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Councillors condemn embattled chief

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embattled chiefCHIEF EXECUTIVE PENSION PAYMENTS SCANDAL

FOLLOWING the publication of the WAO report last week, The Pembrokeshire Herald can confirm that Dyfed Powys and South Wales police forces are seeking legal advice from the Crown Prosecution Service about whether there is any evidence to support criminal charges in relation to unlawful pay supplements given to Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Bryn Parry Jones and Carmarthenshire County Council Chief Executive, Mark James.

The Pembrokeshire Herald now understands that the referral to the police was made by Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards, who wrote to the chief constables of Dyfed Powys and South Wales police forces.

Meeting due to be held

WITH THE County Council due to hold a special meeting to consider the report within the next three weeks, it is unclear whether the intervention of the authorities will have any effect on the timing of such a meeting.

In light of dithering at the head of the Council and no sign of a date being set for the crucial meeting, a motion has been submitted for an emergency meeting to discuss the report’s content.

One question that any meeting must address is whether Bryn Parry Jones will be compelled to repay the unlawful pay supplement he has received over the last two years. While the County Council has the power to request repayment of any and all sums paid under the tax dodging scheme, it is not clear whether it will – in fact – do so. In addition, it is not clear whether any personal tax penalties will have accrued to the tax dodge’s beneficiaries.

Councillors tell Herald “Bryn should go”

COUNTY councillors across the political spectrum have already been in touch with The Pembrokeshire Herald giving their views as to the future of controversial chief executive, Bryn Parry Jones. The majority of those who have provided their opinion is in favour of the Council setting up its own investigation into the affair and suspending their CEO while the investigation takes place.

Some Pembrokeshire councillors have also called for the suspension of those who sat on the Senior Staff Committee that approved the unlawful payments to Bryn Parry Jones in September 2011.

Second officer shielded

PEMBROKESHIRE County Council continues to refuse to reveal the identity of the second officer who has benefited from the unlawful payments agreed by the Senior Staff Committee. A Council spokesman told The Pembrokeshire Herald:

‘We are not prepared to identify the second staff member who took up the new pension arrangements agreed on September 28, 2011.’

The Pembrokeshire Herald understands that the Council’s refusal to disclose the identity of the second staff members is simply delaying the inevitable revelation of their identity when it publishes its annual accounts. It was the appearance of the Chief Executive’s name in the authority’s accounts that gave rise to the current and ongoing scandal.

Leader’s email row

AS THE storm over the unlawful payments made to Bryn Parry Jones continues to rage around County Hall, a communication sent to IPPG members using the Council’s own IT infrastructure has caused further controversy.

IPPG leader Jamie Adams sent the email below from his County Council email address.

email row

 The email, which seeks to reassure members of Cllr Adams’s IPPG party, is a response to the scandal that has engulfed the Council over an unlawful pay supplement implemented to help senior officers avoid tax on their publicly-funded pensions.

The Pembrokeshire Herald understands that, in using his Council email address, Cllr Adams has potentially broken rules about the use of Council emails for party political purposes.

We were notified of the email’s existence by Hakin Cllr Mike Stoddart, who has also published the story on his website.

The use of the Pembrokeshire County Council facilities for party political purposes has been a past cause of significant controversy for the supposedly “independent” IPPG. Former Councillor and IPPG Cabinet member David Wildman was heavily criticised by the Ombudsman for using Council IT facilities for party ends: “During the investigation the Ombudsman considered the twenty three files containing election literature for former colleagues … Councillor Wildman accepted at interview that he was recorded as being the author or the last person to have saved the files, and that he used Council computer systems to create the election material. He said that he had been given election material because some candidates had difficulty working computers and that he had prepared their manifestos.”

Having resigned before the publication of the Ombudsman’s report, Cllr Wildman escaped further censure. The Pembrokeshire Herald understands, however, that the Ombudsman is to consider the activities of a separate and current Cabinet member in relation to the same conduct.

