Community
New pilot scheme aims to help disabled people maintain mobility and independence
A NEW pilot scheme is being introduced this year to help disabled people access a parking space near their property if they don’t have a driveway.
Pembrokeshire County Council will be accepting applications for Disabled Persons Parking Places (DPPPs) from Monday 20th June for a six-week period.
For the first year of the scheme a maximum of ten places will be available. If the pilot is a success, more places will be installed in the coming years and applicants who meet the criteria will go onto the waiting list if they are not successful this year.
A successful permit will cost £20 annually. The application process can take a minimum of six months.
Cabinet unanimously backed the provision of the scheme in March.
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Leisure, said the aim is to help a disabled person to maintain their independence and also improve their quality of life
“Parking is such a significant issue for many householders at the moment and none more so than disabled persons. This pilot scheme will begin to address the need to provide parking places located as near to the property as practical to help disabled people whose mobility impairment is such that they cannot walk any significant distance,” he said.
Jessica Hatchett, Access Officer for Pembrokeshire County Council, said a great deal of work has gone into the scheme, including consulting Pembrokeshire Access Group, other local authorities and setting up a working group.
“We’re really keen to find the best way to make this work and set up a good, workable scheme for years to come,” she said.
Jessica added: “It can be very difficult to get out and about when you have a disability and if you also have the stress of about whether you can park close to your property when you come home, it can be very worrying.”
In order to help those most in need of the provision of a DPPP, applications will only be considered if:
• The applicant has a Blue Badge
• The applicant owns and drives/is driven in a vehicle that is registered at the address of the proposed location of the disabled bay.
• The applicant does not already have access to off-street parking or be able to provide an off-street parking space by clearing an existing drive/hard standing or by bringing back into use an existing garage.
Meeting the above criteria does not guarantee that a DPPP will be provided; only that the application will be assessed for suitability. Applicants should not provide any additional evidence unless asked to do so.
The Council will not consider a DPPP provision in the following locations:
• In the turning head facility of any cul-de-sac.
• In any location where an existing prohibition or restriction of parking (inclusive of permit parking), of waiting or loading is in place or is being considered by the Council.
• Within 10 metres of a road junction.
• At locations where there is a history of visibility related collisions.
• In a position that may prevent the passing of normal traffic flows.
• In a position where a parked vehicle will be unsighted to travelling vehicles such as on a bend.
• On un-adopted highway or private land.
• Other areas where highway safety is deemed to be compromised
- The application form for a DPPP is live on the Pembrokeshire County Council’s website at https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/parking-in-pembrokeshire/disabled-persons-parking-places
- Applicants can also phone the County Council on 01437 764551 and request a paper copy of the application form.
- Applications will close on Sunday 31st July.
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
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)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
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.
Community
Restoration of a pond hopes to support biodiversity in Pembrokeshire
AN OLD millpond at the heart of the Wallis and Ambleston community, and a site of Special Scientific Interest, has now been improved to benefit water quality and increase biodiversity in an area of South Wales, thanks to funding from Nestlé Waters UK.
Wallis Pond was created in 1836 as part of the tributary of the Wester Cleddau River to supply water to a local mill. Back in 1978, it was restored and later re-opened by HRH King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales.
Over the years, the pond had become completely silted up, restricting the waters passage and the pond’s ability to retain water, resulting in a reduced diversity of habitat in and around the millpond.
Pembrokeshire County Council, Heavyside Landscapes and Nestlé Waters UK have come together to restore the millpond with regulatory guidance from Natural Resources Wales and support from the Ambleston Community Council.
The project saw the pond re-dug and de-silted, and the old sluice gate replaced to re-establish the millpond. With the pond now able to hold more water, it is hoped to help build resilience to the increased frequency and intensity of storm events, alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.
Retention of flows in the pond for a longer time should help reduce silt build-up and prevent nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates from travelling downstream in the Cleddau catchment, helping to protect water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and encourage eels, otters, damselflies, and other wildlife species.
Restoration of Wallis Pond is one of the projects that Nestlé Waters is working on as part of its efforts to help regenerate local water cycles and create a positive water impact everywhere the company operates.
Matthew Faulkner, Factory Manager at the Nestlé Waters site in Princes Gate, said: “We are proud to be a part of the Wallis Pond restoration work, aimed at delivering long-lasting benefits in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle at source Princes Gate and Nestlé Pure Life waters. This beautiful landscape is not only our home, but also home to some incredible flora and fauna which are vital for keeping the area rich and thriving in biodiversity.
“We’re working hard to protect this land and the water beneath our feet. Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility, and caring for it takes the whole community. That’s why we’re grateful to be working with partners on this project that will hopefully have a positive impact on the local ecosystem and community.”
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at the Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We welcome this funding to enhance the biodiversity in Wallis Pond which can be enjoyed by the residents of Ambleston, the wider communities in Pembrokeshire and the visitors to our fantastic county.
“This is an excellent example of partnership working that has significant benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of generations to come.”
Eirian Forrest, Clerk at the Ambleston Community Council, said: “We are grateful to Nestlé Waters UK for the funding and wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this project, especially the Pembrokeshire County Council team, for pushing the project forwards.
“The Community Council are delighted that the work has finally been done and look forward to the positive impact it will have on biodiversity. We have already received many positive comments from members of the community. The improved pond encourages locals to take a walk around the area, as well as sit down to watch and enjoy the wildlife.”
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