News

Letters reveal hostility to school plans

Published

9 years ago

September 21, 2015

Criticised: Council leader Jamie Adams

THE HERALD has seen correspondence between the Chair of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity and Council Leader Jamie Adams that casts doubts on the legality of the Council”s revised proposals for the reorganisation of secondary education in mid and north Pembrokeshire.

The letter, dated September 8, takes Cllr Adams to task over the way the Council appears to have prejudged and predetermined the outcome of any fresh consultation.

Speaking to The Herald last Friday, former Council leader Maurice Hughes said: “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.”

Demonstrating that the Trustees of the Charity are not prepared to back down, Maurice Hughes” letter reads:

“The Trustees have become aware of the revised proposals (discussed at Council Thursday, September 10) and have taken advice on them. In relation to the proposals for Fishguard and St Davids, one recommendation is that post 16 provision should be in a new sixth form centre as part of a formal collaboration between the County Council and Pembrokeshire College.”

It goes on to point out that proceeding with consultation and publication would represent a predetermination of any subsequent proposals affecting Haverfordwest”s schools, rendering them unlawful. “Any consultation document,” the letter continues, “would itself be in breach of a number of provisions of the statutory code.”

Concluding the letter queries just what mutually satisfactory settlement the council is contemplating if it has already decided where the town”s pupils are to be educated after the age of sixteen.

A further missive was sent to all councillors by the Governors of Tasker Milward and Sir Thomas Picton Secondary Schools.

The letter discloses that a meeting took place between Ian Westley, Kate Evans-Hughes and the chairs of the schools” governining bodies.

It continues: “Various ideas were considered in the hope that a compromise solution could be found to suit all parties.

“Site locations were considered but the main sticking point is that we, the Governors, together with the staff, the pupils, and vast numbers of the local population, require to retain choice of education in the area which in effect means a new 11 – 19 year school in Haverfordwest incorporating a 6th form.”

Citing that the original recommendation of the council’s own specialists (Tribal) was that the 6th form should be run through a secondary school on or near a school site, the letter maintains that the reasoning behind the council’s desire to shuffle sixth formers off to Pembrokeshire College is ‘highly suspect’.

In addition, a new strand of debate is developed. The letter suggests that the Council’s long term plan is to shift all of Pembrokeshire’s sixth form provision to the proposed Pembrokeshire College Centre (which would chime with the original aim to put all post-14 education under the College, as revealed by Council Leader Jamie Adams nearly two years ago).

In relation to that prospect the letter points out: ‘The population of Haverfordwest has been particularly vociferous in its opposition to a 6th form centre and we feel that when it actually dawns on the population of south Pembrokeshire that their schools may suffer the same fate, individuals will at last awake’.

Criticising the local authority for seeking to site a new school on the smaller of the two available sites in Haverfordwest, the letter pours scorn on the proposal its authors say they ‘find it incredulous that this site has been chosen for what will in effect be a much larger school than currently exists on its grounds”.

On a final note, councillors are left in no doubt of the strength of the opposition to its plans: ‘We remain vehemently against any funding being routed through Pembrokeshire College, or the pupils being placed on that site.

‘If the Council does not listen to the voice of the people, it will be this Council which will have lost 21st Century funding.”

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

2 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

3 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

3 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.