News

Cllr David Simpson: ‘I wasn’t sacked, I resigned’

Published

12 years ago

September 26, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Cllr Jamie Adams: Simpson says he is ‘a capable boy with bad judgement’

THE HERALD can reveal the story behind the shock departure of popular and respected County Councillor David Simpson from the Council Cabinet. In an official statement, the Council have claimed he was sacked. Councillor Simpson, however, a Justice of the Peace, told The Herald that the truth is that he resigned.

CLLR SIMPSON: ‘I RESIGNED!’

CONCERN about the conduct of a fellow Cabinet member was one of the reasons why David Simpson decided to step down from the Cabinet and leave the IPPG.

Councillor Simpson described the efforts of Cllr Rob Lewis to derail the investigatory committee into Bryn Parry Jones as the key reason for his decision to resign.

Speaking with our assistant editor Jon Coles on Friday afternoon after his departure from the Housing portfolio he has held for eight years, Councillor Simpson said:

“I decided to go that because of some of the things that have gone on. Two members came to me, Peter Morgan and Mark Edwards: Mark was very, very concerned that Cllr Rob Lewis the Deputy Leader was trying to intimidate Peter; particularly that pressure was being applied to stop Peter appearing before the Committee (investigating CEO Bryn Parry Jones) next Monday. Rob Lewis was doing his best to dissuade Peter from attending.

“I had heard about this over the preceding days while I had been away on holiday. I met with Peter and Mark yesterday evening and what they said was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I made a decision then that I would resign.”

Cllr David Simpson: “the straightest and best man on the whole Council”, said Cllr Peter Morgan

The Herald spoke to The Havens representative Peter Morgan about what David Simpson had told us.

Cllr Morgan told The Herald: “David is the straightest and best man on the whole Council. If there was ever anyone you want to talk to about a problem you are having, it is him; everyone on the Council will tell you that about him. Pembrokeshire County Council can’t afford to do without him.”

He added: “I spoke with David last night and said that Rob Lewis has spoken to me about appearing before the investigatory committee. My position is that pressure won’t work on me. I will do what is right. When I spoke to Jamie Adams last night, I told him the same thing.”

Pembrokeshire Herald readers will recall that it was Cllr Rob Lewis who acted as Bryn Parry-Jones’ intermediary when Peter Morgan and Mark Edwards were summoned to meet the CEO and subjected to a foul-mouthed tirade for voting that he should be asked to return money paid to him unlawfully by the Council. Cllr Lewis was also suspended from the Council for his underhand activities in using the Council’s facilities to run the IPPG’s last election campaign. He is widely credited with creating the dodgy dossier handed by Monitoring Officer to Tim Kerr QC ahead of February’s vote of no confidence in Bryn.

The Herald understands that Rob Lewis arranged a meeting between Peter Morgan and Laurence Harding, the Council’s own Monitoring Officer who is supposed to ensure members abide by the Code of Conduct. We understand that the meeting took place in the members’ room at County Hall, where Peter Morgan found the Monitoring Officer waiting to see him.

We put Laurence Harding’s involvement to Peter Morgan, who confirmed: “Laurence Harding met with me to discuss my attendance at the investigatory committee on Monday (Sep 29). He told me that if I didn’t want to attend, if I just left him a signed note it would all be okay and I wouldn’t have to go.”

Monitoring Officer Lawrence Harding: Cllr Simpson said he told him he didn't have to attend Bryn investigation meeting

Monitoring Officer Laurence Harding: Encouraged Cllr Peter Morgan that he could make a written submission instead of being questioned by councillors on Monday’s CEO disciplinary investigation.

“CABINET HAVE BEEN KEPT IN THE DARK”

On the subject of his meeting with Jamie Adams this morning, David Simpson said:

“I met with Jamie Adams, the Leader, this morning (Friday, Sept 26). I have had concerns for several months, if not two years, about the make-up of the Cabinet, about the dissemination of information down to the Cabinet, and the fact that the Cabinet is a two tier system. You have the leader and his two deputies and then the rest of the Cabinet; the rest of the Cabinet are just kept in the dark.

“I have been unhappy with this for the last two years and I have told Jamie that on many occasions and have been dissatisfied. There have been several instances over the last few months that I have been unhappy with.

“Last night, after meeting with Mark and Peter, I spoke to Ian Westley, the acting Head of Service, to tell him of my resignation. I also phoned Lyn Hambidge, who has been especially supportive during my time in Housing. She was vital to the achievement of my first goal in housing, which was to drive down the amount the Council was paying in bed and breakfast for homeless people. That was over a million pounds a year when I started and I think was under £20,000 last year.”

