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News

Pembrokeshire Catholic schools federations backed

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SENIOR councillors backed the federation of four Pembrokeshire Catholic schools earlier this week.

In April, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet backed a recommendation for a consultation on federations between Haverfordwest’s Mary Immaculate Catholic School and Tenby’s St Teilo’s Catholic School, and between Fishguard’s Holy Name Catholic School and Milford Haven’s St Francis Catholic School.

Cabinet members previously heard the need for federations were due to various headteacher vacancies and a growing inability to recruit, the Diocese of Menevia expressing a wish to consider establishing federations.

The consultation drew 52 responses, with the majority of the 10 for Holy Name / St Francis views in favour of the proposal, both schools having been in an informal collaboration during the 2022/23 academic year.

The vast majority of responses, some 80 per cent, were opposed to the proposal for Mary Immaculate / St Teilo’s, raising a variety of concerns including distance between the two schools, and that parental views were not sought early enough in the process.

At the November Cabinet meeting, it was recommended that, from April 8 of next year, the two federations take place.

A report for members stated: “As previously outlined to Cabinet in April, the reason for pursuing a Federation model was the need to secure stable and formalised leadership in the four Catholic schools.”

It added: “At the time of the above report, only two of the schools had a substantive headteacher; this has now reduced to one following the departure of the headteacher of Mary Immaculate Catholic School at the end of the 2022/23 academic year.”

It added: “The concerns of Mary Immaculate School parents, in particular, are acknowledged, but it is considered that the advice given to the governing body by the directors of education of the council and the Diocese of Menevia was based on a pragmatic approach to the recruitment challenges being faced.”

Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Guy Woodham, who moved the recommendation, again stressed the federation route was “not an amalgamation, a takeover, or a route to school closure,” adding the schools would remain as separate establishments.

He was seconded by Leader David Simpson, who recalled the success of the federation of the Tavernspite and Templeton schools in his own ward, where the former was “thriving” and the latter “going down in numbers”.

“It must be about seven or eight years ago we decided to have a federation, there was an excellent response and now both schools are thriving. To me, it is a wonderful way forward; it’s not a takeover, I cannot recommend it more.”

Members unanimously backed the recommendation.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man to be sentenced for assaulting police officers

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A PEMBROKE DOCK man is due to be sentenced on Monday (Mar 31) after admitting to assaulting three police officers and resisting arrest during incidents earlier this month.

Ashley Rickard, aged 27, of Elizabeth Court, Pembroke Dock, pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared at court on March 17. Magistrates adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

The court heard that on March 15, Rickard assaulted PC Morse in Pembroke Dock while the officer was carrying out his duties as an emergency worker. He also assaulted PC Walker and resisted two other officers, PC Cranmer and PC Kendall, during the same incident in Milford Haven.

All of the offences are understood to have taken place on the same day and involved Rickard obstructing and assaulting officers during the course of their work.

Rickard is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court at 10:00am on Monday for sentencing. The offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 12 months in prison or an unlimited fine.

The Herald will report the outcome of the case following the hearing.

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Crime

Milford Haven man faces court hearing for assault on three police officers

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A MILFORD HAVEN man is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Mar 31) facing multiple charges, including the assault of three emergency workers and possession of an offensive weapon.

Adam Williams, 37, of Richard John Road, is facing charges relating to an incident on March 16 in which he is accused of possessing a craft knife in a public place without lawful authority, contrary to the Prevention of Crime Act 1953.

Williams is also charged with three counts of assaulting emergency workers—Police Sergeant 408 Benbow, PC 944 Lee, and PC 764 Mycroft—who were reportedly acting in the course of their duties at the time of the incident.

In addition, Williams is facing a charge of using a motor vehicle without third-party insurance, said to have occurred on Richard John Road on the same date.

The case was adjourned earlier this month for a reports to be prepared.

Williams is expected to return to court at 10:00am on Monday.

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Business

Tree-mendous work helping to improve the condition of our rivers

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OVER 24,000 trees have been planted along the banks of four south Wales rivers to help reduce nutrient pollution, improve water quality and help protect nature.

The Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Four Rivers for LIFE project has been busy this tree planting season on the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers.

In partnership with organisations like the National Trust, West Wales Rivers Trust, County Councils and contractors a total of 24,160 native trees have been planted with the aim of reducing nutrient pollution, improving water quality and helping to protect nature.

The trees will soak up excess nutrients from agricultural land run off, improve downstream water quality and provide habitat for wildlife.

The corridors of trees, averaging 10metres in width, act as buffer strips between farmland and the river and have been planted on land that has been fenced to create riparian strips.

Robert Thomas, Four Rivers for LIFE Land Management Officer said: “As the trees mature they will act as an important filter, reducing the amount of excess nutrients reaching the rivers, helping to improve the overall condition of these special rivers.”

As well as providing benefits to the Special Area of Conservation (SAC) river, in time as the trees mature and grow, they will stabilise riverbanks, reduce erosion and soil loss to the river, provide shelter for livestock and shade the river, keeping the water cool for fish.

Simon Rose, Woodland Project Ranger at National Trust Brecon Beacons said: “We have been delighted to work alongside NRW’s Four Rivers for LIFE team and the Woodland Trust at Ty Mawr Farm. This collaborative effort exemplifies the very objectives we seek to achieve through ongoing engagement with volunteer and corporate groups, students from Black Mountains College, and staff from similar organisations on team-building days.”

“Together, we are planting trees and hedgerows that will provide essential food sources and create connected woodlands, fostering the growth of wildlife and the flourishing of habitats.”

The Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk Rivers are classed as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), meaning they are of international importance for the wildlife and plants that make them home, such as salmon, lamprey, shad, otters and water crowfoot.

The Four Rivers for LIFE Project is funded by the EU LIFE Programme with support from Welsh Government and Welsh Water.

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