News

Christmas tree collections under spotlight at March meeting

Published

11 months ago

March 10, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

WHILE spring is finally in the air, the number of waste Christmas trees collected by the council came under the spotlight at County Hall this week.

Pembrokeshire had previously run a free collection service for waste Christmas trees post-Christmas, but in November senior councillors backed a £5 charge for the collection of real Christmas trees, previously identified as a potential cost saving of £10,000.

After the charge was introduced last November a special ‘Christmas tree call-in’ meeting was held later that month, following a request made by Councillor Huw Murphy

Cllr Murphy called for the matter to be referred to the December full council in the hopes the charge could be overturned, warning: “The inevitable consequence of the introduction of a tree collection fee will be more littering and fly tipping of Christmas trees by people who may have no means (transport) to dispose of at a waste recycling centre.”

However, his call-in, labelled by opponents as “frivolous, or even vexatious,” was defeated by nine votes to four, meaning the £5 charge remained.

At the March 7 meeting of full council, Councillor Huw Murphy asked a question following the introduction of the charge to dispose of the festive flora.

He asked: “Could council be now provided with the number of Christmas Trees collected in December 2023 and January 2024 following the introduction of the £5 collection fee?”

Answering Cllr Murphy’s question, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said 870 households had used the service since the introduction of charges, with 910 trees collected.

Cllr Murphy, in a supplementary question, said there had been a 50 per cent reduction in the numbers collected in previous years since the charge was introduced.

He added: “I think to find £10,000 to continue the service which affects the less well-off would be the positive thing to do.”

Cllr Sinnett replied, saying that, although there had been a reduction in the tonnage of Christmas trees collected through the scheme, from 16.4 to 7.1 tons, free disposal had been available at the county’s waste and recycling centres, with the tonnage of ‘green waste,’ including the trees, had increased by 13.8 per cent in late 2023.

“What we lose in one, we gain in another,” he concluded.

News

Storage container fire in Newcastle Emlyn

Published

2 mins ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

AT11:48am on Friday (Jan 24), Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Llandysul and Carmarthen fire stations were called to a fire in Capel Iwan, Newcastle Emlyn.

The fire involved a 40-foot by 8-foot storage container and was confined to a generator inside. Firefighters used a hose reel jet, two breathing apparatus sets, a thermal imaging camera, and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the blaze.

Crews remained on site to dampen down the area before departing at 12:57pm.

Crime

Pembrokeshire man accused of assault and perverting justice remanded in custody

Published

4 mins ago

January 24, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE man accused of assaulting a woman has been remanded in custody after allegedly offering her money to drop the charges.

Lohan Chapman, 19, of Primrose Close, Neyland, is accused of intentionally strangling a female during an alleged incident in Milford Haven on August 1, 2024, and of assaulting her by beating. He denies both charges.

This week, Haverfordwest Magistrates Court heard that Chapman was remanded in custody on January 18 after being accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by offering his alleged victim an undisclosed sum of money to withdraw the charges.

District Judge Mark Layton declined jurisdiction in all three matters.

Chapman, who appeared via video link from Swansea Prison, will now face trial at Swansea Crown Court on February 17.

He was remanded in custody pending his appearance.

News

Milford Haven man faces violent and sexual offence charges

Published

18 mins ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MILFORD HAVEN man has been charged with a series of violent and sexual offences, including allegations of threatening to share intimate images.

Nathan Clark, 30, of Larch Road, faces eight charges stemming from incidents said to have occurred over the past year.

The charges include allegations of controlling or coercive behaviour against a woman in Haverfordwest between early 2024 and January 2 of this year. Clark is also accused of sexual assault by penetration, which is alleged to have occurred between June 30 and August 1.

Among the charges, Clark is accused of threatening to share intimate pictures and videos of a woman. This offence is said to have taken place between December 3 and January 2.

Additionally, he faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, intentional strangulation, and criminal damage on Christmas Day, as well as further charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage on New Year’s Eve.

The case was heard at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on January 3, where it was sent to Swansea Crown Court for further proceedings.

Clark was remanded into custody and is scheduled to appear on February 3 to enter his pleas.