News
Grinch protest at MP’s office over pay cap
PROMINENT Welsh Conservative MP Stephen Crabb received a visit from a group of Grinch lookalikes outside his office in Haverfordwest this afternoon (Dec 12).
Public service workers, angry at the UK government’s continued seven-year pay cap, invoked the fictional character who famously wanted to ruin Christmas time. They are warning the MPs not to ‘steal our pay rise’.
Healthcare and local authority staff dressed as the Grinch are presenting giant Christmas cards on behalf of Wales’ 390,000 public service workers at the constituency offices of Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns MP, Guto Bebb MP, Stephen Crabb MP and David Jones MP.
The message inscribed reads: “Public service workers deliver essential services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year but the government pay freeze has seen their pay cut by over a fifth. This Christmas support public service workers and stand up for your community.”
The Christmas-themed stunts have been organised by UNISON and the trade union has promised a colourful and loud presence outside the constituency offices, with the assembled crowds singing Christmas carols featuring alternative lyrics to reflect the deep frustration of public service workers and their families.
Margaret Thomas, UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary said: “When thousands of people in your community are in a desperate situation, that’s when you need your MP to stand up for them. After seven years of pay caps and freezes have reduced public service workers’ pay by a fifth, people are really struggling to pay the bills.
“Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns should be banging the Cabinet table, telling the Prime Minister people here are suffering. We need to hear the voices of Guto Bebb, Stephen Crabb and David Jones. None of them made any contribution to last week’s Parliamentary debate on public sector pay. By staying silent, they are failing to represent their constituents.
“An immediate end to the pay cap would transform thousands and thousands of lives in Wales and that means more money on Welsh high streets for local businesses too. That is the message Welsh Conservative MPs must tell their government this Christmas. Public service workers are the just-about-managing families that Theresa May promised to stand by and we want her to make good on her promise.”
UNISON has drawn attention to the fact that the number of its members in the constituencies of Alun Cairns, Stephen Crabb and Guto Bebb are greater than the majorities held by the MPs.
The trade union has warned the politicians they ignore public service workers at their peril.
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.
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