News

Pembrokeshire council tax rise ‘highest in Wales in 20 years’

Published

9 months ago

February 29, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A UK campaign group is to target Pembrokeshire ahead of the county facing what the group says would be the largest council tax increase in England and Wales in more than a decade.

At the February meeting of the county council’s Cabinet, members backed a council tax increase in Pembrokeshire of 16.3 per cent.

The proposed increase, which will be decided by full council at its March 7 meeting, would see the basic council tax level – before town/community precepts and the police precept are included – rise by £219.02 for the average Band D property, taking it to £1,561.98.

It is expected to be the highest percentage rate in Wales, on top of previous Pembrokeshire increases of 12.5 per cent, 9.92 per cent, five per cent, 3.75 per cent, five per cent and 7.5 per cent.

The TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) has launched a campaign against the proposed increase, and will be in Milford Haven on Thursday, February 29, and Friday, March 1, delivering leaflets and speaking to residents about the proposed increase.

TPA research says that if the tax rise is agreed, it will be the largest in England and Wales since 2012-13, when referendum principles were agreed.

England differs from Wales in having a cap, needing a referendum for any rate above five per cent for the 2024-25 financial year.

Taxpayers Alliance says Pembrokeshire’s proposal would be the largest percentage increase in Wales since 2000-01 and the third largest since 1997-98.

The only larger rises were in 2000-01 and 1998-99, when Monmouthshire and Powys county councils increased their council tax by 23.15 per cent and 17.5 per cent respectively, the group says.

At the February meeting of Pembrokeshire’s Cabinet, potential rises of 18.94 per cent, and an eye-watering 20.98 were mooted, which would have placed the county in second place.

The TPA is calling on residents in Pembrokeshire to write to the leader of the council, Cllr David Simpson, expressing their opposition to the proposals.

Benjamin Elks, grassroots development manager of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “This record-busting rate rise would deal a devastating blow to household finances in Pembrokeshire.

“Local taxpayers face being punished for the council’s failure to find efficiencies, cut down on waste and balance the books.

“Councillors should show some backbone, stand up for their residents and say no to this ruinous tax hike.”

Pembrokeshire, currently facing a projected funding gap of £31.9m, has historically had the lowest council tax in Wales.

For comparison, the current 2023-’24 average Band D base council tax – before police and town/community council parts of the overall bill are included – for Pembrokeshire is £1,342.86, compared to Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire at £1,553.60 and £1,490.97 respectively.

If the council had Ceredigion’s level of council tax for 2023-24, it would have had an additional £11.758m income and if it had Carmarthenshire’s it would have had an additional £8.264m.

Pembrokeshire Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance Cllr Alec Cormack said: “For 2024-25, Pembrokeshire County Council is facing additional demand pressures in statutory services (adult and children’s social care, homelessness and education).

“This means we need an extra £17m to provide these services next year – this alone is equivalent to an increase of over 26 per cent on council tax. Additionally, we face inflationary pressures of £22.8m.

“Our funding gap, after the AEF money we’ll receive from Welsh Government, is £31.9m.

“We are legally required to balance our budget – to match the amount of money coming in against what we spend to provide services. We are planning to make savings on our spending of £12.2m, as well as utilising some council tax premiums to enhance the sustainability of our communities.

“This has allowed us to limit the council tax rise to 16.31 per cent. This weighs up the need to limit council tax rises on residents against the need to preserve services used by many of the most vulnerable people in the county.

“The demand pressures, particularly in social care, are affecting all councils in Wales, but particularly Pembrokeshire, since we have had the lowest council tax in Wales for decades.

“Based on current information, we expect Pembrokeshire to still have one of the lowest council tax levels – probably 18th out of the 22 Welsh local authorities.”

Neighbouring Ceredigion is recommended to back an 11.1 per cent increase at its full council meeting of February 29.

Entertainment

World-famous King’s College choirmen to perform in St Davids

Published

28 mins ago

December 4, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FOR many, Christmas begins with the magical sound of carols from King’s College, Cambridge. This year, a week before their globally broadcast performance on BBC TV and radio, the lower voices of King’s Choir—known as The King’s Men—will make their first-ever appearance in Pembrokeshire.

Their performance, titled Sing Christmas!, promises an enchanting evening of traditional carols and nostalgic Christmas classics delivered in stunning close harmonies.

A special connection to Pembrokeshire
This extraordinary event is hosted by Pembrokeshire-based professional musician Quentin Poole. A former Head Chorister of King’s College Choir, Quentin gained national recognition as a guest on Desert Island Discs on Boxing Day 1970. Now, he brings the renowned choir to St Davids Tabernacle, Cross Square, for a one-night-only performance on Wednesday, December 18, at 7:30pm—just six days before their iconic live Christmas Eve broadcast.

Reserve your seats early
Tickets for this unique festive performance are £25 each, payable in cash at the door, which opens at 7:00pm. Seating is unallocated, so early arrival is recommended.

Due to anticipated high demand, advance booking is strongly advised to avoid disappointment. To reserve your seats, email [email protected].

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to experience the magic of King’s College Choir in the heart of Pembrokeshire!

Business

Council Leader welcomes Celtic Freeport’s ‘open for business’ announcement

Published

46 mins ago

December 4, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE CELTIC FREEPORT is officially “open for business” following the designation of its tax sites located in Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire by the Welsh and UK Governments.

