News

Further review of car scheme

Published

11 years ago

July 16, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Bryn’s wheels: A review of
council policy was sparked by
previous extravagent spending

A FURTHER review will be carried out into the executive car scheme as the council continues to look at cutting its costs. At a meeting of the Senior Staff Committee on Thursday (Jul 2), councillors held a lengthy debate on the matter. Cllr Bob Kilmister had originally submitteda noticeof motion asking that the council make a 15% cut in the car scheme.

At a previous meeting of the Senior Staff Committee Cllr Kilmister criticised the lack of information and asked for a detailed report to be carried out. That report came back to the committee at Thursday’s meeting but Cllr Kilmister still raised questions over the report. He talked about Co2 emissions that come from the current lease cars and added that the council could look into the possibility of using hybrid or electric cars. The committee were unsure of the implications of using such cars and a further report will now be carried out. Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Kilmister said: “In my submission I stated that I believed the cost of the scheme to be £119,000.

The actual figure is £183,000 which is 53% higher than we were told at the seminar. We are told that 28 officers are entitled so this reaches out at a cost of £6,537 each. I think the scheme still needs further work. I am not against the scheme but I think we need to look at lowering the substantial cost. I still believe a 15% saving is desirable and achievable. Restricting the number of cars could bring a large saving, do our officers actually need such gas-guzzling vehicles. I accept the need for some to have four-wheel drive vehicles but you can now get hybrid-electric four wheel drives. By reducing the director’s and head of paid service’s new lease deals to £6,381, reducing the chief officers to £4,471 a 15% saving would be made. I accept this cannot happen overnight but the new rules should be applied as soon as possible. Having looked on the internet, I found that a four wheel drive vehicle is leased on the same conditions we currently have for a total of £1,944, that was a Kia.

A four-byfour Mitsubishi Outlander, top of the range, electric-hybrid, was available at £3,984. A four-by-four BMW, top of the range, was available at £5,172. All those examples, which are quite elaborate, quite big, would be considered by the public to be more than adequate, are below the rates I have published with the exception of the BMW. It looks to me as if we could still, on the basis of this £7,000, that somebody could still get another Porsche and the whole idea of this was to make sure that we don’t get to the situation where the Porsche was clearly unacceptable. At a time of great cutbacks, if we don’t make a cut here and we reject this we are going to send out entirely the wrong message when we are making major changes to other public services.

I would urge you to look at this deep down but I am not convinced by the report and a 15% saving is not only necessary but desirable.” Chief Finance Officer John Haswell pointed out that he had taken up the opportunity to have a hybrid lease car. He added: “Because of staff turnover, there has been a budget saving over recent years. At present time there are 24 officers with a lease car but that may go up because of recent appointments. Chief Officers are entitled to choose the car that they wish. I now vet all the applications, so somebody could get another Porsche but they wouldn’t because I wouldn’t allow it.” Cllr Tessa Hodgson asked why he wouldn’t let officers drive a Porsche and John Haswell replied it was down to reputation and that there would also be other cars he wouldn’t allow because the council wouldn’t want an officer driving certain types of car.

Council Leader Jamie Adams said: “We shouldn’t be in a position of penalising those in the scheme at the moment because of what has gone on in the past.” Councillors were all in agreement that the scheme should be looked at further including the scope of cars available that will provide savings based on Co2 emissions, clarity on insurance and infrastructure costs for putting in charging points.

News

Senedd election 2026: Poll points to historic Welsh Labour slump

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Plaid Cymru projected to emerge as largest party, with Reform UK close behind as Labour risks falling to third place

A MAJOR new opinion poll has sent fresh tremors through Welsh politics, suggesting Welsh Labour could lose its grip on Cardiff Bay for the first time since devolution began in 1999.

The survey, carried out by JL Partners for The Telegraph, projects Plaid Cymru as the largest party in the next Senedd, with Reform UK in second and Labour pushed into third. According to the poll, Plaid is on 28.8% of the vote and projected to win 33 seats, Reform UK is on 24.8% and 29 seats, while Labour trails on 15.9% and 17 seats.

