PLANS for an estate of 91 houses, more than 40 per cent of them affordable, in a Pembrokeshire town have been backed despite concerns about road safety and the ability of the town’s infrastructure to cope.

In an application recommended for conditional approval at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Wales & West Housing Association sought permission for 91, one, two, three and four-bedroomed homes on land to the north of Adams Drive and to the west of Bloomfield Gardens, Narberth.

28 affordable homes are proposed, along with 12 houses as Low-Cost Home Ownership Units, the remaining 51 homes for open market sale, the meeting hearing the affordable units would have a local letting policy.

Agent Asbri Planning Ltd, in a supporting statement, said: “The design led approach will create a high-quality place, that sensitively sits within the site retained wildlife corridors and positively connects to the community of Narberth.”

It added: “The development of a mixed tenure site for different types of homes will cater for a variety of local people. These include first-time buyers, growing families looking to move up the property ladder, those looking for bungalows or to downsize for their retirement.

“As indicated approximately half of the homes proposed will be for social rent or offered for sale as part of a discounted home ownership scheme for local people who want to buy their own home but cannot afford the high cost of houses in Narberth.”

The discounted sale properties will be delivered via Wales & West Housing’s ‘Own Home Cymru’ scheme which helps buyers with a local connection to purchase a home of their own at 70 per cent of market value without the need for a deposit.

Narberth Town Council has raised concerns about site access and the ability of the town’s infrastructure to cope with the additional homes.

Some 16 letters of concern were also received by planners, issues including site access concerns and safety, the traffic should be more equally split between the two sites, and the scheme exacerbating gridlock conditions already experienced on the town centre one-way system.

Concerns were raised at the meeting by local resident – and former county councillor – Vic Dennis, speaking on behalf of local residents, Mr Dennis echoing concerns about the site access layout, asking members to reject the scheme unless planners would look at alternate links to the development.

Local member Cllr Marc Tierney welcomed the additional housing but reflected the traffic concerns, saying said the town’s one-way system was already exhibiting difficulties.

The application was conditionally backed with delegated powers given to the head of planning to approve.

AROUND 18,000 people living with dementia in Wales do not have a diagnosis, leaving families struggling to cope without support and treatment, Senedd Members warned.

Mabon ap Gwynfor said Wales has the lowest rate of diagnosis in the UK at 56%, warning that dementia is one of the biggest causes of death in the country.

Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary paid tribute to Terry Griffiths, the former snooker world champion from Llanelli, who died on Monday following a long battle with dementia.

Mr ap Gwynfor raised an estimate from Alzheimer’s Society Cymru of a 37% increase in the number of people living with dementia by 2040 due to an ageing population.

He told the Senedd that dementia costs the Welsh economy £2.3bn a year, which is expected to double to £4.6bn by 2050 if services do not improve.

Leading a debate on a Plaid Cymru motion calling for diagnosis targets, Mr ap Gwynfor said: “Around 18,000 people are left to cope without the support and treatment they need.

“That’s 18,000 individuals and 18,000 families struggling in silence, without knowing what to do or where to turn. The situation is even worse in rural areas, such as Powys.”

Gareth Davies warned dementia is Britain’s biggest killer, yet spending on diagnosis makes up less than 1.4% of UK health care expenditure, “which seems a staggering oversight”.

He said families are shouldering 63% of dementia-related costs, according to Alzheimer’s Society, with the average bill standing at £29,000 a year rising to £80,000 or more.

His Conservative colleague Altaf Hussain, a former surgeon, focused on alcohol-related dementia and brain damage, warning it is difficult for GPs to identify.

Delyth Jewell said her grandma Doreen, who lived to be 100, had dementia.

She told the Senedd: “The cruellest thing about dementia is how bewildering it is for the person going through it. My parents would visit my grandma. They’d call her multiple times each day. But she’d forget that they’d been.

“She’d think that they’d forgotten her. I remember her calling my parents’ house one day, and I’d answered the phone, and she’d asked me, ‘Why is it that I can’t do all the things I used to do?’ and she wished that she could walk and walk.

“She’d get frustrated, she’d be lonely and she couldn’t understand why it was happening.”

