News

Pembrokeshire Alliance wants a coalition, but leader should go

Published

10 years ago

October 10, 2014

AT A SPECIALLY convened meeting of its governing Executive, the Pembrokeshire Alliance last night rejected Entering into any negotiations which would lead to a coalition with the current governing IPG led by Cllr Jamie Adams. The meeting was called after discussions last week between Cllr Adams and Pembrokeshire Alliance Leader, Cllr Bob Kilmister.

Pembrokeshire Alliance spokesperson, Andrew Lye, commented: “After a long, thoughtful and democratic debate which discussed the current crisis at County Hall, the Alliance’s Executive Committee voted to reject any coalition discussions with the IPG, called for the resignation of Cllr Jamie Adams as Leader of the Council, and called for cross-party discussions to form a Grand Coalition to resolve the huge and mounting problems within the Council.”

Pembrokeshire Alliance Leader, Cllr Bob Kilmister, added: “Our debate shows clearly that decisions made by the Pembrokeshire Alliance are made through an open democratic process. At the same time we are taking a considered and constructive approach on how to take the Council forward. That is why I had discussions last week with Cllr Adams.”

“However, our clear view is that the crisis facing the Council is now so serious that the only way forward is to create a Grand Coalition. This Coalition must elect a new Council Leader who can command the support of both Councillors and the community. There is no other viable way forward, especially in view of further potential defections from the ruling IPG. I am calling on Cllr Adams to put Pembrokeshire first and start the process by standing down as Leader. Time is running out for the Council to deal with its problems. We urgently need a stable and effective Ruling Administration which can tackle the problems and carry out wholescale reform of the way the Council operates. Nothing less will now do.”

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9 Comments

Flashbang

October 10, 2014 at 10:56 am

Sorry Bob but we saw your naked grab for the money last week so I for one still don\’t trust you or your unhinged mate Nutting.
Tomos

October 11, 2014 at 12:19 am

Flashbang – is that you Bryn?

must be, slating off councillors, complaining other ppl are concerned with money
Flashbang

October 11, 2014 at 9:13 am

I’m definitely not that clown BPJ, if I was I would have cleaned out the corrupt and incompetent years ago instead of helping them.
I’m just a humble Pembrokeshire boy who would like to see the corrupt jailed and the county governed by an honest bunch.
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:11 am

