News

Grants paid out ‘without any proper checks’

Published

10 years ago

November 4, 2014

“WHAT a difference a year makes”, Cllr Mike Stoddart told the Herald after reading a report on the Commercial Property Grant Scheme (CPGS) in Pembroke Dock that is due to go before PCC’s audit committee next Monday.

The Hakin councillor has been making allegations about this grant scheme for almost 18 months and in September 2013, after the matter was referred to the audit committee by Cllr Michael Williams (Plaid Cymru), and an investigation carried out by the council’s internal audit service, members were told: “Internal Audit has shared its findings with the Council’s Monitoring Officer who is satisfied that there is no evidence of maladministration or non-compliance with the governance arrangements relevant to the specific schemes or of any lack of competence in officers concerned with the administration of the schemes.”

Now, a year later, the council is singing a different tune and the report before next week’s meeting says that a further internal audit investigation into 29 Dimond Street (Paul Sartori) has found there is “No evidence of regular site visits being undertaken to ensure details agree with the specification and standards” and that “There was insufficient evidence of physical or financial completion of the project to support the authorisation of the grant payment.” Cllr Stoddart told our reporter: “If you cut through the jargon, what this means is that grant money was paid out without anyone carrying out proper checks that the work had actually been done” “So much for last year’s attempt to gloss over the problem with talk of ‘no evidence of maladministration’ or ‘any lack of competence’ by council officers.” “The only conclusion is that the report that went before the audit committee last September was either not properly researched or, more likely, one of the council’s trademark cover-ups.”

The latest report also concludes that: “Management and/or disciplinary action should be considered in respect of non-compliance with the process and procedures contained in the CPGS procedural manual, and the additional issues identified in this review.” But Cllr Stoddart says it’s a bit late for that. “A report was sent to the police in April this year containing allegations of massive overpayments at Paul Sartori for work that was either ineligible for grant aid, or, in many cases, simply not done at all.” “That was when disciplinary action should have been considered “, he told the Herald, “it’s probably too late now because, I understand, the officer who signed off these ‘irregular payments’ went on long-term sick leave just a couple of weeks ago”. Cllr Stoddart says that one of his main concerns was that the tender process was wide open to fraud.

He wrote to the council last September pointing out that not only was the tender opening process entirely in the hands of the developer’s architect, but, as eligible and ineligible works were intermingled in the Bills of Quantities accompanying the tender, it was possible for the rates for the eligible work to be inflated to attract a higher grant, while those for the ineligible work could be reduced to keep the tender competitive. As Cllr Stoddart said: “This is especially so if there is a collusive agreement between the applicant and the builder that the ineligible works will not be required to be done. That being the case the builder can submit whatever rates he likes for the private work without ever having to deliver.

The council’s internal auditors dismissed his concerns by claiming that as the developer didn’t know which items were eligible and which were not and “Consequently they have no ability to carry out the fraud suggested, whether they collude or not.” Mike Stoddart says it is simply not true that applicants don’t know which parts of the work are eligible for grants and which not and this latest audit report recommends that: “Grant funding should be based on the lowest tender for eligible works to ensure that the process cannot be manipulated and that best value for public funds is obtained.” The report also suggests that, in order to ensure the integrity of the process, in future, a council officer should be present when tenders are opened. Cllr Stoddart told the Herald: “This report bears out everything I have said about the flaws in this process.”

“People should wonder what sort of regime we are living under when a member is subject to a barrage of personal attacks by leading members of the ruling IPPG for simply telling the truth.” This is a reference to last December’s meeting of full council, when Cllr David Pugh, cabinet member with responsibility for grants, accused Cllr Stoddart of conducting “a campaign of innuendo and smear tactics” and making “spurious allegations” about the way the council had administered the CPGS; concluding his ten minute tirade: “But, then, getting at the truth is not on his agenda.”

At the same meeting, Pugh’s IPPG colleague Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse accused the Hakin councillor of being “someone who wouldn’t let the facts get in the way of a good story”. But Mike Stoddart is defiant in the face of these attacks. “Sadly for them, they have backed the wrong horse”, he told the Herald, “the truth is all on my side”. As for the attempted character assassination, he was contemptuously dismissive. “I regard being attacked by buffoons like Pugh and Allen- Mirehouse as an honour. If they liked me, I would begin to worry that I had taken a wrong turn. “But what people will find hard to understand,” Mike Stoddart concluded, “is that nine months after launching this personal attack on me, based, as it was, on untruths and outright lies, Cllr Pugh is still trousering his £15,000 a year cabinet SRA.”

Community

Campaign launched to save Oriel y Parc art gallery

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A PETITION has been launched to save Oriel y Parc, the landscape gallery in St Davids, amid fears that its future as a dedicated fine art space is under threat.

Concerned members of the community and supporters of the arts have rallied against proposals by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA) to repurpose parts of the gallery, which currently houses important artworks including those by the renowned British artist Graham Sutherland.

Campaigners say that the authority’s plan to downgrade the Pembrokeshire Landscape Gallery and convert it into a National Park Discovery Centre represents a significant departure from its original purpose. The gallery was created using £3.3 million in public and EU funding and was designed specifically to showcase the landscape and art of Wales.