The major step forward unlocks the investment incentives to deliver the freeport’s vision.

This milestone is also accompanied by the appointment of the first permanent Celtic Freeport Chair, Ed Tomp, to take this important re-industrialisation and regeneration project to fruition.

He started his new role on December 1^st, 2024.

Until 30th September 2034, businesses investing in Celtic Freeport’s designated development areas – tax sites – can access a suite of incentives, such as no Business Rates for the first five years, significant reductions in national insurance contributions and full capital expensing (a tax relief scheme), to support their investment decisions.

Forecasts indicate the Celtic Freeport is set to attract £8.4bn of private and public investment, deliver 11,500 new jobs and add £8.1bn of economic value.

Welcoming the news, the Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said: “This is an extremely important day for Neath Port Talbot and surrounding areas as these announcements mark the beginning of what the Celtic Freeport can offer – a new era of major investment in clean energy, innovation and other industries creating much needed, high-quality jobs for our residents.

“The tax sites which have been approved by Parliament will provide an incentive for businesses to breathe new life into this region and with a permanent Chair now in place it is very much ‘all systems go’ for the Celtic Freeport.

“I also wish to give my thanks to the Interim Chair of the Celtic Freeport, Roger Maggs, who supported us through this entire process until he handed the reigns over to the new permanent chair.”

Frances O’Brien, the Chief Executive of Neath Port Talbot Council, added: “The Celtic Freeport is developing quickly and these announcements mark a significant shift in the fortunes of Neath Port Talbot, our neighbouring authorities and Wales as a whole.

“The Freeport’s involvement in the fast-growing Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) industry offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create thousands of clean, green jobs and to expand our economy. Our doors are now open to those who wish to join us on our journey.”

The Celtic Freeport is a public-private consortium whose partners include Associated British Ports (ABP), Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven, alongside renewables developers, energy companies, industrial complexes, innovation assets, academic institutions and education providers.

The Celtic Freeport covers the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot and spans clean energy developments and innovation assets, fuel terminals, a power station and heavy engineering across South-West Wales.

Celtic Freeport’s website for more information.

News

Pembrokeshire Volunteering Awards 2024 celebrating helpers across the county

Published

3 hours ago

December 4, 2024

Tom Sinclair

VOLUNTEERS across Pembrokeshire were honoured at a gala dinner and awards ceremony held on November 28 at The Queen’s Hall, Narberth. The event, organised by PAVS (Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services) and supported by South Hook LNG, showcased the extraordinary efforts of local volunteers.

The Queen’s Hall provided a stunning setting for the evening, with decorations prepared by the venue’s team alongside PAVS staff. Around 80 volunteers and their guests enjoyed a meal by Block and Barrel, followed by a captivating performance by the Preseli Voices Community Choir.

Seven awards categories celebrated

The ceremony featured seven award categories, each highlighting the dedication of Pembrokeshire’s volunteers. Jessica Bickerton, Chief Officer of PAVS, introduced the finalists, praising their outstanding contributions to their communities.

Mariam Dalziel, South Hook LNG’s PR Manager, said: “Congratulations to all nominees. To be a part of these awards is to be part of something incredibly special, celebrating the tremendous effort of volunteers across our county. At South Hook, we are proud to continue our support for these awards, working with PAVS to highlight the positive impact volunteering brings to our community.”

Special guest presenters handed out each award, with winners later sharing their inspiring stories in interviews with Toby Ellis of Pure West Radio. These stories are available on the radio station’s website.

Winners and finalists

Young Volunteer (under 25)

Winner: Zoe Jones – POINT Youth Centre
Highly Commended: Charlie Evans – Milford Youth Matters
Presented by: Anna Mullarkey, Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Manager, Port of Milford Haven

Mike Beckett Award (youth group aged under 25)

Winners: POINT Youth Forum
Highly Commended: Youth Ambassador Team – Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity
Presented by: Gwen Beckett

Trustee/Board Award

Winners: Andrea Farmer and Isobel Hall – Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity
Highly Commended: Julie Fulton – Pembrokeshire People First
Presented by: Claire Incledon, Chair of Trustees, PAVS

Long Service Award

Winner: Paul Guisbourne-Hilton – Various charities
Highly Commended: Julie Fulton – Pembrokeshire People First
Commended: Kathleen Llewellyn – Paul Sartori Foundation
Presented by: Cllr Marc Tierney

Individual Over 25

Winner: Sue Canham – Royal Voluntary Service
Highly Commended: Nadine Farmer – Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity; Neil Houghton – Redberth Croft CIC
Commended: Cerian Goodbourn – Sea Trust Wales; Valerie Harrold – Paul Sartori Foundation
Presented by: Neil Wooding, Chair, Hywel Dda University Health Board and WCVA

Mary Sigley Award

Winner: David Bundock – Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority
Highly Commended: Paul Guisbourne-Hilton – Various charities
Presented by: Tom Dyer, Pure West Radio

Group Over 25

Winner: ‘Found it @ Frame’ Volunteers
Highly Commended: Esteam Volunteers
Commended: West Wales Walking for Wellbeing
Presented by: Mariam Dalziel, South Hook LNG

For more information about volunteering in Pembrokeshire, contact [email protected] or call PAVS at 01437 769722. Details are also available at www.pavs.org.uk.

Uplifting performances, heartwarming stories, and the celebration of remarkable individuals made this year’s event a memorable tribute to Pembrokeshire’s volunteers.