News
Pembrokeshire County Council Leader’s update: Advice to stay safe in 2022
THE LEADER of Pembrokeshire County Council has issued the first of his regular updates for the New Year. Cllr David Simpsons full message is as follows:
Hello everyone, welcome to my first Leader’s Update of 2022
Let me start by firstly wishing you a happy and healthy New Year and thanking you for your efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 over the festive season.
It has been heartening to hear of the numbers of people getting boosted over the past few weeks and I thank everyone working and volunteering to help get jabs into arms.
Walk-in vaccination centres are open across the Hywel Dda University Health Board region. See: https://hduhb.nhs.wales/healthcare/covid-19-information/covid-19-vaccination-programme/mass-vaccination-centres/ for more information and join the thousands coming forward every day.
With such a rapidly changing situation due to omicron, it is no surprise that there have been a series of changes to self isolation measures and testing introduced over recent days.
I will recap some of the major announcements.
Now, a person showing no symptoms who has a positive lateral flow test will no longer be advised to have a follow-up PCR test to confirm the result, unless they are in a clinically vulnerable group,
Also, people who are un-vaccinated contacts of positive cases and are self-isolating for 10 days should now take a lateral flow test on day two and day eight instead of a PCR test.
Without a follow up PCR test it is even more important for people to report the result of every lateral flow test they do and self-isolate as soon as they test positive.
Without reporting, contact tracing will not be possible, nor will advice and support be provided by the system.
We need everyone to continue to play their part in disrupting the transmission of Covid-19 by reporting their lateral flow test results on the gov.uk website or by calling 119.
The Welsh Government has also this week launched an eligibility checker for the £120m omicron business support package.
The application window will open in the week commencing Monday 17 January 2022.
The Welsh Government statement on the funding package is here:
https://gov.wales/emergency-covid-financial-support-businesses
To access the eligibility checker, see: https://fundchecker.businesswales.gov.wales/businesssupport
Details on how to register / apply will be placed on the Pembrokeshire County Council business support pages in due course: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/business-advice-and-support
As I write, our schools are re-opening after the Christmas break.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in our schools, including all staff, learners and parents, plus those supporting in our education department.
We have returned some of the measures seen previously to continue to slow the spread of the virus.
Most notably this includes masks in all areas, including classrooms in secondary schools, and contact groups or ‘bubbles’.
Please ensure you keep in contact with your school(s) social media or others communication methods where they will keep you up to date with the latest information.
Please stay safe and continue to support one another.
Business
Stena announces redundancy plan amid uncertainty for Pembrokeshire
FREIGHT carrier and ferry operator Stena Line, which runs services between Fishguard and Pembroke Dock, has announced plans to cut up to 80 staff members following an internal review.
Uncertainty looms over whether any of these redundancies will impact staff operating our local ferry services.
Stena CEO Paul Grant shared the news in an email to employees on Monday, citing a need to “future proof the company.” He explained that an internal assessment revealed the company’s current organisational structure as “too big and expensive” compared to its revenue.
The decision comes amid rising costs and increased competition in the freight and travel sectors.
According to Mr. Grant, “Cost pressure due to higher inflation has led to our customers having less money to spend, and with the introduction of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), increasing our prices, we see a decline in volumes for both travel and freight.” Additionally, disappointing sales during the summer season and unmet market growth expectations for 2024 contributed to the restructuring.
The program, designed to strengthen Stena’s long-term business viability, includes a reduction of costs, prioritization of investments, and staff cuts that will primarily impact support functions and consultants. The workforce will be reduced by 80 positions by early 2025, along with 30 consultants also set to leave the company. Discussions with unions and work councils are expected to last several months, with all affected staff to be informed of their status by January 31, 2025.
In response to this announcement, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has demanded a meeting with Stena Line to clarify the impact of these cuts, particularly on their members.
TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust expressed disappointment over the handling of the announcement, stating: “Our members are shocked by this news and outraged that Stena has chosen to sidestep established industrial relations processes. Stena must meet with us urgently to clarify who is at risk and address the potential impacts on our members.”
The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at securing Stena Line’s future amid sustainability challenges. CEO Niclas Mårtensson acknowledged the difficult decision, stating, “Stena Line has been a successful company over the past few years; however, we need to ensure a lower cost base to be able to future proof the company. With 40 vessels in Europe and the Mediterranean, we have significant sustainability challenges ahead of us, and this program will enable us to make necessary investments for the future.”
The TSSA’s letter to Stena reiterates the union’s commitment to supporting affected employees and calls for an immediate discussion to clarify the situation, especially for staff at Fishguard who may be impacted.
News
UK government to appoint first Wales Crown Estate Commissioner
FOR the first time, the UK government will appoint a Crown Estate Commissioner dedicated to advising on matters in Wales, further integrating Welsh interests in board-level decisions. This move supports existing efforts to ensure that Wales benefits from the push for clean energy, following an agreement facilitated by the Welsh Secretary.
An amendment to the Crown Estate Bill, with cross-party backing from Labour, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats, and crossbenchers, will be accepted at today’s Lords Report Stage (Nov 5). This change mandates the appointment of a Wales-specific Commissioner through the Public Appointments process, with input from the Welsh Government. The appointee will bear “an additional responsibility” to represent Welsh conditions and interests, amplifying Wales’s voice within the Crown Estate.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has collaborated with the Treasury, The Crown Estate, House of Lords members, and the Welsh Government to secure this legislative advancement. The Crown Estate, instrumental in drawing international investment to Wales, supports projects like Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea, which promises cleaner energy and job creation.
The introduction of a Wales-specific Commissioner strengthens The Crown Estate’s mission to serve the entire UK while averting potential market fragmentation and protecting international investor confidence critical to the net-zero transition.
In a related effort, Great British Energy, the government’s new public energy firm, recently partnered with The Crown Estate to expedite renewable energy advancements. This initiative could attract up to £60bn in private investment, boosting the UK’s journey toward energy independence.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens stated: “This is a landmark step toward ensuring that Welsh prosperity is at the heart of the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower. Our nation stands to benefit hugely from investment in floating offshore wind, and we now have the representation we need to help seize that moment. This demonstrates how Wales benefits directly from its two governments working together, and I’m grateful to Lord Livermore, The Crown Estate, and others for helping to make this happen.”
Sir Robin Budenberg CBE, Chair of The Crown Estate, said: “In seeking to increase the number of Commissioners from eight to twelve, The Crown Estate welcomes the opportunity now presented by this amendment to bring even more direct knowledge and understanding of the areas in which we operate and further strengthen our ability to deliver benefit to the whole of the UK.”
Crime
Arrests made after large-scale cannabis operation raided in Pembroke Dock
POLICE in Pembroke Dock have uncovered yet another large-scale cannabis operation, as part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal farms in the area. On Monday (Nov 4), Dyfed-Powys Police executed a search warrant at a property on Dimond Street, where officers found over 500 cannabis plants in a sophisticated cultivation setup.
Two men, aged 26 and 34, have been arrested in connection with the investigation and are currently in police custody. The raid follows a series of similar operations in Pembrokeshire, targeting properties used for illegal drug cultivation.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
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