Local Government

‘We’re treated like schoolkids’: Bin workers lift lid on chaos at Pembrokeshire Council

Published

3 months ago

September 10, 2025

Staff shortages, overloaded routes and low morale blamed for recycling crisis

A PEMBROKESHIRE bin worker has spoken exclusively to The Herald, describing “a shambles” inside the county’s waste service as missed recycling collections mount across Milford Haven, Hakin and beyond. His account has since been independently verified by another member of staff who contacted us by phone, confirming the same issues across the service.

The revelations come after widespread disruption at the end of last month (Aug 29) left streets across Milford without collections for the second or third week running. Pembrokeshire County Council has cited “operational issues” including vehicle breakdowns and staff shortages, and urged households to keep recycling bags out until Monday (Sept 1) when crews “aim to recollect.”

***Uncollected waste: Bags and boxes have been left on the roadside as crews struggle to keep up (Image: PCC)***

Inside the routes

Frontline staff told The Herald that crews are being forced to take on far more properties each day than intended.

One worker said: “Routes were designed for 750 to 800 houses. Some of us are now covering 1,200 plus, then being told to help mop up other routes on top. We’ve been told since Christmas 2023 that routes would be restructured, but nothing has changed — and more new estates have been built in that time.”

They described the physical toll of filling lorries to capacity and the demoralisation of being pushed to do more: “It’s head down all day, necks and shoulders taking a hammering. When we finish our route we’re told to go back out and do more. Holidays are refused, and lads need long weekends just to recover. Morale is on the floor.”

Management criticised

Workers were scathing about the current leadership of the service.

One said: “During the pandemic we worked through with a different management team and there were no major issues. Now it’s army-style management. There’s no interaction. Our head of service, Craig Meachem, we’ve barely seen him in two years. We raised grievances, he came to one meeting out of six. It’s do as I say and that’s it.”

The same worker claimed: “He said at a scrutiny meeting he rolled his sleeves up and helped. That happened once, for two hours. Our old manager would be in at 6:00am with us, driving routes and loading when needed. Nothing like that now.”

Vehicles and welfare

***Mounting pressure: Crews say they are at breaking point*** ***(Pic: PCC)***

While council leaders blame vehicle breakdowns, staff said that was only part of the story.

“There are days we’ve had five lorries ready but no crews to man them. They’ve even tried to send out a truck with just a driver. We refused — they promise help but it never turns up.”

Working conditions were also described as inadequate.

“In hot weather there’s no water supplied — we rely on residents giving us a drink. In wet weather we sweat inside our gear, then there’s one small drying cabin for 20 people, one shower for 100 staff. Most of us sit in the lorries with heaters on. Other councils let supervisors make welfare decisions. Here they’re reprimanded. We’re even locked in the compound until a supervisor lets us out, like schoolkids.”

Mental health strain

Staff say morale is collapsing under the strain, with sickness becoming a vicious circle.

“We are being totally demoralised. The only option for many is to go sick, which just makes things worse for those left. We tried to communicate, but management stopped listening.”

They also highlighted abuse from the public: “We’ve been assaulted, sworn at, had things thrown at us. Management wonders why there’s a mental health problem.”

Recruitment and turnover

According to workers, staff churn is worsening the crisis.

“They’ve taken on about 50 people in the last year, most lasting two days. One lasted one day and couldn’t even tie their bootlaces. It just puts more pressure on the rest of the crew.”

Streets missed

Over the last ten days, locals responding to The Herald’s call for information listed more than 30 streets where collections were missed, including Coombs Drive, Picton Road, Pill Road, Vicary Crescent, Dairy Park Grove, St David’s Close, Observatory Avenue, Silverstream Drive, Murray Road, Yorke Street, Hubberston Court, Wentworth Close, Hilton Avenue, Waterloo Road, Court Rise, Nubian Crescent and Mills Drive in Neyland.

Council response

Pembrokeshire County Council issued a statement to The Herald in response to the allegations. A spokesperson said:

“With the assistance of the public, Pembrokeshire County Council has consistently been among the top recycling authorities in Wales over recent years and together we can continue to improve recycling rates. We recognise there have been instances of missed collections over recent weeks, and we wish to apologise to the public for the disruption and thank them for their patience and support.

“We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our Waste and Recycling crews who are working extremely hard and doing their best every day to provide a safe and effective collection service while minimising disruption.”

The council added that:

Routes are “planned to consider vehicle size, crewing, population density and depot locations” and were designed with support from WRAP Cymru. It said it “does not consider routes to be overloaded” but confirmed that further reviews are planned.
In the last 12 months, 15 staff have left and 15 have been recruited, with all vacancies currently filled.
Staff welfare is supported through HR policies, engagement events, a dedicated HR officer for mental health, and new welfare facilities at the Eco Park depot.
The council said it updates its dedicated webpage with information when collections are disrupted, and aims to return within 48 working hours.
Disruptions, they added, represent “less than 1% of the five million collections” carried out each year.