Ms Jewell, who represents South Wales East, said diagnosis rates are stubbornly low at 60% in the Aneurin Bevan health board and “there’s still no dementia plan for Gwent”.

Heledd Fychan, a fellow Plaid Cymru Senedd Member, called for greater support for Welsh speakers living with dementia, warning their needs are too often disregarded.

Mike Hedges, who represents Swansea East, said: “Increasing diagnosis rates across Wales is vital to enable people … to take control of their condition and live independently for longer.

“This supports people to stay out of hospital and in their own homes, relieving pressure on our health and care system.”

Responding to the debate on December 4, Sarah Murphy told the Senedd an independent evaluation of the Welsh Government’s dementia action plan will be published in early 2025.

The mental health minister, whose responsibilities include dementia, said the final report will inform a refreshed plan that will include new targets for diagnosis.

She said: “Ensuring people’s lived experience is at the heart of the development of services is very important to me, and I am committed to the development of robust diagnosis data.”

While the Plaid Cymru motion was defeated, 27-25, a version amended by the Conservatives and the Welsh Government was agreed unanimously.

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT must recognise its failure to provide sufficient support for Welsh local authorities to discharge their duties.

So says Cllr Huw Murphy, the Leader of the Independent Group on Pembrokeshire County Council, who warned that without additional funding, council reserves would be drained, and many councils could face bankruptcy.

At a recent meeting, the Independent Group set out its position on Pembrokeshire’s financial challenges, underlining the importance of a balanced and fair Council Tax approach.

“The Independent Group will not push for an unrealistically low Council Tax rise at the expense of essential services,” Cllr Murphy said. “We will support a rise that might be politically uncomfortable but is necessary if fully costed.”

Lack of Welsh Government funding blamed

According to Cllr Murphy, Pembrokeshire’s financial difficulties are rooted in rising social care costs, an unfunded Home Office directive on unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and out-of-county childcare packages that strain council resources.

Cllr Murphy welcomed efforts by Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey and Chief Executive Will Bramble to raise these concerns with the Welsh Government but stressed the urgency of action.

Speaking to The Pembrokeshire Herald, Cllr Murphy highlighted the unfair tax advantages enjoyed by thousands of holiday properties in Pembrokeshire. Many are registered as businesses for non-domestic rates (NDR) but qualify for 100% Small Business Rates Relief, paying neither Council Tax nor business rates.

He argued: “This is unfair and frankly wrong. Every house in Pembrokeshire should pay the standard rate of Council Tax, with holiday rentals and second homes paying an additional levy.”

Councillors also debated reforms to the Second Homes Council Tax. Cllr Murphy suggested: “Bringing all properties under the same taxation umbrella could raise significantly more revenue than the current approach while addressing loopholes like the Welsh Government’s 182-day rule.”

Sobering statistics on Council Tax

Cllr Murphy pointed to troubling figures to illustrate local struggles: “Pembrokeshire County Council has issued 14,000 late payment letters and 4,000 summonses for Council Tax arrears. That shows the difficulties many residents face.”

He emphasised the need for a fair and proportionate approach to setting Council Tax, balancing the protection of essential services with the financial realities of residents.

Tackling empty properties

One area where the Independent Group proposes a bolder approach is Long-Term Empty Property (LTE) Council Tax.

Cllr Alan Dennison suggested a significant increase, proposing a single LTE band from April 2025 with a 250% levy by year three.

“This would raise nearly £2m, with the money going directly to essential services,” said Cllr Murphy. “We also propose a fair exemption process to ensure the policy is balanced.”

Questioning council priorities

The Independent Group also called for a review of capital projects, such as the Riverside development in Haverfordwest and the “Instagrammable bridge,” to identify savings that could ease the burden on taxpayers.

Cllr Murphy criticised the Welsh Government for failing to deliver adequate funding despite claiming its best UK Treasury settlement in 14 years. He also echoed comments from Cllr Jamie Adams, questioning the duplication of public sector roles in Wales and suggesting closer collaboration to reduce costs.

He concluded: “The Welsh Government’s priorities seem clear: funding their expansion to 96 Senedd members instead of supporting councils and services. When councils and households feel the squeeze, those decisions speak volumes.”