News

Neyland accused of restricting transparency over meeting recordings

Published

1 year ago

March 1, 2025

Controversial policy changes to be debated on Monday (Mar 3)

NEYLAND TOWN COUNCIL is facing allegations of secrecy after proposals to change its Recording of Meetings Policy sparked concern among some councillors. The changes, set to be debated at the Full Council meeting on Monday (Mar 3), could restrict access to meeting recordings for councillors, the public, and even external agencies.

Cllr Steve Thomas, who originally wrote the council’s existing policy in 2023, claims the proposed amendments could “open the door to abuse of power” by limiting who can access recordings of council meetings. He says the new rules would make it harder for councillors and residents to scrutinise decisions, and even external bodies such as Audit Wales and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales could find it more difficult to obtain recordings.

However, Town Clerk Libby Matthews has denied these claims, insisting that the changes are necessary to bring the policy in line with the council’s Standing Orders, which govern how the council operates. She has also accused some councillors of using recordings in a “vindictive manner” rather than for legitimate purposes.

The upcoming vote on the policy has deepened divisions within the council, with some members questioning the motives behind the proposed changes.

Changes under fire

According to Cllr Thomas, the proposed amendments would:

Prevent councillors from automatically receiving meeting recordings – access would require a vote at the following council meeting, potentially delaying access for up to two months.
Restrict members of the public from easily obtaining recordings, with the Clerk having the power to refuse requests if deemed “vexatious.”
Limit external agencies’ ability to obtain recordings, making it more difficult for bodies such as Audit Wales and the Public Services Ombudsman to investigate complaints.
Allow councillors to vote against recording meetings altogether, raising concerns that controversial discussions could be kept off the record.

Cllr Thomas has raised the alarm that these changes “must not be accepted,” calling them “a backwards step away from transparency.”

“What exactly are those currently running the council afraid of?” he asked. “What are they trying to hide? Who are they trying to protect?”

Clerk defends changes, claims policy was misused

In response, Town Clerk Libby Matthews has defended the proposals, stating that they are necessary to correct contradictions between the recording policy and the council’s Standing Orders.

“The reason for the proposed amendments is that the current policy directly contradicts the Standing Orders of Neyland Town Council,” she told The Pembrokeshire Herald. “I have been tasked by Council to review and amend the policy to ensure it complies.”

Matthews also denied that external agencies, such as the Ombudsman, would have restricted access.

“To the contrary, I have reworded the policy to clarify that external bodies are the only ones with automatic access to recordings,” she said.

She also defended restrictions on councillors’ access to recordings, stating that councillors should be treated the same as members of the public when requesting them.

Furthermore, Matthews claimed that recordings had been used in a ‘vindictive manner’ by councillors, arguing that the policy was originally introduced to help with accurate minute-taking rather than to serve as a tool for scrutiny.

“The only legal record of a council meeting is the minutes,” she said. “No other council records meetings, and there is no law stating that they must.”

Councillors denied access to recordings

Matthews also confirmed that recent requests from councillors for meeting recordings have been refused.

Cllrs Steve Thomas, Brian Rothero, and David Devauden have all requested recordings in the past six months, but their requests were denied due to a formal vote by the council stating that no recordings would be released until the policy aligns with Standing Orders.

However, she insisted that requests from external agencies, such as the Ombudsman, had not been refused and had been granted when asked.

Transparency concerns remain

Despite the Clerk’s reassurances, critics argue that the proposed changes could shield controversial decisions from scrutiny.

Cllr Thomas has also questioned why the council is prioritising restricting access to recordings rather than improving public access to meetings.

“They have no interest in those with visual impairments who cannot read minutes, or those who cannot attend meetings,” he said.

The final decision on the Recording of Meetings Policy will be made at the Full Council meeting on Monday (Mar 3), where councillors will vote on whether to approve or revise the proposed changes.

Cllr Thomas: “An absolute load of nonsense”

Following the Clerk’s comments, Cllr Steve Thomas has hit back, accusing the council of deliberately trying to suppress scrutiny and misrepresenting the changes.

“The Clerk was not tasked with amending the policy,” he told The Pembrokeshire Herald. “She was tasked with looking at any contradictions with the Standing Orders. A specific decision has been made to throw the policy to the fire, rather than make two small amendments to the Standing Orders.”

He argues that the Standing Orders are outdated, and that the more recent recording policy should take precedence.

“The opening line of the policy that I wrote says ‘Neyland Town Council believe in openness, transparency and accountability…’ That couldn’t be further from the truth now.”

Cllr Thomas also challenged the Clerk’s claim that external agencies would still have automatic access to recordings.

“Miss Matthews stating that ‘external bodies are the only ones with automatic access to recordings’ is a complete falsehood,” he said.

He pointed out that the wording of the policy had been altered to restrict requests to those with a ‘particular reference to council procedures’, which could exclude investigations into councillor conduct.

