News
Brexit food export fees set by Pembrokeshire County Council
A NEAR-£200 fee is to be introduced for Pembrokeshire fishing businesses that wish to export food to Europe from county ports post-Brexit.
At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to consider implementing a fee for Export Health Certificates issued by the Port Health Team.
An Export Health Certificate (EHC) is an official document that confirms that food exports meet the health requirements of destination countries.
A report for Cabinet said: “As a result of Brexit, fishery products exported to the European Union from the United Kingdom now require an EHC, as laid out in the Official Control Regulations 2017/625.
“This Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council of March 15, 2017 is related to official controls and other official activities performed to ensure the application of food and feed law, rules on animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products.”
Members were told The Port Health Team receives requests – 20 in 2022 – for EHCs from certain Pembrokeshire businesses, and fishing vessels, which land their catch in Milford Haven Docks, where the consignments are destined for the European Union.
The Port Health Team assumes responsibility for matters relating to fish and fishery products, issuing certificates as part of this function.
The team receives applications from exporters and attend the vessels at the time of landing to inspect the catch/consignment and to issue the certificates.
Legislation enables the council to charge for this service, allowing it to operate a full cost recovery for its time in inspecting and administering the requirements of the certification.
A fee to cover this was calculated at £199 [excluding VAT] per EHC request, which was recommended for approval.
Cabinet members agreed to support the introduction of the fees.
Business
Small business briefing hosted by Local MS
A BRIEFING event which considered how to best support small businesses in Wales has been hosted by Preseli Pembrokeshire Senedd Member Paul Davies. Mr Davies hosted the event in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales, Economic Intelligence Wales and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. The theme of the event was ‘productivity’, given that Wales has had a persistent productivity gap with the UK as a whole and with other international competitor regions.
Mr Davies said, “It’s always a pleasure to help facilitate discussions on how we can support small businesses across Wales. 99.3% of businesses in Wales are small or medium enterprises (SMEs) and it’s important for us to explore the opportunities there are to boost SME growth.”
“Business-friendly policies are needed to address Wales’s persistent productivity gap, and we heard from the speakers today that more support is needed in areas like skills development, infrastructure enhancements and planning.”
“As I’ve said before, the Welsh Government has some significant economic levers, and it must now use those levers to create conditions for growth in Wales. We know that when small businesses thrive, they create jobs, spread prosperity and keep our communities vibrant and it’s crucial that governments at all levels do more to support our small businesses and enable them to grow.”
Business
Bristol Trader to temporarily serve menu at the Castle Hotel
The team of a popular riverside pub in Pembrokeshire, devastated by a recent fire, will relocate to a new town centre location while repair work is carried out on the original site.
On Wednesday, 6 November, a fire broke out at The Bristol Trader, situated on Haverfordwest’s riverside, causing significant damage to the building. The fire affected two floors of the pub as well as the roof space, forcing its closure. Smoke from the blaze was visible across the town as firefighters from Haverfordwest and Milford Haven worked for two hours to extinguish the flames.
Following the incident, the pub’s owners expressed their sadness, describing the team as “absolutely heartbroken” but determined to reopen and come back stronger. They extended their gratitude to the regulars, locals, friends, and family who have offered their support during this difficult time.
In the meantime, The Bristol Trader team will continue operating from an alternative venue. Beginning Monday, 18 November, the pub will relocate to the restaurant of the Castle Hotel, located on Haverfordwest Square, where they’ll serve the same menu.
“While repairs are being made to The Bristol Trader, Team Trader are being temporarily relocated to The Castle Hotel Restaurant from Monday the 18th of November,” announced the team in a social media post. “All our menus are attached to our Facebook page, and the phone lines are being redirected.”
Anyone with a booking at The Bristol Trader who hasn’t been in touch since the fire on 6 November is encouraged to contact the team at 01437 762122.
News
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns following child abuse report
THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has announced his resignation following the publication of a damning report that reveals the Church of England covered up decades of abuse by prominent barrister John Smyth QC.
Welby stated: “Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign.”
The resignation follows the release of the independent Makin review last week, which detailed how Smyth, over a span of five decades, abused children and young men in the UK and Africa. The report estimates that as many as 130 boys and young men suffered severe physical, sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse at Smyth’s hands, leaving lasting scars on their lives.
The review highlighted a critical missed opportunity, concluding that Smyth might have faced justice had Archbishop Welby reported the abuse to police a decade ago. Smyth, who died in Cape Town in 2018 at age 75, was under investigation by Hampshire Police but was “never brought to justice for the abuse,” according to the report.
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