News
Road safety measures to improve
MOTORISTS and pedestrians across Dyfed-Powys will benefit from increased road safety activity this summer.
Police officers are planning extra work in response to an action plan issued by Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon.
Their work is due to feature an enhanced Operation Darwen, the region’s annual summer road safety campaign, including new neighbourhood policing activity, increased publicity and closer links with neighbouring forces South Wales and Gwent.
The campaign will also see partners remove noisy vehicles from the road.
Mr Salmon said: “I continue to stress to all relevant agencies that road safety is properly addressed. Where I can I’ll make the necessary resources available and I’m pressing the Welsh Government and others to play their part.”
The Commissioner has explained the 2014 activity to members of the public and local councillors who had told him about their concerns about A40 safety matters.
He has written to the Motorcycle Action Group and Institute of Advanced Motorists, to the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Powys County Council, Brecon and Radnorshire MP Roger Williams and Brecon and Radnorshire AM Kirsty Williams.
Mr Salmon, who hosted a public meeting in Sennybridge last summer in response to public road safety concerns, is eager to keep people updated. He said: “There’s much frustration and concern about anti-social road use across Dyfed-Powys.
“My road safety action plan focuses on road design, law enforcement and safety education. They’re the responsibility of various bodies and I am pursuing them.
“Welsh Government Transport Minister Edwina Hart has held discussions with the police and is, I believe, considering support for policing trunk roads.
“I’ve raised the matter of law enforcement with the Chief Constable and his roads policing team, with the result being an improved Operation Darwen. We’re also looking into the use of average speed cameras.”
News
Body recovered confirmed to be Luke Stephenson, say police
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.”
Business
Port of Milford Haven now official ‘a great place to work’
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.”
Find out more about careers at the Port of Milford Haven here: www.mhpa.co.uk/about/careers-at-the-port/.
News
Fresh questions over fire that ravaged Manorbier school
A senior Pembrokeshire councillor is to be quizzed on what progress has been made in recouping a £200,000 insurance excess paid by the council following the 2022 fire at a Manorbier school.
Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.
Pupils and staff were successfully evacuated with no injuries, and a “school from school” was set up in Jameston Village Hall, after a brief period of sanctuary at the nearby Buttyland caravan site.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s insurers have previously said the fire was accidentally started while “hot works” were being carried out by contractors to renew an adjacent flat roof, but, as has previously been stressed, no liability had been accepted to date.
Councillors have previously heard the majority of costs were likely to be met from the council’s insurers, with the caveat of the unknown issue of liability and its effect on the £200,000 insurance excess.
A submitted question, by Councillor Aled Thomas, to be heard at the full council meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on May 9, will ask Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham “to update the chamber on what progress the Cabinet have made in recouping the £200,000 insurance excess paid following the devastating non-fault fire at Manorbier school”.
Councillors have previously been told by Cllr Woodham: “The legal issues are not straightforward but will be robustly taken forward.
“At this stage it’s still subject to legal discussion. The excess will be covered by a fund the council holds for insurance excess.”
He said that, if liability was found or accepted, the council would “pursue for the full maximum claim of the costs associated with the fire”.
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