Gaza-linked petition to be discussed by councillors with no officer report planned

A PETITION calling for Pembrokeshire’s public sector pension fund to divest from companies linked to Israel will be debated by councillors next month.

The proposal has been scheduled for discussion at a meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Full Council on Wednesday (Mar 5).

More than 500 people signed the e-petition, triggering a formal debate under the council’s petitions scheme.

Campaigners are asking the authority to press the Dyfed Pension Fund to withdraw investments from firms alleged to be “complicit with Israel’s genocide of Gaza”, arguing that public money should not be invested in businesses connected to conflict or alleged human rights abuses.

However, critics say foreign policy matters fall outside local government’s remit and warn that divestment could reduce investment flexibility or affect long-term returns for pension holders.

Sharon Ross, a freelance writer who contacted The Herald ahead of the debate, said councils should prioritise local services.

She said: “Local issues where councillors can make a real difference – roads, schools and healthcare – risk being pushed aside for international politics.

“Excluding an entire country from investment portfolios could reduce diversification and potentially lower returns without achieving meaningful change overseas.”

Council pension schemes operate under fiduciary duties requiring investments to act in the best financial interests of members.

The council has confirmed the item will go directly to Full Council for debate and that no officer report will accompany the discussion.

Agendas are expected to be published on the council’s website in the week before the meeting.

THE WELSH Language Commissioner has launched a formal investigation into claims that the proposed closure of a rural Carmarthenshire primary school did not properly assess the impact on the Welsh language.

Campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith confirmed this week that the Welsh Language Commissioner will examine whether Carmarthenshire County Council complied with its legal duties when producing a language impact assessment linked to plans to close Ysgol Llansteffan.

The council issued a statutory notice last year proposing to shut the village school at the end of the summer term as part of wider education reorganisation. A final decision had been expected this spring.

However, the investigation now creates fresh uncertainty over the timetable.

Complaint over ‘insufficient assessment’

Cymdeithas yr Iaith says it submitted a formal complaint arguing that the council failed to produce a sufficiently detailed assessment of how the closure could affect Welsh-medium education and the wider Welsh-speaking community.

The group claims the authority selectively used data to support closure rather than examining all available evidence objectively.

Two key concerns were raised.

Firstly, campaigners argue there may not be enough places in neighbouring Welsh-medium schools to accommodate pupils from Llansteffan and nearby housing developments, potentially forcing some families into English-medium provision.

Secondly, they say the assessment did not meaningfully consider the school’s role as a community hub or explore ways the site could generate income and support local Welsh-language activities.

On behalf of local members, Ffred Ffransis said: “There will not be places for all the Llansteffan children, nor for the children of the new housing estates, in other Welsh-medium schools in the area.

“The most cost-effective way of providing sufficient places locally in Welsh-medium education is by keeping open Ysgol Llansteffan and making better use of the buildings, including environmental education and community use.”

Formal investigation

In a letter to the group, the commissioner confirmed an investigation will be held under Section 71 of the Welsh Language Measure to determine whether the council complied with Welsh language standards.

The probe could take up to three months.

Campaigners believe this may delay implementation of the closure and could require the council to revisit its assessment and potentially carry out a fresh statutory consultation.

Ffransis said: “Even if the council now decided to make a full and meaningful assessment, there would likely have to be a new consultation. The original decision may have been taken on a faulty basis.”

He added that similar concerns had been raised about language impact assessments connected to other proposed school closures in the county.

Council position

The council has previously said that school reorganisation proposals are driven by falling pupil numbers, financial pressures and the need to ensure sustainable, high-quality education.

Authorities across Wales have faced difficult decisions in recent years as rural rolls decline and building maintenance costs rise.

It is expected the council will respond formally to the commissioner’s investigation in due course.

What happens next

If the commissioner finds that language standards were not properly followed, enforcement steps could be taken and the process delayed or revisited.

For families in Llansteffan, the outcome may determine whether their local Welsh-medium school remains open beyond the summer term.

The Herald has contacted Carmarthenshire County Council for comment.

Further updates will follow as the investigation progresses.

Gaza-linked petition passes 500 signatures threshold as Pembrokeshire meeting awaited

A PETITION calling for Pembrokeshire’s public sector pension fund to divest from companies linked to Israel has passed the signature threshold required to trigger a formal council debate – but no meeting date has yet been confirmed.

The e-petition, hosted through Pembrokeshire County Council’s own system, urges the authority to press the Dyfed Pension Fund to withdraw investments from firms alleged to be “complicit with Israel’s genocide of Gaza”.

Under the council’s petitions scheme, any submission receiving more than 500 signatures must be considered by councillors at a future full council meeting.

However, at the time of publication, the item does not yet appear on the council’s online agendas and minutes portal and no specific date has been scheduled for debate.

Agendas are typically published around a week before meetings take place.

Supporters of the proposal say the move is about ethical investing and ensuring public money is not linked to conflict or alleged human rights abuses.

One campaign supporter said: “Residents don’t want their pensions invested in companies that profit from war. Councils already take ethical positions on fossil fuels and arms manufacturing – this is the same principle.”

But others argue that foreign policy issues fall outside local government’s remit and warn the move could affect pension performance.

Sharon Ross, a freelance writer who contacted The Herald ahead of the debate, said councillors should focus on local services instead.

She said: “Local issues where councillors can make a real difference – roads, schools, GP access and business support – risk being pushed aside for international politics.

“Divesting from an entire country could reduce diversification and potentially lower returns for pension holders without achieving meaningful change overseas.”

Local government pension schemes operate under fiduciary duties requiring investments to prioritise members’ financial interests. Previous legal guidance to councils across the UK has stressed that decisions must be based primarily on financial considerations.

The Herald has asked the council to confirm when the petition will be scheduled, what proportion of the pension fund might be affected, and what financial or legal advice members will receive.

Residents can monitor the authority’s “Agenda, Minutes and Decisions” webpage for the publication of the next Full Council agenda, where the item is expected to appear once formally listed.

Further updates will follow when a date is confirmed.