The use by Cllr Adams of the Council’s own infrastructure to transact party business appears to be a similar breach of the rules as that in which Cllr Wildman became embroiled.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council told The Pembrokeshire Herald:

“The Monitoring Officer has confirmed that elected Members are allowed to manage group business using Council resources to facilitate Council business. This applies to all political groups.”

Carmarthenshire set the date

ACROSS the border in Carmarthenshire, the Council have adopted an aggressive and assertive approach to the Auditor’s findings of unlawfulness.

The date has been set for an extraordinary meeting for Carmarthenshire County Council to debate the Wales Audit Office reports.

The Leader and Executive Board have called for the meeting which has now been agreed by the Chair of Council Cllr Terry Davies. It will take place on Thursday, February 27, and the only items on the agenda will be reports regarding the two WAO issues.Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “It has been difficult being unable to speak out, particularly knowing the full facts and having seen all the evidence, it will be a great relief to be able to share that with all county councillors and with the public.”

Evidence relating to the two issues is being shared with all county councillors in advance of the matter going before council. This includes advice from QCs and previous communication with the Wales Audit Office.

Carmarthenshire Council has also published the advice of Tim Kerr QC relating to the costs indemnity it gave to its own Chief Executive, Mark James to bring a counterclaim for libel against Carmarthenshire blogger Jacqueline Thompson.

Carmarthenshire County Council instructed Mr Kerr, a specialist in local government law, jointly with Pembrokeshire County Council in relation to the pensions tax dodge that bother authorities passed entirely coincidentally in 2011. It is not clear why the tax dodging advice has not been published, although the nature of the joint advice means that both Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire would have to agree to its publication.

 

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Crime

Three more arrested after 18-year-old dies in Gorseinon crash

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Five people are now in custody following a collision involving a car and an off-road motorcycle

THREE more men have been arrested after an 18-year-old died following a collision between a car and an off-road motorcycle in Gorseinon.

South Wales Police were called to Pen Cae Crwn Road at around 12:58pm on Thursday, where the teenager, who is believed to have been from Swansea, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second man, aged 19, was taken to hospital with injuries.

Two 18-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of murder on Thursday.

Police confirmed on Friday that a further three arrests had been made.

A 33-year-old man from Gorseinon was arrested on suspicion of murder.

A 38-year-old man from Gowerton and a 38-year-old man from Mount Pleasant were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

The latest arrests bring the total number of people detained in connection with the investigation to five.

Several roads in the area remained closed on Friday morning while officers continued their investigation.

Cordons had been removed from some streets, although traffic cones, road signs and police tape remained at the roadside.

Gorseinon Rugby Club chairman Ian Murphy said the local community had been left in “deep shock”.

He said: “For youngsters to get involved in a tragedy like this is shocking and disturbing, very disturbing for us all.

“Everybody was talking about it. All the roads were closed by police and ambulances, so it took a while for it to sink in what was going on.

“We were aware that there might have been a chase involving a car and a motorbike, and the full tragedy unfolded from there.”

South Wales Police has not confirmed the circumstances leading up to the collision, and enquiries remain ongoing.

 

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Health

Hywel Dda patients waited average of 64 weeks for hip surgery

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Freedom of Information figures show more than 1,600 patients remained on the health board’s hip replacement waiting list in May

PATIENTS awaiting elective hip replacement surgery under Hywel Dda University Health Board waited an average of 450 days during the 2025/26 financial year, according to newly released figures.

The average wait was equivalent to just over 64 weeks, significantly longer than the treatment times set out under Welsh NHS targets.

The figures were obtained through a Freedom of Information request submitted to the health board by private healthcare marketplace My Medical Gateway.

In Wales, the stated aim is for 95% of patients to begin treatment within 26 weeks of referral, with no patient waiting longer than 36 weeks.

Hywel Dda confirmed that 1,608 patients were on its waiting list for hip replacement surgery as of May 28, 2026.

The health board also said 16 patients had been removed from the waiting list during the 2025/26 financial year after choosing to undergo treatment privately.

Hip replacement surgery is most commonly offered to people experiencing severe pain, stiffness and reduced mobility, often after other treatments such as physiotherapy, pain relief, injections and lifestyle changes have failed to provide sufficient relief.

