Politics

Councillors forced to spend £1.1m on electric vehicles

Published

5 months ago

August 2, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

SENIOR Pembrokeshire councillors have been left to “clean up the mess” after they were asked to sign off the purchase of more than £1.1m of electric vehicles, despite the vehicles having already been bought.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on August 1, was asked to back the retrospective purchase of 21 small vans and 11 large vans, totalling £1,104,751.55, under the Welsh Government Electric Vehicle (EV) Collaborative Procurement Framework.

Two options were presented to Cabinet: to agree and approve the purchase, or not agree to approve the purchase, but instead require the council to negotiate with FleetEV for the return of the vehicles, noting that there is no contractual right to return them, and some of the vehicles have been adapted since being delivered.

A report for members said: “The council entered into the Welsh Government Electric Vehicle Collaborative Framework in July 2023. This is a single supplier framework used to procure EV vehicles collaboratively with other Local Authorities in Wales in order to obtain savings on purchase costs.

“In March 2024, 10 small EV vans were purchased to replace vehicles which had come to the end of their operational life.

“A further batch of 21 small vans and 11 large vans was ordered through the Welsh Government Electric Vehicle Collaborative Framework on 11 June 2024, at a total cost of £1,104,751.55 (pre VAT), and all deliveries have now been made.

“An ICM (Individual Cabinet Member decision report) was issued to the Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services [Cllr Rhys Sinnett], but this was subsequently rescinded on the basis that the report did not contain all relevant information, and should have sought retrospective approval.”

The report for members included a lengthy and comprehensive timescale leading up to the retrospective purchases with a council ‘commitment’ to purchase vehicles, the term subject to debate whether it was an interest in replacement vehicles or an outright commitment to purchase as part of the collaborative scheme.

This chronology ended up with “considerable misunderstanding around how the parties respectively had got to very different views of their positions,” the council initially considering an order of 10 Renault Kangoo electric vans, before a later order for the 32 vans, based on an understanding the procurement framework had been signed up to, with no further approval needed.

However, as this was above the limit for an officer decision, an ICM decision was needed, a report drafted on June 12, the vans shipped on June 17, before the ICM report – which had no specific reference about the purchase order having already been placed or that the vans had already been dispatched/supplied – was signed off by Cllr Sinnett.

After the June 27 sign-off was made, the decision was called-in on July 3, leading to the discovery of the omission, that sign-off rescinded on July 9.

“As a result of the circumstances described above, the Chief Executive [Will Bramble] has commissioned an audit into the governance arrangements associated with the procurement of these vehicles and the level of adherence to the authority’s Financial Procedure Rules and Contract Procedure Rules. This audit will be undertaken by the council’s Internal Audit Service,” the report said.

It added: “The Chief Executive has also initiated a management investigation into the circumstances leading to the presentation of an ICM report without the full information, and its associated recommendation for an ICM decision, which failed to include information relating to the prior purchase and receipt of the vehicles.”

While the pros and cons of electric vehicles replacing fossil fuels ones were debated at the August meeting, the main issue raised was the nature of the purchase and the inaccurate report presented for Cabinet member sign-off.

Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said he was “quite happy” to back the purchase of the vehicles, the alternative option leaving the council “completely shafted” on costs, but said he was “deeply disappointed” about the background detailed.

Member for Planning & Regulatory Services Cllr Jacob Williams said: “It’s very disappointing we’re in this position; the reason we’re here today is to clear up quite a big mess. The [discussion on the] virtue of electric vehicles is a total waste of time; the ability to discuss the virtues was taken away from us by the situation we’re in.

“A mistake was made, an order was placed for vehicles when officers felt it was an ‘expression of interest,’ an attempt was made to get that decision to regularise that.”

He added: “I can’t remember a situation like this in my time as a councillor; we have no option but to approve the purchase of these vehicles retrospectively.”

He said the details only came to light after a ‘call-in’ on that decision was made by council ‘backbenchers’ over the whole virtue or otherwise of the electric vehicle purchases.

“I’m being asked, like other councillors here today, to clean up this mess; I think the vehicles being ordered is the key fact, we have no other option; what’s the alternative? Return them and get a token amount back? If they even want to purchase them.”

Members backed the three recommendations of the report: the retrospective approval of the vehicle purchases, a Chief Executive-commissioned audit into the governance arrangements associated with the procurement of these vehicles and the level of adherence to the authority’s Financial Procedure Rules and Contract Procedure Rules, along with a “management investigation into the circumstances leading to the presentation of an ICM report without the full information and its associated recommendation for an ICM decision, which failed to include information relating to the prior purchase and receipt of the vehicles”.

Community

Pembrokeshire town 4G phone mast plans withdrawn

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a replacement 20-metre-high 4G phone mast tower in north Pembrokeshire, which the local town council says would have “an unacceptable adverse impact” on the national park’s beauty have been withdrawn.

