Local Government

Ombudsman clears Woodham over Imperial Hall complaint

Published

2 months ago

June 10, 2026

Decision finds ‘no evidence’ of code breach as fallout continues from Dennison suspension

THE PUBLIC SERVICES OMBUDSMAN FOR WALES has concluded there is “no evidence” that Cllr Guy Woodham breached the Members’ Code of Conduct in relation to the long-running Imperial Hall planning dispute in Milford Haven.

The decision, issued on Wednesday (June 10), brings to an end a complaint made by Imperial Hall director Lee Bridges following the controversial Planning Delegation Panel meeting which considered whether the venue’s retrospective planning application should be referred to Pembrokeshire County Council’s Planning Committee.

***Suspended: Councillor Alan Dennison***

The ruling lands less than two weeks after Milford Haven councillor Alan Dennison was suspended for four months by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Standards Committee over his involvement in the same planning matter.

Complaint dismissed

The Ombudsman investigated allegations that Cllr Woodham had failed to declare personal and prejudicial interests while acting as Chair of the Planning Delegation Panel meeting on February 25, 2025.

The complaint also alleged Cllr Woodham had improperly used his position while participating in the panel’s consideration of whether the Imperial Hall application should be referred to councillors for determination.

However, after reviewing evidence, interviewing witnesses and viewing the webcast of the meeting, the Ombudsman concluded there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

The decision notice states: “The evidence did not suggest that the Member had a personal or prejudicial interest.”

It added there was no evidence the decision could reasonably be regarded as affecting Cllr Woodham’s wellbeing or financial position, or that of someone with whom he had a close personal association.

The Ombudsman therefore decided there was “no evidence of a breach of the Code.”

Why the complaint was made

The complaint had been made by Mr Bridges following the Planning Delegation Panel meeting, during which councillors declined a request to refer the Imperial Hall planning application to committee.

Mr Bridges had argued there were potential conflicts involving Cllr Woodham linked to community venues in Milford Haven and alleged competing interests connected to the local events sector.

Those concerns later formed part of wider criticism voiced publicly by both Mr Bridges and Cllr Dennison.

Last week, following the Standards Committee ruling against him, Cllr Dennison claimed Cllr Woodham had chaired the panel “with full awareness of the potential repercussions” for Mr Bridges’ business and alleged competing interests had not been properly declared.

Ombudsman draws distinction

The Ombudsman’s findings appear to draw a clear distinction between the Woodham complaint and the circumstances which led to the sanction against Cllr Dennison.

In Cllr Dennison’s case, the Standards Committee concluded he had personal and prejudicial interests arising from a combination of factors, including his previous directorship of Imperial Hall Limited, a financial loan to the business during Covid, involvement with the Masonic Hall company, social links with Mr Bridges and prior advice from the Monitoring Officer warning him not to become involved.

The committee found Cllr Dennison had acted as an “advocate and champion” for the application by drafting and signing paperwork to seek committee determination on behalf of local member Cllr Terry Davies.

By contrast, the Ombudsman concluded the evidence in the Woodham matter did not establish either a sufficiently close personal association or a financial or personal interest requiring declaration.

Bridges sought consistency

Only days before the Ombudsman’s decision, Mr Bridges had written to the Ombudsman questioning whether his complaint concerning Cllr Woodham was being afforded the same level of scrutiny as the Dennison case.

***Manager of The Imperial Hall: Lee Bridges***

He argued that allegations involving participation in decision-making processes should be treated consistently.

In response, the Ombudsman told Mr Bridges that all complaints are assessed under the same two-stage process and determined on their own merits.

The decision notice issued today confirms the Ombudsman has now completed that assessment and found no breach.

Wider fallout continues

The Imperial Hall planning dispute has become one of the most politically charged local controversies in Milford Haven in recent years.

The original dispute concerned retrospective engineering works linked to an external dining area at the Hamilton Terrace venue.

