News

Minister’s schools announcement for children aged 3 to 7 welcomed

Published

5 years ago

February 5, 2021

WELSH Education Minister Kirsty Williams has confirmed that children in Foundation Phase (aged three to seven) will start to return to school on Monday, February 22 after the half-term break.

Pembrokeshire County Council says it welcomes the announcement.

Director for Education, Steven Richards-Downes, said: “Today’s announcement gives clarity to school staff and families and about a phased return to school for Foundation Phase learners.

“Schools have been working closely with the Council and planning and preparing for this announcement for some time. Schools will now move into an operational phase, building on the knowledge and experience of the past year to ensure that schools are as Covid-safe as they can possibly be.

“Please check your school’s website and social media pages over coming weeks for details of how the return to school will look for your child/children.

“It is important to remember that for those learners not included in this announcement schools will still continue to provide distance learning provision. Again please contact your child/children’s school directly if you have any queries on distance learning.

“Provision for the children of key workers and vulnerable learners will also continue.

“I would like to once again thank everyone, school staff, learners and parents and carers for the way they have embraced learning at home and adapted to the current situation.

“We look forward to welcoming more learners back to schools when safe to do so.

“In the meantime, please continue to follow the guidance to keep driving down the spread of Covid-19.”

The phased return to schools is only possible because people have stuck to the rules, the Director of the Welsh NHS Confederation said.

Responding to the latest Welsh Government update on the Coronavirus pandemic, Darren Hughes told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Everyone in Wales wants to see our children go back to school as soon as it’s safe to do so. Teachers, the NHS and anyone who works with children understands the need to get them back to face-to-face learning as soon as possible.
“That’s why we’ll need the public to be particularly careful as we bring some children back to school, it’s not a return to normality. The phased return to schools is only possible because people have stuck to the rules and the vaccination programme roll-out has continued to progress, at speed.

“It is fantastic to see we have passed the milestone of having administered half a million vaccinations, meaning more than one in six people in Wales have now had their first dose. The rapid acceleration of the vaccination programme roll-out is a credit to our staff and all of the organisations working in partnership and individuals involved. Every person we vaccinate is another step closer to safer communities.

“Whilst the overall picture is looking positive, pressure on the NHS remains high, and we continue to have a high level of hospitalisations. Let’s not go backwards now.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society has responded to the announcement that schools in Wales will reopen to younger children on February 22nd. There are around 2,500 deaf children in Wales, of whom around 1,100 are of primary school age.

Debbie Thomas, Head of Policy at the National Deaf Children’s Society Cymru, said: “Families of young deaf children in Wales will have mixed views on the return to school. Remote learning has brought real challenges during the pandemic, but deaf pupils have faced barriers in the classroom too, such as face masks and difficulties in accessing their specialist teachers.

“As schools prepare to reopen, it’s vital that they consider the needs of their deaf pupils at this very difficult time because many of them face a huge battle to catch-up. They will need ongoing, tailored support to help them succeed.”

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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

Crime

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

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

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.

Local Government

Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works

Published

4 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

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.