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News

No denial on Penally ‘migrant camp’ plan

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Penally camp: Soon to welcome asylum seekers?

Penally camp: Soon to welcome asylum seekers?

THE HOME OFFICE was neither able to confirm or deny information that had been obtained by The Herald that Penally Training Camp is the subject of a potential change of usage from a training centre for military personnel to a holding centre for up to 1000 migrants who are waiting to be granted asylum in the UK. 

The Herald has received information from a senior source within the Ministry of Defence (MOD) that the camp is to be used as a reception centre for illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, with the hope of housing up to 1000 people at the camp until they are granted asylum and found homes in this, or other areas of the UK.

“The camp is subject to discussions to be turned into a ‘holding centre’ for migrants who are entering the UK. This would be a non-permanent home for the residents and they would be moved on when their applications had been processed.

“I have grave concerns about this, as the camp would require a huge amount of work doing to it to be able to contain these people securely until they are granted asylum.

“In Calais at the moment they are using the ‘Ring of Steel’ that was deployed around the Celtic Manor during the NATO summit in 2014. The current security at Penally is nothing like this.”

When posed the question “Has the Army Training Camp at Penally, Pembrokeshire been subject to discussions or plans as to a change of usage to become a migrant holding centre for up to 1000 people, and if so, when would these changes take place?” the MOD was unable to comment and referred the matter to the Home Office who returned with the reply:

“No decisions have been taken about the future of this site”

The reply neither confirms nor denies that the camp is to change to a reception centre for up to 1000 migrants, and implies that it is under discussion as a potential asylum site.

If it were to be true it would be the largest asylum centre of its kind in the UK. Currently there are 11 immigration centres throughout England and Scotland but none in Wales; Harmondsworth in Middlesex is currently the biggest with a capacity of 615.

In December 2015 the government shelved plans to house up to 1,500 migrants at a huge centre near the village of Littleton-upon-Severn in Gloucestershire after a barrage of complaints from local residents, many of which were worried it could interfere with village life.

In September 2015 David Cameron announced that the UK would accept up to 20,000 refugees from Syria over the next five years saying that the UK had a ‘moral responsibility’ to those living in camps near the border of Syria. Though opposition parties claimed that the UK should do more, with France taking 24,000 refugees over the next two years, attacked the number as being insufficient.

At the time of going to press The Herald was receiving fresh information and will continue to investigate.

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4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. john langford

    March 3, 2016 at 11:20 pm

    i Drove past the Penally army camp this morning and Mod has just removed the artillery gun and missile from the front gate of the army camp. So they must be changing use of the camp. and there is now a lot of blue rubbish bins been put in to the camp. as a person how has lived in the village all his life, i want to now if the mod is going to compensate the businesses for loss of trade nor merely from the troops how support the village, but for the loss of tourism when people find out the is a camp full of migrant in the village,and as the village is manly older people who will be worried about they safety of there homes. what is the mod going to do to supervise the camp safety,

  2. Lynne Galliford

    March 4, 2016 at 2:11 pm

    In fact I am not racist at all but as I have nothing against them. What do you know about these people could they be Isis terrorist, rapist pickpockets or murderes, do they have police record etc it what we need to check very carefully. They should have ask us local people first about how we feel about them. As I do know it will effect the area.

  3. TURKS

    March 8, 2016 at 12:20 pm

    This is where my work will begin…mark my words this can only end very badly for Europe. We will see how crime statistics change in the next few yes along with other significant social statistics.

    I will be there video camera in toe…lets see how many of these people are families and how many are young single fit strong males most of which will actually be economic migrants and most likely no more Syrian than I.

    And I don’t give a feck if the liberal Arseholes encouraging this insanity want to call me racist….that tactic no longer works. My daughters future and my duty to ensure she inherits a safe place to live with an open and tolerant society, able to enjoy the customs and traditions I was lucky to experience far out ways any fears of liberal attacks of being called racist.

    Although I’m not quite sure when Islam was declared a race

  4. NIMBY

    March 18, 2016 at 10:06 am

    @ TURKS:
    typical small village mentality. no sense of sympathy or compassion for a fellow human being.

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News

Welsh pensioners to receive state pension increase amidst mixed reactions

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STARTING this month, over 600,000 pensioners across Wales will see their State Pensions rise by up to £470 annually, following the UK Government’s adherence to the ‘triple lock’ policy. This policy ensures that pensions increase each year by the highest of average earnings growth, inflation, or a minimum of 2.5%.

Government’s Position

The UK Government has emphasized its commitment to supporting pensioners through the triple lock. In a recent statement, it was noted that this commitment would result in the State Pension increasing by up to £1,900 over the course of the current Parliament.

Opposition and Think Tank Critiques

However, the policy has faced criticism from various quarters. The Liberal Democrats have raised concerns about the real impact of the pension increase, pointing out that due to the freezing of income tax thresholds, a significant portion of the pension rise could be offset by increased tax liabilities. They estimate that a typical basic rate tax-paying pensioner might see 77% of the pension increase negated by these tax measures.

Additionally, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has questioned the sustainability of the triple lock mechanism. They argue that while the policy aims to protect pensioners’ incomes, it may not be the most efficient approach and could lead to unpredictable fiscal burdens.

Pensions Minister’s Stance

Torsten Bell, the newly appointed Pensions Minister, has previously described the triple lock as “rubbish” and advocated for its replacement with a system that aligns state pension increases with benefits for jobseekers and the long-term sick. Despite his past remarks, recent reports indicate that he is now “fully committed” to maintaining the triple lock.