The petition, launched on Change.org by the Pembrokeshire Landscape Gallery Working Group, has already attracted 519 verified signatures. It calls on PCNPA to reinstate the full gallery space for continuous exhibitions from the National Collection and maintain the rotating display of Graham Sutherland’s works, a core feature of the gallery since its opening.

Dozens of people have signed the petition in recent hours, with local residents and visitors alike voicing their support. Notable recent signers include Joanna Burke, Anne Crowley, Joanne Miles, Phil Thomas, and Patricia Karen Rathbone.

Campaigners argue that the decline in visitor numbers in recent years is not due to public disinterest in art, but rather to the lack of high-profile exhibitions since 2018. They point to previous successes—such as exhibitions of works by Graham Sutherland and John Constable—that attracted tens of thousands of visitors, boosted the local economy, and enriched the cultural life of the region.

Speaking to BBC Wales Today on March 27, Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of PCNPA, defended the changes, saying:

“The gallery has to change. You know, 15 years – all organisations evolve and develop; their audience tastes develop during that time. I think we would be rightly criticised if we hadn’t evolved and tried to meet the needs of current visitors and current residents.”

While campaigners acknowledge that change is necessary, they say that abandoning the gallery’s artistic mission would be a mistake.

“The building was purpose-built to house art,” the petition states. “Instead of abandoning its original purpose, we urge PCNPA to work with the National Museum of Wales and the wider arts community to restore and reinvigorate Oriel y Parc’s programme.”

The petition also stresses the gallery’s importance to schools, families, artists and tourists, and warns that converting it into a discovery centre would strip St Davids of one of its most valuable cultural assets.

Supporters are calling on the public to sign the petition and urge decision makers to protect the architectural integrity and artistic role of Oriel y Parc for future generations.

To sign the petition or learn more, visit Change.org and search “Save Oriel y Parc”.

Crime

Petition calling for justice for wrongfully convicted man passes 39,000 signatures

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A CAMPAIGN to secure compensation for Brian Buckle – a man who spent over five years in prison before being cleared of all charges – has now gained more than 39,000 signatures.

Mr Buckle was convicted in 2017 of 16 counts of rape and sexual assault, but in 2022 the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction after new evidence emerged. At a retrial, it took a jury less than an hour to find him not guilty on all counts.

Despite this, the Ministry of Justice has refused to award Mr Buckle compensation for the time he spent in prison, citing a requirement to “prove innocence beyond reasonable doubt” – a standard which critics say is almost impossible to meet.

The petition, hosted on Change.org and backed by his legal team and supporters, has been signed by more than 39,000 people. Although widely shared and supported, the petition is not on the official UK Parliament petitions site and therefore cannot by itself trigger a debate in the House of Commons.

However, Mr Buckle’s case has already been raised in Parliament. On March 19, 2025, Ceredigion MP Ben Lake used a Westminster Hall debate on miscarriage of justice compensation to highlight the case, describing the situation as “a moral and legal failure”.

Mr Lake told fellow MPs: “Brian Buckle was imprisoned for over five years for crimes he did not commit. He lost his liberty, his livelihood, and missed key moments in his daughter’s life. He was cleared of all charges, and yet the Ministry of Justice says he has not proven his innocence enough to be compensated.”

Mr Buckle’s barrister, Stephen Vullo KC, said the current system is broken: “The bar is so high that hardly anyone can jump it. If the Court of Appeal quashes a conviction and a jury later finds a person not guilty on all counts, what more should be required?”

The Ministry of Justice acknowledged Mr Buckle’s acquittal, but insisted that his application did not meet the strict criteria under Section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988. In a letter, the Ministry stated: “You are presumed to be and remain innocent of the charges brought against you. However, we do not consider that you have demonstrated this innocence beyond reasonable doubt.”

Mr Buckle said the process has left him feeling re-traumatised: “I’m not asking for millions. I just want the injustice I suffered to be acknowledged. The compensation wouldn’t even cover my lost wages, but it would help me start to rebuild my life.”

His family raised and spent significant funds to secure the evidence needed to clear his name – including selling his father-in-law’s house to pay for legal fees and investigations. Tragically, his father-in-law died before the retrial.

Campaigners are now calling for the law to be changed so that those who are cleared of serious crimes following a wrongful conviction are entitled to automatic compensation.

The Herald understands that while Mr Buckle’s Change.org petition cannot trigger a debate in Parliament, there remains the possibility that further political pressure could result in formal policy review or a government rethink.

Crime

Council secures 164 liability orders for unpaid council tax

Published

5 hours ago

April 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST Magistrates’ Court has granted liability orders against more than 160 individuals who failed to pay their council tax, following a mass application by Pembrokeshire County Council.

In a hearing held on Monday (Apr 14), the local authority brought a complaint under regulation 34 of the Council Tax (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1992, seeking liability orders in 256 cases.

The court granted 164 liability orders, which allow the council to take enforcement action such as instructing bailiffs or deducting money directly from wages or benefits. A further 40 accounts were settled before the hearing, and 52 cases were withdrawn.

None of the defendants were present in court and none were in custody.

The Herald understands that a full schedule of names and case outcomes has been provided separately by the local authority.