News

Calls for Bryn to resign over council paedophile scandal

Published

12 years ago

July 15, 2014

backed bryn THERE are fresh calls today (Tuesday, July 15) for Wales’ highest paid council chief, Bryn Parry Jones, to resign. This time there is mounting pressure on him over the way Pembrokeshire County Council dealt with allegations about a former senior council youth worker who went on to be jailed for six years for sexually abusing a child.

And as a result of a BBC Wales Week In Week Out investigation into the case, the Children’s Commissioner for Wales says he wants to re-open the case files at the Council to discover whether children were left at risk. Children’s Commissioner Keith Towler told the BBC:

‘I’ll take look at it because I think what you’re raising there are very serious allegations. That probably needs an independent look. In terms of my responsibility as Children’s Commissioner, if I take the view that things happened to children in the past could help to improve the lives of children today then I certainly have got the powers of remit to take look at it.’

In 2005 a whistle-blower warned bosses that Mik Smith was behaving inappropriately with children and could pose as a risk – but Smith, from Haverfordwest, was given a verbal warning.

mike This month paedophile Smith was jailed for six years for sexually abusing an eight-year-old boy.

The offences happened after he’d been sacked. Whistle-blower Sue Thomas – who originally warned bosses about Smith’s inappropriate behaviour – thinks that the Council made a serious mistake when they gave Mik Smith a verbal warning in 2005:

‘I still can’t get my head round it because there were so many good hard-working professional people that came forward with complaints – I cannot understand why we were not listened to.

I can’t comprehend what type of person in management wouldn’t listen to it and wouldn’t be concerned and wouldn’t want to deal with it – I’m lost for words.’

Further complaints were made about Smith in 2009 and 2011, and he was eventually sacked in 2012 after a re-investigation was ordered by the Welsh Government.

Mik Smith’s recent court case has prompted questions about whether the Council should have sacked Smith sooner and whether it did enough to protect children who he came into contact with.

The Council’s Chief Executive Bryn Parry-Jones said that there were significant failings in the disciplinary standards used to handle the case. The Council says that its investigation at the time revealed no evidence of criminal activity, but it regretted that there were significant failings in the disciplinary standards in its education directorate in 2005 when allegations were made about Smith.

joyce Joyce Watson AM says this is the latest in a series of failures by the Council to properly protect vulnerable children. She wants Bryn Parry Jones – who earns more than the £228,000 a year – to step down. She told The Heralds:

‘I think it’s time for him to go and I’m not shy of saying that – he has been the permanency in all of the negative reports that have been there and there have been a number of them. You cannot be the highest paid Chief Executive in Wales because you are worth that money, and reside over failure. Repeated failure.’

The programme has spoken to an independent social worker who investigated the allegations against Mik Smith on behalf of the Council in 2005. The social worker told the BBC that she was “surprised” that Smith had been dealt with by way of a verbal warning at the time.

Bryn Parry Jones said that the council’s investigation at the time revealed no evidence of criminal activity and that since that time the Council has completely changed its procedures and management of the Education department and is confident that past failings would not be repeated now. The Council also said that no manager from the former Education directorate involved in the decision-making in 2005 is currently employed by the Authority.”

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10 Comments

Helen mills

July 15, 2014 at 8:23 am

Mr Parry be true to the wonderful people of pembrokeshire & more so to yourself & step down. No one in the sector you work in should be awarded the salary you take from these wonderful people who pay your salary be honest tell me what you do in a day to get this amount as you have minions that work for you so you sit back feet up as you can all see in this article.
A young lad scared for the rest of his life but Smiths gratification in minutes & forgotten about until the next time, terror runs through that young lads body how dare you & Smith get away with us h behaviour?
People of pembrokeshire need to shout louder.
Tomos

July 15, 2014 at 8:30 am

Does any one think he’ll do the DECENT thing?

There’s been no sign of that “weakness” in his personality, just sharp elbows getting to that tax funded trough and s** the weak,the disabled and the poor – who I always thought the state was there to help and support.

