Community

21 council houses to be bought for Saundersfoot village

Published

9 months ago

September 13, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SCHEME costing £2.4m scheme to provide council houses for local people in a Pembrokeshire seaside village which has a high number of holiday and second homes has been backed.

At the September meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to enter into a package deal arrangement for the purchase of 21 affordable homes, along with an option for four ‘intermediate’ affordable units on land at Sandyhill, Saundersfoot.

The 25 affordable units form part of a 2024 approved scheme for 71 homes through Persimmon Homes Ltd at the site, through a Section 106 legal agreement, with discussions with the council taking place since then.

Members were asked to enter into a package deal consisting of a ‘golden brick’ agreement of £301,967.82 for the land purchase, £1,207,871.30 for the construction phase of the 21 units, and a separate purchase contract and cost up to £896,000 for the four ‘intermediate’ units.

A report for members presented by Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “Pembrokeshire faces serious housing challenges, including a distinct shortage of affordable housing to meet local needs and high levels of homelessness associated with unaffordable private rentals and house prices.

“Pembrokeshire’s natural beauty means the county has high levels of second home ownership and combined with the significant number of holidays lets in coastal towns this has reduced the availability of housing for local people. This has resulted in long housing waiting lists with high numbers of households in homeless temporary accommodation and many households having limited chances of having their housing needs met.”

It said the current costs for the 21 units, made up of 12 one-bedroom flats, three three-bed houses and six two-bed houses, equates to an average of £71,897 per unit; the four intermediate properties, at 70 per cent of market value.

“At present, this gives an estimated total cost of £2,405,839 for 25 units so an average cost of £96,234 per unit,” the report said, adding: “It is anticipated that the purchases will span two-to-three financial years but this will partly be dependent on the progress of open market sales to progress site works to the later phases of the development.”

Cllr Bateman, who moved approval, told members the scheme for “21 council houses” and socially rented properties would “offer high quality accommodation for local people in an area with a high proportion of second homes and holiday accommodation”.

“The local member is fully supportive; these opportunities are part of a wider range of measures to increase the supply of affordable housing,” she added.

The proposal was supported by Leader Jon Harvey and Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett, who said it was “a really good step forward in an area that’s particularly challenging in getting affordable living space for people”.

Cllr Harvey, who described the £71,00 per unit cost as “a very good deal that will go some way to alleviating housing pressures,” added: “We are looking at all sorts of ways of increasing the affordable housing stock; we are building our own council houses and acquiring houses, we are purchasing properties on the open market and using all sorts of funding to do that.”

Members unanimously backed the recommendations to enter into the deal, with delegated authority to the Head of Law and Governance to agree the final terms.

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

11 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

12 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

14 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)