On the issue of treating councillors and members of the public the same, Cllr Thomas said:

“I absolutely agree with Miss Matthews’ view that councillors and the public should be treated the same. However, my view differs in that I believe that ANYONE requesting a recording should be provided with one, rather than making it more difficult.”

Why block access to a finance meeting?

Cllr Thomas also disputed the claim that the council had voted to block access to all meeting recordings.

“Ms Matthews is incorrect in stating that, as a result of a vote in Council, no recordings would be released,” he said. “The vote, which took place in September 2024, was to delay releasing a recording of an August 2024 Finance Meeting until further advice was sought. The motion was proposed by Cllr Mike Harry and seconded by Cllr Ashleigh Phelan, and passed by a 6-3 vote. Cllr Thomas, who had requested the recording, opposed the delay, arguing that it was an attempt to prevent scrutiny.”

He also questioned why access to a finance meeting recording was blocked, saying: “Why they did not want me to have access to a recording of a finance meeting is very concerning, and this must raise alarm bells for what the future holds,” he said.

Cllr Thomas concluded by slamming the council’s attempt to suppress scrutiny, saying: “This blatant attempt to remove scrutiny of council decisions really is quite shocking.”

The Pembrokeshire Herald will be attending the Full Council meeting on Monday (Mar 3) and will continue to report on developments.

This article was updated at 1820 HRS on March 1, 2025 to include Cllr Thomas’ response to the Town Clerks remarks

Local Government

Pembrokeshire faces accessible housing shortage as 403 people wait for homes

Published

2 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Council admits demand exceeds supply as housing issues contribute to hospital discharge delays

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has acknowledged that there is not enough suitable accessible housing in the county to meet demand, with more than 400 people currently waiting for accommodation that meets their needs.

The admission came in response to questions from The Pembrokeshire Herald about housing, health and accessibility in Pembrokeshire.

The council revealed that 403 people are currently registered on the Pembrokeshire Accessible Housing Register waiting for accessible social housing.

Of those, 81% are in the highest-priority gold band, while 62% require one-bedroom accessible accommodation.

The authority also disclosed that 111 cases are currently awaiting occupational therapy assessment through to approval of assessed works under Disabled Facilities Grants and discretionary disabled assistance grants.

The figures highlight growing pressure on housing services in a county with an ageing population and increasing demand for homes that can accommodate people with disabilities, mobility problems and long-term health conditions.

A council spokesperson said: “Within Pembrokeshire, we recognise that there are challenges around unsuitable housing, often linked with an ageing housing stock across all tenures of accommodation.

“We recognise that poor and inaccessible housing can be a contributing factor to ill health and increased demand on housing, health and social care services.”

Hospital discharge concerns

The council also confirmed that housing-related issues can affect hospital discharge planning.

Officials said there had been an increase in housing-related discharge delays in recent years, often because people leaving hospital require home adaptations or alternative accommodation that better suits their needs following changes in their health or mobility.

The spokesperson said: “There are concerns related to housing-related delays which impact hospital discharge planning locally.

“There has been an increase in housing related delays due to a range of factors, including the need for suitable accommodation following changes in an individual’s health or functioning, which subsequently can lead to a need for home adaptations, or alternative accessible accommodation sourced.”

The council stressed that housing-related factors still represent a relatively small proportion of overall discharge delays in Pembrokeshire.

Shortage recognised

Asked whether enough suitable housing exists locally for older residents and people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, the council accepted that current provision falls short of demand.

The spokesperson said: “Given the numbers we have on our Accessible Housing Register as well as the ageing population in the county, we acknowledge that there is insufficient suitable accessible housing to currently meet demand.”

The authority said the issue has already been identified within the Local Housing Market Assessment 2023 and the Pembrokeshire Housing Strategy 2024-2027.

Working to improve provision

The council said its Occupational Therapy Service works closely with housing providers across Pembrokeshire to assess needs and support the delivery of appropriate housing solutions, including adaptations to existing homes and the development of adapted properties.

For social housing tenants requiring adaptations, needs are assessed by occupational therapists, with work either carried out by landlords or, where necessary, alternative accommodation sought.

The authority also said that new social housing developments are designed to meet Lifetime Homes standards under Welsh Government housing requirements.

Housing and social care teams work together to help shape the type and design of new homes being developed in the county, using information from the Accessible Housing Register to identify future demand.

The comments come amid growing national concern over the impact of unsuitable housing on health, independence and demand for public services, particularly as Wales’ population continues to age.

This is a cleaner local government/housing story that stands on its own and avoids repeating the earlier Welsh Government/NHS-focused piece.

Health

NHS Wales under renewed pressure as waiting lists and A&E delays grow

Published

2 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cancer treatment targets missed again as opposition says Plaid must share responsibility for health service performance

NHS WALES is facing renewed pressure after the latest performance figures showed waiting lists rising, cancer treatment targets being missed again and more patients waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments.

