News

Procedural row delays vital meeting

Published

3 years ago

October 11, 2021

A LONG procedural wrangle ate up an hour-and-a-half of time at an Extraordinary Meeting of Full Council this morning.

Councillors met to discuss confidential legal advice arising from the equally secret settlement agreement between the local authority and its former CEO, Mr Ian Westley.

Before the meeting, the Council received a letter from the Association of Local Government Chief Executives – effectively Mr Westley’s trade union – that the settlement agreement’s contents were legally privileged and that Mr Westley had not surrendered his right to have its terms kept secret.

As we reported on Friday (October 8), the Council’s Deputy Monitoring Officer ruled a payoff of £95,000 to Ian Westley was made under the wrong procedure.

The settlement should have been reviewed and voted upon by the Full Council.
Although the Deputy Monitoring Officer’s opinion is a public document, councillors were due to discuss the issues it raises behind closed doors.

Some of the material to inform members’ debate, including advice from a leading barrister, is legally privileged and refers to confidential staffing matters.

An employee’s right to depend on confidentiality is the same as discussions between clients and their solicitors. They cannot be disclosed to someone else.

It’s a classic case where the public interest is not the same as what the public might be interested in.
Apart from the settlement agreement’s terms, internal staffing -particularly potential disciplinary proceedings against named individuals – are never discussed in public.

That is entirely standard practice in any employer/employee relationship, whether the employer is in the public sector or not.

However, several councillors – most notably former Council Leader Jamie Adams – insisted that confidential material could be discussed in public.

Cllr Mike Stoddart tartly welcomed Cllr Adams’s conversion to the principle of transparency in governance.
In doing so, Cllr Adams found himself at odds with the Council’s barrister, Mr Nigel Giffin QC, and the newly appointed Interim Monitoring Officer and Acting Head of Legal, Rhian Young.

Their professional opinions were clear.

Discussing confidential material in public, especially when one party had not waived their right to confidentiality, would leave the Council open to a potentially costly legal challenge.

Cllr David Lloyd – a practising barrister – endorsed their view.

It took Cllr Jonathan Preston to bring some real-world thinking into the proceedings.

He wondered how any councillors considered contradicting very clear legal advice to put the Council Taxpayer at risk of funding more legal costs than those the authority incurred already. Staffing matters were routinely confidential, and the Council was in no different a position than anyone else.

Cllr Mike Williams said that it was surely time to decide how to proceed after going around in circles after an hour and a half.

He proposed the meeting be moved into a private session to discuss the report, noting that doing so would leave councillors free to express opinions on the issues raised by the Council’s QC without putting the Council at any risk of litigation at public expense.

Mike Willams’s proposal was carried by 35 votes to 17 with one abstention.

Shortly afterwards, as Cllr Jacob Williams raised the issue of recording the proceedings, the webcast cut out.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

21 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.