PEMBROKESHIRE County Council ended the last financial year underspending by £2m, in part due to an extra £1.2m raised through second homes tax, despite a dire forecast it was to overspend by £1.4m, senior councillors heard.

At the July 7 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members heard the council’s approved revenue net expenditure budget for 2024-25 was £303.5m, set against a backdrop of increased level of demand, complexity and cost of packages within its School ALN provision, Children’s Services, Adult Services and Homelessness, with material overspends within Social Care & Housing totalling £6.5m, offset by underspends in other service areas.

At the end of the financial year, the council’s net expenditure for 2024-25 was £301.5m, against a prediction during the third quarter of a £1.4m overspend, a report for members by Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance Efficiencies Cllr Alistair Cameron said.

That £3.4m difference was due to a number of factors, members heard, including £1.8m of additional revenue funding and £0.7m additional capital funding from Welsh Government for the 2024-25 financial year received this March.

The report for members added: “A recruitment freeze was implemented following Q1 reporting, with recruitment only to essential positions.  The recruitment market remains challenging, with many services struggling to recruit suitably qualified and skilled staff.  Whilst this has resulted in a reduction in budgetary pressures of circa £2.4m, it will impact the ability of Pembrokeshire County Council to deliver its services.”

The council’s budget has also been bolstered by an underspend of £4.3m in Capital Financing Costs and Investment Income, along with “a moratorium on all nonessential expenditure” put in place during the first quarter of the year, along with early preparation for, and progression of the 2025-26 budget savings resulting in some additional savings being realised in 2024-25.

It also said the second homes council tax premium had netted an unexpected extra £1.2m for the council, with properties moving from Non-Domestic Rates and qualifying for Second Home Council Tax premium as a result of not meeting the required 182-day occupancy threshold.

It warned: “There is a risk that a number of these customers may lodge a successful appeal with the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) and be moved back to NDR, requiring a repayment of the counciltax paid.

“The VOA have advised they currently have a 6-12-month backlog for appeals. It would be prudent for the £1.2m surplus to be held in reserve for likely refunds following VOA determination, and this is recommended.”

On schools, members heard that while the overall position had improved since the previous quarter, 13 schools remained in deficit balances.

Cllr Cameron warned the underspend “must not be used to mask the financial challenges in the medium-term financial plan”.

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said: “It’s easy to look at social media and think things are collapsing around us; we have services that are seriously stretched, and we continue to deliver.”

After praising the work of council staff, Cllr Sinnett said: “I’m asking people for patience and some dialogue about what we are and what we are able to do; it’s tough out there for members and staff.”

Leader Cllr Jon Harvey said there was “quite alarming” misinformation on social media about efforts made, adding: “We’ve cut to the bone, and beyond, for most departments.”

Members agreed to note the report and the £2.014m budget underspend went to the Initiative Fund to provide resources for the council to invest in improvement and prevention projects for future cost avoidance / budget saving opportunities.

Members also agreed the £1.228m additional second homes council tax raised be held against any appeals.

A TRIO of ornamental coal trucks could soon be installed in the heart of Saundersfoot to honour the village’s historic links to the coal-mining industry.

The replica trucks—made from cast iron and fibreglass—are proposed for a spot at the front of the Sensory Gardens, close to the former Coal Office which now houses part of the harbour’s heritage display.

Saundersfoot flourished in the 19th century as a port exporting anthracite from local mines. It was once claimed that Queen Victoria insisted only Saundersfoot coal be used to power her Royal Yacht.

“This village owes its existence to the coal trade,” said Councillor Chris Williams, who represents Saundersfoot South and is chairing the group behind the plans. “Many people don’t realise how vital the mining industry was to the development of Saundersfoot.”

The display would be paid for and maintained by the Saundersfoot Festivities Committee, which runs events such as the popular New Year’s Day Swim and SaundersFest. The community council would look after the surrounding plants and landscaping, and handle the insurance.

As well as commemorating the village’s industrial past, the project would help smarten up the garden area, Cllr Williams added.

The idea has won widespread support locally, with more than 93 per cent of over 200 respondents to an online poll backing the proposal. A public consultation is currently under way and is due to end on July 20, when the community council will decide whether to take the next step and apply for planning permission.

Photo caption:

Proposed site – the coal trucks would sit at the front of the Sensory Gardens (Pic: Saundersfoot Community Council).

CANCER patients and their families gathered at the Senedd this week to share their priorities with politicians and healthcare professionals, as part of a special event organised by Tenovus Cancer Care.

Local Senedd Member Paul Davies MS joined colleagues from across Wales to meet patients, clinicians and supporters during the charity’s annual Summer Tea Party, which this year focused on the top five issues cancer patients say matter most to them.

The event brought together members of the All-Wales Cancer Community – a unique initiative set up by Tenovus Cancer Care to give a national platform to people who have been affected by cancer, whether through personal diagnosis or supporting a loved one.

Around 200 individuals from across Wales now form part of the community, contributing lived experience to help inform service delivery, research priorities, and policymaking.

Guests were welcomed by a moving performance from the Swansea branch of the Tenovus ‘Sing with Us’ choir, comprised entirely of people whose lives have been touched by cancer. The event also featured personal testimonies from members of the All-Wales Cancer Community, highlighting both achievements and ongoing challenges in cancer care.

Mr Davies said: “It was a privilege to join Tenovus Cancer Care and hear directly from those whose lives have been impacted by cancer. The voices of patients are so important in shaping policy and understanding the challenges that many people living with cancer face.

“Tenovus Cancer Care and the All-Wales Cancer Community have worked hard to promote patients’ voices and, as someone living with cancer myself, I’m proud to support their work.”