News

National Parks to merge

Published

11 years ago

August 5, 2014

tegryn-jones SET UP in the 1950s, Wales’ national parks were created to enhance and protect the environment. Around 12 million people visit the three national parks every year. Now the Welsh Government is reported to be considering proposals to merge the three bodies into one and there are fears the review is a pretext to strip away their planning powers and hand them over to local councils. A County Council spokesperson told the Herald: “We recognise there are opportunities to work more closely with the National Park and believe that such a relationship could deliver a more efficient and effective service. This is an arrangement encouraged by the Welsh Government.” Welsh environment minister John Griffiths has revealed that a review will be announced within weeks. Mr Griffiths said: “We’re looking at the governance, whether there may be direct elections for the councillors who sit on the national parks for example or whether there might be one for national parks for the whole of Wales. “As well as the very important landscape issues, and connecting people with national parks, increasingly we’re going to be talking about the social and economic as well as the environmental because they all have to click together.” The threat to the Parks’ autonomy is not new, but pressure is growing on the Welsh Government to merge the Park Authorities’ functions and remove their planning powers. Mr Griffiths would not be drawn on whether the review would tackle planning services delivered by the National Parks, stating that such a bill would be the responsibility of the Welsh Government’s planning minister. Speaking on behalf of National Parks Wales, Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority commented: “The Williams Commission review made a series of recommendations on the role of National Park Authorities in Wales and highlighted the vital role that the Park Authorities play in conserving National Parks and ensuring their future protection and development. “The review also recognised that Wales’ National Parks are important national assets, generating £1billion for the Welsh economy each year and attracting 12 million visitors. “The need for greater collaborative working, as outlined in the review, has already been recognised across the three National Park Authorities, as well as with relevant local authorities and national bodies and joint projects are being planned to provide the best and most efficient use of resources. “The review did not, however, recommend that planning powers be removed from National Park Authorities. “We welcome the Welsh Government’s governance review and look forward to supporting the review process to ensure that National Parks in Wales continue to play a fundamental role in contributing to the success of Wales.” Pembrokeshire Council Leader Jamie Adams has previously made clear his preference for taking on the National Park’s planning powers. At a meeting of the Welsh Local Government Association in June 2013, he said: “You have two organisations, two public bodies providing the same services within the same county. There are opportunities to look at reducing the tax burden on the public of those services.” In Pembrokeshire, that would have meant the County Council having control of its own application to site a rubbish tip next to Brooklands Care Home: a project that the National Parks authority made sure did not happen.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

2 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include:

Intentional strangulation, contrary to section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015
Common assault
Assault by beating

No further details of the alleged incident were opened in court, and no plea was entered at this stage.

Sudbury was remanded on conditional bail, with the case listed to return to magistrates later this month.

Crime

Haverfordwest man sent to Crown Court on multiple serious charges

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded in custody

A HAVERFORDWEST man has been sent to Swansea Crown Court to stand trial on a series of A 49-year-old Haverfordwest resident has been committed to Swansea Crown Court to face trial on multiple serious charges deemed too grave for magistrates to handle.

David Guy, of Market Street, Haverfordwest, appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates facing a series of allegations stemming from a single case. The charges, which were not detailed in open court, include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
A second count of assault
Criminal damage
An additional allegation of interpersonal violence
A public order offence

Magistrates declined jurisdiction, determining that the matters exceeded their sentencing powers, and sent the case in its entirety to Swansea Crown Court.

Guy was remanded in custody pending his next appearance. The court register notes: “Sent to Crown Court for trial in custody – next hearing at Swansea Crown Court.”

A date for the initial Crown Court hearing will be set administratively. Guy will remain in custody until then.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as the case progresses in the Crown Court.

Crime

Castlemartin man back before magistrates over multiple alleged assaults

Published

3 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

Defendant remanded on conditional bail ahead of further hearing

A CASTLEMARTIN man has appeared repeatedly before magistrates this month over a string A 40-year-old man from Castlemartin has made repeated appearances before magistrates this month in connection with a series of serious alleged offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH), intentional non-fatal strangulation, common assault, and criminal damage.

Anthony Alcock, of Pwll Street, Castlemartin, is facing six linked charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred earlier this year. These appear to relate to the same complainant in what is understood to be a single ongoing domestic abuse prosecution.

During recent administrative hearings at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court, Alcock did not enter pleas while matters of bail and case management were addressed.

Charges Include:

Assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH)
Intentional non-fatal strangulation
Common assault on a woman
Criminal damage in a domestic context
Additional assault allegations involving the same complainant
Breach of bail conditions

Alcock was initially granted conditional bail but was subsequently brought before the court on two occasions for alleged breaches. On those instances, magistrates remanded him in custody ahead of further hearings. He was later re-granted conditional bail, subject to strict conditions such as no contact with the complainant and exclusion from specified locations.

Magistrates have now declined jurisdiction, ruling that the case—particularly the more serious charges involving non-fatal strangulation—is too grave for summary trial. It has been committed to Swansea Crown Court for plea, trial, or sentencing.

No detailed evidence has been presented in open court at this preliminary stage. Alcock remains on conditional bail pending his next appearance at the Crown Court.