Economic Implications

Financial experts have also highlighted potential unintended consequences of the pension increase. The freezing of personal tax allowances means that some pensioners may find themselves pushed into higher tax brackets, thereby reducing the net benefit of the pension rise. This situation underscores the complex interplay between pension policies and tax regulations.

In summary, while the increase in State Pensions is a welcome development for many Welsh pensioners, it has sparked a broader debate about the effectiveness and sustainability of the triple lock policy, as well as its interaction with the broader tax system.

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Crime

Over 120 Carmarthenshire people identified as ‘money mules’ in fraud probe

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More than 120 people in Carmarthenshire, mostly living in the Llanelli area have handed over their personal bank details to criminals involved in money laundering in exchange for financial gifts.

Economic Crime Team officers from Dyfed-Powys Police identified the individuals as part of an ongoing criminal investigation and issued notices advising them to stop the activity immediately or face prosecution.

Throughout February, the team visited people who had been linked with a suspected fraudster, as part of Operation Henhouse – a month-long nationwide clampdown on fraud offences.

On speaking to those involved, officers learned how the individuals opened online bank accounts using their personal information and identification and gave their account login details to criminals in return for cash, who then used their bank accounts to launder money obtained through crime.

The team offered safeguarding advice and warned them about the dangers of opening bank accounts to be used by someone else for criminal activity. 

Many were unaware of the implications of what they had done and thought it was an easy way to make some money. Some were given financial gifts ranging from £50 to £200, while others were promised money but did not receive it.

Dyfed-Powys Police Fraud Investigator Sian Stevens said: “Through intelligence, we were made aware of a fraudster who recruited a number of people in the Llanelli area to open bank accounts, which were then subsequently used for money laundering purposes.

“The Economic Crime Team visited over 120 individuals in February to explain that they had been used as a money mule – this is someone, who has allowed their bank account to be used to send criminal money. We issued them with cease and desist notice to interrupt any further fraud by making sure they were aware what they were doing was a criminal activity.  

“Many of the people were linked to each other. Some were family members or in the same friendship groups, ranging from young adults to pensioners. The accounts had been opened as a direct or indirect interaction with the fraudster. 

“For example, there were some instances where an individual opened a bank account after contact with the fraudster and then went on to tell their friends, ‘you can earn £50 if you open up a bank account and give the details to this person’ and so on. That was just one of many examples how the fraudster managed to obtain personal bank details.”

Dyfed-Powys Police Economic Crime Team Manager Paul Callard said: “People fall victim to fraud every day and the impact on victims can be devastating, both financially and emotionally.

“They can be taken advantage of by criminals and encouraged to allow their accounts to be used. People should be very careful about who they provide their personal information to.

“We will not tolerate fraudulent activity and will look to tackle criminals at every opportunity.”

How to avoid becoming a victim of fraud

  • Always use the ABC of scam awareness. Never Assume or Believe a caller, email or text is genuine. Always Confirm by contacting a trusted relative, friend, your bank’s fraud department or the police to check it is genuine.
  • Remember the police will never call you asking you to assist with an investigation by withdrawing cash for them to collect, or requesting to collect your bank card. If you receive a call purporting to be from the police and are unsure it is genuine, ring them back via 101 using a different telephone.
  • Avoid clicking on links in emails and text messages from unknown sources, as they are liable to be a scam.
  • Always use a strong and separate password for your email address by using three random words.

Do you know what will happen if you are caught allowing criminals to use your bank accounts to money launder?

⚠️ You could face prosecution and go to prison for up to 14 years.

⚠️ It will be difficult to get a phone contract.

⚠️ Your bank accounts will be closed.

⚠️ You will have problems applying for credit.

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Community

Pembrokeshire projects are building success

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PEMBROKESHIRE County Council’s Building Control Team is congratulating local building and design projects for success in the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2024.

The LABC Building Excellence Awards are the largest business to business awards in the building control sector.  

They celebrate buildings and design teams that have overcome the challenges of complex technical and construction issues and put the spotlight on innovative and creative building work.

In Pembrokeshire, D & O Construction Ltd, Julian Bishop Architect, Redstone Architecture  and AB Rogers & Son Ltd, Hayston Development & Planning Ltd all achieved success on some high profile local projects.

In the Regional LABC Building Excellence Awards 2024, Berry Lodge, Newport won the Best Residential Extension in Wales prize with work carried out by D & O Construction Ltd and with agents Julian Bishop Architect and Redstone Architecture.

Highly Commended was the development at Plas Y Castell, Llawhaden, carried out by AB Rogers & Son Ltd and Hayston Development & Planning Ltd.

The Berry Lodge development then went forward to the Grand Finals at Grovesnor House in London where the top projects across the UK were celebrated.

Council Building Control Manager Sam Goodwin said: “Building Control is delighted to work on these projects which highlight the skill and innovation of developers locally.

“Pembrokeshire County Council Building Control is proud to be part of LABC Awards. The Local Authority Building Control (LABC) awards were set up to celebrate excellence achieved through high building standards, technical innovation and sustainable designs.

“The Awards are an opportunity for the industry to celebrate good building practice and winners demonstrate how positive working relationships with local Council building control teams achieve high quality, sustainable buildings.

“The awards are unique because they recognise how this cooperation improves building standards and professionalism across the industry and it is great to see local contractors, agents and designers within Pembrokeshire receive recognition in achieving these standards.”

If you would like to contact Building Control at Pembrokeshire County Council, please contact Building Control via the website www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/building-control or alternatively contact 01437 764551

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