News
Council look to slash £700,000 from sports & leisure
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is looking at reducing its budget for leisure and tourism services and a change in the way it delivers them in a bid to cut £700,000.
The council is currently looking for views from the public and a consultation period was started this week (Monday, Aug 15) and will run until September 16.
It is estimated that between now and 2020, the council will need to reduce its spending by £52.5 million.
There have already been a number of changes to council services over the last few years which have contributed to the council meeting some of its budget pressures.
The council says they are keen to find a way to operate leisure and tourism services more efficiently and that they hope to avoid closure of facilities wherever possible.
Customers will not be affected by any new changes but it is hoped that they will be managed and governed differently.
“We are asking the community, service users and other stakeholders to help inform the decision-making process” said the Authority’s Deputy Leader, Keith Lewis.
He went on: “Over the past 10 years, Pembrokeshire County Council has invested in excess of £25 million in upgrading its leisure centres and libraries.
“It is therefore very important that we take advantage of any potential savings with a view to maintaining a quality service to our customers and securing the future of our staff.”
A specialist firm, Winckworth Sherwood, has been brought in to look at the different ways in which this can be delivered and they have come up with five new options for leisure services which are now out for consideration.
Two further options have also been drawn up for tourism services.
As part of these options, there will still be funding coming from the council but management arrangements differ.
The five options include creating a local charitable entity, a mutual or a co-operative organisation, a council controlled company, outsourcing through competitive tender or keeping services in-house.
Winckworth Sherwood has stated that they believe the best option would be to establish a new locally created charitable entity (Trust) to deliver culture and leisure services with a separate wholly managed subsidiary to manage tourism marketing services (Option 1 and Option A).
The council adds that all responses will be considered carefully before a decision is made.
One meeting to discuss these changes was held in Crymych on Thursday (Aug 18).
The five other public meetings have been arranged around the county over the next few weeks from 6.30pm to 8pm as follows:
Tenby Leisure Centre, Tuesday, August 23
Milford Haven Leisure Centre, Thursday, August 25
Fishguard Leisure Centre, Thursday, September 1
Haverfordwest Leisure Centre, Monday, September 5
Pembroke Dock Library, Monda, September 12.
Another way to participate is to visit the council’s website at: www. pembrokeshire/gov.uk.
Alternatively, ring the council’s Customer Contact Centre on 01437 764551 and ask for a hard copy of the consultation to be posted.
The deadline for responses is Friday, September 16.
The local authority have faced criticism thus far for the short notice ahead of some of the meetings.
Concerns have been expressed by some that transferring the council’s leisure services either to an arms-length company or a trust could potentially lead to job losses and a reduction in the range of facilities offered.
In North Wales, a similar arrangement ended disastrously, while in neighboring Carmarthenshire, there is strong resistance to similar proposals.
Crime
Police appeal for information after several tractors stolen
POLICE officers in Pembrokeshire investigating a theft from several tractors, which happened overnight between April 17-18, 2024.
The tractors had been in a field near to Loch Turfin, Haverfordwest.
Included in the stolen items were vehicle keys, tools and waterproof clothing.
A spokesperson said “Police are now appealing for anyone with information that could help them with their investigation to contact PC 772 Boyt either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 101.
“Quote reference: 24*355571”
Community
Pembrokeshire firefighters help deliver fire engines to Ukraine
FIRE services from across the United Kingdom have rallied together to donate vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, amidst ongoing conflicts that have seen local fire stations and firefighters come under direct attack.
The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) was at the forefront of this international goodwill effort, donating three fire appliances and dispatching nine of their personnel to ensure safe delivery.
The initiative, coordinated by Fire Aid UK, involved a total of 11 UK fire services. Over a grueling 5.5-day journey that spanned several countries—starting from Kent Fire and Rescue Service and moving through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and into Poland—33 fire appliances were transported to a location just 20 miles from the Ukraine border. They left Kent on April 23.
This convoy, laden with not just fire engines but also 3000 items of critical firefighting gear including cutting equipment, fire hoses, first aid kits, and generators, was a sight of resilience and humanitarian commitment. Watch Manager Rob MakePeace, a Business Fire Safety Officer, and Watch Manager Keith Jenkins, who is retired but still oversees part-time personnel at Haverfordwest, played pivotal roles in the operation from Pembrokeshire.
Speaking on the experience, Keith Jenkins expressed the profound impact of the mission, “It was a fantastic experience to be involved in. The convoy itself was an amazing sight, but the people we met, places we stayed and the reason we were delivering the appliances was something we will remember for a long time.”
The donation comes at a critical time for Ukraine, where daily attacks have not only jeopardized the lives of local firefighters but have also devastated much of the essential infrastructure needed to fight fires effectively. The additional appliances and equipment from the UK are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Ukrainian fire departments, providing them with the necessary tools to save lives and protect property under dire circumstances.
This act of generosity and the strenuous efforts by the UK firefighters underscore a deep commitment to aiding those in peril, transcending borders and showcasing the best of international cooperation and humanitarian assistance.
News
Protest outside Stephen Crabb’s office over Rwanda deportations
SUPPORTERS of West Wales Stand Up to Racism group will attend a protest outside the office of Stephen Crabb MP in Market Street at 6pm on Tuesday evening (May 7).
The protest is to highlight the inhumane scheme to send refugees to Rwanda.
Since the Rwanda Bill was finally passed last week, refugees have already been identified, detained and are being prepared to be flown to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed there.
Rushi Sunak has said “To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.
“To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained, dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting. To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary has made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.”
The protestors are asking: why is all this money being spent when these vulnerable people could have their asylum claims dealt with in the UK?
If the Prime Minister hoped his Rwanda plan would help get more votes for the Conservative Party in the recent elections, it would appear he was mistaken.
A new report from the Refugee Council warns that the UK Government’s flagship Illegal Migration Act and Rwanda Plan will lead to another catastrophic “system meltdown”, trapping over 100,000 people in permanent limbo while costing taxpayers billions.
West Wales Stand Up to Racism has campaigned against the Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda from the time this scheme was first suggested.
Supporters have previously met with Simon Hart MP and attempted to deliver a giant postcard to his office.
The group has taken part in the online Hands in Protest project organised by Artisan Avenue, Tenby which allowed everyone to express on line how they felt about Rwanda by submitting drawings of their own hands. The collective Hands In Protest gives a powerful message that the Rwanda plan should be stopped.
The organisers said: “Supporters will be once more taking the giant postcard on Tuesday, to protest about the Rwanda scheme. We will have small post cards for supporters to write messages to Stephen Crabb, telling him how strongly we feel about this.
“All over the UK, anti-racists are picketing Home Office buildings to show their opposition to the Rwanda scheme and are trying to prevent arrests and giving support to the refugees being arrested and detained.
“West Wales Stand Up to Racism supporters want to make their voices heard too.”
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