Now we find out our children were not safe, we’ve had enough from the IPG about paying the most to get the best ** HOLLOW LAUGH** , PCC are just going from one calamity to the next –

surely the memebers of this “party” must be SO ashamed of what has been done (or not done) in their names to get their special responsibility allowances – now they’ve found this sort of information they MUST get a back bone and think about the ppl of Pembrokeshire
Peter Warrender

July 15, 2014 at 12:39 pm

I know is salary and pension pot plus car allowance are an abuse to the council tax payers of Pembrokeshire. The councillors who allowed this abuse should be sacked. On the paedophile front the buck should stop with him, he is the CEO so must take full responsibility for what happens within the PCC. What else is he being paid a massive salary for?
Roy Mcgurn

July 15, 2014 at 1:09 pm

The Chief Executive is several layers removed from this case. His culpability, if any, stems from his cost cutting of council spending, particularly Social Services. Scandals such as this can hit even high spending authorities, so it is difficult to prove cost cutting is a direct cause of this case. However, in cutting costs, a culture of denial has permeated the authority, as some of their antics do not stand up to detailed scrutiny. (The recent irregularities in grants awarded in Pembroke Dock being an example.)If an investigation did indeed determine that this culture of denial was a primary cause of children being put at risk, then his position should be untenable.
Paul Hill

July 15, 2014 at 7:00 pm

The man has a brass neck, he is’nt going to walk away from his gravy train, he’s surrounded himself with allies and they are all in the trough, they will just ignore this as usual…
Lofty

July 15, 2014 at 9:27 pm

I was part of that investigation back in 2005 and witnessed first hand the inappropriate behaviour that monster carried out on our vulnerable young boys in his care. He lied, deceived and manipulated many to serve his own disgusting crime. I am pleased that all those who managed him have been removed from their posts and quite rightly so. We went through hell and lost a good colleague in the process – sacked due to his lies! I just hope and pray that justice will finally be done and BPJ is finally removed from his office too.
Tomos

July 16, 2014 at 8:21 pm

I’m not discussing this case, only the principle – It looks as though ppl who did nothing when Cyril Smith or Jimmy saville was guilty of dreadfully corrupt things, may well have their or their families reputations shredded or may even go to jail for doing nothing when they are caught possibly 20/30 years after the guilty are long gone – only warning those who think they afre safe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
woody

July 16, 2014 at 8:52 pm

Watched the documentary last night…Unbelievable! That the chief executive on 220k+ huge benefits per annum can wash his hands of this because he stated he was on holiday!!!!….Also he should be on his knees apologising to the very brave whistle blower after writing such a bombastic chauvinistic condescending letter in reply to her concerns. She lost her job over this and had to move out of the County while Bryn just went on holiday..Bryn Parry Jones needs to be pushed as his arrogance won\’t allow him to resign….No other institution in there right mind would leave this man alone in charge of washing dishes let alone being left in charge of managing millions of pounds of rate payers money …..Bryn Parry Jones and his cronies are a shambolic bunch of opportunistic amateurs riding the red wine jus gravy train.This is not the only scandal to hit Bryn and his lap dancing generals at the PCC…..when will the Welsh Assembly take a REAL interest in the internal incompetence and downright deceit that dogs this Council. I know of no one person who has a good word to say about this bunch of cowboys.Also was it true a memo went around the Council that nobody was allowed to talk to Bryn Parry Jones if they passed him in the council corridors as \”his mind was always on far greater and important things\” ?????..And does he really have a private lift installed to his own office????
Milford Matters

July 17, 2014 at 1:02 pm

Teflon man will escape again – nothing sticks to this guy – he will supported by his Council Cabinet Colleques and survive till the next election.
Keanjo

July 17, 2014 at 6:02 pm

Failure ,failure ,failure crisis, crisis ,crisis .When will it stop? When will someone assert their authority and help us ?

Climate

Communities offered share of £1bn energy fund — but questions remain over delivery

Published

15 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

COMMUNITIES across Wales are being promised a stake in what ministers describe as the largest public investment in locally owned energy projects in British history, with up to £1 billion earmarked for solar panels, battery storage and small-scale renewable schemes.

The funding, announced this week by Great British Energy and the UK Government, forms part of a new “Local Power Plan” aimed at helping councils, schools, clubs and community groups generate and sell their own electricity.

Ministers say the approach will cut bills, create income streams and keep profits local rather than flowing to major energy companies.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Big_Pit%2C_Blaenavon.jpg

However, while the headline figure is eye-catching, details about how much money will reach Wales — and how quickly — remain limited.

Welsh projects already backed

The government says nearly £9.5 million has already been allocated to projects in Wales over the past year, delivered with the Welsh Government.

