News
Independent Group calls for Council Leader David Simpson to go

ON TUESDAY, April 18, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Independent Group – the largest opposition group – confirmed it had submitted a notice of no confidence in the local authority’s leader Cllr David Simpson.
The no-confidence motion arrived on the first anniversary of last May’s local elections.
Cllr Simpson has led the Council since 2017.
AUTHORITY’S FINANCES IN DISARRAY, SAYS JAMIE ADAMS

Cllr Jamie Adams, leader of the Independent Group and previous leader of the Council, said: “The people of Pembrokeshire deserve a change from the downward trajectory which Cllr Simpson has overseen for many years.
“Within the last few months, there has been a spate of issues with the administration running the authorities’ finances into disarray.
“There’s been a damming Audit Office Public Interest Report; overspends into the millions on the Haverfordwest Transport Interchange, Haverfordwest Quayside Haverfordwest Castle, and Pembroke’s South Quay; and the simple, yet costly, mistake of not ensuring rent increase letters are delivered on time.”
“All of this happened while the administration hiked residents’ Council Tax higher than necessary and now threatens to close much-needed public toilets, adding a disadvantage to our most vulnerable residents and harming our vital tourism economy,” Jamie Adams said.
FORMER LEADERS RULE THEMSELVES OUT
Cllr Adams said he would not be a candidate to replace Cllr Simpson if the no-confidence motion succeeded.
“The public voted many new councillors onto the Council in May 2022, signalling they want a change.
“I won’t seek re-election as leader of the Council, but I feel it is only right that the people of Pembrokeshire should not be burdened financially by this current Leadership’s failures.”
Cllr John Davies, a previous council leader and Independent Group member, added: “I will not seek re-election to lead the Council. However, I strongly feel that under Cllr Simpson’s leadership, much of Pembrokeshire has been left out in favour of large, unaffordable projects.
“Due to the significant challenges the authority now faces, the Council requires a strong, effective, and visible Leader at the helm”.
County Councillors must submit nominations for a new leader by May 2. If the no-confidence motion succeeds, a new leader will be selected in the May 12 council annual general meeting.
We will be updating this breaking story throughout the day.
For more reaction and analysis, see this Friday’s edition of Pembrokeshire Herald.
David Simpson responded strongly to the Independent Group’s statement.
He said: “I have been proud to lead an ambitious administration that has brought the Freeport bit to Pembrokeshire.
“Over the administration term, I am also proud of the Marine Energy projects that we have actively encouraged and that will grow the County’s economy. “I am also proud that we have increased Budget engagement on an unparalleled scale and moved away from being dictated to on the day without scrutiny. A lot of what Cllr Adams says are failings are public due to more and better scrutiny, which this administration has encouraged. You certainly wouldn’t have seen that level of engagement when the “Independent Group” led the Council.
“We have brought democracy back into the Chamber and away from shabby deals done behind closed doors or from senior officers leading members by the nose, backed by the old and unaccountable IPG bloc vote.
“This administration can be proud that we have worked hard to sort out the finances left in a mess by the IPG. We’re rebuilding the services, creating the infrastructure, and regenerating Pembrokeshire’s economy; all of which the Independent Group neglected for twenty years and which they would jeopardise in the future.”

Calls for resignation: Cllr David Simpson
Crime
Whitland farmers face 16 animal welfare and identification charges

A 79-YEAR-OLD farmer from Whitland is facing a string of serious animal welfare and regulatory charges following an investigation at Penycraig Farm in Carmarthenshire.
Thomas Raymond Jones, of The Flats, St John Street, Whitland, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Friday (May 16), where he pleaded guilty to two offences and not guilty to a further fourteen.
Martha Christine Randell of Tawelan, Bronwydd Road, Carmarthen was also charged with the same set of offences and leaded the same way.
The charges, brought by Carmarthenshire County Council, stem from alleged breaches of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013, the Cattle Identification Regulations 2007, and the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Wales) Regulations 2014.
Among the most serious allegations, Mr Jones and Mrs Randell are accused of causing unnecessary suffering to a dog by failing to provide a suitable environment, proper diet, or medical treatment. He has pleaded not guilty to this offence.
They aer also charged with causing unnecessary suffering to nine lame cattle by failing to obtain veterinary treatment – a second offence under the Animal Welfare Act, to which he also pleaded not guilty.
However, the pair admitted two offences:
- Failing to meet the welfare needs of bovine animals by not providing dry lying areas and allowing access to a cow carcass.
- Failing to comply with animal by-product regulations by not ensuring the timely removal and secure storage of dead livestock, thus posing a risk to public and animal health.
Additional not guilty pleas were entered in relation to:
- Failing to provide feed and water to a cow and a calf.
- Obstructing a veterinary inspector during an official visit.
- Failing to keep proper veterinary medicine records.
- Failing to report the deaths and movements of animals and loss of cattle passports.
- Keeping untagged bison, and
- Failing to register two bulls within the required timeframe.
In total, the defendants are facing 16 separate charges. The offences span multiple dates between February and March 2024 and relate to alleged mismanagement of both companion animals and livestock.
Magistrates adjourned the case to June 13 for case management. The defendants, who are represented by Richard Griffiths Solicitors, were excused from attending the next hearing.
(Image: File photo of bison)
Charity
Shelter Cymru responds to draft Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations Bill