Well I am not Bryn. I am a disabled woman living in Pembrokeshire and brought up here. I don’t trust Bob either. I attended the second meeting of the PA’group’ something I do not do often is leave my house. It was blatant from before we walked in the door and was duped into giving our detail in order to attend the ‘open’ meeting or I could not go in and was charged Â£1 for the venue. I was assured that this was only for safety to know who was in the building ect and would not be put on any data base or mailing list or email list ect ect. During the meeting we then were told what that info was for was we had been singed up as paid up member of the ‘party’ and the £1 was my membership fee…. !!!! That was my first impression and that the Councillors had it all sown up. I had my name removed as a Member of the Pembrokeshire Alliance that night and was treated with disdain for even pointing out that they should have informed me I was Joining a Political Party. I had no manifestation to contract and was duped into it. Bob and his party lost all credibility last week when he had his secret “negotiations” with Jamie Adams. announcing it after the event is not democracy. More so when on their page the people of Pembrokeshire asked questions they were abused and dismissed by Jonathan Nutting and told “YOU ARE WORNG” ect. Several of us. The women were told they were venting and they did not understand. When support for the questions and opinions began to grow Jonathan’s behavior became more bizarre. After 27 people voting against his discriminatory bullying and condescending posts on comments, that did not answer one question, what Bob did was rip down all our, the people of Pembrokeshires questions and opinions, took away our right to reply, removed us from the page and then started another conversation about us without any of us being able to see. Bob Kilminster was making implications that we were IPG on the page to oppose then and that we had hijacked the page on purpose. Jonathan Nutting called me by name saying I Bob was sick of me “giving him a kickin” but I had no right to reply, why? I can assure you I have never Kicked Bob Kilminster and that is a false accusation by Jonathan Nutting. If he meant a verbal “kicking” then why was my and others question and opinions seen as an attack by a Party who say they are here to listen. As one of the others abused by Nutting that night said what is the pint of giving you opinion and getting involved when as soon as you speak on page you are told your opinion is “WRONG”. I was one of those people and luckily other people sent me screen shots of what they were saying about me, as they had stated we should have a right of reply and freedom of speech to voice our opinions and not be slated and have accusations thrown against our character when we had just been removed and all our posts removed. That person said that they were then also removed and their comments removed! Isn’t that censorship? I am not IPG I am just a Pembrokeshire woman voicing her opinion about Bob Kilminsters disgraceful behavior “negotiating” with Jamie in secret. That night their President and Secretary resigned because she was never been kept in the loop and the councilors made all the decisions without any consultation or even informing her from the start.I do not know how all the other people that were treated like myself feel, a few I do as we have talked. However I feel that calling me a IPG member who came on the page to deliberately cause trouble is deformation of my character and besmirching of my good name, done deliberately behind my back immediately after I had been removed. What right has Bob Kilminster got to tarnish my name by implication. He has no evidence because there is no evidence. For 20 years I have barley left my house and the Pembrokeshire Alliance is the first thing I had attended for over a decade. I have never attended IPG meetings nor have I ever had any communication with the IPG or Jamie Adams but I was not allowed a right to reply. That is not democracy that is bullying. 27 people upset by Jonathan Nutting and he is still on the page stating he will answer no more questions as he is misunderstood and someone more capable will do it form now on. No Mr Nutting your not misunderstood your patronizing, condescending and dismissive and the people are telling you that you are just not listening and neither is Bob if he is removing us and keeping you there after so many complaints.I have been asking for a copy of the Pembrokeshire Alliances complaints procedure and the name of the regulator since June this year and they are just ignoring my requests and denying me that right. How do I have my right to reply to these implications. I have asked the President and Bob Kilminster himself. Hayley Wood assured me she had sent them to all the councilors, I have asked for it over 20 times now and have not one reply from anyone. I have asked Bob and he is ignoring me. Why can I not take this through a formal complaints procedure when I have been asking for over 4 months? Where is the Openness, Transparency, Integrity in that stance Bob? I had great hopes for a alliance group in Pembrokeshire to speak up for our concerns and need. The Pembrokeshire Alliance in my opinion was corrupted when the councilors voted themselves elite and turned it into a Party and began Press Ganging members and feathering their nests. Now they are sticking with the IPG there will be little confidence in them as all the comments that have been ripped down disagreed with it and only sportive comments left… you know like they do in china and the like….. !I think the PA has let us the People of Pembrokeshire down badly ….
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:23 am

Here here FlashBang .. I am wondering how long my comment will be allowed to stay up lol ….
kizzy J

October 11, 2014 at 11:35 am

here here Flashbang
michael williams

October 11, 2014 at 8:28 pm

Kilmister squirming. Not an edifying sight. He has just seen his Deputy Leaders salary drifting away,poor dab. So much for principles and democracy. The Alliance was never a serious option, with a seriously flawed leader, who, as soon as money became available ditched his so called principles.
Tomos

October 12, 2014 at 9:44 am

Oh dear, already infighting and Jamie and BPJ still in power, still being paid loads of money – couldn’t we just fight them first to ensure they leave and then start fighting amongst ourselves?
Jonathan nutting

October 13, 2014 at 10:18 am

Jilly J did they make an error in spelling, changing your comment into kizzy j ?

Community

Officials announced for 2026 Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire

Published

5 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD returns to Pembrokeshire in 2026, and organisers have named the officials who will steer this major cultural event over the next year and a half.

With the artistic and local committees already established, meetings to finalise competitions and adjudicators are underway to ensure the List of Competitions is ready by spring. Committee members have also been voting over the past weeks to elect key officials for the Executive Committee.

John Davies, former leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, has been appointed Chair of the Executive Committee. Known for his deep connection to Pembrokeshire and extensive experience with national organisations, Davies aims to make the Eisteddfod a true community event, welcoming involvement from all corners of the region.

Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, takes on the role of Deputy Chair (Strategy). With a strong passion for Welsh culture and language, Jones brings a wealth of experience working with local communities, visitors, and volunteers across three counties.

Deputy Chair (Culture) is Carys Ifan, Director of Canolfan Egin and a seasoned cultural organiser. Based in Llangrannog and originally from Llandudoch, Ifan has led numerous artistic and community projects across the region.

Cris Tomos, a community development veteran with over 30 years of experience, will lead the 2026 Eisteddfod Local Fund. Working with PLANED, a community development charity, Tomos has supported countless community enterprises and co-operatives in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire.

