A CALL to look at alternative ways of delivering Pembrokeshire’s crematorium services, which included the potential option of them being privately run, will not be preceded with following a decision by senior councillors.

At a special meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet on June 22, members considered a May Cabinet decision on crematorium services in the county.

A report for members presented by Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said, at the March meeting of the council’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, it was resolved to recommend that Cabinet undertake a review of fees and charges at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, with particular regard to the cost of direct cremation, and that Cabinet commission a comprehensive review of the crematorium’s future operational model, with the findings to be reported to the committee for consideration and scrutiny prior to any final Cabinet decision.

At the May meeting of Cabinet, members agreed to review fees and charges at Parc Gwyn along with a review of service delivery, efficiency and value for money, excluding alternative operating models, the report says.

An extraordinary meeting of Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee was held in response to a call-in from 11 councillors, all member of the council’s Conservative group, saying the Cabinet report materially altered the original scrutiny recommendation, the decision was not supported by sufficient evidence or benchmarking, financial considerations relating to “surplus” and “profit” were improperly weighted, alternative operational models were prematurely excluded, and that further scrutiny is required.

That committee agreed the matter be referred back to Cabinet for reconsideration.

The report for Cabinet members said: “Members who requested the call-in were dissatisfied with the way the issue was presented to Cabinet in regards to the second recommendation, which although was presented in full in the Cabinet paper, the officer recommendation removed the element relating to the review of the operating model.

“Members queried if Cabinet were given a fair opportunity to consider the merits of a full operational review. It was suggested that the officer report led Cabinet towards their conclusion by recommending against the operating model review.

“Whilst referral was made to the call-in not being in relation to privatisation, members in the previous services overview and scrutiny committee meeting had discussed this as a potential future option which resulted in the recommendation to review the operating model.”

The report says there “are well-established and unavoidable cost factors associated with any change in delivery model,” adding: “Should Cabinet now agree to include this aspect of the recommendation, Members should be aware that this will require the commissioning of an external consultant to carry out the review, expected to cost an estimated £30,000, financed from existing crematorium reserves.”

At the meeting, Cllr Sinnett said initial benchmarking of 18 of Wales’ 22 local authorities showed Pembrokeshire had the third lowest costs, with a full report expected for scrutiny in early 2027 followed by a Cabinet report expected next March.

Moving the original Cabinet decision be backed, he said he did not feel an alternate operating model would bring material benefits and would consume officer time, adding that any changes would also involve Carmarthenshire County council as a stakeholder in the crematorium.

Members unanimously backed the original decision.

Round Table says legal clarity over pedestrian access is still holding up event plan

TENBY ROUND TABLE has welcomed Pembrokeshire County Council’s statement that it wants the Tenby Summer Spectacular to go ahead, but says one key legal question remains unanswered.

The council said on Wednesday (Jun 24) that it had not requested or directed that the event should be cancelled, and that it wanted to see the Spectacular proceed if safety requirements could be met.

But organisers say they are still waiting for a detailed response from council officers on how pedestrian access to the licensed event area at Tenby Harbour can be lawfully managed.

Tenby Round Table said volunteer members were “working tirelessly” to prepare the information needed to finalise the Event Management Plan.

However, it said the final version could not be completed until the question of lawful pedestrian access had been answered by Pembrokeshire County Council.

In a statement, Tenby Round Table said: “We welcome Cllr Miller’s statement. We obviously share his desire to see these events go ahead, they are important for the community and for the charities that benefit from them.

“We would like to clarify the position of where we are in the process however. Volunteer members of Tenby Round Table are working tirelessly to prepare all the information required to finalise our Event Management Plan.

“The reason we cannot produce the final version of this is the one outstanding question, how pedestrian access to the licensed event area will be lawfully managed, which only PCC can answer.

“A detailed response to this, backed up with a legal framework, is what we have been waiting for nine months for from PCC.”

Round Table said its most recent email on the issue was sent on Monday and had not yet been acknowledged or answered.

It said that email was itself chasing a response which had already passed an extended deadline.

