PARK CHIEF RECOGNISED

PEMBROKESHIRE Coast National Park Authority Chief Executive Tegryn Jones is to be honoured by Gorsedd Cymru at this year’s National Eisteddfod.

Mr Jones has been named among those who will be admitted to the Gorsedd in recognition of their achievements and contribution to Wales, the Welsh language and local communities.

He will be admitted in the Blue robes, which are awarded to people who have given distinguished service in areas including public life, local and national activity, journalism, media, sport, science and law.

Originally from Lampeter and a fluent Welsh speaker, Mr Jones has played a prominent role in Welsh public life through a career spanning environmental, educational and community leadership.

Before joining Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, he served as Chief Executive of Keep Wales Tidy and also worked for the General Teaching Council for Wales.

He was nominated for his work in education, youth work and the environment, as well as for developing environmental initiatives at both local and national level.

In Pembrokeshire, he is also closely associated with the development of Welsh-medium education through his long-standing involvement with Ysgol Caer Elen in Haverfordwest, where he was the first Chair of Governors.

Mr Jones said: “It is a great honour to be recognised by Gorsedd Cymru, particularly in a year when the National Eisteddfod returns to Pembrokeshire for Eisteddfod y Garreg Las.

“The Welsh language belongs to all our communities, and I have been very fortunate to work with so many people who care deeply about its future, whether through education, culture, the environment or public service.

“The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is one of the jewels of Wales and provides an outstanding landscape that contributes to the environmental, social and economic goals that are essential to Wales’ future.

“I am very fortunate to lead the National Park Authority and extremely proud that this work has been recognised by the Gorsedd.”

This year’s National Eisteddfod, Eisteddfod y Garreg Las, will be held in Llantwd, North Pembrokeshire, from August 1-8, 2026.

The event will be especially significant as it marks 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod was held in Cardigan in 1176, just across the river from this year’s Maes.

PEMBROKE’S Monkton ward will soon have a new town councillor after its previous representative secured a seat in the Senedd as one of six new members for the Ceredigion Penfro seat.

A notice of casual vacancy for the Monkton ward of Pembroke Town Council was publicised yesterday, May 11.

If no written request is made to the county council’s returning officer, the town council may fill the vacant seat by co-option.

The seat was made vacant following now-former town councillor Reform’s Susan Claire Archibald becoming a Senedd member for the new Ceredigion Penfro Senedd ward, one of two Reform candidates to do so.

At the Senedd count on May 8, the former councillor spoke on behalf of herself, fellow Reform winner Paul Marr, and the party’s supporters, saying the supporters would need “new shoes,” given Ceredigion Penfro’s “ginormous constituency”.

She added: “Paul and I are obviously very excited to get to work to representing our constituency of Ceredigion and Penfro.”

The six Senedd members for the new Ceredigion Penfro ward, which saw three Plaid seats, two Reform and one Welsh Conservatives gained, are: Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, and Anna Nicholl Plaid Cymru; Susan Claire Archibald and Paul Marr Reform; Welsh Conservatives Paul Windsor Davies.

A formal request for an election to fill the vacant Monkton seat may be made to: Returning Officer, Pembrokeshire County Council, Electoral Services, County Hall, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, SA61 1TP.

The town council itself saw, last weekend, the inauguration of Councillor Jonathan Grimes, also joint county councillor for Pembroke Monkton and St Mary South, as the 647th Mayor of Pembroke.

Accompanied by his wife, Councillor Deborah Willcocks, a civic lunch was held at the town hall, Main Street, successfully raising £350 in support of his chosen charity, Sandy Bear.

The weekend also saw a service at St Mary’s Church, where the Bishop of St Davids offered a blessing for the newly installed bells.

CODE OF CONDUCT complaints to the Ombudsman against Pembrokeshire councillors have declined from previous years to date, from a peak of 42 in 2022-23 down to seven so far this year, members of the standards committee heard.

A complaints/concerns log was established back in 2022, the latest statistics including complaints made between January to May 2026.

A report for members at the May 12 Standards Committee meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council said: “Complaint volumes have fluctuated across the reporting periods, with the highest levels recorded in 2022-2023,” the report said, adding: “This was followed by a notable reduction in 2023-2024, a partial increase during 2024-2025 and a significant decline in the most recent period. The data for January to May 2026 indicates a continuation of this downward trend, with only a small number of complaints recorded to date.

“While this period covers fewer months than previous reporting years, the reduced volume nonetheless represents a marked contrast to earlier years.”

Statistics from previous years showed county and town and community council level complaints mostly dealt with by informal resolution or ombudsman investigation of: May 2022- April 23, 42; May 2023-April 24, 23; May 2024-April 25, 30; and 10 in May 2025-December 25.

There were 121 complaints received over the period May 2022 to May ‘26; 40 of them harassment, bullying or false accusations, 22 social media-related, 18 meeting behaviour, and 14 altercations with members of the public.

Of the latest complaints received since January, there were six harassment, three social media, two altercation, and one meeting behaviour, with seven complaints referred to the Ombudsman to date.

The report said, across all reporting periods, complaints relating to harassment, bullying and conduct at meetings remain the most common categories, although their frequency has reduced over time.

It added: “Complaints relating to town and community councils continue to account for most cases overall, however very few such complaints have been recorded since January 2026. Taken together, the data suggests a stabilisation of complaint numbers following earlier peaks, with the January to May 2026 position indicating a particularly low level of recorded concerns.”

Seven complaints referred to the Ombudsman highlighted in the report since the start of this year were: an alleged bullying and harassment claim at community council level, currently being investigated; a county council level claim of failure to treat others with respect; discriminatory conduct based on political affiliation, no further action taken; town council level bullying and harassment, disqualified for three years; and a town council level claim of making unsubstantiated or misleading statements, failure to uphold equality principles, conduct bringing the office into disrepute, no further action taken.

It also included three claims currently in the assessment stage: town council level bullying, intimidation, and threatening behaviour; a county level bringing the office or authority into disrepute; and a community council level claim of lack of openness and transparency, improper decision‑making, failure to act with integrity and accountability, and failure to provide accurate records.

All three dated to March.

Committee members agreed to note the report.