County Hall: News of Simpson’s departure from cabinet a shock to many

HOW ADAMS SPUN THE NEWS

When The Herald discussed the morning’s events with David Simpson, a very different picture emerged than that reported by the Council. Cllr Simpson told us:

“I met with the leader this morning. He told me he was getting rid of the two deputies, which is something I had hoped for, although I was disappointed they were remaining in the Cabinet, and there were also two members coming out of Cabinet. One was David Pugh, which I thought was a good move after the debacle with the grants scheme, and then he informed me that the other one was going to be me. I was aghast and reminded him that I put more hours into my Cabinet role than he did, or any other member of Cabinet and I have never embarrassed him like others have in the past and have been very supportive of him.

Cllr Simpson added: “When the email from Bob Kilmister suggesting that I could be a leader of a “Grand Alliance” came round, I knew nothing about it. I laughed about it really and thought it was a marvellous thing to do – from Bob Kilmister’s point of view – to put the cat among amongst the pigeons.

“I told Jamie that I had not envisaged being sacked and I came here this morning intending to resign – and that can be verified by Ian Westley and Lyn Hambidge – and so I told him, before you ask me to step down, I resign.

“I drove five minutes down the road to County Hall; phoned Sue Sanders, who does administration for members and asked for the form to sign as I was resigning from the Cabinet and the Independent group – I think it was impossible for me to remain in the group and preserve my own integrity – and she said: “Haven’t you looked at the website yet?”

“It was clear everything had been pre-planned, but the fact remains I resigned.

THE DOWNFALL OF THE IPPG

On the subject of the Leader, Cllr Simpson said: “I think Jamie Adams is a very capable boy at public speaking but has a lot of bad judgement in the people he appoints. I haven’t got a lot of time for him anymore. I fully supported that man as leader. I told him I was there to support him. I told him that Cabinet was there to support him. But unfortunately he doesn’t confide in Cabinet.”

“I have told Jamie Adams that under no circumstances would I stand against him. For the last two years I have been asked to stand against him on a number of occasions. On each occasion I have refused because I thought he needed a chance to get on with the job. I have also had disputes with him in as much I do not like some of the decisions and appointments he has made. But I was Cabinet member and he was the leader.”

“I have no intention of starting a campaign for me to be leader against Jamie Adams. I never wanted it. I don’t want it now.”

One of the key points the Justice of the Peace made when we spoke to him he said “I can see the downfall of the Independent group.”

“Brian Hall is trying to form his own group at the moment and he supposedly has several members. If you take three or four people out of the Independent Group plus Brian Hall, you are taking votes away from Jamie and his majority.

“Jamie will lose his position. He is doing it himself. He is on the self-destruct button.

THANKING THE STAFF

“Housing has been my passion for the last eight years. I have been wonderfully supported by the housing staff over the last eight years. I can tell you that everyone in that department gives 110%. They are fantastic and helped make my job a lot easier. Where I go from here I don’t know. Being in the opposition was the furthest thing from my mind in my entire political career.”

The full report of David Simpson’s straight-talking interview will be in next week’s Pembrokeshire Herald: Issue 66, Friday October 3.

Related Topics:

Up Next

Kayaker found body ‘floating in the Haven’ near Cosheston

Don't Miss

Drunk woman rammmed ex-husbands new home

11 Comments

Michael Evans

September 26, 2014 at 9:15 pm

Jamie Adams has brought nothing but shame on this great county of ours. I look forward to the day when that irritating smirk is wiped off his face when he is forced out of office and sent back to his farm where he belongs! !!
tomos

September 26, 2014 at 10:15 pm

Gordon Bennet, we don’t want honest and decent ppl in the iPG – SACK ‘EM, oh, hang on you have :((
Stephen

September 27, 2014 at 12:28 am

As someone who has just stopped working for the local authority (in a somewhat different capacity), I am amazed to see how very close to my own experience the story Cllr. Simpson has to tell is. I think there is something deeply ingrained in how the council operates, from the very highest echelons to the very lowest levels, which is about opportunism, bullying, and an earnest desire to get one over on anyone who dares demonstrate the slightest dissent.

We may lose out in the short term, but it is the authority – and the residents of Pembrokeshire – who will lose out long-term, as the council continues to purge itself of anyone other than forelock-tuggers, yes-men, those who lack the imagination to object to anything their self-imagined “betters” could come up with, and those too frightened by seeing what happens to others to risk sticking their own necks out.

