Community

New pilot scheme aims to help disabled people maintain mobility and independence

Published

4 years ago

June 20, 2022

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 20^th 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 31^st July.

Community

Sewage protest to be held at Broad Haven as campaigners demand action

Published

6 hours ago

May 14, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Paddle Out demonstration joins UK-wide call for tougher rules on pollution

PUBLIC protestors will gather at Broad Haven this weekend as part of a UK-wide campaign calling for urgent action to tackle sewage pollution in rivers and coastal waters.

The Paddle Out Protest, organised by Surfers Against Sewage, will take place at Broad Haven North Beach at 1:30pm on Saturday (May 16).

The event is one of more than 50 protests planned at beaches, rivers and lakes across the UK, as campaigners step up pressure on governments and water companies over sewage discharges, rising water bills, and what they describe as a lack of accountability in the industry.

Other demonstrations in Wales are expected at Caswell Bay, Swansea; Llyn Padarn, Llanberis; Coney Beach, Porthcawl; Whitmore Bay, Barry Island; and North Beach, Aberystwyth.

Surfers Against Sewage says new polling shows more than half of people in the UK are concerned they could become ill after swimming in rivers, lakes or the sea due to poor water quality.

Kate Bassett-Jones, Broad Haven protest lead, said: “Our local beach saw 116 sewage alerts in 2025 alone – that’s pollution warnings every three days.

“For a place renowned for its stunning coastline and thriving marine environment, this should not be happening.

“Local people should be able to enjoy the sea safely all year round, and visitors should not have to worry about getting sick when they come to Pembrokeshire.

“Communities are fed up with sewage pollution being treated as normal. Enough is enough.”

Surfers Against Sewage also claims Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water discharged sewage more than 100,000 times in 2025, for a total of more than 813,000 hours.

The charity is calling for legally binding targets to end untreated sewage discharges, stronger enforcement powers, improved funding for Natural Resources Wales, and year-round water quality testing.

Giles Bristow, chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, described the situation in Wales as “catastrophically failing”.

He said: “We are paddling out across Wales to show the newly elected Welsh Government that we won’t back down until it takes the action needed to end the sewage crisis plaguing Wales’ wild waters.”

The protests come at the start of the bathing season and follow the announcement of a Clean Water Bill in the King’s Speech.

Community

Teifi river revival project secures £1.4m lottery funding

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

COMMUNITIES along the River Teifi are set to play a central role in a major new project aimed at improving the health of one of west Wales’ most important rivers.

The Teifi Fyw — Living Teifi: People and Nature Together project has been given the green light after securing more than £1.4m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The conservation project aims to respond to climate change, biodiversity loss and declining river health, while also recognising the Teifi’s deep cultural and historic importance to the communities which live and work along its catchment.

The first stage will be a two-year development phase, bringing together scientific evidence, local history, lived experience and creative work to help shape future restoration plans.

The project will be coordinated by Natural Resources Wales, working with the West Wales Rivers Trust, the Mining Remediation Authority, Strata Florida Trust, Mentera, Ceredigion County Council, UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales.

It will also build on existing work carried out by the Teifi Nutrient Management Board and local stakeholder projects including Llais yr Afon and P.R.A.M.

Cllr Clive Davies welcomed the announcement, saying he looked forward to seeing the project outcomes realised.

The River Teifi is one of Wales’ best-known waterways, flowing through Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire before reaching the sea at Cardigan.

Project leaders say the aim is to ensure that restoration work is not only based on environmental evidence, but also reflects the values and priorities of the people who know the river best.

Community

Henry Tudor Centre designs to go on display in Pembroke

Published

1 day ago

May 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Public invited to help shape new heritage centre exhibition

MEMBERS of the public are being invited to view the emerging exhibition designs for the new Henry Tudor Centre in Pembroke.

The centre, due to open in spring 2027, will be based at South Quay and will tell the story of Henry Tudor, the son of Pembroke who went on to become Henry VII and founder of the Tudor dynasty.

The exhibition designs will be on display at Pembroke Town Hall from Friday, May 22, to Friday, May 29.

The Henry Tudor Trust, which will operate the new heritage centre, is asking residents and visitors to give their views on how Henry Tudor’s story should be told.

The designs have been developed by exhibition specialists Image Makers, with feedback forms available for members of the public to submit comments. These responses will help refine the exhibition as the project develops.

The new logo for the centre, created by Haverfordwest-based marketing company Media2Motion, will also be on display.

Work is currently underway to refurbish the Grade II-listed building at South Quay, which will house the new exhibition. The centre will also include a new public library, replacing the current library on The Commons, as well as a café.

The capital project is being funded by the Welsh Government, UK Government and Pembrokeshire County Council.

Additional support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund will fund a programme of events and activities at the new centre, alongside volunteering opportunities and educational resources for schools.

The exhibition plans can be viewed at Pembroke Town Hall from Monday to Thursday, 9:00am to 3:00pm, and Friday, 9:00am to 1:00pm. The town hall is closed on Saturdays and Sundays.