News
Council’s investment in Bluestone to come under scrutiny
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PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S £1.9m financial involvement in the Bluestone holiday village will come under the spotlight next week.
At the May 11 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council, a question submitted by Councillor Alan Dennison will ask: “Given the council’s previous investment in Bluestone of a £1.9 million secured loan, now converted into shares, can the Cabinet member advise what return on investment per annum has been received over the last five years in share dividends or any other form of income?”
The £110m Bluestone eco-resort, near Narberth, opened in August 2008.
Back in 2009, it was reported that the county council took up an equity share option in the company behind the Bluestone holiday village.
It has previously been reported that amounted to three per cent of shares in Bluestone.
The decision to take up the shares – without paying out any new money – in Bluestone Resorts Ltd was made behind closed doors at a council cabinet meeting.
The report to members was also confidential.
The county council had previously loaned Bluestone Leisure Ltd — the previous company — funds at the time the multi-million pound project was first unveiled.
Bluestone Resorts Ltd was created following a restructuring of the business in 2009, that secured about £10m of extra investment.
In 2013, a management buy-out secured Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone National Park Resort in local ownership.
Back in 2015, Councillor Michael Williams raised the loan issue at full council, asking: “Several years ago PCC made a loan to Bluestone Ltd. What was the amount of the loan, and what were the terms and conditions of the loan?”
He was told two loans were made, the first, dated November 22, 2006 in respect of the Bluestone Roundabout was for £803,000, with the first repayment six months after opening to guests and further repayments on a quarterly basis.
The response also noted a capital element of £50,000, with interest at 6.25 per cent per annum.
The second loan, dated 22 November 22, 2006, of £1m was in respect of Waterworld; with the first repayment 24 months after practical completion, and further repayments on a quarterly basis.
The response also detailed another capital element of £50,000.
In response to a supplementary question by Cllr Williams on what repayments had been received, he was told that, in terms of the original loan, two repayments had been received prior to the structuring of the investment being altered into share capital and that they were £68,954 and £59,974.
Community
A quarter of Welsh workers struggle to pay bills despite overtime
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A QUARTER of Welsh workers are struggling to pay their bills, while nearly 40% say their salaries do not cover their financial goals, such as buying a home or saving for retirement, new research has found.
The study, conducted by recruitment firm Reed, also revealed that 30% of employees in Wales are unhappy with their pay. Of those, 63% said their wages had not kept up with the cost of living, while 46% blamed low pay within their industry.
Nearly 40% of workers reported working overtime, putting in an average of 6.2 extra hours per week. Among them, 44% said they had no choice due to excessive workloads, while 25% struggled to ‘switch off’ from work.
PAY DISPARITY
Despite working beyond their contracted hours, many employees are not being compensated. Only 21% said they were paid for overtime, while another 21% were able to accrue extra hours. Alarmingly, 44% reported receiving no compensation at all.
Becky Hole, Regional Director at Reed, said: “With 28% of Wales’ population classed as economically inactive, the labour market is tight. It may well be that those who are working feel they need to pick up the slack or work extra hours to compensate for staff shortages.
“It’s clear that Wales has a hardworking population, but the research highlights that many do not feel properly compensated. The extra unpaid hours aren’t alleviating financial worries and could contribute to stress or burnout.”
The findings are part of Reed’s annual salary guide research, which analysed over 21 million job adverts and surveyed 5,000 workers across the UK. The full sector-specific salary guides are available on Reed’s website.
Community
Bells ring out in Pembroke for St David’s Day parade
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PARADE BRINGS CELEBRATION TO PEMBROKE CASTLE
THE SOUND of bells, whistles, and cheers filled the air in Pembroke as the town marked St David’s Day with its inaugural parade on Saturday (March 1). Organised by Pembroke Town Team and Gwenno Dafydd, the event, titled “Ring Out the Bells for St David,” brought together residents and visitors to celebrate Welsh heritage in a lively and colourful procession.
The parade began at 11:15am, with participants gathering at the North Quay outside the Corn Store. At 11:30am, the procession made its way to Pembroke Castle, creating a vibrant atmosphere with banners, flags, and the sound of bells ringing in honour of Wales’ patron saint. The enthusiasm of the crowd was palpable as families, schoolchildren, and local groups joined in, waving Welsh flags and proudly wearing national colours.
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Upon arrival at the castle at midday, the bells rang out to mark the occasion, followed by a range of Welsh-themed entertainment. Traditional music, folk dancing, and performances celebrating Welsh culture kept the spirit of the event alive, reinforcing the importance of St David’s Day in the local community.
Speaking about the success of the parade, an organiser said: “It was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate our heritage. The energy and pride on display today truly reflected the spirit of St David’s Day.”
Locals praised the event as a welcome addition to Pembroke’s calendar, with many hoping it will become an annual tradition.
Images by Martin Cavaney
News
New leader for Congress group strengthening US-Wales ties
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FIRST MINISTER Eluned Morgan has welcomed the appointment of Rep. Lloyd Doggett as the new Democratic Co-Chair of the Friends of Wales Caucus in the US Congress.
Rep. Doggett spoke about his new role during a Welsh Government-hosted reception at the Library of Congress to mark St David’s Day. The Caucus, established on St David’s Day in 2014, aims to strengthen cultural and trade links between Wales and the USA.
The group currently has 26 members across both the US House and Senate. The existing Chair, Rep. Morgan Griffith, a Republican representing Virginia’s 9th Congressional District, will now be joined by Rep. Doggett as the Democratic Co-Chair.
The Welsh Government has been actively engaging with Congress to foster stronger ties. With the support of the Caucus, it has hosted events promoting Wales’s compound semiconductor cluster and its climate change initiatives during New York Climate Week.
Rep. Doggett, who joined the Caucus in November 2023, has expressed enthusiasm for his new role. He has served in the US House of Representatives since 1995 and currently represents Texas’s 37th Congressional District. Over his tenure, he has been a vocal advocate for environmental protection, healthcare expansion, public education, and social safety net programmes.
On March 12, his congressional district will host the SXSW festival, where FOCUS Wales will showcase Welsh music with support from the Welsh Government.
First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I am delighted to welcome the first Democratic Co-Chair of the Friends of Wales Caucus, Congressman Lloyd Doggett. I have no doubt that he will be immensely successful alongside Congressman Griffith. I am confident that, through their joint leadership, the Caucus will continue to grow and support the interests of Wales before Congress.”
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