News

Council u-turn over school closures following ‘attempt to bully’ charity trustees

Published

9 years ago

September 4, 2015

School changes: Council have made a U-turn on recent plans

A CONTROVERSIAL reorganisation of education provision in Haverfordwest appears to have been put on the back burner, following a number of protests and the threat of legal action.

Under the plans, Tasker Milward School would have been closed, and an 11-16 ‘superschool would have been created on the Sir Thomas Picton School site. A Welsh-medium school was to have been built on the Tasker Milward site.

The sixth form provision for the town would have been based at Pembrokeshire College.

The plans created uproar in Haverfordwest, with many people complaining that pupils in the town would have a lack of education choices compared to those living in areas of the county with school-based sixth form provision.

As The Herald revealed, the council also faced a possible legal battle with the trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton charity, which owns the land on which Tasker Milward is built.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Director for Children and Schools, Kate Evan-Hughes, wrote a reportwhich said that since July 16, when PCC realised the extent of the potential legal issues and the present ‘offers to meet with the Trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity have not resulted in a meeting.

‘In order to progress the development of education provision for pupils in north, west and south Pembrokeshire – a fundamental part of the strategy to improve standards, it is proposed to postpone the element relating to Haverfordwest to enable further discussion in pursuit of a mutually agreeable solution that meets the case for change and the imperative to improve standards of attainment for young people.’

BULLYING

Former council leader Maurice Hughes confirmed today that attempts to arrange a meeting between the trustees and the local authority had been taking place between the parties’ legal representatives.Mr Hughes praised Stephen Hill of Price and Son in Haverfordwest for his diligence in dealing with the Council and told our reporter: “The Council was not prepared to meet our conditions for a meeting, which was a promise to keep an 11-19 school in Haverfordwest. In addition, the Council wished to impose conditions of its own before any meeting took place.”Mr Hughes then proceeded to disclose that the Council had threatened to build a new 11-16 school on a third site in Haverfordwest in order to bypass the objections of the charitable trust: “Personally,” Mr Hughes said, “I regard that as nothing short of an attempt to bully and blackmail the Trust into giving way.”

He continued: “The Council mucked up the consultation and was told it had before it started. It seems to me that a lot of time, effort, and money is being spent by the Council trying to get itself out a mess it made itself and which was completely avoidable. If I was still Council leader, I would not be very happy with the officer responsible for that happening.”

However, Maurice Hughes was not condemnatory of the attitude and action of all council officers: “Ian Westley, the new Chief Executive, came to my house to see me one evening and stayed for over two hours as we chatted around the issues. He had been briefed, that is obvious, I guessed by Kate Evans-Hughes (Director of Education). We spoke informally about a few ways of resolving the difficulties. I told him what I’ll say to you, the Education Department should have sorted this out before the consultation and not tried to ride roughshod over the Trust and local people.

“When there are claims of seeking a mutually satisfactory outcome to negotiations, what the Education Department means is getting its own way.”

On the decision to site a Welsh-medium school in Haverfordwest at a third site, Maurice Hughes commented that it appeared to be a case of the Education Department cutting of their nose to spite their face and wondered whether it was a sign of trying to force the trustees to give way.

“Of course,” Maurice said, “we’ve never had any objection to a Welsh-medium school being based on trust land. That’s a red herring. The issue – the only issue – is the provision of 11-19 schooling on one site in Haverfordwest. It seems to me that talking about consultation with us and then telling parents of children in St Davids that their children will be going to Pembrokeshire College after the age of sixteen, gives the game away about just how much consultation and compromise the Education Department has in mind.”

The Saveour6thform campaign group are delighted to note that the Extraordinary Council Meeting scheduled for 10th September 2015 recommending the closure of both Haverfordwest Secondary schools will be postponed to allow for further considerations.

We trust that the new recommendation will incorporate the needs of the County town to continue with the provision of choice for the already viable 11-19 School in Haverfordwest.

