News
Standards commissioner clears Andrew RT Davies over ‘blanket’ speed limit claims
ANDREW RT DAVIES has been cleared of breaching the Senedd’s rules for describing Wales’ default 20mph speed limit as a ‘blanket policy.
The Conservatives’ group leader was investigated by Douglas Bain, the standards commissioner, over tweets about September’s general reduction in speed limits on some roads.
The complainant claimed Mr Davies’ depiction of the change as a “blanket” speed limit breached rule two of the code of conduct which says members must act truthfully.
But, in an 11-page report, published on Wednesday January 24, the Senedd’s standards committee backed the commissioner’s finding that there was no such breach of the rules.
Mr Davies is not named in the report but sources have confirmed he is its subject.
Mr Bain was satisfied that the “blanket” description was “imprecise and inaccurate” but he concluded that that is not synonymous with being untruthful.
“Untruthfulness, like dishonesty, requires some element of deceit, fraud or moral turpitude,” he said. “Whilst all untruthful statements are imprecise and incorrect, not all imprecise and incorrect statements are untruthful.”
The commissioner pointed to evidence, which he deemed was accepted by the complainant, that Mr Davies has made clear that there are exceptions to the new general speed limit.
He said: “I cannot be satisfied there was any element of deceit, fraud or moral turpitude.”
The report said Mr Davies contended that referring to a “blanket” 20mph was not the same as calling it a universal limit, citing dictionary definitions.
But the commissioner found: “The Collins Dictionary definition, for example, is ‘applying to or covering a wide group or variety of people, conditions or situations’.
“Significantly, it does not say applying to or covering almost all of a large group.
“None of the other definitions provided suggest that ‘blanket’ means other than providing universal coverage.”
Mr Bain concluded that incorrect usage of the phrase has to be tolerated under Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The standards committee, which includes Labour, Plaid Cymru and Conservative members, agreed with the concept of honesty being about more than incorrect or careless statements.
MSs concluded that without clear evidence of intent to mislead, the threshold had not been met by Mr Davies’ comments.
The Conservative group in the Senedd declined to comment.
Community
Carmarthen Youth Opera receives King’s Award for Voluntary Services
CARMARTHEN and District Youth Opera has been honoured with the King’s Award for Voluntary Services in recognition of its outstanding contributions to providing musical theatre opportunities for young people in the West Wales area.
Recognising outstanding examples of voluntary work, the King’s Award for Voluntary Service (KAVS) was created in 2002 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee and previously known as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), the Award has been shining a light on the fantastic work of voluntary groups from across the UK for many years. Equivalent to an MBE, KAVS is the highest Award given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.
Established in 1979, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has been a cornerstone of the performing arts community in Wales for over four decades. What began as a small group of dedicated individuals at Carmarthen’s Further Education Centre youth club has flourished into one of Wales’s most successful cultural societies, thanks to the dedication of volunteers.
Under the leadership of the late Elizabeth Evans MBE and her husband David, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has grown from strength to strength, showcasing high-quality musical entertainment and earning accolades such as the Lord Snowdon Award for its first annual music production of “Snow White” in 1979. Over the years, Carmarthen and District Youth Opera has continued to captivate audiences with productions ranging from “Oliver” to “Jesus Christ Superstar,” garnering national praise.
Further major Lyric refurbishment works in the early 1990’s and later, gave a home to the Youth Opera with a venue and facilities in which it could deliver productions of the highest quality to an audience of approximately 500 people. For a period of 15 years, it functioned as an entertainment centre run voluntarily by the Lyric Trust, drawn from the Youth Opera’s supporters. The theatre is since owned and run by Carmarthenshire County Council as a venue for current and future generations.
Carmarthen and District Youth Opera’s impact extends beyond the stage, with many former cast members pursuing successful careers in music and dramatic arts. The organisation’s commitment to excellence and inclusivity has earned it widespread recognition, including from Her Majesty the Queen, the Emir of Qatar, and their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall.
As Carmarthen and District Youth Opera celebrates this prestigious award, it remains firm in its commitment to nurturing young talent and enriching the cultural landscape of Wales.