Planning officers ultimately refused the application, while a later appeal to Welsh Government inspectors was unsuccessful.

Cllr Dennison has vowed to appeal his four-month suspension, insisting he did nothing wrong and arguing he merely signed paperwork “pp” on behalf of Cllr Terry Davies after being asked to assist.

Speaking after the Standards Committee hearing, he described the process as unfair and politically motivated.

Pembrokeshire County Council and Cllr Guy Woodham have been contacted for comment.

Local Government

Pembroke Dock councillor rejects claim he spent six months living in Portugal

Published

8 hours ago

July 28, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Cllr Joshua Beynon says he remains active in his ward and has made only normal-length visits to see his Portuguese partner

A PEMBROKE DOCK councillor has rejected claims that he spent six months living in Portugal while continuing to represent his ward.

The row began after posts circulated on social media questioning Cllr Joshua Beynon’s whereabouts and calling for him to resign from Pembrokeshire County Council.

A post shared by the Voice of Wales account stated: “Just wanted to understand how you can be a county councillor and live in Portugal six months of the year.

“Not fair enough for Pembroke Dock. Should stand down and let someone else take the job.”

A separate post in the Pembroke, Pembroke Dock and Pembrokeshire Community Business Facebook group described Cllr Beynon as “missing in action” and alleged that he was “on a jolly for six months in Portugal”.

It added: “Taking the piss.”

The posts prompted a heated discussion, with several contributors calling for Cllr Beynon to resign and questioning whether he could properly represent Pembroke Dock Central while spending time abroad.

Others defended the councillor, saying he had worked hard for the town and had helped residents both inside and outside his ward.

The Pembrokeshire Herald was tagged in the discussion and asked to investigate the claims.

Cllr Beynon has now told the Herald that the allegation he spent six months living in Portugal is untrue.

He confirmed that his partner is Portuguese and that they travel between Portugal and the UK to maintain their relationship.

However, he said none of his visits to Portugal had lasted longer than a standard holiday and that his partner also travels to the UK.

Cllr Beynon said he continues to live in Pembroke Dock and remains active within his ward, assisting residents, attending local meetings and carrying out his council duties.

He said he had recently met representatives of Pembroke Dock’s yacht club and had another meeting in the town scheduled for the following week.

The social media discussion also focused on Cllr Beynon’s published council attendance record.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s website showed that, between February 2 and July 28, he was expected to attend 14 meetings. It recorded 12 virtual attendances and two absences, giving him an overall attendance rate of 86 per cent.

The online record appeared to show that none of the meetings had been attended in person.

Cllr Beynon said he had attended the June meeting of the full council in person and that this could be confirmed through the council’s webcast.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council to explain the apparent discrepancy between the published attendance figures and Cllr Beynon’s account.

Cllr Beynon said he had attended most other meetings remotely while supporting his family through a difficult period.

He said he had nevertheless continued to be present in his ward, deal with residents’ concerns and remain available to the people he represents.

Cllr Beynon was initially reluctant to respond publicly because of previous false allegations and the harassment he said followed them.

He told the Herald that he had initially feared further reporting would add fuel to the social media row, but accepted that the newspaper had contacted him in order to establish the facts and give him a fair opportunity to respond.

He said the stress caused by repeated allegations and online harassment had left him considering whether he would stand for the council again at the next election.

No evidence has been provided to the Herald showing that Cllr Beynon lived in Portugal for six months, ceased living in Pembroke Dock or stopped carrying out his duties as a county councillor.

He maintains that his trips to Portugal were ordinary visits to see his partner and that he has continued representing the residents of Pembroke Dock Central.

Local Government

New parking signs installed at Gelliswick Bay

Published

22 hours ago

July 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Council says notices are intended to encourage considerate use of the popular waterfront parking areas

NEW parking signs have been installed at Gelliswick Bay in an effort to encourage motorists to use the area responsibly.

The notices have been placed at the section locally known as “the triangle” and at the nearby boat and car park.

