News
Council election kick-off marred by mishap
THE 2017 local elections process got off to a calamitous start on Wednesday (Mar 22) as Pembrokeshire’s polling officials were unfamiliar with correct procedure for vetting candidates’ nomination papers.
The Herald understands the opening day of the two-week window for county and community councillor hopefuls to put themselves forward, was bustling with attendees who unwittingly filed invalid and incomplete papers totally unnoticed by election staff.
The candidates had left County Hall in the belief that they had been accepted as validly nominated candidates, after being told the same by Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Ian Westley, in his capacity as Election Returning Officer.
But it transpired that polling boss Westley and his colleagues had inadvertently overlooked a key requirement of the nominations process.
Alongside nomination forms setting out their own particulars and the signatures of their nominees from the electoral roll, candidates must also submit a separate, signed agreement called the ‘Consent to Nomination’.
As the title suggests, the Consent to Nomination sets out candidates’ willingness and legal eligibility to stand, and their agreement to adhere to legislative provisions governing the electoral process.
However the Herald has learned that many candidates were unaware that, as well as a signed declaration, the Consent to Nomination must also be accompanied by printouts of the legislation candidates agree to be bound by.
Most embarrassing for the Pembrokeshire County Council bureaucrats overseeing the elections is that this ignorance of the rules also afflicted the authority’s elections team.
The awkward oversight came with big consequences as all candidates whose nominations were wrongly accepted had to be contacted to explain the clerical cock-up.
Red-faced officials had the unenviable task of informing candidates that if their nomination papers weren’t resubmitted with the requisite legal paperwork attached, they wouldn’t be standing.
It’s not the first time the Herald has reported on unsettling electoral errors in Pembrokeshire.
At last year’s Welsh Assembly poll, postal voters in the Ceredigion, Preseli Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituencies had to be re-issued with new ballots after the originals contained wrong instructions.
The blame for that costly howler, according to Carmarthenshire County Council’s Chief Executive Mark James in his capacity as the region’s returning officer, was pinned on ‘a computer error by printers.’
A PRIME seaside trading spot has been made available by Pembrokeshire County Council, offering a unique opportunity for an entrepreneur to operate an ice cream van at the popular Newgale Beach.
The council is inviting tenders for a licence to trade from the northern car park at Newgale between 1st March and 31st October each year. Applications must be submitted by 12:00 noon on Wednesday (Apr 30).
Located on the north-west coast of Pembrokeshire, Newgale Beach stretches for over 3 kilometres and is a favourite among surfers, swimmers, and families alike. Sporting events are frequently held on the beach during the summer months, drawing in large crowds and providing a strong footfall for potential ice cream sales.
The designated car parks at Newgale offer 230 spaces and are the closest surface car parks to the beach. Seasonal parking charges apply between March and October.
The council is seeking offers over £5,000 plus VAT per annum for the licence. Trading hours are expected to be between 11:00am and 7:00pm daily, although these times can be adjusted with the prior agreement of the Streetcare and Parking Manager.
The successful applicant will be allowed to sell principally ice cream, but soft drinks and confectionery may also be sold subject to approval. The sale of alcohol and hot food will not be permitted.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit the site before submitting their applications. An application form can be requested from the council’s Property Helpdesk. All offers will be considered up until the exchange of contracts, although the council is not obliged to accept the highest or any offer.
A TEMPLETON woman has admitted making repeated nuisance calls to emergency services and assaulting a police officer.
Ann Gatley, aged 78, of Chapel Hill Lane, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court charged with two offences following incidents earlier this month.
The court heard that between April 7 and April 9, Gatley persistently misused the public communications network with the intention of causing annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.
She was also charged with assaulting a female police officer in the Narberth area on April 9.
Gatley pleaded guilty to both offences when she appeared in court on Thursday (Apr 11).
Magistrates adjourned sentencing to allow for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Gatley is due to appear at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on May 6.
She was granted bail until that date, with a condition that she must not contact emergency services unless in a genuine emergency.
A MILFORD HAVEN man is set to stand trial accused of carrying a pocket knife with a blade exceeding the legal limit.
Lee Lock, 37, is alleged to have had the knife hidden beneath a car seat while driving through Honeyborough Industrial Estate, Neyland, on June 5, 2024.
The Crown Prosecution Service claims the blade measured 7.62 centimetres in length—over the 7 cm threshold permitted by law.
Lock appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court this week via video link from HM Swansea Prison, where he pleaded not guilty to possessing a knife blade in a public place.
His trial has been scheduled for June 9 at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court.
Lock, of Coombs Road, Milford Haven, was remanded in custody due to concerns he may fail to surrender to bail.
Dŵr Cymru loses 251 million litres each day due to leaks
Welsh Lib Dems slam water firms as millions of litres leaked daily WELSH Liberal Democrats have criticised Dŵr Cymru and...
Search continues for missing sailor in Irish Sea
THE SEARCH for a man who went overboard from a UK-registered yacht in the Irish Sea entered its third day...
Pope Francis Dies at 88: Tributes pour in for a Pontiff of compassion and reform
REQUIEM MASSES TO BE HELD ACROSS WALES POPE FRANCIS, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church and...
Search continues for man overboard from UK yacht in Irish Sea
A MAJOR search and rescue operation is under way in the Irish Sea after a man went overboard from a...
Calls for urgent sale of Oakwood site amid trespasser fears
CONCERNS have been raised about trespassers entering the closed Oakwood theme park, prompting calls for a swift sale of the...
Reform candidate co-opted to town council — graffiti appears days later
A MAN who recently lost a by-election standing for the Reform UK party has been co-opted onto Haverfordwest Town Council...
Body found in tent in Pembrokeshire woodland
Death not believed to be suspicious POLICE are investigating the unexplained death of a man whose body was discovered in...
West Wales sewage crisis: New calls for accountability amid environmental concerns
THE SEWAGE pollution crisis engulfing West Wales continues to deepen, with new data and growing public pressure exposing serious environmental...
Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral
A VIRAL social media post accusing a man of stealing £4,000 from a veterans’ charity has been described as “unauthorised...
Police appeal after woman seriously injured in Haverfordwest assault
POLICE in Haverfordwest are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault in the Castle Square area. A woman was taken...
-
News7 days agoDriver lies injured in rain for hours at Fishguard Port after fall from lorry
-
Crime6 days agoSenedd member welcomes police crack down on high street money laundering
-
Charity5 days agoBusinessman ‘honoured’ to become Wales Air Ambulance’s first business ambassador
-
Community2 days agoWarning after suspected drug-related incidents in Haverfordwest
-
News7 days agoFestival pulls appearance by ex-MP despite acclaim for honest memoir
-
Crime6 days agoTwo Pembrokeshire vape shops face court closure orders
-
Charity5 days ago
Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral
-
Crime5 days agoTwo men sentenced for vicious crimes against badgers.