Councillor Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture & Tourism said: “Carmarthen and District Youth Opera embodies the spirit of community and dedication to the arts that enriches our region. Receiving the King’s Award for Voluntary Services is a testament to the unwavering commitment of its volunteers and the profound impact the organisation has on nurturing young talent. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to their continued contributions to the cultural vibrancy of West Wales.”
Business
Port welcomes first vessel to new workboat pontoons
PEMBROKE PORT, which is owned and operated by the Port of Milford Haven, has welcomed the first customer to its new workboat pontoons. Installed as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to modernise the Port’s infrastructure, the pontoons are available for use by a range of vessels including workboats, barges and other small vessels.
CRC Sentinel, a dive support vessel owned by Commercial Rib Charter which is undertaking work on the Milford Haven Waterway, was the first to use the new pontoons.
Sharon Adams, Commercial Manager for Pembroke Port commented: “It’s great to see these new assets being utilised. Pembroke Port is perfectly positioned within the Port of Milford Haven to act as a hub for operations associated with marine activity taking place within the Port and the Celtic Sea. The pontoons are available for short and long term berthing and have secure access, as well as electricity and water hook ups.
The workboat pontoons compliment the other infrastructure upgrades we made as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project including new laydown space and an expanded slipway.
We look forward to working with our existing customers, and welcoming new ones, to use the new facilities at Pembroke Port.”
The new infrastructure at Pembroke Port forms part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to create a world-class energy and engineering centre of excellence and act as a focal point for capturing the economic value from wind, wave, and tidal renewable energy projects.
Alongside the Port’s own investment, Pembroke Dock Marine – a Swansea Bay City Deal project – is part funded by the UK Government and the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government as well as other private sector partners.
During construction, the project supported over 50 jobs including 6 apprenticeships. Contractors BAM, Walters Group and R&M Williams undertook community activity during the project, with the local community benefiting from over £11m local spend.
For further details on the facilities at Pembroke Port, and how the Pembroke Dock Marine investments have readied Pembroke Port for future energy, please visit www.pembrokeport.com.
Education
Young people dive into My River project to learn about Cleddau
DURING the Easter Holidays, young people from The Edge Youth Centre and the Army Welfare Service took part in a two-day environmental project in Haverfordwest in partnership with the Cleddau Project.
The ‘My River’ project enabled young people to connect with the River Cleddau, learn about the importance of looking after rivers and discuss what their river means to them as young people.
At the start of the project, the young people linked up with the West Wales Rivers Trust for the Big River Clean Up in Haverfordwest.
The young people helped clean up a stretch of the Western Cleddau River that runs alongside Bridge Meadow Park and Morrisons.
In the afternoon, they enjoyed an engaging session delivered by the Darwin Centre looking at the mini-beasts that live in our rivers under microscopes.
On day two the young people reflected on their findings creating a story with illustrator Fran Evans.
The young people created a piece of art telling the story of their river and the importance of looking after the river.
The story is called the ‘adventures of the trash trio’ and will be exhibited to the public at the ‘My River’ Art Exhibition at HaverHub, Quay Street, Haverfordwest at the end of June.
The young people will be coming back together in May Half-Term to explore the river in Haverfordwest by canoeing up the Western River Cleddau.
Steve Lewis, Senior Youth Worker said: “This project educated young people on the importance of our rivers and how they support wildlife, ecosystems and recreation activities. It was fantastic to see the enthusiasm from the young people and to see them connecting with their river.”
This project has been made possible by funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
-
Community1 day ago
Tragic passing Josh, 28, mourned by Milford Haven community
-
Community1 day ago
Lucy’s sudden passing at just 38 leaves a community in mourning
-
Community3 days ago
Joy as Willow rescued by coastguard after 12-day ordeal
-
Business4 days ago
Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes
-
Crime2 days ago
Farm mechanic admits drink driving after losing control of vehicle
-
Crime2 days ago
Drunk digger driver remanded for hurling racial abuse at neighbours
-
News6 days ago
Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police
-
News3 days ago
Milford Haven RFC celebrates Mini’s Section Presentation