If that result were repeated on polling day, it would mark one of the biggest political upheavals in modern Welsh political history. Labour has led every Welsh administration since the Assembly was created in 1999, but this poll suggests that dominance may now be under serious threat.

The election on May 7 will itself be a landmark one. For the first time, the Senedd will have 96 members rather than 60, with Wales divided into 16 larger constituencies, each electing six Members of the Senedd under the new proportional closed-list system. Voters will cast a single vote for a party or independent candidate, replacing the previous system.

Under the JL Partners projection, Labour is forecast to lead in only one of the new super-constituencies: Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd. Elsewhere, the battle for first place is expected to be dominated by Plaid Cymru and Reform UK.

For west Wales, that will be watched especially closely. Pembrokeshire is now split between the new Preseli Sir Benfro and Ceredigion Penfro constituencies, meaning local voters will be part of two much larger electoral contests than before. Under the reformed system, party performance across a wider area will carry much greater weight.

The projected national vote shares in the poll are:

Plaid Cymru: 28.8%
Reform UK: 24.8%
Labour: 15.9%
Conservatives: 12.3%
Greens: 9.2%
Liberal Democrats: 5.6%
Others: 3.5%

The findings broadly follow the direction of another recent MRP poll, which also placed Plaid Cymru in first place, Reform UK second and Labour third, although with different seat estimates. Taken together, the polling suggests a growing appetite for change among Welsh voters.

Even so, the picture remains fluid. With no party anywhere near the 49 seats needed for a majority in the new 96-member Senedd, any administration formed after May 7 is likely to depend on coalition talks or some form of agreement between parties.

James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, described the Welsh findings as potentially seismic, warning they would represent a political earthquake if borne out on election day.

For Pembrokeshire voters, the implications are significant. The coming weeks are likely to see fierce debate over farming, rural transport, NHS waiting times, the 20mph policy, energy costs, education and the value-for-money argument surrounding the larger Senedd. Those issues are already shaping campaign messages across west Wales.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has presented his party as ready to lead the next Welsh Government, while Labour under First Minister Eluned Morgan faces what may be its most difficult Senedd campaign in a generation. Reform UK, meanwhile, is seeking to turn growing discontent with the political establishment into a major breakthrough.

Polls are snapshots rather than forecasts, and much can still change before voters go to the ballot box. But with the campaign entering its closing weeks, this latest survey suggests Wales may be heading towards the most dramatic Senedd election since devolution began.

Crime

Criminal damage investigation after vehicle damaged in Pembroke

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Police appeal for information following incident on South Road between March 11 and March 15

POLICE are investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle in Pembroke.

The damage is believed to have occurred on South Road sometime between Wednesday, March 11 and Sunday, March 15, 2026.

Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious, or who has information that could assist the investigation, to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police online, by email at [email protected], or by calling 101, quoting reference number 26000209990.

Community

Family safe after major house fire in Letterston, community told

Published

3 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Memorial hall opened to help those affected after blaze in Station Road area

A FAMILY escaped without injury after a major house fire in the Station Road area of Letterston, according to local residents.

The blaze prompted a major emergency response on Wednesday (Apr 15), with fire engines seen at the scene and the road closed while crews tackled the incident.

People posting in the Letterston community group said the family was safe, although one kitten was sadly lost in the fire.

One resident wrote: “They lost a kitten, but the family were ok. Nothing worse than a fire. There were 4 fire engines here at one time.”

Others described hearing multiple sirens and seeing smoke rising from the area, with one local woman saying her partner could see the fire engines from nearby fields.

As news of the fire spread, the local community quickly rallied round. The memorial hall was opened for anyone affected, while residents offered practical help and support to the family.

Messages posted online described the loss of the home as heartbreaking, with one resident writing that while the house had gone, the family were “alive and well to make more new memories”.

The Herald has approached the emergency services for official confirmation on the cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage.