News

Badger writes a letter

Published

9 years ago

March 4, 2015

pawprint THIS WEEK Badger writes a slightly different column. It’s a letter. A letter to chair of the Corporate Governance Committee: Former council Cabinet stooge; one time aspirant to the leadership of the Labour Group; and a man who desperately wants to be County Council Chair in 2016/17. This week, readers, Badger writes to the voice of Ken, Ken Rowlands:

Dear Ken, A writer of The Pembrokeshire Herald phoned Badger on Monday evening. He was beside himself with grief and worry. And you caused it, Ken. You were responsible for this poor little lamb’s distress. There he was sitting and taking notes of a committee meeting which you were chairing when you said that the press would not report good news because it was not sensational enough. That was after you had opined ex cathedra about ‘lies’ appearing in the press. Lies, Ken. Really? Which lies were you thinking about? When you warned everyone about lies appearing in the press. were you thinking about the lies you have told over the years to your electors? Let’s focus in on a few of those shall we. Ken. Ken: You published your newsletter which claimed that you and the community council you chair. Johnston. had made representations to County Hall about the new school due to be

built in council. So we have a sense of completeness. Ken, you said this: “Members of the Community Council joined with me to help make an informed decision at County Hall … when the proposals were then submitted to the Welsh Government for approval.” But Ken, as the then Cabinet Spokesperson for Education, any influence you brought to bear would have been wholly inappropriate due to your disqualifying interest as a governor of Johnston School. A fact you had previously recognized yourself and one which the reporter who was at the committee meeting asked !PPG leader Jamie Adams about when he saw your newsletter. For the record, Ken, this is what your leader said at the time: “What Cllr Rowlands was referring to in his newsletter was discussions he had held with his electorate about potential sites for the new school and not about associated matters connected to the school, such as funding and planning issues which have yet to be decided.” Can you spot the difference between those two positions. Ken? Badger can, Ken. Badger can. One of you is not telling the truth, Ken. Is it you or Jamie Adams? Please. Ken, let Badger know whether you simply embroidered the facts or breached the Code of Conduct. Now. Ken: you have form about Johnston School. Ken. Don’t you?

In 2012, Ken, you told your electors that you had secured £7m of funding for a new school in Johnston. Do you remember that Ken? It was another case of can-do Ken answering a question nobody was asking. But, Ken, let’s look at what your Leader, Jamie Adams, said about it: “It was essential to note that these were only approvals at an outline stage. At this stage, therefore, it was impossible to provide members with certainty about the confirmed inclusion of specific projects, their timescales or their prioritisation across the entire programme.” That’s not ‘committed funding’, Ken, which is what you claimed. Can you spot the difference between those two positions, Ken? Badger can, Ken. Badger can. One of you is not telling the truth, Ken. Is it you or Jamie Adams? Please, Ken, let Badger know whether you simply embroidered the facts or breached the Code of Conduct by using your position on the council to leak confidential information favourable to you to the electorate. In 2008. Ken, you told the Labour Party that you were their man; their candidate for Johnston. And then Ken, in appropriately biblical fashion, you claimed a sudden conversion. A conversion so sudden and dramatic that it happened too late for the Labour Party to select an alternative candidate. You claimed after the election that your defection was not

motivated by the offer of a Cabinet post, you also claimed that your decision to join the Independent Political Group was made after the election. But Ken, you and me know that isn’t true. If its untrue, why would your name and the name of other official Labour Party candidates who subsequently joined you in the then MG, have appeared on a list of safe !PG seats produced before the 2008 election? Why would your name appear on documents showing you to be a key recruiter for the IPG at the count for the 2008 election? Are all of the documents containing your name about the 2008 election a conspiracy to implicate you in the biggest electoral rook in Pembrokeshire’s recent past? That’s not changing tack after the election. Can you spot the difference between those two positions, Ken? Badger can. Ken. Badger can. Either the documents are not telling the truth, or you are not. Which is it. Ken? Last weekend. The Pembrokeshire Herald related the content of a conversation that took place between you and your former Cabinet colleague David Simpson. In that conversation you confirmed a rumour that it was Rob Lewis who told you of your appointment to the committee investigating Bryn Parry-Jones’ conduct; that at the same meeting you were told to ‘keep your mouth shut’ while on that committee; that the meeting in which you

were told the above took place in the presence of a Council Officer. We were able to report that because Cllr David Simpson told our assistant editor about the conversation between you. Badger is inclined to believe ClIr Simpson. Badger thinks that a lot of others will, too. If you maintain that any of the above is ‘a lie’. Ken – write to Badger and let him know. He has had one of his little woodland chums trawl through our past letters and emails to see if you have ever complained about any ‘lies’ about you in this paper. They found not a single scrap of correspondence. Funny that. So, Ken, before you next abuse your position as the Chair of a council committee to try and settle scores, Badger invites you to just answer the questions posed of you above. If you can. Love and sloppy kisses

PS: One more thing Ken, don’t you think your electors would be served better if you were a voice FOR Johnston?

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

8 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

8 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

8 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.