Non Davies, recently elected as Executive Committee Secretary, brings extensive cultural management expertise as Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Manager for Culture. Having chaired the Cardigan Local Fund Committee for the 2022 Ceredigion Eisteddfod, Davies is well-versed in managing cultural projects.

National Eisteddfod Chief Executive, Betsan Moses, said: “We’re looking forward to working with John and the team over the next few months as we prepare for the 2026 Eisteddfod.

“There’s almost a quarter of a century since the Eisteddfod was last held in Pembrokeshire, and we’re very much looking forward to returning to the area. 2026 is an important year for us as we celebrate 850 years since the first Eisteddfod was held in Cardigan Castle in 1176.

“We’re looking forward to working in a new way within a catchment area which includes parts of another two counties, which is, of course, a chance to work with local people in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire again.”

Further announcements are expected in the coming weeks, including the sale of competition prizes and opportunities to donate the Crown and the Chair.

The National Eisteddfod will be held in Llantood from August 1–8, 2026.

News

Campaigners urge Welsh Government to adopt proportional representation for Local Elections

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CAMPAIGNERS are calling on the Welsh Government to introduce the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system for local elections, following moves by two councils to shift away from the First Past the Post (FPTP) system being blocked on technical grounds.

Yesterday (Nov 14), Ceredigion Council voted narrowly, with an 18 to 17 majority, in favor of adopting STV. This follows Gwynedd Council’s decision last month, where 65% of councillors backed the move. However, both councils have been prevented from implementing STV due to a requirement for a two-thirds majority under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.

In recent consultations, public support for STV has been overwhelming, with over 70% in Gwynedd and 67% in Ceredigion favoring the change. Only Powys Council rejected the proposal, despite 60.5% of its respondents supporting STV. Campaigners argue that the current system deprives voters of representation, citing that over 100,000 people were denied a vote in the 2022 elections due to uncontested seats.

The Electoral Reform Society Cymru (ERS Cymru) highlights the contrast with Scotland, where the introduction of STV for local elections in 2007 has significantly reduced uncontested seats. According to ERS Cymru, Scotland has had fewer uncontested seats in the last four elections combined than Gwynedd Council recorded alone in 2022.

Jess Blair, Director of ERS Cymru, said:

“Decisions made in council chambers affect everyone in those areas, so every vote should count. It’s absurd that councils choosing STV are blocked by a technicality, leaving them stuck with an outdated system that denies representation to thousands. The Welsh Government must act to avoid repeating the undemocratic outcomes of the last elections.”

Campaigners are now calling on the Welsh Government to introduce STV across all councils in Wales, ensuring representation that reflects the electorate’s wishes.

Business

Upgrades completed at Port of Milford Haven’s simulator suite

Published

6 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

UPGRADES have been completed to state-of-the-art equipment within the Port of Milford Haven’s navigation simulator suite at Milford Waterfront enabling marine professionals to receive bespoke specialist training. The virtual reality simulation system can safely replicate a range of scenarios that seafarers may experience in real world situations such as extreme weather conditions, emergency situations and escort tug work.

The upgrades provided by Netherlands-based company MARIN contain the latest hardware in terms of processing power and graphics, as well as upgrades to MARIN’s ‘Dolphin’ software, increasing the capability to create scenarios. These are complemented with new 4k visuals on 75” screens which increase the depth and field of vision, adding to the realism.

Recently, a training day was led by Training Pilot Captain Mark Johnson, assisted by ex-Pilot Andy Hillier, involving members of the Svitzer team as well as Pilots Matt Roberts and Ian Coombes. As part of the scenario, they were faced with a loss of engine power and steering along with worsening weather and sea conditions. The Pilots had to communicate with Svitzer in order to successfully instruct them on how to tow and direct a drifting tanker. While scenarios like these are uncommon within port operations, it is important to rehearse procedures that would be implemented if they are required and enhances participants’ skill sets.

Marine Pilot and Simulator Instructor, Captain Ewan McNicoll, said “This simulator suite has future proofed our training capabilities, both internally for Pilots and marine staff, but also externally for clients wishing to use the facility, be it for training purposes or research and development. We can create any type of scenario with any type of ship, ranging from practicing ship handling manoeuvres to emergency situations, it really is game changing! Working with our partners at MARIN has been a complete success and I am very proud of our new facility.”

For more information about training at the navigation simulation suite please contact the Port of Milford Haven at [email protected] or 01646 696100.