The council also pointed to “financial challenges” facing the authority and said the summer tourist season had added to pressure on frontline services.

The statement concluded: “We would like to thank the communities of Pembrokeshire for their patience and continued support.”

Business

Holiday lets allowed to stay at Narberth dairy farm

Published

4 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for a Pembrokeshire dairy farm to keep two “alternative” holiday pods sited without permission as a way of diversifying in an uncertain industry has been given the go-ahead.

In an application recommended for approval at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Vaynor Farm Ltd sought retrospective permission for the siting of two self-catering holiday accommodation pods at The Cart House, Vaynor Farm, Bethesda, near Narberth as part of a farm diversification enterprise.

It was before committee members as it was recommended for delegated conditional approval by senior officers despite being against the development plan.

Previous retrospective schemes, for two self-catering pods along with an application to retain a shepherd hut accommodation pod at another farm, a part of the Vaynor Farm farm enterprise, were refused in 2023 and 2025, the latter due to “an unjustified and harmful impact on the character and appearance of the open countryside”.

Detailing the current application, an officer report for members said the pods: Vaynor Farm Pod within the garden of The Cart House, and The Paddock Pod, on the edge of a small paddock, were constructed off-site and have been transported to their current locations, with external decking, hot tubs, a barbecue area and car parking provided for each pod.

It added: “A business plan has been submitted with the application, which explains that due to uncertainties associated with dairy farming, the applicant has sought to diversify the farm enterprise to incorporate tourism accommodation.

“The application makes the case that the proposed development represents farm diversification. It is acknowledged that the development has resulted in the provision of an alternative type of holiday accommodation for which it has been demonstrated there is a demand, contributing to the diversity and quality of accommodation available within the county and supporting an existing farm business, with consequent economic and social benefits.

“Evidence has been provided that demonstrates the extent to which the pods have provided income which has been used to support the farm business.

“However, officers consider that should planning permission be granted, a [planning obligation] will be necessary to ensure that the accommodation pods continue to support the farm business and are not separated from it at some future point in time.”

Delegated conditional approval limiting the use and occupation of the self-catering accommodation pods to short term holiday use only was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously backed by committee members.

Farming

Eglwyswrw bungalow farming condition dropped after 33 years

Published

5 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

AN AGRICULTURAL worker-only condition imposed when a Pembrokeshire bungalow was built more than 30 years ago has been removed following a request to county planners.

In an application recommended for approval at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Pamela Griffiths sought permission for the removal of a previously imposed agricultural worker-only condition for bungalow Maes Yr Awel, Eglwyswrw, near Crymych.

Members heard an application for a certificate of lawfulness allowing the applicant to stay at the bungalow, there having been a breach of that condition in excess of 10 years, had been granted earlier this year, the latest application seeking to remove the condition entirely.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness allows an applicant to stay at a development if they can provide proof of occupancy over a prolonged period.

A supporting statement for the earlier certificate of lawfulness said: “The dwelling was constructed in 1992 and has been occupied in breach of the occupancy restriction since February 2014, on the death of the applicant’s mother.”

It added: “The dwelling was substantially complete in 1992 and first occupied 28th January 1992. Mr EC and Mrs ME Griffiths were farmers and were the original occupiers of the property, together with their daughter, Ms P Griffiths, the applicant.

“There is no dispute that the condition was originally complied with by the applicants’ mother and father, but on the death of the applicants’ parents the applicant became the sole resident and has not been solely or mainly employed in agriculture at any time.”

A report for committee members said the removal of the condition was now recommended as the site benefitted from the lawfulness certificate and the agricultural condition remaining was “no longer considered reasonable”.

Approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously supported by committee members.

Farming

‘Poor decision’ New Creamston housing condition overturned

Published

13 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A “POOR DECISION” agricultural worker-only imposed nearly 40 years ago has been removed from a Pembrokeshire property by county planners.

In an application recommended to be approved at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, Tim and Cathy Arthur sought permission for the removal of an agricultural worker-only condition at New Creamson, Creamston Road, near Haverfordwest.

An officer report for members said the agricultural condition was imposed when the dwelling was built in 1988/89, with a later certificate of lawful development granted this year after it was proven the site had been occupied for more than 10 years on breach of that condition.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness allows an applicant to stay at a development if they can provide proof of occupancy over a prolonged period.

Speaking at the meeting, agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries of Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd told members the original agriculture-only condition was a poor decision by planners back nearly four decades ago.

“When this application was made in 1988-89 we go back to the Preseli District Council – I was still in school – it was only a 50-acre farm, it should never have been approved as it shouldn’t have been viable.

“The current applicants have owned it for the last 20 years; they’ve tried to grow apples but couldn’t make a go of it and then went in to holiday lets. We can’t enforce redundant conditions from bad decisions made years ago.”

Approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall and unanimously supported by committee members.