It’s not a brilliant way to do business.
Allen

September 27, 2014 at 8:52 am

Once again we see the name Rob Lewis cropping up.This man should be expelled from the cabinet forthwith,His behind the scenes antic’s are unforgiving.
Dave Edwards

September 27, 2014 at 9:28 am

Has anyone measured Jamie’s nose lately/ it looks longer than last week!
Cynthia Williams

September 28, 2014 at 2:22 pm

Obviously whoever is in charge of the cabinet is off his rocker! Make no mistake, David Simpson is a great loss to the County and surrounding areas. He was the only cabinet member who delivered on his policies.Well done and thank you for your work David. If only there were more honest councillors like you who passionately wanted to make a difference to Pembrokeshire. Cllr Simpson re-established the relationship with the communities; recognising that people are more informed these days and wish to participate more and to take greater control over their own lives and their communities, and creating a means by which that element of power could be returned to people. He is anchored in the community and put the community role first and foremost in anything he does.A great loss and shame. I hope he continues to strive forward and be successful in the future.
Bob smith

September 28, 2014 at 3:14 pm

Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end for the downfall of Jamie Adams. He should look in the mirror for a true reflection of bad judgment. Cllr simpson is a credit to Pembrokeshire and may he continue to do so. I watch with anticipation and hope tha he strives to continue to make truth and transparency in the council for the benefit of all.
Christina Simpson

September 28, 2014 at 5:43 pm

As the wife of David Simpson I am obviously biased. However after watching and listening from the wings I feel compelled to comment on the events of the past few days. First and foremost I am absolutely disgusted by the disgraceful way Jamie Adams has treated David. It appears to me that the more committed you are to your cabinet role and the more hours you put in, the less you are thought of. I know how hard David has worked over the past eight years and how he has spent time building relationships with officers and staff. The amount of phone calls, emails and text messages of support that he has received since Friday is testament to the respect that he has gained from the people of Pembrokeshire. How many messages of support has Jamie Adams received I wonder? He quite obviously wanted rid of David because he had an opinion and was not afraid to voice it but isn\\’t that what the so called \\” independent group\\” is meant to do……be independent? David was doing the job he was meant to do and doing it extremely well but that counted for nothing in Jamie Adams\\’ view, he only wants people who will toe the line on his cabinet. Finally I would like to personally thank the many people who have shown such amazing support for David and say to you all, don\\’t put up with this farce any longer, do something to make change happen in Pembrokeshire and get rid of these leaches on our society. We need people who are there for the right reasons, people who do the job they are elected to do for the good of Pembrokeshire, not people who are there to line their own pockets. There has been far too much moral corruption for far too long and David has been penalised for trying to fight it from the inside. It is my greatest hope that a change is about to come to our County.
Dylan jones

September 28, 2014 at 9:56 pm

\”It is a reflection of the state of democracy in Pembrokeshire that a man of David Simpson\’s stature should be brought down by a bunch of power-hungry chancers. Although he seems reluctance to make a bid for the for the Leadership, it is my belief that, should he decide to do so, he would have the overwhelming support of a vast majority of right thinking members.\”
SM1968

September 29, 2014 at 7:00 pm

Come on David Simpson, the momentum is with you,as is I suspect a huge backing from colleagues and public, take Jamie down, takes his allies with him, and then take charge and sort this mess out.
Dylan Williams

September 30, 2014 at 6:00 pm

Could not agree more with SM1968! Come on David “put the cat among amongst the pigeons” and herald the downfall of Jamie Adams! You have the support, momentum and the backing of many around you – together we can make a change – never have so few had the potential to do so much with so little. This is an opportunity to make real change to Pembrokeshire and its people. What else can you lose? we are all proud of the hard work you have done and the potential and ability left in you as a CCLR is overwhelming.

Education

Ysgol Henry Tudor reassures parents over Sikh ceremonial kirpan

Published

7 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

School says religious item worn by pupil is secured, symbolic and non-functional

YSGOL HENRY TUDOR has moved to reassure parents after confirming that a pupil is wearing a ceremonial kirpan as part of their Sikh faith.

The development comes after around a dozen parents with children at the school contacted The Herald expressing concern about the situation. The Herald has contacted the local authority for comment.

In a letter sent to parents on Wednesday (Mar 25), the school explained that a Sikh family had recently joined the school community, and that the pupil is an Amritdhari Sikh — meaning they are required to wear certain articles of faith.

One of these is the kirpan, a small ceremonial blade which holds deep religious significance within Sikhism.

The school stressed that in this case the kirpan is “small, sheathed and secured,” and cannot be unsheathed. It added that the item is worn purely as a symbol of faith and “not as a functional item.”

Reassurance over safety

The letter made clear that appropriate steps have been taken to ensure the situation is managed safely and in line with safeguarding responsibilities and UK law.

School leaders said they remain committed to respecting the religious beliefs of all pupils while maintaining a safe environment, adding that the matter will continue to be monitored “sensitively and appropriately.”

In some settings, schools may agree adjustments to how a kirpan is worn — such as ensuring it is very small, secured, or sealed — so that religious requirements are respected while maintaining safety.

Understanding the kirpan

The kirpan is one of the five articles of faith — known as the Five Ks — observed by initiated Sikhs. It symbolises a duty to stand up against injustice and to protect others.