The figures come as the Welsh Government announced an additional £145m for NHS Wales, including £100m to reduce waiting times and £25m for new surgical hubs.

In April, performance against the 62-day target for patients starting cancer treatment fell to 56.7%, well below the 75% target.

In Swansea Bay, just 48.4% of cancer patients began treatment within the target time.

Treatment waiting lists also increased, with 680,003 patient pathways recorded in April. The estimated number of individual patients waiting for treatment stood at 536,500.

Two-year waits rose to 3,694. In England, the comparable figure was 191.

Emergency care also came under further strain in May. The proportion of patients spending less than four hours in Welsh emergency departments fell to 64.4%, against a target of 95%.

A total of 11,066 patients waited 12 hours or more before being admitted, transferred or discharged, up from 10,287 in April. The target is zero.

Ambulance performance remained under pressure. For red calls, the median response time improved to nine minutes and 12 seconds, but the 90th percentile increased to 22 minutes and 39 seconds, meaning response time targets were still not met.

Welsh Conservative criticism

The Welsh Conservatives said the figures showed a “worrying backslide” in NHS performance and accused Plaid Cymru of sharing responsibility for the state of the health service.

Natasha Asghar MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “These figures show a worrying backslide in NHS performance in Wales. Cancer treatment times have fallen, waiting lists have risen, two-year waits are up and more patients are being left waiting over 12 hours in emergency departments.

“Plaid Cymru cannot escape responsibility for this. They propped up the previous Welsh Labour Government by backing their budgets and are now in Government themselves. Patients across Wales need action, not more talk of improvement.

“Whilst any extra funding for the NHS is welcome, £145m will not be enough unless it is accompanied by urgent reform, a comprehensive workforce strategy and real delivery for patients.

“The Welsh Conservatives have been clear that the Welsh Government needs to declare a health emergency in our NHS. We need more beds in our hospitals, a robust NHS workforce and a serious plan to cut waiting lists and to support our emergency departments.”

Funding announced

The Welsh Government says the extra £145m will support work to reduce waiting times and improve access to treatment.

Of that, £100m has been allocated to reducing waiting lists, while £25m will be invested in new surgical hubs.

Health leaders have welcomed the additional funding, but warned that money alone will not solve the pressures facing hospitals, GP services, social care and emergency departments.

The latest figures are likely to increase pressure on ministers to show clear progress before the winter, when demand on the NHS is expected to rise further.

Welsh Government response

The Welsh Government said the figures related to April, before the new administration took office, and showed that both treatment waiting lists and the longest waits had increased.

Health and Care Minister Mabon ap Gwynfor said too many people were waiting too long for treatment, and said emergency care performance was not yet at the level patients and staff should expect.

He said: “Our focus is clear — cut waiting times, prioritise those who have been waiting the longest, improve access to services and build an NHS that can keep up with demand in the long term.

“To bring waiting times down and keep them down, we need to change the way the NHS works — making sure patients move through the system more smoothly, from their first referral all the way to treatment.

“We’ve got a plan to do this, working with the fantastic NHS staff right across Wales. The £145 million we’re announcing today will be important in tackling the waiting list and waiting times and helping people be seen quicker.”

The Welsh Government said £100m would be used to help reduce waiting lists and waiting times, £25m would be invested in new surgical and diagnostic hubs, and £20m would go towards essential maintenance across the NHS estate.

Community

Newgale road closure confirmed for resurfacing works

Published

3 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A STRETCH of road at Newgale will close for two days next week while resurfacing works are carried out.

The closure is planned for Tuesday (Jun 23) from 9:00am to 3:30pm, and Wednesday (Jun 24) from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

The affected section runs from Penycwm to just above Beachcroft bungalow in Newgale.

Traffic will be diverted via Roch Bridge and Eweston, between the Victoria Inn and Penycwm.

Businesses including the campsite, Landsker Line, Newsurf, Sands Café and the hardware shop are expected to remain open as normal. The car parks and the Welsh Road will also remain accessible, but traffic will not be able to travel up the hill towards Solva after the shop.

School buses are expected to run as normal, but the T11 service will operate to a special timetable between Haverfordwest and Roch. There will be no T11 service from Newgale to St Davids during the works. The 400 service will run as normal, but via the diversion route.

Cllr Mark Carter said he had asked for signs to be placed at Haverfordwest and St Davids, advising larger vehicles and those towing to consider using the A40 via Letterston, Mathry and St Davids instead.

An alternative route is via Crowhill, Hayscastle and Llandeloy crossroads, before rejoining the A487 at the top of Solva Hill.

Cllr Carter warned that the diversion route is likely to be busy, adding that drivers may need to reverse in places. He said the route had been cut back and overhanging branches removed.

Motorists are being urged to follow the signage and not to enter any road marked with a no-entry sign.

The closure times are a guide only, as resurfacing may take longer if the tarmac is slow to set in hot weather or if there is a mechanical breakdown.