News

Council tenant rent rise error will cost Pembrokeshire £380,000

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PEMBROKESHIRE has lost £380,000 in revenue as a council tenants’ rent rise was not correctly publicised in the appropriate time, councillors heard.

Tenants have a statutory two-month period of notice before any rent rises, which were due to take place from April 1, can come into effect.

However, statutory rent increase notices were only delivered to tenants in late March, delaying the time of rent increases to July 1.

Back in late March the council stated: “It has come to the council’s attention that the statutory rent increase notice has only been delivered to tenants over the last couple of days.

“Therefore, as tenants have not received the required statutory notice, rent will not increase from April 1, 2023.

“We are currently investigating this matter with our external contractors who print and post on our behalf.”

Questions on the rent rise not being publicised in time were received at the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council, from Councillor Aled Thomas, Councillor Mark Carter, and Councillor Delme Harries.

Councillor Mark Carter asked: “At the end of March this year an announcement was made that the required two month written notice of the April 1 rent rise to all council tenants had not been correctly made.

“Given that a new letter would have to be drafted, it has now been suggested that the rent increase cannot be implemented until July 1 this year.

“A rough calculation suggests that the rent increase would provide an extra £500,000 for that three-month period.

“Could the Cabinet member please confirm how much the exact loss of rental income over the mentioned three-month period is?

“Please provide exact details how and from whom, this sum of money will be recovered if PCC is not to suffer the loss caused by this error?

“Clarify why this mistake was not spotted or members were not made aware until a few days before the rent increase should have been implemented?”

Councillor Delme Harries asked broadly similar questions on the “embarrassing situation on the failure of delivering rental proposals”.

He also asked: “Does this failure to deliver notices impact the further notice period of rent increases?

“What lessons have been learnt and remedial action taken?”

Cllr Thomas had raised concerns those paying by direct debit would be unfairly penalised.

Responding, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations & Regulatory Services Cllr Michelle Bateman said the council had lost some £380,000 and an investigation was currently being undertaken with the council’s print and postage supplier.

Members heard the council only became aware of the issue after being contacted by council tenants, taking remedial action to reissue notices.

Members were told rent increases would now take place every July due to the error.

Cllr Carter said: “This problem is here to haunt us every year; is it correct every year forward we’re going to be three months late getting the rent?”

Cllr Bateman confirmed there was a statutory period of 365 days before any further rent changes could take place, adding the council was currently working to see if there was any way of recovering the money.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

3 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

4 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.