Under UK law, Sikhs are permitted to carry a kirpan for religious reasons. In schools, these are typically very small, kept in a sheath, and often secured so they cannot be drawn.

Across the UK, many schools have policies in place to accommodate the wearing of the kirpan while ensuring appropriate safeguards are followed.

Promoting inclusion

The school’s letter reflects a wider approach across education settings in Wales and the UK, where inclusivity and respect for different faiths are balanced with clear safety measures.

No incidents relating to the matter have been reported.

Crime

Teen jailed after starting fire while others slept

Published

12 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Fire set in shared home left sleeping residents at risk and caused £130,000 damage

A TEENAGER who started a fire in his bedroom while other residents slept has been jailed for four years.

Jack Gornall, aged 18, of no fixed abode, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court after admitting a series of offences including arson, threats with a knife, assault, and sending malicious communications.

The court heard that in the early hours of Sunday (Nov 17), Gornall deliberately started a fire inside his room at a shared property on Mansel Street, Carmarthen.

He then barricaded the door before climbing out of a first-floor window, leaving others inside the building at risk.

One resident was asleep at the time and had to be rescued by police. Two officers were later treated for smoke inhalation after tackling the incident before firefighters brought the blaze under control.

The fire caused extensive damage to the property, estimated at around £130,000.

Prosecutor Dean Pulling told the court that Gornall had earlier gone out to buy cigarettes and a lighter, and had carried out internet searches relating to accelerants in the days leading up to the fire.

The court also heard details of other offences.

In October 2024, Gornall repeatedly contacted his sister after being blocked, including calling her child’s phone. When she answered, he became abusive and threatened to report her to social services.

On another occasion in January 2025, he approached a car in Llandysul and produced a kitchen knife, waving it at occupants through an open window. The driver sped away and alerted police.

He also admitted stealing alcohol from a supermarket in Carmarthen, during which he became aggressive and assaulted a member of staff.

Gornall pleaded guilty to all offences at an early stage.

Judge Catherine Richards sentenced him to four years’ detention in a Young Offender Institution.

Climate

Port Talbot confirmed as ‘cornerstone’ of wind industry — questions remain for Milford Haven

Published

12 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Tom Sinclair

New government-backed deal with ABP reinforces Port Talbot’s central role in Celtic Sea wind plans

PORT TALBOT has been firmly established as the “cornerstone” of the UK’s floating offshore wind ambitions in the Celtic Sea, following a major agreement between the UK Government and Associated British Ports.

The deal confirms government support for the development of large-scale port infrastructure at Port Talbot, enabling manufacturing, assembly and deployment of floating wind turbines for gigawatt-scale projects.

The announcement strengthens Port Talbot’s position as the primary industrial hub for the emerging sector.

Henrik L. Pedersen, Chief Executive of Associated British Ports, said the development would “establish the port as a cornerstone of the Celtic Sea floating offshore wind industry.”

Clear role for Port Talbot

The agreement, subject to final regulatory approval, will support the delivery of major offshore wind projects awarded through the latest Celtic Sea leasing round.

Government ministers visiting the site described the development as a key step in building the UK’s clean energy future.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the project would help Wales “storm ahead in floating offshore wind,” supporting thousands of jobs and driving economic growth.

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added that the investment would “further cement Port Talbot as a hub of the industries of the future.”

Milford Haven still waiting for detail

The latest announcement comes just days after questions were raised about Milford Haven’s role within the wider Celtic Freeport.

While Port Talbot’s position as a manufacturing and assembly hub is now clearly defined, there has still been no detailed breakdown of what activity will be based in Pembrokeshire.

Industry figures continue to point to Milford Haven’s strengths in operations, maintenance, logistics and servicing of offshore wind projects.

However, no formal commitments have yet been made.

Industry backing grows

Developers involved in Celtic Sea wind projects welcomed the progress at Port Talbot, describing it as essential infrastructure for delivering future schemes.

Ocean Winds said strengthening port infrastructure was “essential” to ensuring regional ports can support the rollout of offshore wind.

The Crown Estate also described the move as a key step towards unlocking the economic potential of the Celtic Sea, which could create thousands of jobs across Wales and beyond.

Growing pressure for answers

With Port Talbot now firmly positioned at the centre of construction and deployment, attention is likely to turn to how other ports—including Milford Haven—fit into the wider strategy.

For Pembrokeshire, the question remains unchanged:

As billions of pounds flow into the Celtic Sea over the coming decade, will Milford Haven secure a defined share of that investment—or continue to wait for clarity?

Pictured above:

From left to right: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans; David Rees MS for Aberavon; Minister for Energy Consumers, Martin McCluskey; Secretary of State Jo Stevens; Ashley Curnow, Divisional Port Manager (ABP); Julian Walker, Chief Commercial Officer and Regional Director (ABP), Mike Goddard, Head of Programme, Future Port Talbot (ABP)