Crime

Unanimous verdict in Ceredigion sexual assault case

Published

4 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A CEREDIGION man has been convicted to three years and six months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in her own bed after the jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

27-year-old Suroj Bk, from Llangrannog, was sentenced this week following a week-long trial at Swansea Crown Court (May 1).

On 7 October 2023, Dyfed-Powys Police received a report that Bk entered the victim’s home and sexually assaulted her while she lay in her bed.

When the victim realised what was happening, she kicked Bk out of her bed and called the police.

Upon receiving the report, officers quickly attended the victim’s home and conducted a thorough search of the surrounding area using police dogs and scenes of crime officers.

Evidence gathered from scene, together with extensive local enquiries, led officers to arrest Suroj Bk the next day (8 October).

While Bk was in custody, detectives, crime scene investigators, and digital forensic officers worked tirelessly to uncover the evidence that ultimately placed Suroj Bk at the scene.

After hearing the evidence, the jury took less than two hours to agree a unanimous guilty verdict.

The detective in charge of the case has praised the victim for her ‘tremendous courage’ in reporting the assault to police.

“Incidents of this nature are thankfully very rare within Ceredigion, and I’d like to reassure the community that this was an isolated incident, and that the identification and arrest of suspect was done quickly and efficiently,” said Detective Inspector Sam Gregory.

“The victim in this case demonstrated tremendous courage in reporting to police, and while this investigation was not straightforward in its nature, it was through the expertise and tenacity of forensic officers, working together with the investigation team, and the victim, that led to this successful prosecution.

“I hope the sentence given to Suroj Bk sends a clear and strong message that Dyfed-Powys Police takes reports of sexual offences seriously.

“We will listen to you, and we will work tirelessly to get justice.”

On Wednesday, 1 May 2024, Saroj Bk was sentenced to three years and six months in prison and a five-year restraining order, and he will be on the sex offenders register for life.

If you have been a victim of a crime such as this, report it to Dyfed-Powys Police either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://www.dyfed-powys.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/v1/rape-sexual-assault-other-sexual-offences/, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always call 999.

If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

News

Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police

Published

4 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS police have said today that the body found on Wednesday, May 1, has been confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, who was reported missing from the Pembroke Dock area on April 14.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We will continue to support the family and will assist with issuing a tribute publicly if the family wish to do so.”

In a statement, his family said: “Luke was a joyful and funny young man and always wanted to help others. He was a loving son, brother, grandson and uncle, and will be forever missed.
“We have lost a huge part of our family, and our loss is shared by his many friends who also loved him dearly.
“We would like to thank the local community for the overwhelming support we have received.”

Business

Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’

Published

7 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven has been officially accredited as a Great Place to Work-Certified™ organisation. As the first Port Authority in Britain to secure this Certification™, it is a significant achievement.

“We are very proud to be Great Place to Work-Certified™,” said Vidette Swales, HR Director at the Port of Milford Haven. “It means so much that our employees have reported a consistently positive experience with their colleagues, their leaders and their jobs. Offering a positive employee experience is not only beneficial for the people who work with us but is also key for our continued business success.”

Tom Sawyer, CEO at the Port of Milford Haven added: “Our team is operating the UK’s leading energy port, and it is of the utmost importance that we do that safely, responsibly and effectively. We’re striving for excellence and aim to provide a world class service to our customers as well as supporting sustainable coastal communities for the prosperity of future generations. Our employees are clearly at the centre of this which is why I’m delighted that they feel supported in their role. I’m especially proud that this Certification™ demonstrates our core values of Safety, Excellence, Collaboration and Sustainability so perfectly.”

“We congratulate the Port of Milford Haven on achieving their Certification™,” said Benedict Gautrey, Managing Director of Great Place to Work® UK. “Organisations which put the employee experience at the heart of their business gain their employees’ trust and, in turn, are truly able to build a great workplace culture that delivers outstanding business results.”