home Office spokesperson said residents were staying in safe, Covid-compliant conditions, in line with the law and social-distancing requirements, and were provided with guidance in relation to self-isolation, social distancing and hygiene.
However, a lawyer acting for the 20-year old Iraqi said that while the Home Office assert that the barracks is Covid safe, it is “plainly not given the absence of even the most basic Covid precautions such as hand sanitiser.”
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds has condemned the decision to place asylum seekers in the ex-military facilities, calling for “proper processes for transparency and accountability” in place throughout the immigration system.
Sonia Lenegan, legal director at the Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association, said: “Since the barracks were repurposed as asylum accommodation in September, concerns have been raised about the unsuitability of this accommodation by NGOs, lawyers, medical professionals, the Welsh government, the police as well as the local community.
“It is time for the Home Office to listen to these concerns, close the barracks and move people into safe and appropriate accommodation.”
A Home Office spokesperson told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “As this is an ongoing legal case it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
The case continues.
News
Pembrokeshire households could face £250 council tax rise

COUNCIL TAX in Pembrokeshire could rise by nearly 17 percent this year, adding more than £250 to the annual bill, in a series of proposals to be considered by senior councillors next week.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on February 10, is recommended to support one of four options for the council tax element of the forthcoming 2025-’26 budget.
The proposed rises, and the increase for the average Band D property are.
- 9.85 percent (£148.81)
- 11.14 percent (£168.29
- 16.58 percent (£250.48)
The fourth option, proposed by the council’s Liberal Democrat group members, would see, amongst other changes to the three outlined above, a 12 percent increase (£181.29).
For many years Pembrokeshire has had the lowest Band D Council Tax in Wales.
Following the 12.5 percent increase in 2024-25 Pembrokeshire moved to the fourth lowest in Wales with a base Band D Council Tax of £1,510.72 per year, before town and community council and police precepts are added.
A report for members ahead of the Cabinet meeting says the council’s projected funding gap for 2025-26 has been reduced from £34.1m to £27.4m after a better-than-expected Welsh Government local government settlement but says: “Based on the current projected funding gap of £27.4m, it is evident that major budget savings as well as a significant council tax increase will be required in order to deliver a balanced budget for 2025-26. The lower the Band D council tax increase, the higher the budget savings requirement will be, with the consequential adverse impact on the provision of council services.”
The report lists 171 potential council savings to help balance the budget, ranging from green (achievable with impact) to red (very challenging with significant impact ) and deep red (statutory failings and/or very significant impact), saying: “The cumulative total of the Green to Deep Red savings (171 measures) is £23.9m. Implementation of all these budget savings options will be challenging, with some considered to be particularly unpalatable to council and the public.”
Of the total savings listed, they are categorised as red from 105 onwards and deep red from 146.
Of the three main council tax increase proposals, a 9.85 percent rate would need savings up to 132, well into the red, 11.14 percent up to 128, and even the 16.58 percent rate going into the red savings at 108.
On the potential use of reserves, the report says: “The current analysis of reserves indicates that the absolute maximum of uncommitted reserves that council might consider using in exceptional circumstances is up to £1.3m but this remains subject to the Section 151 Officer’s continuing assessment.”
The S151 officer, in the report has said: “Unless there is a clear plan to replenish, any utilisation of reserves to balance the budget would only be a sticking plaster and will add to the projected funding gap for the following year.”
The final decision on the council budget will be made by all members of the council, meeting next month, with next week’s Cabinet choice forming a recommendation.
For this coming year, the Dyfed-Powys Police precept part of the overall council tax bill is rising by 8.6 percent, bringing the rate for a Band D property to £360.68.
Neighbouring authority Ceredigion is proposing an increase of just under 10 percent but an alternative proposal around the six percent mark is being mooted.
Business
Giant solar farm could be built on edge of Haverfordwest

THE EARLY stages of a scheme for a potential 20MW solar farm just a mile from Haverfordwest which it is said would provide power for 6,000 homes has been submitted to county planners.
Amberside Energy Ltd submitted a scoping opinion to Pembrokeshire County Council for the for the proposed solar farm and grid connection on land close to Haverfordwest golf club, just off the main A40 road, ahead of a formal application.
The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Screening Request for land to the north of the A40/Narberth Road, And East of Haverfordwest, Boulston and Slebech was prepared by Stephenson Halliday Ltd, on behalf of Amberside Energy Ltd has been adopted by council planners prior to the submission of a formal planning application.
Supporting documents with the request say: “The proposed development will export approximately 20MW which is anticipated to connect to the national grid at the nearby substation located approximately 500m west of the site’s access. The proposed development will comprise solar photovoltaic panels, inverters, perimeter stock fencing, access tracks, and CCTV. Planning permission will be sought for a temporary period of 40 years from the date of first exportation of electricity.
“The planning application submission will include the private wire grid connection, facilitated via underground cables to connect the Solar Farm to the point of connection.”
It adds: “The photovoltaic panels within the Site would generate up to 20MW of electricity, to be exported to the national grid. The Proposed Development will produce enough clean energy for approximately 6,000 homes, helping to contribute to the Government’s legally binding Net Zero target and to secure the nation’s energy supply in the context of a volatile global market.”
It says the site is adjacent to two separate solar developments with separate grid connections; Shoalshook Solar farm and Fenton Home Solar farm, but would operate in isolation to any of these neighbouring solar farms.
A formal planning application will be supported by a Landscape and Visual Appraisal (LVA), the application says, adding: “Overall, given the siting and nature of the proposed development, no significant visual impacts are anticipated.”
Politics
Council stops woman living in caravan on her parents’ land

A CALL to allow a static caravan to remain on agricultural land as accommodation for the applicants’ pilot daughter, and as AirBnB accommodation, has been turned down by Pembrokeshire planners.
In a retrospective application before Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr and Mrs Rees of Lands End, Cross Lane, Crundale, near Haverfordwest sought permission for an extension of the curtilage of the property and for ancillary accommodation, the caravan having been sited some 60 metres from the house in 2021.
A supporting statement through agent Harries Planning Design Management said: “This application seeks approval for one unit of ancillary accommodation to support their daughter who works as a pilot at the neighbouring airfield. Lands End is served by a small area of curtilage to the rear and side garden, with not enough space to provide any ancillary accommodation. Therefore, the unit would have to be placed outside of the existing curtilage.
“Additionally, her work pattern is scattered, working long hours frequently returning during the night and leaving early in the morning. Therefore, the choice to provide her accommodation down from the house also allows minimal disturbance to the occupants of the main dwelling during the night.
“Whilst not being occupied by their daughter the unit is being let out as AirBnB rent-a-room. As we are seeking to apply for residential use associated (and tied via planning condition) with the main farmhouse at Lands End, this would be in accordance with the AirBnB policies of renting a room within a dwelling’s curtilage.”
It said the unit “is sited away from any neighbouring dwellings, is well-screened from the main road by the strong existing roadside hedge,” and was “of modest scale and size” and would “introduce no greater impact than the existing dwelling at Lands End”.
The application was refused, following a planning officer recommendation, on the grounds including the caravan, sited on a hardstanding area some 60 metres from the applicants’ home, complete with its own amenities and services, is considered as an independent unit of accommodation.
It added: “The proposal does not relate to an enterprise for which a countryside location is essential and would introduce a new residential development, including for holiday use in an unsustainable location which is not within a settlement,” adding it would “result in unjustified visual encroachment into the countryside, and would not be of a nature which is compatible with the character of the site”.
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