Examples include rooftop solar on schools in Wrexham and Newport, and a new installation at Big Pit National Coal Museum in Pontypool, which is estimated to save more than £280,000 in energy costs over its lifetime.

A further scheme at a highways depot in Neath is projected to save the local authority around £910,000.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the plan would “transfer wealth and power back to communities”, while Wales Secretary Jo Stevens described it as a way for towns and villages to “take charge of their own energy supplies”.

Big ambition — but funding spread thin

Despite the rhetoric, the £1bn pot is UK-wide and expected to support more than 1,000 projects across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

If split evenly, that would average around £1m per scheme — though ministers say grants and loans will vary and some funding will be reserved for advice and capability building rather than construction.

Community energy groups have long argued that red tape, grid connections and upfront costs are bigger barriers than ambition.

There are also questions over whether smaller volunteer-led organisations will have the technical expertise to compete for funds against better-resourced councils and developers.

Industry bodies broadly welcomed the move but stopped short of calling it transformational without clearer timelines.

What it could mean locally

If delivered effectively, the model could allow:

• village halls and sports clubs to reduce running costs
• schools to generate income from spare electricity
• councils to cut energy bills on public buildings
• residents to buy shares in local renewables

Supporters say that keeps money circulating in the local economy rather than leaving the area.

The announcement follows other energy developments affecting Wales, including backing for offshore wind in the Celtic Sea such as the Erebus Floating Offshore Wind Farm off Pembrokeshire.

Waiting for the detail

For now, communities are being invited to register interest via Great British Energy, with grant schemes expected to launch later this year.

Whether the plan proves to be a genuine shift in ownership or simply another competitive funding round will depend on how accessible the money is — and how much of it ultimately reaches places like Pembrokeshire rather than being absorbed at national level.

Local groups considering bids will be watching closely.

Charity

Donation gives Stackpole Quay book trailer fresh new look

Published

21 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A COMMUNITY donation will help spruce up a popular summer book trailer at Stackpole Quay after members of the Pembrokeshire National Trust Association handed over more than one thousand pounds to support the project.

The Pembrokeshire National Trust Association presented a cheque for £1,095 to the National Trust at Stackpole Quay this weekend.

The cheque was formally given to Rhian Sula, General Manager for the charity’s Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Bay portfolio, by association chairman Jane Mason during a National Trust information coffee morning at the Stackpole Centre.

The money will be used to refurbish the well-known second-hand book trailer which operates at the quay during the summer months. The trailer allows visitors to pick up a holiday read while making a donation, with proceeds supporting local conservation and access projects.

Last year alone, the trailer raised more than £1,500.

Jane Mason said the association had originally funded the purchase of the trailer several years ago and wanted to build on its success.

“Our new donation from members’ support will improve the trailer with updated imagery and design,” she said. “This will help the National Trust present a more professional, welcoming and brand-aligned offer, and potentially grow donation income.”

The Pembrokeshire National Trust Association runs a programme of talks, visits and guided walks in support of local Trust properties. Membership of the National Trust is not required to join the association. Annual membership costs £5 for individuals and £8 for couples.

At its AGM in November, the group announced £3,000 in additional donations for local projects, including replacement willow hurdles at Tudor Merchants House, footpath improvements at Little Milford, and a new bench, tree planting and path works at Southwood.

With the latest contribution towards the book trailer, the association’s donations for the current financial year now exceed £4,000.

Photo caption:

Jane Mason presents a cheque for £1,095 to Rhian Sula at Stackpole Centre (Pic: supplied).

Crime

OAP admits stalking woman with emails, posters and letters

Published

21 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Court Reporter

A HAVERFORDWEST man has admitted stalking a woman by sending repeated unwanted emails, putting up posters and contacting third parties about her.

Michael Lockheart, aged 80, of Daisy Lane, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Feb 9) for sentencing, having previously pleaded guilty to stalking.

The court heard that between July 27 and September 10 last year, Lockheart pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the stalking and harassment against a female.

His behaviour included sending numerous unwanted emails after being told to stop contact, distributing defamatory posters in public places, and sending malicious correspondence to her GP and the local authority.

Lockheart admitted the offence, contrary to Section 2A of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Sentencing was adjourned to allow a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

He was granted conditional bail with strict restrictions. He must not contact the complainant directly or indirectly, including through third parties or social media, and must not enter any address where she lives.

Lockheart is due back before magistrates for sentence at 10:00am on Monday, March 9.