Sara Gezdari, Head of Investor Relations at My Medical Gateway, said prolonged waits could have a serious effect on patients’ physical and emotional wellbeing.

She said: “Many people join NHS waiting lists after already spending months or years attempting to manage their condition through physiotherapy, pain relief medication, injections and lifestyle modifications.

“By the time surgery is recommended, they are often already struggling. The true impact of waiting is measured not in weeks but in declining quality of life.”

She said patients waiting for surgery could experience increasing pain, disrupted sleep, reduced mobility, loss of independence, social isolation and worsening mental health.

Long waits could also have financial consequences, particularly for people whose employment relies on physical mobility.

Ms Gezdari added: “Many patients continue working despite severe symptoms. As pain worsens, productivity often falls. Some reduce their hours. Others leave work entirely.

“The consequences can be particularly significant for self-employed individuals who depend upon physical mobility to earn a living.”

My Medical Gateway said private hip replacement surgery in the UK typically costs between £12,549 and £14,950.

The company, which connects UK patients with private hospitals in the European Union, said the average price offered by many European providers was approximately £9,088.

However, travelling abroad for medical treatment can involve additional considerations, including travel costs, insurance, post-operative care and arrangements if complications arise.

The Freedom of Information response was returned by Hywel Dda University Health Board on June 8, 2026.

 

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Education

Saundersfoot graduate secures teaching job before completing degree

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Local school placements helped Millie Brace gain the experience and connections needed to begin her career at Templeton Primary School

A SAUNDERSFOOT student is celebrating after graduating from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and securing a teaching job in Pembrokeshire before completing her degree.

Millie Brace graduated this week with a BA in Primary Education with Qualified Teacher Status from UWTSD’s Carmarthen campus.

She will begin her first teaching post at Templeton Primary School in September.

Millie said the opportunity to remain close to home and complete placements in Pembrokeshire schools had been a major factor in her decision to study at UWTSD.

“I chose UWTSD because it allowed me to stay close to my family and continue living at home while studying, which was important to me,” she said.

“Another key reason was the opportunity to complete local teaching placements.

“I knew how competitive teaching jobs can be in Pembrokeshire, so gaining experience in local schools was a great way to build professional connections and develop an understanding of the schools and communities I want to work in.”

Her placements allowed her to gain experience in a range of classrooms and helped her develop the confidence needed to apply for teaching roles.

“Before graduating, I was delighted to secure a teaching position at an amazing primary school in my local area,” she said.

Millie praised the support she received from university staff, school mentors and teachers during her final placement at Lamphey Primary School.

“Although I had not previously taught that particular year group, I received fantastic support from my class mentors and staff at Lamphey Primary School,” she said.

“Their knowledge and experience, combined with the research and understanding I developed through my course and assignments, greatly increased my confidence.”

Millie said the flexibility of the degree allowed her to explore subjects linked directly to her classroom experience and professional development.

“My favourite thing about the course was the flexibility of the assignments,” she said.

“They allowed me to explore topics that genuinely interested me and focus on areas that reflected my personal development targets from placements.

“This made the work feel relevant to my experiences in the classroom and helped me connect theory with practice.”

She also valued the sense of community at the Carmarthen campus and the friendships she formed with other student teachers.

“One of the biggest challenges during my studies was adapting to different placement schools and managing the increasing expectations placed on me as I progressed,” she said.

“Each school had its own routines, approaches and learning environments.

“What helped me most was the support of other student teachers. We shared resources, exchanged ideas and helped each other with lesson planning and preparation.”

Outside her studies, Millie continued to enjoy the Pembrokeshire coastline, spending her spare time paddleboarding, walking her dog and learning to surf.

She said she would recommend UWTSD to anyone considering a career in teaching.

“The course provided excellent placement opportunities, allowing me to gain valuable experience in local schools and build professional connections that helped me secure a teaching job before graduating,” she said.

“I have also made friends for life, and the relationships I built have been one of the most rewarding parts of my university experience.”

Millie will now take the next step in her career when she joins Templeton Primary School at the beginning of the new academic year.

 

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