News

Lifelines expected for 22 closure-threatened Pembrokeshire toilets

Published

1 year ago

November 21, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

AT LEAST 22 of the 34 Pembrokeshire public toilets at risk of potential closure are expected be saved, with a further nine due to plead their cases before senior councillors.

Due to financial constraints, the February meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet listed 34 toilets at potential risk of closure if community asset transfers to town and community councils or other sources of funding weren’t agreed.

In May, Cabinet resolved to offer discretionary funding for those under threat of closure to March 2024, where negotiations such as leasing or asset transfer were ongoing.

Members of next week’s Policy and Pre-decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee, meeting on November 21, will consider a report outlining the latest progress, highlighting “some very positive outcomes which will help to minimise closures”.

The report says an agreement has been reached with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, to the value of £111,000 a year for two years, to fund 10 facilities: Angle Beach, Broad Haven North, Freshwater East, Little Haven, Manorbier Beach, Newport Beach, Poppit Sands, St Brides, Saundersfoot, and Solva.

The county council has agreed to fund Dale facilities from its car parking budget, saving some £10,000 from the toilet budget, while a 50 per cent funding offer for two seasons has been made by the National Trust – due to be discussed at the December Cabinet meeting – for Bosherston, offering a saving of £8,000 a year.

The report says that four town/ community councils have agreed to either fund, lease or asset transfer their facilities from April 1, expected to save £25,000 a year, covering Penally, Porthgain, Tenby Upper Frog Street, and Wisemans Bridge.

Similar conversations are ongoing for seven further facilities, with potential annual savings of £45,000 yearly: Abercastle, Amroth East, Bryn Road St David’s, Cresswell Quay, Kilgetty, Neyland Marina, and Newport Parrog.

An exception request is due to be considered by Cabinet for the latter, due to complex land ownership arrangements.

Eight exception requests from town and community councils who feel they have been disproportionately financially affected are also to be considered by Cabinet, with an estimated annual bill of some £72,000.

The eight: Abereiddy, Carew, Cwm Yr Eglwys, Moylegrove, Newgale South, Nolton, North Beach Tenby, and Pwllgwaelod, will close unless the exceptions are agreed, or alternative funding streams are identified.

Legal avenues are being explored for two facilities with a view to close, saving some £9,000 a year: Burton and Oriel Y Parc St David’s, with one facility at Marloes village to close due to no alternative funder coming forward, at a saving of £5,500 a year.

News

Car crashes into house in St Davids

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).

Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.

On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”

Community

Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.

Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.

He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.

Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 🖥️ | Online portal
📧 | [email protected]
📞 | Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.

Community

Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Published

10 hours ago

April 25, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.

The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.

Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.

Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”

The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.