The statement added: “This response is the single most important element currently holding up our EMP submission and our ability to confirm the events can proceed.

“We would very much welcome Cllr Miller’s and Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall’s encouragement of the relevant PCC officers to respond by the deadline set, as to date this press release has been our only communication from PCC since our announcement.”

Earlier, Pembrokeshire County Council Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said the authority had supported the Spectacular for nearly 15 years and had not sought its cancellation.

He said: “The Spectacular is a much-loved event with significant number of attendees. As a result, we have an important duty to make sure the event can take place safely to address the concerns formally raised by the Responsible Authorities under the Licensing Act, which include the blue light services.

“Tenby Harbour is a working harbour and a key community asset – and just as every year this event needs to be licensed, and the organisers need to provide important information on how they plan to safely manage the event.”

Cllr Miller added: “As a council, we very much want this event to go ahead but we have to make sure the event is safe for the public, with the right safety measures in place.

“Once the organisers provide the required information, the Licensing Sub-Committee, currently scheduled for July, will consider the event application, in exactly the same way they consider the large number of other events which occur across Pembrokeshire each year.”

Local member Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall also said she wanted to see the Spectaculars go ahead.

She said: “It is important for locals and visitors alike to celebrate Tenby, have fun and raise money for worthy causes.

“I am really encouraged from meetings that I have had with senior officers that everyone is ready to do all that they can to enable these events to go ahead.”

The future of this year’s Tenby Spectaculars now appears to rest on whether the outstanding legal question over pedestrian access can be resolved in time for organisers to submit their final Event Management Plan ahead of the Licensing Sub-Committee hearing expected in July.

Authority denies cancelling event as organisers await licensing decision

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has insisted that it wants the Tenby Summer Spectacular to go ahead, after organisers announced the cancellation of this summer’s events amid a row over harbour access and crowd control.

Tenby Round Table said earlier this week that the popular charity events, scheduled for Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, August 30, had been cancelled “until further notice” because organisers did not believe they had the clear powers needed to safely manage pedestrian access at Tenby Harbour.

The events are among Tenby’s best-known summer attractions, drawing thousands of residents and visitors to the harbour for entertainment, food, drink and fireworks, while raising money for local good causes.

But the council has now said it has not asked for the events to be cancelled and that the matter remains part of the normal licensing process.

Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said: “Pembrokeshire County Council supports the Spectacular as we have for nearly 15 years. The Council has not requested or given direction that the event should be cancelled.

“The Spectacular is a much-loved event with significant number of attendees. As a result, we have an important duty to make sure the event can take place safely to address the concerns formally raised by the Responsible Authorities under the Licensing Act, which include the blue light services.

“Tenby Harbour is a working harbour and a key community asset – and just as every year this event needs to be licensed, and the organisers need to provide important information on how they plan to safely manage the event.”

Cllr Miller said the council wanted the event to proceed, but had to be satisfied that suitable safety arrangements were in place.

He added: “As a council, we very much want this event to go ahead but we have to make sure the event is safe for the public, with the right safety measures in place.

“Once the organisers provide the required information, the Licensing Sub-Committee, currently scheduled for July, will consider the event application, in exactly the same way they consider the large number of other events which occur across Pembrokeshire each year.”

Local county councillor Sam Skyrme-Blackhall also said she wanted to see the Spectacular continue.

She said: “I want to see the Spectaculars go ahead. It is important for locals and visitors alike to celebrate Tenby, have fun and raise money for worthy causes.

“I am really encouraged from meetings that I have had with senior officers that everyone is ready to do all that they can to enable these events to go ahead.”

The dispute now appears to centre on whether organisers can provide the information required by licensing officers and responsible authorities before the application is considered next month.

Tenby Round Table has previously said the issue relates to the safe management of large crowds around the harbour, including control of pedestrian access.

The council says those concerns must be addressed through the licensing process, while stressing that no instruction has been given to cancel the events.

The future of this year’s Spectaculars now appears to depend on whether an agreed safety plan can be produced before the July hearing.