SHELTER CYMRU has today responded to the Welsh Government’s publication of the draft Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations Bill.
The draft legislation is the culmination of several years of work, shaped by the recommendations of the Expert Review Panel on Ending Homelessness — a panel on which Shelter Cymru was proud to sit. Drawing on its experience supporting over 12,000 households each year affected by the housing emergency, the charity has long called for many of the changes proposed.
The Bill is expected to include key measures that:
- Strengthen the focus on preventing homelessness, moving away from a crisis-driven response;
- Introduce new duties on public bodies to take action against homelessness;
- Remove barriers to support for individuals and families at risk of, or experiencing, homelessness;
- Reform the way social housing is allocated, ensuring those in greatest need are prioritised.
Ruth Power, Chief Executive of Shelter Cymru, said: “The publication of the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocations Bill is a landmark moment with the potential to deliver real, transformative change in how we address homelessness in Wales.
“Shelter Cymru has long championed many of the proposals expected in the Bill — including a stronger emphasis on prevention and widening access to support. As Wales’ national housing and homelessness advice charity, we see first-hand the limitations of the current system. Too often, people are forced to reach crisis point before they can access the help they need. Opportunities to prevent homelessness are frequently missed.
“We look forward to scrutinising the full details of the legislation and working collaboratively with the Welsh Government and partners to ensure the final Bill includes all the changes desperately needed. It is essential that the ambitions in the Bill are matched by the resources required to make them a reality — including ensuring everyone can access the advice and support they need to realise their housing rights.
“With more than 11,000 people in Wales currently homeless and living in temporary accommodation, we must seize the opportunity this Bill presents to deliver meaningful and lasting change.”
Farming
FUW and MP call for fairer treatment of farmers in supply chains

Cross-party support grows for reforms to Groceries Code Adjudicator and better food labelling
THE FARMERS’ UNION OF WALES has met with Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe MP David Chadwick to discuss a series of pressing issues affecting Welsh farmers—chief among them, the urgent need to secure fairer prices and treatment for primary producers within the UK’s food supply chains.
The meeting follows a campaign led by the Welsh Liberal Democrat MP to strengthen the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA), which regulates the relationship between major supermarkets and their suppliers, including farmers. Mr Chadwick has raised repeated concerns in Parliament about the treatment of farmers by large retailers, arguing that the current system lacks the enforcement power and scope needed to protect producers’ interests.
Established in 2013, the GCA has faced growing criticism over its limited resources and inability to effectively tackle structural imbalances in the supply chain. In a Westminster Hall debate earlier this year, Mr Chadwick called for major reforms and drew attention to what he described as systemic unfairness in the sector.
The Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe MP is now backing the cross-party Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill, introduced in March by Alistair Carmichael MP, Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. The Bill seeks to bolster the role of the GCA and includes further measures such as increased public procurement of locally sourced food and stricter origin labelling requirements.
FUW Deputy President Dai Miles welcomed the discussion, saying:
“The FUW has long argued that the Westminster Government must take meaningful action to redress the imbalance of power between primary producers, processors and retailers.
“The GCA was a step in the right direction, but it’s become clear that it lacks the teeth to effectively protect farmers and producers. We were pleased to meet with David Chadwick MP and discuss how we can ensure farmers are given a stronger, fairer voice within the supply chain.”
The meeting also addressed wider challenges facing Welsh agriculture, including the implications of the UK-US trade agreement and ongoing concerns about proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief (APR), which could have significant tax implications for farming families.
David Chadwick MP said: “Unfairness in the supply chain is one of the most common concerns raised with me by farmers and producers in my constituency. I’m pleased to be working alongside the FUW and cross-party MPs to address the imbalance we see across the sector.
“Farming communities are under immense pressure. I will continue to ensure their voices are heard in Westminster as we fight for a better deal for rural Wales.”
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