News

Council in email data protection blunder

Published

3 years ago

October 22, 2021

A ‘HUMAN ERROR’ is being blamed for a recent data protection blunder at Pembrokeshire County Council after an email which contained contact details for 70 businesses was sent out on Friday (Oct 15).

The email, which was sent from the Trade Waste team at the Council, was sent to businesses who have trade waste agreements with the council informing them that their trade waste would cease due to them not returning their agreements.

The content of the email was intended to be read by the recipient only, however due to a human error instead of the businesses being added through the Blind Copy function – meaning no recipient can see who else is in the email thread – they were sent in the copy function – meaning all 70 businesses could see each other’s personal email addresses.

Not only were email addresses shared, it also tells all 70 recipients that they have each failed to return their waste agreement and that their contracts will be ceased.

The Herald was contacted by a number of businesses who expressed their disappointment at the council for their lack of privacy for account holders.

One local business owner, who wishes to remain anonymous said: “I am deeply concerned that the council have shared my personal information with 69 other businesses.

“Not only does the sharing of my email address make it possible to be identified personally, and as a business, but it also informs others that I no longer have a trade waste agreement with the Council.

“As a business owner we have extremely strict data protection rules that we must adhere to for both staff and customers and I would expect an organisation such as a council to have more stringent policies in place to avoid this.

“This is wholly unacceptable and I have made my feelings very clear through a formal complaint.”

An email was later sent to all recipients to apologise for the incident and ask for the email to be irretrievably deleted.

The council has said despite employees having to sign up to a data protection policy on start of employment and regular training is given – this mistake was down to ‘human error’.

A small data protection team has been set up to deal with the incident and they have assured this newspaper that remedial action will be taken to ensure this does not happen again.

A Pembrokeshire County Council spokesperson said: “On 15 October 2021, an e-mail was sent to 70 email addresses informing them that they had not returned their trade waste agreements to the trade waste team and as a result collections of their trade waste would cease.

“As a result of human error, the email contacts were not blind copied and all recipients were therefore made aware of each other’s email addresses.

“As soon as this error was identified, this was reported to the Data Protection team and a follow up email was sent to all affected parties apologising and asking for the email to be irretrievably deleted.

“This incident will be logged and followed up by the Data Protection Team with remedial actions recommended to help ensure this does not happen again.

“Pembrokeshire County Council endeavours to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal data.

“A Data Protection Policy is in place which all employees have to sign up to on commencement of their employment and regular training is provided.

“A small dedicated Data Protection Team is in place to offer advice and assistance with monitoring compliance.”

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day 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

2 days 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

2 days 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.