Cllr Vivien Stoddart said the signs were designed to promote considerate parking at both locations.

The new signage confirms that parking remains free, while reminding motorists that vehicles must be left within marked bays where provided.

The displayed rules prohibit overnight sleeping or camping, cooking, vehicle repairs, commercial activity and behaviour likely to disturb nearby residents or other users of the area.

The signs have prompted a mixed response from residents online. Some questioned whether the locations could properly be described as car parks, while others raised concerns about the cost and whether the signs would remain in place following previous reports of signage being removed.

Gelliswick Bay is regularly used by walkers, boat owners, swimmers and visitors, particularly during the summer months, when demand for the limited parking spaces can increase.

Local Government

Choice Homes applicants told to reapply for Pembrokeshire Housing Register

Published

1 day ago

July 27, 2026

Tom Sinclair

People currently registered with Choice Homes Pembrokeshire must submit a new application as the county prepares to introduce a revised social housing allocations policy

A NEW application process opens today, Monday, July 27, with all existing applicants due to receive an email or letter from the Housing Team by Friday, July 31.

The correspondence will explain how applicants can reapply to join the new Choice Homes Pembrokeshire Housing Register.

Applicants have been urged not to ignore the communication, as they will need to complete the new process to remain on the register.

Why is the housing policy changing?

Pembrokeshire County Council and its partner housing associations have approved a new Choice Homes @ Pembrokeshire Allocations Policy.

The policy sets out how social housing will be allocated and how applicants will be prioritised according to their housing needs and connection to Pembrokeshire.

Demand for social housing in the county has increased significantly in recent years, with more households experiencing homelessness, living in temporary accommodation or remaining in unsuitable housing.

The new policy will come into effect in October 2026 and has been developed jointly by Pembrokeshire County Council, ateb, Wales & West Housing, Barcud, Caredig and Codi Housing Associations.

It is intended to reflect growing pressure on housing and homelessness services, as well as recent changes to Welsh housing legislation.

Pembrokeshire County Council administers housing applications on behalf of all registered social landlords operating in the county.

New legislation, including the Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026, also requires councils to strengthen the way social housing is allocated.

Who needs to apply?

The changes affect:

Everyone with an existing Choice Homes Pembrokeshire housing application.
Anyone wishing to submit a new application to join the Housing Register.

What applicants need to do

Existing applicants should receive an email or letter from the Housing Team between Monday, July 27 and Friday, July 31.

The first step will be to complete a pre-application assessment to determine whether the applicant meets the new local connection criteria.

Applicants will be asked to upload documents showing their connection to Pembrokeshire.

The pre-application forms the first part of a two-stage process. Once the Housing Team has reviewed the information, eligible applicants will be invited to complete a full housing application.

Some information already held by the Housing Team may be entered automatically, allowing applicants to check and update their details rather than starting from scratch.

Applicants are encouraged to complete the process online by registering for a Housing Online account through the Choice Homes Pembrokeshire website.

People who cannot complete the process online can contact a dedicated support line on 01437 776603.

Housing application roadshows

The Housing Team will hold a series of roadshow events across Pembrokeshire to offer advice and practical assistance.

Monday, August 3

10:00am to 12:00pm
Johnston Institute
Church Road, Johnston, SA62 3HE

Wednesday, August 5

5:00pm to 8:00pm
Fishguard Town Hall
Market Street, Fishguard, SA65 9HE

Monday, August 10

1:00pm to 3:00pm
Pater Hall
Lewis Street, Pembroke Dock, SA72 6DH

Wednesday, August 12

5:00pm to 8:00pm
Lord Nelson Hotel
9 Hamilton Terrace, Milford Haven, SA73 3AW

Housing Team staff will be available at each event to help applicants complete the new process, answer questions about the allocations policy and provide advice about other housing services.

Anyone needing support can email [email protected] or telephone 01437 776603.

Further information is available through the Choice Homes Pembrokeshire website.