In an application before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Cellnex, through agent Telent, sought permission to replace an existing 10m high mast with a new 20m 4G tower with three Vodafone antennae and nine mast head amplifiers, and associated works, on land at Dwr-y-Felin Farm, Fford Bedd Morris, Newport.

The application for a 4G mobile base station for the mobile network operator(s) (MNOs) Vodafone Ltd in conjunction with Cornerstone. The application site is owned / operated by Cellnex UK, a radio site infrastructure provider.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “The proposed antenna height of 20m is essential to provide new 4G coverage and replacement 2G and 3G service provision to the surrounding area. 4G radio signals are more sensitive to physical obstructions than older technologies.

“This is because the higher the frequency band the greater the reduction in signal strength, increasing the likelihood of dropped calls and reduced data rates for internet browsing,” adding: “Generally, the higher the signal frequency the more it will be impacted by clutter. It is for this reason that there is the height of 20m is required.”

It went on to say it “should be noted that a radio base station within this location has already been considered acceptable and has become an established feature within the area and the proposed upgrade albeit different in design to support the latest equipment will not be of substantial or detrimental harm to the national park, conservation area or heritage assets”.

Newport Town Council had objected to the application, saying: “The proposed development (if approved in its current form) will have an unacceptable adverse impact on the qualities and special landscape and seascape character of the National Park and also on the special qualities of natural beauty and tranquillity.”

The application has now been withdrawn.

Charity

Flats for veterans to be built at VC Gallery, Pembroke Dock

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to build flats for armed forces veterans on a former Pembrokeshire school yard/playing field next to veterans’ charity the VC Gallery has been approved by county planners.

In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council, veterans’ charity The VC Gallery sought permission for eight flats in two blocks of two-storey buildings, including wheelchair accessible flats, for Armed Forces veterans on land to the east of the former St Marys Catholic School site, Britannia Road, Pembroke Dock.

The former school, which closed in 2019, is currently used as the VC Gallery, itself an expansion of veterans’ charity the VC Gallery’s home in Haverfordwest, set up by Barry John MBE.

Documentation, through agent Pembroke Design Limited included a supporting statement by Barry John MBE, which it says “explains the issues that veterans face after leaving the services, the need for dedicated housing provision, the support that VC Gallery’s staff and volunteers provide and the gaps in current provision which the proposed development will help address”.

It added: “Although the development will provide and encourage independent living for its tenants, essential physical and mental support will be provided by the staff and volunteers in the VC Gallery as required, in accordance with individual veterans’ needs. Many will need a high level of support and the close proximity of the flats to the facilities and people on hand in the adjacent VC Gallery is therefore critical to the proposal’s purpose.”

Mr John’s statement said: “We want to create a unique offer to Armed Forces veterans in Pembrokeshire by offering up not just quality accommodation in a gated and safe environment but to also have a bespoke peer mentoring service.”

He added: “Working alongside our stakeholders The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust and the OVA (Office of Veterans Affairs) we have secured a grant to draw up plans and to look at how the secured land at the VC Gallery Pembroke Dock can be turned into a bespoke housing solution for Armed Forces Veterans.

“We have Service level agreements with the local authority for specifically supporting tenancy in veterans which will also extend to giving vital counselling services. Our work with the health board and provision for peer mentorship also gives us great grounding for effective help on a practical level for the veterans’ village but we will need a more designated package around the housing we provide to include both mental health and also maintenance (something we don’t have at present).”

His statement finished: “We think the need is great, we have the land, we have the skills for care and the ambition to help. It would be a project above all social housing enterprises, and we want to make a go of it.”

Politics

Call to stop councillors being employed by MPs and MSs

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to stop senior Pembrokeshire county councillors being employed by MPs or Senedd members is to come under greater scrutiny at a special council committee.

In a Notice of Motion submitted to the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy said: “While it is acceptable for Cabinet members to hold other employments, no serving county councillor should hold a Cabinet position within Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) while simultaneously being employed by a sitting Member of Parliament (MP) or Member of the Senedd (MS).

“Cabinet members hold executive responsibilities, and such dual roles risk potential conflicts of interest, particularly if Cabinet decisions conflict with the policies of their employer, often a political party. This concern is heightened in a council where most members are Independents.”

Cllr Murphy’s notice of motion was heard at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council where it was agreed the matter be referred to a future constitutional review committee.

In the registration of interests for the eight members of Leader Cllr Jon Harvey’s Cabinet, only Cllr Joshua Beynon, deputy leader of the Labour Group and Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance and Efficiencies, lists a politician as an employer, in his case newly-elected Mid and South Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell.

Responding to the notice of motion, Cllr Beynon has previously said: “This motion, which appears to target my unique position as a Cabinet Member for Finance and part-time parliamentary employee, raises serious questions about its fairness, legality, and intent.

“At its core, this is a politically motivated motion that seeks to undermine the principles of fairness and freedom. It attempts to dictate lawful employment choices of councillors, disregarding the importance of balancing public service with individual rights. Such an approach risks creating a chilling effect, discouraging capable individuals from serving in public office in the future.”