News

New councillor to join Pembrokeshire’s Independent Group

Published

2 years ago

April 4, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

THE LATEST councillor to join Pembrokeshire’s Independent Group – the third this year – will create a greater opportunity to scrutinise the council’s Cabinet, its leader Jamie Adams has said.

Councillor Vanessa Thomas, formerly an unaffiliated member for Carew and Jeffreyston, has now joined the largest group on the council, the Independent Group, bringing its number to 16.

Earlier this year, two other unaffiliated councillors joined the group: Cllr Anji Tinley and Cllr Alan Dennison, with Cllr Thomas making the third since January.

All three were new members of the county council, elected last May.

This means the political makeup of the council is now 19 non-affiliated members, 16 Independent Group members, 11 Welsh Conservatives, 10 Labour, two Plaid Cymru and two Welsh Liberal Democrats.

Despite being the largest single group, the Independent Group is not the ruling group on the council.

Cllr Thomas said: “My move to the Independent group was focused on feeling the need to be part of a group dynamic, whilst still being able to support my local community, and therefore the constituents who have elected me to this important position.

“My aim has always been to give of my time and energy in focusing on my ward of Carew and Jeffreyston, whilst looking to the wider area of Pembrokeshire, helping to improve and strengthen the county in which we live.”

She added: “Cllr Tinley, and Cllr Dennison, have both recently moved to the Independent group. They are incredibly dedicated and hardworking individuals, who work tirelessly for their respective wards of Haverfordwest Garth and Milford Haven North.

“We are all very much looking forward to focusing on the aims and values of the group and the matters which are important to us, whilst also scrutinising and questioning the decisions of Cabinet both fairly and openly.”

Independent Group Leader Jamie Adams said: “We are delighted to welcome Cllr Thomas into the Independent Group; she is someone who has immediately hit the ground running in terms of her desire to improve her local community and the services her constituents receive.”

He said one of the issues he shared with Cllr Thomas was his concern at recent overspends on capital projects in the county by the current Cabinet.

He added: “Vanessa’s involvement continues the steady progress of building our numbers following Cllr Tinley and Cllr Dennison.

“This affords a greater opportunity to ensure that the administration and their supporters within council are effectively held accountable for their decisions and the delivery capability over which they preside.

“We will continue to be a group that holds members to account robustly and not obstructively in the interest of improving services and outcomes.”

The Independent Group membership now consists of Jamie Adams, John T Davies, Alan Dennison, Brian Hall, Delme Harris, Michael James, Michael John, Peter Morgan, Elwyn Morse, Huw Murphy, Reg Owens, Shon Rees, Vanessa Thomas, Anji Tinley, Iwan Ward, and Simon Wright.

Councillor Vanessa Thomas: Formerly an unaffiliated member for Carew and Jeffreyston, has now joined the largest group on the council, the Independent

Business

Wolfscastle Country Hotel crowned Wales’ best boutique wedding venue

Published

5 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa has been named Wales’ Best Boutique Wedding Venue for 2024 at the prestigious Welsh National Wedding Awards.

The ceremony, held on Sunday (Nov 10) at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, welcomed more than 600 guests for its 13th annual celebration. Thousands of votes were cast by brides, grooms, and supporters to determine the winners from over 300 shortlisted nominees.

Double victory

The Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa not only won the regional title for west Wales but also secured the national accolade for the second time in three years.

Known for its glamorous reception spaces and elegant ceremony room, the hotel offers a comprehensive bridal package. This includes wedding accommodation and a private spa experience featuring a hot tub, sauna, and various treatments.

Celebrating success

Taking to social media, the hotel expressed gratitude to its guests and staff for their role in achieving this prestigious honour.

Hotel owner Andy Stirling said:
“We’re very proud to have been nominated and voted winners in both our local and national categories.

“I have the pleasure of seeing how tirelessly Lowri, and my wife Mandy Stirling, our wedding coordinators, work on every wedding to tailor the experience to suit the couples we have joining us.

“We pride ourselves on offering exquisite in-house catering provided by head chef Seb, head pastry chef Adama, and our excellent kitchen team, backed up by first-class table service from our highly experienced waiting staff.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful for the support of our guests and couples who have wedded with us in helping achieve this award.

“I know that myself and the team all look forward to hosting many more phenomenal weddings in the future.”

Welsh National Wedding Awards

The awards celebrate the best wedding venues and services across Wales, with attendees from all regions of the country.

***Celebrations: Andy and Mandy Stirling with wedding co-ordinator Lowri Nicholas (Pic: Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa)***

Community

Special guests for Torch showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’

Published

12 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY was the most appropriate day for the screening before a Pembrokeshire audience of a remarkable film, narrated by the last surviving ‘Dambuster’ of the RAF’s 617 Squadron.

The RAF’s Air Officer Wales, Air Commodore Rob Woods, and World War II Veteran Duncan Hilling, of Saundersfoot, were chief guests at the Torch Theatre for the showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’, one of three large dams in Germany attacked by 617 Squadron in May 1943.

They were joined by service representatives, air cadets and many locals – the evening being a fundraising event for the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincolnshire.

Exquisitely created in digital format, the film describes the story of Avro Lancaster bomber AJ-T which attacked the Sorpe Dam, with the narration by the late Squadron Leader Johnny Johnson, who died in 2022. He was the bomb aimer on the aircraft which dropped an ‘Upkeep’ bomb on the dam.

It is the culmination of six years of work by film producer Andrew Panton and Pitor Forkasiewicz and is now part of the IBCC archive. Also shown was a short film ‘Remembering the Avro Lancaster’ in which four wartime aircrew visit a preserved Lancaster at a Lincolnshire museum. The film was launched that day by the IBCC, with the Torch audience being the first to see a live screening.

The event was organised by Andrew Panton’s brother, Ian, of St Davids, who commented: “There was no doubt that many found this a very special occasion for Remembering Them, and so many others, on Remembrance Sunday.”

On display during the evening was a Lancaster bomb aimer’s panel, re-created by Dr Andy Watkin, a Trustee of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Entertainment

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.

Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

Expanded event

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:
“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

Festive treats and unique gifts

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

Community effort

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:
“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.